Daily Blogs : silver

Metal beads and why we love them!

Erin Carey — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 23:00:00 GMT

Add metal beads to your jewelry and wow, magic! The alchemy of metal transforms our designs in more ways than one. Because we value metal itself, using metal beads in our jewelry lets us ask a higher price! Metal gives a higher perceived and literal value to our work.

Metal beads also say a lot about who we are, our style. For fun, I collected some cool metal beads and totally made up what I think are the traits these beads might bring to a finished piece of jewelry—and what type of personality you may be to use them! (Approximate sizes are noted, for scale.) Go on, test your... metal!

Zen		The swirls in this silver saucer look like patterns in a Zen sand garden. Add beads like this to jewelry for an Asian fusion flavor. If you find this bead appealing, you tend to be calm and in control. You probably have a lucky bamboo plant in your home and will eat sushi, if it’s cooked. (20mm dia.)

Squiggle		Tactile, modern, and a cartoon in antiqued brass, this squiggle bead gives a wink of whimsy to designs. You love having people smile when they see your jewelry! You probably like squiggly food, too, like licorice lacing, spaghetti, and funnel cakes. (18mm dia.)

Spirals		These silver beads are far out! Use them to bring a 60’s style, mod look to your work, bold galactic spheres from beyond. Bet you watched “the Jetsons” as a kid, and enjoy spacey, new-age music. (15mm dia.)

Paisley pyramid		World traveler—albeit from your laptop—you’d use these beads to lend an exotic detail to your work. The decorative surface designs and shape of this Hill Tribe silver bead evoke treasures of the silk road trade. You like patterns and prints, and your jewelry reflects your love of intimate detail. Bet you wear… paisley socks! (12mm dia.)

Daggers		Shaped of hammered brass, these large, hollow daggers look very tribal. Even a single dagger as a focal bead would make a statement of strength and power in a design. If you’re drawn to dagger beads you are probably something of a warrior, a leader, and always want to be the driver when you go places with friends. (35mm long)

Rosebud		Being floral makes this bead feminine, but its oxidized surface and hand-crafted look make it a hip tribute to modern woman. It designs well with many other bead materials like stone, shell, or wood. Like it? You are probably eclectic and artsy, and have bowls of beach stones around your house. (8mm.)
Old metal		These old-looking metal components could have been unearthed at an archeological site, a remnant of an antique piece of jewelry or some unknown mechanical device. If you'd use them in your designs, I bet you like gears and watch parts, too. You probably are a fan of the Indiana Jones movies (except the second one), appreciate the imagination of Jules Verne, and might have secretly switched your brother's toy train for your Barbie one Christmas. (From 10mm to 20mm dia.)
Modern barrel		You are all about the shine, the elegance, the glamor of metal. These contemporary barrel beads are very luxe, and would totally enrich a design with semiprecious stones. If these are the beads for you, your home is probably a showcase, with modern furniture, glass tabletops, and you have a box of tools with your name on it at your manicurist. (15mm.)
Verdigris dangles		Nothing new and shiny for you! You want the character of the ages. These brass dangles have a luscious green patina you adore. Jewelry becomes a museum piece with metal beads like these. You might have once taken a belly-dancing class, and are fond of samosas and dolmades. (5mm.)
Copper saucers		This is one of my personal favorite metal beads. The antiqued surface is a contradiction to the retro saucer shape, and as a metal, copper has a rich yet earthy paradox to it. This bead could look either industrial or tribal. Copper beads design well with wood, resin, stone, and fiber beads. You may be inspired to design with these large (30mm) saucers if you like ethnic arts, but also watch sci movies... like me!
"Bluish" by Jane Dickerson		Find over 70 designs that use all sorts of metal beads in the 2009 edition of Creative Jewelry, like this "Bluish" necklace by editor Jane Dickerson. Then, share which metal beads are totally “you” here and on the Beading Daily forums!

How to Clean and Polish Chain Jewelry!

Brenton — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:00:00 GMT

7 Great Tips to Maintain your Chain!

When I wrote Chain Style: 50 Contemporary Jewelry Designs, I couldn't wait to share the 50 fabulous necklace and bracelet designs. So many designs using all kinds of chain! Later on, as my favorite brass chain began to tarnish, I thought how great it would be to have a follow-up blog about how to clean your chain jewelry. So, here are a few tips I've learned about cleaning and caring for chain jewelry.

1. Daily Care
When you remove your jewelry, wipe off the chain with a lint-free polishing cloth that has no abrasives. If you have been wearing perfume, rinse the chain with water, pat it dry, then follow with the polishing cloth. This is great for day-to-day maintenance: cleaning off fingerprints, skin oils, scents, and surface dirt.

2. Storage
Yvonne Padilla of Rio Grande recommends that you place your jewelry in an air-tight, ziploc bag along with an anti-tarnish strip. These strips are fantastic–completely safe and non-toxic. They absorb moisture and neutralize tarnish-producing gases in the air. They will last up to 6 months or longer if placed in a sealed environment. They work for silver, brass, copper, nickel, bronze, tin, and gold. Copper is the villain when it comes to tarnishing, so any metal that contains copper will tarnish. Clean your chains thoroughly, then store them with anti-tarnish strips and they'll be ready to wear for months.

3. Weekly Maintenance
Use an ultrasonic cleaner and a cleaning solution that is PH-balanced and ammonia-free. This will eliminate surface dirt, oil, lotion, and perfume. If you are cleaning a rope chain or snake chain where dirt might get into the crevices, use a soft toothbrush to get into those hard to reach areas.

4. Let It Soak
Soak your chains in a PH-balanced, ammonia free jewelry solution for stubborn tarnish. If you have chain with stones, make sure that the cleaning solution you are using is gentle enough to use on the particular gemstones or pearls. Don't use the ultrasonic cleaner as the vibration may harm the stones.

Anti-tarnish strips, polishing pads, polishing cloths, and cleaning solution.		5. Tarnish Be Gone There are some wonderful polishing pads and cloths that are embedded with microabrasives that get rid of tarnish and dirt in a jiffy. Just rub the cloth over the piece and watch it polish to a clean, brilliant shine.

Top: Brass chain cleaned with vinegar and salt solution. Bottom: Tarnished chain.

6. Go Eco
To clean silver, try Jean Campbell’s At-Home Tarnish Busting Remedy. For stubborn spots, use plain toothpaste (no gels or whitening) and a soft toothbrush, then rinse and dry with a soft cloth. I learned this trick from Kate Richbourg of Beaducation: For brass and copper pieces, use hot vinegar mixed with a few tablespoons of salt; let soak, then rinse and dry.

7. When in Doubt
If your jewelry has become really tarnished or you have concerns about any of the gemstones used in your design, take your jewelry to a professional jeweler and ask them to clean your pieces for you. What are your favorite ways to clean chain?

Now that you know how to care for your silver chains, try checking out my new book Chain Style with 50 different stylish and affordable designs. While you’re waiting for your book to arrive, try this fun and fast chain necklace by one of the book’s featured designers, Step by Step Wire Jewelry editor Denise Peck.

NEW FREE PROJECT!
Glass Whimsy
Denise Peck

This vibrant necklace was created using hollow lampworked glass beads, disk beads, silver wire, and a beautiful silver chain. The piece is bold and dynamic, yet simple to make. It's a great project for beginners. Originally published in Creative Jewelry, 2009.

Share your jewelry cleaning tips here or in the Beading Daily forums!

Learn Metal Clay from the Pros Who Know!

Leslie — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:18:00 GMT

Clay it Forward

Sometimes we all need a light from another flame to get our own candle burning. That's the way it was for me with metal clay. Usually I'm a selt-taught type of gal, so when metal clay first came on the scene. I thought, what's the big deal? It's CLAY. Heck, I've been playing with clay since I was three! But of course there's way more to the medium of metal clay (and polymer, too) than the aromatic plastilene we took from containers at recess! Once I'd learned I needed tools and a special type of kiln, I knew I had to take a class to see how the pros worked with this alluring material.

This is a picture of the only metal clay piece I ever made, the product of a 3-hour Bead Fest class I took years back when metal clay was still a relatively new product. Kinda embarrassing. In an entire 3 hours this inch-long charm is all I brought home. But I had fun making it, squishing it, sanding the "leather hard" pre-fired clay, and seeing it become real silver. But go ahead, you can chuckle at my elementary efforts. I still do!

Now, I am not saying the class was a loss, not at all! I learned about the tools and the properties of metal clay in ways I would not have done on my own, and my little "Lame Lily" pendant––yes, I named it––is by no mean a reflection on my teachers, either. Martha and Ed Biggar were delightfully gracious and informative teachers who continue to teach at Bead Fest. They gave me my first chance to get my hands into metal clay. And, others in that class made way cooler stuff than I did, believe me. I admit I often get a bit paralyzed by beginning something, like writers block. Most of us do from time to time. Those times it helps to get out, open a book, take a class,so the experts can get us jump-started.

Of course, since then I have seen more and more examples of metal clay explorations by artists drawn to the material. The medium itself has been developed to be better and easier to work with. There are other metal clays beside silver, like the breathtakingly gorgeous bronze clay. I have read more about techniques and applications, such as how to use it in a more liquid form called "slip" and combine it with seed beads, shown in this March '06 Step by Step Beads project "Beautiful Boughs" by Jessica Beels. (Photo by Todd Murray.)

I am also captivated by the patinas which can be coaxed from or applied to metal clay, like the verdigris in these earrings I bought from Kelly Russell. Don't they look like archeological finds? These earrings are so rich in their imagery and color, and so very different from the sleek lines I tried to get in my little polished lily charm. There are many artists who have contributed to the evolution of the art of metal clay, from Celie Fago, Lora Hart and Lisa Pavelka to Sherri Haab, Debra Weld and Hadar Jacobson.

Do I sound inspired? You bet. I now own a few precious ounces of silver metal clay, tools, an acrylic roller and even some texture plates. I know where I have access to a kiln. Have I made more little Lame Lilies on my own? Not yet. I still need some guidance, especially about something called shrinkage...

But for inspiration and how-to, I plan to dive into the easy-to-follow projects in our downloadable eBook from Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist: 10 Metal Clay Jewelry Projects.

What are your favorite resources for tips and techniques to shape your skills with metal clay? Who are the artists and teachers who inspire you? Share your comments below or on the Beading Daily forums!

MY BAD! Forgot your FREE PROJECT!

Make this metal clay quilt pendant designed by Hadar Jacobson!

How to Use Silver Wire and Findings on Any Budget

Michelle M. — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:26:00 GMT

It wasn’t all that long ago that I used nothing but sterling silver in all my jewelry. My ear wires, clasps, jump rings, chain, even crimps, all of it was sterling. Of course, that was back when gas was a dollar, our houses were worth more than we’d ever dreamed , and our 401Ks were making us feel like we were playing with the Big Boys. It was also when silver was going for about $4/ounce. In the past eight years, silver has climbed in price over 200%, from around $4.00/oz in 2001, to over $14.00/oz today. ...(read more)

Free Project: Modern Wire and Crystal Bracelet

Michelle M. — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:39:00 GMT

Before I learned to make my own jewelry, I almost never wore bracelets because my wrist wasn't the "typical" size carried in stores. Bangles and cuffs, with their one-size-fits-many styling, were the exception. Two of my favorite cuff bracelets are in the book Wire Style and suprisingly, both are by the same designer, Jodi L. Bombardier. ...(read more)

How to Use (and Mix) Metals in Jewelry Designs

Michelle M. — Mon, 04 May 2009 11:58:00 GMT

Some things are better done solo. Shopping for unmentionable comes to mind. Or flossing. Or, in our opinion, diving (we are still shocked that synchronized diving is an actual Olympic sport!). But writing beading books?...(read more)

At-Home Tarnish-Busting Remedies

Michelle M. — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 13:30:00 GMT

I help out at one of my local bead shops every so often. As one of the store managers mentioned, it helps sate “Jean’s need for adult conversation.” That pathetic reality aside, I also like to be at the shop to see and hear about what other beaders are making and doing. It’s a great way to learn about beading dilemmas and their solutions. ...(read more)

Beginning Silver Fusing: Free Video on Making Headpins

Michelle M. — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:07:00 GMT

Using a torch can be scary. There's something about holding a flame--no matter how petite and charming--that is a little unnerving. I've taken three classes that used a torch for a small part of the class. I'm not going to lie and say that I'm perfectly relaxed and comfortable around a torch, but I survived the experience and am working up my courage to learn more. ...(read more)

The Sparkle of Silver (And Other Favorite Metals)

Editor — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 14:00:00 GMT

The Sparkle of Silver (And Other Favorite Metals)

Rectangle Bangle by Stephanie Everett features silver wire.

Who doesn't love silver?

Apparently, not many! More than 1,000 readers voted in the latest poll ("What's your favorite metal?"). As I expected, silver was the clear favorite with 61% of the vote. Copper came in second (22%) and gold in third (7%). Why do we love silver so much? Silver is striking, classic, and fits every occasion--it's the quintessential "little black dress" of the jewelry world.

While I love copper (see the first part of the post "Zulu Beadwork"), I was pleasantly surprised to find that other people felt the same way. Just a year or two ago, it was not unusual for me to walk into a bead store and not find any copper chain or findings. Copper is still difficult to find in the large craft stores. I wonder whether the use of copper will continue to rise, or whether it has already peaked in popularity?

Pewter, brass, and vermeil were all in the 1-3% range. Some of the answers in the "other" category included stainless steel, aluminum, niobium, gold-filled, gold-plate, gunmetal, bronze, and shibuichi. (Shibuichi is a mix of silver and copper. You can see some examples of it at Green Girl Studios.) Thanks to the reader who made me laugh by saying that that her favorite "other" metal was "anything I don't have to polish"!

At right: Elaine Ray's Cascading Tangle uses a mix of metal chains and findings.

New poll: Do you work on your beading at your kitchen or dining room table?
Poll ends October 17.

Thanks to Beading Daily reader Wendy H. for suggesting this poll question (see her comment on the "Beads for Dinner" post).

A Simple Wirework Necklace with Lampwork Beads and Crystals

This week's featured project, Afternoon Tea, is by Sandi Wiseheart. Some of you may recognize Sandi's name as the editor of Knitting Daily. In addition to being A Knitter Extraordinaire, Sandi is also a talented beader. I literally stole this pretty necklace off her neck to share with you. (Don't worry--I gave it back!) Here are three reasons I like it:

It's colorful. Not sure how to combine colors? Choose a lampwork bead you like and then choose 2 or 3 crystals to match.
It's easy. If you can make a wrapped loop and use jump rings, you can make this necklace.
It's affordable. This necklace lets you showcase a few special beads and a handful of crystals and silver spacers and still have money left for more beads. (Or rent.)

Five More Wire Projects Coming Soon
Afternoon Tea by Sandi Wiseheart is the first of six free projects that are featured in Easy Wire magazine. (Only photos of the projects appeared in the magazine--the instructions are exclusively for you as Beading Daily members!)

Other projects coming soon: Lotus Blossom (necklace) by Sandi Wiseheart, Drops of Jupiter (bracelet) by Marcella Austenfeld, Purple Zig-Zags (earrings) by Michelle Mach, Spiraling Out of Control (necklace) by Michelle Mach, and Ballpoint Earrings by Karen Tihor.

2007 Bead Arts Award Winners

Step by Step Beads announced the winners of the 2007 Bead Arts Award Winners in the November/December 2007 issue. Pictured at right is the second place winner in the "beaded object" category. This bracelet uses peyote stitch and right-angle weave.

Look for a profile of Christine Marie Noguere and her "larger than life" beadwork in the January/February 2008 issue of Step by Step Beads.

Titania (Jewelry for Giants, No. 5) by Christine Marie Noguere. Size: 9". Photo: Phil Pope.

See the rest of the winners in the online gallery (PDF format). I'll pass along the information on entering the 2008 awards as soon as it's available.

Coming Friday: Wireworking tips, how to create rubber stamped polymer clay beads, plus some adorable dog beads by Lori Peterson. (Lori designed the pretty floral lampworked beads in the featured Afternoon Tea necklace.)

Michelle Mach is the editor of Beading Daily. How could it be Wednesday already?

Silver Spacers Take Center Stage

Editor — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 16:00:00 GMT

We often think of silver rondelles and daisy spacers as just that—spacers that add a bit of silver sparkle here and there in a piece. The Serenity Blossoms necklace features more than 350 small silver beads. The back of the necklace is just silver rondelles, giving a solid, crisp silver look to the back of the necklace. The glass beads, which normally take center stage, are not actually the focal point. They add color and interest, certainly, but this comes off as a silver necklace with bits of pink/orange glass, rather than the reverse. This is a great little design trick! For your next project, take something that is usually in the background—your stringing material, your tiny spacer beads—and move it to the forefront. Think of this as the Melinda Doolittle trick from American Idol—take your background singer and make her a star!