Learning New Things – 2013 Resolution!

Kim's Beautiful Beaded Necklace and My End Caps
What a way to start the New Year!  First time working with Sterling Silver Clay, using my rock tumbler and hand forming bead end caps! 
A very good friend, Kim Neff (www.beadjeweledraven.com) needed large size end caps for her beautifully beaded spiral necklace.  When she could not find any, she asked if I would make them.  Oh, why not???  I’d never done anything quite like them but I was certainly willing. 
Polymer Prototype
First I decided to use the Sterling Silver clay I had sitting in my drawer for way too long.  It needed to be used and I needed to learn to work with it.  Then I decided to make a prototype with polymer clay.  

Seemed like a mold would be good to create since I needed two matching caps and of course, my 2 part mold mix was way past its shelf life.  I ordered more.
Being impatient, the thought of creating the end caps using the polymer prototype sounded worth trying.  I cut a circle and formed it on the polymer prototype, a long strip for the sides, and made a snake for the lower part.  With some fiddling, the three pieces went together.  So I did another.  Not perfect matches but close enough. 
Ready to sand

After sanding and firing, they went into my new rock tumbler.  I’ve had that tumbler for months and just could not believe it would work. 
Fired before Tumbling

I was so excited after taking the end caps out and seeing their bright shiny surface, I called my neighbors in for a ‘show and tell’.  And of course, I put the pictures on Facebook.  (I also asked for advice as to why they discolored in the firing and we decided it had to do with the oxygen-carbon mix.  Thanks for helping on that one, FB friends!)  The sterling clay was easy to work with and I’ll use it again. 
After Tumbling!
Kim will have to decide about the patina she wants on the pieces.  I’m so excited about how they finished that I don’t want to do anything to change them! 
Good start to 2013!

Comments

  1. Nice! Congratulations on your Sterling Bead Caps. I haven't worked with the Sterling yet but hear that it's great.

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