How to make a copper bangle

by MaryAnn Carroll

Like many of you, I am a little crazy busy.  I have found some time to create some copper bangles, however, and consequently they became a little addicting AND a way to avoid everything else that I should have been doing to be a little more efficient. I thought that since I haven't posted in quite some time, I would start off by sharing a tutorial. Next week, I will have some of these to offer in a a giveaway, so stop back.

How to make a basic hammered copper bangle (picture tutorial)

If I were the super organized type, I would have a list of materials 

HERE....

but I am not, so I will do my best with letting you know what you need. Personally, I like to look at pictures, so that is what I am mostly providing.

Fire is you friend when it comes to making bangles and I like it hot!!!

Materials that you see here: 

Mapp Gas, copper solder, dremel, firing rack (not sure it that is the technical name) and 6 gauge copper wire (right from Lowes)

heavy duty wire cutters (Weiss)

 pickle (1 cup vinegar to 1 tbsp salt), a crock pot (one you will never use again in the kitchen, a ceramic bowl, water, baking soda for the water, plastic tongs,

I have been too cheap (and broke) to invest in a bracelet mandrel. An old baseball bat or, in this case, a maple leg from an old table works great!  They may not hold up as well, but, hell, I have four of them!!

This is fire brick (below). As you can see it has been used multiple times. I would recommend investing in some bricks, so that you don't burn the house down. 

That brings us to.....

STEP 1: Cut a piece of 6 gauge copper wire to approximately 8.5 inches (bigger or smaller depending on your hand size). I cut a little big just in case I make some mistakes and need to trim more than I planned for. Heat the copper to make it pliable. (you can use water for fast cooling if you choose to).

 

STEP 2: Using a chasing hammer (another material), hammer the wire until you get it flattened. I then use the flip side of the wire for the exterior of the bangle. This part takes some twisting and turning AND a little patience.

STEP 3: File, using you dremel until you get both ends of the wire to meet with as little space in between as possible.

STEP 4: Put the two ends together and place on your firing rack. Place the LONG piece of copper solder behind the connection. This part takes lots of practice and I could not take pictures while I was doing this since my right hand was being used to heat the front of the copper.

The joint isn't perfect, but with a little sanding and possibly a little more solder it will look fine.

STEP 5: Add to pickling solution (heat crock pot until hot.... I would give degrees here, but I have no clue what low is on the crock pot that I have.

 This is a picture AFTER it comes out of the pickling solution.

STEP 6: Using a wooden or rubber mallet, carefully hammer your bangle until you have reached complete roundness (or close to it)!!

There you have it!

 I also add patinas, sometimes textures and usually tumble them for extra strength and shine. Only two of these have patina added.

Stop back next Friday to enter to win a bangle or two!

MaryAnn

Textured Earrings Tutorial

I wanted to put together a little tutorial using some metal chain that I had purchased from a garage sale last year.While looking around the house for something to use for texture, I came across it and wondered if the hoops would be hard enough to create texture with. It was. I probably should have annealed the 3/4" disc first, but didn't. As you can see, you can still texture without annealing; it just takes more work.

I hope you like them.....

Materials: 3/4" discs, 18 gauge wire (for jump rings), 24 gauge wire, ear wires, metal hoop (could be done without this), center punch, marker, hammer, bowl for water, torch, mandrel (disc could be held with pliers), hammering block, 1/4" tube, tube cutter (optional), 2 small beads.

1. Set your disc on the hammering block. Center the metal hoop.

2. Watching out for your fingers, gently hammer an indentation into the metal disc.

3. Punch one hole on the indentation.

4. Using the hole as your guide, make marks at 6 o'clock, 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock.

5. Continue to fill in the additional placements that you would see on an analog clock. Using your punch, lightly tap on each mark 4-5 times.

6. This is how it will look.

 

7. Turning punched side away, heat the disc with your torch.

8. Set orange hot disc in cold water. This step is personal preference. You can play around with how to get different colors. I'm not a pink kinda gal, so I kept experimenting until I got a color that I liked. As you can see, if you get it hot enough, adding the discs to cold water adds additional texture.

9. Having already cut your tube to 1/4" pieces (jump rings can be used instead), hammer them lightly until flattened.

10. Using premade 18 ga. jump rings, slide through disc and hammered tube.

11. Using 18 ga wire, make small hoop, slide through hammered tube and slide small bead on. Create hoop on top of bead.

12. Using 24 ga, wire, wrap hoops made on top and bottom of bead.

13. For the last step, I chose to experiment with Stacie's tutorial on adding texture to ear wire. I discovered that I still need a little practice with this. Also, darkening is optional. I used liver of sulfur for my final step to patina.

There you have it.... light weight and fun to wear.

As always, thank-you for supporting artists who create handmade with handmade.

MaryAnn

Button Designs

MaryAnn Carroll

Sometime ago, I first saw buttons used as clasps, rings and more. What a fun way to finish off a unique piece! Today I am sharing some designs using buttons.

Click on any caption to see more from the artist's shop.

Jess2Bead

Denssilverlinings

CreationsByTonia

PeysterStreet

And what better way to include buttons in your designs than using handmade buttons?

Buttonalia

SheppardHandmade

HarvestMoonFeltworks

CarolBroadleyPottery

So, what do you think? Have you ever thought of using buttons in your designs. If you have, feel free to share links where we can see them.

As always, Thank-you for supporting those who create handmade with handmade.

MaryAnn

Strut Your Stuff October Winner & November Sponsors

Congratulations to Pennee of All Wired Up Designs who is the winner for October with this stunning pendant!



 Please email Barbara with your mailing address: secondsurf(at)gmail[dot]com

For November: We have several stunning prizes courtesy of our own Love My Art Jewelry Members:

First up is this stunning enameled pendant by Julie Holmes:

Isn't this just perfect for Autumn? Visit Julie here:
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Etsy

And also these beautiful components by MaryAnn Carroll:

This just looks like a delicious mix of Autumn and Winter (perfect for November since many of us are already seeing snow!)

Visit MaryAnn here:
Etsy
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Monthly Challenge Rules

1. Take pictures of your current creation and upload it to our flickr pool. (up to 3 per submission). Look for your work to be added to the group when it meets the rules of the challenge.

2. Leave a description of your thought process while creating your jewelry or beads/components. We really want everyone to share their creative thinking so please make sure that you share.

3. Since we are a group promoting "creating handmade with handmade," your jewelry should consist of at least 75% handmade. This doesn't mean that you have to create everything that goes into your piece. You could use beads/components created by other artists. Please give credit to that artist in your description.

4. If your submission will be loose beads/components, it may include any medium that you prefer to make those in. These submissions would also require a description of your creative thought process.

5. You may submit as many pieces as you like in a month, but please note that your name will be put in the hat once for the end of monthly giveaway. And in fairness, you can be chosen only once for designer of the week.

6. This challenge begins the first Monday of each month. Winners from the previous month will be announced the first Monday of the following month. For example January's challenge starts 1/2/12 and the winner announced 2/6/12.

7. Have fun, show off!!

ALSO, Don't forget to enter to win these beautiful earrings generously donated by Laura Jane Bouton!

Art Spark Designer of the Week

by D'Arsie Manzella

I hope your creativity is on overdrive and you are engrossed with your Art Spark challenge project! I am excited to see your interpretations.

This week I am sharing the work and inspiration of MaryAnn Carroll. Her soulful creation illustrates a beautiful truth. Read on...

You Just Need to Look...

One thing that I am excited about with our new challenge called "Art Spark", which will be replacing the former "Call-to-Create" is that we (the blog authors) are invited to join in. We won't be eligible, of course, for all of the fabulous prizes, but we will benefit from thinking creatively in different ways each month. The other part that I like, which is different, is that the submitted piece can be finished jewelry or a handmade bead/component created by you that you feel fits the theme of the month.

When I saw that our challenge was the word "CONTAIN" it made me think of the troubles that I have been experiencing over the past couple of months. Right away I thought of my favorite bead which I have kept for myself. My family and I have recently been faced with a crisis that I'm quite sure will not be common in the lives of most people. At least I hope not. It was a tragedy that brought me to my knees. Someday I will be able to talk about it, but for now I will talk about it through this bead.

It was a phone call that left me almost unable to move....frozen...... but I knew that I had to be there for my son and his family. I didn't even remember how I left work that day until I was recently told by a friend that it was she who drove me home. After many sleepless nights, daily trips to Syracuse, etc. we had to bring some sanity and stability to what we were going through.
That is where this bead comes in. When I look at it, it reminds me of feeling so lost inside of a darkened tunnel, but then.....slowly....I started to see the openings. They were there already, I just had to see them myself. When life seems so overwhelmingly hopeless, there are always those openings that you will find if only you look. Although, we are still experiencing the pain that this tragedy brought, there were so many people out there willing to guide us and support us...... we just had to find them. Like sitting inside of this carved out black bead surrounded by holes, things just seemed to fall in place. I started to look through those little openings and began moving my way out from what felt like my own little desperate lonely world.

My son Ben made this bead months ago and I glazed it. I didn't make it specifically for this challenge since my bead making has come to a halt for now but thought it worthy of sharing. I think now I will add this to a chain and remember to take it out during those times when I just can't see a way out...... There is always light somewhere when you are feeling lost in the dark; you just need to remember that it's your job to find it.

MaryAnn :O)

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And here is a glimpse into my (D'Arsie of Mamacita Beadworks) sketchbook for this month's challenge. My next step will be the clay sculpt. Because I am in the middle of a move, I will need to wait to mold the pendant and cast the finished work in pewter until I am settled in NY.

Hope is a Seed,

to cultivate, to protect and to give tenderly to others. It is a great gift contained inside every moment. Be a steadfast gardener and hope will nourish you through the sparse moments in life.

Hope is a Seed.

Have a wonderful week!