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excellent,very satisfied,thank you.all my friends like them,and ive told them,where and who i got them from,thanks again. Get this Widget

Monday, June 29, 2009

My new Goldilocks earrings






A new design was born during this weekend, as usual i did not plan finding it i did not even go on a search, the contrary, I was "manufacturing" more of the same in order to produce some inventory.
But this is what happens when I repeat (the hardest thing for me), I cant resist it and start experimenting....

Sometime new designs are born sometime not, sometimes I think I have a new one but later on I realize it was only a step toward the one I really love.

SO - these are my new Goldilocks earrings it is made of 14k gold filled wire, using a crochet hook (what else...), at the end it has a small pearl bead to mark the end.

I've been wearing it for a couple of days now, it is really fun to have curls :)
I feel this is going to be a successful item , but only time will tell...
I would love to hear what you think of it :)

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

How to turn your grey silver back into pure white



Ever since I started making jewelry I've been fascinated with metals in general and silver in particular, a friend of mine that checked my Chinese astrological map told me its no wonder, this is exactly the material I lack....
But back to our topic, of all metals I LOVE silver the most, I LOVE hammering silver and love crocheting pure silver, but I've always been a little concerned about the fact that it tarnishes.

I didn't like to see my pretty white designs turn grey and hated to think it would happened to my clients too, and maybe they wont like it either, I know some people like it but some don't, tarnishes do give silver some depth and ages it but takes away the brightness and pureness.

Working with 14k gold filled gave me some relief, I tested it for months and learned that it is very reliable and doesn't tarnish at all.
The only slight little problem was it wasn't white...... and for white lovers yellow just wont do.

Occasionally I tried experimenting with baking soda, salt, warm water, cold watter, boiling water, n o t h i n g, tarnishes are tarnishes are tarnishes.
Yesterday while checking my inventory and going through some of my items that turned grey, I though I may tackle the problem from a new angle, start a new line of my designs in oxidized silver.
To this purpose and since I don't have formal metal smithing education, I started searching the net for information.
Rather quickly I found a forum where this topic was discussed along side with my well familiar opposite question, how to take away the greyness and make my silver designs back white....

I read all sort of suggestions and decided its time to experiment again, went to have lunch with the kids at home and in between preparations I DID IT !!!! and it worked !!!!
and this is what I did:
- I took a flat plastic dish
- lined it with aluminum foil
- poured in regular salt and some backing soda (never measure, don't know quantities)
- located the earring I wanted to clean on the bottom (touching the aluminum)
- poured boiling water
- let it lay there for a minute or so
- took it out and rinsed it under cold water.
- dried it.

I experimented with only one earring so I will be able to check the differences, but there was no need, it was so shiny white when I took it out that there was NO DOUBT.
I was so thrilled that I immediately tried it on other silver items that I had.
It worked faster on the knitted parts then on silver surfaces (solid rings for example), and the solid surfaces also needed some gentle wiping, but really gentle not scrubbing.

So this is it for now, I'm sorry I was so quick and did not take before and after photos, you will just have to believe me.

My other experiment, the silver oxidizing is still not finished but when it is and if it is successful as this one I promise to share it too.

Monday, June 8, 2009

No title

I'm not in a writing mood today, so just enjoy the photos of a bracelet I made for a good friend of mine for her birthday.

Monday, June 1, 2009

1st etsy anniversary celebrations



As you can understand I'm celebrating my 1st and incredible etsy anniversary, to this occasion special offers are published on my shop and even more special offers were sent to returning customers that joined my clients list....

SO come and celebrate with me :)
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