Coppish

Since I started the BeadWhisperer blog, I haven't posted many jewelry pictures over here. Sorry about that. Maybe I'll actually get around to putting the link on the sidebar. Anyway! I have to show you these:




I belong to a jewelry maker's forum. Actually several. Most is lurking, rarely posting, for I am NOT WORTHY to contribute to most of them, for the talent is amazing, and I am but a small, insignificant microbe in their world. Anyway. Jewelry making is not just about beads. It's about using anything your little heart desires to adorn yourself (or others) I have been playing around with wire lately, but sheet metal appeals to me. Sterling is horrifically expensive (would it be tacky if I put a paypal donate button on the sidebar so y'all can help me buy sterling sheet?) so I play with copper. Which, for now, is relatively inexpensive. (It's more expensive than it was, but in the big scheme of things, is still cheap)

So I give you these circles cut from 20 gauge copper sheet. Domed with the cool dapping block I HAD TO HAVE, but rarely use, punched with a hole in each. I need to sand the edges a little more and even them out, but I want to make them into beads. Yes, Virginia, beads. It's easy really. Just solder the two halves together, and TA DA. A big bead. Stay tuned. My soldering skillz are poor (inexperience) so it won't be as easy as it sounds. But I'm excited, because when I make it work, it'll be way cool. I'm also seeing hammered/textured copper circles made into beads for a nifty keen bracelet. It's a shame I have to have a day job, or I'd play all day long with this kind of thing.