Drilling Sea Glass, Stones, Fossils and Shells

by Staci Louise Smith

I did a free tutorial a few years back on how to drill sea glass.  You can find many many tutorials out there on the subject, and many ways to do it.  The nice thing is, there is no wrong way.  Find whichever works for you.  

sea glass and fossils waiting to be drilled

Personally, I don't have room to do a complex set up of a drill press with a water spray on it like some of the tutorials recommend.  My way is easy set up, and easy clean up, and can be done at the kitchen table while the kids eat lunch!

Since it is getting warmer and sunnier out here in PA, it made me long to dig out my sea glass, (that, and someone contacted me about learning to drill it, so it got my juices flowing!).

sea glass and fossils drilled

So here is the tutorial I wrote.  I am also attaching a link to a blog post which includes two video's I did.  They were filmed by my (then) 6 year old.  So please forgive the quality, but I like that you can put a picture to the instructions.  The first video is all about the set up.  The second is drilling the glass.

http://stacilouise.blogspot.com/2011/06/btw-drilling-sea-glass-tutorial.html

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What is sea glass?

Sea glass, also known as beach glass or mermaids tears, can be found on beaches all over the world. It is actually, refuse, like old glass coke bottles, broken dishes, glass, taillights, ect….that were disposed of near or in the ocean. Over time, like a pebble, the ocean smoothes the glass into its new form. The lime in the glass also has a chemical reaction to the salt water, causing the surface to etch away, giving the glass a new, matte and pitted surface. 



How to Drill Sea Glass
What you will need:

1. A shallow glass dish of water with a drop of dish soap
2. A CORDLESS dremel, with a diamond drill bit and a 1/16” collet (if using my drill bits)
3. pliers to hold your glass and tiny wood shims 
4. a pencil
5. sea glass

What you do:

1. Take your pencil and mark where you would like your hole to be.
2. Place the sea glass in the pliers with the little shims in between the jaws and glass to keep it from getting scratched. Some people hold it with their fingers, I don’t like to do this, in case I slip with the drill
3. Take your Dremel with the diamond drill bit, and put it to medium speed.
4. Submerge the glass just below the surface of the water, so that the glass is in the water, but the drill won’t be (only the bit should be in the water) I have a flat piece of wood that goes under the glass for support.
5. Start to drill with the bit at a slight angle until it starts to catch and drill the surface. Hold it very steady to start, or else it may jump across the surface, scratching your glass
6. Keep the piece under water while you drill. Do not put too much pressure on your drill; you actually want it to grind its way through the glass. Too much pressure may create heat, crack the glass or wear your drill bit out faster.
7. Before you are completely through the glass, flip it over and finish drilling from the opposite side. This will prevent the drill from breaking a section of glass off the back when it breaks through the other side.
8. You are done!
Please note: This also works for drilling shells, but they MUST be done in water. Some shells can be poisonous when drilled, if the dust is inhaled.

Links:
sea glass drilling video http://stacilouise.blogspot.com/2011/06/btw-drilling-sea-glass-tutorial.html
buy diamond drill bits http://diamondburs.net/

Please note that you can use this to drill gemstones, fossils and shells as well.  I always recommend drilling in water.  Doing so will cool what you are drilling and help your bit last longer, and it will also keep you from inhaling any dust from these.  Some shells are toxic in dust form!!!

So have fun drilling!  If you are interested in purchasing a small starter kit, please contact me. I have packs of sea glass with diamond drill bits available for $25 and plain glass available for $20

Please email me at staci.louise@hotmail.com if you are interested in seeing some.

(these are sold, but I have more similar in the seafoam and greens and some blues)

Learning to drill is amazing and will open a whole new world of possibilities for your jewelry designs!

Here are some pieces I have made using drilled sea glass, pottery and fossils.

(early work - this silver tideline piece)

drilled sea glass with polymer and gemstones

Drilled fossils

Drilled sea glass with polymer, fossils and gemstones

So try it out and have some fun.  If you collect sea glass and other stones and bits, this is a great way to be able to add them to your jewelry or wear your precious finds!

Patterned Wire

by Patti Vanderbloemen

I've been under the weather on and off lately and have not spent much time in my studio...and I miss it so! I apologize for my absence! But, on those days where I can drag myself out of bed, it was directly to the coffee pot...and then my studio.

Recently, I had an email link (from one of the many vendors that send me links) with a quick tutorial for using patterned sterling silver wire. I can no longer find the link (It was Terri McCarthy on a Cool Tools -video but a search on their site as well as You-Tube proved futile).  Sigh. Anyway, Terri soldered a strip of patterned sterling wire to a piece of sterling sheet, soldered on an ear wire and...boom...instant textured earrings! I was inspired!

The first item I made was similar - but I cut my sterling sheet larger, and soldered my pattern wire down the center.  I then added some hand stamping to the sides of the sheet.

A technique I loved from the artist's video was using tiny sterling silver tubing to "hold" the ear wire.

It was tricky to solder the ear wire and the tubing at the same time - that sucker just wanted to move, no matter how well anchored it was on my soldering block! Although easier said then done, I added more solder to the tubing after my first soldering operation  - just to ensure it was secure.

I originally had ring shanks in mind for this patterned wire, but, it is a substantial weight, so I made a bangle.

I added two faceted bangles to the set - looks so good on the wrist when worn together.

Earrings again - this time post-style.

I just could not stop, so I also made a matching pendant.

It's not that large, so it's comfortable to wear all day long.

I have had this patterned wire in my stash for a long time, and was happy to put it to good use, although I still need to make a ring!

Patterned wire comes in all shapes, sizes, and textures (mine came from Rio Grande) - I love the versatility of this metal!

Thanks for stopping by today!

A Social (Media) Experiment

by Sherri Stokey

Of all the struggles we face as independent artisans and small business owners (if you can even call us that - teeny tiny business owners?), one of the most daunting is figuring out how to be seen.  You can make the most amazing stuff ever, but unless you figure out a way to connect with the people who want to buy it, you're probably not going to stay in business long.

Some folks have good luck with doing craft shows and in-person events, but many rely on online sales, especially those of us who live in rural areas.  I have to tell you, it's really, really hard on a person's ego to be outsold by corncobs in Nebraska Cornhusker hats (and that's a true story) in the next booth over.  That and the made-in-China jewelry being sold at a fraction of the price a couple more booths down.

I made the decision years ago to go with online sales and it's really an amazing thing that we have the capability of doing that now.  Not to date myself or anything, but I grew up without the internet and without having all these choices available at our fingertips.  We spent a lot of time going from store to store or pouring over the pages of catalogs looking for just the right thing.  Now I can find almost anything I want, from anywhere in the world, and have it sent right to my front door and I can do it in my jammies.  It works the other way around, too: I can put the micro macrame jewelry I make by hand online and people all around the world can purchase it.  IF... (oh, the dreaded "if") they can find me.

When I really started trying to make my hobby work as a business (or at least a self-sustaining hobby), Facebook was just getting big and was the place to be as far as social media.  I set up a page for my business and started gathering a small following.  Life was good.  People who "liked" my page saw the pieces I posted.  Then somewhere along the line, Facebook started deciding which posts people would see and which ones they would not.  They started charging to have your posts seen and I started to feel like the invisible man.  Let me give you some statistics from my own experience (disclaimer:  I cannot tell you if these are typical numbers or not, they are simply from my personal experience).

My page Knot Just Macrame has 42K followers.  That's over 42,000 nice people who have taken the time to say they like what I make and they want to see more of it.  Those aren't bought and paid for "likes", either (I think we've established I'm too cheap for that).  I posted a photo a couple of days ago and it was shown to 414 people.  Less than 1% of the followers of my page.  Seriously, Facebook?

And just when I thought I'd reached the bottom of the "reach" barrel (that's what Facebook calls how many people your post reaches), Facebook decided to show me just how low I could really go:

Yes, that's actually a negative number!  It's not like the photo I posted was offensive or anything:

How do you even show it to a negative number of people, anyway?  UN-show it to them?  On this particular day I was almost desperate enough to give in to the Facebook strong-arming and pay to "boost" my post.  Right up until I actually clicked on the button and looked at the figures.  For a mere $20, they would show this post (and only this post) to an estimated 700-1900 of my followers.  Yes, to the people who had already said they like my stuff and want to see it.  That number is still less than 5% of the fans I already worked to get, and they'll do me the honor of showing my post to those people for $20.  *sigh*

Now I'm sure there are those of you out there who are saying, shut up and pay up, but I honestly feel like I'm being extorted.  Extort:  obtain something by force, threats, or other unfair means.  It's not that I'm against paying for advertising, but not like this.  It just goes against every fiber of my being.  You might also think it's just a matter of what I'm posting because we all know a post with a link to the item on Etsy won't be shown to anyone, etc.  I shared a video of a puppy playing with a doorstop and that got over 6.6K views, though... 

In the midst of all this unrest, I came across a post on Facebook saying that posts about Facebook will be shown to many more people.  So being the rebel that I am, I decided to conduct a little experiment.  I posted this on my page:

It mentions Facebook no less than 15 times, and guess what?  In slightly over 24 hours, it's been shown to almost 10,000 people!  That's more than my previous eight posts combined.

Well ain't that a kick in the teeth?  What's interesting is that a lot of the folks who saw this post took the time to reply to it, and what I heard from a lot of them was some variation of "I like your posts but I haven't been seeing them on Facebook in a while."  

So what have I learned from this experiment (besides the fact that Facebook is apparently very narcissistic)?  For starters, I've learned that not everyone is as easily amused as I am.  In fact, 20 people decided to unlike my page when I posted this.  Another 15 people decided to hide all my posts (can someone explain why you'd do this rather than just unlike the page?).  Another two folks decided to report the post as spam!  Aside from that, I've learned that I'm going to have to find another way to connect with people.

I'm too old, too crabby and quite frankly, too disinterested to learn the social media game over again and try to keep up with the ever changing rules.  I'd rather spend my time creating beautiful pieces than learning the proper uses of a hashtag.  And I won't give in to the pressure to pay for posts.  I just need to find a new place to hang out with my friends.  Anyone have any suggestions?

Meanwhile, if you enjoy seeing posts from your favorite Facebook pages, here are some suggestions for you:  try "liking" and commenting regularly on posts from those pages and you should (theoretically) be shown more of their posts.  If that's not working for you, go to the page and hover over the "liked" button at the top, then choose "see first" in your newsfeed and/or turn on notifications.  It's a pain to have to do it for every page you want to see, but the other option is to have Facebook choose what you will see and what you will not.  One last option is to create an Interest List (instructions can be found here) and add the pages you want to see to it.  This option requires that you click on that list to see them, but at least you can find them that way, and see all the posts.

If you have any better suggestions, I'd love to hear them!  Oh, and in case you missed them, these are some of my posts in the last week:

And the puppy playing with the doorstop?  It's here.  You're welcome.

The Wearin' O the Green

by Staci Louise Smith

Wikipedia tells us that "The Wearing O the Green" phrase came from a song. 

"The Wearing of the Green" is an Irish street ballad lamenting the repression of supporters of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. It is to an old Irish air, and many versions of the lyric exist, the best-known being by Dion Boucicault.^[1] The song proclaims that "they are hanging men and women for the wearing of the green".

The revolutionary Society of United Irishmen adopted green as its colour, and supporters wore green-coloured garments, ribbons, or cockades. This was considered sedition by the Dublin Castle administration according to Poynings' Law,^{[citation needed]} and often resulted in prosecution by the authorities or violent reprisals by loyalist mobs. In some versions, the "green" being worn is shamrock rather than fabric.^[1]

The song tells us that wearing green was a way of rebelling.  Seems quite appropriate for "the fighting irish" holiday.

There are many reasons though, that green is the color of St. Patricks day, with rebellion being just one.  

The Irish believed that Leprechauns (faire folk) would pinch anyone not wearing green, because green made you invisible to them.

Anyhow, I enjoy a fun St. Patrick's Day and finding some green to wear!  So I sought out some eye candy in greens I would wear St. Patti's, and every day!

I would wear these any day- wonderful olive green earrings by LoveRoot

https://www.etsy.com/listing/235149013/sweet-transparent-lunacy-primitive?ref=shop_home_active_13

I would also use this bead in just about anything- Lisa Peters Art knows her way around Raku

https://www.etsy.com/listing/258852104/handmade-raku-pendant?ref=shop_home_active_4

And if you don't want to wear your green, you can always drink out of it.  LOVE these mugs, they can go from coffee to beer and not miss a beat!  Made by Blue Sky Pottery Co

https://www.etsy.com/listing/100137555/on-sale-today-big-green-pottery-mug-in?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=green%20ceramic%20mug%20handmade&ref=sr_gallery_11

My favorite green to wear is Sarah Clemens Clothing!  Handmade linen clothes to die for.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/65927008/petal-skirt?ref=shop_home_active_9

Chilly on St. Patti's day, or you just want to look cool?

How about this hand crocheted hat by Cuteling

https://www.etsy.com/listing/207294755/olive-green-slouchy-beanie-handmade?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=green%20hat%20handmade&ref=sr_gallery_9

So, I hope you had fun window shopping with me!  Have a fun and safe St. Patti's day!  Wear your green so you don't get pinched and do it in style!!!!

Bog Hop Postponed

by Staci Louise Smith

Due to some personal issues and busy schedules of our contributors, we are going to push the blog hop back.  We are pushing it back a month and a few days so it doesn't fall on a weekend.

The new date is
April 14th.

If you hadn't heard of the hop yet, here is the link to all the information.

Create a Bowie inspired piece.  Could be from a song, a picture of him, or just his style alone (which changed drastically and fantastically through the ages)!

http://www.lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2016/02/stardust-david-bowie-tribute-blog-hop.html

I hope this doesn't cause anyone to lose momentum.  If you finished your piece, you can go ahead and blog and post it on your personal blog if you can't wait, and post that link later at the hop.  You can also just save your post for that day.  I do hope it gives more people time to play along and be creative.  

We all here at Love my Art Jewelry really want to play along, so, in order to do that this postponement has to happen.

Thank you for your understanding.  

A Colorful Follow Up

by Sherri Stokey

Do you remember a couple weeks ago when I did a post on requesting custom pieces for your art jewelry and I gave you a couple of examples?  You can review that post here, if you're so inclined, or I can give you a photo recap:

Are those ringing any bells?  I've been like a fat kid in a candy store since then.  I've finished three micro macrame bracelets using the raku pieces from Valerie from Clay for a Cure:

And I've finished three using the bracelet bars from Sue of Star Spirit Studio:

You know how when you're eating something really, really tasty like the most awesome chocolate cake in the world and before you've even finished the piece you're eating, you're plotting how you can get another piece without looking like a pig?  No?  That's just me?  Thanks, guys, for leaving me hanging on that one.  Then just imagine you know what it feels like, 'cause that's what I'm like with these raku pieces.  I can't knot fast enough!

It's the colors, I think, that make me crazy (think cat with catnip).  There are so many different colors in each piece ranging from coppery orange to deep fuchsia to teal and olive green.  And just about everything in between, if you look close enough.

I'd like to write more and connect all these random thoughts and expound on some deep theories for you, but honestly, I'd rather be knotting.  So much to do!  And I still need to finish a piece for the David Bowie Blow Hop - is yours ready?

Back to the Metal...at least for now!

by Staci Louise Smith

I have been working with my polymer and wire so much, that I haven't made time to get into the metal studio (that is, the other side of the studio for me).  

Man, do I ever miss it!  I have accumulated quite a few cabs this year.  I have bought lots of silver since the price is down, and I am determined to make some really fun rings and necklaces in silver!

I know I still won't have a lot of time to work on metal with Spring

Bead Fest around the corner (I need to prepare my classes!) but I am hopping to have some playtime to get back in the game.

I thought this would be a good time to remind you all that we have quite a few tutorials and such on wire work, cold connections and soldering.  We also have some on cleaning your metal, patina......you name it, we may have a little something on it.  

You can check our tutorials tab to browse!

Here are a few that I think are very informative when starting out, or in my case, starting again after a LONG hiatus! 

Here is one on how to set a tube rivet from Patti V!

http://lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2015/05/how-i-set-tube-rivet.html

Balled Head pins is always a good one to know!!

And I think you learn a lot about heat and your torch when you make them

http://lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/01/art-jewelry-challenge-balled-headpins.html

Here are some liver of sulfur tips as well!!!

http://lovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com/2013/01/art-jewelry-challenge-balled-headpins.html

So I hope that you can find some useful information here to help you in your studio endeavors.  I will keep you all posted as to my metal playtime progress.

DON'T FORGET THAT WE HAVE THE DAVID BOWIE BLOG HOP HERE ON March 10th!!!

Have fun and create something inspired by Bowie, a song of his, or just something you think he'd wear or be happy to see on someone.  Be bold, be fun.....reach for the stars!

Hope to see you here!!