Creating From the Heart

by Staci L. Smith

When we decided to do a cold connections Boot Camp, I had something very specific in mind. I thought it was a great time of year to apply this to gifts and ornaments. 

 

Karen's art is chocked full of photo's.  Even if they are not her own personal ones, they make the piece personal, they add a human, historical piece to the puzzle.

 

She inspired me to make these pins as gifts last year. 

 

Using cold connections allows you to use fragile materials, like photos, without ruining them.  It allows you to create from the heart, with photos or memento's that have meaning to you.

 

 I just wanted to share with you a little tutorial on how to make them.  It is not detailed, I wanted to just give you guidelines so you can make it in your own style.  I am going to explain it as a pin, but you can make a pendant, or even a tree ornament or magnet.

 

Making keepsake pins with rivets:

You will need:

Two pieces of metal, one with a hole in the center- already textured and patina’d and sealed

 

Pin back with large round glue backing

(I got these at rings and things)

 

 

Laminate or mica and acrylic sealer

 

Rivets (see link for instructions on riveting and toolsand supplies for that)

or

Micro-screws (see link for instructions on using them)

 

To assemble the piece:

 

Take two layers of metal- punch or saw a hole in one of them.

Print a picture the right size to fill the middle

Laminate the picture or seal with an acrylic sealer

If not laminated, use mica sheet and cut it to the right size- same as the top layer of metal or close

Sandwich everything together and mark where your holes will go

Drill hole in your backing and your pin back, and attach them by rivet

Now sandwich all your layers and mark and drill your top layer holes and one through all the layers

Drill and Rivet carefully if you are using mica sheet, as it cracks easily

 

Rivet the layers together.  Voila!!!

 

You can also add dangles from the bottom, or rivet other accents onto your piece for decoration

 

Here are some of Karen mcGovern's wonderful riveted pieces with pictures in them!

screaming silence- read between the lines

 

I truly hope this boot camp will help to make some personalized creations for your holiday gift giving- after all, a handmade heartfelt gift is better then anything that can be purchased!

 

 

 

 

 

 



Hold Your Fire: Rivets

by Staci L. Smith

 

What is a rivet?  Using wire to connect two pieces of metal (or two items) together.  It is probably the most commonly used cold connection of all!

Learning to make rivets will prove to be life changing.  It will open up doors to new and wonderful creations that were just not viable before.  It is another valuable problem solving tool in your tool box as well.

Here are some references, links and printable  that should help to you learn and practice this new technique.

 

The first thing I like to have handy is the drill bit and wire gauge chart.  This allows you to know what size drill bit to use, for the gauge wire you will be using to rivet.

 

There is a nice printable version from
Art Jewelry magazines website here. (then you can keep it right in your studio)

 

http://art.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/~/media/import/files/pdf/8/a/d/art-jewelry-drill-bit-sizes.pdf

I also refer to this one at Rio Grande because they give you the measurement in the fraction form, which is how some drill bits list them.

http://www.riogrande.com/Content/Drill-Bit-to-Wire-Gauge-Conversion-Chart-CG-html?Pos=1

 

I was not able to make my own photo tutorial for you, but I did type up a printable PDF on making rivets.  I know I still like to have a paper in front of me while learning something new.  It has your material and tool list, as well as step by step instructions.
 

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2x2Hxljc64UMnluTjZDeVdFVkU/edit?usp=sharing

If you are like me though, you will need to see this in action.  So print the tutorial, and watch the awesome video I found by Charles Hamm.
 

 It is very thorough.  I love his diagrams, and step by step demonstrations.  It is worth the 8 minutes of viewing time! 

 

 



 

 

Rivets have really opened a whole new world to me!  If you don't have a good vice to make your own, you can use these from Rio Grande.  They are also time saving, but not near as nice and finished looking on the back as making your own.

 

 

http://www.riogrande.com/Product/Copper-1-4-Rivet/628112?Pos=2


I have used them a lot.  However, I now have a nice little vice in my studio, and can't wait to make my own rivets!


As soon as I do, I will post pics to the flickr group- and I hope you will too.  Its a fun way to show off what you are creating with cold connections during this Boot Camp.

Hold Your Fire: Cold Connections Boot Camp

by Staci L. Smith

The next Love my Art Jewelry Boot Camp is all about cold connections- no fire needed!

 

I know as a group we have touched on them here and there, but this month we will be showing you how to use micro-screws, rivets and tube rivets among other ways to connect your metals and create personalized projects for the upcoming holidays- bring on the mixed media!!! 

 

So check back next Monday for Karen's blog on micro-screws. 

 

Here is some of her mixed media work (she's pretty amazing!)

 

 

You can see more of her awesome creations here.

http://www.beadkeepers.com/

 

If you would like to plan ahead, the blog hop for Hold the Fire: Cold Connections will be December 16th.

 

Share you cold connection art works in our flickr group all through boot camp- with a description so we know what you did or learned.  We'd love to see what you make!