A BANGLE GIVEAWAY

by MaryAnn Carroll

Hello All,

I have a quick post for you today due to time constraints going on in my life right now. Hopefully, most of you have social media sites and can share this post because that is what I am going to ask you to do to be entered to win two custom made (fit for you) copper bangles like the ones pictured. Please share on your social media sites and let us know where it is that you shared. You can enter up to two times..... meaning share in two different places.

If you don't have social media..... please come up with some way that you could be entered.... perhaps you could share on email with a friend, share with someone in your household, share with the mailman, etc.

Get your creative juices flowing. I will announce a winner in one week..... that'd be next Friday!

Please leave your comments on this blog post...  Those will be the only ones counted.

Have a great weekend!!! MaryAnn

Show Crazy

by MaryAnn Carroll

I have pretty much been consumed with our first time Potters for Pets event this weekend at the CNY SPCA in Syracuse, NY. My husband Bill and I have spent a ton of time, along with the Developmental Director, Theresa Para to prepare this first time event. This all started with an idea from my son CJ who works there.

I have been a crazy person starting yesterday making sure I have inventory.... nothing like waiting until the pressure is on!! Last night I got a few new pieces made. I have such a hard time switching from making bracelets to earrings to necklaces. Last night I decided I would take my own advice and let my hands do the work and not let my brain interfere.

This is what I came up with (I still need to work on my picture taking skills)..... that'll be down the road.... probably in the distant future!

And my bracelets.... quick pic this morning.

I amaze myself that I am able to pull anything off with the way I work! I wish I had a more focused brain...

I would never have enough inventory to fill up a booth by myself, so fortunately, I do these shows with Bill and it is mainly his pottery. I find that the older I get, teaching all day poops me out! Maybe one day after retirement I will get better at this inventory stuff!

And, like everything else I do, I realized that I didn't order the little 3 x 5 bags that I love to use. They do end up costing me about 46 cents a bag, but customers always comment on them. Hopefully, my papermart.com order will be here before weeks end.

These are linen and they come in an assortment of sizes. I love them!!

Wish us luck! I did have a post started about how to create a successful show, but I don't know if it will be successful or not, so I will wait until after. I hope to take plenty of pictures. If you're local, we'd love to have you!

There are on Facebook http://facebook.com/cnypottersforpets and I also created a website (I tend to go a litte overboard)!  http://pottersforpets.com.

Since I mentioned the website, I would recommend wix.com for website building. It is, by far, the easiest I have ever used!

MaryAnn

All over the place....

by MaryAnn Carroll

I guess that is the best way I can describe what I have been doing lately. I took a break from jewelry at the end of the summer to remodel our home. That is ALMOST done! Not quite, though. Following that I started painting the book themed Hop on Pop toy box for my youngest granddaughter Adelina. This is my fourth. When my first grandchild was born, I handmade all kinds of things. At the time, I wasn't thinking about more to follow! lol! I have had to limit what I do and the favorite is the toy box.

In between painting, I started making people pendants.

My son graduated, so I made him a BIG person...

Then I started getting into making copper bangles from tubing. They have been a tad bit addicting for me. I think it is because I get to see the results soon after I've starting creating them.... and there is just something about using a torch! I love to use fire to create with.

I made a few discs for my friend Karen McGovern, who makes amazing jewelry with them!

And now, I am back into the swing of making beads again. I was motivated by my grandchildren last weekend when we pulled out the glazes for work they made previously.

And especially, Chloe (almost age 5) and her band of 'pwenguins'.

They'll be hittin' the kiln soon!

So.... here's where I am at as of last night. I am trying not to destroy my kitchen table, but this Fed Ex box is not cutting it!

That's my story.... What's yours?

MaryAnn

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