Combining Techniques

by Staci Louise Smith

I love learning new things.  Each time I learn a new technique, I begin to realize I will probably never ever use it the way I learned it.  Or worse, get to do it again.

I make beads and jewelry.  Occasionally other things, but most of my time is spent making beads.

So, when I get to use techniques, that were perhaps supposed to be for something else, in my beads and jewelry, its a happy day.

I got into carving beads around the time I got into Lino Cuts. I love lino cuts, and one year, I gave myself some time to play, and actually made a few.  It reminded me how much I like to carve ( the photo's below were the few lino cuts I made, used in mixed media pieces).  

But alas, my beads weren't going to make themselves.  Some other events happened and carving was on my brain, and voila, I was carving beads!

My bead carving has come a long way from where I started, and I must say, I LOVE it.   

So, now I am on this Zen Stone kick.  Where my carvings carry all the way around the beads.  I LOVE THEM.  I love to make them, I love how they look and feel.  I have been making big batches for something lately.

Another technique I have been playing with these days, is my Gold Rush technique.

Anyhow, I am loving that one too.

Well today, as I made huge batches of the Zen Stone beads, I wondered if I could make a Zen stone bead, that looks like it has a vein of gold running through it, and then carve it, marrying the two techniques.  So out of all the beads I made, I tried ONE.  Just in case it was a big fail.

Well..........................................

THIS TIME IT WORKED!  

Let me tell you, it doesn't always work out like it looks in my head.  But this one did, and I am so glad!  Looks like pyrite in a carved stone.  

So, now I have a new direction.  My wheels are turning to try other veins in stones too.  Like boulder opal beads, or imaginary ones even.  

Anyhow, let this encourage you, to learn new things.  Even if its not something you think you will not use.  You may end up using it in a different way.

And PLAY.  Combine techniques.  You will never know where your creativity can go unless you try.  You will never know if something works unless you just do it and see.  

Have fun and PLAY today!

how did you get to here?

mary jane dodd

small offering bowl - mjd 2014

first of all, i would like to wish that you all be safe. there are parts of the country where changes in weather threaten your safety and we are thinking of you. 

a friend and i were speaking the other day about things that really impacted us as we were trying to find and define our voices as makers of adornment. 

three books came out in 2008 - and they blew our minds. i remember falling asleep with one of them or another on my stomach. semiprecious salvage by stephanie lee, a charming exchange by ruth rae and kelly snelling and making connections by susan lenart kazmer. 

grungy and tattered? yes, please. providing fascinating, interesting ways of designing and solid techniques, these women inspired so many of us. 

it takes years to pick and choose techniques and materials, to find what works for you. i had many 'awkward' designs - where my inspirations didn't quite come together as harmoniously as i wished. but i learned. 

i think one of the reasons i thought back to this was staci's post on chain. these books taught us how to make chain in addition to so many other things. i think they are definitely worth a revisit. 

the gift of time and experience is that you build up an arsenal that you cannot even necessarily catalog. over the past 6 months or so, i have had a project in mind. i want to make pieces that can help a person create small sacred spaces in their home (or work or wherever). places to stop, take a breath, get centered. a place to do whatever makes you whole. 

one of the items is a small offering bowl - because i understand copper i was able to move to a slightly larger scale in my shaping. and i ended up forming a base with copper pipe and plumber's solder. something i learned years ago from these books but hadn't used in a very long time. 

are there any books or teachers that created such fireworks in your mind that you were overcome with ideas and couldn't even work because you didn't know where to start? 

let us know!

Metalsmith stump and & fun techniques

Isn't she a beauty?  I love working at my metalsmith stump, creative juices flowing, and soaking up the beautiful Sierra Foothills.  Although right now the temperature is 110 million degrees and if I tried to work in the studio I would be reduced to a puddle of sweat within minutes.

The stump came from my dad, who will do anything to make me happy, including negotiate with some shady mountain characters to rescue it from an ill fate. 

I bought this beast of a vise for $25.00 at a thrift sale. The jaws are jagged and 6 inches wide. Some day I may cover it with copper, but for now I use leather strips to protect the metal. The most expensive part was the leather reins we used to create loops for the hammers. It's so nice having them out and accessible!

The total height to the top of the vise is 23". Keep in mind, I'm a short little thing, so I don't need it to be that tall. If you are wanting to make one, for proper height, my instructor said it's important to keep your arm in a 45 degree angle, and in a relaxed position to avoid injury to your wrist and arm. An adjustable chair is probably best too. For now I am using my Grandma's chair, soon to be painted and recovered.

What are some of the techniques I use the metalsmith stump for? My most favorite right now is working with a Sinusoidal wooden stake that I made. Yep, I made that!

I found an awesome Youtube video here on how to do it. This young lady is bad @$$ and really knows her way around power tools! The hardest part for me was using this router. The thing kept jumping around like a jumping bean and shooting bits of wood everywhere at projectile speed.

I use this metal raising hammer, but sometimes I use a Delrin hammer if I don't want to lose the pattern on embossed or etched metal. Ok, I know my raising hammer looks funky. It's a hammer from a body fender kit. I modified it by cutting off the back because it was too heavy and then sanded it down to create rounded edges. Hey, whatever's clever right?? I covet Fretz hammers but geez, they are so expensive. I also rounded the edges of the delrin hammer as well. 

Also annealing the metal really helps when hammering. Sometimes I have to anneal more than once if the metal becomes work-hardened.

Another way I use the vise is with bracelet mandrels. I either use them standing straight up or I have a steel stake I run through the hole and then tighten the vise so I can use them horizontally.

I was given this draw plate awhile back and for months I had no idea how to use it. My instructor showed us in class one day, and I went home and then drew tons of wire. 

It's super easy and fun.

Basically, you file the ends and then feed the wire through a smaller gauge hole. Then use some vise grippy pliers to grab the metal and pull through. Keep repeating in smaller gauge holes until you get to the size you want. The wire becomes longer and work-hardened so that is an added plus.

Finished wire.

Here are couple bracelets finished with the sinusoidal stake.

Do you have any metalsmith techniques you are loving right now or that you would like to explore? How about some clever tricks you have tried lately. Please do tell!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer!

boot camp - button & fiber closures

mary jane dodd

button closures are often used with fibers, where you create your loop on one end and secure the button on the other using overhand knots.

sounds simple and is.

but there are things to think about.

consider the fibers or materials you are using - 

will they hold up to the wear of passing a button through it over and over?

i tend to use non-metal buttons with fibers,

but feel perfectly comfortable using metals with leather or heavier cotton cording (2mm or so). 

look for strands that can catch or make closing your piece of jewelry difficult. threads and fibers can fray and split. 

i find that wrapping the loop with a finer thread (think embroidery floss weight) adds strength and durability. waxed irish linen thread is particularly durable. 

create a loop that is neither too loose nor too tight. 

you want your button to pass through relatively easily but without so much play that it will slip out of the loop.

i often use e-6000 adhesive to secure knots.

i will also opt for braiding the section of fibers that serve as my loop. again, adding strength but also compacting the fibers to reduce the risk of catching and fraying. 

buttons can add a really beautiful bit of detailing to your work. and the choices are great - vintage, natural materials and handmade abound on etsy. 

long necklaces are quite popular, but it is nice to have the option of adjusting them. i wanted to share a video with you that teaches how to make a secure sliding knot by kate drew-wilkinson. i use this knot with leathers and cotton cording as well.

thank you for joining us here at love my art jewelry - 

we're looking forward to seeing what you teach us in this boot camp!

texture boot camp -

mary jane dodd

piece of railroad track purchased at a flea market

this edition of texture boot camp is brought to you by a lipstick chicken, you know, a person who doesn't like to wear lipstick that looks like you are wearing lipstick (and so why struggle to find that perfect color at all, right?)... this aesthetic carries over into my work... as an admirer of the subtle i would like to show you how i add texture to my metal...

i find texture on things - like this old railroad tie... i was told how i could clean up the face - but why would i do that?

small bench top anvil

this anvil's finish did not hold up over time - but if you put metal on it and hammer, when you turn it over, you will find a lovely texture that is picked up by liver of sulphur or other patina...

with a pitted surface

did you ever mar the surface of a hammer? unknowingly, like before you learned that a brass head is better suited for striking metal design stamps? i did - and now i have a head that creates texture similar to the raw silk texture hammer...

'marred' hammer face

and finally i wanted to show you how i used patterned brass sheet - no rolling mill required!

tape the metal you are working with to the patterned sheet , hammer all over the surface evenly and...

viola!

my apologies on not having pieces finished with the patina to show the contrast - this was my first time down to the bench in almost 3 months and i don't have everything set up... 

coloring metal, cont'd

mary jane dodd

julie spoke of ways to add color to metal yesterday and i wanted to continue the conversation as the use of patina has become quite near and dear to me... 

aside from los and salt & vinegar, i hadn't used anything in the way of patina... 

but there are times and places that you need just that in your designs... 

i love sculptor's grade patina - 

the use of opaque and translucent... layering, buffing, adding powders for sheen... 

i learned of it through shannon levart a.k.a. missficklemedia who has put together a wonderful tutorial.... 

as with anything, there is a learning curve, but shannon's tutorial is very informative and helps to explain the whole process.... this is truly one of the techniques that i am most grateful to have in my arsenal... 

and you can see how addicting it is!

metal stamping

mary jane dodd

one of the first techniques i tried was metal stamping... 

how hard could it be? you have a metal blank and hit the metal punch with a hammer on an anvil or bench block... 

right?

well, yes... 

and, no... 

i learned that you could get some very frustrating results... 

like double striking - you know that one, where you get a double image of the stamp... 

or the letters are drifting up (or down)...

or the character is sideways - because you didn't check that one last time to make sure it was being held correctly in your hand... 

when you make mistakes in stamping, it can be incredibly frustrating - you can be almost to the end of a phrase and get careless... the metal gets put into the recycle bag... but if you aren't able to cut your own discs, you have now lost one blank in your limited supply... 

like any technique, it is worth learning about... trial and error are always important learning methods, but the waste of time and money can be teeth gritting... 

double strikes - if you are using a steel hammer to hit a steel punch on a steel bench block there is a lot of bounce back... the energy has to go somewhere... for me, a brass head hammer has really been helpful... a softer metal, brass absorbs the shock... 

brass head hammers are also recommended any time you are hitting something steel - like when using a disc cutter... metal work hardens when it is repeatedly struck... eventually it can snap... using the brass lessens that effect... 

wonky orientation - draw a line with a sharpie marker, double check just one more time that the stamp is facing the way you want it to...

and find the position that works best for you... meaning, whether you are sitting or standing depending upon how high your work table is... it matters in terms of the strike... i have found that i really do need my elbow to be able to come to a 90* angle...  stamping is also not really a technique you can do on a plastic card table... you need some stability behind it... 

i hope these tips will reduce some of the frustration for you... because there are such fun and beautiful stamps out there to purchase... and it is a rather inexpensive way to personalize your work... 

if you want to be inspired by clean stamping, take a look at the work of cindy pack - she is a great example of one who knows her tools and the techniques by which you optimize their use... 

if you want to dap your discs, use a wooden set...


a great source (besides etsy) is beaducation ... 

forever learning

mary jane dodd

this necklace (which is my submission for the art spark this month) is a result of years of practice and 3 techniques... 

i love learning... i love books and tutorials... the leaf above was born because i bought charles lewton brains's fold forming book, barbara lewis' enameling tutorial (though now she has a fabulous book) and took a class with ruth rae... not all at once of course, they built upon each other during 'what if' moments... 

but the first things i tried to do on my own were those that could save me money - like making my own hook clasps, ear wires and ball end headpins... once i figured those out - i got inspired to try more things on my own... it's addicting... 

there are so many wonderful retreats and large teaching venues - like some of you, i sigh and wish i could go... because of distance or money, some of us simply cannot... 

but what i have found is that there is a wealth of teaching out there... and most of it is very affordable... 

www.beaducation.com - has some really great online video classes... like bodacious bangle with kim st. jean... 

www.fundametals.net - has tutorials that start at $4

you can learn how to patina metal with missficklemedia for $20... this is an incredibly comprehensive tutorial that has taught me about more than patina... it was a great investment...  shannon has other tutorials on her site as well for $10 a piece... 

because i love books (and had some sales on etsy) i am going to treat myself to stephanie lee's 'handbook of elements' online class... 

our own patty lakinsmith has lampworking technique tutorials... 

one of my new personal discoveries is  nancy l hamilton - her videos are terrific... 

search etsy for all items - tutorial and there are 17,809 results... 


how about 'creating beautiful bead caps'? you can find it here...

purchase a jewelry magazine like step by step wire, belle armoire jewelry, or others and you will get stepped out directions and often photographs for each project... 

and what about youtube? free!

afraid to use a jeweler's saw? get some tips from susan lenart kazmer 

www.riogrande.com has over 100 videos there... 

the point is, there is so very much to learn and know - and you can do it at your own speed... at your financial comfort level... 

another nice thing about the videos is that before spending money on tools and supplies, you can get a feel for whether something clicks with you or not... 

personally, it isn't usually about the projects that i get excited (though they are beautiful and inspiring) - it is about the technique or some wonderful tip that takes me to the next level... 

and that is what i love so very much about this community - sharing and supporting so that we all can reach our potential... 

when more looks like less

but helps you to express more... 


                                                                                                            mary jane dodd


take a feeling - like the infinite, the void, the source of all energy... how do you even begin to translate that? how does that vastness feel to you?


when i started to work with the shibuichi technique, at once it felt like i was on to my personal interpretation of it... there was an instant expansion in my thinking when i learned it... using energy - fire - to transform metal into a moving molten liquid... and then allowing it to assume its own beautiful surface texture... it feels very elemental and freeing when i do it... 

the ever changing present moment connects us to a time continuum... moments in time strung along a gossamer thread - delicate and yet strong... the power of one moment can exhilarate or devastate us... and yet it is part of our much larger life span... which is a small part of history's life span... but significant still...

learning how to patina was another huge step in being able to execute the concept... 


the inner workings ended up being heavily influenced by time i spent with my small children by the water... we would throw in different sized rocks and try to guess what each would sound like... 


and my spirit rattle was born::

the number of our moments is surely unknown to us - and are precious... staying present means you are participating fully and not just walking around on auto-pilot...

i posted this excerpt on my personal blog this week - it is very tied into the meaning of this ring and i wanted to share it here as well...


it is from 'the magic of findhorn' by paul hawken::

“The earth, once white and molten, represents a thought. It was a fire in the heavens, glowing as a sun, visited by the Deva of the Wind which came and blew across the surface, playing with the Fire Deva until all was mediated. The Deva of Water and Rain formed and collected in the skies and fell to earth.

Great clouds of steam issued forth from the surface, the skies were enlivened and heavy with its presence, and across the surface the Wind Deva began to cool, carve, and chisel away at the crust of the planet. It created pools and eddies, lakes and streams, and bigger bodies which we know as oceans.

With each successive change, a new Deva or impulse came forth until, like a procession, did the Earth receive the new hosts, each Deva bringing with it a variation of life ever present in the divine potential.

The Earth prepared itself to receive and serve the thought of a man and a woman. The Earth would be their temple and guardian; the heavens would be their guide and vision. Humans affirmed the link between the infinite spirit and the totality of matter. They related from the highest spiritual planes to the most concrete levels of form.

The Earth was for humanity to enshrine, to make holy, to blend their unique qualities and work as a family in cooperation with the Devas, the spiritual stewards of the planet.”

do i have a commitment issue?

it's not what you are thinking - 


lately i am  having trouble creating finished pieces of jewelry... i have ideas (all sketched out in my journal and floating around my head), i try to sit down and then i get antsy... really antsy... 


i know that i need things to feel right before i can complete a piece... do i have the right gemstones to represent what is needed? the right balance of metal and fibers? plus i also need the head static to quiet down and that hasn't been happening...  


so lately, i keep making more components - 

i play with enameling (thanks to barbara lewis), setting eyelets, etching and texturing... 

i play with patina (thanks to shannon levart), fusing, stamping and shibuichi... 

i play with soldering, resin and words - getting those discs sooo close to being all grown up... 

these too - they have just graduated from wax sealing finishing school... 

'when work, commitment and pleasure all become one

and you reach that deep well where passion lives,

nothing is impossible.'

~ author unknown