For my last post here I wanted to share a recent topaz & silver ring, which has become one of my favorite pieces made to date. The ring started on paper with a to scale rendering of the design.
After the design was finalized, the work began. The first step was to create the bezel, which actually starts as a simple cone.
The next step was to cut and file out all the detail of the bezel. And once that was completed I had to create the split band to fit exactly around the bezel.
And with some soldering, patience and careful fitting the band came together.
A seat was then carved for the stone and the prongs shaped, and then finally the stone was set and the piece polished up.
Feel free to contact me if you are interested in having a custom ring made for you or a loved one!
]]>However, then things got busy, other orders became priority, and a move to our new home shuffled things around even more. When I unpacked in my new studio, the silver piece again found it's place on the upper corner of my workbench. Months passed, until finally a few weeks ago, I was able to return to my abandoned piece of silver.
The strip has now became my new Floral Landscape Cuff. Of course there were a number of steps that occurred in between the strip of silver and the final piece. Several of those steps I have shared below. This piece is a little different than some of my other designs, like the Will-o'-Wisp Brooch, in that I combined both forged wire and sheet to create the top details.
What step do you find most interesting? Designing, sawing, soldering, or adding the patina?
]]>
Once the ring bases are fused, the patterned section is created. From thin silver wire I fuse, cut, form, and set up the decorative wires. I try to get them all the same size and shape, then use tweezers to set them in place on the flat ring shanks. When all the wires are arranged, it's time to solder.
The photo above shows a ring right before it was heated up. Originally I was going to solder the wires on, but decided to fuse them for a cleaner look. With wire you have to be extremely careful not to overheat, as small wires melt easily.
Once the wires were attached, the rings were formed and soldered closed. (I missed a few photos at the end here.) One ring was left silver and the other given an oxidized/brushed finish for contrast. Here's a final shot of the finished set.
You can have a set made just for you, find the details here.
]]>
First, find some thicker paper, cardstock works well. Then cut out a 1 inch by 5 inch strip.
Now take the strip and give it a little curve by wrapping it around something like a chunky marker. Don't curve it up to tight, just adding curl to the paper.
Then, with your paper tube gently snug it inside of your engagement ring. Try keeping it a tight fit. Also put the paper end on the bottom of the band, not under the curve area.
Now hold the paper and ring to keep them from moving, and trace the outside of the band. Hold the paper still while turning and get both sides.
Your strip should look something like this. For good measure, do this one more time and send me both strips so I can get the best tracing. (For reference I also prefer one or two photos of the engagement ring.)
Custom Band with Ring
]]>As much of my work is inspired by nature, I will be donating a portion of all sales to nature and wildlife conservation. Arbor Day Foundation and Defenders of Wildlife, both nonprofit organizations that work to protect the environment and the wildlife that depends on it. This past year my donations were used to plant trees in the tropical rainforest, and also protect endangered species in the US.
The environment is important to me which is why I strive to maintain eco friendly jewelry making practices, along with using recycled copper, silver & gold in all of my designs.
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and Happy New Year!
~Kelly
]]>
First of all you have to have patience. Honestly, it took a while for my shop to get going. It was months before my first sale, and then the sales gradually started picking up from there. Even now there are slow times and busy times.
I noticed the biggest increase in sales when I reached over 80 items in my shop. This makes sense as the more items you have, the more chances your work to be found in searches.
Your listings... Not all listings are equal, and if you have searched around you will know the three important aspects of a good item listing are photos, descriptions and tags.
Photos: Take focused, well lit images of your work. Try different angles, like close ups, the item being worn or the item in your packaging. Make an effort to use all five photos, as buyers want to see what there getting.
A background theme is a nice touch for any shop. I am always updating and working to improve my photos, because they are so important.
Descriptions: These are my biggest struggle, but also a very important part. I have read numerous different tactics for writing product descriptions, such as, sound excited or tell a story. For me, I describe the materials, finish and size. I might also include processing time and care instructions. I like to keep mine a little more simple.
Someone may write you with a questions about an item. Often this will prompt me to go back to the listing and add that detail in the description.
Tags: At the bottom page when you are creating new listing you are asked for tags. Use all of them! This is a major way people find your product. Try using multi word descriptions instead of just one word. They will be more specific and will help someone looking for something like a "shiny silver ring", to find a "shiny silver ring".
Be creative and switch the tags up throughout all your listings. But make sure that they still describe your item, general tags will get lost in the shuffle.
Here is my shop now KellyLimbergJewelry
What tip have you found helpful with running your Etsy shop?
One of my very first items listed on Etsy...
]]>Below is an example of a piece I created that consists of different layers of silver and copper, the intricate patterns all handout with a jewelers saw.
]]>Dark Patina - Home Method
This method is a simple solution requiring just one hard boiled egg and a small ziplock baggie. It works for both sterling silver and copper.
First you will want to make sure your jewelry has been cleaned of all dirt and oils by washing it with warm soapy water, then dry. ( I like using dish soap.)
Next take a hard boiled egg and peel off the shell. Place the entire egg into the plastic baggie and break it up into small pieces.
Then take your jewelry and place it inside the bag with the egg. You can just place it right on top of the crushed egg. Close the bag. In about 5 minutes you will notice the piece changing. Sometime the colors start with reds, then blues and gradually get darker. In about 10-15 minutes it should have a nice gray tone. You can take it out at any point when you like the finish, or leave it in for hours to see just how dark you can get it.
When it reaches the desired tone just take the jewelry out and rinse it off.
Now the patina is going to wear off as it is rubbed against hard surfaces. The high spots will get the lightest. This may be desired to accentuate a texture, such as the image below. You can even rub the piece with fine steel wool to bring the highlights out faster.
If your hope is to make the entire piece stay dark longer you can add a clear coat. If you are in a pinch clear finger nail polish will work, otherwise you can pick up a clear coat spray/dip from your local hardware store.
Dark Patina - Liver of Sulfur
If you are making a lot of jewelry with a dark patina, liver of sulfur is the way to go. Make sure you wear plastic gloves and have good ventilation. The liver of sulfur comes in a small metal tin and the pieces look like rocks. ( I get mine from RioGrande.com ) You'll want to break the chunks down into smaller pieces (roughly the size of a red pepper flake - haha that is all I can think of ).
As before the first thing you want to do is clean your jewelry with warm soapy water and dry.
Next, fill a small dish with warm water. Add enough water so you can fully submerge your jewelry item.
Add one small piece of liver of sulfur and dissolve. Then immediately add your jewelry. I use rubber coated tongs and make sure to gently rotate the piece every 30 seconds or so.
You'll notice the piece almost instantly start changing to red/brown then blue/purple hues. If I am adding a dark tone to a ring, once it gets the initial dark gray tone I like to take it out and use a soapy brass brush or soft toothbrush to gently rub the patina. It kind of adds a smooth tone to the piece. I then rinse and put it back in the sulfur water until it darkens to the finish I am looking for.
Take the piece out, rinse it in cool water and dry with a blow dryer. I like to add a wax sealer, called Renaissance Wax, which makes the finish look rich and dark.
As before the finish is only a reaction that occurs on the outer surface so it will wear off. You can rub gently with fine steel wool to highlight a texture. If a clear coat is desired to keep the piece dark longer, I recommend ProtectaClear. You can brush it on or dip the piece for a pretty durable coating.
Here is the Flexible Shaft Machine, a tool that almost everyone asks me about, and also a tool that I use nearly everyday. While there are many makes and models the machine has three basic parts: a motor, a foot pedal that controls the speed of the motor, and the hand-piece.
There are a few different types of hand-pieces, the one I have is pretty basic and has three prongs that open and close using a jacob chuck. The prongs close tightly and hold attachments such as drill bits or cutting, sanding, and polishing discs. If you want to spend a little more, there is also a quick change handpiece which is allows you to change the attachments faster.
With a lot of the pieces I have been making lately I use the flex shaft to drill holes, sand and polish pieces. Overall this is one of my favorite tools as it has so many uses, and helps save a TON of time.
If you are in the market, here is a link to the flex shaft system I have, here. I would also consider adding the quick change handpiece.
One other thing to mention is the Dremel. I know many jeweler's that use a handheld wireless Dremel tool. If you are starting out this may be a great affordable solution. While they are comparable, the advance of the flex shaft is that you have control over the speed, and don't have to worry about battery life. Also as you get more advanced, a interchangable hand-piece may be important.
What tool do you use the most in your studio?
]]>If you don't want to stray too far from the traditional diamond engagement ring choosing a man made diamond will cut the ecological impact and along with the cost. Here are a few of those options to consider.
Some diamond "stimulants" are cubic zirconia and moissanite. Both are created in a lab and look very similar to diamonds but are composed of different substances. Cubic zirconia is very durable with a close visual likeness to diamond and is also low cost. Moissanite is a popular choice as it is very durable with a wonderful brilliance. If price is not a concern, there are actually lab created diamonds which are physically, optically, and chemically indistinguishable from our natural diamond.
If you like the idea of adding color to your engagement ring there are many beautiful gemstones to consider. Sapphires are a very durable choice and come in a variety of colors. In addition there are many gemstones with traditional meaning to add a special significance to your ring.
Here is a short list of gemstones and their meanings:
If you not looking for a stone as the centerpiece of your engagement ring then a knot ring may be the appropriate option.
There are a couple of different knots you can choose from, each with it's own meaning. The infinity knot stands for eternal love. Two interlocking overhand knots with parallel wires symbolizes that each person is flexible, yet they’re remain inseparable. And last, two interlocking knots of different materials represent the entwining of your two lives forever.
Now that you are getting an idea of the direction you want to go in, check out my available engagement rings or contact me to discuss a custom design.
]]>There are many ways to find your ring size, however they are not all equal. You may have come across a downloadable ring sizer that you print out at home and cut to then wrap around your finger. While this method may be helpful and will work for some, it is not necessarily the most accurate.
My number one recommendation is to stop on in to your local jewelry store. It's free, only takes a couple minutes, and you'll have someone there to guide you if you have any questions.
Another easy way to get your size is to order a plastic ring sizer. The adjustable plastic ring sizers are accurate and super convenient. They are only $2 and you can reuse them over and over. I have them available here: Ring Sizer
The envelope has easy to follow instructions printed on the side. What I like about the multisizer is that you can wear the sizer around for a few hours or take your size throughout the day. This is helpful because our fingers tend to swell at certain points and you can make sure you find a size that works best overall.
Here are some things to look for when finding your size:
In the Studio
While I could find a million distractions outside, I have been getting some good things done in the studio. Recently I had a couple of fun, yet completely different commissions. The first was a pair of custom wedding bands. I was super excited to create the bands which used some new design elements that I have been exploring. His band was crafted from solid silver and given a dark patina. Her band was made with silver and rose gold. Both bands were detailed with a wrapping wire pattern.
The other commission I completed was a bit different from my usual style as it was for an entirely functional design. A solid copper hair comb and pick. It was quite a chore cutting through such a thick gauge of metal with a jewelers saw! The piece finished nicely and was a great change of pace.
If you have been following my work on facebook then you may have seen The 100 Day Project I recently completed. Basically participants committed themselves to explore a creative idea for 100 straight days. Each person set their own goals and agenda. For my project I worked on developing and fabricating some more involved designs. In the end I had created the three pendants pictured below.
There were many other individuals that participated and shared images of their projects. Check them out here: http://vimeo.com/128088962 Or maybe you want to be involved in a future 100DayProject. If so you can find more information at the website the100dayproject.com
Subscribe to my newsletter and you'll receive news articles via email, along with exclusive offers and special promotions!
]]>
Store jewelry in a closed air tight box or plastic bag to slow down tarnish.
Initially I began down the path of Art Education, but the intensive studio classes were where my heart was at. So a year in, I decided to pursue a painting/drawing major. It wasn't until I was in my final year of painting/drawing studies that I took my first jewelry and metalsmithing course. I had been putting off the class as I was intimidated by the idea of a metasmithng studio and heard from many that it the most time intensive course. Well of course I immediatly fell in love with it. The entire process of taking a simple idea, designing on paper and turning it into a tangible object really captivated me.
In 2011, I graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Art from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Since then I have been working full time creating my own jewelry and metalwork. I currently work out of my home studio located in the country side near Marquette, Michigan.
Oh and for fun, here are a couple of the pieces I created during my college years...
Copper Heart Door Knocker
Ornate Handcut Copper Magnifier
Shell Pocket Magnifier Set
In the studio at UWM.
]]>