Charm Swap 10

Hello Friday, (Thursday passed me by!!!)
We have finished the swap! CS10 is done, Renee is putting the collection together for us. I can not wait to see all the fabulous charms.
I have a few more pictures of pretties to goggle... Above are Renee's charms, they look amazing!

Nikki also has a picture for us, her stunning charms feature turquoise and carnelian on sterling silver. So pretty!

That is everything for this week, I will have a charm bracelet to show you soon!

Members' News for the month of December

Hi Everybody!  Are you in the holiday spirit yet?  Well, we are.  Many of us are busy as elves, tinkering at our benches getting ready for our holiday shows.  So here's where you can see all this lovely new work in person....

Pendant by Nina Gibson

 Shannon of rubygirl will be vending at Urban Craft Uprising in Seattle, WA on December 1st and 2nd  and at Crafty Wonderland in Portland, OR on December 8th and 9th.

Sarah of JujubySarah will be doing the SF Made Holiday Gift Fair on Sunday, Dec 9th.

Michele Grady Designs will be participating in the following shows:
Nov 30 thru Dec 9- Main Line Art Center Holiday Fine Craft Sale,746 Panmure Rd, Haverford, PA
Dec 1 thru Dec 8- Community Arts Center Holiday Fine Craft Sale, 414 Plush Mill Rd, Walligford, PA

Anne Walker Studio will have a trunk show at the Alexia Gallery in Decatur, GA, December 13 from 6:00-9:00pm

Discomedusa is co-organizing and vending at a two weekend artisan event at The Community Arts Network of Oneonta (CANO)- 11 Ford Ave, Oneonta NY- on Dec 15&16 and Dec 22&23. 

 

Gecko J will be at the annual Spruill Gallery Jewelry Trunk Show, on Dec 15th.

 

Su Trindle of Quercus Silver will be at Handmade Winchester at The Guildhall, Winchester, England on the 1st and 2nd December.

 

Mary Anne Karren will be at two holiday art shows in Salt Lake City, Utah in December:
Red Butte Garden Holiday Art Show and Open House on Dec 1st and 2nd.
Pinnacle Performance Holiday Bazaar on Saturday Dec 8 from 2-7 pm.

 

Jennifer Lisa of Quench Metalworks will be vending at the following shows:

RISD Holiday Show, December 8, Providence, RI
Picnic Holiday Sale, December 9, Portland, ME

 

 

Have a safe, wonderful holiday everyone.  Don't forget to support your local artists and favorite Etsy shops!  Jewelry makes everyone happy!

 

Sue Szabo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“What’s New”

Happy Saturday everybody !
Here we are with fabulous jewelry listed this week in our member’s shops !


LSueSzabo                                              aroluna


 Laura Jane Bouton                             Anne Walker


tkmetalarts                                             2Roses


VirginieMartinStudio                        JazznJewelry


Cynthia Del Giudice                            wildflowerdesigns


Lichen and Lychee                               e5jewelry


victoria takahashi/experimetal     rubygirl


Inbar Bareket

Visit our members shop and support our creation.
Have a wonderful weekend and visit us next Saturday with more beautiful new jewelry.
Inbar

Ask Auntie EM - The Aunties MEET!

If you're new here, this is a weekly blog post written by Sue and Ann where we tackle your metalsmithing and non metalsmithing questions. Having trouble with your solder? Need some help with stone setting? Have a problem 2 year old? We and EtsyMetal's 100+ members probably have the answer. If you'd like YOUR question answered in the future, please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to it as soon as we can. If you'd like to read past posts, they can be found here.

SO...dear readers...this week we have NO QUESTIONS!  Well, that's not entirely true...we have one question but Sue is working on it for next week...but we are out of questions.  So, we thought we'd tell you about an actual Auntie EM meet up a few weeks ago in Chicago at SOFA.  It's true...Sue and Ann have met in person.  It was a glorious meeting, filled with excellent art, wonderful food, lots of laughs and expensive handbags.  Sue and her husband are fabulous and fun and really, really funny.  It was an amazing weekend.  

Did we take photos of artwork we love?   Yup.  Did we document who's artwork it was?  Nope.  Were we a little drunk at the opening and we just plumb forgot...maybe.  We did have the most amazing time trying on all sorts of jewelry and accessories from galleries near and far, I swear.  

Sue here- I'd just like to jump in for a moment and second what Ann has said- we had a lot of fun shopping and looking at the jewelry at SOFA.  So many amazing metalsmiths.  It was awesome shopping with Ann, she knows great work when she sees it. It was also really cool to being able to talk about the work with another smith while we browsed.  Let me tell you about my friend Ann, she is witty, sharp, whip-smart and funny.   I wished we had more time- our visit was short but sweet.  And now Ann will continue the narration..... take it away.

So, here are some photos from that weekend meetup

This is at SOFA on Thursday night.  Notice Sue's excellent necklace and my crazy eyes.  

After an excellent evening at SOFA we went to Nellcote for dinner.  Amazing.  I live in a culinary wasteland so a fancy dinner was just what I needed.  Here is Sue and I at dinner

Sue and her husband and I stayed at the Sofitel, which was also amazing.  I highly recommend it.  Here is the view from my room

And our amazing breakfast the next morning.  This...is a quiche and it was incredible

All good things must come to an end and, after one last trip to SOFA again on Friday, I had to head home.  Here is Sue and I at Navy Pier on my way out of town

So, have I bored you all to tears?  Never want to read such drivel again?  Well, it's sort of your fault...if I had a question to answer, you'd be reading about metalsmithing.  HAHA!  So, really, send us some questions!!  We are dying to answer them!  Email them to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get right on it.  Until next week, happy metalsmithing!

“What’s New”

Welcome to “what’s New” on EtsyMetal.
I would like to show you the new jewelry collection from our team members on Etsy site.
We on EtsyMetal team set our mission to support each other as independent artists and Etsy as a platform for selling quality handmade goods.
The EtsyMetal mark is your assurance of hand made craftsmanship, quality, and that the artist follows ethical trade practices.


TK Metal Arts                                          LSueSzabo


betsybensen                                           Laura jane Bouton


2Roses                                                      Quercus Silver

 
Michele Grady Designs                       aroluna

 
Victoria Takahashi/Experimetal  simplymega


ColleenBaran                                          Cynthia Del Giudice


Danielle Miller Jewelry                      Reagan Hayhurst


JazznJewelry                                          Anne Walker

 
e5jewelry                                                 EveMMetalsmith

 
Jewellietta                                               Inbar Bareket

Be here on next Saturday for much more jewelry !
Subscribe to our blog for reminders.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND,
Inbar

Charm Swap 10

Good evening Thursday,
We have but one update this week, Su has finished these lovely charms. Can't wait to see them. We are almost complete with CS10, just a few more coming in. See you next week!

Ask Auntie EM - a tumbling question

If you're new here, this is a weekly blog post written by Sue and Ann where we tackle your metalsmithing and non metalsmithing questions. Having trouble with your solder? Need some help with stone setting? Have a problem 2 year old? We and EtsyMetal's 100+ members probably have the answer. If you'd like YOUR question answered in the future, please email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to it as soon as we can. If you'd like to read past posts, they can be found here.

So, this week's question comes from our Facebook page.  If you're not following us on facebook, you can here.  Sierra Keylin Jewelry asks:

I've just bought my first tumbler and was wondering what the opinions are on oxidizing pre or post tumbling?  I really like a not soo shiny/rustic look to my jewelry and usually finish my pieces with a bit of 0000 steel wool.  I really like the results but I have a few pieces that need to be tumbled for strength...just curious about your opinions!  

Well, to be honest, I have never had great success tumbling after oxidizing.  It's true, that great shiny gray color eludes me.  So...when Danielle put this question to the group, I chimed in.  How the heck DO you get that great look without all the oxidation coming off or looking blotchy?

I got a wide range of answers.  Many of our members tumble first, then patinate and then tumble again to get a hematite look to their jewelry.  Like this piece by Danielle Miller:



Some other of our members tumble first and then oxidize and use a brass brush, steel wool or bronze wool for a more rustic look.  I, personally, will dip in very hot liver of sulfur about 3 times and brass brush after each 30 second dip.  Then I bronze wool at the end.  It gives me a more matte finish, like this:





There was A LOT of discussion about tumbling for strength.  I personally think that tumbling for about 5 or so hours in steel shot hardens bracelets and ear wires but other members said that they disagree.  One member, Mark Kaplan, cited a metallurgist on the Orchid forum who says the science of tumbling to work harden just doesn't exist.  We ALL agree that the best way to work harden earring wires and bracelets is to either gently twist the metal or hammer the metal on a hard surface.  Most of us use a rawhide, delrin or metal mallet on a steel or wood surface.  This is the only sure fire way to harden any metal.

I think the best answer to your question is, experiment.  I'm positive that is how we all came up with our individual tumbling and oxidizing rituals.  I like Liver of Sulfur Gel, others like the old school chunks, still others prefer Black Max.  Some members tumble with steel shot, others use vibratory media but we all have our own system that adds another layer of uniqueness to our work.

I hope this answers your question!!  Please keep the questions coming, we are running out!  Email your questions to askauntie@etsymetal.com and we will get to them soon!  Remember, they don't have to be strictly about metalsmithing...we have a wide range of talents!

Until next week, happy metalsmithing!

“What’s New”

Welcome to “What’s New” on EtsyMetal.
We are here again with gorgeous jewelry listed in our shops this week.


Laura Jane Bouton                               Quercus Silver


LSueSzabo                                               betsy bensen


 Mark Kaplan                                          Danielle Miller Jewelry


Cynthia Del Giudice                             e5jewelry


Victoria Takahashi/Experimetal   annewalkerjewelry


 2Roses                                                     VirginieMartinStudio


simplymega

Visit our members shop and support our creation.
Have a wonderful weekend and visit us next Saturday with more beautiful new jewelry.
Inbar