A Little PlayTime Before I Finish

My new toys arrived and I played very happily until I realized it wasn't going to work for what I had in mind. Never one to be deterred for too long I found another method to use and I think I'm going to be very happy it turned out the way it did!

While I was playing I learned several new techniques! Yay me! While annealing a piece of metal I quite by accident turned it some oh so very pretty colors! Then I HAD to do it AGAIN, just to see if I could.... oooh even prettier the second time! I can paint copper with fire! Golds, blues, reds, and oranges! WOOT! Controlling the pattern is going to take some time but the fact I can do it makes me a happy camper!

I have been able to emboss since at least Junior High. I have a pair of Copper horses my Dad framed with horse shoes from one of my horses. I've since shrunk the designs and made pendants but I knew there was another way. Raising they call it. Playing around I was able to raise a heart using the hammer and an edge of the anvil. It's rather rustic, even more so once I added a little texture and some patina, oh what fun! Look for that to make an appearance in the shop soon!

Continuing on the theme of changing the surface of metal, today I set up a salt water etch. This is quite a bit like Science in the name of Art and I felt every bit like a kid watching the water bubble and the metal swirling around. The results were plain fun and I have a wealth of design ideas running through my head!



Here are some simple tutorials on electrolytic etching using a salt water bath.
http://copperheartdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/01/electrolytic-copper-etching.html

http://mistyridgedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/08/eureka-i-figured-it-out-tutorial-for.html

They are basically the same way I did it. With a little help AND encouragement from my friend Cheryl of Get Your Bead On. She shared hers and gladly answered questions, even going so far as to write up how she did it too. I used a battery charger and a nail, Cheryl used the D batteries and a scrap piece of copper. Both ways work beautifully!

Count down to Reveal has begun be sure to check back in on the 30th! or sooner if you like!

Thanks for stopping by!
We'll see you next time!