Dark and Rusty

For the longest time, I don't think my art had a voice.

I think it echoed whispers of the artists that enchanted me.

It took many years for my pieces to start to look like my own style.

And now that I think my pieces look like me, I push myself to try something different.

Such is the case with these pieces.

I went all dark and rusty....

I took a lot of components I had and gave them a JAX Pewter Black bath.

I love how that simple step adds the look of centuries to a piece.

It can go from at-the-mall-shiny to just-excavated-ancient.

It is fun to add fibers into the mix....

I have to say.... 

I love this look.

I could not do it all the time, but I will do it more often....

I threw in some actual antiques as well...

The skeleton key and the sweetheart pin are vintage finds...

I hope you love to try something new too.

It changes your perspective....

Thanks for stopping by....

Shotgun Shell Vials....Inspired By Lynne Simon Suprock

I was looking through my pictures to see if there was anything I had missed sharing with you.

I realized I did not share these.

I gave you a taste of them when I shared the post for over dying silk strips.

Today I wanted to show you all of them.

Lynne Simon Suprock is an amazing artist.

You can find her blog here: Simply Pretty Stuff.

Or follow her on Facebook.

Her original pieces first appeared in an issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry.

I made my own after I tracked down the right size tubing.

Because my shotgun shells were not brass, the etching did not work the way I wanted.

I do like the patina I got on mine.

I love filling each little reliquary.

That is half the fun.

I also like determining what the rest of the necklace will be like....

Old hardware, crystals, silk strips, polymer beads, patinaed chain....

It is all good.

I gave a makeover to cheap mall jewelry chains with mad scientist patinas.

Because I do them myself, each has a whole different look.

I even stamped some of the vials with StazOn black ink.

Uh-oh!

Sometimes when I revisit something I made, it gives me an itch to make some more.

I am definitely feeling itchy...

Hope you have been working on something that inspires you too.

                       Thanks for stopping by...

                 Linking up with these great blogs.

Rusty Crusty Goodness

The weather in my neck of the woods is finally getting warmer.

That means soon my garage door will be open and I will be creating both inside and outside.

Last summer I had a blast rusting all sorts of goodies.

I love the rusty, crusty look of age on a metal piece.

I covet little bits that have aquired that look over time.

But I am impatient.

So sometimes I help nature along.

These pictures show the pieces at their raw state.  

Many will receive an additional treatment of patina.

They will all be sealed in some manner before they are used to keep the rusty goodness on the piece, not on you.

Last summer I even started to write a tutorial for this process.

Sadly in the fall, I got a nasty virus  on the computer and lost all the work I originally put into the tutorial.

I was going to list my tutorial in my Etsy shop.

What do you think?

Should I start over and make it again?

Looking at these photos from last year makes me say, I think I just might.

Time to get out there and make some things!

Thanks for stopping by....

Changing Metal Finishes

I always buy metal bangles when they are dirt cheap.

Last summer I played around and discovered some fantastic new patinas for these pieces.

They started like this...

And ended up looking like this....

I realize this look is not for everyone.

But I love it!

Once I get the look just right, I seal it with wax and give it a good buffing.

These  make me smile....

I tried it on necklaces as well.

They get a great new look...

Actually an old look.

What do you think?

Are you a fan of shiny and new?

Or old and aged?

I like the old and aged.

Thanks for stopping by...

Linking up with these great blogs.