Enameling

Introduction to Enameling

Enameling is the process of applying a thin coat of finely ground glass to a metal. When heated to a high temperature, the glass melts and fuses to the metal.

Enameling is a vehicle for both a creative and technical art experience. The art of enameling involves the design of lines, shapes, colours and textures into imaginative images by means of the technique or craft of enameling.

The practice of these techniques may take considerable experience before it is fully understood and controlled. Yet, there are many aspects of the process which allow simple steps on the way to achieving great skill.

Enamels applied to metals produce various colour effects. With careful experimentation, the subtle variations in colour and form can be controlled. The real joy in enameling lies in creating a design motif which exploits the brilliance of the enamel colours through technique and control. Fusing the enamel to the copper surface with heat completes a project which in the beginning existed only in one’s imagination.

The processes of enamelling are not difficult to learn, but should be taught and practiced in logical order to ensure good results and allow success. Most important is what is done with the knowledge gained and the skills developed and how these will differ with each experimenter. This becomes the personal and unpredictable ingredient in art called creativeness and it affords the greatest amount of satisfaction and pleasure.

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Enameling

Enameling, where do you get it??

Thanks to your on going support we at Discount Beads will soon be able to supply you with enameling needs and products, from kits to consumables, information and help with this exciting medium, Just keep am eye on our webpage and this board for more information

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Crimps and Crimping

Crimping Correctly

Crimp beads are most often used when stringing a beaded piece, which has been strung with beading wire. The crimp beads finish the end of the beaded piece of jewelry and help create a loop for the clasp to be attached to. They can be used in the place of a bead tip or in addition to one in order to help keep the knot inside of the bead tip.
There are two kinds of crimp beads: tube shaped and round shaped. The tube shaped crimp beads are most often available in sterling or gold-filled, while the round are normally made of base metal. While it's all a matter a taste and preference, I have to say that I have found the tube shaped crimp beads to be much easier to work with. So, if you are new crimping, I would recommend starting with tubes.

To attach a crimp, follow these steps:
1. First hold the handles together, and take a look at the nose of the pliers. You'll notice two holes in the nose. The first is oval shaped, and the second is oval with a dip on one side.
2. Now take your crimp bead, and slip it onto the end of the beading wire.
3. Next, take the end of the wire and loop it back through the crimp bead leaving a small amount of extra wire as a tale.
4. Position the crimp bead and thread in the second oval of the pliers (the one with the dip), and close the pliers around the bead. You'll see it curl.

5. Next, turn the crimp bead to its side, position it in the first oval, and close the pliers around the crimp bead again so that you're compressing the curled bead into a rounded shape.
6. Once your crimp bead is secure, trim off excess thread. Now you have a good loop that can be used to hold your clasp.

Tips to consider:

. Add a second crimp to guarantee a secure crimp in heaveir strands
· So that the end of the beading wire does not scratch the wearer, make sure your last bead or two on the necklace is large enough so that a small amount of extra beading wire can be threaded back through. I have found that 4mm sized beads work very well for this.
· To keep the loop of your beading wire large enough, try inserting one side your your round-nosed pliers into the loop while you pull the wire tight.
· Use sterling tube shaped crimp beads rather than the base metal round beads. They are much easier to work with, especially for beginners.
· Do not expect perfection on your first, second, or even third try. As with any other jewelry technique, this takes practice in order to perfect your technique.

Beadstringers best friend

A Bead Stringer's Best Friend

A bead board can be a bead stringer’s best friend. Though they aren’t 100 percent necessary, using a bead board to help design and string beaded jewelry can be an enormous help and time saver. For the most part, they are very easy to figure out, but this quick tutorial will give you a few steps and tips to help you find your way around a bead board for the first time

First, there are a few different types of bead boards, but most will at the very least have one long groove around the board where you set your beads as you prepare to string. On either side of this groove are markings and numbers. Each long mark represents an inch, and each of the shorter marks represent a half inch. These markings help you determine the final length of a piece of beaded jewelry. In the center of the board, are small extra compartments where you can store beads as you work

Making Money

Will they sell??

Not everyone can be a good bead crafter, but if you have a special talent for creative beading, you may be able to turn your talent into a lucrative profession. One way to know if you can make money this way is to listen to what other people are saying about your beading crafts, whether you do jewelry or other beading projects. Don’t just listen to what people say when you give them your beading projects as gifts; they aren’t going to be as honest as you would like. Instead, try to display your beading work in places where a lot of different people will see them, and try to eavesdrop on the conversations that they have about your work.

People love creative beading, and most people can spot good work when they see it. Whether you are making costume jewelry or adding beading to clothing, you are going to be able to make a good living from it if you find that people keep coming back to purchase your particular designs. Once you establish yourself as a bead crafter who does good quality work, you may want to make up some business cards for yourself and pass them around. Try to set up a booth at craft fairs as often as possible, and hand out your business cards to people who buy your products. Be sure to include your phone number and email address, and let people know that you are willing to do custom work. Your creative beading talent could very well provide you with a good full time income.

Discount beads from http://www.mecreative.com.au

Gemstones

Semi Precious Stone Beads and Pearls

Study before you buy. A good book on minerals and semi-precious stones will be worth the investment if you are buying a lot of these beads.

Beads should be labeled as to treatment, but many dyed beads are sold. Some treatments are perfectly acceptable such as heating the stone to change or enhance its color. Pearl dying is considered acceptable, as long as you are informed that they are indeed treated.

Advance study and a reputable dealer are your best insurance

Cleaning Silver

Cleaning your sterling silver

Need to clean your sterling silver quickly, but can't get to a jeweller??

Try this but remember, many gemstone settings can't be cleaned in this way

Grab an aluminium trake away container from the local supermarket, fill it with enough very hot, but not boiling water to cover the piece you are cleaning, add about a table spoon of bi-carb of soda and place your silver in, the tarnish should start to come off very quickly. Remenber the silver must be in contact with the aluminium tray.

After cleaning rinse under running water, and dry with a soft cloth. Use a small amount of polishing wax to keep the shine a little longer

NOTE: Use this hint at your own risk, though I use this method myself

I will not be responsable for for any damage that may be caused

Run out of ideas ???

Markets , Fairs and other great places

There's not a lot in jewellery that hasn't been tried before, the materials and techniques might be different but design lasts for ever

Take a walk through your weekend markets, fairs and boot sales or even browse through deceased estates and auctions apart from ideas you might also pick up some old and broken pieces that are worth the time

Take a friend to help bounce ideas around, and teenagers are a great source of ideas and eyes for sparkly things

Seed Beads

Seed Beads

Seed Beads vary widely in shape and size, the most common seed beads are Czech, Japanese and the Delica brand cylindrical beads.

Czech beads are very traditional, sold on hanks, are mostly round and can be uneven.

Japanese seed beads are more uniform, come in many different colors and are usually sold loose in bags or tubes.

Delica and Antique brand beads are the choice of many beaders as their uniform cylindrical shape lend them to many projects

Work tray

Cheap Trick
I've been using a cheap tea tray as a lap work tray, just a cheapie and lined the bottom with craft felt both in a light colour and a dark colour ( to contrast with the beads ). With sides about 25 mm, it's easy to work off but the felt and sides prevent the beads from rolling about too much, and when you've finishe you can still leave everything on the tray. Make up a few and you can stack them with different projects ready to work when you like.

Stringing beads on cotton

If you are still stringing your beads on cotton, then this tip may help, just dab a little nail polish onto the end of your cotton and allow to dry, stiffening the end so it becomes easier to thread

New arrivals

All new beads and sterling silver listed at ME Creative Discount Beads a large range of glass and semi-precious gemstone beads, sterling silver clasps, toggles, "S" hooks and ear wires, decorative sterling silver head pins and ear wires

Sterling silver filled wire ?....what is it ?..

"What exactly is sterling silver filled wire?" ANSWER: This is a question that has been coming up more and more often. Precious metal wire terms can be a little confusing for some of us. Here are some quick facts to put in your hat.

FINE SILVER - .999 percent pure silver.

STERLING SILVER - 92.5 percent solid silver mixed with 7.5 per cent alloy such as brass, nickel, etc.

SILVER FILL - is a good choice for wire jewelry makers. It is made by a mechanical process by forming a tube of sterling silver and filling the tube with a base metal. The silver content is 5% or 1/20 of the total wire. Although silver filled is not as expensive as sterling silver wire, silver filled wire offers a cheaper alternative for jewelry maker. It is generally available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and tempers. A Few Facts About Silver Filled Wire There is 100 times more silver in silver filled than in silver plate Basically, silver filled wire is a good metal for a good price. It should always be represented properly and never misrepresented to your customer as sterling silver.

Your customer will usually ask, "How do I take care of it?" It's easy. Just care for it as you would any other jewelry. It is quite durable. A simple inexpensive way to clean silver filled jewelry is to soak it for a minute or two in a mild solution of ammonia and water or a commercial liquid jewelry cleaner. Rinse the jewelry thoroughly with water afterwards and let dry. And remember to keep your silver jewelry in plastic bags. Contact with air causes oxidation which we is called tarnish. Plastic bags are the cheaper and quickest method of storing silver.

There is also an anti-tarnish strip that is sold at jewelry stores which you can put inside the plastic bag to prevent the silver from tarnishing. Because of the nature of wire sculpture, the jewelry needs to be protected from being smashed or bent. It's a good idea to give your customer a cotton filled box for storing separately from their other jewelry. This will cut down on tarnish and keep it from being scratched by other jewelry. Plus it reduces the chance of a wire being pulled by being connected to another piece of jewelry.

SILVER PLATED - Silver plated metal has a very thin layer of silver on the surface of a base metal, usually applied by the process of electroplating. Plating makes the layer of silver a much thinner layer than silver filled. Many times the silver layer may be only a few molecules thick. If your customer has acidic skin, silver plated wire will last for about 1-2 days.

NICKEL SILVER - Nickel silver, German silver, or Alpalca is composed entirely of base metals and contains no sterling silver. It is a great craft wire but should be used with caution in the jewelry making industry as many people have allergic reactions to it.

We are always getting asked ... how do you knot pearl strands?... and our answer is to use tiger tail and crimps, both to finish off and as spacers, hpwever should you like to try the method below you should get tidy results

Pearl Knotting




String a knotted necklace on doubled cord, starting with cord that is four times the desired finished length, plus 30 mm. String a bead tip ( if applicable ), all the beads and the second bead tip.Push everything that will follow the first knot to the needle end of the cord.

Loop the cord around the first three fingers of your non-dominant hand with the bead tip end on top

Pinch the cross between your thumb and index finger. Hold the cord circle open on your spread fingers with your palm up.Then drop the bead end of the cord through the circle into your hand.






Put a long awl or tweezers into the loop the same way the cord goes through. Gradually tighten the loop as it slips off your fingers, keeping the awl or tweezers in it.






Slide the awl or tweezers down toward the spot where you want the knot to be as you pull the end of the cord with the loose beads in the opposite direction. When the knot is right against the bead tip or bead, let the cord slip off the awl or tweezers

To set the knot, pull the two cord strands in opposite directions. Slide the next bead to the knot and repeat

And now it is complete.