Thursday, March 25, 2010

Cats vs Dogs

No, I am not going to go there . . .ie. whether cats are better than dogs or vice versa. Truth is I like 'em both. Where I am going to go is to ask, who would be the better crafter/artisan? I would argue cats, paws down.
My cats love my beads, they are compelled to jump onto my workspace and splatter them any chance they get. And wire and earrings? Playthings! Sparkly, shiny gems are something to be admired, and while few cats really need adornment, they would certainly not argue that us lesser beings need a little sparkle. My cats obsess over my workspace, 'help' take pictures and try to sneak into them when they can to show their admiration for the craft (or my model).



Dogs? While some might be quite crafty in their own way, most think the destruction, rather than construction of goods is the way to go. I suppose I could say that my pitbull mix is a woodscrafter of sort, except that few admire the changes he has made to our window sills.
And his thoughts on my jewelry pictures and mannequin?


Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The joys of oxidizing

I have recently become obsessed with oxidizing everything , I even eye the cats every now and then ( . . don't worry PETA, I'm kidding). It is a relatively new obsession for me, just months old. But I have started to love how it can take a piece and add a rustic, antiqued depth and a whole new look to a piece. Example?
Pre- oxidizing, pretty cool ring, post oxidizing, cooler ring (IMO):



For this ring I used Liver of Sulfur, which I find gives me the best results with almost boiling, distilled water. I also love the instant effects of Silver Black, especially for other metals other than sterling. Before I started using those, I did try using the egg method of oxidizing, because I always prefer to use non-chemical, natural methods if I can, but just wasn't getting the effect I wanted.
What are your tips for oxidizing? Do you wear oxidized jewelry?