Have some scrap pieces of sterling silver sheet laying around, and you’re not quite sure what to do with it? You could melt it down into decorative silver balls and blobs, you could send it in to a metal seller in exchange for cash or store credit, OR you could do what I just did!
Check it out…
In this vid I’m using 20 gauge sterling silver sheet. I normally purchase mine through Rio Grande, a very popular metal supply shop.
All you need for today’s tutorial is a couple inches of brass square wire and 4-6 inches of round sterling silver wire and you’re on your way to a fantastic set of earrings that can be multi-functional! Check out more…
In today’s vid I mention a few tools… if you don’t have them yet, here are a few helpful links just for you
Burr Life – to keep your saw blades and drill bits lubbed up and raring to go!
Jeweler’s Saw – to make perfectly straight cuts! (The blade I use in this vid is “Swiss 2/0“)
Sterling Silver Wire – 20 gauge half-hard round. I buy by the troy ounce, but most of the time you can purchase in 1/2 troy ounce if you need a bit cheaper spool
Give this earring set a try and see what you can come up with! As always, you’re more than welcome to send me pics of you and your fabulous jewelry (and your beautiful face may just end up on MSJ!)
What are you working on today? Share with us by leaving a comment below here! Or jump on over to our Facebook page click LIKE and let’s chat!
Have a super creative day
Laura
This week, I received a very special vintage tool! My brother, who has been so supportive since even before the beginning of my jewelry career, sent me an amazing cast iron vise! I LOVE all of the new techniques I’m discovering with this vintage find! Polishing, filing, sanding, setting stones, shaping silver plates, and so much more! Check it out…
I’d been on the look out for one of these for awhile, but wasn’t hunting too seriously. But as soon as it came to my front door via my wonderful post lady I’ve been in love with it and using it as often as possible!
I love the hunt for old vintage items that can be re-used – especially old tools that have lost their previous uses over time, but find new breath again on my bench!
Do you keep one eye open for old tools? Have you ever bought a vintage item and reused it in your jewelry like vintage buttons or beads… or found an old tool and used it to create your jewelry? Do tell! Share with a comment below or post a pic and join the discussion on facebook
ps… if you’re having trouble finding a vintage vise, here are a few new vises that should work just as wonderfully…
Need to add a little pizzaz to your silver jewelry? I suggest you check out Gilder’s Paste! It’s a fantastic product newly out on the market, available in many beautiful hues, blues, greens, deep rich coral reds, even a knock you out orange among many others!
Gilder’s Paste is an oil-based product that you can rub and smush into the cracks and crevices of your silver, copper, bronze jewelry or paint onto the raised areas of your molded PMC3 design! Check out these earrings that I’ve worked up with my new Gilder’s Paste…
Click here or here to see two fabulous online shops where I’ve found Gilder’s Paste – love em both!
*I didn’t cover this in today’s vid – but here’s a great protective lacquer to seal in your color once your paste is dry and buffed and ready to be worn!
A beautiful way to create unique components for your jewelry is to mold designs from antique buttons! Thanks to my husband’s mother and grandmother, I now have a stash of fabulous old buttons – some dating back to the early 1920′s! Lately I’ve been obsessed with making rings, earrings, and pendants by using the designs from some of these buttons – check out how I make my molds…
Click here to see where I find my RTV Silicone Putty – the purple stuff. Click here for the blue mold material I mentioned in this vid from Cool Tools.
ps… when I say “send me a piece you’ve molded” – I mean send me a pic, girl I wanna see some of the work you’ve been slaving over!
Have you used antique buttons in any of your pieces? Is this sparking any ideas for you? If so – share with us! What else would you mold to create a jewelry component for your next piece?
Share with us by commenting below! Feel free to leave links to your blogs/ sites/ shops as always! And don’t forget to “like” MSJ on Facebook and share the love with your friends
Want to spice up your stacking rings? This technique is simple, easy to do, and cheap to accomplish (which is always a plus!) In today’s vid, I go over how to drill little dimples and divots into a basic 8mm sterling silver stacking ring.
A dremel is a pretty inexpensive tool to get, and comes in handy so often while creating jewelry. The bits I use most often on my dremel are my brass bristle for burnishing and polishing fine and sterling silver, my steel bristle for burnishing and polishing brass and copper, and my tiny drill bits for creating these beautiful dimples in this vid!
Here are a few links to the dremel tools that I use in this video:
Dremel 4.8v from Amazon:
Drill bits for a Dremel from Amazon:
Brass bristles (for burnishing or polishing fine and sterling silver) for a Dremel from Amazon:
Also check out steel bristles if you make any jewelry with brass or copper:
I love stacking rings! And the most wonderful thing – with a few simple tools and a little know-how, they’re so simple to create!
In this tutorial, I go through each step I take to create a simple silver stacking ring! Check it out here…
You can download my ring sizing tool that I talk about in this tutorial, the download is in pdf version.
The supplies and tools I’m using in this vid:
Sterling silver round wire, 20 gauge:
Steel ring mandrel:
Silver solder paste with flux, easy (lower temp):
Filing tools:
Dremel tool:
Do you enjoy creating rings? Have you ever soldered a ring before? What are your tricks and tips you’d like to share? Tell us more with a comment below! And don’t forget to share on facebook and twitter
After pulling off some Oscar-winning sweet talk to my husband, he came to the wonderful conclusion it’d be a great idea to move my studio from the spare room (now the baby nursery) into our living room. And so today – after all the re-arranging – I wanted to give you a quick tour of where I spend most of the hours in my day (and night)… check it out…
I began my jewelry journey (very much unknowingly at the time) by taking apart some of my old pieces of jewelry I’d had laying in the bottom of my jewelry box. I had no clue what I was doing, but it was fun. I found an old pair of pliers under my sink in the kitchen, and I commenced to ripping jewelry apart. After a few evenings of this, I grew to the point I wanted some extra sparkle, so I bought some cheap beads at Walmart. My first pieces were junk – I’ll admit. But it was fun and somehow relaxing for me.
Today I find myself surrounded by jewelry tools and scrap pieces of sterling silver and I couldn’t be happier!
How is your studio set up? Are you set up in your bedroom, or have your own space in the basement? I’d love to hear about your set-up (or your dreams for your future studio)! Share with us by leaving a comment below
Laura
OK, so technically it’s not new, it’s old. Super cool old! From what research I’ve done so far, it’s very early 1900s… possibly late 1800s… I can’t verify that yet. But I’m trying! I’ll post more on my quick restoration of my new beauty as I go! Right now, my studio consists of two long countertop desks, 6′ and 8′. I’m reworking (and moving) my studio this week. Now I can’t wait to get this baby inside my studio More space… ya! Plus it just looks cool!
What does your studio consist of? Are you starting off like I did, creating pieces on your bed and your night stand? Or are you all decked out with fancy desks and benches? Love to hear your studio story! Share with us on Facebook, Twitter, and leave comment below!
Working on setting some fabulous stone cabochons in sterling and fine silver!
In this video I’m using my bezel roller (technically it’s called a bezel roller but I’ve been calling it a bezel pusher in this video haha) to help me set this beautiful rhodochrosite cabochon in a fine silver bezel with sterling silver wire backing.
As I explain in this vid, I prefer to bezel set with fine silver bezel wire instead of sterling silver bezel wire as the fine silver is more malleable and softer than sterling. I have soldered the sterling silver wire to custom fit this stone cab as it is a little off oval shaped.
The main key in using a bezel roller is gently rock back and forth across the top of the bezel wire. Work your way around the stone starting at 12 oclock, the 6, then 3, then 9… then finish off the rest of the setting. Working your way around the “clock” of the stone this way will ensure that your stone stays centered in your setting, evenly placing the bezel over the stone at each end.
Here is the bezel roller that I use in this setting
And this is the fine silver bezel wire that I’m using in this setting
Do you have any tips on bezel setting stones in silver? Leave a comment below and share your knowledge!
Smile today
Laura
I’ve been in love with it and using it as often as possible! 
