Make a Pendant from Enameled Piping

We are still playing with pipes! Today we took one of the copper enameled beads we made using pipe and used the bead as the focal point in a pendant.

Before: Enameled pipe, scrap wire

Materials
Copper enameled bead
2 sterling silver beads
Sterling silver scrap wire-- 18 gauge & 20-gauge
Smokey quartz bead

Tools
Nylon jaw chain nose pliers
Round nose pliers
Chain nose pliers
Flush  wire cutter
Barrett needle file

Step 1
Locate scrap sterling silver wire from the scrap bin. Use the nylon jaw pliers to straighten out the scrap wire.

Step 2
Feed a sterling silver bead on the the 18-gauge wire, followed by the copper enameled bead and another sterling silver bead. Wrap the end of the wire to secure the beads. Trim excess wire, if any, with a wire cutter. File the ends smooth using a barrette needle file.

Select bead for drop

Step 3
Sort through the bead collection to locate a center-drilled bead. Make a loop at the end of the 20-gauge wire to form a head pin. Feed the center-drilled smokey quartz bead on the prepared 20-gauge wire head pin. Create a loop above bead and attach the 20-gauge wire to the 18-gauge wire. Wrap the wire to secure.

Step 4

After: Enamel pendant by GeltDesigns.com

Slide the pendant onto the chain. We used a neck-ring we made from 14-gauge sterling silver wire, but any chain will do.

Related Project Tutorials
Turn a Pipe into Enamels Beads
Make Earrings from Copper Pipe and Wire
Make an Enamel Necklace from a Copper Pipe
Make a Beaded Bracelet with Copper Pipe & Wire
Make a Neck-Ring from Copper Pipe
Make a Bangle Bracelet from a Copper Pipe

Related Skills Tutorials
How to Make A Simple Head Pin
How to Make an Eye Pin
How to Make a Paddle Head Pin
How to Straighten Wire
Make Your Own Beaded Drop
Make Your Own Wire Wrapping Tool Kit

Further Reading  
"Making Designer Bead and Wire Jewelry: Techniques for Unique Designs and Handmade Findings"; Tammy Powley; 2005.
"The Complete Photo Guide to Jewelry Making: More than 700 Large Format Color Photos"; Tammy Powley; 2011.

Month 5. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent: 0
Found materials: Copper pipe, scarp wire, orphan beads
New Jewelry a Day.  

Turn a Pipe into Enamels Beads

Before: Copper pipe

We love playing with copper pipes. For only a few dollars you can purchase a long length of copper pipe to make into all sorts of jewelry. We are lucky. We had quite a bit of copper pipe left over from a kitchen renovation. Apparently, we did not need a huge length of pipe to connect our fridge. So we have quite a bit of pipe to use for NJAD projects. Yay.

Today we decided to cut up pieces of pipe and use those pieces to make enamel beads. We had two choices when enameling the copper pipe beads. We could use our kiln or we could use our torch. Both methods produce different results. We opted to torch fire the enamel beads because we wanted a more organic feel.

We will show you how we use the copper enamel beads we made in another upcoming NJAD blog entry.

Materials
Copper pipe
Thompson's enamel for copper

Tools
Jewelry saw & blades
Half-round file
Wet/dry sandpaper
Torch
Soldering tripod or trivet

Mark copper pipe

Step 1
Mark the pipe with a marker or scribe. Use a jewelry saw to cut pieces of pipe.

Cut copper pipe with jewelry saw

Step 2
File and then sand the edges of the cut beads until smooth.

Step 3
Clean the copper beads with acetone and then rinse with water (to remove acetone residue). Enamel will not "stick" if the copper is not completely clean.

Step 4
Spray the copper bead with Thompson's Klyr-Fire so the enamel powder will better "stick" to the copper pipe.

Step 5
Place the enamel powder in a sifter and sift the enamel evenly over the copper pipe. Let the enamel dry on the pipe before firing. NOTE: You can hasten the drying by waiving the torch over the enameled pipe.

Step 6
Place the enamel covered pipe on a trivet or soldering tripod.

Step 7

After: Torch enameled beads by GeltDesigns.com

Heat the copper enamel covered pipe from beneath the tripod. Continue to hold the the torch under the enamel pipe. Watch the enamel fuse to the copper. The same phases of fusion occur in both kiln firing and torch firing. At first the enamel will look sugar-coated, then the enamel will begin to look like an orange peel, then the enamel will reach a smooth, fully fused state and, finally, the enamel will look over-fired. The phases of enamel fusion happen very quickly when torch firing so watch the enamel closely. Stop heating the enamel and remove the torch once the enamel is fused to the look you seek.

The flame of the torch can produce a smokey iridescent look. Sometimes the smokey look is desirable (as it looks a lot like raku firing on ceramics), other times it is not. Since we wanted an organic look, we allowed the enamel to fuse until it was slightly over-fired achieving a "raku" look.

Tip: You can fire enamel multiple times until you get the look you want. To get rid of the discoloration on one side of the enamel (or to change the surface of the enamel from smooth to orange peel), just turn the piece over and re-fire from the bottom. The front surface should clean up.

Step 8

Clean up the copper edges of the beads. Remove oxidation with files and sandpaper to prepare to use the beads in jewelry making.

Related Tutorials
Make Earrings from Copper Pipe and Wire
Make an Enamel Necklace from a Copper Pipe
Make a Beaded Bracelet with Copper Pipe & Wire
Make a Neck-Ring from Copper Pipe
Make a Bangle Bracelet from a Copper Pipe

Further Reading
"The Art of Enameling: Techniques, Projects, Inspiration by Linda Darty"; Linda Darty; 2009.
"The Art of Fine Enameling"; Karne L. Cohen; 2004.
"First Steps in Enameling"; Jinks McGrath; 2003.
"The Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes: From Enameling and Engraving to Inlay and Granulation"; Jinks Mc Grath; 2005.

Month 5. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent: 0
Found materials: Copper pipe
New Jewelry a Day.  

Cold Enamel a Washer to Make a Pendant

Before: Post Card & Washer

We love to visit museums and galleries. Many give out brightly colored brochures explaining and documenting the exhibit. Others send us stunning post cards announcing the opening of exhibitions as well as beautiful invitations for gallery openings.

Tossing these items in the trash seems almost criminal. When the galleries and museums recycle, we try to put the items back for reuse... but for items that come to the house, reuse by others is rarely an option. Hence, we often collect the art work we like the best for use in scrap booking, collage making and, of course NJAD jewelry making.

After: Pendant by GeltDesigns.com

Today, we used a post card sent to us from the the Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery at Haverford College. We cut out a portion of the post card originally painted by Oh Su Fan, entitled "Change" and we decoupaged the paper from the post card onto a washer to create an eye catching pendant.

Materials
1-1/4" round washer
Post card
Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge
Paint brush
Bowl of water (to clean paint brush)
Transparent embossing powder
Heat It Craft Tool
Scrap paper
1mm satin, leather, suede or other stringing material
Clasp & end caps (optional)

Tools
Xacto craft knife
Self-healing cutting mat

Step 1
Select the washer and the paper you want to use to decorate your washer. We used a post card sent to use in the mail with a copy of a painting entitled "Change"by Oh Su Fan announcing the "In and With: Contemporary Korean Art" exhibit at the Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery at Haverford College. Post cards are heavy, coated paper that do not run when coated with glue or embossing powder.

Step 2
Determine how you want to arrange the paper on the washer. Glue the washer to the back side of the paper using a glue stick (or glue of your choice) in the space that highlights the design you want to use.

Step 3
Place the washer on the cutting mat and use a craft knife to cut away the excess paper. 

Step 4
Paint Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge on the paper using a paint brush until it is completely coated. Paint the sides of the washer to seal the paper to the washer. If bubbles appear, pop them using a toothpick or your finger. Check to be sure the coat is even.

Wash the paint brush immediately with water to prevent the brush from becoming glued together and no longer usable.

Step 5
Before the coat of Diamond Glaze or Mod Podge is dry, place the washer on a clean piece of scrap paper and sprinkle transparent embossing powder over the glue painted paper surface of the washer.

Step 6
Tap off excess embossing powder. (We use a second piece of scrap paper to catch the excess so we can reuse the embossing powder).

Check to be sure the embossing powder is even. Sprinkle again (and remove excess again), if needed, to even out surface.

Melt powder to coat washer

Step 7
Use the heat tool to melt the embossing powder. Heat evenly until all the embossing powder melts and coats the paper surface of the washer and the side of the washer. Check to be sure the paper is sealed onto the washer. Allow the embossing powder to cool.

Do not test the embossing powder with your finger to see if it is done and dry. Ouch. Not only will you have unsightly fingerprints, hot embossing powder will stick to your hand and may cause a burn.

Step 8
Add the chain. Cut a piece of leather, suede, satin or other stringing material to about 24 inches long (or the length you want for your necklace).

Feed through washer

Fold the string in half and feed it through the washer.

Slip ends through loop

Slip the loose ends of the stringing material back through the end loop.

Pull tight

Pull the stringing material tight, as shown in the photograph.

Add findings to the ends of the stringing material or simply tie the string to wear the decoupaged and embossed washer pendant as a necklace.

Related Tutorials
Make a Three Strand Bracelet from Copper Washers
Make a Bib Necklace from Washers
Make a Stamped Pendant from a Washer

Further Reading 
"Making Designer Jewelry from Hardware, Gems, and Beads"; Nicole Noelle Sherman
"Hardwear: Jewelry from a Toolbox"; Hannah Rogge; 2006.
"The Art of Jewelry: Paper Jewelry: 35 Creative Projects (Lark Jewelry Books)";  Marthe Le Van; 2006.
"Altered Paper Jewelry: Artful Adornments from Beautiful Papers"; Jenn Mason; 2008.
"Handmade Paper Jewelry: 40 Beautiful Projects to Make & Wear"; Heidi Borchers, Candace Liccione, et al.

Day 75.  Month 4. Jewelry from Found Objects.  $ spent to date: 0
Found materials: washer, gallery post card
New Jewelry a Day.

Remember, to enter this month's One World One Heart 2011 door prize.

Make an Enamel Necklace from a Copper Pipe

Before: Copper Refrigerator Tubing

We demonstrated how to make copper pipe into a neck-ring. In this project, we enameled the copper neck-ring to add color.

Materials
Copper pipeEnamel


Tools
Jewelry kiln or torch

After: Copper Enameled Neck-Ring by GeltDesigns.com

Tripod or other kiln furniture (to hold enamel when firing)
Fork or spatula (to move enamel)

Step 1
Make a neck-ring. Follow the instructions in our tutorial "How to Make a Neck-Ring from Copper Pipe."

Step 2
Paint white liquid enamel on the copper pipe using a paint brush dedicated to enamel.

Step 3
Sift powder enamel over the liquid enamel. We used a pale blue. The powder will stick to the liquid enamel an add color.

Step 4
Fire the enamel using a kiln or a torch. We fired this neck-ring with a torch to get a rough, earthy look.

Step 5
Remove the fired enamel from the kiln or the flame of the torch. Allow the enamel to cool to room temperature.

Step 6
File the edges of the copper enamel neck-ring to remove oxidation or fire-scale, if any.

Related Tutorials
Make a Neck-Ring from Copper Pipe
Make a Bangle Bracelet from a Copper Pipe
Make a Beaded Bracelet with Copper Pipe & Wire
How to Make a Copper Bead
How to Make a Copper Necklace

How to Torch Fire Enamel 

Further Reading 
"Enamels, Enameling, Enamelists (Jewelry Crafts)"; Glenice L. Matthews; 1984.
"The Art of Enameling: Techniques, Projects, Inspiration";  Linda Darty; 2006.
"First Steps in Enameling";  Jinks McGrath; 2003.
"Enamelling (The Art of Crafts)";  Joan Bolton King; 2001.
"The Art of Fine Enameling";  Karen L Cohen; 2004.
"Color on Metal: 50 Artists Share Insights and Techniques": Tim McCreight, Nicole Bsullak; 2001.


Day 49.  Month 3.  Jewelry from Found Objects.
Found materials: copper pipe
New Jewelry a Day.