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Butterfly Princess



Above is a picture of my Bronze Butterfly Princess Pendant necklace that I finished for Kate's Princess swap.

I have to say that I'm totally loving this particular stamp set - I've used it on a number of different projects over the last month.

Following is a detail image of the butterfly:

butterfly detail (web)

I was in a hurry and was only able to make just enough for the swap. But I like it so much, I think I might have to make a few more!

Several people have inquired about how I make metal jewelry using rubber stamps. It's not any more difficult than creating jewelry with stamps and polymer clay. Like most things, it just takes some practice and a little patience. But it does take quite an initial investment, because several specialized (and sort of expensive) tools are required.

I'm a PMC certified artisan, having received my certification formally last year. I still use traditional jewelry techniques with sterling silver such as hammering, cutting, and soldering, but I moved into Precious Metal Clay (PMC) after I was introduced to it by my good friend, Joanne. PMC is pure silver (99.9% pure - more precious than sterling) However, the switch to PMC was ideal for me, since I was also an avid rubber stamper and paper artist. I could just imagine all the possibilities that I could create with textures that are not easily accomplished with traditional jewelry smithing techniques!

Having said that, if anyone is interested in a class, come on over! You can experiment with the medium, at mere fraction of the cost - and you don't have to worry about initial investment before trying it out. Of course, most people who visit my blog don't really live that closeby. No worries, I have a spare bedroom! And if you can't make the trip, I'm sure you can find a studio near to you that offers classes.

A little history for those interesting in learning more:

BronzClay has only been around a short time and is a cost effective alternative to PMC. It was introduced into the market in August 2008 by RioGrande. When the price of silver reached an all time high, a few PMC artists started looking for some more cost effective alternatives. As a result, one of them, Bill Struve, started experimenting with powdered Bronze and organic binders, eventually perfecting the recipe and firing requirements for BronzClay.

For more information on BronzClay, I found a great PDF that covers all you need to know about how to work with it, so that you can also create some really beautiful jewelry with your rubber stamps: Welcome To BronzClay

Comments

Anonymous said…
Gorgeous - you are so creative and talented!!
Pam said…
Wow - I learned a lot from your blog today - I didn't know about bronzClay or precious metal clay! Beautiful pendant!
Lindsey said…
I can't believe YOU made that necklace! It's so amazing. I love that stamp set... I think I might need to get it:)
If only everyone put as much work as you do into their creations.

Did you get your package in the mail? I sent it a bit ago. I sent you that little holder thinking that you would fluff it up and make it amazing. 'Cause that's just what YOU do!

I'm looking forward to receiving the general greeting cards from your swap.
FibreJunky said…
WAY too awesome! Thanks for posting the link to the PDF, too. This is just fascinating.

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