JewelStruck Blog

Adventures in Medi-Alert style bracelet making

by SINjewelry on Oct.15, 2009, under Handmade Jewelry, Jewelry Making

I wanted to make a medi-alert style bracelet for my Dad’s birthday. He looked them online and didn’t like any of them. I thought it be pretty easy to do in silver clay. It wasn’t.

I looked online for a medi-alert stamp. No go. I did, however, find out that the logo was public domain, meaning it is legal to use it.
So I decided to make my own stamp. First, I tried clay. I carved something I liked, but when I tried to fire it, it broke. Next, I carved soap. This worked pretty well, as the photo above shows.
I purchased some silicon mold making compounds to make a mold from the soap carving. The first mold I took from the soap it was a fail. The second one wasn’t bad.
I painted silver clay slip into the mold and let it dry really well. Major fail. The silver clay adhered to the mold. I had forgotten to put a release onto the mold first! Note to self. Spray release into the mold before using. (Olive oil works well). After basically wasting all that silver clay, I decided to try another way.
Next, I made a bracelet by hand. I drew the shape onto a template and used the template to get the basic bracelet shape even. Next, I cut out only the logo part from the silicon mold, and stamped it into the bracelet. So far, so good.

Next, I stamped the back. This ended up crushing the logo on the front. Stamping both sides of wet silver clay is not easy. Silver clay dries very quickly as well, which doesn’t help. I eventually got both to show up, but the stamped letters on the back were a bit crooked. After trying three times, they had to stay that way, as the silver clay was drying rapidly.
To fix the logo on the front, I ended up using a syringe of silver clay to “draw” in the snake on the pedestal, which actually looked better than the original on the mold anyway.
After drying the bracelet thoroughly, I fired it with a torch.
This photo is after brushing the white coating off after firing. You can see the brush marks from the wire brush. At this point, you also file down any rough edges or thick spots. You can also smooth it a bit with sandpapers.
Next, to make the lettering and logo stand out, the bracelet was dipped into liver of sulphur. This makes the entire bracelet blackish in colour.  This is the back after taking it out of the liquid.
After sanding the black patina off with several kinds of sandpaper, the logo and lettering stands out and the bracelet is much more smooth.
TaDA! The finished product. I made two different straps for Dad to wear with different things.
So… now that I’ve done this once, I can do it again MUCH more easily. Special orders are welcome!  Email me at sunshineindustries@shaw.ca to order. Dawn Lawrence Floen is the owner/artisan of Sunshine INdustries.
454 Comments :, , , , , , , , , more...

Necklace Set with Peridot, Citrine and Diamonds in White Gold

by Shilpee Nagota on Oct.13, 2009, under Jewelry Designs

Necklace Set with Peridot , Citrine and Diamonds in White Gold

Necklace Set with Peridot, Citrine and Diamonds in White Gold

  • Product name :- Necklace Set
  • Style of Jewelry :- Unique, Traditional and Western mixed.
  • Metals used :- White Gold
  • Settings used :- Prong in Peridot and Citrine , Pave in Diamonds , Bezel in Citrine
  • Stones used :- Peridot , Citrine and Diamonds

To know more about us please visit www.nagotacreations.com

44 Comments :, , , , , more...

Sparkling Icy Bride

by kultalilja on Oct.13, 2009, under Handmade Jewelry

Sparkles for winter brides

Sparkles for winter brides

It’s getting colder and nature is shining and sparkling with frost in the mornings. Blue clouds, frosty trees and grass inspired to create a necklace for winter brides. This gorgeous necklace is made on sterling silver with sparkling Swarovski ball on the center.  Smaller Swarovski rondels capture large silver balls.  Frosty blue Swarovski bicone crystals add cold winter feeling with sterling silver and gold filled beads. It’s time to prepare for winter weddings.  Something new, something blue – this beautiful necklace!

Meet me at – GoldLily

606 Comments :, , , , , , , , , , , more...

Miranda – Modern Earrings of Magnesite and Gold

by Jewels of Saraswati on Oct.12, 2009, under Handmade Jewelry

These earrings are an effortless and elegant statement of creamy white magnesite with marble-like inclusions, gold plated spacer beads hanging from gold filled earwire.

These earrings are available for purchase in the Jewels Of Saraswati shop on Etsy.

742 Comments :, , , , , more...

Gold and kynatite ring

by Maura Nicholson on Oct.11, 2009, under Handmade Jewelry

Gold and kynanite ring

Gold and kynanite ring

My computer died !!! the second time in two months but it has be bought back to life by a kind friend and I am praying it doesn’t die again! It is scary how reliant  on it I have become  and how much I missed it.

This ring is 9ct gold and a rather wonderful Kynatite stone, slightly more blue than iolite but still as gorgeous. You can check my website to buy it.

347 Comments :, , , , , more...

Blogroll

A few highly recommended websites...

Archives

All entries, chronologically...