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It's Been A Bit Of A Bronze Week


I managed to get a couple of pairs of bronze earrings finished last week that I photographed at the weekend and I also had a custom order for some bronze stacking bangles so it definitely has been a bit of a bronze week.

The bronze stud earrings above are made by melting bronze wire into pebbles then flattening the pebbles to create off-round and oval organic-looking shapes. After forming them into concave bowl shapes I tidied up the edges then paired them up and soldered them together with a fine silver ball for decoration and contrast.


I oxidized these then cleaned them up a fair bit so the dark areas are just in the crevices.

I also made some simple oval bronze earrings with an etched pattern and a turquoise jasper bead added to the earwires for a bit of colour.



I still find bronze a bit unpredictable compared to copper where liver of sulphur is concerned but I do love the golden brown colour you get when it does behave nicely and oxidize evenly :D

I also made a set of skinny bronze bangles with stamped letter disc dangles.


These were for a custom order and the initials stand for the names of the customers children. Not my usual thing as stamping letters in a straight line isn't a natural gift for me {!} but I can manage one letter!

I'm planning on making a set of leaf vein texture bangles using flattened 3.5mm {7g} wire very soon. My bronze bangle selection is a bit limited at the moment and needs more variety and as I'm getting more used to working with bronze and it's little quirks I feel a lot more confident in adding a few new designs. Watch this space!



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Comments

  1. Absolutely beautiful jewellery! Can't say which piece is my favourite - they are all FAB

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  2. Love the bronze look, I ordered some recently (well, a while ago!) and haven't been brave enough to use it yet!

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    Replies
    1. Have a go Claire, it's a harder metal than copper but doesn't need as much heat when soldering :D

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  3. Your bronze pieces are beauties! I love the custom initial bracelet. I can sort of stamp in a straight line but don't like it to be too perfect since the handmade look is what I like. :)

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  4. I am the proud recipient of the bronze bangles (without the initial discs) that you mentioned above and I love them! Never have had bronze jewelry before, and here in the US you see alot of copper & brass, but not bronze. They have a lovely sound, and as Tracy has mentioned a slightly more golden hue than copper. Maybe bronze will take off in popularity.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for your comment Kim! Bronze doesn't seem to be as popular as copper but maybe it will as more people use it.

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  5. Update: Since bronze is the subject of choice for 2015, I wanted to share that my bangles have darkened to a richer caramel with highlights of the pink shining through...love it on the skin, especially in the summer sun. I ordered the bright finish because I wanted the option of seeing it transform naturally (on my skin and with our high humidity here) and then later returning it back to the bright rose gold color with a lemon, ketchup, hot sauce, or whatever I have in the fridge that my brightens my copper & brass pieces. Fun stuff...

    Kim

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