Designer Crafts Connection Blog - Favorite Techniques

Hi Crafty Friends!

Welcome to our First Monday posting from Designer Crafts Connection!  This month we are blogging about our Favorite Techniques.  I'm sure it will be difficult for each of us to choose just one!  We are craft designers, after all!  We are always up for learning a new way to do things with a new machine or a new product.  So, I'm sure you will find a variety new techniques and different ways to use old techniques.

One of my new favorite techniques is applying patinas to metals.  I've done some of that with different methods like tea dying, applying alcohol inks or paint, and using liver of sulfur to age metals.  In fact, I have those techniques outlined in my book, Vintage Impressions Jewelry.  But, in addition to these ways of changing metal color, new patinas are becoming available.  I bought some a few months ago and hadn't had the chance to use them when I noticed a class available at the Craft and Hobby Association trade show last January.  I was lucky to get a spot in the class and get first hand instruction from Vintaj(R)/Ranger people.  It was a great 3 hour class in which we zoomed through about 6 projects experimenting with some of the many effects that you can get with their new Patina(TM) colors. 

Here is a bracelet that I created using their Verdigris patina.

I applied patina randomly over the silver filigree in the center.

Then, I buffed it using the Vintaj buffing block to remove some of the excess patina and let the metal show.  It reminds me of a worn enamel piece.

To make the bracelet fit around my arm better, I bent the filigree around a glue bottle.  I tied on turquoise silk string and knotted it.  Then I made dangles of leftover turquoise glass and malachite beads and added them in between the knots with jump rings.  I found some ridged silver metal beads and added those to the mix.  To end the bracelet, I slid on a toggle clasp and wire-wrapped the string.  I added a bit more patina to the clasp, wire wrap and silver beads with a paint brush. 

A couple of notes on using the patinas:  You don't need much, so start with just a drop.  You can layer and mix them to create your own colors.  They dry fast especially in warm weather, so you have to work fast.  For more information and to view lots and lots of ideas, go to their website.   (No compensation was provided for this post, though I did get jewelry and patina samples in class.  I use Vintaj(R) products frequently in my jewelry designing and love their look!)
And, since March is National Craft Month, we have a lot of blogging going on to promote craftiness!  Stop back by on Saturday, March 9, for my blog with a button craft for Buttons Galore.  There are a group of us promoting their lovely products and I'm sure you'll see buttons on everything. 

So, hop around our blog connection by clicking forward or backward on the big blue DCC button on the left of my blog post and see what other techniques are highlighted this month. 

Happy National Craft Month!

Terry

PS I almost forgot--there's a giveaway of a purse album, beautiful papers, roses, stickers and adhesive from Fabscraps.  Gorgeous stuff!  To enter to win, leave a comment on the blog with your favorite technique and then go to Julie McGuffee's blog and tell her which one you like the best.