a first go at earrings...

I made these a couple of weeks ago (seems like ages ago actually), but I was waiting until the recipient had them before blogging them, just in case she saw my blog and the surprise got spoilt.

This was my first attempt at making earrings, ear wires and all, and they aren't perfect, but I was quite pleased with them all the same.

The copper circles were textured with a cross-hatch hammer and then domed on a wooden dapping block. Then the lapis lazuli briolettes were "chaos wrapped" (apparently, according to Alison anyway), and the whole lot was hung from a copper jump ring on sterling silver ear wires.

I sent this pic ^ as soon as they were made to my best mate, with a one line question: "oxidise or not?"

And her reply came back along the same lines as my thoughts, which were that the shiny silver and copper clashed a bit, and might go together a little better oxidised, so that's what I did.

Here is the final product after a liver of sulphur bath and a wire wool polish:

An improvement, I think, do you agree?


As I was packaging these up to send, I was thinking that maybe I could make a similar pair for myself, as I liked how they turned out....but the trouble is I haven't worn earrings regularly for years and years (probably 20 years!), and whenever I have tried to, my ears complain a bit.

So I thought maybe I should make some plain silver earrings and wear them non stop for a while until my ears get used to having something in them again, so that's what I made next, a pair of teeny tiny hammered silver hoops:



(they are only sitting on an ATC because I wanted something for scale, and I couldn't find a coin....I figured most people reading my blog would know what size an ATC is :))

I've now had these in non stop for about 2 or 3 weeks, and my ears have totally healed up, which is excellent, as that means I can start wearing earrings....

....I guess I'd better crack on and make some more....