“Image of small
mosaic art tiles from
the streets of Tuscany
kept coming to mind.”
~Cindy Lietz
As you may have noticed from today’s featured Gallery post, as well as from previous ones (see Textured Polymer Clay Pendants for another example of a recent Gallery feature), these photo spreads are included here at the blog to provide you guys with creative jewelry making ideas and inspiration.
Please use the comment section at the bottom of the page, to discuss the items presented… or to let me know what other projects you would like to see and learn more about.
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Tuscany Copper Wrapped Polymer Clay Art Sheet Earrings:
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************************************************************************************************** When thinking of a name for these richly colored Copper Cube Earrings, images of small mosaic art tiles from the streets of Tuscany kept coming to mind. Created using my original Polymer Clay Art Sheet technique, these small square beads were wrapped in copper foil tape and accented with Fire Opal Swarovski Crystals. Flame Dipped Copper Headpins were also used along Rose Gold Earwires. Each of the square beads measure 3/4″ x 3/4″ x 1/4″ (18mm x 18mm x 7mm). And assembled earrings come to a total length of 2″ (5cm). Price: $25 (US) Tuscany Polymer Clay Earrings – If you are interested in purchasing the earrings shown in today’s gallery post, then please send me an email. Be sure to include your full mailing address so I can work out the shipping cost for you. ************************************************************************************************** |
| ** Did You Know… Members with current subscriptions to the weekly tutorial videos are always entitled to a 10% discount when purchasing 6 or more back issue packages in a single transaction. If you are interested, let me know which back issues you would like and I will send further instructions on how to complete your order. |
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Lovely, Cindy. I also see this in a diamond shape or rectangle etc., etc. Sure to get the imagination going when I get back to clay time. In the meantime I love what you are coming up with.
Those are beautiful, I love the edges and rims on them. How did you get them so perfect? Love the copper too.
Have you ever done that Liver of Sulphur thing to antique silver or copper? It looks messy but the wire is beautiful when it’s done.
Your Tuscany Earrings are awesome, Cindy. I have been wanting to incorporate copper with polymer clay. These are beautiful! You buffed those to a beautiful shine…the yellow and copper go well together!
Your copper wrapped earrings are absolutely breathtaking, Cindy!! WOW!! I can see matching components, too, a whole set – bracelet, necklace, pendants. Just do a wrapped link on both sides. Wouldn’t that be beautiful!!! And a simply to-die-for present for someone special on your list!
I don’t know how you keep thinking up these ideas, Cindy, but keep ’em coming! And the photography, once again, is simply amazing Doug!! Thank you both so much! May we PLEASE have a tute on copper tape??? Soon? So we can make them for Christmas??
Cindy, Video 024-3 was on UV resin. In that video you showed a pendant enclosed in copper wire. I loved that pendant and would love a video tutorial on how you did that. Does anyone else want to see how she did it?
Lynn Williams
Cindy, how well does the copper foil tape wear? Where can you purchase it?
Ah’ I knew I should have purchased that foil tape this past weekend. I saw some and thought, “hmm… I wonder what I could use that for.” Way to go Cindy! I’ll have to head back out to get some.
@ Cindy – Beautiful earrings and they have the rich fall colors. Is the copper tape along the sides? Is the foil tape the same you would use to do foiling in stained glass? I have got myself a couple of stamps but my arm has been so painfully sore not been able to do anything.
@Lynn: I’d love a tut on that, too! Actually, Cindy’s really been coming up with some really amazing stuff. I don’t know how she could ever manage to keep up with tuts on everything she’s been posting, but I’d sure love it if she would! LOL!!
@Brenda: Where did you find it? And in what section?
These tiles are lovely with the crisp copper trim, I love how you designed the earrings too!
Those earring are soooooooo pretty. I love the addition of copper foil. I used to do stained glass, sooo, I rummaged around in my cabinet – voila! Copper foil. Mine is only 7/16″ though. I’ll try and make it work. I just love it when I have what is needed !!!
Cindy I’m not a wine drinker but I can picture my husband and I sitting out on a balcony the sun starting to set sipping on wine looking over rolling valley at a Tuscan Vinyard. How romantic Italy is in my mind and I get all this just from looking at your earrings. I would love to learn some techniques using the foil tapes on the edges. You are talking about the same kind used on stained glass edges aren’t you? I have some just not sure how to tie it in with my pc. Please help soon. Anyone else have this problem? Love the trip you took my husband and me on this afternoon. Maybe next time we can take a suitcase with us.
You are never too old for a good imagination.
Smile, Peggy
Forgot to add that I’d love to learn these in case there might be a lesson ahead. =)
Hey Cindy -BTW -how about a tute on using copper foil. Just a quickie would do hint,hint , smile,smile
These are awesome earrings. What I want to know is how you have time to think about designing jewelry and making video tutorials too. :-)
Tanya@ I seen it at Micheals it was in a strange area there was a wall of tiny wood designs like letters,helmets,flowers, and etc.. around that stuff.
What gorgeous earrings, and such a cool technique! You’re so creative, Cindy! I have some of this tape, in both silver & gold…bought it several years ago, & it’s still laying in one of my craft drawers. I saw them just the other day while looking for “lost” glue. Anyway, I didn’t buy copper tape, because I didn’t use much copper back then. I would love to see how Cindy works with this, because although I haven’t given it a proper “try” it seems like it would be difficult to keep this stuff so nice and straight…
Looking at it again and trying to figure it out. is the foil put on and burnished like in stained glass? Is it baked before foiling or after? Guess we’ll have to wait for a tutorial!
Thank you so much everyone for your lovely comments! It is funny how these types of ideas come together in my mind when things are laying around. Had a couple of tiles I made with the art sheets on my desk and was putting away some new supplies, including the copper foil tape and poof… an idea to combine them pops into my head!
Yes, it is the same stuff that is used for stained glass. I got this from Amaco, along with some other copper sheeting, copper mesh and embossing metals, I have yet to play with. I will do a tute on using the foil sometime soon. So stay tuned for that.
As well, Bonnie brought up the use of Liver of Sulfur for giving copper and silver a dark rich patina. I recently purchased some and will show you all how to use it in a future tutorial as well.
Man I love all the cool things that can be done with polymer clay!! The freedom to create whatever my mind wants to create has been a dream of mine for a long time. It is wonderful to be able to share my creative journey with you all!!
You are my inspiration !! (that’s a song, too I think). I would love to crawl into you mind -I probably would never leave. Well, I would have to. in order to get the tutes LOL. Anyway, thanks from the bottom of my heart !!!!!!
I checked my foil tape, and I do have copper — not gold. I also have the other things Cindy just mentioned getting from Amaco (embossing metal, mesh, copper sheet.) I got them at Michael’s a long time ago…they looked like they’d be fun to “play” with. Hopefully, I’ll be ready for whatever tutorials Cindy dreams up for these materials. In the meantime, I look forward to learning how to make beautiful earrings like hers, as well as tips on using the metal tape.
[FYI, I originally bought the copper/silver tape to make glass pendants, using what I think is called “Memory Glass”.(?) I had planned to place photos and/or other objects between the glass; decorate with alcohol inks, glitter, little “pretties” like microbeads, etc.; then finally wrap them with the silver tape to secure the edges & protect the glass. Nowadays, they sell metal frames/bezels to use with the glass. Anyway, doing it the “old way” required soldering jumprings or other findings to the pendant, so it could be hung from a necklace. You could solder the corners too, making a very secure piece.]
I’d like to learn how to solder — again. I did it as part of my electronics job in the military, but that was quite a long time ago. Besides, I have no idea what kind of solder to buy for jewelry projects — there are so many products available online. I really would love to learn how. It’s a skill I could use for all kinds of jewelry projects, including the metal/wirework we create for polymer clay. Is this something you might eventually teach us, Cindy? Or should I find my own way with this?
I used that copper foil many, many years ago when I took a class in stained glass. Of course,when you use it for stained glass, you cover the foil in solder, which can be a lot of work. I’m sure this is much easier.
Now I have something to use my Michaels coupon on!
@Linda: Did you solder your work back then? Do you remember much about it?
Well, I went to Michaels for the foil tape and my store doesn’t carry it…or if they do, nobody there has any idea where it is.
I Googled “copper foil tape” and got lots of hits on other kinds of tape. I did find one company, glassmart.com that deals in stained glass supplies. They have a variety of widths that run from $3.95 to $9.95, depending on the width of the tape.
@Linda: I just saw the foil tape at my “special” Michael’s the other day. It was in the same area as a lot of Tim Holtz ‘stuff’…like the little pkgs of keys/gears, other Ranger products & alcohol inks, Pearl-Ex, Perfect Pearls, Memory Glass, etc. Did you check that area of your store?
[When I bought my tape years back…I’m pretty sure it was with the Amaco ArtEmboss sheets and stuff like that. Do they still carry that? If so, that’s a good place to check for the tape, too.] Hope that helps!
@Kat: I didn’t think to look in the area with the alcohol inks, but I’ll check it next time I go there. I should try to find my stained glass supplies. If I have any tape left, it’s probably all dried up, but I’m sure I could use some clay-safe glue on it. I’m also thinking that some of the small pieces of glass might be interesting if I incorporated it into some clay pieces…maybe make clay bezels for the glass.
@Linda, I hope you were able to find the tape…just wanted to say that I like your idea about the glass! I’ll bet certain pieces would look lovely surrounded by clay bezels. You could add other goodies to the mix, too. Good ol’ alcohol inks, powders, foils, etc. Maybe even some resin… Hope you’re having a good week! :D
Oooh, Kat, so many good ideas!
@ Cindy- Waiting for the copper tape tutorial! I have these squares all ready and just begging for the copper foil tape. Anyone tried this out yet?
@Cherie: It is coming Cherie… don’t worry! :-)
Love these earrings…this should be an interesting tute! I’m eager to learn how to make sure my polymer squares (or whatever shape) are the right thickness to match the tape I’m using. I noticed the tape at Michael’s now seems a little thicker than the stuff I bought a couple years back…
Oh boy ! Just read the up-date. Can’t wait…………soooooonnnnnnnn!!