Time for a blog giveaway – Littles Earrings

Listed in my Folksy and Etsy shops today are some new earrings I have just made:

LILAC LITTLES

Amethyst Coiled Jewel Fine Silver Hammered Circle Earrings

It’s been a while, so I thought it was time for me to do another blog giveaway. Here is your chance to get hold of a CUSTOM MADE pair of my ‘Littles’ earrings in your favourite colour (I have a variety of different gemstones, so hopefully I can find some colours that suit you).

Questions?.....

Q. What do I have to do?
A. Leave your details and a comment here telling me your favourite colour or which colour you would choose for your custom made Littles earrings and your name will go in my pot.

Q. Can I DOUBLE my chances to win?
A. Yes, be a ‘Follower’ of my blog and I will put your name in again.

Q. Can I TRIPLE my chances to win?
A. Yes, blog about this giveaway on your blog and I will put your name in again.

Q. When will I know if I’ve won?
A. I will be pulling a name out of my pot on Monday 12th October and the name of the winner will be announced on my blog. Please remember to check back to see it it’s you.

Best of luck
Kristin :)

I've been fusing!

I had a go at fusing fine silver wire last night. It went surprising well, apart from when my husband said 'What happens if you keep heating the wire up?' I held the butane torch over the wire and we watched it get hotter and hotter and then bubble, turn into little balls and then pretty much disappear! That was quite an expensive experiment - I hate wasting valuable materials.

Anyway, here are my first pieces of jewellery made from fusing silver wire. Firstly I made some Super Shiny Hammered Ring Earrings. They are light and delicate but surprisingly strong (an hour in my tumbler helped to polish and strengthen the rings).


Then I made a larger ring from 14 gauge wire. I found fusing thicker wire easier than thinner wire. I used the ring to make a matching Super Shiny Hammered Ring Pendant.

Please click on the photos for more details.

All in all, I found fusing very satisfying. I had a very late night last night as I went straight on to fuse some slightly smaller rings from the 14 gauge wire which I intend to use in a bracelet design.

Silver Wire Fusing

I just got home today from my holiday in Thurlestone, Devon (great time, relaxing, good weather, lovely location, happy families and even a bit of time to make some jewellery - more on that to follow) and waiting at home for me was this book I had ordered from Amazon: 'Silver Wire Fusing' by Liz Jones:

I have been thinking about fusing silver wire since Shay suggested it to me following my post about my first coiled jewel bangle where I was thinking about needing to make my bangle design less flexible.

Liz Jones' book makes the process of fusing fine silver wire look quite simple. I shall just have to see. I have quite a few of the recommended tools and materials but have not got a 'fire brick'. I'm not sure how essential this is - my husband has found a smooth brick from his out house and suggested I use this. Can anyone advise me about this or suggest where in the UK I can source a fire brick quite cheaply?