I have been very creative recently, getting to grips with bezel setting, so while waiting for an order of supplies to be delivered I decided to revisit ear cuff designs.

It's been a year since I started on my metal smithing journey, and I have to admit, I thought I would be a lot further along on my jewellery making, than I am.

But with life and other things taking priority, with a pandemic mixed in, along with a loss of self confidence and a lot of self doubt and procrasination, it's only now that I a back to my creative making self.

With this in mind over the last month I have finally got back into my little attic studio and started making and playing around with my metal smithing jewellery ideas, which you can read in my previous metalsmithing jewellery journey blog posts.

With this in mind I decided to revisit creating some ear cuffs by practicing with copper, as I had brought some 0.7mm copper bezel strips to practice bezel setting some healing crystals and gemstones, last year following my 1-2-1 metal smithing work shops,  but having found the metal too thick and big to practice with, it had been consigned to the back of a draw.

While having a clean out of my jewellery making studio, I came across them again and thought that they would be an ideal size, thickness and width to experiment making a collection of ear cuffs.

With this is mind I straighten out the copper bezel strip, before measuring and cutting them to size with my shears:
 

A bit of hammering to flatten the strips, and then using a file I round off the corners, before filing the sides and front to clean up the copper.

I thought I would also use this opportunity to practice my texturing skills again using my cross pien hammer:
Another file of the edges, before it's using some bail pliers to round the edges of the metal, and then bending the rest to create the final ear cuff shape:
 


On the whole I am happy with the shape, but I did struggle creating the ear cuff, as I had to use the bench block to provide leverage when bending the cuff around the pliers, so I realised that the metal was to thick to create a usuable ear cuff, because once on the ear you have to be able to squeeze the ear cuff on the ear to secure it into position.

Luckily I have my rolling mill that will allow me to create a thinner bezel wire to work with.

And so began the process of thinning and creating the correct thickness for the ear cuff that will allow customers to secure it without breaking their fingers.

While going through this process I thought I would take the opportunity to play with different textures using sandpaper and my ball pien hammer as well as giving stamping another go.

Who knew there was a science to stamping metal?

I mean how hard is it to inprint a design?
 
I takes 3 attempts of finding the optimal thickness of the ear cuff
Finally I create the idea length and thickness ear cuff and it is full steam ahead:
 

I really had fun experimenting, learning, by touch, feel and testing the design for usability, and creating these copper ear cuffs.

When I design, I do it in an organic trial and error way/method, it might not be the right way to do things, but hey those who know me know I never follow the crowd!

My plan is to create a set of sterling silver ones with oxidation to bring out the textures and also some with bezel set healing crystals, so that those who don't have pierced ears will be able to adorn their ears with some gorgeous gemstones.

I would really love to hear your thoughts, so post something in the comments below:

Until next time

Joolz xxx

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October 04, 2020

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