Sherri Haab

Sherri's on Jewel School!

2011-11-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

Two bits of great news!

Sherri will be on Jewelry Television tomorrow from 10 - 12 Eastern Time. She will be demonstrating her ITS image transfer solution and the E3 Etch system. There will be great deals on special packages not available anywhere else. Find your JTV channel here:

http://www.jtv.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-jtv-Site/default/ChannelFinder-Show

Also, if you want to watch segments of Sherri on Jewel School, you can learn how to use ITS and make great personalized gifts for the holidays, and also how to rivet and how to etch with the E3 Etch system. It's like getting classes from Sherri for free! Here is the link to Jewel School:

http://www.jtv.com/Jewel-School/Jewel_school_weekly,default,pg.html#top

Scroll down to the icons with the episodes on the site and you'll find Sherri's classes.

Bead Unique Review: Sherri Haab Inspirations

2011-10-19T22:39:00.000-07:00

If you are a fan of Bead Unique magazine like we are, you may have seen this review of Sherri's book, Sherri Haab Jewelry Inspirations. Besides the wonderful review, this issue is filled with lots of great ideas for inspiration.

If you're not familiar with Jewelry Inspirations, you should definitely check it out. See Sherri at home in her studio and the people and things behind her ideas. Truly an inspiration!

Electroforming Tips - Keep it Moving, Keep it Warm

2011-09-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

On a recent visit to the studio of jewelry artist Nancy Worden, she was gracious enough to educate me on some of her valuable tips for electroforming. Nothing can replace the years of experience she gained through her labors, and with plating there are no easy shortcuts. I am anxious to pass along a few vital steps I learned from her:

KEEP IT MOVING: Agitation reduces the sharp and uneven build-up of copper particles on your piece. This is especially true for pieces that are left to be electroformed for long periods of time. If you have ever left a certain piece to build a heavy layer of copper for a long time, you may have noticed that the edges or protrusions feel sharp or rough. By providing a way to circulate the free floating copper particles, the result will be more rounded edges which do not feel as sharp. It may be of interest to note that Polypropylene anode bags also play a role in keeping the particles from forming sharply.
A simple solution? An Aquarium air pump. To make your own bubbling device, drill holes in a piece of tubing to be fitted to the pump. In this photo you can see how a slightly larger tube was drilled and fitted over the longer green tube which fits snuggly to the pump. The end with holes in it is placed in the electroforming solution about 30 minutes to an hour after the initial coat of copper is formed. Turn the pump on to provide agitation for the remaining time necessary for electroforming.

KEEP IT WARM: Optimal temperature for electroforming copper is between 75 and 80 degrees fahrenheit. Nancy Worden has found through years of experimentation that this produces the best results. You can use warming devices such as an electric heating pad to heat the tank, especially in winter. Use safety precautions when using electric devices near water.

MAINTAINING THE ELECTROFORMING SOLUTION: There is no easy answer for this one. This can get very complicated, and frankly dangerous, if you start adding acids or experimenting without some knowledge and respect for electrochemistry. Artists like Nancy have their own protocol for maintaining and attending to the plating bath. As every situation is unique, you have to take responsibility for deeper education and study. There are pdf's and books online that are written for associated products from the plating industry for detailed information. You have to decide at some point whether the goal for using the solutions is for a personal hobby, mass production, or an industrial studio set-up. The latter involves getting to know the chemicals and developing a personal knowledge for how and what to do to keep the plating solutions clean and filtered, and the ph levels even. Most solutions sold for small studio or hobby use are sold with the premise that they will be used until exhausted (at a certain coverage rate) and then replenished as needed.

SOME METALS DON'T PLATE: With any art or science like electroforming, there are always new things to learn. One thing I learned recently is that there are certain metals which will not successfully plate with copper without pre-treatment. Steel, iron, or metal with tin in it will not plate well.

- Sherri

ITS on Tile part 2

2011-08-05T15:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's blog introduced using ITS on tile. Above are image from my stepson Chris' and Hailee's wedding. I decide to do these in color because the orange and turquoise color scheme really pops. You can see the imperfections in the images, but that's part of their charm.

Image transfer, especially on tile, is not an exact science. It’s best to make a few extra copies of your images in case they don’t turn out the first time. Your images will not be perfect, but will have variation because of the natural contours of the tile, the saturation of the photo and other variables. That’s the beauty of this kind of image transfer, though. Each tile is unique and a has a special character. If you do need to re-do a tile, just soak it in water (before you put on the sealer) and then use coarse sandpaper to sand off the image.

Depending on your image, you may want to tear the edges so it doesn't have a hard edge. Above is the difference between a straight edge and a torn edge. If your photos are black and white, the light parts of the photo will naturally disappear, creating a soft edge even when the image is cut straight, such as in the image below.

Bubbling
The tile below has a lot of white spots because the paper bubbled. Sometimes, like in this tile, they turn out looking great. In general, though, you want to avoid bubbling because if you get a white spot on someone's face, or an important part of the picture, it's a do-over.

White Film
The white film on the lower part of the image means that all the paper has not been removed yet. It needs to be polished some more with the blue 3M polishing sheet under running water.

Picture Placement
Since tile has natural dips and bumps, sometimes it will interfere with the picture. The bride's face on this tile gets lost in the natural contours. It would be best to start over and turn the picture a quarter turn.

Remember that your own images might require some experimentation. Luckily, if you don't like the first result, it's easy to sand it off and start over. I've had so much fun with this new technique, I've got more coasters than I know what to do with!

New Project! ITS on Tile

2011-08-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

Sherri's been working for a while to perfect a method to successfully transfer images onto tile. We finally got great, consistent results after some trial and error. Above you can see black and white images from Sherri's daughter Rachel's wedding, and color images from my daughter Brennyn's wedding. I love this project because they are great handmade gifts that anyone can appreciate. The images don't turn out perfectly, and they have a quality that makes them almost looked painted on. You can turn them into coasters (my favorite use) or put them on small easels for tabletop display.

You will need:

4 x 4” tumbled marble tile

ITS Solution

ITS Paper

Images

Scissors

Paintbrush

3M Wet/Dry 1200-grit blue abrasive sheet

ITS Matte or Gloss Sealer

Felt chair pads or 4 x 4 square of felt

1. Soak the tile in water and scrub it clean to get all the dust off. Let dry.

2. Paint a layer of ITS solution over the tile. Let dry.

3. Size your image so it is slightly smaller than the tile. Remember that the image will appear as a mirror image on the tile. Copy the image onto ITS paper using a commercial copy machine or print it on a laser printer. Use the color setting even if your image is black and white. Cut out the image. If the background of your image is dark, you may want to tear the edges for a softer look.

4. Paint an even layer of ITS solution on the tile. (The layer of ITS should be thin enough to still be transparent, but thick enough so there are no bare spots.) Place the image face down on the tile, being careful to center the image.

5. Press the image on the tile, working from the middle out toward the edges. Smooth the image firmly, pressing out any air bubbles. Turn the tile over on a flat, sturdy surface and press on the back of the tile to help the image make full contact with the tile. If there are still air bubbles, you can use a barely damp sponge to help smooth them out, or prick with a pin or point of a blade and press them flat.

6. Heat set the tile by placing the tile in a pre-heated 325 degreee oven for 30 minutes. After removing from the oven, it is important to let the piece cool thoroughly before the next step.

7. Soak the tile in water for a few minutes. Use your fingers to remove the paper, carefully rolling off layers of paper, working from the center out.

8. When you’ve removed most of the paper, use a 3M Wet/Dry 1200-grit blue abrasive sheet under running water to remove the remaining fiber. The fiber is removed when there is no longer a white film covering the image.

9. Paint a layer of ITS Matte or Gloss Sealer over the image. Wait 30 minutes, then bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes to heat set. Let cool.

10. To make a coaster, stick felt chair pads on the back of the tile, or glue on a square of felt so the tile won’t scratch furniture.

Next blog: Troubleshooting

Tune in to Jewel School

2011-08-01T14:06:00.000-07:00

What's better than taking classes from Sherri Haab? When they're free! Sherri will be appearing on Jewelry TV's Jewel School on Thursday, August 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. While promoting some exclusive kits on the show, she will demonstrate both metal etching and ITS image transfer. These are examples of the projects she will be teaching you to make.

You will also want to check out the kits that will be sold on the program at a great price. The metal etching kit contains everything you need to etch, along with a bonus of all of the jewelry findings for several pieces of jewelry and a selection of transferable images designed for the copper shapes in the kit.

The ITS kit contains all the materials and findings you need to make a charm bracelet and matching necklace, a full sheet of images ready to transfer and five blank sheets of ITS paper to use for your own personal images.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to see Sherri in action and learn some exciting new skills. BUT WAIT! Of course they will be offering some special deals during the course of the show, so tune in!

Rings & Things blogs on ITS

2011-06-25T14:10:00.000-07:00

Cindy at the Rings & Things blog made this amazing Alice in Wonderland bracelet and teahouse pendant using Sherri's ITS image transfer solution. Besides the great example of an ITS project, her blog has a great how-to (with photos!) on a different method for using ITS solution.

She uses an iron to heat-set the image and has some other tips that will help you have great results with your image transfer projects.

Cindy also shows how she uses ITS to seal inks onto metal, like on this peacock pendant and bee hairpin. She uses alcohol inks on metal, then sets the ink with ITS to make it permanent.

You can also mix ITS with the alcohol ink to create a permanent "paint" that won't wash or rub off. Either method requires heat-setting, which you can do in the oven, following the directions on the ITS package.

New ITS video and Contest

2011-06-12T14:26:00.001-07:00

Are you curious about image transfer with Sherri's ITS products? Sherri and her crew have just finished a new video showing the process. Watch it here .

To celebrate the launch of the video, we're having a contest with great prizes from the Sherri Haab Shop. Show us what you've done with ITS. Send your photos to chelle@sherrihaab.com and we'll post them in our ITS album on facebook. Sherri will choose her three favorites, and the artists will receive prizes. All submissions should be received by Saturday, June 25th.

Artist Spotlight - Keith Lo Bue

2011-06-05T15:34:00.000-07:00

While in Sydney, I met artist Keith Lo Bue. He attended my workshops at the Eclectic Studio where he frequently teaches. He also teaches in the U.S., and I have seen him at various retreats in the past, but I've never had the pleasure of talking to him about his art.

I love that he calls his art blog "Stuffsmith," because that's what he does--he makes all kinds of mixed media art out of stuff. These are all pictures of his work. You can see more at his blog here.

The electroplating really inspired him. I can't wait to see how he incorporates plating into his work.

Here is a blog post where he details the steps for electroforming a starfish. He then makes a ring with the copper starfish by cold connecting it to a broken teacup. How clever is that?

Keith's mixed media jewelry classes are very popular abroad and in the United States. If you can't catch him in person, he also sells e-b0oks and dvds on his website here.

Workshops in Australia

2011-05-31T13:00:00.000-07:00

While in Australia, I taught a two-day workshop on electroforming and plating. I enjoyed the group and their enthusiasm. I especially appreciated their good humor when our copper plating solution was lacking the necessary acid needed for successful plating on the first day of class. It's not like I can travel with that stuff, so I'm at the mercy of local sources. I lost a bit of sleep that night trying to figure out how to rescue the pieces.

Luckily, Keith Lo Bue, a well-known jewelry artist and teacher came to the rescue. He was attending the class, and just happened to have some hydrochloric acid at home, which he brought in for day two. It worked great, and we were able to finish quite a few pieces. Then we proceeded to plate several of the pieces with gold, silver and nickel using prepared plating solutions. Check out the results in the photo above.

On the second day of the workshop, we etched on copper and then applied images on nickel silver. Then we riveted the pieces together to make mixed-media bracelets. I was so busy, I forgot to take pictures, but the projects were based on my sample shown in this photo.

Roz from Oz

2011-05-24T20:06:00.000-07:00

After leaving New Zealand, I headed south to teach at the Eclectic Studio in Sydney, Australia. Roz Eberhard-Swan operates the studio, which offers jewelry-making classes in metal clay, polymer clay, resin and beadwork, just to name a few. On my first day in Australia, Roz arranged for me to take a boat tour of Sydney Harbor. The morning was perfect - clear and sunny.

In the afternoon, I walked along Pitt Street to check out the shops. Since it was Fall in the Land Down Under, so all of the new winter fashion lines were displayed. Surprisingly, I only bought one shirt, which was a good thing due to my impending luggage weight restriction to deal with on the flight home.

Since it was Easter weekend, the busiest shop downtown was Haigh's Chocolates. There was a long line just to get in the store. I checked back at the end of the day, and the line was shorter, so I stopped in. The chocolates were OK, but not much different from any other fancy chocolate shop, although none made it home to the family. Oops.

I still think places like See's Candies, headquartered in California, and Mrs. Cavanaugh's, made right here in Utah offer some of the best dipped chocolates to be found anywhere in the world, and I've done my best to sample chocolates in as many places as possible!

My one free day alone in the city was one I will always remember. Sydney is a place I will definitely visit again.

Fingers Jewellery in New Zealand

2011-05-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

On one of my free days in New Zealand, Dan and I took a bus to downtown Auckland to visit museums and galleries. Our first stop was to an art jewelry gallery called "Fingers," which features fabulous mixed media jewelry.

I had visited the online site for years, and didn't realize it was in Auckland until the night before we went there. It was exciting to visit in person. One of my favorite jewelry artists is Karl Fritsch. I am admiring his rings in the photo below.

Dan remarked to the gallery keeper, "These look like they are made from Precious Metal Clay." She shuddered and said, "Noooooo," and then explained that they were made from silver and gold (which, incidentally, precious metal clay is made from).

She is not unusual in her aversion to metal clay. Jewelry galleries often shun the material. I don't get it, because other pieces in the gallery were made from thread, old cell phones, plastic shopping bags and even wiggle eyes! Yes, the plastic ones you glue on children's craft projects. Why is a wiggle eye more valid than a hand-sculpted piece of fine silver or gold?

Despite the gallery keeper's attitude toward Precious Metal Clay, we enjoyed our visit to the gallery. The unique jewelry there was a great source of inspiration.

Sherri and Dan's 25th!

2011-05-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

Sherri and Dan celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in New Zealand on May 1st, where Sherri was teaching classes. Here is a picture of them back on the big day in 1986.

(Notice the Princess-Diana inspired sleeves!)

Sherri and Dan are an amazing team, working together for a quarter of a century, raising a family and supporting each other in their careers. Dan's day job is engineering, and he is also the brains behind the E-3 Etch and the E-3 Electroform machines. He can frequently be found assisting in Sherri's classes. Theirs is a true partnership. Congratulations, Sherri and Dan!

New Zealand Student Projects

2011-05-13T11:01:00.000-07:00

One exciting thing about teaching both at home and abroad is seeing the creativity demonstrated by the students with the materials offered in class. This was the first venue where we used resin clay in conjunction with metal clay. Recently we started selling our own brand of clay called KlayResin. Everyone was excited about using the clay. The students made amazing pieces. These are KlayResin Porcelain with toner images set in Art Clay Silver.

Ingrid Schloemer

Cathie Wells

Clare Gunn

Ingrid Schloemer

Who Talks Funny?

2011-05-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

Dan joined me part way through my trip to New Zealand, and within hours of his arrival, a competition began between him and Anne Marie about which one of them had the funniest accent and colloquialisms. I think it all started when Anne Marie's daughter Alexia thought the word "graham crackers" was hysterical (she heard it on an American teen movie), so Dan brought her some when he arrived. This was followed by several days worth of new words and phrases to suss out. ("Suss" being one of Dan's newly acquired words.) One such discussion was launched over a misspelling on a menu "Fagita". "Fajita" as it should be spelled could be pronounced several ways, further complicated by the different accents in play. I couldn't help but think of the old tomato song in a new context (you say "faheeta" I say "fa-gita"). In our final etching class, Anne Marie proudly presented Dan with a souvenir - a neatly etched comment for him to treasure.

One one of our free days, Anne Marie and Peter arranged a day trip for us to go with them and their friends, Richard and Alison, to Waiheki Island, which is stunning. We visited a quiet beach near Richard and Alison's vacation home, and enjoyed nice lunch at a local vineyard.

Next, we headed to the earthquake-devastated city of Christchurch. We taught a group of optimistic attendees who were excited to be creative despite having to endure aftershocks and having to boil drinking water. We experienced a 5.3 aftershock while we were there. The pavement moved from side to side under out feet. I've never felt the earth move like that. Dan documented some of the damaged buildings as he made his way around the city in search of an open museum or cafe. Very few tourist attractions were operational.

In tomorrow's blog, see some of the amazing pieces created by students in my class.

Kiwis (not the fruit)

2011-05-10T10:59:00.000-07:00

I see now why people love New Zealand. It was green and tropical and from my perspective, it was like Seattle, where I grew up, mixed with Hawaii. The people were really polite--for example, saying "thank you" to the city bus driver as they got off the bus, and then drivers stopped for pedestrians at the crosswalks even if they weren't trying to step out.

Auckland was my first stop to teach for Anne Marie and Peter Grace from Art Clay NZ. they invited me to teach there, and then to travel to Christchurch for another round of classes. The first stop, right after a 15-hour flight, was to the beach near Anne Marie's home. As we walked along, I was intrigued by of the small seashells, twigs and pods native to New Zealand. I became completely obsessed in my search for potential specimens for electroforming, stopping to stuff my pockets with shells like a five-year-old. The seashell hunt, combined with my jet lag, must have scared Anne Marie a little. Within a day, I would be expected to lead a coherent workshop. My side of the conversation consisted of "Huh?" or "Can you repeat that?" while stopping suddenly to pick up one more shell. Later, I taught her about the wonders of copper electroforming, hoping to validate my persistent scavenger hunt.

I met a group of talented Art Clay instructors and jewelry designers in Tacapuna who attended the first class. The workshops consisted of a full day each of electrical etching, resin clay and image transfer techniques on Art Clay Silver. Everyone found unique ways to implement these mediums into their work.

I thought this piece by Ingrid Schloemers was a nice design. She used ITS to transfer a seashell image.

New Use for ITS

2011-05-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

Sherri originally developed ITS for transferring images onto non-porous surfaces like metal. But there is another bonus use for the product that she’s been using to get fantastic results. By mixing ITS with pigment powders, you can create a custom palette of colors that you can use to paint on non-porous surfaces. The example here shows colors applied to a fine metal clay bracelet. So if you have some ITS solution and pigment powders, it’s time to get creative. It’s best to practice on some bottle caps or other metal surface to get used to working with the paint before you start on your jewelry piece.

Steps for applying color to metal using ITS:

1. Mix a very small amount of pigment powder with a drop of ITS with a toothpick on waxed paper. A little goes a long way. Use less powder for a transparent watercolor effect, or add more for opaque color. (Wear a respiratory mask to avoid inhaling pigment powder.)

2. Use a toothpick or small paintbrush to apply the paint to your surface. It dries quickly, so work with small amounts. Colors can be layered or mixed as with any other type of paint. If you make a mistake, act quickly and scrape the paint off. After it is set, you will have to sand it off. (For metal clay pieces you can fire the piece to remove the paint.)

3. If you just want color only in the recessed areas of your surface, as in these examples, paint the entire surface first, then scrape the paint off the raised areas with a toothpick after about 10 minutes, when the paint is almost set.

4. Let the ITS paint dry completely. Set the paint with a heat gun for about one minute. This will not only set the paint, but also bring out the color and clarity of the pigment powder for an enamel-like finish.

The Art of Metal Clay revisited

2011-04-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

Sherri's groundbreaking book, The Art of Metal Clay, first came out in 2003 and quickly became a classic. It recently underwent a renovation and emerged with a fresh cover and the most current information about this evolving art. Bead and Button magazine ran a nice review in the February 2011 issue.

Metal clay was a new product when Sherri first started experimenting with it, and since then, it has expanded and new products and techniques have been developed by Sherri and other metal clay artists. New material in the book includes:

The new bronze and copper clays, with must-have instructions for successful firing
up-to-date, detailed information on firing with stones
an improved method for calculating accurate ring sizes
two recently developed techniques for etching metal clay
new techniques for adding color, including working with pigments and enamels
all-new, inspiring galleries of work by prominent metal clay artists

Check Sherri's shop here for more information.

Bohemian Earrings

2011-04-19T15:56:00.000-07:00

One of the frustrations of writing instructional books is that you want to give exacting instructions so that you are sure readers can follow along easily, but at the same time, you want readers to bring their own style to the project. Often when Sherri writes a first draft of instructions, she’ll put down something generic such as, “string on a bead” when a specific size or shape doesn’t matter, so readers can choose a bead from their own collection or exercise their creativity. Invariably, the draft will come back with a note from the editor that says something like, “please specify size/shape/color of bead.” It’s with mixed feelings that Sherri adds the specifics, understanding that readers may want to duplicate the jewelry piece exactly, and, of course, sometimes very specific instructions and materials are necessary for the project to be successful.

Ideally, a reader can make the jewelry piece as instructed, and then with that experience under his or her belt, run with the design. The best thing about teaching classes all over the country is at the end of the day when Sherri can see all the amazing pieces that class members have created. It’s inspiring when someone uses one of Sherri’s techniques and creates something she never would have dreamed of.

With that in mind, my daughter Brennyn and I decided to make some earrings from Sherri’s Beaded Macrame Jewelry book with the supplies we had on hand. Very little of what we had matched the supply list for the Bohemian earrings; no silk cord, right-size beads or one-half inch jump rings. Instead, we had embroidery floss, a hodgepodge of beads from the bottom of my stash, and large chain links. Of course when you change things up, you can run into problems (many of the beads we wanted to use had holes too small for the floss, and since I’m design-impaired, I started over twice before I was happy), but we went with the flow, and ended up with some pretty cool earrings. I went for a little plainer style and Brennyn went all out with design and color.

The original project is shown above. Here’s what we came up with:

The Buzz about Beading Across America

2011-04-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

The editors of Beading Across America chose Sherri to represent Utah in their book which features a project, instructions and an inspirational story from each artist. The focus of the book is seed bead projects. Sherri used metallic seed beads in an innovative bracelet design with macrame, various larger beads and a silver bee focal point made from precious metal clay. Utah is nicknamed "The Beehive State" or "The Deseret State" in reference to the early Mormon settlers who were known for their hard work, and also to commemorate the industry, perseverance and thrift of the early settlers. Sherri's ancestors were some of the first pioneers who, at great sacrifice, traveled across the plains from the east coast to settle the barren desert where Salt Lake City now stands. This bracelet is a stylish representation of that theme. You can find more information on Beading Across America here. If you are interested in more projects that combine beads and macrame, Sherri's book Beaded Macrame Jewelry is a great place to start.

Easter Necklace

2011-04-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

For those of us who have, or have used, one of Sherri’s E3 Electroform machines, nothing is safe from the question, “Could I plate this in copper?” We eye commonly plated natural things like leaves and sticks, but nothing escapes the imagination. I have a pink Barbie shoe on my desk that is destined to become a copper charm, and I once briefly considered the ladybug I found on my sweater.

Proof of the quirky things that can become jewelry is this cheap plastic rabbit trinket that Sherri turned into an elegant copper pendant for Easter. She added a wire loop before processing so it could be made into a necklace. If you would like to learn more about the E3 Electroform, check here.

Win Sherri's New Book

2011-04-05T17:15:00.000-07:00

Sherri's book, Jewelry Upcycled! with Michelle Haab, is hot off the press. Post a comment on this blog for a chance to win a free copy. We'll randomly choose someone who posts a comment (there's an app for that--we won't play favorites) by midnight PST Tuesday, April 12. Be the first to own this awesome book. Click here if you can't wait and want to purchase a copy.

Sherri's New Book - Jewelry Upcycled!

2011-04-05T16:36:00.000-07:00

Sherri’s latest book, created with daughter Michelle, is here! Order from the shop, or better yet, check out tomorrow's blog for a chance to win the book.

When I was watching these projects evolve on Sherri’s kitchen table, I picked up a beautiful bracelet that looked like an avant garde crystal piece. Sherri casually remarked that it was made out of a plastic soda bottle. This is what I thought: “!” Seriously. I give Sherri a hard time for using too many exclamation points (New classes! Click here!), but Jewelry Upcycled! deserves its punctuation. You’ll be looking at your recycle bin and junk drawer in a whole new light.

Here’s the synopsis from the publisher, Watson Guptill:

Before you recycle that soda bottle, scrap that old T-shirt, or toss that broken china plate, ask yourself: “Could I use this to make something fabulous?” Impossible? Think again!

In Jewelry Upcycled!, jewelry expert and bestselling author Sherri Haab has teamed up with daughter Michelle Haab to show you how to transform metal, glass, plastic, fabric, and found objects—items you might otherwise recycle or throw away—into fun and exciting jewelry designs.

Explore the creative possibilities of these everyday materials in resourceful and innovative ways: Repurpose plastic bottles into pretty charms, turn broken cassette tapes into braided bracelets, and fashion one-of-a-kind pendants with found objects.

A word about Sherri’s co-author, Michelle: While she was creating projects for this book, she was also creating the uber cute baby Adeline. If you’ve ever been around Michelle or Sherri, you understand the concept of perpetual motion. Non-napping Adeline shares this apparently genetic trait.

Coming soon....Baby Bottle Bangles?

Santa Fe, Hot Chocolate and Ibuprofen

2011-04-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

A week after Vegas, it was off to Santa Fe, this time with Rachel, Sherri's daughters. (At the office she goes by "Rach" to avoid confusion with Rachel Wright.) On previous trips to Santa Fe, it was hard to find the local eateries and galleries with the limited time and because all of the adobe-style buildings are modestly obscure to the common tourist. After eating at the usual chains and frustrating drives looking for places to stop, Sherri and Rachel just knew they were missing the real experience of Santa Fe.
All that changed this time with an awesome iphone app called "Urban Spoon." One of the top choices, according to the Spoon, was a small cafe called Pasquals. The Spoon was right one. It was so good they ate there twice, and even took pictures of the food. Pasquals is also a feast for the eyes. The dining room is lined with hand-painted tiles and murals by Mexican painter Leovigildo Martinez, and there is an art gallery on the second floor.

Their other favorite food find was a chocolate shop called Kakawa Chocolates. Sherri said it was the best hot chocolate she's ever had, which is really saying something. Trip Advisor led them to the Sage Inn, and it was a clean, economical place to stay. All three of these locations are on the itinerary again next year.

Of course the reason for the trip was a busy teaching schedule at Interweave's Bead Fest; no room for a spa treatment this time. There were eight big boxes to unpack, made more complicated by the fact that Sherri had injured her thumb on a flight the night before leaving for Santa Fe, and then she added head and back injuries from a fall on slippery tile just hours before getting on the plane to Santa Fe to teach. Luckily, her husband Dan was with her, and since he anticipates such accidents before trips, was ready with ibuprofen. The hot chocolate also went the distance in helping Sherri feel better.

On day one, Sherri and Rachel taught students how to transfer images onto Faux Bone and then set the pieces in fine silver clay. Day two was copper etching and glass enameling was last. This class is especially fun because of the magical effect of the color on metal. The class used shades of pink and red leaded enamel colors.

Sherri was accident-free the rest of the trip, and she and Rachel went home happy with souvenirs and treats for the family filling their suitcases. They brought this home for your truly, because they said when they saw it, they both thought it looked like me:

Hmmm. Only people you love could get away with that!

Las Vegas Art and Soul

2011-04-01T21:40:00.000-07:00

The saying "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" usually applies to untoward behavior best forgotten, but we certainly hope what Sherri experienced for the first time during Art and Soul March 1, 2, and 3rd doesn't stay in Vegas. It was this thing called "relaxation." As Sherri and Rachel Wright left for the show, Sherri's daughters reminded Rachel to assert her right for lunch breaks and sleep (Sherri's been known to forget about these things entirely). Rachel did one better--she introduced Sherri to spa treatments, and much to everyone's surprise, Sherri got hooked. Pampering is now admissible as preparation or recovery from an event. Seaweed wrap, anyone?

The energy level at Art and Soul, however, was high from the start. No matter where Art and Soul is held, the students are enthusiastic and excited about learning new things. Sherri’s first class on making metal clay Pandora-style beads was comprised of a small group of women who giggled and recounted Vegas adventures, but also got a lot of work done. They made stunning silver beads in this class, about which a student said, “You get a lot of bang for your buck.” Sherri’s enthusiasm for this particular class is no doubt part of this energy, because as she says, “I would make these beads all day long if I could.”

Then came two more busy days of classes, etching and silver clay with Faux Bone. Sherri, Rachel, and the students worked hard, and it was satisfying to receive positive feedback from students who said they learned valuable new skills. The artistry level was especially high in the Faux Bone class. Take a look at these finished pieces from the class. Every finished piece was gallery worthy. These are even more amazing up close.

If you want to learn this technique, Sherri will be offering this class at Art and Soul in Hampton, Virginia at the end of April, and then in Philadelphia at the Interweave Beadfest on August 19.

Electroforming in Orange County

2011-03-30T18:56:00.000-07:00

The best thing about electroforming classes is the variety of objects the students bring in to process. Just take a look at this collection of finished projects from Sherri’s February class at Brea Bead Works in Brea, California. Students electroformed seashells, glass, polymer clay, leaves, acorns and even lace fabric. With results like this, it’s no wonder Electroforming is becoming Sherri’s most popular class.

In addition to the all-day electroforming class, the next day Sherri taught her popular class on doing image transfers on metal clay. She was grateful for the assistance of Cassy Muronaka, and daughter Michelle, who helped tremendously even with baby Adeline in tow.

Cassy is a jewelry artist herself, and has made some amazing things using Sherri’s E3 Electroforming kit. Check out her blog on her first experiments here (note that the E3 Electroforming kit is now sold separately from the E3 Etch kit). Cassy has also done some exciting work electroforming on polymer clay, which she graciously shares in a multi-part blog. Follow her process and experiments, and see her amazing finished pieces starting here.

Sherri will teach at Brea Bead Works again on May 14^th and 15^th, so if this looks like fun, please come join us. Brea Bead Works features a variety of classes with local and visiting instructors. They offer a preview event prior to each quarter so customers can view class samples and meet instructors, and then be prepared to register for classes, which sometimes sell out quickly. Check out their impressive list of workshops at breabeadworks.com.

Winter Wedding

2011-03-28T21:13:00.000-07:00

Sherri took a hiatus from teaching in January to help plan and celebrate her daughter Rachel’s wedding. Rachel and her husband, Luke, both make their living on their formidable creativity. Needless to say, the combined talents made the event a visual feast.

Rachel designed andsewed her own dress, Sherri oversaw the food and flower arrangements and I made a Victorian-meets-modern carrot cake to the bride and groom’s specifications. The reception was held in an art museum decorated with casual wintery pink rose bouquets put together by a group of friends and relatives.

Sherri and Luke’s mother, Mel (who is also my sister-in-law—don’t even try to figure that one out),

wore beaded champagne gowns that blended nicely with the bridesmaids’ varied pink tones. The food was in keeping with the cold January day—hot pureed squash and tomato soups, but the highlight was Sherri’s innovative hot chocolate bar, where guests could add red hots, pink marshmallows, white chocolate and an assortment of other treats to their steaming cups.

The food was catered by http://www.marvellouscatering.com/ . If you live in Utah County, Sherri and I would both highly recommend them for an event.

To end the evening, everyone jumped in for the Tunak Tun ak Tun dan ce, a tradition for Luke.

Most of us would probably want to spend a week or two in bed after planning and executing such a large event, but with January past, Sherri was ready to take on her upcoming busy travel and teaching schedule. Check her schedule of classes here to see if one is coming near you.

Silhouette Charm Bracelet

2010-11-22T14:29:00.000-08:00

This project was featured in Handcrafted Jewelry Magazine. It features brass charms you can use to apply your own images . I chose B&W but you could use color. This would make a perfect gift for the holidays, we have the supplies on our site for the blanks and the image transfer medium. check out Vintaj for the chain and other jewelry findings.

Electroforming Adventures

2010-11-10T19:04:00.000-08:00

Dan and I have been running as fast as we can to keep up with the tasks associated with supporting our metal etching and electroforming products. We have been updating techniques and supplies as we find new and improved ways of doing things. For the past year we have taught people how to etch and electroform in classes around the country so they will understand the finer points of how these processes work and how to implement the techniques for jewelry design. In our etching classes, we used to say “oh and by the way, you can electroform using similar technology”. Well, as soon as people heard the word electroforming it’s like you just asked them to take a physics test or something. When a few open minded event organizers posted electroforming classes, adventurous students who were not easily intimidated signed up. No one was more enlightened than me about the awesome results. People copper coated everything imaginable from old jewelry pieces to sea shells. Some of the more unusual pieces included leather, a small animal jawbone and a gecko lizard! I call it the Rumpelstiltskin effect because once a common thing is turned into shiny metal it becomes something precious. And then to top it off you can plate copper with whatever metal you choose. With gold and silver being at ridiculous prices, plating is definitely an appealing choice for jewelry making. I’m pretty excited about the buzz and enthusiasm our electroforming classes are generating. We’ve even been mentioned on Polymer Clay Daily!
http://polymerclaydaily.com/2010/11/05/electroforming-and-polymer/

Thank you Cynthia

I have been receiving quite a few email inquiries about electroforming for polymer clay. You can electroform copper over almost anything as long as it won’t dissolve or change the ph of the copper electroforming solution, so polymer clay is an excellent core material. Or if you prefer to simply embellish or surround with a copper bezel allowing the polymer to show through that is another application. Polymer does not require sealing like organic materials and it can be formed or molded into any shape you wish. It is fairly inexpensive and easy to obtain. I am very excited about the artists who are using our E3 Etch/Eform controller with polymer clay. Check out work by Cassy Muronaka http://cassymuronaka.wordpress.com/

Cassy Muronaka has a multi-part series posted all about her adventures with electroforming. She shares her “happy accidents” that we can all learn from. I am grateful for her tireless experimentation because it has led to many new ideas

and Janice Abarbanel http://janiceabarbanel.blogspot.com/

Janice Abarbanel’s blog is a visual and informational treat. If you scroll down the past few posts she shares various designs and also etched silver pieces. She is amazing!

I love the work they have been producing and the information they freely share is worth pouring over.

Halloween Crafts

2010-09-21T22:21:00.001-07:00

Fall is my favorite season and the best time to get out the craft supplies. Here's a Halloween project from my book "Jewelry Inspirations". These simple creatures are made using air dry clay and then painted with acrylics. Make them into pins, magnets or bulletin board tacks.

This week we are gearing up to teach classes at Bead Fest in Texas Oct 1st. Dan and I are teaching etching, electroforming and enameling on silver. I'm looking forward to the show, the classes are nearly full which is great. I'm so excited to show everyone the new things we are working on-so many I can't keep them straight-stay tuned.

Summer Classes and Art Saves

2010-07-25T00:16:00.000-07:00

This week I will be the featured artist on Art Saves by Jenny Doh. You can read a bit about why I love to create and visit a few of my favorite links. She has a great blog with lots of inspiring stories.

This summer has been flying by with lots of travel, classes and just hard work in general. We attended the Bead and Button Show in WI, here we are at the booth (Rachel Haab, Rachel Wright, myself and Michelle Haab-with baby Adeline on the way). We worked so hard, we often missed 2 out of 3 meals and lived on 4-6 hours of sleep all week but had fun meeting people and working together.

One of the classes I taught at the show combined metal clay, fine silver and images transferred to faux bone. It was A LOT to master in one class but I think the end results were stunning. This is a piece made by Erin Prais-Hintz. She transferred images to both sides and then set the piece in the metal clay so that the back is as pretty as the front.

Another hot technique we are teaching this summer is electroforming. I think I have more fun than the students. They bring interesting objects to form into copper to class. This piece was made at Art and Soul in VA by Judy Harris. She finished it with pearls and wore the finished piece as a pin. It is lovely and she also made matching earrings. I am hoping to teach this class again soon. We are really happy with the new electroform controller and the use of graphite paint for this technique. Electroforming and plating is surprisingly easy.

This week I am headed to the PMC conference in Purdue, and then off to Phoenix for Art Unraveled the following week to teach classes using copper clay, resin clay and fine silver clay.

Book Winners!

2010-04-12T16:13:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who entered the drawing for my new book, “Jewelry Inspirations”. I was so excited to see so many responses that I decided to choose 2 winners. We did it the old fashioned way with slips of paper drawn from a hat and the winners are Lynn #63 and Morgan #15. Congratulations! and I think I will do another give away next month, this was fun. And a big thank you for the kind words about my work, so nice to read after a rough week.

Sherri

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

2010-04-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

I was slammed with a bad cold this week that set me back quite a few days. The cold combined with the fact that it is still winter here (lots of snow) in Utah, left me craving comfort food like hot tea and muffins. Here is my favorite muffin recipe, adapted from a Pumpkin Apple Streusel version. I leave off the topping (too messy and extra work). The muffins are rich enough without it.

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

» 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
» 2 cups granulated sugar
» 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
» 1 teaspoon baking soda
» 1/2 teaspoon salt
» 1 1/4 cups Libby’s canned pumpkin (not pie mix)
» 2 large eggs
» 1/2 cup vegetable oil
» 2 cups apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
Chocolate Chip Variation:

» Instead of apples use 1 cup chocolate chips
Low Fat Variation:

» Substitute 1/2 cup applesauce for the oil.
PREHEAT oven to 350º F. Grease or paper-line 24 muffin cups.

COMBINE flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine pumpkin, eggs and oil in medium bowl; mix well. Stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Stir in apples or chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling three-fourths full.

BAKE for 25-30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool slightly.

Easter Nest Treats

2010-04-03T16:11:00.000-07:00

Every year my girls make easter nest treats filled with favorite egg shaped candies. I’ve adapted this recipe from one I found almost 2o years ago in a magazine. The recipe is super easy using only one pan and takes about 20 minutes to make- they are yumtastic! Here is the recipe:

Easter Nests

» 1/4 cup butter
» 4 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
» 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
» 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
» 4 cups chow mein noodles
» candy eggs (mini Cadbury eggs, M&Ms or jelly beans)
In heavy saucepan over med. heat melt butter and marshmallows until smooth. Stir in peanut butter and chocolate chips until melted. Remove from heat and stir in chow mein noodles. Work on wax paper and form 18-24 mounds. Dip fingers into cold water as you work to prevent the mixture from sticking and shape each mound into a nest. Fill with 2 or 3 candies each. Cool and store in airtight container if they last that long.

Jewelry Inspirations-Giveaway

2010-03-31T16:08:00.000-07:00

My new book “Jewelry Inspirations” was released on March 9. This book contains everything I love about life and jewelry making. Projects include resin clay flowers, personalized jewelry with images, etching metal, metal clay, polymer clay, wire and beaded designs. The book includes stories from my past and thoughts on developing creativity. Remember Dawn Dolls from the 70′s? These were my favorite and I kept them after all of these years in pristine condition. Read the book to find out what they have to do with my designs.

I am grateful for all of the dedicated bloggers who reviewed the book. Here are just a few reviews from bloggers who took the time to share kind words about the book:

http://lorianderson.blogspot.com/2010/03/craft-book-review-sherri-haabs-jewelry.html

http://crafternews.crownpublishing.com/2010/03/01/a-chat-with-jewelry-superstar-sherri-haab/

http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2010/03/book_review_giveaway_sherri_ha.html

http://earthenwood-beads.blogspot.com/2010/03/book-review-jewelry-inspirations-by.html

http://peculiarforest.blogspot.com/2010/03/sherri-haab-jewelry-techniques.html

http://beadweaver.blogspot.com/2010/03/sherri-haab-jewelry-inspirations.html

http://artbeadscene.blogspot.com/2010/03/sherri-haab-jewelry-inspirations.html

http://organicodysseys.blogspot.com/2010/03/book-review-jewelry-inspirations-sherri.html

http://z-llyynn.blogspot.com/2010/03/when-folks-ask-me-from-time-to-time.html

I would love to send a signed copy to a fellow jewelry enthusiast. Post a comment and I will put the names in a hat and then we will draw a name on Mon April 12 for one lucky winner to receive a book in the mail. Make sure I can reach you by email for shipping.

Silver, Copper and Polymer Treats

2009-10-12T16:06:00.000-07:00

I’m overwhelmed this week, so to both torture and treat myself I spent some time surfing the net to look at lovely blogs that portray perfectly presented gourmet dishes and fairytale lifestyles. To anyone out there that has one of these blogs, Can I please see what is behind the camera?? is it a mess back there and are you wearing your sweats when you post that stuff? Did you all come down from a planet I don’t know about? I’m not kidding I really need to know. Well, however you do this, I enjoy the endless eye candy that is presented for us to dream over.
I got some eye candy in my email this past week that came at a welcome time. Hope you enjoy the etched jewelry pieces here:

Nancy Hamilton sent me a few pictures of pieces she made using our E3 Etch controller. I was blown away! Her work is so well crafted and simply beautiful. She tells me she has developed a system to mass produce pieces, and since each silver piece takes less than an hour to etch she can move quickly to the next piece.

Nancy’s copper etched pieces are richly designed by hand using beeswax as a resist. The center of this copper piece is filled with transparent resin, and has an etched design you can see through the resin.

Another treat this week was to find that my friend, Wendy Wallin Malinow, has her own website up along with her Etsy shop. She is one of the most creative people I know and her style is unmistakable- I love it! I predict anything she touches will be highly collectable, check out her new site.

CraziBeautiful

2009-09-15T16:04:00.000-07:00

Whether you live in Utah or elsewhere, this is a fun blog to visit. www.crazibeautiful.com They recently posted a feature on my work under Business Savvy

Speaking of crazy beautiful, my goal is to feature more student work on my blog and website because I get to see fantastic pieces from students that needs to be celebrated. This crocheted bracelet was made by Jeannie Thorn who took my crocheted bracelet class at Art Unraveled this summer. Jeannie Thorn Silver Crocheted BraceletCheck out Jeannie’s site and also Adorn Me, which is a brand new jewelry making venue from Art Unraveled. The classes are up now!

I have about 800 other things to post, but for now here is a picture of bronze and copper clay beads. I have been testing and trying to refine the process for making bronze and copper beads. Copper and bronze clay is challenging enough, and so beads are extra hard to make successfully. I found one method for using slip that is so easy. I will publish this idea soon.

and lastly, I hope to catch as many of you as possible about an etching update. If you use a paint pen as a resist for etching, it helps to heat set it with an embossing heat gun prior to etching. It makes a huge difference and the paint holds up under electrical etching without flaking off! I am so excited about this development, since drawing on metal is a great way to make original designs to etch.

Martha Radio Show-Polymer Clay Ponytails

2009-08-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

I was a guest on the Martha Stewart morning radio show yesterday while I was in San Diego (6AM PST). The topic was back to school and so I described the how-tos over the air for how to make these easy polymer clay ponytail holders. They are made by simply covering metal upholstery button blanks with a sheet of decorated polymer clay and then attaching a hair elastic to finish. Complete instructions can be found in my new book, “Clay So Cute”. First time ever teaching a technique at that early hour!

My New Book

2009-07-22T16:01:00.000-07:00

My new book, “Clay So Cute” was released today. The book contains projects for tweens and kids but I suspect some adults will find it inspiring too. My history with polymer clay goes way back, it was my medium of choice for making jewelry and miniatures. Very few people even knew what it was back then. It’s been almost 20 years since my sister and I wrote our first book together, titled “The Incredible Clay Book”, it turned out to be one of the best selling kids crafts books on the market and is still in print today. It was the book that launched both of our careers. The “kids” that remember the first book are now in their mid-30s and its a bit weird to hear adults tell me they had the book when they were young-how is that possible? I am very excited to have a new book in print for a whole new generation of crafty kids. My favorite projects are the claybots and of course- candy bracelets.

Summer Bead Shows 2009

2009-07-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

Summer has been a busy time with our new store and line of products. Our crew went to exhibit at the Bead and Button Show for the first time. This is a picture of Camille at our neat and tidy booth ready for customers.

The girls worked so hard at the Bead and Button show. The booth was quite busy with demonstrations on Image Tranfer and our E3 Etch controller. Customers got to scratch off ITS images and we had fun giveaways. All 3 lost their voices at the end of each day and I’m sure were exhausted. thank you to everyone who stopped by and said hi at the show!

In July we attended the PSBF in Tacoma, WA. I love the northwest and it makes me homesick every time we go up there. One class that was very fun to teach was the Pandora style silver metal clay beads. These are metal clay beads you can make yourself for the popular interchangeable bracelets (they are popular in the East and Europe, the West is a little slow to catch on). The students in this class were so excited, a few didn’t sleep the night before. I love their creativity with the beads, with so many design options available. I will be teaching this again in the future and hopefully the bracelets will catch on here.

While in Seattle visiting my daughter Michelle, we ran into this sculpture of JP Patches. This brings back childhood memories and I just had to take several pictures. I remember my dad working as an audio engineer back in the 70s for the show, I got to be on TV a few times. I love this moment frozen in time for all to admire. It’s in the Freemont district by the UW.

Glass Enameling on Silver and Copper Class

2009-06-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

Preparing a brand new class to teach is always a challenge but worth the effort. I taught glass enameling this weekend. We made silver metal clay pieces for Champleve with transparent enamels for the first project and then we switched over to copper and torch fired opaque enamels. It was interesting to see the difference in kiln firing vs. torch firing, each has it’s own advantages. I think I speak for all of us that the little Beehive Kiln we used was especially convenient for enameling, but the torch firing was also very fun.

A few things we learned, I had grabbed pieces that I thought were copper but they were copper plated only and therefore did not work. Poor Senta had her glass pop off twice until we finally figured out that it was another metal underneith. I should have known better when she cleaned the piece and it didn’t look right. The piece pictured above is her Champleve piece which turned out perfect! We also learned that glass takes no prisoners and so patience is required. I was very impressed with everyone’s creativity. AND a big thank you to Rena for her advice to explore torch firing, I think I am going to keep playing with fire now, her pieces took advantage of using firescale as part of the design. Jane and Kelly were new to metal clay, and so the class was a lot to tackle but they made fabulous pieces too.

Glass and metal are really fun to combine, I for one am going to pursue more techniques, well at least that’s the plan anyway.

Electroforming Twigs

2009-06-18T15:54:00.000-07:00

Dan completed the process for using our E3 Etch controller to do elecroforming. I made these copper coated twigs with it. This is accomplished by using an adapter with our controller, that will be available for a minimal cost. I can’t wait to try this to plate gold onto copper and bronze. We will have a tutorial and supplies up on our website and shop by next week www.sherrihaab.com along with a bunch of other new items.

The puget sound bead festival is coming up fast, so if you are looking for a class in the Northwest this summer I will be there. We will be teaching green methods of etching on metal, even silver! (same controller that does the electroforming) and also a new class I am excited about- making your own Pandora style beads. Here is the direct link to sign up for classes:

http://www.pugetsoundbeadfestival.com/store/manufacturers.php?manufacturerid=33

Copper Clay

2009-06-06T15:52:00.000-07:00

I love copper clay! This is a sneak preview of a bracelet I made using copper clay for my upcoming book. It was textured using etched copper plates I made using Dan’s E3 Etch.

A bunch of people have etching questions from the Bead and Button Show. Here is the link to my site for the information page http://www.sherrihaab.com/etch/ And Dan is trying to carve out time to build a new model which will do multiple etchings at one time!

Etching on Silver

2009-06-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

Dan and I spent some time this weekend experimenting with silver etching using the E3 Etch controller. Here is the story with our findings, we are both pretty excited about the results. To start with, we are using a chemical called Silver Nitrate for etching silver. This worked better than other chemicals we tried and produced nice etchings. This is available in powder form and it is not harmful unless large amounts are ingested, so you have to keep this away from pets and children. It is extremely bitter, which helps that situation, but you should educate yourself on safety. The other caution is that it will stain your skin if you touch it. And I’m not kidding, look at my fingers! All I did was touch a few specs of it as we were measuring and pouring the crystals out of the container.

This won’t hurt me, but I am stained now for a good 2 weeks. I am shooting how-tos for a book right now with close ups including my hands, so now I have a lot of photoshop work to do. I suggest you wear gloves when working with it. Other than staining skin, it doesn’t produce fumes or pose an enviromental hazard in the small amounts we are using here. It is sensitive to light and air, so keep it in a bottle in a dark cupboard between uses. And, like the copper sulfate we are using to etch copper and brass, you can use it for a long time. With sterling, the solution will weaken over time as copper from the sterling dissolves into the solution. With fine sterling this shouldn’t be an issue. Simply strain it through a coffee filter and store in a plastic bottle-PET type (Marked with a POISON! label so no one drinks it).

To etch the silver, we mixed 10g. of silver nitrate with 1/2 liter of distilled water. The first piece we tried was sterling silver. The piece was sanding and then I wrote on it with a fine Shapie oil paint pen, it’s the little square that says “Dan & Sherri”. We etched this piece for 30 min on slow and it etched pretty quick. If left longer, the etch would have gone deeper. The silver etches about 3-4 times faster than copper does. The second piece was a PMC standard silver clay heart bead. This piece was originally overheated and melted a bit as it sintered so the outside was rough and bumpy. I wrote on this one with an extra fine Sharpie oil pen. I put a bent aluminum wire through one of the holes to suspend it and provide contact. I taped around the edge and sealed the back. I found it easier to “hang” the piece rather than using foam spacers because it didn’t have any sides to attach the spacers. Since it was a curved shape with a bumpy surface, I filled the the pan with enough etching solution to cover only the part I wanted to etch. The tape was used mainly to keep the piece level in the solution, and not as a barrier for the solution. We found that the wooden chopsticks did a great job to hold the wire. This piece was etched for 2 hours on slow speed. It was much slower than the sterling piece as it is larger and was suspened quite a bit higher from the bottom of the pan. When removed the metal clay has a very “crystaline” structure where the metal etched away. As soon as the piece was rinsed off and burnished the background was pretty smooth. I need to experiment more with PMC3 or + to see how they compare. This photo shows the set up for etching on the fine silver bead. Now that we have this figured out, I need to make some “wearable” pieces with cool designs.

PMC standard on left, Sterling on right

Spring Garden

2009-05-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

Our family spent the entire day last Saturday planting flowers and vegetables. We moved 3 truck loads of compost to till into our dirt. We planted a bunch of bulbs, filled flower pots and a vegetable garden. We spent the entire day in the sun until it was completely done. It felt rewarding to accomplish so much. These are close-ups Dan shot of our existing flowers. I'm glad we all work so well together.

The overgrown herb garden needed an overhaul so we started new plants including a lemon balm and lemon mint plant. I love herb teas and the fresh leaves can be steeped in hot water to make a hot tea or chilled down for ice tea. Rachel is watering the new mint plant and David is planting chili peppers. We built cement block boxes to contain our plants and grow enough produce to eat from our garden all summer long.

23rd Anniversary in Capitol Reef

2009-05-07T15:46:00.000-07:00

On May 1 Dan and I celebrated our 23 wedding anniversary. We decided to go away somewhere local in Utah with no certain plans. We ended up in a breathtaking place, Capitol Reef, located in central Utah. I can’t believe we live close to so many notorious locations in Utah and have never bothered to visit! We drove through a quaint little town called Torrey, UT which had some cool galleries, including a “farm girl” style craft shop, a coffee-candy shop and small mom and pop cafes. It was a treat to spend the day driving through.

We stopped at one tourist destination called “The Gifford House” which is an old homestead. They were demontrating pie making, rag rugs and quilting. Dan enjoyed the rhubard pie and then we walked up the cliffs overlooking the homestead. It was a day without computers, cell phones or TV, a much needed break .
For dinner we drove south to a restaurant in Boulder, UT called “Hells Backbone Grill”. I had pecan crusted trout and Dan had Lamb. We ate chocolate desserts to end a perfect weekend and then headed home to face a hectic week.

Metal Clay Class 101

2009-04-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

Tonight I promised the attendees from the craftcast metal clay101 class that I would post a picture of Michelle’s ring. She made this ring without a mandrel and used only a needle tool to write script in the wet clay. It is very tiny, like a pinky ring.

I etched this brass cuff bracelet this weekend. I used a pen to draw freehand on the brass and then etched it with the E3 Etch controller. I want to make more of these, if only there were more hours in the day.

Here is another view of the etched bracelet.

Etching on Metal, going green

2009-04-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

Last summer my husband Dan, who is an electrical engineer, observed that many of the bead shows I was teaching at featured metal etching classes. He was surprised to see that all of them were using ferric chloride as a way to chemically etch the metal to create the jewelry pieces. He said, “Why are they still doing it that way?” In recent years this chemical has been harder to come by, it cannot be shipped and is hazardous to dispose of. After some research he decided to experiment with electrical etching (which by the way dates back to the late 1700′s) however, combined with new technology he discovered a better way to accomplish electrical etching. Dan designed a micro-controller, which is a small brain that regulates the voltage to constantly adjust which in turn allows one to safely etch in a predictable fashion.

After countless hours of experimentation and programming, Dan finally came up with a design he was satisfied with. We decided to patent and market this product as a tool that would allow craftspeople to etch on copper, brass, nickel silver or even bronze and copper clay without having to deal with methods that were more problematic. The best part is that it is Green! With today’s emphasis on using products that do not harm the environment, this meets the criteria. With this product, the etching solution can be re-used indefinitely so you never have to think about buying etching supplies other than what you plan to etch on. Or if you decide to dispose of the solution, you simply flush it down the drain (it’s meant to be used this way to keep pipes free of tap roots).

So nine months later, we are starting to sell these from my webstore, which by the way has a new format.

We are pretty anxious to see what bench jewelers and jewelry artists come up with using this product. I was super excited to use it on metal clay, thanks to a suggestion by Kathleen Davis. We are also able to use it for silver etching as well as ectroforming and electroplating. For silver etching, a different etching solution must be used. We are in the process of developing the correct ratio and method for etching on silver. My good friend Cassy Muronaka has been very supportive with ideas and promoting this product, I can’t wait to see how she uses it in her work.