More enameling fun - from wire to hoop!

I'm part of the Painting with Fire Ning ring where a lot of torch fired enamel artists share information, pictures, ...  I saw some cool hoops made with steel wire and decided to give that a try.  I was never sure what my style was but my hubby told me - circles!  I tend toward round, circular, oval and I really like organic looking designs.  These steel hoops fit both my love for circular designs and organic looks.  I started out with something like this:

I just wrapped the steel wire around a wine bottle neck - so simple - well not totally because this is 16G wire so it's pretty beefy and a bit stiff.  I had to maneuver it to get the rings as close together as possible and have to make sure the ends tuck in close to all the loops.  Once I get the wire doing what I want I start the enameling process.  I heat the wire, dip in enamel, heat more wire dip, and on and on.  I usually start with clear or white and then add color over that.  This time I used clear, iris and a few dips in transparent raspberry.  Here are the results:

Those look a little better than the original don't you think?  Now to turn them into some fun earrings!

It's already October!

Wow - time does fly when you're having fun!  I was working like crazy to come up with some new designs for a juried show application.  I've been in the show at the Fallbrook Art Center for the last two years and wanted some new stuff to make sure I'm accepted again this year.  I decided to make some more torch enameled earrings designs.  This time I cut out some copper circles, domed them, enameled them in one color and then added some glass stringer bits in another color.  I think they came out pretty nice!



I also made this wonderful set for fall.

All of these are available for sale in either my ArtFire or Etsy studios - for now.  They'll all be heading off to consignment or shows shortly.  So if you like them - get them now!  Of course I'm making more variations - but the patterns of glass on the enameled designs is one of a kind.  The glass starts acting on its own once it starts melting!



My new endeavor - revealed!

All my supplies arrived and I was in the garage practicing enameling!  That's my new endeavor.  I'm starting off with enamel over copper since my practice pieces definitely show that I'll need some time to do it well.  Here is a picture of some domed copper pieces I enameled. 

My attempts to enamel copper washers was quite a flop.  In all cases the enamel would flake off.  I may need to do washers in the standard way - bring the torch to the piece.  I did these domed pieces using the method Joseph Spencer started - bring the piece to the torch.  I learned more about this technique by reading Barbara Lewis' book - torch-fired enamel jewelry. So I'm starting off simple though I am going to try headpins tomorrow ...  With these disks and some equally bright headpins I could make some cute little flowers.  Hopefully by the end of the weekend I can actually enamel some pieces to use in designs.  I'm looking forward to using the glass threads and millifiori disks I got in the designs.