Turquoise Bracelet

Last week I made a few of these penny/turquoise drops using a domed, drilled penny (pre 1982), a turquoise disc bead and a handtorched copper headpin.........yesterday I made a bracelet using one of them and a couple other handcrafted pieces.

Like a few enameled pennies (turquoise colored, of course):

Some copper wrapped turquoise disc beads (using the torch fired copper/enameled headpins - red ones):

A lovely handforged copper clasp:

And then patinaed the whole thing (with Gun-Blu) to add to the "rustic" feel of the bracelet:

and the back of the pennies - the patina really adds depth, don't you think?

All the components on this bracelet were handcrafted - from the chain to the clasp, to the headpins and the enameled pennies.  I love it when a plan comes together!





Etching on copper

Again with the pennies!!  After flattening a few pennies, I drew a freehand design on each of them using a red Sharpie (quick and simple - just experimenting!) then put them in the etching solution for about 40 minutes.

ferns and such (remember, freehand) - etched and patinaed with gun blue.

big old swirl, etched; then I added a "heart" <3 using my stamps; patinaed.

flowers and stems - this one was etched twice - once for 30 minutes, then again for 20 minutes; also patinaed.