Piercing Tin With Jeweler's Saw

I know some makers avoid using the jeweler's saw -- it can be tricky, the blades can break and you feel like you're hacking away at your project.  But!  A few adjustments in tools, technique and attitude can make you fall in love with that tricky saw.  Here's a project in the works:  middle-eastern inspired flapper dangles with pierced arabesques cut from (don't tell) an old Hostess Fruitcake tin.

The secret of using the saw is first to have the right blade for the metal you are using:  in this case very thin steel.  That means at least 3 teeth per thickness of the metal.  I used a 6/0 blade, and believe it or not, just one blade, one I had used on other projects, and finally threw out because it got dull.  The other secret is to use a relaxed hand in holding the saw, even letting your pinky finger tilt up like you're drinking tea from a fine china cup. This will help you avoid pushing the saw through the metal and just let the tee-tiny teeth of the saw blade do the work.  Keep the saw more or less in the same place, and turn the work piece gently with the other hand.  Then remember that if your mind wanders, so will the cutting line.  It can be like meditation, and enjoyable, with a little attitude adjustment!

When buying blades, get the best quality and look for ones that have a rounded back edge.

Once you get the hang of it on tin, you can progress to other metals, and it will be soft and silky like butter!

Dear friends -- I have been away from blog posting for a long spell, and now, if I can find out how to do it, want to close this site, or at least change the header and name to match that of my Etsy shop, yesdearsister.  I've been making new beach-themed things and rings lately; here are some of them.  As always, they feature recycled, reclaimed, components.  Here you'll see sea pottery, beach glass, distressed printed tin, a tintype and pressed flowers.  It's been great fun to make rings again after many years of not making them, and see them fly away to new fingers.  Next challenge: a good adjustable ring.

Shall I close this blog or just rename it?  Hmmmm.

All Done, a Downton Abbey Inspired Necklace

I finished it off with two spliced chains and a beaded necklace, made with more of the antique seed beads interspersed with darker, matte finish purple beads, in an Edwardian-inspired manner. The hook clasp is finished with one antique carved bone rose bud bead.  All the parts are old or odd or salvaged, or all of that, and you wouldn't think it could be as elegant as it is.  I am thinking of calling it "Below Stairs," or something that refers to those lives spent in service, so close to wealth and elegance and yet so far away.  Soon to be listed in my Etsy shop, maybe even today.

Work In Further Progress

I have begun splicing chain fragments and beading after finishing the assembly of the pendant and attaching it to a beautiful orphaned buckle half of old cut steel.  Look closely and see the bee!

Work In Progress

The foundation ingredients are laid out here:  an eucalyptus pod found in California, a silver plated salt shaker lid, antique French seed beads, a criffle from Kimberly Rogers, vintage frosted and luminous beads of a darker purple, a long copper head pin, a kuchi spacer, and early 1900s magazine ad with beautiful font and line drawings.  It will be a pendant, and that's all I know for sure just now.  Stay tuned!

It's Official! I Have Changed My (Etsy Shop) Name!

It is "yesdearsister."  Reasons of my own; let's just say it's words I want to hear and this is one way to be sure I get my wish in this lifetime.  And it will help you know how to respond to any of my advice, as well.  The irony of it all:  I tried all kinds of variations on simply my name and surname, but none were available.  Hah!

So, it's still the same mix and style as old readbetweenlines, but I think the name is a lot more fun (surely is for me) and not as irrelevant (at least not for me).

My dear, you must try wearing more interesting and unique, nay, statement, jewelry.  Yes dear sister.

You see?  Works for me!

This is it, no more changes! I'm calling it done. A mojo bottle.

I added half a teaspon of anise seeds because, I'm not sure why; the scent and color seems right and a quick search for magic uses turns up Lucky Mojo saying they have hoodoo value for psychic powers. Besides that, they sweeten the breath. So this reliquary bottle has become a mojo bottle. The chain is spliced together salvage, the hook I fabricated myself, and the fob on the hook is a Kaiser Wilhelm birthday commemorative coin and a Victorian cameo button jumped together, suspending a green freshwater pearl. One thing that tickles me about using old text is the way lines of text taken out of the page can generate poetical considerations, as your brain attempts to deal with fragments, helplessly assigning some meaning. In this case, the text is from an antique book of the essays, poetry and hymns of Cowper, an index page. It generated the title of the piece; but wait, there's more, if you read the back of the bottle. "Love of the voice of the fat oyster," how marvelous. Soon to be listed in my Etsy shop.