More Fun With Copper

Some of you will remember my recent post about oxidizing copper with ammonia. It went over pretty well, and I love that it was able to help some of you out! Lately, I've been playing a lot with merging filigree and wire-wrapping techniques and came up with this pendant-style necklace the other day. It was oxidized using the ammonia method, and the smallest beads you see there are 15 seed beads, very tiny!

BarefootFae: Northern Lights Earrings

I've been playing a bit with wire-wrapping and experimenting with how different patinas can completely change the look of both glass and gemstones. It really is interesting to watch. I've set up a small tupperware box with two pieces of string inside to suspend my piece over a sake cup full of ammonia. When I place the piece on the string, I close it up and watch, checking once every hour, on the progression of the patina. As it shifts from fresh, rosy copper to dark, chocolaty brown the depth of color in the beads themselves is enhanced. If inclined, you can even let the patina take over until all the wire has turned a deep, turquoise green. These earrings I stopped at dark-dark brown, but I will show some more experiments later.