Rolling Mill Pendants and Handmade Neckwires

My posts have dropped to about once a month - I've been busy adding tools, techniques, and new designs to my shop and my local artists' studio.  One tool I've been playing with again is my rolling mill - I still love this alternative to etching that is chemical and waste free!  Plus, it's more versatile too.

Copper pendant - patterned in a rolling mill and "painted" with fire.

Here are a pair of pendants that I created with the rolling mill - another cool thing about the mill is that when you make a metal sandwich to impress your pattern, you get two imprints at the same time!  I chose to use sterling silver and copper so the pendants are similar but different. 

Silver pendant - patterned with a rolling mill and hammer; painted with LOS.

I added additional texture to the silver pendant in the form of dots along the petals.  Both the copper and the silver pendant have been patinaed for create the variation of color on their surfaces.  Next, I made neckwires for both.

Completed necklace with handmade neckwire.

For the copper one, I flattened one side of the copper with the rolling mill and then hand twisted the wire.  For the silver one, I twisted gold-filled and sterling silver together and then finished it off with a handmade chain and clasp.

Completed necklace with handmade neckwire with chain.

Until next time!
Hannah

Art Piece - Jaguar in the Jungle

I have completed another wall art piece!  This one features cheetah agate, a brass jaguar, and copper imprinted with leaves and ferns.  Love the little details on this one!

Jaguar in the Jungle - a wall art piece about 12" long, mounted on wood.

The brass outline was drawn and then hand cut from brass sheet.  The copper was "etched" with my rolling mill and actual dried ferns and leaves.  I love the rolling mill - no acids or other chemicals and no waste to dispose of.  Plus, just look at those imprints! 

Copper - rolling mill "etching" with real leaves and ferns

Cheetah agate - gorgeous, natural cat-like pattern!

This piece has the cheetah agate slab embedded in the wood, so it is nearly flush with the surface.  It's ready to find a "forever home" and be hung up!

 

More to come!

Thanks for stopping by,
~Hannah

Art Piece - Castle on a Cliff

Petrified wood slab with a handmade copper and brass scenic art frame.

Newest art piece!  This one is significantly smaller, but really cool, too.  AND if you want to give me an opinion on it, you can win a prize here:  Silver Serpent Studio on Facebook

About 12 inches tall and 6 inches wide - this small piece packs a punch and lots of details!  The black background is painted wood with a picture hanger for mounting on a wall - it could also be displayed in one of the mini easels.  The metal frame is a mixture of copper and brass - the dragon is copper with a flame patina; the waves are also copper with a genuine verdigris patina (this isn't just painted on - I went through the whole process of creating this patina over 3 days); and the frame is textured brass.

Art piece with my hand as size comparison - about 12" tall.

The coolest bit about this piece, in my humble opinion, is the rock slab that I've framed.  It is a polished piece of petrified wood!  It looked like a scene to me, so I embellished upon it.  I see a castle on a cliff with a storm raging overhead.  I added in roiling waves and a dragon.

I have a small box of additional, really awesome rock slabs just waiting to be framed.  Next up:  cheetah agate!

Thanks for stopping by!
Hannah

NEW Metal Bookmark Sizes!

I'm so excited - I've designed two NEW bookmarks that are fully customizable!  They are both available in copper, aluminum, and brass - the copper and brass can be flame patinaed too for added color.

Meet The Skinny:

The Skinny Bookmark - copper and copper with flame patina samples.

The Skinny is half size to my Paperback Bookmarks.  These lovelies are personalized with stamping only - names and short phrases, as well as your choice in hammer texture and ribbon tassel color.

and The Shorty:

The Shorty Bookmark - brass, aluminum, and copper with flame patina samples.

The Shorty is half size to my Hardcover Bookmarks.  These cuties are perfect for smaller artwork pieces - scene, animal, or silhouette to be determined by you and drawn up by my!  Full tassel line, including leather, is available for this size.

I'm also offering matched bookmark sets!  Here is one set I just completed with 6 matched art bookmarks:

Matched Bookmark Set - Hardcover size, copper with flame patina.

I have one more new design in the works and will hopefully unveil it soon!

Thanks for stopping by!
Hannah

2015 Year End: A Few Final Projects

Beaux Cadeaux went well for me and I think I'll try it again next year!  I've been out of touch because I was getting ready for the show, and then custom orders have been flying in.  Yay for me and Silver Serpent Studio!

Here are a couple of the many pieces I've been working on - to see the rest of my new designs, please visit my Facebook Business Page and gander through the photo albums!

Spencer Opal in Sterling Silver Wire Weave - custom order

Art Bookmarks - copper and flame patina, original artwork

Lapis Cross and Enhancer - sterling silver, hand fabricated for lapis necklace

I can't promise to post very regularly for the rest of the year, but I'm sure I'll return to posting and showing what I've been up to come the New Year!

Thanks for stopping by!
~Hannah

Eastern Idaho State Fair - I PLACED!

I entered one of my pieces in the Eastern Idaho State Fair this year!  It's the first time I've entered anything in any kind of fair, and I'm very excited to say I placed.  My piece was accepted in the Fine Arts "Barn", under Professional, 3-D Based. 

Sea Serpent Panel - 3rd Place at the EISF!

I competed with other amazing artists and look forward to challenging myself again next year!  First place went to a lovely, larger-than-life bronze bust and the best in show went to a painting-style sculpture of a pair of highly detailed hands.

I can't remember the piece that won 2nd place, but I happily took 3rd with my Sea Serpent Panel hand-cut from copper, brass, and nickel!  My piece was also one of the first on display as you entered the room, right on the end cap of the Best in Show pieces.  It really couldn't have been better placement or a better time.

Enjoy the Fall Fairs!
~Hannah

Sea Serpent Art Panel - Largescale Metalwork

After a long, long time, I have finally completed this piece!  It is not my largest piece, but it is my most detailed.  I'm very happy with how it turned out, and thankfully my friend and patron is also ecstatic!

Serpent Art Panel - copper, brass, and nickel on knotty alder.

This large panel artwork is made from copper, brass, and nickel sheet metal.  The metalwork measures 4 feet tall by 16 inches wide; the knotty alder frame adds about 8 inches to the height and width.  It's actually pretty light for being so large!

Serpent Panel - Metalwork is 4 feet by 16 inches.

I designed the artwork around a specific size, as requested.  I love the layout - panoramic photos and designs are very fun to work with!  This one has three separate designs in one panel - the top and bottom and then the middle.  Photos really don't do this piece justice - I managed to get a lot of color and detail in each area.

Serpent Artwork - Details of top and bottom panels.

Here are some more detail shots.  There are several hammer textures plus a couple different patinas doing on.  Honestly, I can't wait to start the next one!  It will be quite a bit smaller, but the plan is to have it just as detailed.

Serpent Panel - details showing texture and patinas found in the pieces.

If you are local to the SE Idaho region, you will (hopefully) be able to see it on display in person at the SE Idaho State Fair in September!

Serpent Panel - custom piece (sold).  Original artwork by Hannah Trost.

Thanks for your interest!
~SSS

One of my custom pieces and some newly acquired cabochons that I've set!   The custom piece has a porcelain pendant strung on a handmade, beaded copper chain with a matching magnetic clasp.  The beads are agates and Czech fire polished glass.

The two cabochons were purchased from a local rock hound at the local Rock and Mineral Show - I love the way he cuts and polished his cabs and the fact that he usually mines his own rough, too.  They are very fun to design around!  I've wire wrapped the first one in a viking knit with rose gold-filled wire and the second in sterling silver.

Custom Piece - features a porcelain pendant from Ireland.

Peruvian Turquoise Pendant in Rose Gold-fill and Sterling.

Painted Rhyolite Pendant in Sterling Silver.

More custom pieces on the way - hopefully I'll have photos next week.

Thanks for visiting and happy creating!
SSS

Custom Bookmarks II - Copper Treatments

I've been so busy that I've missed a couple weeks!  Here are just a couple things I was working on - more custom bookmarks!

Copper Bookmarks - shiny finish (middle) and rainbow finishes!

This set shows how I can finish the copper bookmarks - shiny or with a rainbow patina!  I love the rainbow effect but it is nearly completely random what I'll end up with - differences in the flame, the density of the copper, the size of the cutouts - it all changes the boundaries of what the flame patina will result in!

Enjoy and happy creating!
SSS

Custom Bookmarks!

For Christmas last year, I made about a dozen bookmarks for friends and family.  They were a lot of fun to make, and I found a bookmark blank in a size I really like, so I'm now offering custom bookmarks in my shop!

Here are the newest bookmarks, in a similar size to mass-produced bookmarks at the store.  These are 6 1/4" long by 1 1/4" wide, and are available in copper, brass, and aluminum.  For more information & photos, please see my FB album or my Etsy listing.  Thanks and enjoy!

Custom metal bookmarks!  Quotes by R.W. Emerson, Aristotle, & Cicero.

Here's a "Before & After" shot of the cutouts!  First I write out the quote and draw the design, then I stamp the quote, drill the cutouts, saw the cutouts, file rough edges, and sand the entire bookmark.  In this case, I applied a rainbow flame patina with my torch before spraying on a clear coat to protect the finish.

"Before & After" of a custom bookmark.  Quote is adapted from Nietzsche.

This is one of my favorite cutouts to date - the boy and dog are so dang cute!

Happy Creating!
SSS

Silhouettes in Metal

A good friend's birthday is today, and I really wanted to make her something special!  She is one of the kindest and most generous people I know - and she loves Disney's Lilo and Stitch, and Ohana, so I came up with these:

Sterling silver pendant and copper keychain featuring Disney's Stitch and duckling.

My original plan was a pendant in a different configuration, but this one looked the best as a silhouette, and it's when Stitch realizes that Lilo is his family.  He runs away and reads "The Ugly Duckling".....

....which is why there is as duckling with him in the heart!  I practiced first in copper, and loved the way it turned out.  Instead of tossing it into the scrap box, I turned it into a key chain!  I really like the hammered detail on the edge.  It helps work harden the metal, but also just looks fancy, don't you think?

Practice copper piece turned into a keychain!

Next I cut out the sterling silver pendant.  I wanted it to look a little more tropical (the movie is set in Hawaii), so I added a couple glass flower dangles and kept the hammered edge.  I really hope she loves it - she'll get it later tonight.....

Sterling silver pendant with glass heart accents.

I have to say, after cutting huge sheets of copper by hand, making these cutouts was a breeze!  I had to take my time to get the "perfect" silhouette, but I now wonder why I ever thought sawing was difficult!  These were a lot of fun to design and make - but I won't be making more.  One, this was a special gift and two, it's copyright infringement to sell items with characters that belong to someone else....I would, however, happily make pendants of non-copyright character silhouettes or portraits!

Happy Creating,
PZ

Copper Capped Earrings

NEW!  Copper Capped Earrings

My newest design - Copper Capped Earrings!  A wonderful mix of metals - copper and sterling - with an earthy touch (natural stone bead) in a modern design.  Everything is handmade, from the copper caps to the sterling wire work and connections.

Copper Capped Earrings - all handmade components!

I think the whole design works well together and I love them!  This pair is mine (um, they have to be tested, yeah.....) but similar pairs will be up in my etsy shop soon, or you can always request a pair!  I have already made another pair for a customer - going in the mail tomorrow!

Blue Labradorite - new center stone beads for this design!

Which means, unfortunately, that I am now out of gray stone beads.  I also can't find any more (so if you know of a shop - please share!), but I did pick up some fantastic "blue" labradorite that is going to look awesome in this design!  It is still gray, but with a bit of cat's eye glow....

Happy Creating,

PZ