Step by Step Setting Cabs using Riveting and How to Make these Mixed Metal Earrings !

I made these earrings recently and it was only when I finished that I thought what a good step by step tutorial they’d make.

Riveting sterling silver & labradorite earrings – £28

Unfortunately I hadn’t taken any photos so I made different pair in a similar way and photoed each stage.

Copper & Silver Riveted Earrings Hanging on my Handmade Wild Garden Straights Ear Wires

Step 1 – Cut 2 pairs of triangles our of 0.3mm copper sheet (when the earrings are riveted 2 x 0.3mm = 0.6mm a nice weight/strength for earrings

Step 2 – 2 discs cut from textured sterling silver sheet = also 0.3mm thick

Step 3 – Silver discs domed using a metal doming black

Step 4 – holes (a little smaller than diameter of domed discs) punched in copper triangles.

Mighty Punch – This was what I used to make the holes.

Step 5 – Pick a hole in the doming block that is slightly larger than the hole in the triangle. Use a punch to gently flare the hole outwards

Step 6 – Check the silver domes fit the triangles.

Step 7 – Drill 1mm holes for the 1mm rivets

Step 8 – Handmade fine silver balled end rivets (these could have been made out of sterling silver)

Step 9 – Put the earrings together remembering to include the domed silver discs – put the silver rivets through the earrings front to back

Earrings ready to be riveted – I added an additional wire rivet near the top. – They are then ready to sand down the edges and add the ear wires.

Wild Garden Straights – handmade silver ear wires – £4 per pair

Copper & Silver Riveted Earrings Hanging on my Handmade Wild Garden Straights Ear Wires

These earrings were made in a  very similar way, I punched the hole for the labradorite cab through both pieces of silver to allow the light to shine through and I riveted a bail on the top.

You can use this technique for semi-precious cabs, round fused glass cabs and domed discs.

Learning how to rivet gives you lots of options in your jewellery making – have a look here for more examples – Riveting Workshop or see more riveted jewellery made by our students on our FB page

Just a Little Bit of Snow This Year – So Far…..

For those of you who missed my snowy pictures on FB – Here are a few of the photos I have taken in our lane whilst walking Choo Choo

Our lane

This is our closest village – Lunet

And these two photos I’m planning to etch into rings – I’ll post photos when I find the time to do this 😉

And Finally… Choo Choo

Choo Choo after his walk – His legs have turned into snowballs !

Do visit our website and see all the lovely new items by clicking here

And learn more about our fabulous jewellery making holidays by clicking here

Quick GiveAway – UPDATE 1.3.15 – Congratulations to Caroline J – Winner !

Add a comment with the name of our closest village to be included in the draw for a pair of my new handmade silver crescent moons – winner can choose hammered or sanded finish – Draw ends Sunday midnight 15th Feb 2015 (don’t worry if your comment doesn’t appear – they won’t until after midnight on Sunday)

Handmade silver crescent moons – Sanded finish – £5.50 a pair

Hammered Moons – £5.50 a pair

Snow at Home and on the Aubrac

A couple of days ago I wanted to visit the Aubrac before I missed the snow, not realising that I’d wake up this morning to 4 inches of the stuff 😉 It’s been very mild this year with only 1 real fall of snow and I’d forgotten how beautiful it is.

Our visit to the Aubrac was short but as always wonderful, the Aubrac is a plateau above us, the transhumance brings the cows up to pasture in the summer along with the walkers and the winter brings the skiers.

Road winding through the Aubrac snow. The road as usual was wonderfully clear with deep snow either side.

Trees just waiting to become designs for etching

The Aubrac can be a bleak and beautiful place

The village of Aubrac, a safe place for medieval pilgrims to stop on their route to Santiago de Compostella on the Chemin de Saint Jacques.

Chez Germaine in Aubrac village – perfect place to stop and warm up with a coffee and an enormous piece of fruit pie.