Another present I received is a book by Barbara Lewis titled “Torch-fired Enamel Jewelry: a workshop in painting with fire”. In the past I had only done cloisonné enameling which is a labor-intensive process requiring many steps and it must be fired in a kiln. Cloisonné enameling truly takes a lot of patience! After reading the book, I just couldn’t wait to give torch-firing enamel a try! Armed with a Hot Head™ torch and several jars of enamel, this is a collection of beads, components, and head pins that I've made over the past two days. Not bad for a first try! Rummaging through my copper sheet and wire stash I found enough material to start with. I twisted up several beads, cut out star shapes and domed them in a dapping block, and turned several round silver beads into shiny colorful orbs. And I couldn’t resist making a slew of copper jumprings and enameling them too! I’m on a roll and eager to do more enamel torch firing. I feel as if I’m on a new adventure and can’t wait to start incorporating these colorful objects in mixed media jewelry. What a great addition to blend with pieces using polymer clay, resin, and seed beads!
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