"The Milky Way" Pendant

Round, milky-white stained glass surrounded with silver solder and finished off with a half-moon shaped glass bead. Suspended from a silver chain.

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Steel, Wood, Silver and Air - Choker and earrings

This is a piece of small, flat steel bar surrounded with silver solder and decorated with silver wire and a wooden bead. The choker is silver wire and solder.

Steel, Wood, Silver and Air - each of these elements represent an aspect of a dynamic process, a process's phases of change.

Wood - rising, development (of an action), impulse, expansion, decampment
Steel - sinking, contraction, declining
Air - represented by the hole drilled in the steel - Air is vital to human survival
Silver - represents the purity and abundance of life  

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"I can see clearly now" Pendant

I can see clearly now the rain is gone.
I can see all obstacles in my way.
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.
It's gonna be a bright (bright) bright (bright) sunshiny day.

Clear, textured stained glass pendant with a clear glass jewel, suspended from a silver chain.

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Cigarette box holder

Made out of copper, coated with silver solder and then paginated, this cigarette box holder has a hinge at the back for easy lifting of the lift. Made to hold a box of 30 cigarettes.

Hinge at the back of the cigarette box

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Goggo/Insect range - Button Spider

This Keepsakes range consists of insects (for the insect-lover!) to display as ornaments but some of them can also be fashioned into brooches. Hand-crafted with silver, copper, pewter, glass jewels and silver wire, each Goggo/insect can take 3 or more hours to make. Only materials of the highest quality is used and great attention is given to detail.

Although the items should be treated with care, each item is strong and sturdy. Taking care and cleaning of your unique insect is as easy as scrubbing gently with a toothbrush and Sunlight Liquid and giving it a good rinse with cold water, drying gently with a soft cloth. A natural patina develops over time, adding charm to the item. Each insect comes with its own descriptive card.

Button Spider (Latrodectus)
The only potentially deadly spider found in South Africa. The male is small and harmless. The female's body is 10-15mm long, black, often with a red marking above the spinneret at the rear of the abdomen. Will only bit if accidentally pressed against the skin.

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"Willpower" pendant

The steel-like finish of the copper scroll symbolises willpower and a steely resolve to stand firm in your decisions.

An oblong piece of copper in a scroll form, covered in silver solder and then paginated with 'BlackIt' for a vintage effect. Fitted with a silver chain and a wooden bead hangs from the bottom.

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Copper Necklace and earrings

A necklace/choker made out of copper wire, inter-laced with large dark green striped beads. This necklace has a copper chain and matching earrings.

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Shell pendant on Silver chain

A shell with a black pebble hanging from a silver chain

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Hoe om met koper te werk

Koperplaat, Soldeeryster, Soldeeryster houer (stand), Staaf soldeersel, Flux met borseltjies, tanjetjies

Om met koperplaat te werk is pure plesier - dit kom in rolle van ongeveer 50cm wyd en ongeveer 10 meters op 'n rol. Koperplaat is beskikbaar by meeste arts en crafts winkels. Dit is uiters buigsaam en werkbaar en ook maklik om te sny met 'n gewone skêr, alhoewel jy nooit weer die skêr vir gewone huishoudelike gebruik sal kan gebruik nie!

En deur koper bedoel ek COPPER, nie BRASS nie. Koper is rooierig en brass (geelkoper) is geel. Ek werk partymaal met geelkoper, maar baie min.

Ek gebruik koper nie alleen en op sy eie nie, met ander woorde, ek soldeer artikels aan die koper vas. Koper is 'n wonderlike hitte-geleider en baie maklik vatbaar vir soldeersel. Ek omlyn die koper ook met die soldeersel om 'n afgewerkte voorkoms te gee en om die skerp kante te bedek.

'n Mens kan omtrent enige iets uit hierdie koper ontwerp - vierkantige, ronde of enige vorm plat collages, waaraan jy dan items soos kristalle, stukke glas of krale kan vas soldeer as 'n muurbehangsel teen die muur of in die tuin.

Ek gebruik dit baie vir my juweliersware, asook om items soos sigaretaansteker-houers, asbakkies, borde en pierings, omranding vir 'n spieël, besigheidskaartjie-houers, 'desk tidies', sneesdoekie bokse (tissue holders) en nog vele ander te maak - gebruik jou verbeelding.

Koper en Glas saam gebruik - die koper is gepatineer met 'BlackIt' om 'n antieke voorkoms te gee

Om artikels uit koper te maak, sny 'n stuk koper van die rol af ongeveer so groot soos jy dink jou projek gaan wees. (As jy te klein sny, kan jy altyd 'n stuk aanlas met soldeersel.)Maak dit plat met 'n roller (Dit is ook beskikbaar vanaf kunswinkels) en wees versigtig vir die skerp punte aan die kante. Gebruik handskoene as jy kan. Jy kan met 'n spesiale koper "scribe" (dit is 'n tipe pen met 'n metaal punt) jou vorm op die koper teken en dan uitsny. (Ek gebruik baie maal sommer 'n ou BIC pen om mee te teken.)

Stuk gesnyde koper en 'n soldeerstaaf

Jy kan ook vry-vorm stukke koperplaat neem en dit met die hand buig en verwerk in 'n abstrakte vorm. Ek gebruik ook 'n klein platneus- of ronde-neus-tanjetjie om te help met die buigwerk.

Voorbeelde van Koper gebruik in vry-vorm - borsstukke uit Koper met Glasjuweel. Die koper en soldeersel is gepatineeer om 'n antieke voorkoms te gee.

Om items aan die koper te soldeer, sal jy 'n soldeeryster nodig hê - ek gebruik 'n Weller temperatuur-gekontroleerde soldeerbout met verwyderbare punte, wat in allerhande diktes beskikbaar is. Maar enige soldeeryster is goed genoeg, en maak seker jou koop ook 'n houer waarin die soldeeryster rus wanneer dit nie in gebruik is nie. Werk versigtig met die soldeeryster, dit kan verskriklike brandmerke veroorsaak.

Weller Soldeeryster op houer 

Soldeersel kom in stawe of rolle en dan sal jy ook "Flux" (dis 'n vloeistof) nodig hê wat die katalis is tussen die soldeersel en die koperplaat. Neem 'n klein borseltjie (daar is spesiale flux borseltjies beskikbaar), dip dit in die flux en smeer dit aan die rand van die koper. Vat dan die soldeerbout en die soldeerstafie en soldeer klein stukkies soldeersel aan jou kopervorm. Dit gee die eerste lagie en enige items wat jy nou gaan aan soldeer, sal maklik verbind.

Soldeerstaaf (solder stick) koper en soldeeryster

Om te soldeer, hou die soldeerstafie of rolletjie in jou linkerhand, hou dit so na moontlik aan die koper en, met die soldeerbout in jou regter hand, verhit die soldeersel en laat dit op die koperplaat drup - maak dit dan gelyk deur dit met die soldeerbout liggies oor die plaat te "trek". Wees versigtig vir soldeersel-spatsels en gebruik 'n beskermende bril.

Alhoewel die koper sigbaar is in baie van my projekte, bedek ek meesal al die koper met die soldeersel om 'n silwer voorkoms te gee. Die rede hiervoor is dat die koper koperkleurig is en die soldeersel is silwer. Derhalwe kry jy twee kleure. Ek patineer ook baie van my ontwerpe om dit 'n antieke voorkoms te gee en wat die silwer in amper swart verander.

'Bloekomblaar' - 'n Stel oorbelle gemaak uit koper en liggies gepatineer met 'BlackIt'

Jy kan enige plek werk met jou koper, maar 'n ideale plek is 'n spesiale kamer of studio wat jy inrig spesiaal net vir al jou kunswerk-aktiwiteite. Ek het 'n 4m x 2m kamertjie ingerig met 'n L-vormige sementblad met rakke onder en bo dit waarop ek al my benodigdhede pak. Ek het ook hakkies aan die houtrakke aangebring om draad en soorgelyke goeters te hang. 'n Vereiste is 'n elektrisiteits-prop vir jou soldeeryster en dalk ook 'n lamp as die beligting nie te goed is nie.

 My 4m x 2m Studio waar ek al my kunswerk doen

 My 4m x 2m Studio waar ek al my kunswerk doen

My 4m x 2m Studio waar ek al my kunswerk doen 

LYS VAN BENODIGDHEDE :
- Koperplaat
- Roller
- Soldeeryster met houer
- Soldeersel - rol of stawe
- Bottel Flux
- Flux borseltjie
- "Scribe" of pennetjie om mee te teken
- Handskoene
- Beskermende bril
- Skêr
- Platneus- en/of rolneus-tanjetjie
- Groot tafel of werk area

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Rose Quartz Place-name Holder

Rose Quarts set into a shell with silver solder border and a silver wire stand. Can be used as place-name holders at a dinner party or just to hold an inspirational message next to your bed!

Rose quartz is pink quartz that is often called the "Love Stone." It is a stone of unconditional love that opens the heart chakra to all forms of love: self-love, family love, platonic love, and romantic love. The high energy of quartz gives rose quartz the property of enhancing love in virtually any situation. In turn, this lowers stress. All in all it is a very soothing and happy stone.

Emotionally rose quartz brings gentleness, forgiveness, compassion, kindness and tolerance. It raises one's self-esteem and sense of self-worth. It helps balance emotions and heal emotional wounds and traumas, even grief, bringing peace and calm. Rose quartz removes fears, resentments and anger. It can also heal and release childhood traumas, neglect, and lack of love, in part by enhancing inner awareness. It can help with reconciliation with family and others. Overwhelming or unreasonable guilt is eased by rose quartz.

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Goggo/Insect range - Hermit Crab

A Hermit Crab sporting his brand new shell he has just found!

This Keepsakes range consists of insects (for the insect-lover!) to display as ornaments but some of them can also be fashioned into brooches. Hand-crafted with silver, copper, pewter, glass jewels, silver wire and shells, each Goggo/insect can take 3 or more hours to make. Only materials of the highest quality is used and great attention is given to detail and these little animals are unique, one-of-a-kind designs not to be repeated.

Although the items should be treated with care, each item is strong and sturdy. Taking care and cleaning of your unique insect is as easy as scrubbing gently with a toothbrush and Sunlight Liquid and giving it a good rinse with cold water, drying gently with a soft cloth. A natural patina develops over time, adding charm to the item. Each insect comes with its own descriptive card, unfortunately no card available for this one.

Hermit crabs are decapod crustaceans of the superfamily Paguroidea. Most species have long, spirally curved abdomens, which are soft, unlike the hard, calcified abdomens seen in related crustaceans. The vulnerable abdomen is protected from predators by a salvaged empty seashell carried by the hermit crab, into which its whole body can retract.

Hermit Crabs are very social animals and can live 10 years or more, changing shells, moulting several times throughout their lives and growing up to six inches in length. Did you know that Hermit crabs are sometimes kept as pets? Hermit Crabs are docile and are easy and economical to care for and their crabby antics, like climbing, digging and shell switching are as entertaining as they are educational!

 

 

The underside of the crab 

 

 

A lot of research goes into making these little creatures. I use photographs for reference, live study where possible and also Google the necessary information regarding their size, habits, lifestyle, etc. Hand-crafting these little animals has taught me so much about nature and given me a new respect for all Mother Nature's beauty.

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Amber, warm and powerful. Necklace

Scouring some vintage shops like I normally do, I came upon these loose Amber beads in an old tin on a shelf and when I enquired whether it was for sale, the lady said yes and I was surprised at how affordable they were and snatched them up immediately!

They obviously came from a previous neclace, so I just threaded some tiger-tail wire through the holes, attached some clasps and earring hooks onto the two I used for earrings and voila! a warm and powerful necklace with matching earrings!

While often considered a gemstone, the glowing amber is not actually a stone, but fossilized resin from ancient evergreen trees. The oldest amber discovered on Earth is about 320 million years old. Imagine the incredibly powerful energy this amber contains!

Young amber stones are less than 100,000 years old; the most valued pieces of amber are much older than that. (It takes a long time for the tree resin to become true amber). Isn’t it mind boggling to know that the amber jewellery you just bought contains such old, wise energy?

The most obvious quality of amber is its old, old, (very old!) energy. With it comes the accumulated wisdom of the earth and its natural kingdom. You can often see little insects trapped in the amber while it started as a tree resin; this gives the amber stone quite powerful magical properties. It is believed that amber:

• Balances emotions
• Attracts good luck
• Eliminates fears
• Relieves headache
• Clears the mind
• Dissolves negative energy
• Helps develop patience and wisdom

Amber clarity ranges from transparent to opaque and it has a resinous lustre. Most amber specimens have pockets of air bubbles and various other inclusions.