Linda Connelly Enamels

Tag: jewellery

  • Thursday Tip – Carefree Lustre Part 1

    Thursday Tip

    Welcome to the latest in a series of articles to do with enamelling and making jewellery. I hope you find them useful. I am writing about issues and problems I have experienced (and hopefully overcome), and tips and shortcuts concerning enamelling and making jewellery that I have come across in the course of the past twenty years or so. In this post I am going to tell you one of the ways I use Carefree Lustre in my enamelling.

    Carefree Lustre

    I like to add touches of gold to a lot of my enamels, just to add a little ‘twinkle’. I used to use precious metal essence. This is  very expensive and also very tricky to use. Recently I have been using Carefree Lustres and have been very pleased with the results. I buy mine from Enamelsupply.com. For those members of Guild of Enamellers who are coming to conference in April, Tom Lumsden will be attending and will bring small orders with him so saving on postage!

    Using Gold Carefree Lustre – Part 1

    Enamel on copper badge with gold Carefree Lustre detail
    Enamel on copper badge with gold Carefree Lustre detail

     


    I often like to add painted line detail using this. I take a little in a tiny pallet and using an eye dropper I add a drop of Klyre Fire and mix it. Using a fine brush I paint it on quite thickly. The surface needs to be free from grease and if it is ‘balling up’, I clean the surface with a cotton bud dipped in methylated spirit. The Carefree Lustre dries very quickly. When dry you can neaten lines by scratching back with a cocktail stick and blowing away the dust. I fire in a very hot kiln, around 950 – 1000 for 30 seconds. I then check it. There will probably be some dust still on the surface that will rub off but underneath should be fired. If necessary I return it to the kiln for another 20 seconds. It is very easy to over-fire and for it to burn out. Applying it in a thick layer gives you a little leeway. I keep the pallet in a resealable plastic bag and reconstitute it as required with a little more Carefree lustre and Kyre fire. If it is very hot where I am working, sometimes I might add a drop or two of water.

    Note: After I wrote this I acquired a Digital kiln. I have just tried firing for 1 minute at 900 and this worked well. I may try shortening the period to say 50 seconds another time.

    This is one way I use Carefree Lustre. I hope you find it useful and will have a go adding  Carefree Lustre detail to your enamels.

  • Mermaid Necklet

    Mermaid Necklet

    Mermaid Necklet

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    I have just entered my Mermaid Necklet in a Facebook competition for ‘Gifts from the Sea’. It is cloisonné enamel on fine silver. It is in a fine silver bezel with sterling silver fronds of seaweed which were cast from a wax model that I made. A single pearl hangs from a loop and it is suspended on a sterling silver chain. The cloisonné uses fine gold and fine silver wires. I have engraved a texture beneath the enamel and around the outside is written in wire the following words: ‘They dwelt in halls of seaweed and shells’. This is inspired by the words of an Enya song. The whole idea came to me when I was swimming off the coast of Crete. We were told that beneath us was the remains of a Roman city. As I swam, I wondered how they knew it was Roman and perhaps it was the Kingdom of the Merfolk.

    ‘Gifts from the Sea’ for me encompasses the myriad of colours and patterns found in fish; the sinuous, sensuous lines of fronds of sea weed; the intricate, exquisite detail of shells and the luscious bounty of the oyster. However, for me the greatest gift is to our imagination in the guise of Merfolk.  I believe that this necklet truly does represent ‘Gifts from the Sea’ in all it’s forms and I hope you like it.

  • Guardian Angels On Folksy

    Guardian Angels On Folksy

    I have just listed my Guardian Angel Brooches and Pendants in my Folksy Shop. The idea for this range came to me during a visit to one of my favourite cities, York. I was there with my husband whilst my young son was away on a school trip aboad. Wandering around the cathedral, I could see angels at every turn. At the time I was reading a book by Rachael Hore called ‘The Glass Painter’s Daughter’ and a central part of the story concerns the restoration of an angel stained glass window. As I walked around this beautiful city, the idea came to me of developing a range of jewellery that would embody the love and thoughts of the giver, even whilst the wearer was far away. Regrettably my son would never wear one, but I hope that other children, spouses and parents will love and appreciate the concept. I think they make a perfect gift for a loved one who is going away. They are enamel on silver with cloisonne and fine gold detail.  They are 45 mm long and each one is hallmarked.