Torch Enameling... you can do it!

Hey Gang!
I have had a few questions lately about torch enameling and wanted to compile the info in one place. I really enjoy torch enameling. It's a great way to add pops of color to your metal designs. Here are my recommendations and a simple outline of how I approach this technique.

Books: I recommend Discover Torch Enameling by my buddy Steven James. It's full of great techniques and instruction.

Free Online Instruction: Find a variety of Steven's Enameling Classes on Beaducation.com

Torch: I use the Bernzomatic Propane Torch. Enameling requires a lot of focused heat to melt the enamel quickly and efficiently. Find it at your local big box home supply store. Easy and safe to use.

Metal: You can enamel copper and fine silver pieces or silver pieces that have been depletion-gilded to bring the fine silver up to the surface. I like using 24-20 gauge metal.

Supplies: This is a very simplified list and you may wish to add more tools as you go along, but to start, you'll need a sampling of transparent and opaque powered enamels, adhesive, metal cleaner like Penny Brite, a tripod with mesh screen and a sifter. Wear a dust mask and wash your hands after working with enamel powder.

Tools: I have a Hydraulic Press from Potter USA to cut my own blanks and metal stamps and repoussé tools from Danny Wade at Ferro Valley Tools to make the "bump-out" shapes like the heart below.

Here are the steps for enameling a simple shape:

1. Use a ready made blank or cut your own. File the edges of the blank if needed. I annealed the shape after cutting it out. I used a repoussé stamp to add the 3D heart.

2. Pickle or use Penny Brite to clean the blank to remove fire scale. Only use pickle to remove fire scale after annealing. The acidic pickle will affect the surface of the enamel, causing it to loose shine, and in some cases pit the surface of the glass. I use Penny Brite when the piece is enameled.

3. If the back of the piece will show, or if the piece will have a thick layer of enameling on top, I will counter-enamel the back with a layer of black enamel. Fire to the orange peel stage, clean and then flip it over and enamel the top. I place my torch underneath the piece when I enamel, and since the counter enamel is black, I don't worry about damaging the enamel with the torch. 

4. Tips to remember:

• Metal must be really, really clean so that the enamel will adhere to the metal surface. 
• Firing a couple of thin layers of enamel are better than one layer of thick enamel. The first layer may shrink a bit from the edges, so after I fire the first layer, I clean the piece with Penny Brite to remove Fire Scale and then sift an additional layer of enamel, paying special attention to the edges.
• Any holes in blanks need to be punched before the piece is enameled, if you try and punch a hole after enameling the surface enamel will crack.

Good luck with your enameling experiments. Let me know how it goes!

Hey Periscope followers!

Here is the eBook I referenced in my Periscope on Color and Design for the Bead Jewelry Artist. It's a FREE eBook to help step up your stringing game.

Enjoy!
http://www.blurb.com/ebooks/352348-color-and-design-for-the-bead-jewelry-artist

You found my FREE Project Template

Hi Gang!
This freebie goes along with my Periscope broadcast on tips for craft writers. This is a broad field covering personal project documentation, class handouts, magazine articles, and book projects.

My project template is available to download at this link. Share away and pass the word if you'd like, but please do not download and share the template on your own site. I'd love it if you would direct people to this post so they can download from here. Thanks!!

Here are the links to the Daiso organizing bins I showed on the broadcast:
Stacking tray.
This box is similar to the one I use. Mine looks like it is no longer available.

Here is the Amazon Link to purchase my upcoming book:
Metalsmithing Made Easy

All of my Periscope broadcasts can be found on my Katch channel https://katch.me/katerichbourg



Thanks for watching!

Top Tips for Periscope Viewers

Hi Gang,
So you may be familiar with the new live streaming app called Periscope. I have been broadcasting LIVE from my jewelry studio as well as on the road since last November. I just celebrated my 50th broadcast a couple of weeks ago with this epic broadcast.

"What's this Periscope thing all about?" you ask. You are not alone in asking. I get a lot of questions about Periscope from my students about how, where, why, and when to watch. So I thought I would post my Top Tips for Periscope Viewers to help clarify and make your experience as seamless as possible.

Kate's Top Tips for Periscope Viewers.

1. Why should I watch?
Periscope's tag line is "Explore the world through someone else's eyes." And that is just it. The app allows you to search out different broadcasters all over the globe that film what they are seeing in real time. It's a cool way to connect with others that have similar interests and create community.  My goal is to share my jewelry world with you through demos, product chats and information on current trends. I usually broadcast LIVE every Friday morning around 10 AM PST. Sometimes I broadcast when I am on the road to bring you along to bead and DIY craft-related shows, classes and events. It's the next best thing to having you come with me in person.

2. How do I watch?
It's pretty simple. You can watch right on your mobile device or tablet, iOS or Android. Download and install the app, follow me, and listen for the whistle to alert you when I broadcast. The video will be available for 24 hours.

3. But I wanna watch you on my computer.
No prob. You have a couple of options. You can go to this page to view on your desktop. That's my Periscope landing page and my broadcasts will be there for 24 hours. It's not as interactive as your mobile device, but a good solution for those of you who prefer desktop.

4. What about watching you later? I don't want to get in trouble with the boss.
Right! I don't want to be the culprit to get you reprimanded at work for joining me on Friday mornings. All of my broadcasts are automatically archived on my Katch channel as soon as they end. You can find all broadcasts there. I also archive the best ones on my YouTube channel.

5. What's with the hearts, comments, and shares? How the heck do I do that?
The cool thing about Periscope being live is that I can interact with you in real time while I broadcast. You guys can interact with me in a bunch of ways:

Hearts. Hearts show that you like what you are seeing, you agree, you like the demo or camera angle, think I am hilarious or whenever you just want to say "good job" without actually typing "good job." The more hearts I get, the better my ratings are, so hearts are great. Your heart matches the color on your chat box so they are assigned to the individual and I can see who is sending them.

Comments. There is a comment box at the bottom of your screen, Type any questions or comments you have. Sometimes they flood in so fast I trouble keeping up and when I demo I don't watch the screen, so if I miss your question ask it again at the end of the broadcast as I wrap up. Feel free to email me with questions or topics you'd like to see on future broadcasts.

Sharing. You can give a shout out to friends on Twitter and Facebook to view the broadcast, too. During the LIVE broadcast, tap the little person silhouette on the bottom right corner. A share box will pop up and you can share as you wish. During a replay on Periscope, you can swipe right and the share box will appear. Sharing is awesome and helps get the word out.

6. What's with the followers with the "naughty" profiles? And the weirdos that sometimes pop on?
As you know with any live broadcast, anything can happen and once in a while "trolls" pop into the broadcast and try and be funny by saying totally random or offensive things. Meh. It happens. Don't engage and they leave pretty quickly.

Fortunately it's easy to block them. If there is a troll commenter, I block the offender by tapping their comment. They are removed and blocked from future broadcasts. Also I have found that periodically I need to review my followers and block the ones with suggestive profiles. It's not something that happens all the time, but I am really on top of keeping my feed and broadcasts a "troll-free" zone. You can also block trolls from your screen by tapping their comment and blocking. It will just block it for your view, though.

Hope that helps! Follow me on my social media Insta, FB and Twitter as well as my newsletter to keep in touch and see when and where I am broadcasting next. Thanks for watching!

Torch Enameling and Metal Dies

Hi Gang!
Thanks for watching my Periscope broadcast on torch enameling and using metal dies in the hydraulic press. It's so much fun to mix metal and enamels and this technique lends a whole new dimension (literally) to the process.

If you missed it, you can watch it on my Katch channel https://katch.me/katerichbourg or on my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/user/katerichbourg.

As promised here are the links to the resources I used in the video:

Enameling basket in my Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/listing/270918848/torch-basket-for-enameling

Etsy shop for Brass Dies from India: Obsessive Impressions https://www.etsy.com/shop/ObsessiveImpressions

Hydraulic Press and Dies by Kevin Potter: http://www.potterusa.com

Facebook Group for Indian Dies: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MadForMetalStampsandTools

Steven James New Enameling Book

You can catch me every Friday morning broadcasting LIVE from my studio in South San Francisco, CA. Follow me on Periscope so you don't miss an episode.

See you soon!

Periscope Beaducation Stamp Set Giveaway! (Comments Closed)

***UPDATE***
YAHOOO!!! We have a winner
Thanks for all the comments and love. The random number generator chose comment #5. Congrats to Web Design Farm, Bobbi Benton Stewart. Bobbi, I will hook you up with Beaducation and and they will get your stamps out to you right away.

Thanks for playing along, gang and watching my Friday broadcasts. More giveaways to come. See you next Friday!

Hi Gang!
You have come to the right place! This week I am hosting a giveaway sponsored by my buddies at Beaducation.com.

For those of you who watched my Periscope broadcast, thanks so much! I broadcast LIVE every Friday morning from my studio in South San Francisco CA, so if you are not a regular viewer, you can download the Periscope App here and join me on Friday mornings.

If you can't watch on Fridays, you can find archived broadcasts on Katch or later on my YouTube channel.

So here are the giveaway deets as a reminder. Go to the Beaducation.com Facebook page and/or their Instagram and give them a follow. Add a comment below and I will pick a random winner for the Southwest Stamp set on Monday morning. I'll share your contact info with the Beadyo gals and they will send your stamp set out to you.

Thanks again for watching and see you next Friday morning!

My NEW eCourse Group Class available now!

YAHOOOOOOOO!!!!!

You guys I am so excited. About a year ago when I made my goals list for 2015 I wrote down "create online class." I kept thinking about it all year. What I really wanted to do was create something on my website. Don't get me wrong. I love the online classes that I have done for various companies... those have been fun, and exciting and they look fantastic. But I really wanted something that seemed more intimate. Something from my studio right to you. More like a studio class with lots of info packed in. 

So fast forward to late in the year. I had been mulling over ideas and I thought if I was gonna fulfill this goal I had better get on it. I had received some valuable coaching earlier in the year on the subject and had spent some time adapting it to my vision. So I got to work.

And I did it. I wrote instructions, filmed some demos, shot A LOT of photos and threw them up in the air... and they landed in the form of my first online eCourse, Dapped, Capped, Riveted and Soldered. Full details are on my website, so you can get all the info there. Enrollment is going on now, and class starts on January 18th, so if you want to join in on this fun adventure sign up soon, as class size is limited.

Let me tell you more about it in my promo video...

Here is the info/enrollment link for you. If you have any questions about the class, toss 'em in the comments and I'll get right back to you. Hope to see you in class!

For 2016. Creative Tiles for Creative Ideas.

Hey everybody!
If you watched my LIVE broadcast Thursday morning (on Periscope) or later on my YouTube Channel, you saw my new idea to boost my creativity for 2016.

In case you missed it (it's up on my channel, so you can give it a peek) I'll recap for your here.

The Backstory:
I have been fascinated lately by black and white drawings. Simple lines and shapes. I find it is making me pay attention to space, negative space and pattern in a lot of things I see everyday. It's inspiring and distracting all at once.

It started a few weeks ago when I got out my Spirograph that I got as a gift last year and started to experiment.

I began with color pens, but noticed that the color was kind of getting in the way of the shape. What was drawing me in were the lines and patterns. So better to see them, I thought I would switch to a black pen. WOW! I loved how the shapes came to the fore. They were almost 3D.

That put me in mind that I really have been wanting to investigate the B&W doodling sensation- Zentangle! The simple lines, shapes and shadows of the drawings really spoke to me.

Luckily my friend Andrea, owner of A Work of Heart Studio in San Jose, CA is a certified Zentangle instructor. I checked her schedule and took a class on Wednesday. It was really fun and meditative. Which I guess is the whole point. The idea is to let go of perfection and just DO and DRAW using the simple basic shapes that all of the designs are made of. It made what looked complex actually very simple. I didn't fuss or fret and just DID. It was awesome.

So it got me to thinking. Those paper tiles have a lot in common with the sampler tiles in my book Simple Soldering. You learn the basics of soldering and metalwork on simple, inexpensive 1x1 metal tiles and create a sampler. I tell my students to let go of perfection and just learn and make. It removes the fear of messing up and make way for learning and skill to creep in

I have been doing a lot of designing lately for classes, projects, and demos and really want to keep my creative flow going. I have been making notes everywhere... my notebook, napkins, envelopes... so I thought, why not use paper tiles to jot down my ideas so I can keep track of them. Just quick B&W drawings, with notes and ideas on them. Then at the end of each month, or whenever I need a bit of creative infusion, I can pull them out and look 'em over.

Here were my guidelines for what I wanted to use:
Inexpensive and easy to find supplies. Maybe with a reuse or re-purpose element.
Simple to use.
Portable.

This is what I came up with:

I call it my Creative Tiles Kit. It's small enough to toss into my bag with simple supplies that can be found just about anywhere.

Here is what's in it:

I make some tiles by cutting 3x5" index cards into two pieces.

Then I cut the smaller piece into two pieces.

Ending up with three tiles to use for my creative drawings and ideas.

Like this.

I used three black pens from my gigantic stash of pens (c'mon... tell me I am not alone here. I'll bet you have a pen stash or covet a pen stash.)

A Fine Line Sharpie. A 01 Micron Marker and a 03 Hybrid Technica by Pentel. I stashed it in a little mesh bag that I got in a holiday gift and my kit was complete.

So I am committing to making one creative tile a day for an average of seven separate tiles for each week. They can be for anything creative that I want to work on. Notes on ideas. Quick project drawings. Inspirational quotes. Anything that helps me on my creative journey for 2016. Jewelry. Knitting. Mixed Media. Maybe even a recipe.

I hope you like the idea and I'd love it if you want to play along. If you do make your own Creativity Tiles kit, send me some photos if you'd like and let me know if I can share them. I'd love to see how you use this idea. Tag it on social media with #CreativityTiles. I'll check in every month or so with a report on how they are working for me.

I have embedded the Periscope broadcast below. You can catch me LIVE every Friday morning or later on my YouTube channel.



Happy New Year to you all! May 2016 be the best yet.

Handmade Holiday This Weekend and Class Sign Ups NOW

My Handmade Holiday event at my studio is almost here. If you're a local in the San Francisco Bay Area I hope you can join us on Sunday, December 14 from 11-4.

Also classes are up on the website and ready for enrollment. I am really excited about the classes on the schedule. An exciting addition to the regular jewelry classes are classes on SEWING! That's right! It's time I share my sewing knowledge through simple and fun projects that are perfect for the beginner. The first class is a great tote bag with leather shoulder strap. More sewing classes to come (including QUILTING!)

Classes for January

February

March

April

 Find all of the classes on the blog with more photos and details on how to enroll.

My new LIVE video and a giveaway!

*** A giveaway winner was picked!*** Comment 6 wins the pearls. Congrats Lee. The pearls are yours. Email me your address and I will mail them out!

Hi All!
As you may have heard, I have started doing a live feed on Fridays from my studio. The segments include a variety of topics, mostly centered around what I have on my workbench.

I am using the Periscope App to broadcast, and then I upload each segment to my YouTube channel. They are pretty fun, and it seems that you guys like them too, which makes me super happy.

I have just uploaded the one from earlier today. I have embedded it here. You can find the entire series on my YouTube channel. Give it a follow and you will be notified each time there is a new upload.


I also shared a cool promo I received from Swarovski. It is a sample set of all of their crystal pearls. It's pictured below.

If you would like to have it for your very own, leave a comment below and I will randomly choose a winner on Monday and send it over to you.

Also more info coming next week on the new classes for 2016 at the studio and don't forget to mark your calendars for my open studio holiday jewelry sale event and FREE Make & Take on Sunday December 13. More info here.

Thanks for watching! And hope to see some local friends next Sunday.

Handmade Holidays and Studio Class Sign-ups

Lot's of great stuff happening over at the Kate Richbourg Jewelry Studio.

First, mark your calendars for my first ever holiday event at the studionon Sunday, December 13, 11-4. (Directions to the studio here.)

Handmade Holiday features six fabulous jewelry designers: Lisa Kaufman, Emily Miller, Cynthia Thornton, Kriss Silva, Winnie van der Rijn and me.

Hope you can join us for food, frolic, festive gifts and a FREE Indigo Dye Make & Take! Yep. We will have some holiday libations and snacks and you'll learn how to dye your very own piece of fabric a brilliant Indigo Blue. It's like magic!

That day will also be the first day of studio class sign ups for Jan-April 2016. You can check the preview dates on the studio class page. Class titles, photos and descriptions are coming soon.

But in case your are ready to enroll in some classes right now, I do have four exciting offerings that are available for sign ups. They are called my Make & Take Mini Classes and are one Tuesday night each month. Just $40 each. That great price includes all materials and tool use in class as well as drinks and snacks. If you want to enroll in all of them, I have a special 4-pack price. Click on the class title and hop over to my Etsy store to see the samples and enroll.

Tuesday, January 19, 6:30-9 No Fail Stacked Rings
Tuesday, February 16, 6:30-9 Texture and Patina Metal Leaves
Tuesday, March 22, 6:30-9 Stamped Rings
Tuesday, April 19, 6:30-9 Bevy of Bangles 

Enroll for all 4 for the price of 3. 

Stay tuned for more class info and Handmade Holiday details coming up soon!

Don't Play Me Off Yet, Stick Man!

Remember that year that Julia Roberts wore that amazing vintage Valentino dress when she took home her Oscar for Best Actress? Her speech was so heartfelt and giddy and breathless. She had so many people to thank that she exclaimed at the onset that it was going to be a long one.

Right off the bat Julia looked over at the conductor and said "I'm going to spend some time here to tell you some things. And sir [speaking to music conductor Bill Conti], you're doing a great job, but you're so quick with that stick. So why don't you sit, 'cause I may never be here again."

Well, I kinda feel like that today. Giddy, breathless, heartfelt. And I'll admit... a bit tired. It's my Oscar day, of sorts. My photo shoot for my second book starts tomorrow, with some last minute preliminary stuff happening today. By Friday at 5:30 PM, all will be a memory. And hopefully a success.  I am really proud of it and hope that it will help you on you metalsmithing journey.

So it seems fitting to send out into the universe, my friends, supporters, students and colleagues a big THANK YOU!

I could not have achieved this sophomore effort without a team. From the day-to-day support of my husband (his middle name is dinner and laundry) to my family and friends who are always ready to lend a helping hand in countless ways. And of course to you, the person reading this on the other side of the screen. Maybe we have met in a class, or through social media, or in an online class. It's you guys that keep me doing what I do by supporting my efforts, buying my books, frequenting my Etsy store and taking my classes.  

So Thank You. The stick man is playing me off. But unlike Julia, I know I'll be here again. Another epic project is always on the horizon. And I hope you will be there with me.

xo

My Musings...

I have had a LOT of great inspiration, support and general good will come my way lately. It's a crazy-creative-exciting time for me right now. All of these events have put me in mind to muse overwhat it is I do. To cut through the clutter (sometimes literally) and think about what it is I DO as a jewelry educator.

And since all the kids are making infographics nowdays, I thought I'd make one too, and use it to share my thoughts with you.

(And by-the-way it was really fun and easy to create. I used a template from a company called Piktochart. It was FREE to sign up and there are plenty of great templates to get you started.)

Here it is...  and thanks for reading! Click this link to download a printable copy.

All hands on deck!

Hey Gang!
Super exciting news. My second book Metalsmithing Made Easy just posted on Amazon for presale! Yahoo!  However, the work isn't quite done yet. As a matter of fact, there is still a lot of behind-the-scenes work to be done. Including photographs! At the end of this month the photo shoot for all of the projects is going to be at my studio in South San Francisco. It's gonna be lights, camera, action here in South City.

As you might imagine it's a lot of prep work to get all the steps ready for photography. Each project needs to have several finished steps so each project goes swiftly and effortlessly.

I am putting out a general call for any crafty friends who might be into helping prepare the steps for the shoot. It involves working from my written instructions and preparing several steps of the project.

Here are the details:
When: Saturday and Sunday 10-5, October 17th & 18th. (This coming weekend.)

Where: My studio. 160 S Linden Ave Suite 124, South San Francisco, CA

What: I provide all tools and materials and when it's ready you'll get a signed copy of the new book as thanks for your help. And lunch ;).

I welcome makers with all levels of experience as there are projects that fit a variety of skill levels.

Let me know if you'd like to join in on the fun. RSVP via email kate at katerichbourg dot com.

Learn to drill stones! My new FREE class from Beaducation.

A few weeks back I posted some tips about drilling holes in stones and other objects to use in jewelry making. It is a good skill to know as it allows you to modify pieces that you might already have so you can incorporate them into your designs.

It can get confusing however. Which tool to use? What bit to use? How to start? Securing the bead? So many questions. Well, fret no more. my new video from Beaducation has the answers.

You learn how to use a variety of tools and make bails for the drilled pieces. Just like this:

Class Photo from Beaducation.

It was such fun hanging with my Beaducation peeps. Filming is always fun and Lisa and Aisha make it even better. Here we are getting ready.

 And here I am filming the preview. Lights, camera and action!

I use some diamond drill bits in the video. You can find them in my Etsy store here and here. Beaducation has a whole list of what you need on the website class page. (Link below.)

Ready? You can view the class right here,



or check it out along with all of my other FREE classes on Beaducation.com.
Drilling Stones & Found Objects
All my other Beaducation Classes

Have fun and let me know what you make. I can't wait to hear how you like it!

Indigo and Ice Dye. A perfect combo!

What a fun way to say farewell to summer. This weekend the hubs and I took a well-deserved break at our friends Emily and Ed's lovely place on Clear Lake in Northern CA.

It was lovely. Restfulness is a perfect breeding ground for creativity and Emily is one of the most creative people I know. She knew the perfect way to entertain a creative friend... Bring out the dye pot!

Before we hit the road, per Emily's instructions, I stopped at the fabric store and bought a bunch of white fabric. I chose some nice quality cotton, canvas duck and ticking with a blue stripe.

The first thing we did was indigo. Indigo is magic. The color is so luscious and rich. The fabric comes out of the dye bath an electric, bright chartreuse and turns into a deep, rich blue right before your eyes. We used this kit from Dharma Trading. At nine bucks, it's a deal and provides hours of dyeing fun.

I was an indigo novice, but under Emily's tutelage it was a piece of cake. Follow the package directions and mix the dye in a bucket. Let it sit for a few and you are ready to turn everything you own blue. We laundered our fabrics before dyeing to remove any sizing from the fabric. I did a few tied pieces of fabric. I used twine and rubber bands to hold accordion folds in place and dropped the whole thing in and gave it a few stirs. The color saturation depends on how long you leave the fabric in the dye. I suggest making a few test pieces. I kept mine in for 5-10 mins and dipped a couple twice for more intensive color. When you are ready, remove the fabric from the dye bath (wear rubber gloves, or have blue hands...your choice) and squeeze excess dye back into the pot. Undo the ties and hang to dry. The color will develop more as the cloth dries.

Like I said. Magic.

Next we did something that was completely new to me. It was a dyeing method that Emily had done before with our friend Lisa, owner of Baubles & Beads in Berkeley, CA. I had seen the results and loved the effect.

First you start with a piece of fabric, shirt, pillowcase... whatever. Wet it in a pot of soda ash solution to prepare it for the dye and then tie, fold, pleat or just bunch your fabric on a surface that will allow draining- like a baking rack on sawhorses.

 Like this.

 We used this dye from Dharma. It's a powdered dye. It comes in a bazillion colors. Find them all here. It was really easy to use.

 Lay your bunched or tied fabric on the rack and cover it with ice cubes. Then get a plastic spoon and sprinkle the dye on the ice. I used about three colors per piece. Don't use too much. Just a light sprinkle over the ice. as it melts, the ice distributes the dye. Add more ice and dye as needed to saturate the fabric. It's a pretty loose process. Just let the muse move you. We left our stuff for a couple of hours. The heavier canvas took a bit longer and a bit more ice and dye.

You can see how the color spreads when the ice melts. When it looks good, untie the bundle if needed and rinse until water runs clear. We washed all of ours in the washing machine with the recommended detergent and done! We washed the indigo together and the other like colors together. The detergent helps to set the colors and prevent the dye from running.

From this...

...to this. This is a t-shirt that my husband made.

More finished pieces...

 on cotton.

And canvas. Looking forward to the "next steps" with these pieces of cloth.

I see a lot of cool tote bags in the future. I'll keep you posted.

You can do it! Drill holes in stones.

Seriously. Nothing gives me a bigger feeling of accomplishment than drilling a hole in a stone. I mean, the possibilities are endless if you can drill a stone. You can make a hole bigger to wrap with heavy-gauge wire. You can use a pebble that you found to make a pendant or drill a bead to rivet on a ring. Like this.

I have been working on this technique to add to the projects in my upcoming book (Spring 2016, FYI. More details to come) but I wanted to share some tips with you, since drilling is such a handy skill to master.

I use these diamond drill bits found in my Etsy store. Use them in your Dremel, flex shaft or drill press. Here are some tips to consider when drilling:

• Always use diamond drill bits wet. Use an old plastic container as a water reservoir. Hold the stone that you are drilling underwater close to the surface and drill. 
• If it's not possible to drill underwater, dip the tip of the drill frequently (very frequently) in water to keep it cool and lubricated. Also dip the object being drilled. If you see dark grey colored dust around the hole as you are drilling, that means that the drill and object are too hot and you are close to breaking your project and drill. Dip immediately if this happens.
• Hold the drill bit at a 45-degree angle as you begin to drill. Apply slight pressure and as the drill begins to pierce the surface, rotate the tool upright to 90-degrees and continue to drill. This will provide a "seat" for the drill bit and prevent it from skittering over the surface of the piece you are drilling. 
• Drilling makes dust. Wear a dust mask while you work to prevent breathing particles in.
• Wear safety glasses. Objects can fly right out of your hands as you drill. Take care to protect your eyes.

I have a class coming up that is all about drilling a variety of objects plus a whole bunch of techniques using the rotary tool. You can join me at BeadFest in August in my Pierce, Set, Texture and Polish: Rotary Tool Basics class on Thursday, August 20.  Check out all of the classes on their website. Class is filling, but there are a few spots left. 

I also have a FREE class coming up soon on Beaducation.com that demonstrates how to drill on a variety of pieces. I'll share it as soon as it is available.

I encourage to to give drilling a try. I know you have a rotary tool hanging around your tool box. Break it out and experiment! And don't forget to let me know how it goes.

Easy Metal Jewelry

Hurray! It's official. The latest issue of Easy Metal Magazine just came out and I have four projects featured in it.

Editor Denise Peck was also nice enough to do an interview with me that appears in the issue as well. I talk about how I got started in the biz and what is currently inspiring me. Thanks so much for the feature. It was really awesome of you! It also features a reprint of my "Ode to Portable Torches" from Jewelry Making Daily.

There are a great bunch of projects in this special issue. It's available in the Interweave Store and hits newsstands and craft stores today! Don't miss it.