EtsyMetal Blog Carnival - April 2012

It's been a while since I last participated in EtsyMetal's Blog Carnival.  The team chooses one topic that we would write about for the first Monday of the month.  This month's topic is "Nobody's Perfect". 

I have to admit, I usually spend time to think and/or sketch a design before I start working a piece.  A lot of times, it works out exactly how I imagined it, but a lot of times...well, let's say, things happen.  LOL

Just the other day, I made some simple bezel set gemstone post earrings.  I didn't want to have a puddle of solder at the base of the posts, so I was being careful not to put too much solder.  I was so happy everything worked out just right, and threw the settings in the tumbler to bring a high shine to them.  I use the tumbler for 2 reasons:  to harden the posts after heating and to see if the solder joins can withstand the forces of tumbling in steel shots.  Well, they came out nice and bright, and I went ahead and set the stones.  Well, lo and behold, one of the posts snapped off when I did a final test by tugging gently with pliers.

Aquamarine Post Earrings

Well, I know that once the stone is set, I can't introduce heat anymore.  So what to do?

Aquamarine Earring turned into a Pendant

I refinished the back of the earring where the post came off and made it into a matching pendant.  The jump ring bail was carefully soldered close while I put the stone, face down on a heat sink pad.  After that, I made a new single earring for replacement.  This turned out quite well, so I made another matching set using garnets.

Here are the 2 matching sets of earrings and pendants.

Lessons learned here are:

• Use a little more solder than the snippets I cut 
• Test the earring posts thoroughly before setting the stones
• As makers, we have to remain open with our designs and adapt with surprise accidents.

See what my other teammates have to say about this topic:
1. Silentgoddess - http://silentgoddess.blogspot.com
2. Gracebourne - http://gracebourne.blogspot.com/
3. 2Roses - http://jewelrytutorial.blogspot.com
4. Inbar Bareket - http://www.inbarbareket.info/blog
5. Anne Walker - http://creativeinclinations.blogspot.com/
6. Beth Cyr - http://bcyrjewelry.blogspot.com
7. wildflowerdesigns - http://wildflowerdesigns.blogspot.com
8. Michele Grady Designs- http://michelegradydesigns.blogspot.com
9. Evelyn Markasky - http://markasky.blogspot.com/