New Toys Part 2

I've been having fun using another new tool I got for Christmas. It's a nifty riveting tool that pierces a hole in your component on one side and rivets it on the other. It works great! It can be put in a vise which I'm going to try next time because you really need three hands to hold several pieces of metal together and then turn the handle.

The hole is just a tiny 1/16 in so you need a small decorative rivet if your component has a bigger hole like the flowers I used. Originally I planned to rivet my enameled flowers but I realized I would need long rivets and I haven't bought those yet. So little money and so many supplies!!

I used a copper blank for the base and hammered it or stamped a pattern on it. Then I colored it with alcohol inks for a subtle touch of color. Then I riveted the flowers to the pierced base.
I love how these came out!!

New Toys

I've been having a hard time getting motivated to refill  my Etsy supplies shop with the enameled clasps that have been my best sellers. Every day after work I go for a walk, try to make a healthy dinner, clean up, and then I'm done for the day. The walking has been great for me and my focus on healthier foods and cooking has resulted in 20 lbs gone!! But my creative time seems limited. I'm sure many of you can relate. Anyway, enough whining. I spent this afternoon playing with my new toy, a Swanstrom disc cutter. 

it's a thing of beauty!!

It was surprisingly easy to learn how to use. It required more muscle with the brass hammer than I thought it would, but I was cutting through 18 gauge copper.

looks like something John Henry used

 This tool will make the blanks for my pendants and toggle clasps in a snap and also makes washers, stamping components, etc. Tomorrow, no excuses, I'm doing some enameling!! After I go to church, pay the bills, take a walk, vacuum.........see what I mean?

here is what I made today and it was easy!