Mojo Challenge Week 3: Embossing, Etching, Enameling, Oh My!

Mojo Challenge Week 3: Back to School

Browsing Lima Beads for new metal shapes for embossing with my Bigkick, I happened to come across a little tutorial on enameling powders. What caught my eye was a tool -- a heating tool already sitting on my shelf, gifted to me from my friend Margot Potter! 

For months it has sat waiting patiently to be discovered. I had no idea that the key to open the door to enameling was right there, handed to me by the creative and wonderful Margot! I learned the tool I had will shrink plastic, melt embossing and enameling powders, dry glues, paints and inks, and is NOT a hair dryer! 

I quickly bought several shades of embossing enamel powders and more cool shaped blanks.I discovered that embossing enamels can even be used in molds and some can safely coat paper and fiber, as well as metals, for more adventures in decorative arts! 

Everything I bought arrived this week, and I am so excited! I love coloring my embossed metal work with Lisa Liddy patina and LOS, but now I'll be trying color in ways I've so admired in other's work and thought only possible with a torch -- something I honestly fear using. I never dreamed of enameling without flame, and I'm ready to give this a try! I love metal work: creating my own rings, chain maille, embossing & etching. I'm excited to see how enamel may (or may not) take my metal work to another level of creating completely handcrafted jewelry arts work!

My metal work components -- what will enameling bring? 

The link up is closing, so I'll update my post with results asap :) Thanks Margot for that cool tool and thanks fairies of the universe for showing me how enameling does not have to take place in a fancy studio with flame on iron metal only. There are alternatives, and now I know enameling powders can become very cool art jewelry components!