This week, we’re shining the spotlight on the lovely and talented Adrianne Surian of Happy Hour Projects. Adrianne is a prolific lifestyle blogger with a large and loyal following. She shares easy to DIY tutorials all focused on projects you can make in under an hour, which is terrific for the short attention span crafter. She’s an avid metal stamping enthusiast and her tutorials are fabulous with detailed step by step photos, videos and lots of inspiring new techniques. Adrianne took some time to answer our five easy questions and she shares some great tips for success making metal stamped jewelry and DIY projects!
- When did you start making jewelry and why?
Forever and ever ago – truly. Like, macaroni necklace age. I really began to realize my interest in jewelry around age 8 when I learned to make paper beads, and when I made dozens and dozens of friendship bracelets. I played around with design concepts when I was about 10… not that the average 10-year-old oozes style, of course. I still remember a particularly interesting pair of earrings I made from a pair of miniature rubber frogs I talked my mom into buying me on a science museum trip. I’ve always leaned toward crafty, but jewelry is especially satisfying to make, because you can bring it with you, by wearing it!
- What is your favorite source for jewelry making inspiration?
It’s usually the components themselves! A lot of times, I’ll get my hands on a specific piece – a bead, a charm, a certain shape – and I’ll get an idea to evolve it. Though I’m not going to lie, every time I’m out shopping, I have to take a peek at the new trends!
- What advice do you have for folks just starting out?
Regarding design itself – if you enjoy it, then push your limits. Not every piece has to be perfect, allow yourself a learning curve. And put your own spin on any design that inspires you. You don’t ever have to make exactly what someone else does. Adding your own touch makes your piece truly one of a kind and that much more special.
If you do enjoy it… well, it’s like any hobby. You will end up with an enormous stash. So get organized early, and keep tabs on what you’ve got. It will save you money when you’re eyeing something fabulous… and can’t remember if you already bought it or not, haha. Not that that has happened, of course… ahem.
- What tips or tricks can you share for successful metal stamping?
If you’re just starting out, then practice, practice, practice. Seriously. Keep with it. You’ll improve. In the early days, I was all over the place. I wrecked a lot of blanks. In fact, I still have them. I save my bad blanks for practice if it’s been a while since I’ve gotten the hammer out! It’s a great way to brush up my spacing and consistency before wasting a new blank – and it shows if it’s been a while since I stamped.
My other advice for beginners is: you won’t hit your hand. So don’t worry about it! Early on, my hesitation showed in the final product, and it’s because I was worried about exactly that.
If you’ve conquered the beginners’ hurdles, then my next advice is to step it up. Think outside your letter set. Think textures, shapes, and the other things that metal is, and what it can do. Once I started stamping spoons, I crossed over into a different way of thinking about stamping. The next thing I stamped was a copper sheet roof for a birdhouse. I’m starting to believe that there’s anything that can’t be stamped. Seriously. I will find a way.
- Where can our readers find you?
I blog at Happy Hour Projects. My focus is tutorials and inspiration geared toward beginners, and I’ve been talking about my experience since I was a beginner myself!
You can visit Adrianne Surian at her website Happy Hour Projects and her social pages. You can find the links below! We’ll be back on Wednesday with more metal stamping inspiration!
Happy Hour ProjectsWebsite
Happy Hour Projects Website Stamping Tutorials
YouTube
Cheers,
Margot and Avalon
