I can make metal stamped jewelry

Tag: metal stamping artist

Artist Spotlight: Barbe Saint John

Meet metal smith and jewelry artist Barbe Saint John! Barbe has recently launched a new line of mid-century modern inspired jewelry that is exceptional in design and artistry. Her former line, Saints and Sinners was on the cutting edge of the mixed media/assemblage jewelry trend. We’ve been fans of her work for years and we were tickled pink when she agreed to answer our Five Easy Questions! Here are here insightful replies!

When did you start making jewelry and why?

I got started being creative at an early age-I was making very simple Barbie dresses with my Mom when I was 4, and my Grandmother taught me to crochet when I was 5. My Grandmother was very into fashion and jewelry. It was her love of adornment that got me interested. She would give me her broken bead necklaces to string my own, and brought me a bead loom back from Arizona when I was about 8 yrs old. I’ve been making jewelry ever since.

What is your favorite source for jewelry making inspiration?

I have a great deal of diverse interests and hobbies so those are often my main inspirations. I currently have two lines of work. With my mixed media jewelry and art; my core inspirations are vintage fashions, science, archeology, Egyptology, and all things paranormal, weird or a bit mad. On the other hand, my modern jewelry line is inspired by mid-century art, artists and pop culture.

What advice do you have for folks just starting out?

First and foremost-buy the best tools you can afford. You don’t have to immediately invest in jeweler quality tools, but having good quality/mid-price range tools will save you frustration. Also, they will last you for years and you can slowly upgrade them to better tools over time. Also, practice and play with your materials often! Students and beginners get upset they didn’t make a “perfect” piece on their first try. It’s by practicing and playing, that you learn the skills and dexterity needed for jewelry making and you also will start to hone your own style/voice that way too.

What tips or tricks can you share for successful metal stamping?

The Stamp Straight Tape” target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow”>Stamp Straight Tape has been a godsend for me!! I use to use multiple layers of duct tape, but that’s time consuming and leaves gummy residue on your block. Stamp Straight tape is thick enough you can “feel” it when you position your stamp and you don’t have to layer it. It’s sticky enough to hold but doesn’t leave a gummy residue on your block or blank. Also-practice makes perfect! Save your blanks and get a small sheet of 22g copper from a hobby or craft store. Lay down a few strips of Stamp Straight Tape and start hammering. You’ll quickly learn how to feel for the tape with your stamp, what the best distance between letters is, etc.

Where can our readers find you?

You can find me online at my website, blog, Etsy, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Modern Metal’s Pinterest.

Take a moment to visit Barbe Saint John and show her a little love. I guarantee you are going to be impressed with her work! Tune in Monday for a new DIY metal stamping tutorial!

Happy Stamping,
Margot and Avalon

(*This post contains an affiliate link, if you click on the link and make a purchase we get a small percentage of the sale.)

February 13, 2025
Metal Stamping Artist Spotlight: Erin Prais-Hintz

Today we’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on one of our favorite jewelry designers, Erin Prais-Hintz. We’ll be introducing you to more jewelry artists over the coming months and they’ve all got their own spin on metal stamping and design. Erin was kind enough to agree to answer our “Five Easy Questions” and share some of her stunning jewelry designs with us. Without further ado, here’s Erin!

1. When did you start making jewelry and why?

I like to say that I started with my first macaroni necklace. But truthfully I dabbled in it from college on. I didn’t discover the joy of designing jewelry until my college roommate was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. I had a vision of a charm bracelet with healing gemstones, each telling a story. I did the research and bought the best stones I could find, then I proceeded to wire wrap each stone to that bracelet chain. By the end I had wrapped about 120 gemstones and the last was far superior to the first! It was then that I realized that I loved to tell the unique story of the wearer through my artisan designs. I believe that life is too short to eat cheap chocolate, drink bad wine or wear department store jewelry. When you can tell your story through your adornments, you create a style all your own.

2. What is your favorite source for jewelry making inspiration?

Inspiration is everywhere! It might be the swirls on my bedspread, the frost on my windows, the colors of a sunset, or the turn of phrase in a poem. I was plodding along making pretty things that really didn’t have a connection to a story, until I found the Art Bead Scene. That site introduced me to the idea that you can make jewelry inspired by a master work of art. I was introduced to art beads through this as well and I have been hooked ever since! In fact, I have been an editor at the Art Bead Scene since 2010. I also write for other blogs like Earrings Everyday, and my own blog, Treasures Found :: Inspiration is Everywhere. I love to share stories of inspiration and connect people to their innate creativity.

3. What advice do you have for folks just starting out?

Invest in the best tools and materials that you can afford. But don’t overlook that anything can be made into something delightful, often with nothing more than your own two hands! Practice, practice and practice! Once you learn a few basics you can be off and running with your new hobby, but there are a lot of really great things that you might want to achieve that can only be done through practice. Stamping is a prime example. I am still perfecting the art of stamping in a straight line (luckily, I like wonky!). Once you find the style that suits you, expect to keep perfecting it and pushing your creative boundaries. I started at the beginning just like you!

4. What tips or tricks can you share for successful metal stamping?

Take your time and plan it out! I am very impatient and I frequently just barrel ahead. I am not so concerned if my stamped pieces are perfectly straight, but there is no excuse for grabbing your stamp the wrong way and striking the letter upside down, or the wrong letter altogether! Before I stamp I write it down, I take a deep breath, and I never, ever close my eyes when I am about to strike the hammer!

5. Where can our readers find you?

www.tesoritrovati.com – my web store that includes any jewelry I have for sale as well as my popular line of custom, made-to-order Simple Truths pendants and charms, most of which include messages that are stamped in clay
www.tesoritrovati.etsy.com – my Etsy shop that is for one of a kind, one offs and samples of my Simple Truths line that are ready to ship
http://treasures-found.blogspot.com – my blog where I write about finding inspiration everywhere.
www.facebook.com/tesoritrovati – I am not the most active on Facebook, but I do share news about Tesori Trovati here.

Make sure you visit Erin Prais-Hintz at the links above and check out her amazing design work. Not only is she an inspiring designer, she’s an inspiring woman who lifts others up with her kind comments and positive outlook. The world needs more people like Erin who signs her emails “Every day may not be good, but there is something good in every day.” ~ Anonymous

Indeed!

December 4, 2023
Artist Spotlight: Amy Latta
It’s time to shine our spotlight on another talented metal stamping artist! This week we’re thrilled to introduce you to Amy Latta of One Artsy Mama. This powerhouse of creativity dishes up a cornucopia of tempting DIY on her blog One Artsy Mama every week. She’s creative, she’s generous and she keeps it real. We think you’re going to adore her! Amy took some time out of her busy schedule to answer our Five Easy Questions about metal stamping.
1. When did you start making jewelry and why?
For years, I thought it would be awesome to be able to make my own jewelry, and I had even accumulated a few supplies to give it a try, but it wasn’t until my friend Jess who is a skilled jewelry maker sat down with me in April of 2011 and walked me through the basic steps of making wire loops that I really got started with the hobby. Once I got the hang of it, I wanted to try everything…every technique, every type of jewelry I could. I’d seen all kinds of gorgeous metal stamped jewelry on Pinterest and was really excited to give that a try, so for Christmas that year, I asked for a hammer, a block, some blanks, and some stamps. I started playing around with them on Christmas Day and haven’t stopped ever since! Besides the fact that it’s fun being able to create something that matches any outfit, I love being able to make very personal gifts {and pieces for myself}; things that represent families, favorite quotes, or anything meaningful.
1. What is your favorite source for jewelry making inspiration?
My go-to sources for inspiration are Pinterest, Craftgawker, and other blogs. There are so many beautiful things out there, and once I see a piece I love, I like to figure out what technique someone used and then take the basic idea and adapt it to be meaningful for me. I almost never just copy another design; instead I take what I like about the inspiration piece and then build my own version.
1. What advice do you have for folks just starting out?
My best advice would be to try as many techniques as you can because you never know which ones you’ll fall in love with. Also, don’t be put off by the initial investment for the tools you need because once you have them, you will use and reuse them for a very long time. Once they’re part of your stash, you can make new pieces for practically nothing, because you already have what you need. Oh, and don’t judge yourself by a standard of perfection. Those little imperfections are what give handmade pieces a beauty all their own that you won’t find in pieces that are mass-produced by machines.
1. What tips or tricks can you share for successful metal stamping?
Honestly, my best tip is to use Soft Strike blanks. ImpressArt makes them out of pewter and Alkemé, and they are a real game changer. They are SO much easier to stamp on and get a deep, clean impression. You will feel much more successful using them because when you stamp on harder metals, sometimes you’ll only get one part of your design to stamp clearly, which is a real pain. Trust me. My other top tip is to always tape your blank in place before stamping. You may not think so, but it will move. Just ask Margot…she can tell you how mine went flying right there on the show floor at CHA because I didn’t have tape. True {and embarrassing} story.
1. Where can our readers find you?
I would love for you to stop by my blog, One Artsy Mama, and visit me anytime! I share Honest Inspiration for Everyday Life, which includes all kinds of craft projects, kids’ projects, DIY jewelry, fashion tips, crochet tutorials, and more. I’m also on just about every social media channel out there, and I share tons of adorable photos of my five year old Little Crafter on Instagram, so you should totally follow along! I’m currently in the exciting process of designing a handbag with Galian Handbags in NYC, and I’m often asking for feedback on my Facebook page, so that would be a fun place to join the discussion too! Hope to see you there!

Website

Facebook

Twitter @oneartmama

Instagram: @oneartsymama

Pinterest

Thank you to Amy Latta for answering our five easy questions! Take a moment to visit her on the web, she’s a powerhouse. Thank you for visiting, make sure you come back Friday for a 10 Minute DIY project that is absolutely perfect for Mother’s Day!

Cheers,
Margot and Avalon
December 9, 2021
Artist Spotlight: Karen Roark

We’re shining the spotlight on another talented metal stamping artist, the delightful Karen Roark of I Always Pick the Thimble! Karen throws down a dazzling array of delicious DIY from kitting to home decor to jewelry making on her blog. She’s a former Interior Architect who switched gears to open the retail store Urban Arts and Crafts in Kansas City, Missouri. Her metal stamped designs are sensational and she dishes up some terrific tips for metal stamping success in her posts. Please stop by her blog and social sites and show her a little love. Karen was kind enough to answer our Five Easy Questions, here are her insightful answers!

(Get the tutorial for Karen’s stunning DIY Believe and Let Go bracelet!)

Five Easy Questions

When did you start making jewelry and why?

I’ve been making jewelry for close to 10 years and metal stamping for about 4. It all began when I started seeing jewelry in clothing catalogs that I thought I could make for less – and I could! Metal stamping became an extension of my jewelry making because it’s so easy to personalize and incorporate into all types of jewelry pieces.

What is your favorite source for jewelry making inspiration?

I look through Sundance catalog for inspiration. I like working with metal, leather and natural stones and many of their pieces feature those materials.

What advice do you have for folks just starting out?

A good set of ergonomic jewelry making tools can make a world of difference! They can be a little pricey, but your hands will thank you. If you work with wire or headpins, your wire-wrapping techniques will improve as well.

What tips or tricks can you share for successful metal stamping?

Well, first of all, it’s probably not going to be perfect, and that’s o.k.. Don’t sweat it. You don’t want it to look machine made anyway, right? That being said, I always write out what I want to stamp on paper before I start. It helps prevent misspelling “typo’s’” or I guess in this case “stampo’s”! Before stamping, I draw light pencil lines and spacing marks on the metal pendants to help with alignment. Also, don’t be afraid to use the front and back of your “oops” pendants for practice. I will help increase your confidence before starting. The rest just takes a little practice.

Where can our readers find you?

I Always Pick the Thimble

Pinterest

Google+

Twitter

Urban Arts + Crafts Facebook

Big love to Karen Roark for stopping by and sharing some great advice! Check back Friday for some tips and techniques with a super simple DIY! We’re working on all kinds of good stuff behind the scenes, so stay tuned.

Happy Stamping,
Margot and Avalon

May 23, 2020