I can make metal stamped jewelry

Tag: metal stamping basics

10 Minute Craft: Queen Bee Earrings

Got ten minutes? Then you’ve got enough time to make these punny earrings and show ’em who’s Queen Bee. Heck, you can make up a whole hive’s worth! In fact, you can make these Queen Bee Earrings in just three easy steps, just stamp, ink, connect and wear! Even the busiest gal has time for that. And don’t be afraid, the new Soft Strike pewter stamping blanks from ImpressArt make it easy to make a great first impression. You got this!

What you need:

2 ImpressArt Stamping Blank Washer, 15/16-Inch, Pewter
2 Fine Silver Plated Pewter Small Honey Bee Charms
2 Beadalon 10-MM Jump Ring, Silver Plated
2 Beadalon Dapped and Spring Ear Wire, Silver Plated
ImpressArt Newsprint Stamps in Lowercase and Uppercase
ImpressArt 2 by 2-Inch Steel Block
Ergo-Angle Metal Stamping Hammer
ImpressArt Stamp Straight Tape
ImpressArt Bent Nose Pliers
ImpressArt Chain Nose Pliers
Cotton swab
Paper towel

Step one: Stamp ‘Q u e e n’ on each blank. Start at the bottom center with the letter ‘e’ and work up each side, spacing your letters evenly as in photo. Step two: Use cotton swab to dab ink into letters. Wipe excess off of surface with paper towel, leaving ink in the stamped areas. Step three: Connect the washer, charm and ear wire in that order to a 10mm jump ring using the bent and chain nose pliers. You may need to gently turn the loop at the bottom of your ear wire so they hang forward. Step four: Wear them with pride because you made them!

“You can call me Queen Bee,
and baby I’ll rule, I’ll rule,
let me live that fantasy.”
Lorde

These Queen Bee Earrings would make a lovely Mother’s Day gift too, I’m just sayin’.

Cheers,
Madge

*DIY Project Policy: Our tutorials are meant for your creative inspiration. Feel free to make and gift or wear these designs. Please make sure that you give credit to us as the designer if you make and share these designs on your blog or social sites. Please do not make and sell copies of our designs or sell them as kits. Please do not teach these designs as classes for profit. This is how we make our living and we ask that you respect our creativity and the time it takes to design, photograph and write these free tutorials. You may use a single photograph from each project online in blog round-ups or blog posts ONLY if you include a direct link back to our tutorial. Any use of these designs for retail sale for profit online in places like Etsy or eBay or in retail bricks and mortar, flea markets or outdoor fairs is not permitted. Thank you!

(FTC DISCLOSURE: *This post contains affiliate links, if you click on a link and make a purchase we get a small percentage of the sale. The blogger is employed by ImpressArt, but this is her personal blog. All opinions are 100% her own!)

March 22, 2024
Basic Metal Stamping 1 2 3

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

Metal stamping 1 2 3, it’s really that easy. Here’s what you need to get started!

Brass Stamping Hammer
(I prefer a brass hammer to steel, brass is softer and disperses or transfers the energy of the hit into the blank preventing skipping or ghost impressions)

Metal Stamps

Steel Block

Stamp Straight Tape

Acrylic Enamel Paint

Metal Stamping Blanks (Try aluminum when you start out, it’s softer and easier to stamp than base metal and it’s less expensive.)

And here are the basic steps:

Step One:

Plan out your word, line up your stamps and make sure that the word will fit on the blank. Tape the blank to the bench block and start in the center working out from there.

Step Two:

Hold your stamp so it is in full contact with the surface of the blank. Make sure it’s straight, not tilted! Keep your fingers away from the top of the stamp. Give your stamp one good hit, don’t stamp more than once to avoid skipping or double impressions. Stamp your word, keep the stamps lined up to the top of the tape. You can angle the alignment of your stamps for a more whimsical effect. If you are worried about spacing, draw marks on the tape to line up your letters or even mark directly on your metal blank with a pencil.

Step Three:

Add color with a permanent marker, wipe clean with a dry cloth before the marker sets.

OR

Use acrylic paint instead, giving it a few seconds to set before wiping the surface.

And that’s Metal Stamping 1 2 3. You got this!

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October 1, 2023
DIY Atlas Pendants

No matter where you roam, home is where your heart is. Show your love for the place you call home with these DIY Atlas Pendants. We used vintage atlas pages, you can find these at thrift stores, flea markets or yard sales. Or you could print out an image of the place you call home on a map to size. Add a stamped metal charm, tiny paper heart and some decoupage medium and you can wear your heart around your neck any time you feel a little homesick. (Want to get started metal stamping? We’re GIVING AWAY a kit with everything you need to get started this week!)

Materials:

1.5″ acrylic circle pendant
1/5″ punched atlas page circle
Red card stock
Collage Pauge Instant Decoupage Glossy
Folk Art Enamel Acrylic Paint, Licorice
Brass Heart Stamping Blank
Beacon Zip Dry Paper Glue
Large Circle Punch
10mm Silver Tone Jump Ring
Ball Chain with Connector
1/16″ Metal Stamp Uppercase Letters
Awl
ImpressArt Brass Stamping Hammer
ImpressArt Steel Stamping Block
Impress Art Stamp Straight Tape
Toothpick
Cotton swab
Paper towel

Amazon.com Widgets

Amazon.com Widgets

Step one: Tape your blank to your bench block. Slide stamps down to top of tape, start in center and stamp to edges. The letter ‘m’ should be in the center because you’re adding a period. Use an awl or punctuation stamp to add the period. Step two: Dab paint into letters. Let paint set for 30-40 seconds. Wipe off excess on surface. Step three: Punch or cut the atlas circle to fit pendant. Fold red card stock and use small scissors to hand cut tiny heart. Step four: Use a toothpick to apply a small dab of paper glue to back of heart. Press heart on to the area of atlas you want to highlight. Allow to dry. Step five: Add a thin layer of decoupage medium to back of pendant and front of atlas paper. Press together, gently pressing out any bubbles with fingertips. Allow to dry, paint a second coat of decoupage medium. Allow this to dry overnight. Step six: Use chain nose pliers to connect stamped pendant to acrylic pendant. Attach to your ball chain.

These are simple to make and fun to wear. They make fabulous gifts for students heading off to college! Make a map full of DIY Atlas Pendants for family and friends. We’d love to know where you hang your heart, tell us in the comments.

Cheers,
Margot and Avalon

*DIY Project Policy: Our tutorials are meant for your creative inspiration. Feel free to make and gift or wear these designs. Please make sure that you give credit to us as the designer if you make and share these designs on your blog or social sites. Please do not make and sell copies of our designs or sell them as kits. Please do not teach these designs as classes for profit. This is how we make our living and we ask that you respect our creativity and the time it takes to design, photograph and write these free tutorials. You may use a single photograph from each project online in blog round-ups or blog posts ONLY if you include a direct link back to our tutorial. Any use of these designs for retail sale for profit online in places like Etsy or eBay or in retail bricks and mortar, flea markets or outdoor fairs is not permitted. Thank you!

(FTC DISCLOSURE: *This post contains affiliate links, if you click on a link and make a purchase we get a small percentage of the sale. The blogger is employed by ImpressArt, but this is her personal blog. All opinions are 100% her own!)

February 10, 2023
Embracing Imperfection in Metal Stamping

I was hosting metal stamping make and takes at a big trade show last month when a woman walked up to the podium. I could tell she was a perfectionist, she was very concerned with getting it right. It took her far longer than most to stamp the three tiny pieces of metal with one letter. She was becoming increasingly flustered.

“How do I make this perfect?” She asked.

“You don’t.” I answered, pausing. “If you want perfect, get a cast metal or laser inscribed piece of jewelry. This is metal stamping, it’s done my hand, it’s meant to have some imperfection.”

“I want it to be perfect.” She pouted.

I couldn’t help her. This was something in her head that I simply couldn’t fix. Some people are not capable of embracing imperfection in metal stamping or life in general. Which is funny, considering most things are imperfect. I find imperfection beautiful. Flaws, scars, asymmetry and inconsistencies fascinate me. I am not afraid of imperfection, I embrace it. Yet, I have to admit that sometimes even I look at my metal stamped pieces so intensely, that I begin to fall into the ‘it’s not perfect’ trap.

Then I let that go. Walk away, come back with fresh eyes and most of the time those tiny flaws have disappeared. There are a few things you can do to approach this. One approach is to intentionally skew the placement of your letters. If you make them cattywompus on purpose, then ‘perfect’ loses meaning. Plus, angling your letters adds a lovely touch of whimsy. Here’s an example of a cattywompus design.:

(You can get the instructions to make these earrings on the ImpressArt website.)

If that isn’t your style, there are ways to line up your letters, plan your spacing and get more consistent results. Using tape to hold the blank and placing the top of the tape just below where you want to stamp offers a guideline, marking the tape with equally spaced lines helps with spacing, making sure the words you want to stamp fit the width and height of the piece prevents running out of room, marking letter placement with a pencil offers a removable guideline, starting in the center and working to each side keeps your words centered. I like these tips and tricks from I Always Choose the Thimble on stamping and kerning, which utilizes techniques from typesetting. Here is a piece I stamped marking the tape and sliding the blank down to the top of the tape:

It’s easier to stamp straight lines than along curves, but with a little practice and making sure the stamps are curved you can achieve lovely results. Here’s a curved design, using the petals helped with the placement, it was easier to center the stamps:

As you can see, even my best efforts are not perfect and I am fine with that. When you’re first starting out with stamping, using thin rectangular blanks is much easier whether you’re stamping horizontally or vertically. There isn’t much room for error and that’s a good thing! Practicing on thin metal strips is another way to work on your technique. With metal stamping, practice doesn’t make perfect, but it definitely makes you more consistent.

My advice, embracing imperfection in metal stamping is the key to enjoying it! Nothing will make you crazier than trying to force perfection on something that isn’t designed for it. After all, that imperfection is how you know it’s been hand made.

Cheers,
Madge

(Disclosure: Affiliate link below, if you buy this kit, I get a small percentage of the sale.)

Want to get started metal stamping? Here’s a great starter kit from ImpressArt and PJ Tool Jewelry:

January 23, 2023
DIY Lucky Charm Metal Stamped Necklace

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We’ve got a DIY Lucky Charm Metal Stamped Necklace that you can make and wear anytime you need to feel lucky. You’ll learn how to make the charm and how to create a coiled and beaded chain in this easy tutorial. Get kisses, not pinches, when you sport this on the town.

Here’s what you need:
ImpressArt SoftStrike Pewter 15/16″ Circle Blank
4mm Swarovski Crystals in Shades of Green
4mm Oval Freshwater Pearls
Daisy Spacer Metal Bead, 4mm
Shamrock Charm Bead
4 Beadalon Jump Rings 6mm Silver Plated
Beadalon 10-MM Jump Ring
Beadalon Ball Pin Medium Head Pins
German Style Wire, Round, Silver Plated, 24 gauge
Folk Art Enamel 2-Ounce Acrylic Paint, Licorice
Folk Art Enamel 2-Ounce Acrylic Paint, Evergreen
Beadalon Chain
Toggle Clasp
ImpressArt- 6mm, Four Leaf Clover Metal Stamp
ImpressArt Basic Metal Stamp Set, Uppercase, 3mm
Ergo-Angle Metal Stamping Hammer
ImpressArt 2 by 2-Inch Steel Block
ImpressArt Stamp Straight Tape
Round Nose Pliers
ImpressArt Bent Nose Pliers
ImpressArt Chain Nose Pliers
ImpressArt Flush Cutters

Step one: Stamp the clover in center of blank. Stamp around the edges, spacing the letters out and turning the block to face you as you stamp. Start in the center, working your way up both sides to spell Lucky Charm.

Step two: Use your fingertip or a cotton swab to wipe a small amount of paint into the clover. Let sit for 30 seconds, wipe off surface leaving paint in stamped area. Try to avoid getting green paint in the letters.

Step Three: Use your fingertip or a cotton swab to rub black enamel paint into letters. Allow to sit for 30 seconds and wipe paint off of surface.

Step Four: Use beads and a pearl to make beaded charms.

Step Five: Make your first coiled bead in your beaded chain. You’ll need to make wrapped coils on both ends. If you don’t know how to make coils, here’s a video tutorial.

Step Six: This is what the coiled bead should look like!

Step seven: To make the second coiled bead, make a finished coil on one end. Start your loop on the other end, thread it into one side of the first coiled bead, finish wrapping to connect them. Keep going, alternating between crystals and pearls on both sides for a total of four pearls and four crystals.

Step Eight: This is your finished chain. The pendant will hang between the two pearls in the front.

Step Nine: Connect the beaded chain to two chain lengths using jump rings. Finish the chain with a clasp. The toggle bar should be attached directly to the final chain link, you can open and close it with your pliers. The circle end is attached with a jump ring.

Step Ten: This is the front half of your necklace. Attach the stamped charm with a 10mm jump ring and the dangles all hang in between the first crystal and second pearl on the left side of the design. That’s it! Simply charming, yes?

We hope you enjoy making and wearing this Lucky Charm Metal Stamped Necklace as much as we do! Happy St. Patty’s Day from our home to yours.

Cheers,
Margot and Avalon

*DIY Project Policy: Our tutorials are meant for your creative inspiration. Feel free to make and gift or wear these designs. Please make sure that you give credit to us as the designer if you make and share these designs on your blog or social sites. Please do not make and sell copies of our designs or sell them as kits. Please do not teach these designs as classes for profit. This is how we make our living and we ask that you respect our creativity and the time it takes to design, photograph and write these free tutorials. You may use a single photograph from each project online if you include a direct link back to our tutorial. Any use of these designs for retail sale for profit online in places like Etsy or eBay or in retail bricks and mortar, flea markets or outdoor fairs is not permitted. Thank you!

January 14, 2023
DIY Metal Stamped Silverware Garden Markers

We’ve seen a lot of metal stamped silverware trending over the past year on the web. It’s such fun, we had to try it ourselves. Check back Friday for a round-up post. Great news, ImpressArt recently debuted a new line of premium metal stamps with a lifetime guarantee for use with harder metals like stainless steel. We used our regular ImpressArt stamps, but if you plan on making a garden full of these, the premium stamps will withstand the punishment. Over time, regular and especially economy stamps will show signs of wear if used on hard metals like the stainless steel in silverware. We scored our spoons for a quarter at a local thrift shop, which makes this a fun upcycled project. Here’s how you can stamp your own spoons (or forks and knives!)

*You will need:

Thrift shop spoon
ImpressArt Lowercase Stamp Set, 3mm, Bridgette stamps lower case or ImpressArt Newsprint Lowercase Alphabet Metal Stamps- New Case stamps lower case
5 pound sledge hammer
ImpressArt 2 by 2-Inch Steel Block
Basement Floor or other Concrete Slab
ImpressArt Stamp Straight Tape
Folk Art Enamel Acrylic Paint, Licorice
Cotton swab
Paper towel

Step one: It’s much easier to stamp the spoons if they’re flattened. You can use a regular hammer, but they end up looking pretty rustic (meaning lumpy) that way. My hubby used a sledgehammer in our basement, it took a few hits to take the spoon from round to flat, but using a towel to protect it left the surface smooth when finished. Step two: I stamped “bloom where you’re planted” on the spoon, so I started just below the center with the word you’re. (The punctuation marks are both in the Bridgette lower case set.) Tape the spoon down, start stamping in the center of each word and work your way out and then up and down. You’ll need to move the tape for each word. You need a very firm grip on your stamps to prevent them from skipping. Hit each letter 2-3 times in a row (usually we recommend one good hit but stainless is much harder than regular metal blanks.) Step three: Here’s what the spoon should look like when you finish stamping. Step four: Use black enamel paint to help the letters stand out. The impressions won’t be very deep, so the paint won’t pop as much as it does on other blanks. Use cotton swab to dig paint into letters. Let it sit for about 3o seconds. Wipe off the excess paint with a paper towel.

That’s it! Make a garden full of Metal Stamped Silverware! These make wonderful Mother’s Day and Wedding gifts and you can use this same technique to make jewelry. Stay tuned for more ideas with this technique in the future and come back Friday for a big metal stamped silverware round-up!

Cheers,
Margot and Avalon

*(FTC DISCLOSURE: There are affiliate links in this post. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we get a small percentage of the sale.)

August 25, 2022
DIY Metal Stamped Earrings

April showers may bring May flowers, but you can bring them even sooner by making these pretty May Flowers DIY Metal Stamped Earrings! Using a design stamp, texture hammer and ImpressArt‘s new SoftStrike blanks you can make stunning boutique chic jewelry in under 30 minutes. You’ll be amazed how easy it is to make these earrings and we’re going to show you how!

You will need:
(*DISCLOSURE)

2 ImpressArt, Pewter Stamping Blanks, River Stone
2 ImpressArt Stamping Blank Circle, 1.25-Inch, Alkeme
2 Beadalon Jump Ring 6mm Silver, Plated
2 Dapped and Spring Ear Wire, Nickel Free Silver Plate
Folk Art Enamel Acrylic Paint, Licorice
Ergo-Angle Metal Stamping Hammer
ImpressArt 2 by 2-Inch Steel Block
Texturing Hammer
ImpressArt Face Chasing Hammer
Double Metal Punch, 1.5mm & 2mm
ImpressArt- 6mm, Tulip Design Stamp
8 Punch Dapping Block Set
Paper towels

Step one: Center your tulip stamp making sure the entire stamp is in contact with the pewter blank. Strike top of stamp once with a firm tap. (Design Tip Don’t hit the stamp more than once to prevent skipped or ghost impressions.) Step two: Use the round end of a ball pein hammer to create texture around the edge of your blank. Step three: add a hole at the center bottom of your blank using the smaller side of the 2-hole punch. Step four: Swipe black acrylic paint, multi-surface paint or jewelry glaze across surface of blank. Allow it to set for a minute and then wipe clean with a paper towel.

Step five: Place blank in dapping block with stamped side facing up. Strike top of dapping tool with your brass hammer, moving the tool around in the dapping block to curve or round your blank. Step six: Strike the blank working from the edges into the center using the texture hammer. Alternate the placement of the hammer so you get a nice variety of marks. Step seven: Add paint. Step eight: Remove paint.

Step Nine: Use smaller side of 2-hole punch to add a hole to the top of each of your textured blanks. Step Ten: Attach the blanks together as shown using pliers to open and close jump ring securely. Step Eleven: Attach ear wire to top of each earring. Step Twelve: Make two!

Would you make and wear these May Flowers DIY Metal Stamped Earrings? How would you style them? Let us know in the comments!

Cheers,
Margot and Avalon

(*FTC DISCLOSURE: There are affiliate links in this post, if you click on a link to make a purchase we get a small percentage of the sale. That’s how we keep the lights on, folks!)

*DIY Project Policy: Our tutorials are meant for your creative inspiration. Feel free to make and gift or wear these designs. Please make sure that you give credit to us as the designer if you make and share these designs on your blog or social sites. Please do not make and sell copies of our designs or sell them as kits. Please do not teach these designs as classes for profit. This is how we make our living and we ask that you respect our creativity and the time it takes to design, photograph and write these free tutorials. You may use a single photograph from each project online if you include a direct link back to our tutorial. Any use of these designs for retail sale for profit online in places like Etsy or eBay or in retail bricks and mortar, flea markets or outdoor fairs is not permitted. Thank you!

June 5, 2021
What You Need to Get Started Metal Stamping

If you are thinking about what it takes to get started metal stamping, there are a handful of essential tools. Here’s a list of our ‘must haves’ for success. You don’t have to buy all of these items, but we think having good tools is the best way to ensure good results. Nothing can turn you off faster than the frustration that comes from using bad tools and making big messes. We’ve talked about the technique basics before, but this is an in depth look at the tools and materials.

Metal Letter Stamps

Yes, it seems rather obvious that you’ll need metal stamps to get started metal stamping, but there are so many different metal stamps on the market that knowing which ones to buy can be confusing. If you’re just starting out and you aren’t ready to make a big investment, a good set of quality economy stamps with an easy to read font in 3mm size is a great place to start. I like to have lower case, upper case and numbers at hand. If you think metal stamping is something you’re going to really love, I’d suggest plated stamps that are also rated higher on the Rockwell Scale. This scale measures the indentation hardness of a metal, meaning this will tell you how deep the impressions will be from your metal stamp. This all depends on the surface you’re stamping and the force with which you stamp. It’s important that you know if you’re stamping into a softer metal like aluminum (a great place to start) or something very hard like stainless steel (this material can wear down your metal stamps over time, so you need stamps designed to handle it.) We published a metal stamping blank hardness chart last week. In the carousel below you’ll find links to a variety of stamps from economy to branded to premium. The prices are significantly different, so if your budget is tight, start with economy stamps and see where they take you. If you really get into stamping, you can also explore Design Stamps, something we’ll talk about in a future post.

Steel Bench Block

We highly suggest that you purchase a steel bench block for metal stamping. Yes, you can stamp on concrete or wood, but you’re not going to get the same quality results. Concrete will scratch and mar the back of your blanks and wood is too soft. You need something hard, smooth, sturdy and flat, a steel block fits the bill! They come in an array of sizes, but a small 2″x2″ block will work fine when you’re starting out. I highly recommend getting a pad to put under your bench block, not a towel. A rubber mat or leather bench pad will work best. You want to be sure the surface stays flat so you get even impressions. The pad will also help keep the noise down, as you can imagine, metal stamping is very, very loud. Our doggies do not like it at all.

Brass Hammer

Yes, you can use a steel hammer, but the problem with steel is that the energy of your hits will transfer back into the hammer. This can cause the hammer to bounce back when you strike and create skipped or ghost impressions. Brass is softer than steel, it will take the impact of the hit and transfer the energy into the blank, helping you make deeper impressions. We love the ImpressArt Brass 1 Pound Hammer, not just because we work with ImpressArt, but because it’s a brilliant design. The short, stubby, grip friendly handle makes it easy to swing and keeps the momentum where it belongs, in the hammer head.

Metal Stamping Blanks

When you’re first starting out, metal stamping blanks are the best place to hone your technique. Eventually if you really get into stamping, you will probably start looking for other things to stamp like pennies, silverware, tin cans…or whatever else you think will make for great metal stamped jewelry or decor. Metal stamping blanks come in a wide array of sizes, shapes and metals. For the novice, we think aluminum is your best starting point. It’s very easy to stamp and very inexpensive. As your stamping improves you can move up to pewter, copper, brass and nickel silver. If you want to take things to another level you can try sterling silver or alkeme (a less expensive sterling alternative.) You can buy sheets of metal for practice if you want to just get a feel for the swing of the hammer and the force you need to make impact. We suggest starting with basic shapes like circles, ovals, sticks and squares and then working your way to washers and other shapes.

Tape

One of the biggest challenges in metal stamping is planning and aligning your words and letters. We have found that using masking or white plastic tape is a huge help in getting things lined up properly and securing your blanks to prevent them from slipping when you hit them. You can use a marker and a ruler to plan placement of your letters. You can also use the top of the tape to keep the letters in your words all at the same level. Try Stamp Straight Tape from ImpressArt, we love it!

There are lots of other fun tools and materials you can add to your arsenal if you get deeper into metal stamping, but this is the best place to get started metal stamping. We’ve included image and text links to products you can buy. Just an FYI, we use affiliate marketing on our site so if you click on a link and make a purchase you get a small percentage of the sale. This is how we can afford to give away our tutorials and articles for free. Within the next few months, we’ll have products and kits you can buy from us directly, stay tuned. We’re excited and we hope you are too!

Happy Stamping,
Margot and Avalon

May 12, 2021
Artist Spotlight: Lisa Pace

We’re thrilled to shine a big, bright spotlight on the multi-talented mixed media artist Lisa Pace. A best selling author, Lisa has a popular website where she shares tutorials and design inspiration. She has her own line of gorgeous rubber stamps and an array of wonderful vintage inspired kits, supplies and e-classes. You can find her stunning metal stamped designs in her Etsy Shop. We asked Lisa our Five Easy Questions and here are her answers.

1. When did you start making jewelry and why? I have been metal stamping off and on for several years but just recently started making jewelry. I have a true love for unique items especially bracelets. So I decided to give jewelry making a try. I really enjoy making cuffs and charm bracelets that incorporate my love of vintage treasures with a little modern twist. My latest book Delight In The Art of Collage has several metal stamped items that accent projects as well as a simple step by step tutorial on basic metal stamping.

2. What is your favorite source for jewelry making inspiration? I find inspiration for jewelry making from all over. I find unique color combinations and designs from of all things, junk mail and of course magazines but I find that Mother Nature is one of my favorite sources. Nature is filled with all kinds of amazing colors, designs and textures.

3. What advice do you have for folks just starting out? The best thing you can do for yourself when starting to create jewelry is to spend that little extra money on quality tools. In the long run these tools will save you money and hours of frustration. My favorite stamping go to keep handy tools are a Brass Stamping Hammer, Large Jeweler’s Solid Steel Bench Block , ImpressArt 2-Hole Punch and of course Stamp Straight Tape. With these tools you are set to create beautiful metal stamped jewelry.

Amazon.com Widgets

4. What tips or tricks can you share for successful metal stamping? My best tip for metal stamping is to use Stamp Straight Tape. This tape is a life saver and a blanks saver. Promise! Not only does Stamp Straight Tape help you accurately stamp onto metal but it doesn’t leave a sticky mess on your steel block.

5. Where can our readers find you? Readers can find me online via my website/blog, Etsy and Social Media.

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn

Please visit Lisa Pace, like and follow her pages and show her a little love! Stay tuned for more featured artists. Thanks for taking time to visit our little corner of the Blogiverse.

Happy stamping,
Margot and Avalon

March 23, 2021
DIY Hammered Metal Stamped Necklace

(*FTC DISCLOSURE BELOW)

“What we think, we become.” Buddha

Base metal stamping blanks can look a little, well, cheap. Adding texture helps take them from meh to marvelous, and it’s very easy to do. The concept for this hammered metal stamped necklace started with some gold Buddha charms we found on clearance at a big craft chain. We love positive, uplifting jewelry. Plus, it’s pretty! You’ll learn how to add texture, stamp along the edge and add holes at the top of the heart to turn this into a necklace.

What you need:
ImpressArt, Heart, Brass, 1 1/2″ Stamping Blank
Antique Brass Buddha Head Charms
2 8″ segments 22K Gold Plated Slim Rolo Chain
10mm Gold Plated Clasp
4 10mm 6mm Jump Rings
Folk Art Enamel Acrylic Paint, Licorice
Cloth or paper towel
Wood Handle Scratch Awl
Beadalon Ball Pein Hammer
ImpressArt Metal Stamping Kit- Newsprint Lowercase
ImpressArt Stamp Straight Tape
ImpressArt Hole Punch Pliers
Marker

Step one: Place your blank on the bench block and use the round or ball end of a ball pein hammer to add texture. Strike it all over, including along the sides to create a hammered finish. Don’t hit it too hard, or too soft, somewhere in between. The blank may start to curl a little as you hammer, but don’t worry. When you finish you can turn it over and use the flat side of the ball peen hammer or the brass hammer to flatten it. Step two: Tape the hammered blank down to the bench block. Stamp along the curve of the left edge. Space your stamps out evenly as you go. I didn’t mark these, but you can use a ruler and a pencil to help mark even placement. Finish by adding a period using an awl or a period punctuation stamp. Strike the top of the awl with your brass hammer, don’t overdo this or you could pierce the blank.

Step three: Wipe some Martha Stewart jewelry glaze across the letters. Let it sit for a few seconds, then wipe it off with a paper towel or cloth. Step four: The drill holes should be placed at the top center of both sides of the heart. You can use a marker and a ruler or you can eyeball this. Use the smaller side of the 2-hole punch, twisting it down until you feel it pierce the metal, then twisting it back up to remove it from the tool. You don’t have to screw the tool all of the way down, that can potentially scratch or mar the metal. Just twist until you feel that release and then remove it.

Step five: Use chain and bent nose pliers to attach the charm and the jump rings to the pendant. (Here’s a video to help if you’ve never done this before.) Step six: Attach the chain to the jump rings on your pendant and attach a jump ring to one open end and a jump ring and clasp to the other.

Make a hammered metal stamped necklace and become…fabulous! We love adding texture to our metal pieces, even without adding text it gives them an artisan appeal. You can do so much with this technique, try only hammering the edges, or half of the blank or mix hammered and polished pieces in one design. So much to love here! Just so you know, as you are hammering a piece of metal you are actually changing the molecular structure. This is called work hardening. The key is not to over hammer, or the metal can become brittle. Softer metals can be strengthened by hammering, it works very well on soft jewelry wire when making findings like ear wires or clasps. Stay tuned, because we’ll be showing you how to make your own findings in upcoming posts.

Cheers,
Margot and Avalon

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*DIY Project Policy: Our tutorials are meant for your creative inspiration. Feel free to make and gift or wear these designs. Please make sure that you give credit to us as the designer if you make and share these designs on your blog or social sites. Please do not make and sell copies of our designs or sell them as kits. Please do not teach these designs as classes for profit. This is how we make our living and we ask that you respect our creativity and the time it takes to design, photograph and write these free tutorials. You may use a single photograph from each project online if you include a direct link back to our tutorial. Any use of these designs for retail sale for profit online in places like Etsy or eBay or in retail bricks and mortar, flea markets or outdoor fairs is not permitted. Thank you!

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February 22, 2021