solivio

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INTERNATIONAL BUYERS FREE SHIPPING WITH $40.00 PURCHASE (total without shipping) ON ORDERS THAT DO NOT INCLUDE WIRE, CHAIN OR PEARLS

♦♦♦♦Send me a message with a list of items totaling $40.00 and I will create a reserved listing for you that includes free shipping!♦♦♦♦

If you make purchases from more than one shop and incur extra shipping charges, just let me know and I will refund any overages.

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I've opened a new shop for my jewelry!

You can visit at http://www.mixedmetalstudio.etsy.com

As the name implies, I'll be featuring some new designs that are all about the metals. I love Copper and Brass and have been working with both for years. You'll find a lot of both along with Sterling Silver, Nickel Silver and occasionally Gold Filled.

I have some wire designs but also pieces that have been made from sheet that are either cold-connected or soldered.

I'll also be offering a more economical line of gemstone beads there, like jaspers, agates and jades.

Hope to see you there,

Sue

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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OXIDIZED WIRE:

There seems to be a lot of confusion about the oxidized wire that I sell. I think a lot of people may be confusing this with colored wire that has been sealed and is not a true patina. Unlike the wire I sell, the color of the colored wire cannot be buffed out and is left as one consistent color.

I start with either pure copper or brass (both are lead free and nickel free) and use a chemical treatment on the wire to speed up the oxidizing process. The wire has not been sealed so that you can buff it out and bring out highlights. There will be light areas and the recessed areas will be darker, giving your pieces an antiqued look.

A patina is a soft powdery coating that forms on the outside of the wire. It can occur naturally after long exposure to moisture or it can be hastened by applying chemicals.

Normally the jewelry is made from raw materials then antiqued and buffed out to bring out highlights. We're sort of doing it in reverse here. To buff, I use a very small piece of scotchbrite pad that can be purchased at the supermarket or paint section of the hardware store. The wire is antiqued first and you'll be making your jewelry. Since the coating is very delicate, some of it will rub off on your fingers while you're working with the wire. This is natural but a bit messy. Just be sure to wash your hands after you've worked with the wire. For this reason, I antique the wire very darkly so you'll have some patina still left on the piece when you're finished. Sometimes you'll see that it ends up a little uneven in tone because of handling the wire. Buffing works wonders to smooth out the finish and even the tone. I have quite a few people tell me that they lightly buff the wire before they start their projects and it's a lot less messier that way.

When I make the earwires I sell, I normally do it from raw materials and then antique and polish. But I do frequently work with pre-oxidized wire when I need to get something shipped out quickly and don't have time to wait for pieces to dry. So this is a material that I work with myself and can say, the end product comes out the same whether you start with raw then antique or start with pre-oxidized wire then construct.

A question I get many times is whether or not the wire is hypo-allergenic. Both copper and brass are not considered hypo-allergenic. However, most people that have problems with metal are sensitive to nickel which both of these do not contain.

Another question I get all the time with copper is "will it turn my skin green?" It may turn certain people's skin green on items that are close fitting, such as a ring which would be constant touch with the skin. Not everyone has a reaction to it though. I haven't heard of anyone reporting that a loose fitting bracelet has caused someone's skin to turn green, but a tight fitting bangle or cuff might cause problems. On earrings, it may turn the skin green where it touches the skin, but in this case, since it's inside a piercing, no one will see it. I have sold thousands of pairs of copper and brass earring findings and not one person in all that time has ever reported problems with the either the copper or brass.


I hope this helps clear up some of the misconceptions about the oxidized wire that I carry.

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INFORMATION ABOUT GEMSTONE BEADS:
I always send the gemstone beads as matched pairs for size and color.

Gemstone beads are very delicate and I would recommend that you use 26ga or 28ga wire only. Even if you manage to fit a larger wire through the very small holes, you risk breaking the top of the bead when you try to bend the wire.

Thank you,

Sue