New Vintage Button Pendants

I’ve not been able to spend much time in my studio of late due to work commitments, illness as well as other stuff. Plus it’s not much of a studio at the moment as we cleared it out at the beginning of the year in order to renovate and install a wood burning stove – this work is still in progress and a little slow – so everything is in boxes and in storage. But my trusty jewellery bench is still there and some of my tools. Yesterday I had a huge urge to go in there and get on with some work and lock myself away from the world with only the radio for company. I’m so glad I decided to be so selfish with my time as here are some of the results.

I bought a bottle of ‘Liver of Sulphur’ recently and haven’t had a chance to use it – it sounds a bit exotic maybe, but it’s not – it’s a very pongy lethal liquid that when diluted can be used to oxidise silver giving it an antiqued look. The data sheet that accompanied the bottle is enough to put anyone off opening it – highly corrosive, toxic fumes etc. So I took proper precautions and donned a face mask, rubber gloves and sturdy shoes. I diluted some of the liquid into hot water and then added my silver and waited to see what would happen. The silver doesn’t turn black immediately it goes brown, then a lovely bluey colour before darkening completely. As the colour changes you can remove the silver and dunk it into cold water to stop the process at any time. I did this a few times until I was satisfied with the depth of colour achieved. I then washed everything and polished and burnished each piece individually. I then set my buttons and attached the chains and I’m really pleased with the results.

Blue Vintage Button Pendant – Unique, one of a kind