Ice Resin Experiment

Here's what I did today

The last time I did a resin project, I was using a workspace out in the garage. It's a perfectly nice workspace, but apparently it had been longer than I realized since I'd been out there. 

A couple of reasons for that - one, I've been negotiating with my hip for comfort and mobility. Unfortunately, it's been a rather demanding and hard-to-please hip. And while my garage space is a very nice creative space, it isn't quite the friendliest place for a sore and difficult hip to hang out. Secondly, Mother Nature got mixed up and sent us Tuscon's summer this year (we're in Fort Worth). So many days over 100, days in the one hundred teens - It was pretty rugged. I'm certainly grateful for air conditioning. That said, I know I didn't make any work-days in the garage this year, and it may have been a bit longer than I realized. 

I recently had occasion to make some shifts and do some rearranging in the house and, in the process, opened up a creative space right here inside (yay!). So today I went out to the garage to collect some resin-project materials to do a project. 

When I'm working with Ice Resin, I often prop the bottles upside-down in plastic cups (one for the resin, and a second one for the hardener) so the material, which is pretty thick, will already be at the "top" of the bottle and ready to pour into my measuring cup. Otherwise, since it is so thick and moves so slowly, it can be a drag to wait for it to come out of the bottle. I have no idea when was the last time I did a resin project, but I know for sure it was before summer, so those bottles stood upside down like that all summer, and then some. 

Ordinarily it wouldn't be an issue. They've got their lids on, and the material has always stayed in the bottles, no problem. But in this summer's heat, something expanded - the air above them?  the resin itself? maybe both - and both the resin and the hardener had seeped out into their respective holding cups.

Resin seeped out of the bottle into the cup

Not the end of the world, but messy, for sure. So Big Lesson Number One is, if you're going to store your resin bottles upside down, you better be using them pretty regularly so they don't have time to make a mess that you'll have to clean up before you start your next project. Big Lesson Number Two is, don't leave them out in the garage during summer, where the heat makes everything expand, guaranteeing that your resin bottles will leak!

Having gotten that all put back in order, I was eager to proceed with some new materials and molds that I recently acquired.  I will include links to everything at the end of this blog post.

Following is the order of operations for today's projects:

Using Ice Resin, I poured 7.5 ml Ice Resin into a measuring container, and mixed in 1 drop Transparent Teal Resin Colorant into the resin, according to product instructions. 

Then I added 7.5 ml Ice Resin hardener and stirred 2 minutes; then let it rest 5 min, again, according to product instructions.

I blew emerging bubbles off the surface of the resting resin as they came up. 

Then I poured the base of the Round Trinket Box first (very slowly and carefully, so the resin can seep down the sides and release the air bubbles from there), and then the lid to the round storage box.

I still had a bit of resin left, so I poured 3 Cube Beads. 

With still a bit of resin left after that, I mixed in some Ice Resin Crystal Opals into the remaining resin, and poured the last 3 cube beads.

Ever little bit I would blow emerging air bubbles off the resin surfaces. 

I noticed several 2-3mm air bubbles that worked their way up from the sides of the round box mold, and found these amazingly resistant to being popped with a tool. I was able to pop them with the corner of an alcohol wipe, which I keep at my work station for cleanup. (As soon as I retrieved my torch, those bubbles stopped appearing!) Next time I make this piece, I will have some kind of slender tool, like a toothpick or a needle tool to work down the sides of the mold and help facilitate the resin in, and the air out. 

I swept the torch flame over all resin surfaces, popping all those tiny air bubbles. I'm checking it about every 20-30 minutes, and right now everything looks as smooth as glass.

All those pieces need to sit at least twelve hours, so I'll post again (with pictures, of course!) once I've unmolded them. See you then!

Supply Links:

Ice Resin - https://amzn.to/2zpsLiL 

Transparent Teal Resin Colorant - https://amzn.to/2QYQ0H8 

Measuring cups - https://amzn.to/2DqS9Zk 

Stir Sticks - https://amzn.to/2xHaTh6 

Silicone Round Trinket Box Mold - https://amzn.to/2zoEgXF

Cube Bead Mold - https://amzn.to/2xxZ51v 

Ice Resin Crystals - https://amzn.to/2DokP53 

Needle Tool - https://amzn.to/2zpLXg4 

Alcohol Wipes - https://amzn.to/2xB2pbY

Torch - https://amzn.to/2xxDNRC 

Torch Fuel - https://amzn.to/2zpqcNo 

Non-Stick Silicone Craft Mat -  https://amzn.to/2xzqqAq 

Latex-Free Disposable Gloves - https://amzn.to/2DnLKy7 

           

 

     

Quick Stretchy Bracelet How-to (Refresher)

A very informal, quick refresher on making stretchy bracelets.
(There is an introductory narrative section before the video begins at :52)

Here is a list of the supplies mentioned in the video. You can, of course, get your supplies wherever you like, but it does help me if you purchase from these Amazon Affiliate links 😉

.5mm stretchy cord: https://amzn.to/2OJNF0F  
Collapsible eye beading needle: https://amzn.to/2vPaIAd  
E6000 Glue: https://amzn.to/2Mu9Avo 

Follow Eight Susquehanna on Facebook
Shop EightSusquehanna.com 

Agate

Today we're talking about Agate.

Agate comes in a variety of colors, often striped, or banded.

It is a variety of Chalcedony, which is a member of the quartz family of minerals.

Agate is thought to derive its name from the Achates River in present-day Sicily after having been noticed by the Greek philosopher and naturalist, Theophrastus, somewhere around the third to fourth centuries BC, about 2300 to 2400 years ago.

Agate is composed of silicon and oxygen in various molecular and crystalline forms and arrangements, and has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, making it easier to retain a high shine polish.

Agate is found all over the world, so it's not what you would call rare.

Agate represents Balance, Harmonizing, and Longevity, and is a birthstone for those born in the month of May. 

Agate is one of the gemstones in the breastplate of the high priests of the Old Testament. Several ancient peoples - Babylonians, Mesopotamians, Ancient Egyptian and Chinese cultures - felt that agate was protective. Its perceived benefits ranged from warding off the evil eye, dispelling evil energy, protection from natural disasters and storms, protection from thirst, spiritual protection, and enhancing one's life or fortune, to name a few. Nowadays we consider Agate to represent a gentle healing frequency. If you would like to feel an enhanced sense of pace, balance, and ease of mind, meditate on Agate.
Agate at EightSusquehanna.com Photographed using the Cloud Dome Nimbus

Butterflies

Butterflies!
I made these butterflies with .999 fine silver Precious metal clay. They each have a design on the front; some have plain backs, and some have designs on the backs. Precious metal clay is a product that uses very fine particles of, in this case silver, combined with an organic binder. This makes a material that looks and feels a great deal like a fine ceramic clay. You can mold it, and shape it, and and sculpt it, and even carve it, before it’s been fired. When it’s fired, the organic binder burns off, leaving only the silver - .999 pure silver in this case. There are several brands and varieties of metal clay - the .999 silver like these are made out of; or you can also find it in sterling silver, copper, bronze, and yes, even gold! There’s even a stainless steel metal clay product! Some of the clays have different firing requirements, but this particular clay is very easy to work and to fire. For me, working in this material is like making miniature sculptures. The colored butterflies were patina’d with liver of sulphur. It does get some amazing color, but I have a tip for you - when you set about to patina your metals, DO NOT use liver of sulphur IN YOUR HOUSE - mercy, that stuff stinks! But it sure makes pretty colors on metal, so use it in the garage, or outside, with plenty of ventilation. I made this video originally, to show someone who had asked for a custom piece with one of these butterflies. She selected the third patina’d butterfly with the swirls on front. I wonder if perhaps she chose it because the texture on the back also contains a little bonus butterfly! Butterflies, by the way, represent Metamorphosis, Change, Unfoldment, Becoming. I will be getting these put together into jewelry pieces and post them online for you at EightSusquehanna.com. Meanwhile, thank you so much for watching and reading - I appreciate your attention. You can shop my other items at http://www.EightSusquehanna.com If you want to try your hand at making something like these, you can shop Precious Metal Clay Supplies at the following Affiliate Links (I do get a small commission from any orders from these links):

PMC3 Beginner Tool Kit with Torch:  https://amzn.to/2MdK9hx 

PMC3 Beginner Kit with Hot Pot: https://amzn.to/2nnzum8 

PMC Mini-Pot Kit: https://amzn.to/2M5352Q  

PMC3 Clay: https://amzn.to/2OTgBnK 

PMC Syringe: https://amzn.to/2Mhm0qa  

Texture Plate: https://amzn.to/2vwPMh4 

Carving Tool Kit: https://amzn.to/2OpUYdZ 

Optivisor: https://amzn.to/2nlJ09y 

Firing and Soldering Tripod: https://amzn.to/2novMcc 

Brass Brush: https://amzn.to/2McIBEo 

Burnishing Set: https://amzn.to/2vuRtvz 

Liver of Sulphur: https://amzn.to/2OUeBvr 

Lortone Tumbler: https://amzn.to/2M5xiyH 

Tumbling Shot: https://amzn.to/2M6e8IT 

Office Supplies

Amazon is the handiest thing ever, especially this time of year. Just need a few things, and can't bear to think about enduring the shopping crowds? Do what I did and go Amazon!

Beautiful Black Hair Comb

This beautiful hair comb features a free-form wrapping of black glass beads, Swarovski crystals and Czech glass beads, wrapped with coordinating black wire on a clear plastic comb. 

This comb sold, but here are some other lovely combs.

Customer Service and the Golden Rule

 My customer service policy was instilled in me by my Grandmother, who always said to treat others the way I'd like to be treated (the Golden Rule).

One result of that is that the things I make for sale are things I like, beautiful things. If I like what I have made, somebody else probably will, too.

I use quality materials and techniques in my work. 

I offer my creations at a reasonable price. 

I ship quickly.

When you place an order with me, a special service I give is that each handcrafted jewelry item comes to you packaged in a giftable box wrapped with ribbon. Ribbon color is based on availability and is tied in a simple bow so you can easily open it. Inside the box with the jewelry piece I include a tag or business card without pricing information, in case it is a gift for someone. 

The pricing information is included in the shipping box and on the shipping invoice. If you prefer that NO pricing information be included in the shipping box at all, just message me or let me know in the "Special Instructions" portion of the order process and I will be happy to ship your order with a "blind" packing slip, and mail you the shipping invoice under separate cover.

 I try very hard to make sure that everything offered for sale in my online stores is in stock and ready to ship.  I usually ship before the end of the next business day once confirmed (cleared) payment is received. In the extremely unusual event that an item has oversold, I will contact you  to discuss options of a back order, a slightly different item, or a refund.

If you see something you like, but want something, maybe slightly different, I do consider custom work, and of course, I certainly do repairs and rebuilds.

Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions at all.