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| Lillypilly now offers a large selection of fine gauge copper sheets, perfect for mixed media jewelry making projects! | |
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| The fine gauge copper sheets are available with both patina and embossed patterns on them. | |
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| It's easy to stitch through the copper sheets using wire or traditional quilting threads. | |
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| Take a walk on the wild side with Lillypilly's new anodized aluminum rounds! | |
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| Lillypilly also has new and beautiful shell jewelry making components for stringing, resin, and bead embroidery projects. | |
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You might already be familiar with the beautiful laser-engraved shell and gemstone beading components from Lillypilly Designs, but at this year's Bead Fest Philadelphia, I found some really intriguing new jewelry making components made from metal!
Patina Copper Sheets from Lillypilly Designs
If you've ever wanted to work with more metals in your beading and jewelry making projects, but don't really want to get involved with things like metal saws and serious metalsmithing tools, the new line of 36 gauge copper sheets are perfect for you. Using an ordinary pair of craft scissors, you can cut these fine gauge metal sheets into whatever shapes you want for your jewelry making projects. You can even use large scrapbook punches to create perfectly uniform shapes!
The 36 gauge copper sheets are available in a wide range of colorful patinas as well as embossed with fun patterns and designs. They can be encased in resin, used with cold connections, or just cut and layered for unique rustic-style pendants and earrings.
After seeing a quilt made with fabric and some of those 36 gauge copper sheets, I was inspired to experiment with them. I created a fun metal and Ultrasuede cuff bracelet using wire embroidery techniques. I was really pleased with how easy it was to cut and shape the copper sheets with my craft scissors, and I'll definitely be coming back for more the next time I want to create a mixed media piece of beaded jewelry.
Anodized Aluminum Sheets and Rounds
I also saw Heidi coloring these fun little anodized aluminum rounds with Sharpie markers! Now, it's not as easy to cut the aluminum as it is the fine gauge copper sheets, but the pre-cut rounds come in a wide variety of colors and sizes, making them the perfect way to add a little metal into your jewelry making designs.
The aluminum rounds can also be layered with resin, shaped into domes with a dapping tool, and used for links with the addition of a couple of holes made with your favorite hole punch.
I brought home a handful of aluminum rounds with the idea that I'll color them with my favorite Sharpie markers, then encase them in resin and use them like cabochons in my bead embroidery.
The aluminum rounds come in three sizes, nine colors, and nineteen different patterns for you to play with! They're like little miniature coloring books for your favorite jewelry maker.
Shell Pendants and Components
And of course, I couldn't leave without a couple of my favorite laser-engraved shell jewelry making components.
New for 2012, Heidi has shell bezels for use with resin. These lovely jewelry making components are perfect for adding your favorite origami papers or your colored aluminum rounds to make unique (and easy) beaded jewelry.
I also found a lovely pair of lightweight rectangular Buddha pendants (without holes) to use as cabochons for a pair of bead embroidery earrings, and a couple of smaller round pendants (also without holes) to use in a couple of beaded cuff bracelet projects that I have in mind.
The last item I chose was a small laser engraved shell donut. I love Heidi's shell donuts, and I find that they make beautiful lightweight jewelry making components for both beaded necklaces and beaded bracelets. With designs that are both delicate and intricate, I don't really have to do much to showcase these lovely little creations.
You can find out more about my Bead Fest Philadelphia finds from Lillypilly Designs by checking out their website, Lillypilly Designs.
Do you have a favorite item or two from Lillypilly? What is it? Leave a comment and share your favorites here on Beading Daily!
Bead Happy,
Jennifer