How to make fallen leaves eternal? Make leaf fine silver jewellery!
It’s been quite a while since my last post. Many things have happened since then. The summer came and went. Actually, this year in the Netherlands was ‘a year without a summer’. As a result many trees, among them oak-trees, still have their leaves on. The great fall is yet to come.
However, if you want to use a leaf for embossing into a precious metal clay jewelry piece, you shouldn’t wait until fall. The best leaves are from the summer: neither too succulent, nor too dry. Just mature enough for a good bite. So I went into the nearest park and picked up some oak leaves.
For the botany experts: this is the Quercus rubra variety with dented leaves.
I like the sharp shape of these leaves, actually more than the ‘common’ rounded one.
The selected couple were covered by multiple layers of PMC paste. It was challenging to find the right interval between the two of layers: the previous layer had to be dry enough for the good adhesion of the following one.
When I first fired those leaves, some cracks appeared. But this is what the Art Clay Oil Paste is for! So the pieces were repaired and went in the kiln again.
And now, when the real leaves are falling, I found the wonderful tiger’s eye gemstone to insert as an acorn.
See the result and judge for yourself. I just love it!
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