How to Make My Own Silver Charm Frames
There are several fairly simple ways to make your own silver charm frames for photo charms or any other small element you would like to surround with a frame. The method that gives you the most control over the look of the frame is to mold some silver metal clay, such as Precious Metal Clay, into a custom frame design. Metal clay is ideal for creating jewelry charms because it functions just like molding clay but contains metal flakes that bind together when fired. This method is good for framing or setting existing charms or cabochons.
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Things You'll Need
- Olive oil
- Metal clay
- Charm
- Toothpick
- Utility knife
- Coffee straw
- Emery board
- Kiln
- Burnishing tool
- Liver sulfur patina
- Ammonia
- Salt
- Epoxy
Instructions
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1
Rub your hands with olive oil to keep the clay from sticking to your hands as you are molding it. Flatten the clay slightly on a smooth, hard surface such as a plate or counter top. Flatten it to the thickness that you want your frame to have according to the charm you want to frame.
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2
Apply olive oil liberally to the back and sides of the charm or cabochon and press the back into the clay. Do not press it so far that it protrudes out the other side. The back of the frame needs to stay flat. Cut a shape around the charm with a utility knife at the width that you want the frame to be and remove the excess clay. Smooth and round out the rough edges with your fingers.
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3
Dip the end of a toothpick into the olive oil and etch a design into the clay. Smooth out any rough spots with the rounded side of the toothpick. Puncture a hole about 2 mm away from the top edge of the frame with a small coffee straw. This will be the hole you use to attach the framed charm to a necklace with the use of a jump ring. Allow the clay frame to dry and harden.
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4
Smooth out any more rough spots with a fine-grain emery board or piece of sandpaper. Place the clay frame on a kiln shelf and set your kiln to an appropriate setting. The settings will vary depending on your kiln. Fire the clay frame for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn off your kiln and allow it to cool for an hour.
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5
Remove the frame from the kiln and rub it with a burnishing tool to give it a shine. Give the silver a finish and a colored sheen or "patina." Put a piece of liver sulfur patina into a cup of hot water and let it dissolve. To give the silver an iridescent sheen, add 1 tbsp. of ammonia and 1 tsp. of salt and mix well. Fill another cup with hot water. Dip your frame into the cup with just water in it to heat it up and then dip it into the liver sulfur patina water. Swish it around in the water for about five seconds, pull it out and dip it back into the plain water. Repeat this until the silver has the degree of iridescence that you desire.
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6
Dry the frame with a clean towel and burnish once again. Set the cabochon or charm into the center of the frame with some epoxy. Let the epoxy dry for about a day and hang your framed charm from a necklace.
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