I decided to make some Cloisonne silver earrings to match the pendents. The smaller scale means they are so much more intricate and fiddly to make! But the concentration means you can’t think of anything else, and is almost the perfect escape.
Preparing the silver involves adding a layer of flux - basically clear enamel. The silver wires are then arranged on top and fired in the kiln so they sink down into the flux, which fixes them in place. This is the most difficult part - especially if the wires move! And if you drop the pieces of wire - its tricky to find them as the wire is only 0.3mm thick.
Adding one layer of enamel, then firing it to around 810*C , then repeating this two more times is very satisfying. These thin layers are needed to give the.depth of colour . I was very pleased with the finished earrings and what started out as an experiment has ended up as a new range of jewellery to add to my Etsy shop.
