If you haven’t noticed, there are a LOT of nativity sets where the people are portrayed as having white skin, some even having blonde hair and blue eyes. It might continue to take a while to undo years of ignorant, unthinking, or even hateful representations of people in art and design. However, here are some tips on painting over existing sets in case anyone feels too unfamiliar with painting mediums to feel comfortable painting over their set.
There’s something oddly amazing and empowering about knowing how to build or create something—anything, really. For that reason, I’m excited to be teaching some jewelry making techniques and, later, some “recipes” for various kinds of jewelry. This is the first in a meandering series of instructional posts on making handmade jewelry. Of all the techniques you need to know how to do to make handmade wire jewelry, eye pins are fairly foundational. Closed loops connect everything, so other wrapping techniques simply build on that knowledge. There are also a few different ways that you can learn to make an eye pin! Let’s get started!
To get started with jewelry making, it’s useful knowing the composition of your materials. Different materials need different care and handling. Additionally, things like metal allergies and material safety are factors as well. Here’s a breakdown of some basic terms.