On my online workbook this week: It’s the most… it’s the most... Glowing-est Patina Christmas of all!

Dear

This week's inspiration is… Christmas time!

This is the first of my Christmas 2021 series of designs. This year in the form of a mini workshop… my Christmas present to you. We will explore how to patina Copper and use it to craft beautiful Festive floral accessories. Follow along each week leading up to Christmas to complete the entire mini workshop just before the start of 2022.

Have a Merry Festive Season, flower buddies. This week I will introduce you to the technique with the “basic” Tutorial. No special added tricks or treats. We look at the patina you get on a copper plate if you use this technique. You will also find two more bonus Tutorials, one for the Copper Lantern and one for the Feather Wreath.

My tip for you this week is to recreate a shape. Yes, you will definitely need a template if the copper sheet you are using is thick and difficult to manipulate. But a thin sheet like this is fairly easy to shape. Shape the first strip exactly how you want it and place the other strips on this first one so that you can follow its shape. I prefer to do this, rather than use a template for two reasons. The first is because you have to be careful with the patina when it is so fresh. It will so easily flake off. Try to handle it as little as possible. A template will rub the patina off in many places as it is secured.

The second reason is more a lesson I have learned over the years. Try not to be too perfect when you create things by hand. This was a very hard lesson for me to learn because my personal preference leans more to crafting things perfectly. But when something is too perfect the fact that it was actually handcrafted is easily missed. I can not tell you how often I had to say… “no, I made it myself”. Until I realized that that is what makes it special. There is no other one like this… I made it myself!

So my tip for you is, really, to add a bit of handmade into your handmade things. People look for the artist’s hand in handmade things. That is where the value lies.

Enjoy!

Every good wish,

Christine