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Post by caeterle on May 15, 2021 6:53:10 GMT -6
I used a pair of vintage plush animal eyes for these bead embroidered earrings. As you know, I have a whole tin full, but most of them are not flat which really is a pity because I'd love to use the pink/red ones. I wonder if someone could grind the back a little to get rid of the bumps they have in the back for the wire.
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Post by gbobmi on May 15, 2021 7:38:19 GMT -6
Cat, those are awesome!
Pink or red eyes? But, of course! I have no idea who could make those backs flat for you. Could you glue a bit of leather to the backs?
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Post by caeterle on May 15, 2021 8:07:31 GMT -6
Thank you, Gayle! They don't need to be completely flat, the brown eyes weren't, but I need a surface that I can glue onto the backing and that won't work the way they are right now. I have been thinking about glueing some beads around the "bump" to create that surface, but I don't know if they won't beome too high that way. I'll keep looking
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Post by michelle on May 15, 2021 11:34:33 GMT -6
These earrings are so freaking cool! Totally awesome!
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Post by Irith-Rita on May 15, 2021 12:04:23 GMT -6
Cat, they are amazing! I would have gladly flattened the back for you if I lived a little closer.... What I do, and what you could do too, is buy a Dremel which should not cost very much if you buy it on Amazon or Ebay, and use the "scraping" pin to flatten the back. You will find that a Dremel tool would be of great help to you for other uses too.
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Post by caeterle on May 15, 2021 12:37:35 GMT -6
Thank you, Michelle and Irith! I really had a lot of fun with them and I already have a new idea that I want to try eventually.
Irith, actually I have a Dremel, but I think I have only used that once to shoot some polymer clay beads across the room (the original intent had been to buff them). I have no idea what I could use it for. What does the "scraping pin" even look like? I'm really clueless.
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Post by DawninCal on May 15, 2021 13:00:44 GMT -6
Oh, those are wicked cool! I especially love the bottom eye lashes. Yes, Cat, a dremel would easily flatten the backs for you. I'm not sure what Irith means by a scraping pin, but mine has a grinding wheel and a grinding disc. Both are covered by what looks like very coarse sand paper. When the sand paper is worn smooth, the wheel/disc can be replaced by new ones. You might take a look at the attachments that came with your dremel and experiment a bit. Dawn
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Post by caeterle on May 15, 2021 13:13:57 GMT -6
Thank you, Dawn! I'm glad you like the lashes because they were a spontaneous idea. I still have so many of those dagger beads as I never made the bikini top, but already had the beads! I'm always trying to find ways to use them. Stupid question, but since I'm prone to even hurt myself severely with a needle as you know how are the chances I'm going to grind my fingers off?
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Post by DawninCal on May 15, 2021 14:33:27 GMT -6
Grip your eye button with a pair of pliers. Tape the ends so that you don't scratch the button with the pliers. I know you can do this lil' missy! Dawn
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Post by caeterle on May 15, 2021 16:07:51 GMT -6
With pliers?? That's what I did with the polymer clay beads and they ended up in orbit! Every time a bladesmith at "Forged in Fire" drops his blade or his steel billet that s/he held with the tongs, I yell "this would be me". Honestly, though, that glass is very slippery. I know because I've tried holding them with pliers before. I hope your faith in me will not be crushed.
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Post by DawninCal on May 15, 2021 17:36:28 GMT -6
Don't grip them too tight - that's what makes them shoot out into orbit! You could also try taping the buttons everywhere but the part that you want to grind off to make them less slippery. Are they big enough that you could tape them face down to a table allowing you to grind on them without having to hold them? I'm thinking the kind of tape painters use, not the clear cellophane tape used in homes, schools and offices. Dawn
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Post by caeterle on May 15, 2021 22:12:20 GMT -6
I rather thought it wasn't tight enough.
The eyes are about 10 mm. I would really need to have some control because I only want the bump gone without damaging the vintage paint on the back. Repainting is not an option, not that I can't do that, I just don't want to take off the original. There may be some of the blue eyes, though, that have lost almost all of their paint over the years which I could use first.
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Post by Irith-Rita on May 15, 2021 23:51:08 GMT -6
Dawn[/quote] Yes, Cat, a dremel would easily flatten the backs for you. I'm not sure what Irith means by a scraping pin, but mine has a grinding wheel and a grinding disc. Both are covered by what looks like very coarse sand paper. When the sand paper is worn smooth, the wheel/disc can be replaced by new ones. You might take a look at the attachments that came with your dremel and experiment a bit.] Yes Cat. Dawn explains it well . I meant a scraping pin. I am going to send you a photograph I took soon.
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Post by Irith-Rita on May 16, 2021 0:04:48 GMT -6
Here is what I mean. It comes attached to the small blue plastic box that comes with the dremel with more small gadgets .
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Post by caeterle on May 16, 2021 2:54:36 GMT -6
Ah, that one. Thank you, Irith! I think I may be comfortable with that because I could use the tip, so I won't grind too much too fast.
I'm on vacation soon, so maybe I'll try then if my beaded WIPs are done.
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