For jewelry makers your preferred metal says a lot about you. Obviously copper is my metal of choice. If you take a quick glance at my creations you might think I’m copper obsessed!
Let me explain a little bit about my love for copper. When starting out searching through DIY videos of jewelry making, sterling was a pretty lure. There is a simple beauty to silver that’s hard to beat. However, having very few tools and very little to invest, sterling was a little pricey to be a trial and error metal. Copper, although a little harder to work with, was more affordable. So for me copper has turned out to be a serendipitous discovery.
Did you know that copper was the first metal that humans worked with? Copper working goes back thousands of years. Ancient peoples associated copper with healing and nurturing, and in modern architecture copper is used to project warmth and comfort. In working with this material I get a sense of connection with the past and with God’s creation. Copper can be recycled again and again without losing it’s elemental properties. Just imagine, the same metal that gets ripped out of an old home’s plumbing can be refashioned into beautiful works of art! Here is a material that, with care, can last forever and only looks better the older it gets.
In jewelry trends, metals tend to drop in and out of fashion. Gold was THE thing when I bought my wedding band. Then white gold was all the rage. Sterling jewelry was the only jewelry to have in my 20’s… (since I was married young I always was conflicted wearing silver on my left hand with my wedding ring. So naturally I kept gold on left and silver on right!) Rose gold made a comeback..now it’s gold again….
Finally somewhere in there came the mixed metal trend. This was just the opportunity I needed. Although I loved copper and kept at it, mixed metal options gave me a chance to introduce my copper love to the world. It turns out I’ve even been able to convert a few of my silver and gold jewelry loving friends. Or maybe more of us have reached a point in life where we finally appreciate all things natural, things that age well and get better with time?
If you’ve never considered yourself a “copper person” I encourage you to give it a second look. The latest trend of mixing styles and materials allows you to express yourself with your own unique looks like never before. I am having a blast creating with copper, and I hope you can find something that brings you a little bit of the joy I experience in bringing these pieces to life.
This video is an insider look at some of my process in working with copper. We’re hoping to add more video content in the months to come to give you ideas on how to get the most out of your Novi products, background on the inspiration for some of the creations and maybe a few other special surprises! If you haven’t already, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter below, and we’ll make sure to let you know when new videos are available.
If I’ve piqued your interest in copper here are some products to consider.