Finished “The 100 Day Project” with a feeling of satisfaction and happiness. But I plan to continue adding additional metal texture experiments to my binder as I think of them. Day 91:Used a brass hammer to texture the copper piece laid on the second side of the file I used on Day 90; Day 92: Used a brass hammer to texture the copper piece laid on our deck, very little texture; Day 93: Rolled a brass safety chain through the rolling mill, too thick, threw the rolling mill out of alignment, fixable, won’t do that again!; Day 94: Used a brass hammer to texture the copper piece on a piece of masonite, hardly any texture; Day 95: Ran a feather through the rolling mill, one time use, left a faint texture and picked up texture from previous brass safety chain sample I used as a backing plate; Day 96: Used a chasing hammer and a chasing tool, held the chasing tool slightly above the copper piece as I struck with chasing hammer, lots of versatility to make different patterns, will use again; Day 97: Ran a drywall sanding screen through the rolling mill; Day 98: Applied sticky-back canvas stickers to copper piece and ran through rolling mill, one time use, good texture, hard to get smushed stickers off copper afterwards; Day 99: Hammered copper piece on concrete at Upper Harbor marina; Day 100: Hammered copper piece on water shut-off valve cover at Upper Harbor marina.

Can’t believe it is day 90 and a beautiful day at that! Happy Easter! Day 81: Rolling mill, metal word “Hope”. Use more pressure next time, aluminum is really too soft to use in rolling mill; Day 82: Rolling mill, decorative leave, one time use, I was surprized at how much detail I got from such a delicate leaf; Day 83: Rolling mill, decorative soft metal keys, didn’t work well; Day 84: Used a cut-off disk in my flex-shaft, learning curve for control, I can see a lot of potential; Day 85: Used dapping punches in a dapping block; Day 86: Hammered old coins with brass hammer on steel block; Day 87: Taped washers to copper piece and hit with brass hammer on steel block; Day 88: Rolling mill, thread, I like it, who knew it would leave such a good texture?; Day 89: Hammered the copper piece, with brass hammer, on part of the deck, very little texture; Day 90: Hammered copper piece on old file with two textures on each side, first side.

Trying out some new techniques that I have wanted to try for a long time. Having fun! Day 71: Hammered screw sideways on metal; Day 72; Rolling mill, 100 grit sandpaper; Day 73; Etched metal. Ironed the design on the metal using a laserprinted transparency; Day 74: Set of ball burs, smaller burs are easier to manipulate; Day 75: Key in hydraulic press. Not as detailed with 24 gauge copper, thinner metal is better; Day 76: Made bear silhouette with die-cutting machine. Put through rolling mill, metal picked up texture of cardstock; Day 77: Used bear cut-out from previous day, put through rolling mill; Day 78: Loving how the die cuts are working in the rolling mill, especially how the cardstock leaves texture too, bird; Day 79: Die cut in rolling mill. Had to try the UP!; Day 80: Hammered copper piece on concrete stepping stone that finally melted out.

Day 61: Rolling mill, two pieces of grosgrain ribbon, trace of wire imprint from backing plate I’ve been using. Oops!; Day 62: Rolling mill, tulle with accidental wire imprint; Day 63: Rolling mill, rice paper, one time use; Day 64: Rolling mill, decorative paper, one time use; Day 65: Rolling mill, dismantled steel scouring pad, one time use; Day 66: Rolling mill, dismantled copper scouring pad, one time use, like this one, smushed copper pieces can be used for mixed media projects; Day 67: New technique – etching, printed design on glossiest paper at Office Max, works great, one time use; Day 68: Etching, used Staz-On ink on a stamp I carved from rubber, not as crisp because of texture of rubber; Day 69: Rolling mill, 1/4 inch frogtape, not very exciting, hardly any texture, one time use; Day 70: Hammered copper piece on old steel Victorian hook with a brass hammer.

I’ve found a rhythm since I’m just using the rolling mill now. Pieces are ready, I roll them through the mill, patina and I’m done in a short time. Since I pretty much have a handle on the rolling mill, I’m going to try etching the metal next for texture. Reading up on the different methods, lots of choices.
Day 51- Swirly, fiberous, hand-made paper, love it, one time use; Day 52- Brass texture plate; Day 53- Brass texture plate; Day 54- Brass texture plate; Day 55- Brass texture plate; Day 56- Brass texture plate; Day 57- Brass wire, can be manipulated into any shape; Day 58- Gauze, one time use; Day 59- steel ornament; Day 60- Cut-up old, lace curtain, one time use.

Day fifty and I am enjoying the process. In the studio every day and still coming up with more ideas to texture metal which is funny because I thought I would run out of ideas to fill 100 days! Wish we could put up more than one picture because I would like to show the objects I used to make the textures not just the finished piece.
Day 41- nylon window screen; Day 42- perforated paper, one-time use, next time would press harder to make deeper impression; Day 43- metal window screen; Day 44- Brass rings I used in Cuttlebug machine, didn’t do any better in rolling mill, didn’t get the inner lines; Day 45- brass texture plate,like this design but won’t use patina next time, dulls the design; Day 46- canvas, one time use; Day 47- damask cloth, one time use, doesn’t get all the pattern; Day 48- fabric placemat, doesn’t get all the pattern, one time use. Won’t use fabric other than canvas and book cloth at this point; Day 49- plastic placemat, one time use, hardly left an impression; Day 50- plastic dog dish mat with swirly design, very soft and thick, left no impression. Apparently, soft plastic will not leave an impression like the harder plastic in my Cuttlebug folders.

After experimenting with my Cuttlebug folders in the Cuttlebug machine, I tried using other objects and found only the folders work in the Cuttlebug machine. So on to the rolling mill which can apply more pressure. Pieces 31 through 34 are the last pieces using Cuttlebug folders. Rolling mill: thirty-five used two brass rings. Thirty-six and thirty-seven used brass texture plates.Thirty-eight a piece of brass furnace vent we used behind a gas stove (next time use more pressure to make deeper impression) . Thirty-nine a piece of book cloth and forty was 1/4 inch hardware cloth. The book cloth is a one-time use because it gets flattened but the rest can be used over and over. Can’t believe it’s day 42 already!

I am going through all the plastic Cuttlebug folders that I might use with jewelry. I can see using bits or all of particular designs.