Did you know that August 23 is tutorial day here at Thistlewood?
I mean a real tutorial.
With numbered steps.
Not a tutorial that was supposed to be about how to add trim to a sheet and then ended up as a random numbered post about a trip to Wal-Mart.
What was that? Seriously. All I can say is around here…..some posts just write themselves.
So no random post today.
We are having tutorial day because I decided that I love this project. And it was so easy. And looks amazing. And I wanted to tell you all about it. In great detail.
Really.
And I didn’t want any distractions.
Therefore…… I am going to refrain from talking about my son’s attempt to get me to help him with his homework by saying……“Come on Mom. If you help me…..you could call it a project and put it on your blog.”
And I’m not going to tell you that I found this great set of stencils at the dollar store or that “The Real Housewives of New York” is really great this season or that I just learned about the timer on my camera.
Nope.
Nothing like that today.
We don’t have time.
We have a tutorial to get to.
Stamped Silver Spoon Bracelet
1. Start with a silver plate spoon.
Soup spoons are the best.
This is shaped like a sugar spoon which is second best.
It really needs to be silver plate because it is an easy metal to stamp.
2. Flatten the head of the spoon.
Place the spoon on a hard surface and use a rubber mallet.
After you flatten it, depending on the depth of the spoon, you may have little ripples.
This is fine.
It gives it character.
3. Decide what you want to stamp on your spoon bracelet.
I stamped “spread joy around.”
You could put a date (anniversary, birthday, etc.)
You could put family names.
Song lyrics.
Scripture.
You get the idea 🙂
4. Stamp the flattened spoon.
I used 3/32 size stamps.
To stamp the silver…..place the spoon on a metal stamping block.
Then, place the stamp where you want the letter to be located on your silver and hit with a regular household hammer.
Several times.
I usually hammer it about four times to make a good letter impression.
Just a quick suggestion: I have it on good authority that standing up while stamping silver makes it a little easier.
5. Take a permanent marker with a fine tip and trace the letters.
6. Your letters should look like this.
If there is too much ink on your letters, you can scrub lightly with the rough side of a sponge and the excess will come off.
7. Bend the spoon until it forms a half-circle.
This is easier than it looks.
The silver plate is pretty pliable.
We bent it around an old metal pole and hammered it into shape.
Then I adjusted it to fit my wrist.
Now…..aren’t you glad you were here for tutorial day?
Don’t get used to it, though.
I think tutorial day only comes around once a year.
And we have plenty to discuss about those Housewives of New York between now and then 🙂
To see more of my stamped silver projects….click here!
This is really neat and I like how it turned out. Thanks for the easy tutorial!
You make it look so easy! I love how it looks and the photography in the nest is brilliant!
I've always admired stamped metal objects, but have never been tempted to try one myself until I saw your bracelet. Absolutely love it! You did a great job and your tutorial was pretty darn good too.
You make it look really easy and I love how it turned out. Now, if I could only hammer the spoon instead of my thumb. hmmmmmm.....maybe I need a hammering tutorial :)
You make it look so easy!...Such a beautiful bracelet with a sentiment that is so fitting for "you"....as you are always "spreading the joy all around"!!!
EEEK! I love this! These would make great Christmas gifts! Thanks for sharing...now I'm off to the Bead Box for supplies!
Cute idea for a bracelet.
Are you somehow now infiltrating my dreams? Because I was just dreaming about making a spoon bracelet - then woke up and thought about it while lazing in bed. Then came down, read this and thought "Kari now has access to my inner most thoughts"! Now I'm nervous. What else do you know? Please only harness your powers for good. Kelly
Great tutorial, KariAnne! I make plant makers using this technique, but never thought to make a pretty cuff! Thanks for the easy to understand instructions! These would make fabulous Christmas gifts for my girls!!! Please stop by StoneGable and add your cuff DYI to TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS, going on now! I wish Tutorial Day would happen more!!!! Great idea!
This is a really great idea, Kari!
Lovely...I have all the silverware waiting for me but no stamps. May have to visit your sidebar :) Laurel
See, you CAN write a great tutorial! I love your spoon bracelet :-) I really want to do some stamping - I did it on the pottery piece I made in PEI, and it was fun :-) I love how stamped lettering usually isn't perfect - it gives a stamped piece character and a wonderful handmade quality :-)
I have my stamps. Ordered from your sponsor, The Bead Box. Clicked on their button on your sidebar and placed my order. Now I just need a stamping block. And spoons. And, seriously, I can use a regular old hammer? I don't need some super special hammer? :) me
Love your bracelet! That silver pattern was the one my grandma had. Hmmm. Wonder who ended up with it? Thanks, Kari!
I spent quite a chunk of change for one of these for my daughter because even though I have a set of metal stamps I thought bending the spoon would be hard. Duh!!! Looks great. Thanks for sharing.
Nice tutorial. I personally like imperfections. The spoon looks great.
What a great idea. So cute and easy to follow tutorial!! You are so cute with your no distractions!! :) Have a great day!!
I have been wanting to try silver stamping...lord knows I have enough hoarded silverware!
This is fabulous, Thistle.:-) I love the stamping idea!
So pretty! Like an instant heirloom. PS. You're not kidding about RHONY! So good! Those Housewives shows are such a guilty pleasure of mine. All of them ;)
Karianne, Thanks for the great tutorial! I enjoyed it more than the last one on your son's homework. :D You've even convinced me to give it a try -- stamping not your son's homework. I have to email you regarding Hometalk and twitter chat sessions. I have accounts on both but have no idea what I am doing. I need those books: Twitter and Hometalk for Dummies. Your Friend, Deborah
Good Morning Karianne, Great tutorial and I love the bracelet. One of these days I'm going to try one of your stamping on metal projects. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day! Joyous Wishes, Linda
Love this. You're clever, cute, funny, intelligent and talented. You need any more adjectives? They all add up to KariAnne love.♥
Gift ideas rolling around in my head. You make it look so easy... Might have to try this. Thanks for sharing.. always a joy to read your posts! ((HUGS)) Gee
I love this idea! Thank you for the tutorial and the place to buy the stamps! Precious!
Hi Karianne - We met at Haven! I just wanted to come by and visit your blog! It's fantastic! Great tutorial. Thanks for sharing. Have a happy day, Kerri, A Pop of Pretty
Cute! Now I just need to find a silver spoon, a rubber mallet, and a set of letter stamps...perhaps I could just go onto Etsy and buy one already made! :)
Great tutorial! You made it sound very easy. Thanks for sharing!
Ok...now I'm seeing what you need to do at your next HomeTalk party! Love these!
Awesome!!! Yay for spreading joy all around!! You made that look super easy and cute. I'm pinning it now so I can remember. Hope your day is Extraordinary!
Lovely. I've never tried silver stamping before so now it's on my list to do in all my spare time. :) xo Heidi PS-- and you DO... spread joy all around, that is. :)
Love that! I always wondered how those letters got stamped on silverware. That makes a very cute bracelet. Thanks for the tutorial.
You, my dear one, make EVERYthing look easy ....this is awesome.
Yo. Where'd you get those little stampy letter thingies?
Cute idea..I've seen this done to mark flowers and veggies in a garden..
Love this idea! So cool. I have a spoon ring that my father made for my mother when they were dating. I wear it almost every day.
i love the bracelet, karianne! isn't stamping fun?!
What a great project! Thanks for the tute! Hugs, Cindy
I love it! I have wanted to get some letter stamps...where did you get them?
Great tutorial KariAnne and super cute bracelet!
Love this! I've always wanted to buy one of those stamping sets. Any suggestions on where to get one?
This is fantastic! And you write in such a way that I actually feel like I might be able to pull it off. Hmmm....
Awesome! Hmmmm. I may just have to get a set of letters for silver stamping!
I love that spoon bracelet! That was a terrific tutorial, though I like your posts that start in one place and finish somewhere else. =)
This bracelet is such a cute idea, KariAnne--I love it! It's a really unique statement piece of jewelry to wear. I've never tried stamping metal before--I will have to look into that.
very glad I stopped by for this tutorial....love the bracelet...LOVE. It seems like I had some kind of spoon jewelry when I was college 20 years ago...a ring maybe? Where is that thing? Anyway, awesome tutorial...and amazing pictures! so crisp!!!
can u bend spoons to make a ring .i have try to but i can not done it
There are usually so many projects I want to start that I don't start any... but I have my grandmothers Silver Plate Silverware set, still in the original Wooden case. She would be proud of me if I used them to actually start a project (she wouldn't have been very proud of me when I tried to sell them and found out they weren't worth anything much because they are Silver Plate) and I really like your project. Having it in a Tutorial was great, Thank you.. Where would I start looking for the stamps?
Hope you get the problem solved soon.