Silver leaf and more

My second attempt at patinizing silver leaf was successful. After applying the leaf I laid crumpled tissue paper in the bowl and sprayed the paper with a solution of 1 part liver of sulphur concentrate to 70 parts espresso coffee at 120 degrees F. I placed a plate on top to stop evaporation and left it for 45 minutes before rinsing it with warm water from a spray bottle to stop the colouring. (I think my first effort last summer failed because I used a different manufacturers silver leaf which was probably imitation).

Looking forward to using the effect on hollow forms and platters.

The next two pieces I used my £2.50 'airbrush' for decoration and finally a salad bowl in sycamore.

Bowl in sycamore 8" x 4 1/2"
acrylic paint, silver leaf, varnish

Platter in sycamore 15" x 2"
acrylic paint, shellac, and wax

Bowl in apple 6" x 4"
acrylic paint and varnish

Salad bowl in sycamore 15" x 4"
walnut oil

Pewter and laburnum

All the pewter at my home is now in danger of meeting the melting pot. At about £35 per kilo I'll probably wait until boot sales start up this spring to replenish supplies. (Anyone have any lying around that is of no use?)

I found it handy to prepare the pewter elements in advance to fitting on the green timber. The ring on the end grain bowl was fit with a tongue and groove joint and epoxy. The foot ring inserts are a handy way to decorate and clean up the foot.

Bowls are finished with oil and wax.

Laburnum and pewter end grain bowl
5 1/2" x 4 1/2"

Laburnum cross grain bowl
8 1/2 " x 3 1/2"

Foot ring and insert detail

Wikipedia entry on laburnum

All parts of the plant are poisonous, and can be lethal if consumed in excess. Symptoms of laburnum poisoning may include intense sleepiness, vomiting, convulsive movements, coma, slight frothing at the mouth and unequally dilated pupils. In some cases, diarrhea is very severe, and at times the convulsions are markedlytetanic. The main toxin in the plant is cytisine, a nicotinic receptor agonist. It is used as a food plant by the larvaeof some Lepidoptera species, including the buff-tip.