About Me & My Work
My name is Tina Tobias-Scharf and I’m a local artist living in the northwest suburbs of Illinois. I was born in Chicago and grew up in a family that was very artistic and crafty. This allowed me to explore and pursue many different interests and passions in my life, some of which are music, painting, photography, gardening, raising and releasing Monarch butterflies, and the art and craft of miniatures.
My interest and work with Polymer Clay in Doll House Miniatures led me to the path of creating PMC (Precious Metal Clay) jewelry.
Similar to Polymer Clay, PMC gave me a sculpting medium to work within that was familiar to me. PMC allowed me to shape, sculpt, mold, and carve unique designs that would eventually become pure silver jewelry. Some of my pieces have embellishments of gemstones, CZ, or 24K Gold Gilding. Other elements I also work within are Brass, Beading, Glass, Leather, Sterling Silver Stamping, and Hammered Bracelets.All of my pieces are handcrafted by me in my home workshop. Some of my passions such as gardening, the beach, and butterflies reveal themselves in my pieces. I take great joy and personal pleasure in creating unique and intriguing designs in jewelry.
Pricing on my pieces is based on the amount (weight) of silver involved and the level of intricate work needed to achieve the design.
Just what is PMC Silver?
PMC (Precious Metal Clay) is a medium consisting of very small particles of metal such as silver, gold, bronze, or copper mixed with an organic binder and water for use in sculpting jewelry and other art forms.
Originating in Japan in 1990, PMC can be shaped just like any soft clay, by hand, using molds and applying textures. After drying, the clay can be carved and then finely sanded. It is then fired in a variety of ways such as in a kiln, or with a handheld torch. The clay binder then burns away, leaving the pure sintered metal. In the case of silver, it results in 99.9% pure silver. Some level of shrinkage occurs during firing and needs to be factored in for the pieces. After being fired, the metal is finished to the desired effect, highly polished, satin, or antiqued.
There are a few gemstones and CZ (cubic zirconia) that can actually be embedded and fired within the PMC. All other gemstones need to be set after firing. There are other techniques that can be used on finishes such as oxidation, antiquing and gold gilding.
Please note that as my pieces are all handcrafted, even when recreating a piece there may be subtle differences or artistic license. Most of my pendants are on 18” chains, but I may have 16” or 24” available. I choose different styles of chains to specifically enhance my designs.
- All
- Casual Elegance
- Earings
- Necklaces
Protecting Your Jewelry
Proper care and maintenance is necessary for any fine jewelry. If you follow these recommended tips, caring for your jewelry is incredibly easy! These methods will help prolong the longevity and beauty of your jewelry for years to come!
This list is not all-inclusive listing and only provides warnings for some of the most common improper practices used to clean and protect jewelry.
Basic Care
Good Practices
Apply any lotion, cosmetics, hairspray, and perfume before putting on jewelry. When undressing, wipe each piece with a clean soft cloth to remove any oils and perspiration from the day. Preferably store in a fabric-lined box, separately or individually- wrapped in tissue to prevent scratches. You can also store it in a plastic zip lock bag along with anti-tarnish paper (see more on tarnish prevention below).
What to Avoid
- Wearing jewelry when doing physical work such as housekeeping, gardening or exercise.
- Exposing jewelry to household cleaning products and chemicals.
- Exposing jewelry to chlorine swimming pools or hot tubs.
- Abrasive cleaners, detergents and commercial jewelry cleaners “dips” especially if the pieces have an oxidized finish. Using harsh polishing cleaners will alter the antique look of your jewelry.
- Using an ultrasonic cleaner, ammonia or any chemical solution to clean opaque gemstones, such as turquoise, malachite, onyx, lapis lazuli and opals. They are a porous stone and may absorb chemicals, which build up inside the stone and cause discoloration. Simply wipe them gently with a moist cloth until clean.
Knowing Your Silver
Type & Grade
- The best grade of Sterling Silver is .925. All my chains and jewelry findings, such as earring wires and bails are .925 sterling silver.
- Fine silver is graded as .999 silver. All of my PMC Silver designs are graded as .999.
- I never use silver plated in my jewelry.
Jewelry Cleaning Tips
Cautions
To care for your jewelry and keep it clean and ready to wear, gently wipe off excess make-up, skin oils and perspiration after each wearing. Use a nub free, 100% cotton cloth and gently wipe the piece clean using only the soft pads of your fingers. Store in jeweler’s tissue or a soft bag.
When cleaning sterling silver remember that it is a very soft metal and can easily be marred by a fingernail or wadded piece of stiff fabric pushed roughly against the metal surface. For this reason, use one of the methods below to clean heavier soils and tarnish.
To remove fingerprints, light grease or dirt, add a small amount of mild liquid soap, or dish liquid soap to a half cup of warm water, soak only 2-3 minutes, rinse thoroughly with clean water and dry completely before storing in an air-tight plastic bag. You can use a soft-bristled toothbrush to gently buff nooks and crannies in delicate designs.
Never immerse your silver jewelry in chlorine, salt water, mineral springs, and suntan lotion. Remember, some household cleaners contain chlorine bleach; these will cause discoloration and also loosen the gemstones.
Tarnish
Not wiping down silver jewelry after wearing or storing silver in the open air and humidity can cause it to tarnish quickly. To reduce tarnish and keep jewelry tarnish-free, it is recommended that silver jewelry be wiped down and stored in a protective bag made of tarnish-proof cloth or an air-tight plastic bag with anti-tarnish strips. Do NOT bunch several pieces in the same bag to save time or space. This can create tangling, scratching, tarnish, and that is exactly what we are trying to avoid here!
To remove excessive tarnish, use a jeweler polishing cloth, or polish with a 100% cotton cloth and a good nonabrasive metal cleaner. Be sure to remove any remnants of the cleaner from gemstones and rinse thoroughly with clean water.
Contact
At this time, my work is not available for direct purchase on-line. If you have any questions or purchase requests, be sure to contact me by email or use the form below. As I am still part of the workforce, please allow 48 hours for a response. Thank you.
Location:
840 North Rt.83, Mundelein, IL 60060
Email:
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