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Naomi Whitman of Palo Alto, California, was a buyer of everything in women's wear—jewelry to furs—both in California and the East for years, and had a busy, interesting life. She was active in The Palo Alto Community Players, a little theatre group, taking prominent roles in many of their productions. However, her role as a business woman and actress was dramatically cut short by an accident which brought about an injury to her spine.

In traction for many months, unable even to read without the aid of special reflector glasses, Mrs. Whitman did not become despondent. Rather, she thought of others less fortunate who could not read at all. She wondered how the blind students at Stanford University in Palo Alto were able to continue their studies without the ability to read. Since she was able to use her arms and talk on the telephone, she began making inquiries.

She discussed her idea with the editor of a local paper, and the resulting editorial brought immediate response from volunteers who expressed their willingness to help read to the blind students.

Also, those who wished to be read to responded, as well as others who requested further information, both interested citizens and other leading newspapers of California.

A reader's service movement developed for the blind and partially blind students and shut-ins of Palo Alto with Naomi Whitman as liaison officer. She listed those who needed readers, then sent the readers to the shut-ins from an ever-widening circle of people wanting to help. Thus the months flew by while she was bedridden.

ABLE TO be up for a longer period of time each day, Mrs. Whitman cast about for something else to do—something that she could make and perhaps sell. She had been reading Profitable Hobbies for many months and in the October, 1953, issue she had read about Hannah Miller of Danboro, Pennsylvania, who had been quite ill, yet made jewelry and sold it, bringing a good income.

Mrs. Whitman knew that handmade jewelry was catching on in fashionable circles, for as a former buyer, she still watched the fashion scene. Even men were beginning to wear cuff-links, handmade and in some cases almost the size of a silver dollar.

"Perhaps I could make jewelry, too," she thought, and immediately began learning how.

At first she went to an adult night school class where she had heard enameling on copper was being taught. As her interest and skill increased, she set up a workshop in her own kitchen. Now, her breakfast-nook has been transformed and she works there hours each day.

Her flair for the dramatic and her knowledge of design, stemming from her previous experience, helped in her creative work. Her imagination was caught by the beautiful, warm tones of the copper metal, and soon many original designs were pouring out of her workshop.

AT FIRST, friends who admired the unusual jewelry were Mrs. Whitman's customers, coming to her home to see the pieces and buy them. They encouraged her to find shops that would handle unusual jewelry such as hers was, and she found such a shop in San Francisco. This was a small specialty shop, handling art objects, paintings and fine handicrafts. Taking samples of her work, Mrs. Whitman went to the shop and told the proprietor that her hobby was trying hard to become a business. The proprietor, impressed with the fine workmanship, ordered six pairs of cuff links as her initial trial order, taking them on a consignment basis. A month later she repeated her order, and Mrs. Whitman was encouraged to find other stores which would do the same.

She is continually on the lookout for small specialty shops handling fine objects of art and feels that these shops are better outlets for handmade jewelry than department stores at the present time, as they will take smaller consignments. Department stores usually want dozens of pieces at a time, and at present, Mrs. Whitman cannot turn out such a large supply.

Mrs. Whitman is now selling her enameled "Jewelry By Naomi" in four high-fashion shops in California, one in Carmel having recently taken everything she had on hand.

The pieces she makes are many, and among her favorites are earrings in all the many jeweled enamel colors, bracelets for both children and grownups, cuff links in Mr. and Mrs. sets (small for the women, matching larger ones for the men). Pendants, leather ties with enameled disks attached for wearing with blouses and sweaters, rings that look like pieces of rare jade, pins of all shapes and sizes, as well as "new idea" pieces that she continually originates, are among her many unusual and popular designs.

Sketching interesting ideas constantly and carrying them out in her jewelry, Mrs. Whitman notes all the lovely color combinations that she sees in flowers, sunsets, paintings and even magazine art. And always she strives to make something new and different—something that no one else has made before.

There are many ideas for enameled copper work in the books for beginners, one of which is "Enameling on Copper," by Catherine M. Henson. Another booklet, helpful to the beginner can be obtained from the enamel and ceramic supply houses, titled "Enameling on Copper and Other Metals," by Thomas E. Thompson.

SUPPLIES YOU will need for making enameled copper jewelry are: Copper sheet—sixteen to twenty-four gauge—eighteen gauge is best for beginners as it does not contract as severely as thinner metal. Copper wire in varying thicknesses, tweezers, file, spatula, jeweler's needle-nosed tweezers, brushes, an ordinary perfume atomizer (bulb type), metal snips, jeweler's saw, drill, tongs, small table clamp or vise, wood block, plenty of clean paper, tea strainers (several of different sized meshes), soldering iron, lots of small glass jars, bottles and bowls, a torch or kiln for baking, or a small camp-kit stove, trays, tiles, basic colors in powdered enamel, gum tragacanth, alcohol, nitric or sulphuric acid, emery or sand paper, steel wool, and a ¾-inch wire mesh rack about six by four inches in size.

Ii you intend making copper enameled jewelry extensively to sell, you will need some small electrical all purpose tools. Such tools have several small drills, buffers and polishers to attach, and will make your workshop much more efficient.

One of the most pressing problems of the hobbyist is where to find his working materials. In this case, copper "findings" are sometimes quite difficult to obtain. It is probably wisest for the beginner to buy already cut discs from ceramic and hobby shops, or try to find scrap copper, such as copper plumbing pipe, and so on.

Some of the places where you might find copper supplies are: Scrap metal shops, plating shops, plumbing supply shops, second-hand stores, rummage sales, and through advertisements, especially in the hobby and related magazines. Electrical supply stores also have copper wire, and may have copper tubing which may be utilized in jewelry making.

IT IS well for the beginner to start on some easy-to-do piece, rather than try to make a pair of earrings, cuff links, etc. A pendant is ideal, as each one may be of a different color and design, and may be used in a number of other ways besides as a necklace. Although it is a delightful piece of costume jewelry hung on a velvet cord, grosgrain ribbon or leather thong, it may also be used as a pin by fastening a pin-back to the back of the disc. Several pieces, matching in shape, may be strung together as a bracelet on either wires or thongs, and the single piece, again, may be used on a short thong as a belt ornament.

For the first step, cut your design out of copper with the metal snips or jeweler's saw. However, it is advisable for beginners to buy the round and odd-sized discs from ceramic and hobby shops. Many of the odd shapes are too difficult to cut or file accurately and take much time in the doing. The pieces will cost from five cents to twenty-five cents each.

The pendant piece should be about two inches wide in order to utilize an interesting pattern, and show up a noticeable and outstanding color. If you would rather make some unusual shape of your own design, draw it first on paper, then glue it to the metal with household cement and cut around it with the snips. Drill a small hole for the ribbon.

If the piece is a difficult one to cut with the snips, use the jeweler's saw. In this procedure the metal is fastened to a small table-clamp or vise, a slot punched into it outside of the design edge. The blade of the saw is unfastened, inserted into this slot, then fastened again to the saw handle. Cut with the saw blade held in an upright position.

For ease in filing, fasten metal securely in table-clamp, first trimming rough edges with the metal-snips.

After the pendant disc is cut, file the edges very smooth, as the enamel when being baked will not adhere to rough edges. A square of emery paper held over a small block of wood is excellent for finishing the edges, and also for smoothing off the entire piece. The copper metal should be polished with the emery or sandpaper and steel wool (very fine) until it looks like soft, smooth gold. There must be no sharp corners or rough edges, or any trace of oil or grease left on the metal.

STEP TWO is the pickling process. This is done by placing the cleaned disc in a glass bowl into which a solution of five parts of water to one part of nitric acid has been placed. Since acid is extremely dangerous to handle and may result in burns to yourself and to your clothes, caution must be exercised in mixing this solution. Always put the water into the bowl first, then add the acid with the utmost care to prevent splashing.

Use tongs to insert the copper piece into the acid bowl, also to remove piece, touching with the hands as little as possible after this step. Be careful, too, not to breathe the acid fumes, and have the room well-ventilated when using acid. A special metal cleaning and pickling compound may be purchased from ceramic supply sources, such as hobby or art shops, and it is not as dangerous as the acid mixture.

Remove from the pickling bowl when the piece has reached a bright clean copper color. Using tongs, hold the piece under running water to stop further reaction of acid and to remove all traces of it. Dry well with a clean, lintless cloth and drop into another bowl containing alcohol. It may be well to write the names of the different solutions on the outside of the glass bowls with colored nail enamel for easier identification, such as Acid on one glass bowl, Alcohol on another, and so on.

Dipping the piece into alcohol will prevent the copper from oxidizing in the open air, resulting in a dark discoloration which has to be removed by repeating the pickling process.

IN STEP three, the enameling process, remove the piece to be enameled from the alcohol bath, dry it between paper towels or with a lintless cloth, after necessary tools and material are laid out.

You will need the gum tragacanth solution (this is obtained in flake form at a drug or art store), and directions for preparing it follow:

Shake ¾ ounce of the flake gum tragacanth into a quart of water. Allow to soak overnight or for twenty-four hours. Strain through mesh strainer which is lined with cheesecloth. If solution is too thick to use, add water and soak twenty-four hours longer. Strain again. Allow solution, to stand until bubbles are gone. For longer lasting, add a few drops of carbolic acid.

For the enameling process, you will need besides the gum tragacanth solution, a camel's hair paint brush for applying solution, or an ordinary bulb atomizer, a small wooden block and several large pieces of clean, slick magazine paper to cover the working surface under the block.

Place on top of the magazine paper a smaller piece of clean white paper for catching spilled enamel powder, in order to save it for re-use. This paper should be changed for each color, and the spilled enamel poured back into its bottle. However, should you mix the colors by accident, do not throw it away, but save it in a separate jar for multicolored effects.

Place the copper disc on the top of the block of wood and brush or spray on a coating of gum tragacanth, using the camel's hair brush or atomizer. This coating should be very smooth and even, and is utilized to hold the powdered enamel in place. The gum tragacanth will not adhere to the copper smoothly unless the edges are very smooth, and the surface has been thoroughly cleaned. A finger mark will dull the finished item. If the metal surface is finger marked or dusty or oxidized, you must clean the copper all over again by using the steel wool on both sides, pickle, running water bath, alcohol dip, and dry.

Dust on the enamel. When dusting the enamel powder onto the gum tragacanth coated surface, Mrs. Whitman places a portion of nylon stocking over the open top of the enamel bottle and sometimes holds a fine-screen mesh tea strainer under that if the piece is to be especially fine. She taps the end of the bottle gently, sifting the enamel lightly over the piece until the entire surface is evenly covered. The enamel should be saturated with the gum solution and should be of an even thickness, for if it is applied too thickly in spots it will pop off when cooling. The enamel will moisten thoroughly and should be dried completely before baking.

While enamel is still wet, mark on your design, if you wish one, or place pieces of chunk enamel or silver or copper slivers for decoration. If using an atomizer for the gum tragacanth solution, more gum may be sprayed on the finished design to "set" the enamel. Thin the gum solution for use in the atomizer, so that it will spray properly.

Set piece aside for an hour or more until thoroughly dry. After it is well dried, more of the gum tragacanth may be sprayed on and more enamel applied, if you wish. However, if too much enamel is applied it will crack or pop off while baking. The same thing will happen if the enamel is not kept clean, or if the piece is baked before the enamel is completely dry. Utmost care should be taken not to jiggle the piece after the enamel is on, as disturbance will spoil the design and cause some parts of the piece to be uneven.

If a two-toned or two-colored effect is desired, apply the design after the first coat has been baked. Spray the thoroughly cooled piece with the gum solution, and sift on another layer of powdered enamel in contrasting color. Mrs. Whitman marks the design in with the sharp end of an ordinary lead pencil. An orange stick may also be used. Set the piece aside on a clean tile or tray where it can dry in a minimum of dust-laden air.

STEP FOUR is the firing process. A kiln is ideal for large pieces, or for any large quantity of pieces, such as you would be turning out if you were selling extensively. However, they are expensive, and as Mrs. Whitman, like many other hobbyists, was at first operating on a shoestring, she wished to economize in every way possible. A friend of hers was using her son's small camp stove, for her firing, and Naomi gratefully adopted the ingenious idea.

Purchased in an army supply store for around $7, the stove is about the size of a pop-up toaster, and is folded up for easy storing. It burns white gasoline which Mrs. Whitman obtains in a gasoline station for about ten cents a quart. This lasts for an indefinite period, the stove holding one cup of fuel and burning it for one hour at white heat. Since the smaller pieces, as in jewelry, bake in one to two minutes, one can easily do about twenty-four pieces in an hour. If you wish to use the stove longer than one hour, allow it to cool completely before refilling tank with gas. Simply follow the directions coming with the camp stove.

A good thing to know is that when giving a piece two coats of different colored enamels, it is wise to underfire the first coat, interrupting the firing process at the wavy-appearing stage. Then, when the piece is fired for the second time, the first coat, melting again, will not become overfired.

Overfiring will cause the enamel to thin out and expose the copper along the edges. Small pieces will fire faster than large pieces, and some colors, also, take longer than others to fire. However, with experience, you will be able to tell by the look of the melted enamel when it is done.

WHEN THE piece has cooled, you may give it the second coat, as above, without re-cleaning the piece if there are no fingerprints on it. Carefully lift the piece with the spatula onto the work surface over which clean paper has been placed. Paint or spray again with gum tragacanth and sprinkle with second coat of colored enamel. You may wish to use pieces of larger chunk enamels for "jewel" effects, or place tiny bits of copper or silver or threads of enamel on the piece. In the case of the chunk enamel, do not remove the piece from firing until the chunks have dissolved to complete smoothness.

Mrs. Whitman also places a tin baking reflector, or splatter guide, behind the stove in order to concentrate the heat. She places a small square of heavy wire screen or mesh on top of the stove over the flame. When flame reaches white heat, she places the disc on the mesh, using a small spatula to remove it.

The enamel will melt quickly, and at first will look grainy. Next it will present a wavy appearance, then the enamel will melt and flow out to give a smooth, shiny surface. When this appearance is reached, Mrs. Whitman lifts it carefully by sliding the spatula underneath it.

Place tile baked piece on a warmed tile or an asbestos sheet to cool slowly. A tile, if it is warm, is ideal for allowing it to cool off slowly, but if the tile is cold, the metal will contract too quickly and the enamel will crack and pop off. Mrs. Whitman keeps several tiles on warm surfaces, so that they will be warmed and ready at all times to receive the hot enameled pieces.

The beginner needs to remember that perfectly cleaned surfaces result in the best finished pieces. Patience is a requisite, but that is something that most hobbyists seem to have. If a piece is spoiled through some mistake, don't throw it away. Experiment with it by rebaking with different combinations of colored enamel and you may produce a startlingly original and unique piece.

If bubbles or pits form during or after firing, break them, fill the holes with more enamel and refire. Or break off the enamel by tapping lightly with a ball peen hammer. Clean and re-use the copper.

Beautiful and interesting effects may be obtained by deliberately overfiring. Spectacular silver and mauve effects are derived by overfiring transparent flux. You will find that every piece you make will be different from the others if you will experiment with colors and designs.

It is best for the beginner to try the basic enamel colors first, such as red, black, white, yellow, blue, green, and flux. A trick Mrs. Whitman employs is sifting the chunk enamels through various sized tea strainers, which were mentioned before, placing the uniform sizes together in jars. In that way, she has enamel chunks in different assortments, from the very finest powder to heavy "jewel" chunks and threads.

IF YOU wish to turn out a larger number of pieces in order to sell your enameled copper costume jewelry, Mrs. Whitman advises cutting your work to three basic processes. First, cut and clean all the pieces you intend working on at one time. Have ready several trays on which to place them. Two, set up your work surface for enameling, and, doing one color at a time, you might place several pieces on your block at once. Coat all pieces on the block with gum tragacanth and sprinkle on the enamel color. Trace in any design at this time, also, and place all pieces together carefully on a tray. Three, set up your stove or kiln and bake as many pieces as can be done at one time, preferably baking the same colors together, as some colors take longer than others.

Many enamelists use the blowtorch method to fire their output. For this, they place two bricks on end on a fireproof surface with a mesh wire rack laid over the top. The articles to be fired are placed on the rack and the blowtorch flame bathes the entire rack. This method would necessitate firing out of doors or in the garage because of the fire hazard, while the kiln or camp stove may be used in the house.

Fire scale must be removed from the finished piece after it has completely cooled by quickly dipping into and out of the acid bath. This loosens the scale which now must be cleaned off and the finished piece polished with emery or steel wool. Do not leave finished piece in the acid bath too long or it will discolor.

PRICES FOR copper enameled handmade jewelry vary according to locale. The highly individual and original pieces bring good prices, and handmade jewelry is fashionable and in demand. However, Mrs. Whitman emphasizes that the prices she quotes here are retail prices, and that she averages about forty per cent of that when she consigns her work to shops to sell. If she sells direct from her home, then of course, the full retail price accrues to her, but she can reach many more customers by placing the jewelry in retail shops.

Children's bracelets with twisted copper and silver arm bands and enameled copper disc ornaments retail for $1.95 and up. Other retail prices are $1.95 a pair and up for the small button earrings, up to $10 for the larger and drop-type earrings, depending upon the size of the pieces, work entailed and elaborateness of design. Rings are $5 and up, cuff links range in price from $5 to $12.95 the set. Women's bracelets bring $3.95 and up, pendants $1.95 to $5.

Mrs. Whitman suggests that a good idea is to originate a novel table gadget to be made of enameled copper, such as a letter opener, paper weight, ashtray, or some such article. Make up several samples and take them to a department store, gift shop, jewelry shop, stationery store or other stores where you think the owner or manager might be interested. Offer to let the dealer sell the articles on consignment. He will usually be happy to take them, as they will add to his stock and be something new and interesting to show to his customers, while costing him nothing.

If the article sells successfully, he will order more of them from you. If it doesn't sell, he may have an idea about a new item you could make that would sell better. At any rate, try some other item or jewelry line and offer that to him. The best bet is to try thinking up an original idea for an article—one that has not been done before.

Mrs. Whitman does not recommend that the beginner make earrings or matched pairs of jewelry at first, because it is difficult to get the pieces to match perfectly until a good deal of experience has been obtained. However, the pendants, belt charms, pins and bracelets should be easier for the beginner and will sell from $1.95 and up, depending on the beauty and use of the made-up pieces.

COST BREAKDOWN in work of this type is quite difficult, since prices the hobbyist can get will vary greatly with his skill and experience, amount of detailed work, cost of material and outlets obtainable for selling his finished pieces.

A sheet of copper will cost from seventy-five cents to $1.25 a pound, and will give you about a dozen to three dozen cut pieces, more or less, according to the size of the individual piece. All scraps should be used for smaller pieces; even slivers of the copper should be saved for decorating purposes.