Creating that antique look with copper is super simple – on my first try I got really nice results.

You will need:

• A copper piece
• Household ammonia
• Fishing line (or, as in this case, plastic beading string)
• A jar (about a pint should do, this is an old instant coffee jar)
• Tape

Run the plastic string through your piece.

Pour an inch of ammonia into the jar (be warned, this stuff is super smelly). Hang your piece so it’s just an inch or so above the ammonia (don’t let it touch the ammonia), tape the string to the sides of the jar and screw the lid on.

Keep checking on your piece until it’s the colour you want, and that’s it! The photos below were taken every 30 minutes for 2 hours. After 2 hours I had a look I liked, so I pulled the piece out and gave it a gentle wash with soap and water.

I also tried this using copper pipe to make my own bezels – it’s a lovely, and easy, result :)