The main ingredients:
The proper printer and the proper decals.
I use an HP LaserJetP1102w. The toner cartridge is 85A. Pretty much any printer that uses an 85A cartridge should work for the decals. If you look at the MSDS sheet of a particular type of toner you can find out the percentage of iron ferrite in it. Below is what you are looking for. Ferrite is an ingredient of toner, powdered iron, at high temperatures in the presence of air, it will become iron oxide. For example, the Lexmark 260 MSDS listed the percentage of ferrite in the toner as 7-13%, where the HP is 45%, giving it more durability. I have only used the 45% one. (Thanks to Ed Lay for that info!)

For this sample I used Thompson's 1020 unleaded titanium white. (Counter enamel just like you would do for anything else you enamel. I don't always counter enamel) The decals show up better on a lighter enamel, but of course it depends on what you want and I always feel it's a good thing to experiment. Opaques and transparents will both work, it will just be a different look. You can also enamel on top of the decal, but too many firings will eventually burn out the decal, at least it will with the torch, not sure about kiln-firing.

After printing your sheet of decals, cut out the one that will fit on your metal, and drop it into some water. I did use a decal with white backing instead of clear, only because I just wanted to get something quick so I could take some pictures... after all it is Friday night and I said I would do this at the end of the week... some people consider Sunday the end of the week... It doesn't really matter how long you leave it in the water, but you want it in there long enough to get the decal to slide off of the backing paper, maybe a minute. It won't hurt it to be in there longer. Put the decal ink-side down on the metal (the backing paper will be on top) and slide the backing off of the decal. If you ever made models as a kid or with your kids and put the decals on the models, it's the same process. The decal can still be moved around on top of the enamel so you can place it where you want. Some people suggest letting it dry over night, or for a couple of hours on top of a kiln, but I don't have the patience for that... I'll dry it a bit with a heat gun, (be careful not to get it too hot, you just want to evaporate the water) then push out any air bubbles with a piece of cardboard or a paper towel. Air bubbles will cause pinholes in the decal, which can be cool, or not. I used to obsess about popping all the bubbles with a needle, but it never really seemed to work... I find that heating it slowly with the torch, even if it bubbles up gives me pretty good results. It takes a lot of practice.

On the decal below, you can see parts of the image are light brown. That part wasn't fired into the enamel long enough. However, I like the way it looks, so I left it. And that's pretty much how you do it.

I like routine, I like when things stay the same, I like when things don't change... it gives a sense of having control over our lives.

But the reality is that everything is constantly changing, coming in and out of existence... and the truth is - I like that too. Nothing is permanent or lasting and what I've expressed with these pieces is not knowing what stage of becoming they are in. Are they just being formed? Or are they just starting to decay? Solid earthy pieces which have the appearance of just being dug up or on their way back to the earth.

 This work is lucky enough to be in the same room as this exhibit:

EVAN HOLM's the river made no sound  a multi-dimensional solo show by sculptor-installation artist Evan Holm is open through June 27, 2015.  The first floor of Vessel Gallery will showcase Cloud|Clock a sound machine composed of kinetic wooden gears, cloud lattice, and 600 lbs of flour. Upstairs Holm has constructed Forest Pools. This installation, with 23 pools of sumi ink running through an oak grove, makes quite the impression. 
Oakland Art Murmur Reception: FRI, June 5, 6-9PM, music sound performance by Evan Holm
Vessel Gallery Artist Talk Series with the artist is Saturday June 13, 2PM.

"Project Runway" Season 13, Episode 3 Air Date: 08/07/14.

In this episode, the Project Runway designers were asked to integrate the past, present, and future in their creations and they were challenged to get inspiration from Marie Claire magazines from 1994, 20 years ago, to create looks they think will be relevant 20 years in the future.

So for the EtsyMetal Translation:

IF you were making jewelry in 1994, revisit one of your own creations and update it for 20 years in our future, 2034!

Or, make a piece that is inspired by your life in 1994 and modify it for the future 2034!

This was a hard one, mostly because I have to remember something! I think that it's generally safe to say at anytime in my art career, I make art based on my Photo Booth pictures and influenced by Andy Warhol. I feel that the styles of art come and go and come and go... always repeating cycles. In 20 years, I'm sure I'll still be using photo booth pictures with new technology in a slightly altered way.

Torch-fird enamels, decals, copper.

Check out the Etsy Metal blog here

Of course, I had to go with letters. Also inspired by the movie - Jean Michel Basquiat, Radiant Child - and the artist, Paul Klee. I used 'A to Z' - letters pierced out of copper, torch-fired enamels with alphabet decals. They are big, 2" wide x 2.5" long

I do a lot of torch fired enameling. I like the colors you can get with enamels, but a lot of the time I think of enamels as a patina. Not trying to get a solid even color, but a color mixed in with metal, leaving a more weathered, aged look. The benefit of using enamels in this way is that the look is relatively permanent. I don't need to seal it in any way.

BUT one of my favorite things to do is experiment. AND patinas on metal just cry out to be experimented with. You also have to give way to complete control when experimenting with patinas. For me, part of the fun is seeing what happens when you mix it all up. (Also when experimenting with patinas, it is a good idea to be sure to wear the proper protective equipment – goggles, gloves, dust or fume masks, etc.)

I like to collect patinas. That means when I'm doing other processes like etching or pickling, I can't help but notice the reactions on the metal when I leave a piece out (for a long time - I'm a little sloppy!) after etching and noticing the natural patina it has. So I gather the materials that created that look and match them up in different ways. I have an old plastic muffin tin (is it still called a tin if it's made out of plastic?) and I'll put the bits I have left over or mix up some new combos. Later I'll add water and paint them on metal.

On June 2, 2014, I journeyed up to the Richmond Art Center with Mary Luke for a 5-day  'Radical Enameling' workshop with Andrew Kuebeck. This workshop was the first in a series of radical enameling workshops put on by the new Center for Enamel Arts, founded by Judy Stone. It was well worth the time and money to take a class beyond the basics of enameling - doesn't seem like there are a lot of those available.

I don't want to bore you with the details of the trip... however the details of the trip aren't boring, so I'm going to tell you anyway!

For our first stop along the way, Mary took us to the Rosie the Riveter Museum in Richmond. It was awesome! So thoughtfully done and very interesting. Definitely worth checking out.

We enjoyed our tapas and sangria, then went about 2 blocks to the lecture. We climbed lots of stairs to get there... we knew we were a little late so we weren't surprised to see people already listening to Andrew's lecture. After a few minutes, Mary realized that the present slide said 'Thank You' and proceeded to guess that we had just missed his entire lecture. She was right. At least the tapas and sangria were good!

Ok, that's it for Part 1. I know a lot of you are waiting for the decal information... don't worry it will be in Part 2. Just enjoy the ride!