I've been really inspired recently to add colour to metal clay and there are so many ways of doing it:  enamelling, adding polymer clay, paints, resin etc!   One thing I've not seen added before and there's probably a good reason that I don't know about :)  is adding gilding flakes, topped with resin.  I really hesitated because I wasn't sure whether I was going to like so much colour AND whether it'd work.

After a few "shall I?", "shall I not?" discussions with myself, I went for it.  I'm really pleased with how it's turned out.  What the photo doesn't show is that the gilding flakes really range in colour through silver, gold, bronze, red, copper and this gives the piece a lovely autumnal feel (the look I was going for).  Topping it with resin has sealed it all in and I'm hoping that it'll also help to keep the colours fresh ............. time will tell!