lightening storm

the view from my front porch tonight

tiny little loveknot

I've been slowly using up materials that I have on hand to make our budget stretch just a little farther. That makes my ideas for projects jump around a bit, so my theme for the month is "practice." Soldering is still getting the best of me on most days, and I spend a fair amount of time doing fault isolation procedures, cleaning my work area, checking my equipment, reading resource literature, and then I usually melt something. This little ring is attempt # 4. The wire is 20 gauge, which is pretty thin. I like how it looks in this photo, but I think it would be more practical to wear if it were made of heavier wire. I'll try some more tomorrow. I'd like to make interlocking knots, too.

sterling silver loveknot ring

still here

I'm still here, chugging along and trying to make ends meet, just like everybody else I know is doing. Here is a peek at what I made this week. I love being able to go out to my little cluttered space and make things.



Homage to Frida Kahlo's painting
Hummingbird and Thorn Necklace




Forged copper hoop earrings

with Chrysoprase and Aquamarine drops

the latest from my workbench

This necklace is basic, but I think it turned out to be pretty. It was fun to make, and now I have had more practice at making jump rings.

Forged-links necklace, fabricated.
Copper and sterling silver.
Closed loop with no clasp.

metalsmithing class notes

Today in my metalsmithing class, I worked on making what will hopefully become links in a chain. We are learning basic forging techniques, and I am attempting to master making a "transition." My classmates all seemed to make this sample fast, and move on to the next. I did not. I produced all varieties of mistakes. Today, time seemed like it flew by. I was so engrossed in what I was doing, I had to look at the clock twice to grasp that class time was over. I packed up my clumsy samples, home I went, got out my little bench block and a heavier hammer, and kept on trying.  All at once it seemed that I "got it." My hammer strokes were smoothing out the shape as they went, almost erasing my previous blows, leaving a lovely satin sort of finish, even before sanding. The hammer wasn't hitting the block, and with each blow the block gave back to me a little pinging sound. I never imagined I would like the feel of the metal so much, or that I would care about hammers. Fun times.

torch-fired enamel

Jewelry components in progress:
Upside-down hearts for earwires, enamel blossoms. Assembly by riveting comes next.