#metalsmithing

Well....new special interest unlocked.

See, I've been redoing my wardrobe the past couple months, and I decided I needed to ✨accessorize✨ more. I dug through my jewelry collection and pulled out pieces that match what I'm putting together these days, and I've also added a few other bits and bobs (including this necklace in rhodium, because I LOVE the biologically improbable Halloween animal skeletons, but I hate that they're plastic, so this and its eared cat skulls are a more sustainable option that doesn't take up nearly as much room.)

Anyway. There are things I would love to wear, but they don't seem to exist. Like there's barely any turkey vulture jewelry, and I LOVE turkey vultures, and I want one on my wrist and I have a mental image of what I want it to look like, and it. Doesn't. Exist. So then I was thinking "Okay, what if I commissioned an artist to make one for me?" which is always a valid option. And I've found some really great jewelers whose work I want to add to my collection over time, but I've also found a bunch of mass-produced jewelry where I'm like "You know, I could do better than that!"

Which then led to me awake at one in the morning a few nights ago, scrolling on my phone through metalworking subReddits and researching different methods of making silver and pewter jewelry, and then after that looking up classes because--and yes, I AM from Missouri even if I now live in Oregon--I do best when you show me how. All of which culminated in me registering yesterday for an eight week class on basic metalsmithing through the Multnomah Arts Center that'll start next month. Once I complete that, MAC offers a variety of other metasmithing/jewelry craft classes that dive deeper into specific techniques, so once I have an idea of what techniques I like I can refine my skills.

Honestly, it's very exciting to be trying an entirely new art medium! I've been drawing casually for ages, and I've been enjoying spending more time on that in the past few months. And I've made beaded jewelry before. But metalsmithing? That's a whole new endeavor, and I am here for it. Since I'm not indigenous I don't have a deep well of cultural styles and motifs to draw on; reportedly some of my Bohemian (Czech) ancestors were whitesmiths, so I suppose I'm rekindling that in a way (but you could say that about my garden since I come from several long lines of peasant farmers.)

i think both Mr. Skeleton and his horsy companion needs names! any suggestions?

i imagine this guy to be a sort of ferryman; guiding animals and perhaps people into the afterlife. he watches over the southern plains, stockyards, deserts; making sure that ever member of his herd makes it safely to the Otherside.

Mismatched set of 4 copper tapestry needles made by me

Scary safety issue. A few days ago, a fellow maker reached out to me. She had been experiencing persistent skin peeling on her fingers after soldering. She was confused because the solder tin she purchased on Amazon were explicitly labeled "Lead-Free" and "RoHS Compliant."

I asked her to send some samples to Orien for testing. The results came back today, and they were revealing: Lead, mercury, and cadmium were all present. While the levels were technically "within" RoHS limits, they were dangerously close to the maximum allowed threshold.

Here is the crucial truth: RoHS is an industrial standard. It was designed for circuit boards and electronics, not for wearable jewelry that sits against the skin for hours a day. Industrial standards typically allow up to 1000 ppm, while strict jewelry safety standards demand 100 ppm or less. That is a 10x difference in safety.