My Cluttered but Productive Work Station

Just thought I would share a couple of photos of my currently cluttered work station. I am working every day to get ready for my two big holiday shows and time is flying by. I'll be spending most of my time in front of this work bench for the next two weeks.

Assembling Your Own Metals Studio

For those who are interested in assembling a metals studio in their homes, I have written a how to article that explains some basics about getting started. Creating a studio is not very simple or inexpensive. You need to have a basic understanding of metalsmithing, so you need to take at least one metal jewelry making class before you get started. Remember that you will be working with different chemicals and flammable gasses, so it is very important that you know what you are doing. If you want some simple tips though on supplies, shopping and basic set-up, check out my article.

You might also want to purchase some jewelry making books. The Art & Craft of Making Jewelry by Lark Books is my personal favorite. It gives you an overview, but also shows specific projects that you can attempt as your skill level advances. I have placed a link to this and other books on the sidebar of this blog.

My First At-Home Product, In Memory of My Grandpa

Well, I made my first items out of my home studio for my two uncles. They are keychains with an airplane and clouds and I made them in memory of my grandpa who was an avid flyer. He passed away last year after being very ill. I had made a pendant earlier for my mother with the same image. The propellor spins and my grandpa's initials are engraved in the back along with his birth and death dates. I enjoyed working on this project and thinking about my grandfather's life while I was making these keychains.

The keychains are both assembled using rivets and the individual metal pieces were hand-sawed by me. The backing is sterling silver and the airplane is copper.

Light My Fire

I am so exhilirated right now. I lit my home jeweler's torch for the first time last night. Though I have lit torches in classrooms and art centers, there is nothing quite like the experience of using your own torch in your house. It opens up worlds of possibilities. I can't wait to start making jewelry.

My studio is still in the process of being completed. I need to add some shelves or a stand for my pickle pot and patina station. There is also a patch of carpet left in the corner. To explain, I pulled up most of the carpet and cleaned the beautiful wood floors underneath. I did leave a patch of carpet in the corner though because the corner wall needed patched. The wall still needs a couple more layers and then I can pull up that piece of carpet.

Other than that, my studio has surpassed my wildest dreams of how wonderful it would be. It is a rather unique jeweler's studio. My bench was created using two old high school science cabinets and an aspen countertop. My dad is a retired science teacher and they were getting rid of the cabinets during his last year. Luckily for me, he decided to take some home. Now they make up the most beautiful and spacious work station.

I'll post again soon with pictures and some info on how to set up your own jeweler's studio for those who are interested.