Metalsmithing is Over... and I'm SAD!

i really can't believe it. my metalsmithing class is over! i think about how frustrated i was when i started (and was nearly ready to QUIT after the first night) and how i feel really happy about taking it now! i thought i'd share some pictures of the things i completed in the 8 short weeks of instruction... and how psyched i am to get started making things on my own!

above is the sterling silver ring that i finished during the last class. the stone is a 14mm pink rhodocrosite set into a sterling silver bezel (all made by me - as you can probably tell from the roughness of the bezel edge).

here is the first heart that i completed - sawn, pierced, polished and suspended from sterling silver chain.

here is the second heart in brass - a little more freeform in design and hung from brass rolo chain.

today i actually set up a little ghetto metalsmithing area on top of the kitchen stove (under the range hood for ventilation - i should have taken a picture because the husband asked if i was running a meth lab!!!!!!!!) so that i could make some delicate organic sterling silver stacking rings. i cute the sterling silver by hand, soldered, pickled and then tumbled in my trusty tumbler for hours! i can't wait to put these in my shop!

so there you have it! i think it was mostly a success - i definitely learned a lot of new things, and now the books that i have on metalsmithing make so much more sense! totally inspiring! now i can tell the mini-muffin that she and mommy took a metalsmithing class together!