Hammered silver

Here's a picture of the smaller (and way less crowded) hall the beads and jewelry were located in at the gift show. Luckily, Nicole had her camera phone with her and thought to take one.

I got an anvil and chasing hammer from Nicole for Christmas and have been having fun pounding silver wire into swirly shapes. I think they look very whimsical and can't wait to make them into pendants and earrings. Unfortunately, it seems that when you go about pounding on sterling silver wire, it kinda scratches up a bit...gee whiz, Wally, you'd think they'd make a sterling silver you could bash the heck out of without scratching it, wouldn't ya? ;)

Actually, the anvil surface leaves really neat marks that I like, but the hammer I'm using has tiny little pocks in the surface, and that makes the silver look pitted, kinda like I sprinkled it with teeny tiny bits of gravel before I set to whacking it. I shined it up fairly well, but I do not like the pitted look, so now I need rouge to polish it up again. And a snazzy new rotary tool. That means shopping. What a bummer. :)

I'm looking forward to perfecting my metal-mashing technique so I can make certain jewelry I've been thinking about. I want to make some satin and silver friendship bracelets and gold wire-wrapped hammered silver pendants, earrings, and charms. And then when that's done, I will tackle precious metal clay (PMC), and then silversmithing, and after that, the world!

Just call me Brain...

Jenie

currently listening to: Our Little Corner of the World: music from the WB series "The Gilmore Girls" (current song: Sam Phillips - "Tell Her What She Wants to Know")