I used Jenny's camera to take these pictures as she showed me the process.
(apply flux)
(grab tiny bit of silver solder)
(place solder on joint)
(heat until it flows)
It's amazing how, if you do it well, the little piece of solder sucks right into the joint.
After we soldered all the rings, I filed and hammered them, purposely going a bit wonky because I liked the look of it. Then I created a place to set Kenzie's birthstone, an opal.
Most of the process went undocumented. Eventually I made this.
Each girl will eventually have one of her own.
No, it isn't perfect. And it came very close to being late. But I made it myself, out of love, with hands that once held Kenzie's little girl hands. At 18, she may not fully appreciate that. But I'm sure she will.
One day.
7 comments:
You are right, mama, she may not cherish the workmanship and care you took of it right now but this piece will become a treasured object in her life. It is beautiful and i love wonky.
you are absolutely the coolest mom ever-the mom (at least in some ways) i aspire to be. this is a wonderful way to honor this milestone in her life. it's a gift only you could give and one that she'll have forever. i've got a year to come up with a great gift idea for my first graduate and if i'm half a clever as you've been i'll be satisfied.
What's not perfect? It's absolutely lovely and I'm sure she'll love it. Later on, she'll love it because you made it just for her.
Well the setting isn't exactly how I wanted it to be. Though I don't mean to imply that Kenzie didn't love the present. She did. I'm just hoping that when she's a bit older, it'll mean even more. In the same way I now look at the stuff my mom made for me. Stuff like that has a way of becoming almost magic.
I think my ears are still ringing from all the hammering... and I was only around for one of them being squarshed. I guess I didn't really do any hammering in jewelry class.
I am so excited how it turned out and that Kenzie likes it.
It's beautiful so I'm sure she'll love it even if the "loving hands" part escapes her 18 year old self for now.
Absolutely beautiful. You are very talented. Kudos!
Susan L
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