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Friday, June 24, 2011

Kenzie's Graduation Present

Among the jewelry skills that I'm learning from Jenny and our Grandpa is how to solder.

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I used Jenny's camera to take these pictures as she showed me the process.

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(apply flux)

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(grab tiny bit of silver solder)

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(place solder on joint)

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(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.

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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.
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7 comments:

  1. Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O)June 24, 2011 at 11:30 AM

    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.

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  2. AmyJune 24, 2011 at 3:03 PM

    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.

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  3. FinnyKnitsJune 24, 2011 at 3:20 PM

    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.

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  4. WendyJune 26, 2011 at 8:45 AM

    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.

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  5. JennyJune 26, 2011 at 9:57 AM

    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.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sarah BonnJuly 7, 2011 at 7:01 PM

    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.

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  7. AnonymousAugust 8, 2011 at 12:31 PM

    Absolutely beautiful. You are very talented. Kudos!
    Susan L

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