Gayle Bird Designs

What a great course! I made a ton of things, and learned a lot. Like, I know how to solder now! WITH FLAMES. I am invincible! This ring keeps migrating from my ring finger to my thumb, on both hands. I love it so much. I torch-soldered every single joint and it HELD. A bracelet I also flame-soldered. Not so much with the holding together – the wire was much thicker, and when I hammered it, it flew apart. Hence the wire-wrapping :) I wish I’d gone a little smaller with it though, I think it overwhelms my hand. I’m very proud of this, as I thought up the way to set this amazing dyed shell cab all by myself, and the instructor was all, “that’s a really good idea! Huh!” AND I made it work! I’m very impressed with myself. Plus, I reallllly love the hammered look. This is a ring I started many years ago, before I had a clue what I was doing. I had cut the wire too short (I thought) and didn’t have the right tools or really any idea what was going on. I ground off some edges and hammered it all around for that beautiful textured look, and it’s now permanently (sorta) on my left ring-finger. This was a cufflink my mom had of her dad’s; I cut them apart and set about making earrings. The one on the right I did first, and just as I soldered on the ring, it moved. And melted (see the blob?). the miracle is that I was able to angle the ring on the other one in exactly the same place! I had the ear wires already. Mom is really pleased :) Another bracelet, made from one of my grandmother’s spoons. Worst photo ever, but it fits and suits me so well I may never take it off. Brass, copper and silver wire, soldered, braided, and soldered again. Messy! But who cares! A ring made from another of my grandmother’s spoons. This one has her (our) monogram on it, a B.. if you look really closely you can see it on the fat part. Some random pendants I made. On the left, the beginning of a full necklace. The top piece is left over from the spoon bracelet I made, and it’s got a wee sea turtle and some aquamarine. I’ve got two more pieces of spoon in roughly the same shape that I’m going to attach to the sides, and lots more aquamarine and a wee fish and a seahorse. I’m going to find some liver of sulphur when i’m done, to darken up the hammered bits, like the inside of the turtle. On the right, some wire that I had WAY too much fun with, melting the ends until they turned into blobs. I’m not sure what else I’ll do with this.. something, though. And finally, a sword made for a very good friend. He can either wear it as a pendant, or prop it on his desk. I had a lot of fun with it. No power in the ‘verse can stop me.