Life of A Studio Cat: Introducing Tabitha

Here's my other studio cat, Tabitha. Isn't she sweet? Her favorite spot is under my desk by the space heater. She's blind in one eye and very gentle.

Thank You to My Wonderful Clients!

I just wanted to thank all of my wonderful clients! Your support and encouragement really brighten up my day!

Here's some feedback from my clients:

mishanesselrod says:

The most amazing, beautiful rose gold earrings that I've ever seen and they're mine all mine!!!!!!

Private

So Amazing! Beautiful quality and craftsmanship on the ring. Quick delivery too! Emily is such a pleasure to do business with!

rebeccagonzales says:

seller was great and answered all my millions of questions! would work with again!

cullin says:

Ordered rose, white, & yellow gold stacking rings. Beautiful. Rings are hammered, so they are organic, not flashy. Timely service. Received tracking emails and shipping information. Recommended artist to friends.

haleymonley says:

When I found this ring, I was looking for a small, lightweight wedding band to wear with my engagement ring, which is kind of wide and doesn't leave much room on my finger for another ring. This ring turned out to be perfect, and at a really good price compared to a lot of white gold wedding bands. I even asked Emily if she could have it ready sooner than usual, and she finished it the same week I made my order. The ring came in its own box along with a purple drawstring pouch, which is perfect for keeping up with it the day we get married and storing it until then. The ring is very simple and sweet, and it fits with my engagement ring just like I wanted. I love the look of the hammered gold--I feel like my wedding band is really unique. It's so light and comfortable, I hardly notice I have it on. If you're looking for a pretty wedding band that you can easily leave on day after day, this is it.

missalix says:

beautiful ring, arrived quickly. thanks!

gemini1962 says:

Pretty and very light.

URNemesis108 says:

I am so proud of the rings that Emily makes! Emily is not only creative she is conscientious about making sure that everything comes out right. The Presentation is fabulous, The work is thrilling, and she even included a very thoughtful lagniappe for good measure. Everyone needs to see this shop and the lovely jewelry by Emily! I will be shopping with you again in future! A+++! ^_^

manema says:

Received as advertised. My wife loves it.

stormyweather says:

Beautiful bracelet, friendly service - made just how I wanted it!

goddessimho says:

The hoops were exactly as described and were shipped with special care. The package was insured by the seller and had a security tape so that I could tell if it had been opened in shipping. For these smaller valuable items this is a nice touch.

shellbelle484 says:

Perfect! Thanks!

aliciadawn says:

love these. the craftsmanship was incredible. I gave these as sets of three to my two dearest friends, so we have matching sets to wear. they were a tremendous hit. tears flowed. thank you for sharing your talent.

Bits N Bobs: Jewelry Haiku

My soldering station. Photo by Emily Wiser.

I'll probably live to regret "publishing" this poem, but we need to have fun while we can.

The pickle!

The pickle,
it burns my eyes, smells
like salt brine.

In the photo above, you can see my soldering station. That big crockpot is full of pickle. In the old days, jewelers used to clean their soldered metals in pickling solution--the same kind that was used to make pickles. Later, we moved to sulphuric acid. Now, the green jewelers are back to good old fashioned pickle--vinegar and salt.

The bricks are fire bricks. You can heat them and they won't break. The white pads are Solderite pads. The pill boxes hold bits of solder. I use the trivet with steel screen to enamel.

In the Studio: My Other Studio Cat

My adopted cat. She loves my studio. Photo by Emily Wiser.

My other studio cat is a real sweetie. Her name is Tabitha. We adopted her from a shelter in Chicago. She is blind in one eye from an infection when she was a stray. She is the gentlest cat ever, and she really loves being in my studio!

Bits N Bobs: Copper Pans

My bit of copper: Turquoise Enamelled Copper Heart Pendant. Pendant & Photo by Emily Wiser

I've been shopping for copper pots and pans, and I've found they are so expensive! I was quite shocked. $250 for a copper frying pan? I could make one for a lot less. I do have all the hammers I would need. It's pretty simple to make a copper frying pan (without handle), but it takes a lot of muscle and a lot of heat. Basically, you hammer until the copper is too tough, then you heat it to soften, then hammer again, and so on. Eventually, it takes the shape of a pan. It's slow going, but might make a good gift for the cook in your family.

Supplies:
1) A really big anvil with horn
2) Assorted smithing hammers
3) A really big blow torch
4) Safety glasses, hearing protecting, ibuprofin.

In the Studio: Enamelled Copper Pendants

Torch-fired blue enamel copper pendant on sterling silver chain. Pendant & photo by Emily Wiser.

I'm very happy to show you my new enamelled copper pendants! I've done a lot of research on torch-firing enamel (which is different from the traditional kiln firing). I've also done some experimenting, and I've finally come out with my new turquoise enamelled copper disc pendant on a sterling silver chain.

I'm very excited about torch-firing, and I plan to do a lot of experimenting with colors. I've read that one of the bonuses of torch-firing (as opposed to kiln firing) is that the colors are more "organic"--you get different colors depending on the type of fuel you use. You can even change colors a little bit if you break the rules and heat directly on the enamel. It promises to be a lot of fun!

Getting Robbed: Safety for Jewelers at Art Fairs

Aquamarine Briolette & Sterling Silver Earrings. $40. Earrings & Photo by Emily Wiser

As part of my Trade Practices class at Revere Academy, we discussed getting robbed, mugged, held up--you name it. My teacher assured us that it was very common among jewelers. It's such a shame because most art jewelers live hand-to-mouth. Getting mugged means no rent money for the month. Not only that, but it's almost impossible to resell stolen jewelry.

The value of jewelry is in the craftsmanship. The value of a ring is in the skill needed to make it.

That said, how do you protect yourself if you're a little art jeweler selling your jewelry at a street fair?

1. Always go to fairs with another person who will help you set up your booth, tear it down, and watch your jewelry while you're talking to customers.

2. Ask art fair security to accompany you to your vehicle with your jewelry after tear-down.

3. Don't carry your jewelry or cash in an obvious place, like a brief case. Most jewelers get cased out during the fair, and then robbed after the art fair ends, when they're tearing down in the dark, or are carrying a brief case with cash and jewelry to their vehicle.

4. That said, leave a little bit of money and jewelry in the obvious place. You want them to leave with something if they should happen to open your briefcase or purse at the scene. One of my friends used to call this his "life insurance policy."

5. The other common way art jewelers get robbed is when someone asks you to take a ring out of the case and then runs off with it, disappearing into the crowd. How can you discourage this? Ask prospective buyers to leave their ID with you before you take the ring out.

6. If you do get robbed, you can check out the area pawnshops during the next few days. Chances are good your jewelry will show up there. If you see your jewelry in the pawnshop, quietly leave and then call the police.