Jorgensen Studio Silversmith

Commissions are fun to do. Stressful, but fun. The sweetest girl named Jill asked me to custom make her & her beloved a wedding set similar to one of the designs in my shop. I was so honored to be chosen to make something so special, I thought I would share the process...... First I had to build the stock for the bands in flat pieces. Getting the pieces of stock to cooperate and lie flat is tricky sometimes but that is where a good rawhide mallet comes into play. This picture shows the two pieces made for the rings. The one on the left is after the silver has been picked & the one on the right is before pickle, just after soldering with all the flux still on the silver. It looks bad at first but as you can see the pickle cleans it up nicely. Then the next step is to cut the new stock to length & shape around the mandrel to make rings. The ends have to be filed & fitted several times to make sure they fit just right so the solder join is strong. A rawhide mallet works be...

Summer has always held a magic quality. It is so fleeting and goes by so quickly. Ever since we were children and counted the days until our freedom arrived and we could bask in the warmth of the sun, it held a certain quality of expectation. I have to say, for me, I'm not feeling it this summer. I know, I know, ... you say "but you live in the land of perpetual summer of course you don't feel the change". This is true somewhat. It is mostly always sunny and 80 where I live, but summer was always so much more than the weather. This year my second graduated from high school and is getting ready in a few short weeks to go off to school. My oldest while still maintaining a room here hardly ever inhabits it. My youngest is going into 7th grade (G*d, I am old! When did that happen?) and she is the only one left to count the days until summer with me. The house has become so much quieter. It happens when five become three. I have had to relearn how to cook. No more meals fo...

I found this fabulous agate cabochon. It is mossy and green and just my favorite shade of sage green. I do love green. I made a more traditional cabochon ring with it. Something that sort of reminded me of traditional American Inidan silversmithing, which is what led me to metalsmithing in the first place. I didn't mean to keep it before I made it. I rarely make jewelry just to keep myself. This one though, has me torn. I don't know if it because it is just the newest piece, and I am always partial to the newest ones. I can't make up my mind, whether to keep it for myself or list it in the etsy shop. I did have it out on the table at my last show and it was almost sold. It got many oohs and ahhs but still came home with me at the end of the evening, as did many others, so I can't really call that destiny. Maybe I'll keep it for awhile and decide later..... Things are busy. It is the end of the school year. My middle child has graduated high school and is getting rea...

It has been raining for two weeks. I thought this was called the sunshine state. Everything is soggy and completely saturated with water. Including the ground. The chicken coop has turned into a giant mud pit better suited for pigs than chickens. The coop itself is waterlogged the wood is all buckling and I can't latch the door without a great deal of effort. The chickens don't seem to mind, although they do not look their best. Yesterday we had a raccoon climb into the coop in broad daylight. A very unusual event and it usually means certain death for one of the feathered babies. It did not bother the chickens though, just happily ate the chicken feed of the ground until I ran screaming and waving a big stick at it. It ran off under the shed, which being made of metal made a huge noise when I banged on it with the big stick I was brandishing. You see, this is why I make a very bad Buddhist and I am doomed to never reach inner peace. I wanted to get that raccoon just for mearly...

I keep saying that I am going to blog. I keep promising myself I will get it done tomorrow, but alas, it always gets put off. Tossed to the bottom of the to do list. I will do better. I promise to update you on the chickens this week. It's been along time since I posted pictures and they have gotten so much bigger and cuter! I am getting ready for a big night a week from Friday. Working my little fingers to the bone making jewelry. Why? I am going to be showing at the "Pretty in the City" event for the Susan G. Komen fundraiser. Lots of women, lots of wine, and lots of girlie stuff like jewelry and spa products. It should be a great time, but it lasts way past my bed time! I am sure I will need a few days to recoop and so will my DH. I am taking him along to help me, 'cause you know he is the talker in the family. If you are near West Palm on May 15 th come say "hi" and support a great cause. : http://sunny1043.com/Pretty-In-The-City/2043940 The above pi...

A new design for the Etsy shop! The Princess promise ring. I made this one with a promise ring or an engagement ring in mind. It is simple and elegant, and can be matched with a band of the same style. In sterling silver with ether a ruby or a blue sapphire it is just so rich and yummy! I will be making another version soon, a bit bigger with a faceted stone for a more traditional look. I just love these!! It has been a busy past few weeks. Wholesale orders, custom work, and the openning of the new vintage supply shop. You have to come take a look at all the goodies I have listed. More to come, too. I have to take pictures and catalog everything. It is a fun story of where I found this stuff. It is some of the exact pieces I have been purchasing off etsy. To think I had a giant stash right under my nose. Read the story in the shop bio page.... http://www.milbits.etsy.com Check on the etsy fest blog for the giveaway, it will be chosen soon and you don't want to miss your chance to ...

I have been busy the past week or so and I have added a bunch of new designs to the etsy shop. http://www.jorgensenstudio.etsy.com Two new designs in the Tutu line and two new pairs of tribal hoops like the ones pictured above. A new pendant and earrings that are a new feather design and there are more to come! I have pictures to take of a new pair of mod earrings in sterling and blue patina copper. I have had a burst of creativity lately, and have a couple of big orders to get out. It seems I am always more creative when I am busy. Busy makes me a bit nervous too. I always stress that I won't meet my deadlines. This week I am making a new necklace for my daughter to wear to prom. We designed it together and it's something new so I always sweat about if it will turn out, and if I can get it the way I see it in my head. She has a fabulous dress and she will look like a movie star. My youngest and I both are a bit under the weather so it makes getting things done more difficult...