Can you saw?

Join us on Thursday night for Technique Thursday and you can learn to do a pierced pendant and really work that jewelers saw. You'll leave with a sweet little copper charm and a better knowledge of how to make that saw do what you want.

You may even learn how NOT to break blades!

See you Thursday, 6:30-8:30.

These earrings feature lovely sculptural bead cages cut from brass tubing. The edges have been 'coined' or cut with tiny hash marks using a hammer. This technique is the featured technique tonight at Technique Thursday here at the store. You'll saw the tubing and then coin the edges. It's an amazing detail that really sets the earrings apart.

Our Technique Thursday is a drop-in class focusing on metalsmithing techniques and tips each Thursday night. For just a few dollars you can make the project under the watchful eye of one of our most talented staff members. For free you can watch others make the project.

We'd love to see you tonight. If you'd like to look at upcoming Technique Thursdays click here.

Keep your jeweler's files neat!

Something new...

We have some exciting new things planned for 2010 here in craftyland but one of them sounds kinda naughty to my good-Midwestern-girl-ears. Naked Brass.

Shh, say it kinda quiet. Naked Brass. Ohh, think of the possibilities!

Look for more chains like these and findings, too. All naked. All ready to solder or patina or stamp.

Metalfreaks at Raleigh Wide Open

This year the Raleigh Wide Open celebration included a new art show and we got to play a small part in it. The Metal's Club hosted a tent where they helped people of all ages make a stamped metal pendant necklace. There was a bit of rain but it didn't slow the metalfreaks down one bit. They even survived some winds that threatened to blow the tents over!
Sharon and Stacy debate the finer points of a leather mallet.
Sarah and Tiffany are, um, acting weird?

For the record, we did not allow the stuffed lion on the left to make ANYTHING. We think he had been drinking. The little girl, however, made a pendant.Ndidi teaching how to do the top secret endless knot on the leather cording we used. Come in and ask for a demo. We are not allowed to post this type of information here on the blog. It's Top Secret. And Endless.
Everyone enjoyed themselves and the day ended in a bit of a wet mess, but it was fun. If you see a Metal's Club member, ask them about their special Metalfreak teeshirts!
Big thanks (from me!) to Ndidi for organizing this whole venture. When the folks from Raleigh Wide Open contacted us about having an interactive tent at the show I was reluctant at first but Ndidi made it happen. She coordinated the Metal's Club members and staff and even got them swanky new tee shirts. Thanks also to Tracy, Nathalie, Tiffany, Stacy, Debbie, Joanna, Sharon, Sarah, Boo (work+photography), Jeanette, Amy, and Becky for making this possible. I hope you made a few more Metalfreaks on Saturday!

Ornamentea at Raleigh Wide Open

We'll be going outside with metal smithing at Raleigh Wide Open 4 on October 24th. The members of the Metals Club will be teaching innocent passersby to stamp metal whether they want to or not. No, that's just a joke, folks have to pay and only have to do the project if they want to, but since the Metal's Club will be sporting their new, custom Metal Freak tee shirts they may be very convincing.

Come on down, the project only costs $5. Read the details about Raleigh Wide Open here. You can park at Ornamentea and take the R-line for free.

The Ornamentea booth will be in City Plaza. See you then!

(Um, I nicked this picture from the Raleigh Convention Center's website. Sorry, they should lock those images if they don't want scofflaws like me to 'borrow' them for promotional purposes.)