{"id":518,"date":"2023-10-19T16:02:42","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T21:02:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?p=518"},"modified":"2023-10-19T16:02:46","modified_gmt":"2023-10-19T21:02:46","slug":"catching-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?p=518","title":{"rendered":"Catching Up!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-x-large-font-size\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"302\" height=\"450\" data-attachment-id=\"539\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=539\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AuCu-DB-pair-PS.jpg?fit=302%2C450&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"302,450\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone SE (3rd generation)&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1696078600&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;80&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.016666666666667&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"AuCu DB pair PS\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AuCu-DB-pair-PS.jpg?fit=302%2C450&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AuCu-DB-pair-PS.jpg?resize=302%2C450&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-539\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AuCu-DB-pair-PS.jpg?w=302&amp;ssl=1 302w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AuCu-DB-pair-PS.jpg?resize=201%2C300&amp;ssl=1 201w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 302px) 100vw, 302px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;m getting ready for my next class, coming up just before Halloween. For quite a while now, jewelry artists in the metal clay classes have been adding many new clay skills. Along with me, they must from time to time feel the longing for the satisfaction of sawing, filing, soldering and hammering (SFSH!). As soon as I made a pair of earrings as a model for the upcoming class, ideas for other projects bubbled up. I made three more pair of earrings, two little drop pendants, and completed a drawing for a dendritic opal that would be pretty dusty if I didn&#8217;t lovingly take care of it in all the time I&#8217;ve had it&#8230;.Other metalsmithing project ideas emerged along the way. I liked the above pictured tourmaline earrings enough that I&#8217;m making a slightly revised pair of those with a set of gorgeous garnet navettes I purchased at Two Loose Beads in Houston, my favorite weekend haunt and teaching facility, no pun intended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Putting together a ditto of the class earrings, made for a friend:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"350\" height=\"375\" data-attachment-id=\"540\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=540\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AuCu1PSfinal.jpg?fit=350%2C375&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"350,375\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"AuCu1PSfinal\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AuCu1PSfinal.jpg?fit=350%2C375&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AuCu1PSfinal.jpg?resize=350%2C375&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AuCu1PSfinal.jpg?w=350&amp;ssl=1 350w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AuCu1PSfinal.jpg?resize=280%2C300&amp;ssl=1 280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">To finish, cut azures, file, solder on bezels and earwires, drill holes for jumps, drill and set rivets, polish all, assemble&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;done!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>I will learn to granulate for one of my projects!<\/strong> <strong>What&#8217;s something new you have recently learned to do in metalsmithing? Let me know!<\/strong> :)))))))<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here are some of the other sprouts from the process, captions included with a click:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery aligncenter is-style-rectangular\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__gallery\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:25.02973%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"541\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=541\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Summertime-earrings-PS.jpg?fit=250%2C333&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"250,333\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Summertime-earrings-PS\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Inspired by a vintage piece in the display case at Two Loose Beads.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Summertime-earrings-PS.jpg?fit=250%2C333&amp;ssl=1\" data-attachment-id=\"541\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=541\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Summertime-earrings-PS.jpg?fit=250%2C333&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"250,333\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Summertime-earrings-PS\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Inspired by a vintage piece in the display case at Two Loose Beads.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Summertime-earrings-PS.jpg?fit=250%2C333&amp;ssl=1\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 1 of 4 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Summertime-earrings-PS.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=250&#038;ssl=1 250w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"333\" data-id=\"541\" data-link=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=541\" data-url=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Summertime-earrings-PS.jpg\" data-width=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Summertime-earrings-PS.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:24.98272%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"543\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=543\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Garnet-navettesPS.jpg?fit=281%2C375&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"281,375\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Garnet-navettesPS\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Garnet navettes for another copper\/silver pair of earrings.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Garnet-navettesPS.jpg?fit=281%2C375&amp;ssl=1\" data-attachment-id=\"543\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=543\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Garnet-navettesPS.jpg?fit=281%2C375&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"281,375\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Garnet-navettesPS\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Garnet navettes for another copper\/silver pair of earrings.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Garnet-navettesPS.jpg?fit=281%2C375&amp;ssl=1\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 2 of 4 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Garnet-navettesPS.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=281&#038;ssl=1 281w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"375\" data-id=\"543\" data-link=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=543\" data-url=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Garnet-navettesPS.jpg\" data-width=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Garnet-navettesPS.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:25.00483%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"545\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=545\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Scrappy-Fish-earringsPS.jpg?fit=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"225,300\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone SE (3rd generation)&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1695470145&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;40&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0072463768115942&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Scrappy-Fish-earringsPS\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Scrappy Fishbone earrings&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Scrappy-Fish-earringsPS.jpg?fit=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-attachment-id=\"545\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=545\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Scrappy-Fish-earringsPS.jpg?fit=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"225,300\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone SE (3rd generation)&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1695470145&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;3.99&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;40&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0072463768115942&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Scrappy-Fish-earringsPS\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Scrappy Fishbone earrings&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Scrappy-Fish-earringsPS.jpg?fit=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 3 of 4 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Scrappy-Fish-earringsPS.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=225&#038;ssl=1 225w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"300\" data-id=\"545\" data-link=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=545\" data-url=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Scrappy-Fish-earringsPS.jpg\" data-width=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Scrappy-Fish-earringsPS.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:24.98272%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"544\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=544\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Little-copper-drop-2.jpg?fit=281%2C375&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"281,375\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Little-copper-drop-2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Will hold 3&amp;#215;5 turquoise cabochons&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Little-copper-drop-2.jpg?fit=281%2C375&amp;ssl=1\" data-attachment-id=\"544\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=544\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Little-copper-drop-2.jpg?fit=281%2C375&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"281,375\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Little-copper-drop-2\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Will hold 3&amp;#215;5 turquoise cabochons&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Little-copper-drop-2.jpg?fit=281%2C375&amp;ssl=1\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 4 of 4 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Little-copper-drop-2.jpg?strip=info&#038;w=281&#038;ssl=1 281w\" alt=\"\" data-height=\"375\" data-id=\"544\" data-link=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=544\" data-url=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Little-copper-drop-2.jpg\" data-width=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Little-copper-drop-2.jpg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Visit Two Loose Beads in Houston (formerly Beadoholique), where you can shop jewelry by Alone Star Jewelry. We have seats left in the metalsmithing class for Saturday, October 28 (Intermediate level). Beginning Metalsmithing will be in December.<\/strong>     Phone: 281-256-0904 \/ 832-674-9005   17311 FM 529, Houston 77095<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-attachment-id=\"549\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/?attachment_id=549\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Eclipse-scaled.jpg?fit=1920%2C2560&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1920,2560\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Eclipse\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Eclipse-scaled.jpg?fit=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Eclipse.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-549\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.75;width:513px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Eclipse-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Eclipse-scaled.jpg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Eclipse-scaled.jpg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Eclipse-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Eclipse-scaled.jpg?resize=1140%2C1520&amp;ssl=1 1140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Eclipse-scaled.jpg?resize=600%2C800&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/Eclipse-scaled.jpg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;m getting ready for my next class, coming up just before Halloween. For quite a while now, jewelry artists in the metal clay classes have been adding many new clay skills. Along with me, they must from time to time feel the longing for the satisfaction of sawing, filing, soldering and hammering (SFSH!). As soon as I made a pair of earrings as a model for the upcoming class, ideas for other projects bubbled up. I made three more pair of earrings, two little drop pendants, and completed a drawing for a dendritic opal that would be pretty dusty if I didn&#8217;t lovingly take care of it in all the time I&#8217;ve had it&#8230;.Other metalsmithing project ideas emerged along the way. I liked the above pictured tourmaline earrings enough that I&#8217;m making a slightly revised pair of those with a set of gorgeous garnet navettes I purchased at Two Loose Beads in Houston, my favorite weekend haunt and teaching facility, no pun intended. Putting together a ditto of the class earrings, made for a friend: I will learn to granulate for one of my projects! What&#8217;s something new you have recently learned to do in metalsmithing? Let me know! :))))))) Here are some of the other sprouts from the process, captions included with a click: Visit Two Loose Beads in Houston (formerly Beadoholique), where you can shop jewelry by Alone Star Jewelry. We have seats left in the metalsmithing class for Saturday, October 28 (Intermediate level). Beginning Metalsmithing will be in December. Phone: 281-256-0904 \/ 832-674-9005 17311 FM 529, Houston 77095<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":529,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7,8],"tags":[78,72,77,76,75,73,74],"class_list":["post-518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-jewelry","category-just-talking","tag-beading-classes","tag-copper-earrings","tag-jewelry-classes","tag-metalsmithing-class","tag-rolling-mill-texture","tag-silver-and-copper-earrings","tag-tourmaline-earrings"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alonestarjewelry.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/AuCu-DB-pair-scaled.jpg?fit=1920%2C2560&ssl=1","acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/518","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=518"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/518\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":555,"href":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/518\/revisions\/555"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/529"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=518"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=518"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alonestarjewelry.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=518"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}