I'm in(to) chains

I am back with another update from my silversmithing class. Boy am I having fun making chains! As silver is so expensive now our teacher suggested that we practiced our chain maille and chain making techniques using aluminium jump rings. Not only are these relatively inexpensive but they come in a multitude of colours too. I ordered some and this is what came in the post.

For our first efforts we were shown the basic chain maille link and I decided that I would use plain and the black links, it also makes it easier when learning the technique to use 2 different colours.
Our teacher gave a demo and then provided us with a handout and it was time to get out the pliers and have a play.

It was a case of making up sets of 5 links called chainlinks and then joining them and believe me this was incredibly fiddly! In medieval times they would have linked hundreds of these up to make protection under armour. It must have take so long.

The following photos show me making up my links.

Once I had assembed the links it was time to join each of these links together into a chain and this was when it got even fiddlier!















Very slowly a length of chain started to appear

Now at this stage I sent a photo to my sister in law who then asked if my brother could commission this as a bracelet for her birthday. I was delighted to do so and after a few weeks I had finished the bracelet. I even managed to get a matching black aluminium clasp for it. As always jewellery is so tricky to photograph and this is prettier in the flesh but here is my Ta daa moment ......

It does not look very good here but on the wrist it really hangs well and also is super light. I tried taking a photo of it on my wrist but did not succeed. I have also started making one in the silver and blue. We have also been making a box chain and a Persian chain and they are also coming along really well. I will show you those soon. Our next project is to make a piece of  Mokume Gane, the Japanese technique which fuses metals into a wood grain effect. It looks very interesting, have a peep here. Obviously due to cost we are only making a small piece but it may be enough to make into a pendant. We will be fusing copper, silver and brass sheet together. Our teacher really does set some wonderful projects.

My card today is the card I made for my sister in law. For the first time I inked up one of the mermaid Lili of the Valley stamps which I bought with some of my winnings from their blog. As you know I love mermaids and I just love these stamps. I think they are one of my absolute favourites. I have 2 of their new mermaid stamps and this one is the single mermaid.

Isn't she a cutie and she colours up beautifully.

Here she is in close up. I coloured her with my Promakers as always. I framed her in my gorgeous Spellbinders floral oval frame die cut.
I used lots of sea themed embellies including die cut shells, an anchor charm and lace to resemble netting.

I also used LOTV sentiments and some Baker's twine. I would like to enter my card into the following challenges;

Natalie and Amy Something old/something new #6 my old is my LOTV sentiment and the new is this fab LOTV mermaid stamp.
Stampin for the weekend Something metal my metal is the anchor charm
ABC Card Challenge G is for going dotty
Allsorts #192 Let's get cute
Totally Gorjuss Anything goes with lace #169
Papertake Weekly anything goes
A+T emerald faeries love #40
Ladybug Crafts Ink Girlie
I love Promarkers Happy Birthday#154
Bunny Zoe anything goes



I have take a day off work today to meet up "halfway" with my darling daughter for ladies lunch and a spot of retail therapy. She finished the last of her hospital medicine placements yesterday, this forms the first part of her GP training.  Tomorrow she starts 18 months of GP based training. This means that in 18 months she will be a fully qualified GP. Yahoo! It is such a long training and contrary to what the press would have your believe our junior doctors really do give their pound of flesh with their work. They are such a dedicated bunch and work long hard shifts. She is at last saying goodbye to 12 day shifts, nights and 14 hour days. Her friends who have decided to do hospital based specialties will still have these to do. Medicine really is a vocation and thank goodness there are people out there ready to dedicate their working lives to looking after our physical and mental health.

Well I must be off as I need to drive to Guildford for our lunch date. Welcome to February everyone, I have even noticed in the last few days that it is not getting dark now until 5pm. The daylight is lengthening at last. Thanks for visiting my little nook in Blogland. For those of you in the UK it looks like another icy blast is heading our way again so keep snug as you craft.

Back soon,

Bye for now,

Jane x