Now this is serious!

As you might remember I am part of a wonderful artisan community, aptly named 'Artisan Whimsy' - the baby of CBC (Creative Bead Chat group on facebook) administrators. Not only that - I am also a member of the Metal Team. Our team started their existence in style - with a free tutorial and a challenge!

I am, of course, still learning and at the beginning of my metal working 'life' (more on this later, in fact about a month from now, on Artisan Whimsy - I will remind you :)) and nothing pushes me better than a challenge.

Like the current one, Metal Prongs: I procrastinated and procrastinated, I almost toyed with the idea of dropping off... then I decided 'no way! this is *my* team, I will not back off'... Luckily for me I had all the tools available, until I wanted to use the torch and - nothing a trip to the hardware store won't fix it (although I baffled one of the gentleman working there: I had a copper pipe in my hand and asking for a micro torch; he tried to explain I will need a bigger torch for soldering pipes... I didn't correct him, how do you explain a nice gentleman the copper pipe will become jewelry?!).

I looked through my stash of metal blanks (I just finished etching all the Vintaj ones, so I had to look for others!) and I found a beautiful one (from the de-stash at CBC back in August)! Brass, of course.

I had no rivets and no place to get anything like that from. But I had some brass wire (from wonderful Tanya of Fusion Muse) and my evening ended with the following first ever actions:

* cutting a pin off the back of the brass blank
* twisting the brass wire so it'll be a bit more resistant (thank you, Heidi, for the tip - it worked like a charm!!)
* trying to ball the ends of the twisted wire (that didn't go very well, will have to try more :))
* soldering the 'prongs' to the back (that went pretty well)
* pickling, cleaning, buffing (eh, need more experimenting to figure out what dremel head is good for what :))

The stone - I meant to use a smaller one, with no holes... but in the process the prongs kind of 'extended' themselves... so  I used one of the stones from my wonderful friend Therese of Therese's Treasures

What? You want to see it? OK, here you have it:

In the end - it is not a perfect piece, but it is my own, my very first one!
Which makes it just perfect for the 1st try (and don't you dare to say otherwise!)

Thank you for visiting with me today.

This is a blog hop so please hop and visit the other participants!

The Beading Yogini

Carolyn Dewison of Blue Berri Beads

Pam Farren: http://www.re-maker.blospot.com/

Mary Harding of Mary Harding Jewelry

Dawn Horner of Northern Adornments

Gina Hockett of Freestyle Elements

Heidi Kingman of My Bead Therapy

Lisa Laffend: http://kokopelliegirl.blogspot.com/

Laura Medeiros: http://zoeowyn.blogspot.com/?m=1

Alicia Marinache of All the Pretty Things <= You're here

Melissa Muir of Melissa Muir Jewelry

Melinda Orr of Melinda Orr Designs

Julie Panusis: http://catsmeowco.blogspot.com/

Mary Ellen Parker: http://beetreebyme.blogspot.com/

Staci Louise Smith of Staci Louise Originals

Sherri Stokey of Knot Just Macrame

Jo Tinley of  Daisy Chain Designs Jewellery

Francesca Watson of Francesca Watson Designs

Jean Wells: http://www.jeanawells.blogspot.com/

Linda Younkman of Lindy’s Designs