Silversmith Shop

Because I need one more thing to do, right?


Well, right. But this is different...this is more for me than anything else. I love being crafty and artsy but sadly, I am not very blessed when it comes to figuring out how to make things on my own.


Just ask my husband....as he moved in box after box of scrapbooking schtuff and asked me "where are the scrapbooks?"


Umm....1 book and it only has 5 pages done. Yes, she is almost 8. You see the problem....I love to purchase all the stuff to create more beautiful stuff however never really follow through with my plans.


Sidebar: Photo books are my new bestest friend!


My new adventure is starting in the silversmith shop that my in-laws have had for years! I am very excited because 1) as I stated before, I love to make stuff and 2) what girl doesnt love to make jewelry!


Its more then just jewelry that is made in the shop though. Actually, from what I can tell, the jewelry is a small portion of it. Majority of what is made are custom belt buckles.


Yes, the big blingy ones you see given as prizes for winning rodeos.


I'm very excited!! I started last summer learning the looooong process it takes to hand make a buckle. I mean from the basic.....as in cutting out the buckle shape from a piece of sterling silver or nickel. So far, I can frost buckles and I have spent the last 2 days hand cutting letters out of brass for a high school rodeo coming up in May. I learned how to engrave but I am not very good at that yet. Or any good at all really. All I did manage to accomplish was to get the idea while slicing the tips of my fingers open. Alot.


Mental Note: Do NOT run you fingers across the silver to remove the shards. Not good.


The process is fascinating to me being the buckles are always something I have admired. The craftmanship behind them is very cool, and alot more work then I think anyone thinks it is. We dont use computers to cut out anything, and machines dont dont punch holes or engrave anything desgins. Its all hand cut, hand sodered, hand engraved. So much work but such beautiful results!!

Cutting out brass letters is apparently very theraputic. This is a great thing since my perferred form of therapy has four legs, mane and tail and is a little tougher to call upon during pregnancy. Working in the shop gets me doing something that involves using my brain for more then finding a missing shoe or lost pacifer. It certainly doesnt hurt that I can leave the kids with hubby or if I take the little man, he can sit in his swing or in his pack n' play and play. Or grandma and grand-dad wander on over and steal him. Either way, I can sit in peace and quiet and work.

Add in flexible working hours, a short commute and great bosses who double as baby sitters, its all good for me.

I am learning more and more everyday and the more I learn, I cant wait to learn MORE!! More importantly, this is giving me something for me. Something that I can do, create, and see the results. I'm sure most of my mommy friends will agree, you dont always see the results from your hard work at home. The laundry pile never seems to go down. There are always dirty dishes, food to be made, lunch to pack, practice to drive to, bikes to fix, dogs to find, horses to feed, the list goes on and on. Accomplishment is sometimes hard to visibly see.

I can see what I accomplish when I leave the shop.

I love being a mommy and a wife but its important for me to have something and sometime for just myself. Everyone needs it and I happen to have found my hiding place in the silversmith shop. Its my second favorite place to hide, right behind being on the back of a horse.