Can I do something new?

I have been metalsmithing for over a year now, I feel so lucky because of the space I have at home I can create outside of class hours and I belong to an amazing team of metalsmiths through the online selling venue Etsy from whom I have learned a whole plethora of useful tips and new techniques.

All of these things have helped me to move on in leaps and bounds, I am very proud of the work I am produsing now and I am always keen to try new techniques but somehow, the more I learn, the harder it is to make myself try another new technique. It may be that I see all the wonderful things made by my 'teamies' and worry about my skills measuring up, sometimes it is a lack of the right tools or materials.

The technique I really want to learn next is making hinges. I have seen them used so beautifull in jewellery and with all the two piece pendants I have been making, I am sure it is something that will come in very handy. It is a technique I have thought about doing for a long time and one of the ones where seeing it used beautifully elsewhere makes me a little hesitant to try unless I make a mess of it. I also need to get some supplies in. I have never had much silver tube in stock and for hinges I really need to get some quite small tubes in some different sizes to fit the different size pieces I want to make. The other thing which holds me back a little is that I have seen a lot of two piece pendants made with hinges. What I do has to be different from those, in a way I am sure it will be, I see my style showing through, not all the time but with my one of a kind pieces for sure, and hopefully this will be the case when I use hinges too. I am sure I can come up with loads of excuses, give me enough time and I am equally sure I will actually talk myself out of doing it for a while longer, but with luck, a fair wind and some good sales this weekend at the craft fair I am willing to bite the bullet come January.

I can only say watch this space.. let's see if my first hinged piece makes the grade... what do you think?

Have a look at some of the other members of the Aspiring Metalsmiths as they share about techniques they would like to conquer:

Pennee http://allwiredupjewelrydesigns.blogspot.com/

Gayle http://thisartistsjourney.blogspot.com

Jessica www.abellablue.com/blog

Sylvia Anderson http://www.sylviaanderson.blogspot.com/

Autumn Bradley www.autumnbradley.blogspot.com

Scrollwork Designs www.thesquarepegnation.blogspot.com

Carole http://www.caroleaxiumdesigns.com/journal/

Heather http://mistyridgedesigns.blogspot.com

Brandy http://thefrogspond.wordpress.com

Esmerelda (Silverblueberry) http://jewelry-by-silverblueberry.blogspot.com/

Stacy http://formandfunktionaccessories.blogspot.com/

Steph- Stargell designs http://stephstargell.com