coldsmithing

Because of my inability to hold things above my shoulders, and because of my general wobbliness (both due to Chiari), I expect to have to remove blacksmithing from my bucket list.

I have a friend of just about forty years and I love him very much. He travels a lot for his artistry. I can only make him so many small knitted gifts though, even though I know they matter to him. Last year, on his birthday in Norway, he posted himself in front of the northern lights, wearing the neck warmer I had made him the previous year.

This year I wanted to get smaller, more practical, and not stitched.

Imperfections abound, but this is a copper pennanular brooch, specifically for holding together cloaks or capes. It does not have to puncture the fabric, although it can on loosely woven or knitted items.

I can do a little more work with steel wool to smooth it out, but I'm not sure I will. I had Tuck stick it on the stove for a second to better smooth the ends of the twist on the pin.

I'm wrapping it in a molded, dried orange peel. And I'm counting the hours until I can give it to him.

Since my traumatic brain injury I've been drawing and lettering in pen, sculpting, and doing metalwork, in addition to starting to learn bass guitar (Clutch’s “Child of the City”) and the musical wooden spoons.