Heart and Lung Transplant Trust Raffle

I saw a request from Camille, my fellow MadeIt seller from the gorgeous CurlyPops, asking for donations for a raffle and trivia night being held for the Heart and Lung Transplant Trust. Camille has recently undergone a double lung transplant, and I was happy to do something, however small to help by donating a pair of earrings.

Almost $2500 was raised, which is enough to cover the accommodation costs for one transplant recipient and their carer (from country Victoria or interstate) who are required to live close to the hospital for 3 months post transplant. Well done, Camille and the team! Do consider giving support if you can, and I strongly urge everyone who is not already signed up to get yourselves on the Organ Donor Register.Talk to your loved ones today. Maybe your legacy could be that you save some lives.

Tool of the Month – Soldering Torch

One of the most important pieces of equipment a jeweller needs is the soldering torch. I use an LPG gas torch. LPG is a mixture of propane and butane.

Nearly every piece requires some amount of soldering. Soldering is the process of joining two pieces of metal together by heating them, using a material of another similarly coloured and structured alloy metal with a lower melting point than the metal being joined.

There are three types of silver solder commonly used:
Hard solder – the highest melting point of between 745-778⁰C.
Medium solder – melting point of between 720-765⁰C.
Easy solder – the lowest melting point of between 705-723⁰C.

As sterling silver melts at 893⁰C, the solder will reach melting point before the silver and fuse the two pieces together.

Flux is painted onto the surfaces to be soldered to prevent oxidization and firescale and ensure that the solder will fuse to the metal. I use borax, which you can see in the dish at the back of my heat resistant blocks.

Paillons of solder are positioned so that they touch both pieces of metal to be joined. The entire piece is heated evenly with the torch to the melting point of the solder, causing the solder to run and join the pieces of metal together.

Once the metal has cooled, the piece is placed in a sulphuric acid solution (which is known as pickle) until it is a white silver colour to remove any oxide and flux, then it is rinsed in water and dried.

This ring is an example of a piece that required soldering. The ring itself is soldered together at the bottom. The swirls and the balls are all soldered individually to the top of the ring.

One of the many joys of silver is that no matter how many times it is heated, melted, beaten, bent, twisted, cut, it maintains the same qualities and substance, so can be repurposed over and over again. I’m proud to say that the supplier I source my silver from manufacture right here in Australia using reclaimed silver wherever possible, so that no unnecessary mining takes place. This recycled silver is refined and tested to ensure that it is 100% pure sterling silver. The planet thanks us!

Gemstone of the Month – Phosphosiderite

{Phosphosiderite – Image Leon Hupperichs}

The basic elements that make up Phosphosiderite are phosphorus and iron, hence the name.The word Sideros, meaning iron, comes from the Greek language.

{Red Phosphosiderite between violet Strengite – Image Christian Rewitzer}

Phosphosiderite is found mainly in Argentina and Chile, but has also been found in Germany, USA and Portugal. It has a hardness of 3.5-4 on Mohs Scale.

Phosphosiderite and Amethyst Sterling Silver Amorphia Pendant

The shades of purple in Phosphosiderite are supposed to aid in reducing anger, and to assist in calming down the heightened temperament of a person, bringing about a feeling of peacefulness.

It is believed to help heal problems related to the third eye chakra, which is associated with knowledge and perception.

These cabochons above are available to be made into a custom silver piece for you! Let me know if you’re interested.

Knitting for a cause – Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital Ethiopia

I don’t quite recall how I came across the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital (on Facebook I think) but the more I read, the more the story of the Hamlins and their fine work touched me. In our western world, we take it for granted that we have access to medical facilities, in particular obstetric facilities should something go not quite right while we are giving birth. (Both my children were delivered by emergency caesarean section, so I know how that can be!)

It wasn’t until I read ‘Hospital By The River‘ and ‘Catherine’s Gift’, written about Catherine and Reg Hamlin’s life in Ethiopia, that I started to really understand what life might be like if I had not been able to have those caesareans. For thousands of Ethiopian women, their lives are torn apart when they have difficulty in birthing their babies. First, their baby dies. As if that wasn’t more than anyone should have to bear, as a result of days of labour with the baby pressing down into the pelvis, blood supply is cut off to the walls of the vagina, and tissue dies, resulting in holes that are known as obstetric fistulae. The contents of the bladder and bowel leak uncontrollably through these holes. The woman is usually ostracised by her village because of the leakage and the smell; often her husband leaves her, and sometimes, there is nerve damage to the legs and feet, making walking difficult. Also, from lying still over many weeks in an attempt to stop the leaking, she can suffer atrophy and tightening of the tendons making it impossible to walk.

Catherine Hamlin and her late husband, Reg, have dedicated their lives to assisting these long-suffering women, not just by providing life-changing surgery to repair the fistulae, but by helping these women to make a dignified return to their lives; and also by providing them with ongoing support to ensure that they are able to give birth safely next time.

One of the items that the women are provided with during their stay at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital is a new shawl. My mother, sister and I are in the process of knitting one to send. Acrylic yarn is required so that the women may wash their shawls in the river and have them dry quickly. Information about sizing, a basic pattern, and when and where to send your blanket can be found here.

I highly recommend you read either the books I mentioned above or have a look at the website to see the story of these wonderful people, and of some of the courageous women who suffer so much and sometimes travel hundreds of miles in order to have the operation which will make them whole again. Donate if you can, knit or crochet if you can. Every little bit helps!

This month, 10% of all Silver Forge sales will be donated to this very worthy cause. Head to The Silver Forge shop now, and see if you can help out, and get yourself something lovely at the same time!

ABC Brisbane Radio Interview

The lovely Terri Begley from ABC Radio Brisbane contacted me recently, after she read my blog post about the Newmarket Brickworks Chimney. I wrote that post as that lovely chimney has given me inspiration for some pieces (including my smokestack ring above). She asked if I would do an interview with her about it for a segment called ‘Stop The Train’. ‘Stop The Train’ is a local program which takes a passenger’s eye look at some of the great sights there are to see as you travel around Brisbane. It’s well worth a listen, as there are some fascinating places tucked away down the train lines!

I was very flattered, but had to tell Terri that I was totally NOT an authority on the subject – however, Terri wanted to talk to someone who is passionate about the chimney rather than an actual history boffin, so as a total (but enamoured) amateur, I was happy to help. I met Terri at the base of the chimney and we had a chat about what makes it such a special piece of architecture, and why I love it.

After a bit of a hiccup (where this chimney interview was bumped to make way for the momentarily more topical “Stop The Train” piece about the church at Lang Park), the interview went to air yesterday, Monday 1 July. You can hear the ABC Brisbane Podcast of it here. I didn’t even say ‘um’ and ‘ah’ too much!

It was a bit of fun, and I’m glad I took the time to do this, even though my brain’s initial reaction was a shortlived “What? Hey? Um. No way!” I realised it was good to get out of my comfort zone, so I pushed past that ‘no way’ stage, and it was totally cool to share my enthusiasm and (limited) knowledge about such a beautiful old structure. Thanks so much for the opportunity, Terri. Love your work!

Birthstones – Zodiac Birthstones

I have blogged before about birthstones, both birthstones recognised since ancient times, and the more recent traditional list. I thought it was time to look at birthstones in another way: by Zodiac sign. The twelve signs of the zodiac are represented as follows:

Aries – – 21 March – 20 April – Heliotrope (Bloodstone) (also Diamond)

Taurus – 21 April – 21 May – Sapphire (also Aventurine, Amber, Coral, Emerald, Rose Quartz, Turquoise, Azurite)

Gemini – 22 May–21 June – Agate (also Chrysoprase, Citrine, Moonstone, Pearl, White Sapphire)

Cancer – 22 June–22 July – Moonstone (also Emerald, Pearl, Ruby)

Leo – 23 July–22 August – Onyx (also Carnelian, Sardonyx, Golden Topaz, Tourmaline)

Virgo – 23 August–23 September – Carnelian (also Jade, Jasper, Moss Agate, Blue Sapphire)

Libra – 24 September–23 October – Peridot (also Lapis Lazuli, Opal, Chrysolite)

Scorpio – 24 October–22 November – Beryl (also Aquamarine, Coral, Obsidian, Topaz)

Sagittarius – 23 November–21 December – Topaz (also Amethyst, Ruby, Sapphire, Turquoise)

Capricorn – 22 December–20 January – Ruby (also Agate, Garnet, Black Onyx)

Aquarius – 21 January–19 February – Garnet (also Amethyst, Moss Agate, Opal, Sugilite)

Pisces – 20 February–20 March – Amethyst (also Aquamarine, Bloodstone, Jade, Rock Crystal, Sapphire)

So how about a fabulous surprise gift for someone you love, featuring their zodiac birthstone? I’m happy to source the stone of your choice for you. Just let me know!

Tool of the Month – Hammers

The humble hammer. I used to think a hammer was just a hammer, right? But no! There are many different sorts of hammers, with many different purposes. I have a small collection, and I use at least one with just about every piece that I create.

First up, the claw hammer. Great for hammering in and pulling out nails in the carpentry world. I use mine for heavy hammering, such as stamping pieces with my maker’s mark and 925 stamp, or hitting the ends of my doming punches.

Next, my jeweller’s bench hammer. This baby has a flat face and a cross pein. (The pein is the ‘other’ end of the hammer). Great for such things as using with my bench block to harden earring hooks, and with my mandrels to straighten and stretch rings. The pein end is useful for things like curving silver in my swage block for rings like this cuff ring. (Don’t worry, posts on all those other weird tools will be along sooner or later! 🙂 )

Thirdly, my wooden mallet. Great for shaping silver without making it thinner – rounding a ring on my mandrel without making it larger, for instance. (Has not been used as a judge’s gavel -yet!!)

Finally, my favourite hammer, my chasing hammer. This baby is great for setting gemstones, using my engraving ball and a setting punch. (Yep, more on those at a later date, too!!) The handle thins dramatically towards the head of the hammer, making it very whippy and easy on the wrist, which is a nice thing when it can take up to an hour’s hammering to set a stone.

There are lots more jewellery hammers, used for various things like forming, planishing, rivetting etc. These four are the tip of the iceberg.. but they are all I need at the moment for all of my creations. A simple everyday tool, the hammer; but indispensable in the jeweller’s studio!

The Daniel Morcombe Foundation

(photo credit to Renee Summers, CandyMountainPhotos)

The Daniel Morcombe Foundation needs no introduction. My heart went out to the Morcombes when Daniel first disappeared, and has stayed with them ever since. Their courage and dedication in the face of such tragedy is moving and inspiring.

The Foundation’s belief and vision is one that incorporates a future where all children are provided with protection, education and support in their lives. The objectives of the foundation include educating children regarding their personal safety (including abduction); assisting victims of crime, particularly where crime involves children; and honouring the memory of Daniel by appropriate public awareness.

10% of the proceeds from all June sales will be donated to the Daniel Morcombe Foundation to help with their ongoing excellent work. Pop to The Silver Forge Shop and see if you can help.

My friend Kylie from Raw Toys also donates 10% of her sales each month to the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. Kylie makes the most divine wooden toys. I highly recommend you check them out and see if there’s a little something you might like – and you’ll be helping this wonderful worthy cause at the same time.

the silver forge

jewellery handcrafted by ruthie gray