1/3 - Welcome to 2026! 2025 was, well, it was a year. It was a challenging year for me. My jewelry business did not receive nearly the attention I wanted to give it thanks to other parts of life. But, new year, new focus. In spite of sky-high silver prices, I have ideas! I have new work planned!

Does this qualify as an "unadvertised sales event"? I will be selling my jewelry along the river in Peoria, Illinois this weekend (like, TOMORROW) at the annual Peoria Art Guild sale! At Riverfront Park - entry fee of $10. Sept. 27, 10-5 and Sept. 28, 10-4. See you down by the river!

Two stragglers to my site update last week. Smaller protective sterling silver najas! The thicker double crescent on the left is around 1" square: small but substantial. The one on the right is more delicate: a combined naja and dragonfly. Link in bio - click "naja pendants" on site homepage.

How do I get into a group or starter pack here for jewelry artists? I thought I was in one at the end of 2024, then life happened, and now I can't seem to get any traction here with a new post. Ideas?

The website had been updated with new work! See comments for links to specific pages for each type of work. Snakes, Stones, and Protective Amulets!

Sun snakes! Hand forged silver snakes basking in the bright circle of a sun. Available this weekend at the Crystal Lake Park Art Fair in Urbana, IL (10-4 both days) and added to my website after this event.

I will never stop making naja pendants.They are an ancient symbol of protection against the evil eye adopted by many cultures across history. I finished some nice heavy ones made from hand-forged sterling silver, as well as some that are smaller and lighter. For men, women, and everyone in between.

Just finished - a smaller-scale hand-forged sterling silver crop circle pendant that swings at an angle from the bail.

Finished! Rough slabbed Royston turquoise in full silver settings with cutaway backs to show the turquoise river. So glad to have this longstanding project completed.

Okay, it's been awhile! All those plans I had to really advance my jewelry business in the first half of 2025 were interrupted. But now it's time to get back to doing what I love in the second half of the year. Next up, the Crystal Lake Park Art Fair in Urbana, Illinois this weekend (August 2-3).

Coming up soon! My next in-person sale. Part of the county-wide (Champaign County, IL) Boneyard Arts Fest weekend.

It's cold where I live. Too cold to solder in the garage, and life has been occupying every second with other things demanding attention. My 15 in-progress pieces are waiting and I can't wait to get to them in a few more weeks. Until then...

Not the most complex or "showy" pieces I make, but I just love them. They can be worn by anyone, with anything. My "take the backroads" cuffs. I texture each one with my favorite hammer, shape it to size with a nylon mallet, stamp lettering inside and oxidize to accentuate details. Link in bio.

I posted earlier that my February 8th in-person sale is my first sale of 2024. Gah! Of course I meant 2025! Thanks for alerting me to that. I really did proofread that before posting…apparently not enough! Guess I’m wishing to go back to 2024.

I will be selling at this sale - my first in-person sale of 2024- with a great group of artists. Break out of the Midwest winter monotony - shop for some meaningful Valentine’s Day gifts for someone special AND for yourself because YOU deserve it! See you there!

I'm so thankful for going over 200 followers here. Thank you! There has been a stretch of cold weather lately. Below zero. Soldering in an unheated garage is out, but it's supposed to be in the 40's this weekend! Up next? A limited collection of Royston turquoise pendants. (Very early stages here.)

It’s 2025! A year to make your mark! I’ll start by marking all of my one-of-a-kind jewelry with my own distinctive hallmark stamp. I’ll post more often with in-progress photos and video (I can get better at video, right?). Website link in bio - scroll to “follow along” & share your email for updates

Even though the art advent calendar ended yesterday, here’s one more. A road cuff with the dotted line passing lane, a NM Zia sun, 4-directions terminals, and Royston turquoise stone. Love Royston turquoise - it looks like a river from the air. Happy Holidays! 25 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Fordite and silver pendant. Hangs in different directions depending on where chain falls in the ring. 24 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Didn’t get it done “in time” for the holidays? I’d argue it’s BETTER to receive a surprise gift out of the blue when it’s not a holiday. My website is open with U.S. Priority (or Ground Advantage with tracking for ear pins) included in the price. Be unique. www.redemberforge.com

Asymmetrical silver cuff with Fordite. 23 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Started as two najas, ended in a new category of pendants - my cold-forged crop circle pendants. Sterling silver. 22 December 2024 #artadventcalendar #solstice

Lariat style Sterling silver mid-century design necklace. 21 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Forged sterling silver retro style pendant with salvaged auto body steel. 20 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Sterling silver “bar” pendants with salvaged auto body steel from a vintage (l-r) Mercury Cougar, Chevy Impala, and Plymouth Valiant. Heavy/thick silver backing. 19 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Sterling silver bezel set Fordite pendant. 18 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Forged silver and Fordite pendant. 17 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Sterling silver and Fordite “bullseye” pendant with vintage motel sign design. 16 December 2024 #artadventcalendar #vintagemotel #vintagesign #fordite #metalsmith

Sterling silver keychain (a bit dinked up from me using it) with Fordite from the now-demolished plant where the ‘67 Impalas were made, cut into the shape of the Impala. Commercially-available dog tags stamped with that info. 15 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Sterling silver Wendigo skull pendant. Skull cut and ground by hand from thick rectangular stock and horns forged from sterling silver wire and soldered together. Leather cord. 14 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Hand-forged Sterling silver modern concho hat band on gray leather strap with silver adjustable double ring closure. 13 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Hand-forged (hammered) longhorn naja - a reinvention of a traditional shape originally meant to protect from the evil eye. Sterling silver. 12 December 2025 #artadventcalendar

Sterling silver highway double center line road cuff with glass-covered fabric cabochons (cabs made by @squeevening.bsky.social ) made from screen-used costume material from a favorite TV show. 11 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Sterling silver pendant with Fordite from the now-demolished factory that produced the 1967 Chevy Impala. Stamped on the back with “1967”. Silver tube rivet 10 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

I listed several dozen sterling silver ear pins on my site last night. Check them out if you are curious. redemberforge.com/product-cate...

Sterling silver retro gas station cuff - cast station and forged double cuff meant to recall the center lines in the highway. Stamped inside with “refuel” as a reminder to take a break. 9 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

A very liberal take/variation on the ancient naja (evil eye protection) symbol. Cold-forged from sterling silver round and square wire, parts silver soldered together. 8 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Sterling silver cuff bracelet with salvaged auto body steel from a 1957 Chevy Bel Air. 6 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Handmade for a friend (who is also the best dog mom). Wide forged sterling silver cuff bracelet with dog teeth (removed during a necessary medical procedure). Overarching silver piece to protect the teeth from impact. 5 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

A silver pendant with parts of it forged (shaped with a hammer) and a piece of salvaged auto body steel from a 1961 Plymouth Valiant. Inspired by the design of mid century modern motel and diner signs. Soldered together, metal attached with a tube rivet. 4 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

A large cuff bracelet I made for myself with a cool piece of (we think) Corvette Fordite I received for my birthday. Hand forged sterling silver. 3 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

Sorry all - of course I forgot to post the day so here’s a redo. A cold-forged sterling silver naja pendant I made. 2 December 2024 #artadventcalendar

“Officially” announcing on Cyber Monday, but my new jewelry website is ready, at long last. It’s up and hopefully everything is functioning. www.redemberforge.com I welcome anyone interested to sign up for my email newsletter (on site’s homepage) Goodbye Etsy fees!!!

Three of my cold-forged sterling silver 4-directions naja pendants. Handmade protective symbols for everyday wear.

Sterling silver double cuff with Fordite and a hidden message (take the long way home).

Sterling silver “fence” hat band.

A larger and more intricate motel sign inspired pendant featuring a piece of Fordite (layers of auto body paint salvaged from defunct car factories). Sterling silver. Hand-cut and stamped pieces soldered to a center cold-forged spike.

One of my favorite things to make (well, okay, I like making everything I make!) are the silver pendants inspired by retro motel signs. Some of these pictured are available for sale in my Etsy store. Every part cut by hand and soldered together around a center cold-forged spike.

A recently-sold naja and my favorite hat with one of my hat bands front and center - my modern take on the concho design (other ornaments added - silk scarf with branding symbols and studded leather band from Maufrais in Austin, TX).