Kat from The Superstitious Jackalope jewelry line shows us her at home jewelry studio along with some of her must have organizational tools for a home jewelry studio....

At home with Mike Marcum of MIIIK3 Mike has some great insight on where to pickup tools, how to make your jewelry bench work for you, and getting it done that are inspiring for anyone wanting to start making jewelry from home. So make sure to check them out in our next at home studio tour! ...

How did you get into metalsmithing? I had an uncle who made a living as a watchmaker. He also had an interest in stones and made some jewelry. When I was in elementary school he would take me along to hunt for rubies, and on one occasion he bought me a handcrafted Sterling dogwood flower ring. I thought this was so amazing! Later on I became aware of art shows, and grasped the fact that I could actually make a living designing and making jewelry. What inspires you? I would have to say beauty. I relate to the fluid nature of metal, and am totally in love with the drama of fire. I find clarity in looking for design, and it is usually a subtle, very unplanned idea that starts my process. c What is your design process? Very simply, I make it up as I go along! What is your favorite tool? I like working with my foredom ..... the finishing process I find rewarding as the piece is becoming a whole. What is on your bench right now?  ...

Are you already browsing for holiday gifts just to avoid the madness of the holiday rush at Christmas time? Or, are you dreading it because some of your loved ones are hard to shop for? Maybe some combination of these? Harold Studio can help you reduce your pre-holiday stress! We offer classes throughout the year. We have options for every skill level. From beginner, to intermediate and seasoned jewelry designer.   We also sell jewelry design supplies and tools at our studio in Phoenix, AZ.  All of these make great gifts! Here’s a list of gift ideas for the creative soul in your life. For the Beginner Jewelry Artist: Jewelry 1 Class --This class covers all the basics a metalsmith jewelry artist needs to know to develop their craft. Hand sawing earrings, soldering to make a ring, to creating patinas textures and more. This 8-week class will help your novice loved one become proficient at the art of metal jewelry design.   For the Mid-level to...

How did you get into metalsmithing? I have always enjoyed learning and doing anything art and crafts related. I also admired all the pretty silver and turquoise jewelry out there, but had a hard time finding rings or cuffs that fit. I remember thinking maybe someday it would be cool to be able to make it myself. Two years ago, I was looking for a creative outlet to balance out my life and randomly searched the internets for a local metal-smithing class. I found Harold Studio, took the awesome Jewelry 1 class, and have been hooked ever since.   What inspires you? Lots of things - a lot of the times just looking at the stone itself sparks some idea for what it could become or what style would fit it best. I had lots of fun looking to nature and the National Parks for inspiration for several pieces. Sometimes running low on supplies (rarely happens right...) generates ideas. It ends up being a semi-fun challenge to see what I can try to create using what I have left un...

Whether you’re a beginning jewelry metalsmith or you’ve been practicing your craft for a few years, you may be wondering which types of torches and gas combinations do what jobs best.   Harold Studio wanted to share why they use acetylene (acetylene-air) -fueled torches and also a few options if you want to set up a home studio for yourself. Why Acetylene? ·       Because acetylene burns at such a high temperature, students and studio renters alike will always have an adequate amount of heat no matter the size or details of their project. ·       It offers the opportunity to use a range of torch tip sizes for different size projects and design situations. ·       It  burns so hot, it really doesn't require an oxygen tank for most things, which means less setup costs for you. When your torch is turned on and the gas reaches the tip, most torches have oxygen holes that merge with the gas to produce an adequately high heat for most silver and gold solder...