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Fairy Lantern Earrings or Pendant

with Jenny Reeves

All levels
Fairy Lantern Earrings or Pendant: a finished piece from the class

When and where

  1. Thursday, Feb 4, 2027

    8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Times are MST, the event's local time.

At a glance

Skill level
All levels. Beginners to advanced. Should have basic experience with the torch, saw and flex-shaft.
Class type
Technique and project. Combination of both techniques and project
Prerequisites
None listed
Total time
9 hours
Room
Announced closer to the event
Class size
12 students

Fees

Class fee
$290
Kit fee
$135, paid to the instructor on class day, not charged online

About this class

In this project-based class students will learn to fuse textures in Argentium sterling silver, bond Accent Gold for Silver (a paint-on 24K gold) and create volumetric forms that are sculptural yet lightweight and easy to wear.

The projects can be adapted to different skill levels – I’ll provide templates for both simple and more complex designs so beginners and advanced students can expand their skills and leave with a finished piece.

Beginners should have basic experience with the torch, saw and flex-shaft.

Included in the kit

Covered by the kit fee.

  • Design templates
  • Argentium filings (pre-ground -about .5g. I’ll demo how I make them.)
  • .25g Accent Gold for Silver
  • Small plastic containers
  • Fine-tipped paint brush
  • Tube and /or round beads – silver or gold-filled

Tools the instructor brings

Shared in class. You do not need to pack these.

  • Glue stick
  • Distilled water
  • Adalox discs
  • Split-mandrels for Adalox
  • Sandpaper- 220/400/600
  • Sanding drums
  • Center punch
  • Drill bits
  • Ball bur
  • Burs for shaping
  • Wood dapping blocks
  • Sifters
  • Fiberglass brushes
  • Complete soldering station setups – torches, annealing pans/soldering platforms, flux, flux brushes, quench bowls, pickle, copper tongs, soldering pliers, tweezers
  • Single burner hot plates
  • Flex shafts (4)

What to bring

Your own tools and materials for the class.

  • 1” x 4” 22ga Argentium sterling silver (larger if you like big earrings)
  • 12” 20ga round Argentium or SS wire (or gold-filled wire)
  • solder
  • rechargeable or battery-operated work station lighting
  • Optivisor or other magnification
  • dust and particulate mask
  • eye protection
  • bench pin and c-clamp (3” throat)
  • Small charcoal block (new or sanded 100% flat)
  • Solder pick
  • Tweezers
  • Saw
  • Hand files
  • Set of needle files
  • Set of pliers/cutters
  • Mallet (rawhide or dead blow)
  • Glue stick (BYO if you don’t want to wait)
  • 3/0 + 4/0 saw blades
  • Sanding sticks
  • 111665- Deep bend nylon-jaw forming pliers (if you make the ball-shaped earrings you’ll want your own pair)
  • Agate burnisher

Optional supplies

  • 3M radial bristle brushes
  • Screw-top mandrels (for 3M)

Safety and preparation

Before class
Materials available a la carte: 18ga round Arg/SS wire for pendants; gold-filled sheet for accent.

Your instructor

More classes at THE DESERT 2027