Hammering

Today I worked on my husband's copper stuff.  Various sheets of copper to be made into vases, switch plates, etc...  I am good at hammering but I do not enjoy it.  I used to but now it's like ah, I figured everything out and there's only so much you can do when you hammer a sheet of copper.  It's boring.  I should listen to my IPod, if I remembered to plug it in.  Opps.  

Now the thing that impresses men (sometimes) is,  I can hammer with both hands.  I guess it's something to be proud of but it just comes naturally to me.  So I really don't think it's a big deal.  Now what scares me is that guys ask if I've blown out my elbow!  I have never heard of such a thing!!  If I was in pain I would stop and I do stop.  Working till you blow out your elbow totally blows my mind!  Hammering copper is just not worth hurting myself.  

Maybe that's why I do not want to work in metal anymore.  It is rough on the hands, arms and shoulders.  Sometimes I pinch a nerve in my shoulder and it causes my ring finger to go numb.  Not a very pleasant experience.  

Anyone watching the silver market?  It almost was up to $16 an ounce.  It might have hit it.  I was tending to sick children so I didn't check everyday.  I don't think silver will go down to the $10 range again.  Just like gas, I can see it being around $4 a gallon this summer.  

Speechless

Since my major was in metal jewerly I like to keep an eye on the gold and silver market. When I was in college the silver market was in the $5-$7 range depending on the day. I checked the market today and it's $15.50!!! Yikes what is going on here? It's double what it used to be.
Of course if you buy silver from a supplier, it's $15.50 in granule form. But if you get things cast, like a lot of jewelers do so you can make multiples, it can sometimes be double the silver market. Also I'm talking about small businesses who end up paying a lot for silver and gold. The stuff you buy at a department or chain store. They buy silver jewelry in bulk and get a big discount. So you may buy a $15 jewelry item, there's less than 15 cents of silver in the item, well maybe $1.15 of silver. This is why I like handmade, unique jewelry. I know how much work goes into making an item.
Here's one of my favorite jewelers Leigh Davenport. I have only a few pieces and they always get compliments when I wear them.