hello from wirral

[wellhammered]

Hello from the North west. Like the new member from Bristol I am delighted to find a forum in England. (rather than them all being in America). I started working with silver a few years ago but I am almost totally self taught which can be a bit frustrating at times, especially when I became fixated on raising, difficult to get from a book. However, if anyone else is interested in raising, the Christopher Lawrence video from The Goldsmiths Company is fantastic. I am based near Chester and would dearly love to have contact with anyone nearby. On a recent holiday in Ireland I came across a great silversmiths studio in Kilkenny and totally pigged out on discussing tools, suppliers etc! Now I feel lonely :(

[Joe]

Hello!!!

I know exactly what you mean - jewellery making can be a lonely sport. These forums can be immensely satisfying but also a bit of a soaker-up of time!

There are actually several forums in the UK, each with a different feel. This one is one of my favourites as it gets a good balance of professionals and strong amateurs willing to give clear advice. When I have time, I also look at:

Making Jewellery (http://www.makingjewellery.com) - more bead, glass & gem oriented with fewer pro jewellers but very tolerant and supportive!

Jewellers Collective (http://www.larsandingrid.co.uk) - a very irreverent, professional bunch given more to off-topic banter and innuendo rather than advice!

Feel free to chat away about tools here - you'll find hundreds of us thoroughly fixated on the tiniest details of tools!

[Wendy Moriarty]

Hi and welcome,
I'm not that faraway in Bollington,nr Macclesfield, Cheshire but I am a beginer, learning as I go along, and reading all the helpful advice on the forum. I like to work in silver (keep forgetting to buy copper to practise with) as that is what I wear and like the look of, also couldn't afford gold even if I wanted to. Not done anything like raising, only just sort of know what it means, but there is a wealth of expertise on here, so gool luck
Wendy

[stu_clouds]

Im not far from you either, Rhuddlan in North Wales just outside Sunny Rhyl :s. Welcome to the forum.

Stu

[donec]

Welcome wellhammered, I am new to the Cooksongold forum also but I am across the pond.

[wellhammered]

Thanks for the welcome guys, and for the links. Hope to get to know some of you in time

[snow_imp]

Hi and welcome

[MuranoSilver]

:welcome: to the forum ~ I'm over in East Anglia so a long way from Chester
but I did go to Uni in Chester and it's a beautiful city to live in :)
Nicola xx

[andrew_berry]

Welcome wellhammered to the forum

Be sure to hang around.

Andrew

[Mia]

Hi Wellhammered. Glad you enjoyed Ireland.

[DragonflyLynne]

Hello from the Peak District :)

[debby]

hello, fellow Wirralian! :)

total newbie here, I've done some chain maille before but only just venturing into the world of heat! Still mostly collecting equipment and experimenting with copper.

[lorraineflee]

Hi and welcome from down in Bedfordshire!

Lorraine

[wellhammered]

Hello Debby. Whereabouts in Wirral are you? I am near Neston. Are you working alone, untrained or on a course? The heat business can be quite scary when you first start, I nearly set the washing on fire a few times (I work in the utility room at home). Do get in touch and let me know if I can help with anything. Jane