Chasing tools and Christmas goodies

First- handfuls of chasing tools!

I am teaching a workshop for The Guild of Metalsmiths in Minnesota this weekend.  I have plenty of tool sets prepared and should have some available in my Etsy shop next week.
I am entering what I call "the railing and interior ironwork season."  It's when builders/homeowners/designers finish up all the exterior construction and realize that they now need railings and other stuff, hopefully installed by the end of April for a spring flings.  All of these jobs are rush jobs.  I may be neglecting my Etsy shop for a few months.  If you need some jewelry or handforged leaf work, please contact me through my blog, email, or Etsy shop.  I will find a way to fit it in for you.

Next a gift to myself, for our family Christmasses.  It's a bronze leaf, close to six inches long, similar to the one I made for the WIST (Wisconsin Street Team on Etsy) ornament swap.

and now the tree!

It's a tall and narrow wild balsam fir with short pointy needles- my favorite old fashioned look.  It's about 12 ft tall, but not heavy. The trunks are never wide enough for our stand, so as usual, we duct taped the trunk to thicken it up enough to tighten into the stand.   It works!

(psst.  Notice that the blacksmith still has a temporary wood railing after living here 3-1/2 years.)