Junk Drawer Jewelry

I'm taking a class at the DIY Lounge at Collage (a really cool art/paper store in Portland) called Junk Drawer Jewelry taught by Bridget Benton. Its a basic jewelry class incorporating junk, hardware store finds, stamping, inks and whatever into cool jewelry. The instructor is a fun girl, helpful and knowledgeable. I went Wednesday night and had a blast. I made a bracelet and this pendent. I need to decide how to hang it but I think it's pretty cool. Next week we are going to make stuff with bicycle tire inner tubes.

I'd really like to learn to make jewelry and am buying books like a mad woman. I've been looking into taking some metalsmithing classes but for some reason, I'm kinda scared. Its the usual nonsense, you know "what if everybody else knows what they are doing" "what if I really suck at it" "what if I catch my hair on fire with the torch" LOL So for now, I'm sticking with cold connections and just trying our assemblage inspired work. It sure is fun, and you'll never go to the hardware store the same again.