Monday’s Maker’s Minute: Nothing Goes to Waste

 

Here’s a little behind-the-scenes glimpse into how I work with silver in the studio.

Every piece I make leaves something behind—tiny silver filings, little curls from sawing, and the odd shape that just didn’t quite make the cut. And instead of letting any of it go to waste, every bit has a purpose.

The silver dust—those ultra-fine filings that settle into my catch tray—gets saved specifically for fused projects. Sprinkled onto sterling sheet and heated just right, the dust melts into a beautifully organic texture that you’ll see in pieces like the new necklace.

The larger offcuts and the “not-quite-rights” get their own second life, too. I melt them down into a fresh ingot, add a touch of fine silver, and roll it out into new sheet right here in the studio. It’s slow, hands-on, and honestly one of my favorite parts of the process.

So the necklace & earrings you see today?
It’s part texture, part transformation… and a little reminder that even the scraps have potential.