A few recent projects

Fall is always a busy time for craft shows and the retail side of our business, but we've managed to squeeze in a few commissions and and small projects these last few months as well. Here are four of our favorite recent projects:

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Bronze door knocker. The photo on the left shows Kyle using a chisel to chase the numbers into the bronze plate.

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A sweet little custom mirror in blue and gray.

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Blue Ridge Mountains mosaic commission. The photo on the left shows the grouting process. Johannah used three colors of grout to enhance the tones of the glass.

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Forged vessels created on the fly press.

Central Virginia Blacksmith Guild

Earlier this month we hosted the August meeting of the local blacksmith guild, the Central Virginia Blacksmith Guild. This was our second time hosting this fantastic group of local enthusiasts. As usual, we had a great time hanging with this crowd!

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For his first demonstration of the day, Kyle showed off his technique for creating forged vessels on the fly press. When he invited the group to try their hand at it, local blacksmith and artist Tom Chenowith gave it a shot (middle bottom photo). Photos by Bruce Manson. Click on photos for larger versions. 

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Later Kyle demonstrated some repousee techniques. He created two different flower styles using these techniques. Dishing out the flower on the stump to add some dimension is always an exciting and fiery moment! Photos by Bruce Manson.

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Photos by Phoenix Handcraft

For more pictures of this meeting, check out the CVBG Facebook page. Thanks for a fun day, gang! See you in October for the second annual RVA MakerFest. 

Custom Mosaic Mirrors

We've shared our custom mosaic coat racks with you a few times. We thought it was about time we shared a few of our custom mosaic mirrors!

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This red mirror was a special anniversary gift for the client's parents. The quarter on the right is from the year they were married.

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The client who requested this mirror was inspired by another black and white mirror of ours, but made a few changes. We turned it so the mirror is horizontal, and went with unglazed porcelain as the material. This mirror was a wedding gift.

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Like the one above, this mirror was inspired by our earlier black and white mirror. This time we worked in all stained glass. This one went in a bathroom.

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This was a fun set! The client liked the colors and design of the small mirror on the left. Using that as inspiration, we created a coat rack (or towel rack in this case) and two large matching mirrors for their bathroom.

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Custom mosaic memorabilia mirror

Our most recent custom mirror is such a special piece. This mosaic was created using pieces of broken glass and pottery that hold a special place in the client's heart. She decided this mirror was too nice for the intended bathroom, and hung it in her dining room instead!