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Current Online Courses

Check back often to see new courses added

  • $175 or 3 monthly payments of $60

Anticlastic Curly Earrings

  • Course
  • 33 Lessons

Anticlastic forming with simple tools creating light weight earrings first in copper, then in silver,
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  • $130 or 3 monthly payments of $45

Day/ Night Bracelet

  • Course
  • 22 Lessons

Learn the process of fusing texture and synclasticly forming an Argentium Silver Cuff bracelet using a simple hammer & block rather than an expensive press. You will gain skill both in the texturing and fusing of flat sheet metal, as well as the forming of it into a 3 dimensional shape. Translate these skills into pendants or earrings with ease.
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  • $199 or 3 monthly payments of $67

Dust to Dust

  • Course
  • 36 Lessons

Fold, texture, fuse & form an Argentium silver ring with 18k gold dust and 14k fused pins. You will learn to fuse an 18k gold rimmed Argentium tube bezel and setting of a facetted stone. Argentuim is known for its wonderful fusing properties, and gold for its timeless beauty and contrast. 17 detailed video lessons to work thru at your own pace. Intermediate level, you must be comfortable with a torch and saw.
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  • $150 or 3 monthly payments of $50

Dusted Dangle

  • Course
  • 32 Lessons

Learn to create a dusted, tube set pendant with a dangle and integrated bail. Use Argentium Silver, known for its wonderful fusing properties. Learn how to create and successfully fuse the metal dust to create texture and dimension, and learn to tube set a facetted stone, and make a hidden dangle in a unique pendant. A style that you can tweak to make your own and can also be used as a bail element.
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  • $220 or 4 monthly payments of $56

Etched Bi Metal

  • Course
  • 42 Lessons

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  • $199 or 3 monthly payments of $67

Fused & Reticulated: a study in contrasts

  • Course
  • 40 Lessons

This extensive online workshop has several techniques to learn and a ton of tips along the way to a cool ring. These include working with Argentium silver and 800/200 silver reticulation alloy, fusing, depletion gilding & reticulation, creating & adding a half pearl, and a discretely adjustable shank. Work along at the bench with April for a great learning experience. Over 4 hours of videos with 2 distinct projects
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  • Free

Intro to Cuttlebone Casting

  • Course
  • 10 Lessons

Creative Casting with recycled silver in Cuttlefish bone for quick results and a very unique texture. This is my favorite cuttle cast piece with added 14k accents & bezel. You see the shape echos the stone on top with a freeform bottom edge. Most often with Cuttlebone casting, less details lets the texture be more the focus.
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  • Free

Making Connections: Bar Link Chain

  • Course
  • 7 Lessons

An easy and fun chain to create using Argentium Silver for it's great fusing abilities and non tarnish/ firescale qualities. Learn Fusing skills and sharpen your soldering skills if you wish.
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  • $139 or 3 monthly payments of $47

Metal Mosaic

  • Course
  • 21 Lessons

Learn to create unique Mosaics of texture & shapes with fused Argentium, Use a sophisticated adjustable shank for a large & dramatic ring or choose pendant or broach. Technique is easily translated into earrings, bangles, etc. to make it your own.
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  • $160

Starry Starry Night. Fused dust & pebbles in Argentium silver and 18K gold.

  • Course
  • 22 Lessons

Starry Starry Night uses fused dust and pebbles in a example project of pendant & earrings in Argentium silver and 18K gold. This is an Intermediate level Workshop: you must be comfortable with a torch, saw & basic finishing techniques. Learn how to use Argentium Silver, known for its wonderful fusing properties with 18k yellow gold accents to create texture and dimension.
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  • $135 or 3 monthly payments of $45

Stepping Stone Earrings in Argentium

  • Course
  • 19 Lessons

Fused embellished & textured earrings in Argentium .940. A technique you can adapt to your own style.
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  • $170 or 3 monthly payments of $57

Waters Edge Bracelet

  • Course
  • 28 Lessons

A fused Argentium, anticlastic formed cuff bracelet. The wonders of working in Argentium silver. Learn to make and fuse Argentium dust, create textures with wire & rolling mill, as well as anticlastic forming. No rolling mill? I offer work arounds for that as well as being able to use the torch you have!
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  • $250 or 4 monthly payments of $63

Waters Edge Bracelet AND Waters Edge Ring, The pair.

  • Bundle
  • 2 Products

Both these Waters Edge Workshops together, plus a surprise bonus lesson thrown in.
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  • $160 or 3 monthly payments of $54

Waters Edge Ring

  • Course
  • 27 Lessons

Waters Edge Ring in Argentium silver and 18k gold. Includes anticlastic forming and flush setting of small stones.
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  • $150

XOXO learn to create Chased, Stamped, High Line Fold Bracelets in Silver & Copper

  • Course
  • 33 Lessons

Create a stunning high line fold silver bracelet packed with texture and interest. This is not your mamas fold forming! (Copper ones Too!) View over 2 1/2 hours of detailed Videos broken into manageable lessons. It is helpful, but not critical to have some metalsmithing experience. You will need a bit of hand strength. Learn folding, forming, stamping, chasing, finishing & patination.
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  • $150 or 3 monthly payments of $50

YIN / YANG: Opposite yet Complimentary.

  • Course
  • 41 Lessons

This ring has it all, Yin & Yang, opposite yet complimentary: Texture/ smooth, Angles / curves, High / low, light/ dark, gold/silver, soft /hard. Using sterling for its best attributes, and Argentium for its best. Learn reticulation and depletion gilding, fusing and granulation. adding 18k gold for luscious color and Patinate We will make 2 rings, one with 18K gold granulation and one with silver granulation
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Hi I'm April

I'm an artist. In my life's journey, I have explored many artistic mediums and enjoyed all of them, but the one that stuck was metalsmithing. Through luck or choice or heredity (my dad was an iron worker), it ended up as a 25-year career as bench jeweler/ goldsmith working in fine jewelry stores after teaching metalsmithing just out of college.
I enjoy creating and sharing my discoveries and my 40 years of making knowledge with others. I have created series of video lessons where you can follow along with me at the bench where I direct you through a project, where you learn skills and  I make mistakes myself, then show you what you might do when it happens to you, because it happens!
The expectation is you are already comfortable with a torch, saw & basic finishing techniques,  although I offer many tips and tricks on these too along the way to enhance your skills.
I hope you will consider joining me on this journey.  
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Testimonials

I have loved all your videos so far.  I am learning much more than just the techniques used for making the pieces.  You are teaching me a lot about the design process in general as well.  

Lisa Barr

  I just finished watching them all and they are excellent! Clear, easy to see, easy to hear, easy to understand!....  And thanks again for the videos - I felt just like I was in class with you!

Pollyanna Randol

Last year I took April's Starry Starry Night class and loved it!!! It was my first introduction into using gold. I think that the design of your online classes is amazing. You offer instruction and support in a variety of ways and it is perfect. Thank you!    

Nancy Ennis

I have learned so much from all of the classes I have taken from April. The projects are excellent, but allow for making them your own through design modifications in future projects. Through her classes I have learned more about torch control, and how metal responds than in any other classes I have taken. Additionally her videos are excellent, and so thorough. Her instruction is clear and she communicates very well the processes she is demonstrating. 

Jane Archer