What’s New

New Pendants in My Shop, Week Ending April 11, 2025

Two new wire-framed pendants have just hit the shop.

I was away for the past week or so but I brought along some materials to make pendants in the evenings. My day’s activities kept me pretty busy so I didn’t get much done. I did, however, finish these two:

Mookiate Jasper in Sterling Silver

Mookiate Jasper in Sterling Silver

When I was in Arizona this winter, I stocked up on some of the really colorful mookiate cabochons that I love. I’ll be tapping into this inventory to make new pendants for the rest of the year. This is what I finished last week.

Mookaite (or Moukaite) jasper is named for Mooka Station, the 700,000 acre sheep farm in Western Australia where it was first discovered. Like other jasper stones, Mookiate is a chalcedony and member of the quartz group. The broad patterns of red-browns and golds that sweep through it are actually finely-divided minerals such as clay and iron oxide.

Some say that mookaite carries an invigorating frequency of strength and vitality and increases life forces within the wearer’s body. It enables the wearer to utilize these positive energies to increase will and focus personal power.

Mojave Turquoise in Sterling Silver and Copper

Mojave Turquoise

Mojave Turquoise is a brand new stone to me and I bought a few cabochons in Arizona this winter. This is the first pendant I’ve made with this stone.

Turquoise is an opaque, blue to green mineral that is a hydrated phosphate of copper and aluminum. It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gemstone and ornamental stone for thousands of years owing to its unique hue. Mojave Turquoise is created by infusing natural Kingman turquoise with other metals and minerals, such as copper or bronze. This infusion results in a striking range of colors, including vibrant greens and blues, often with intricate matrix patterns. Kingman turquoise was first mined by the Navajo people as far back as 600 AD. It appears in a variety of hues, from electric blue to nearly white. Natural cracks in the stone display a silver or black matrix and give Kingman turquoise its distinctive look. This stone was purchased from a gemstone dealer in Arizona in 2025.

Some believe that turquoise is associated with personal protection that can help ease old emotional wounds and chronic stress.

Buy Online and Save!

Both of these pendants — and any others currently in inventory — are available in my online shop until sold. Click here to see all the pendants currently available for sale.

Keep in mind that pendants sold on my online shop come with a sterling silver chain. Because of the high cost of doing art shows and the increased cost of silver, chains will no longer be included with pendants sold at art shows.

Learn to Make a Pendant Like These!

I’m now offering classes in my studio to teach people how to make wire-framed pendants like these. Learn more here.

New Class: Making Wire-Framed Cabochon Pendants

Back by popular demand: wire-framed pendant classes.

Wire Framed Pendant

Wire Framed Pendant

Wire-framed Pendant

There’s wire wrap and then there’s wire framing. While wire wrap is often a heavy-handed technique popular for turning crystals into pendants, it often hides the stone from view, making the wire stand out more than the often beautiful stone it imprisons. Wire framing, in contrast, creates a custom frame out of square and half-round wire that fits the stone and holds it in place. The stone is the main attraction — as it should be!

Making Wire-Framed Cabochon Pendants remains, by far, my most popular class. I’ve taught it at gem and mineral shows in Quartzite AZ, at Gallery One in Ellensburg WA, and, of course, in my home studio before it was much of a studio. I stopped teaching it primarily because I’ve moved onto other techniques that involve soldering and bezel settings. But for folks who don’t want to use a torch, framing a cabochon is a great alternative.

In this class, you’ll start with a cabochon of your choice (or you can bring your own) and sterling silver or copper wire. With the use of hand tools, you’ll create a custom pendant. I’ll take you step by step through the process, creating my own pendant as you create yours. I’ll have plenty of examples to show you what’s possible.

Learn about class availability on my Event Calendar page. Reserve your spot in my online shop.

Class fee: $75 per person

Includes: 2-3 hours of hands-on training in my jewelry studio, a suitable quantity of sterling or copper wire, a gemstone cabochon, and use of tools and equipment.

Available for an additional fee: Sterling silver chains, kits including wire and cabochons for making your own pendants at home, and jewelry making tools.

Maximum Class Size: 4 people

Minimum age: 16 and older; attendees under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Cancellation Policy: Once booked, you may cancel the class up to 7 days before the class start date. There is a $10 cancellation fee to cover the cost of refunding your payment; my credit card processor will not refund the credit card fees I pay. I cannot refund class fees if you cancel within 7 days of the class start date, so if you need to back out last minute, I highly recommend that you find someone to take your place. If I have to cancel the class for any reason, the full amount of your class fees will be refunded.

Open Studio Times Scheduled

Expanded Open Studio opportunities for guests and jewelry makers; see a studio tour video!

After fully overhauling and organizing my jewelry studio and classroom, I’ve decided to open my studio to more than just guests. Starting in April 2025, my studio will be open for three kinds of visitors:

  • Visitors who are curious about silversmithing and want to see what I’m working on. Visits up to one hour are free but reservations are required. You are welcome to brows and buy from my inventory when you visit.
  • Visitors with some metalworking experience who want one-on-one training in my studio to make their own projects. This is especially good for new jewelry makers who need guidance and lack a fully equipped studio of their own. Studio time is charged at the rate of $50/hour in 1/4 hour increments with a 2-hour minimum.
  • Experienced jewelry makers who have worked with me before (or are willing to go through a 15-minute orientation) and want to take advantage of tools and equipment in my studio that they don’t have in their own workspaces. This is a great opportunity to complete projects on their own using specialized tool that are otherwise unavailable to them. (It’s also a great chance to try tools you’re thinking of buying; I am a EuroTool reseller and may be able to get you a good deal.) Studio time is charged at the rate of $25/hour in 1/4 hour increments with a 2-hour minimum

About My Studio

My Workbench
I make all of my jewelry at this workbench.

My home-based studio/classroom is a 12 x 24 room off my garage. It is insulated and features portable climate control, depending on the season.

The studio is fully equipped with a wide range of hand tools, flex shaft, ring and bracelet mandrels, disc cutter, metal shear, rolling mill, grinding/polishing wheel, anvil, vice, ring bender, complete soldering/annealing station, and more.

Want a preview? Here’s a video tour shot in March 2025:

Although supplies such as pickle, liver of sulfur, and limited sanding and polishing supplies are included, materials such as metal, stones, and beads are not; many materials are available for purchase at the studio, including hundreds of gemstone cabochons obtained at Arizona art shows over the years. (I suspect I have the largest collection in Washington State.)

Dates & Reservations

Right now, all open studio hours are on Wednesdays between 9 AM and 4 PM. You can check the Event Calendar for upcoming dates, as well as project-based classes. A different day might be available Studio use, whether guided or unguided, is limited to two people. I’m sorry, but I can’t allow anyone under 18 years old.

Reservations are required at least 2 days in advance for all open studio times. (The studio will be closed to the public if there are no reservations.)

If you are just a visitor or you’re coming to work for the first time, you’ll need to call me first at 509-699-8044 (leave a message if I don’t answer) so I know what you have in mind.

If you’re coming to work or learn, I want to make sure my studio can accommodate your needs. Once we’ve established that it can, a non-refundable prepayment for two hours is required. (You can thank the folks with last minute cancellations in the past for this policy.) At the end of your visit, you’ll be required to pay for any additional time.

Shibuichi Comes to ML Jewelry Designs!

In my never-ending exploration of new materials and techniques, I’ve begun working with Shibuichi, a Japanese alloy of copper and sterling silver.

In my never-ending exploration of new materials and techniques, I’ve begun working with Shibuichi, a Japanese alloy of copper and sterling silver known for the interesting effects that can be accomplished by applying patinas.

Shibuichi Earrings
A new material, a new earring design. Shibuichi has come to ML Jewelry Designs!

This is my very first Shibuichi project, where I combined a variety of metalworking techniques — texturing, cutting, and doming — to produce domed disc shapes. Once the components were made, I used several metal finishing processes, including tumbling, scrubbing to prepare for the patina, and then applying several coats of a specialized patina, washing and judging the color for the desired effect between each application. Finally, I assembled each earring using sterling silver jump rings and hand-formed sterling ear wires.

What’s interesting about this material, as opposed to my sterling silver earrings, is that the texture pattern appears in a lighter color; normally, my processes for sterling silver make the pattern appear as the darker color.

Although it’s hard to see in this photo, the color of the copper included in this alloy does show through a bit, giving the earrings a somewhat golden hint of color.

You can find these earrings in my online shop or in my booth at Art Shows.

Hand made by jewelry artist Maria Langer in her Malaga WA studio.

2025 Studio Days Scheduled

I set up Open Studio days for visitors to tour my jewelry studio and watch me work.

Spiral Hoop Earrings
I made 11 pairs of fine silver spiral hoop earrings this past week.

I was on the road for much of 2023 and 2024, but I’m back now and hard at work in my studio, creating inventory to send out to the shops that sell my work and to bring to the shows I sell at in person. I’ve already listed some classes for specific projects, but I’ve also decided to open my shop for guests who just want to see how I make some of my jewelry or join me to make something of their own.

If you’re interested in learning more about how I make my jewelry, check the calendar for one of my Open Studio dates. Find one that works for you and contact me to make an appointment for a studio tour. (I cannot allow walk-ins; my studio is at my home and if I’m not expecting someone to join me, I might not be available. My calendar is subject to last-minute changes.)

Segmented Circle Pendant
I’ll be making various riffs on my segmented circle pendant design over the next few weeks.

If you’d like to learn jewelry making with me, I recommend that you browse through my online shop and find a jewelry item that you’d like to make. Then get in touch, and let me know what you’re interested in. I can give you an estimate of the time and materials cost and we can set up an appointment for a class, possibly on one of the upcoming Open Studio dates.

Keep in mind that if you’re already a jewelry maker and just need access to a shop with specialized tools you don’t have, my Open Studio time is when you can use my tools and equipment for an hourly fee. Contact me to learn more.

Euro Tool Flex Shaft
No jewelry studio is complete without a flex shaft. This Euro Tool 1/4 hp flex shaft retails for $119.95; I sell it for $90. (Pick up only; I cannot ship large tools.)

An Open Studio date is also a good time to purchase jewelry making supplies or tools that you can’t find elsewhere in our area. I work with real sterling and fine silver, as well as quality copper and gemstone cabochons — none of which is available locally. Contact me if you need to buy something for your jewelry making needs. Remember, I’m now a Euro Tools dealer and can get just about any of their products for you at a discount.

As always, if you have any questions, contact me. As my contact page explains, my phone does not ring for unknown callers, so me sure to leave a message if you call. Text is the best way to reach me; I respond quickest to text messages.

I’ve scheduled Open Studio days through March so far and will be adding more dates as the year progresses.

ML Jewelry Designs is Now a Euro Tool Dealer!

I can now sell Euro Tool tools and other products directly to jewelry class students and others.

EuroLogo Your Source for Website min.

ML Jewelry Designs is based in Malaga, in the Wenatchee, WA area. If you live anywhere near here, you know how hard it is to get quality tools and supplies for making jewelry. Although I get most of my materials (other than stones) from Rio Grande, I’m also a big fan of Euro Tool brand equipment. In fact, my flex shaft, which I bought at my first silversmithing class, is a Euro Tool. It was a great addition to my studio and its still going strong all these years later.

Although I will be stocking some commonly used tools and equipment to make them available to my students, I will not carry the entire catalog of products. There are literally hundreds of products available. But I can get Euro Tool products for you with convenient pickup at my studio, in Wenatchee, or in Leavenworth when I’m there for Village Art in the Park during select summer weekends. Contact me for more information.

You can learn more about Euro Tool products and see their entire catalog on their website: www.Eurotool.com.

New Class: Silversmithing 101

A two-day class that teaches silversmithing techniques in a professional jewelry studio.

I’m really pleased to announce a new class I’m offering at my Malaga studio that covers many of the silversmithing skills I use to make my jewelry. Open to just two students at a time, I’ll be offering it several times over the summer of 2025. You can check availability and sign up in my online shop. So far, I’m offering it in May, but if my calendar clears up a little, I may offer it in April first.

Here’s a full description:

Silversmithing 101

This two-day class covers all of the basic silversmithing skills you need to make custom jewelry from copper, silver, or gold. I’ll start by telling you what you need to know to work with metal, and then go right into exercises that teach and build skills. By the end of class, you should have a few handmade jewelry items to show off to friends and family members and enough know-how to make more on your own.

Over the course of two days, students will learn:

  • Cutting techniques with shears, wire cutters, and jeweler’s saw
  • Filing and sanding to smooth edges
  • Annealing metal to soften it
  • Texturing with texture hammers and rolling mill texture plates
  • Stamping with metal stamps
  • Shaping metal using mandrels and dapping blocks
  • Riveting and soldering to join metal pieces
  • Creating bezel settings for cabochons
  • Making findings such as jump rings, ear wires, and head pins
  • Polishing and applying patinas

Students will have access to the following tools:

  • Bench pin, bench block, pliers and other hand tools, mandrels
  • Hand shears, sheet metal shear, wire cutters, jeweler’s saws
  • Files, sandpaper and sanding sticks
  • Flex shaft with numerous tools for sanding and polishing
  • Rolling mill with texture plates
  • Stamps and hammers
  • Complete soldering station including torches, blocks, annealing pan, quenching bowl, and pickle pot
  • Tumblers with related supplies and equipment
  • Grinder with polishing wheels
  • And more!

Students can complete a number of jewelry making projects or create something on their own. Sample projects include:

  • Textured earrings
  • Stamped bracelet
  • Stack rings
  • Bezel-set pendant

Details

Class fee: $320 per person

Includes: Two days of hands-on training in my jewelry studio, copper sheet metal and wire for practice and finished pieces, incidental supplies and materials, use of tools and equipment. Bottled water, pop, and a light lunch (sandwiches and salad) will be provided at break time. (There is no place to get lunch nearby, but you are welcome to bring your own.) Sterling silver and cabochons to set into a pendant or ring are available at an additional cost.

Class timing: Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM to 5 PM with 1 hour for lunch and two shorter breaks in the morning and afternoon.

Maximum Class Size: 2 people

Minimum age: 16 and older; attendees under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Cancellation Policy: Once booked, you may cancel the class up to 7 days before the class start date. There is a $10 cancellation fee to cover the cost of refunding your payment; my credit card processor, Square, will not refund the credit card fees I pay. I cannot refund class fees if you cancel within 7 days of the class start date, so if you need to back out last minute, I highly recommend that you find someone to take your place. If I have to cancel the class for any reason, the full amount of your class fees will be refunded.

February Jewelry Making Classes Scheduled

New classes in February at my Malaga, WA jewelry studio.

Now that I’m mostly done traveling and I’m spending a lot more time in my jewelry studio, I’ve decided to open up the studio for small groups of up to 4 students to teach various jewelry making projects. Each two-hour class will either complete one specific project, such as a copper cuff bracelet or sterling silver earrings, or teach general silversmithing skills. Most classes are suitable for ages 15 and older. Everything will be provided, including materials, use of tools, and a suitable workspace.

Split Bar Dangle with Bead
These are the Split bar dangle earrings I can teach you to make in class.

So far, I have five classes scheduled for February 2024:

Saturday, February 8, 2025:
12 pm to 2 pm – Patterned copper cuff bracelets
2 pm to 4 pm – Air chased copper cuff bracelets

Sunday, February 9, 2025:
12 pm to 2 pm – Spiral hoop earrings
2 pm to 4 pm – Split bar dangle earrings

Saturday, February 22, 2025:
12 pm to 2 pm – Findings: Jump rings, head pins, and ear wires

To learn more about each class and reserve your spot, visit the Classes page in my online shop.

And keep in mind that all of these items are also available to buy — made by me! — in my online shop.

November & December 2024 Jewelry Making Classes

Four classes at Gallery One in Ellensburg will help you make holiday gifts recipients will treasure.

I’ll be teaching four jewelry making classes at Gallery One in Ellensburg in November and December 2024. Here’s a quick summary of what’s coming up. If you’re interested in any of these classes, sign up now.

Split Bar Silver Dangle Earrings

Split Bar Dangle Earrings
An incredibly popular earring style at art shows, I have a large selection of beads and stamps so you can personalize your pair.

Wenatchee based artist, Maria Langer, introduces you to her most popular earring style! In this class you’ll learn everything from making jump rings, punching holes and stamping patterns, to assembly. No experience required.

Skills you’ll learn:
– Measuring and cutting silver strip and wire
– Filing silver strip to round and smooth corners
– Stamping designs onto silver strip
– Punching holes into silver strip
– Creating jump rings (instructor demo) and using pre-made jump rings
– Connecting earring pieces
– Attaching beads to earring pieces
– Making ball-end head pins (demo) and using headpins to make ear wires
– Connecting earrings to handmade or pre-made ear wires

$53/person. Offered November 16, 2024.

Beaded Chain Bracelet

Beaded Chain Bracelet
You can make a beaded chain bracelet like this with your choice of at least a dozen different beads. (There is an additional $10 charge payable in class for turquoise beads.)

Join Wenatchee based artist, Maria Langer in making beaded chain bracelets. These virtually unbreakable bracelets don’t use open jump rings to connect links. Instead, they use a double loop wrap technique that ensures all links are connected permanently to each other and a lobster clasp. These can be made in silver or copper. A wide range of gemstone beads will be available to choose from. No experience necessary.

Skills you’ll learn:
– Measuring and cutting silver or copper wire
– Creating beaded bracelet links with the double loop wrap technique
– Connecting each link you make to the one before it as you make it
– Connecting a manufactured lobster clasp

$53/person. Offered November 16, 2024.

Spiral Hoop Earrings

Spiral Hoop Earrings
This is the first style of earrings I ever made. It looks great in silver or copper.

Handmade jewelry makes a great gift and these spiral formed, texture-hammered silver or copper wire hoops are sure to be a hit! In this class, Wenatchee based artist, Maria Langer will teach you shaping, hammering, making ear wires and assembly. No experience required.

Skills you’ll learn:
– Measuring and cutting silver or copper wire
– Filing silver to smooth ends
– Shaping wire into a spiral shape with two loops using mandrels and tools
– Hammering a texture onto the shaped wires
– Securing the hoop shape with another wire
– Making ball-end head pins (demo) and using headpins to make ear wires
– Connecting earrings to handmade or pre-made ear wires

$53/person. Offered December 14, 2024.

Wire Framed Pendant

Wire Framed Pendant
What better way to show off the beauty of a cabochon than to frame it in shiny silver or copper wire? I’ll have many stones on hand to choose from.

Are you looking for a challenge? This workshop takes wire wrapping to a new level, framing a gemstone cabochon in sterling silver or copper wire as wearable art. Wenatchee based artist, Maria Langer, will guide you in designing and building the frame, bail, and flourishes for your chosen cabachon. No experience necessary.

Skills you’ll learn:
– Developing a strategy for securing the stone
– Measuring and cutting silver or copper wire
– Joining wires to make the stone frame
– Setting the stone
– Securing the stone in place
– Creating the bail
– Creatively securing the wire ends.

$63/person. Offered December 14, 2024.

More Info

Ages 16 and up are welcome. Please register at least 72 hours in advance. Classes may be canceled if enrollment minimums are not met. Cost is per student.

Gallery One is located in downtown Ellensburg, in the middle of the state of Washington, just off I-90.

408 North Pearl Street
Ellensburg WA 98926
509-925-2670

April Shop Days Scheduled

I’ll be around for about two weeks in April and will be available for one-on-one classes in my jewelry shop.

Split Bar Dangle with Bead
Sterling Silver Split Bar Dangle earrings with malachite bead.

Some folks might know that I’ve been on the road for much of 2024, but I’m returning home and to my jewelry shop in mid April for about two weeks. Although I’ll be busy building inventory to send out to the shops that sell my work when I can’t do shows, I will have time to do hands-on, project based training for one or two people at a time most days I’m back.

My classes are held in my Malaga, WA studio, which is fully equipped to make all the jewelry I sell in person, in shops, and online. You can see a studio tour video on YouTube. Depending on your existing skill levels, I can teach you how to make just about any of the jewelry I make. I charge by the hour in 1/4 hour increments with a 2-hour minimum. This includes instruction and use of all tools needed for the project. Materials fees, which vary based on the project, also apply. Right now, I’m set up to teach a maximum of 2 people at a time.

If you’d like to explore silversmithing or other jewelry making with me, I recommend that you browse through my online shop and find a jewelry item that you’d like to make. Then get in touch, and let me know what you’re interested in. I can give you an estimate of the time and materials cost and we can set up an appointment for a class.