AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN IRON ENOUGH
Sip & Smash 11/3/17
On Friday, November 3, 2017, Iron Mountain Forge and Furniture hosted our first Sip & Smash event, and it was a great success! The idea for Sip & Smash came to be after multiple conversations with a few close friends, a desire for teaching, and a love of craft beer.
Our first session was composed of four women, and two men from varying backgrounds–from yoga to jewelry making. Each participant was introduced to the basics of forging, and with the instruction of Carley (our master craftsperson) and her assistant Jonah, would create both, a forged hook, and a bottle opener by the end of the class. Each creation was unique, as participants were given full creative liberty with their projects.
In addition to learning a new skill, participants were treated to a beer tasting, sponsored by Whaler's Brewing Company, a local brewery located in southern Rhode Island. Naturally, we waited until the forge was turned off. As we host more events, we will be inviting various local breweries to join us! We also love suggestions!
We received tons of positive feedback about the event, and are looking forward to hosting future sessions of Sip & Smash, as well as some additional themed sessions. Stay tuned for our seasonal sessions, located on our sessions page, and follow us on social media for the latest updates!
Hammerstock 2017
Forging with Some Virginia Blacksmiths
I am extremely excited about the next 4 weeks! In order to expand the styles and techniques that we use at Iron Mountain Forge & Furniture, I have decided to go on a blacksmithing excursion to study with different blacksmiths in Virginia, North Carolina and Virginia.
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of being the lead demonstrator at the Central Virginia Blacksmith Guild's annual event, called "Hammerstock." I got to meet some fantastic blacksmiths, both professional and hobbiest, and demo how to make a free standing, artistic, wine bottle holder.
I loved that they also had a booth where visitors could try their hand at taking a hammer to the anvil. At the end of the day, I got to enjoy a wonderful glass of wine from Greyhaven Winery, meet some awesome Virginians, get a bit of a sunburn, and forge some very fun pieces.
Next stop, North Carolina! Can you guess who I'll be forging with there?
