During the fall semester this year I learned to rivet which is an amazing way to get pieces to connect to each other without soldering. This technique came in handy when my step-dad gave me bird tags that his dogs caught on hunting trips. They passed several years ago and these tags have sentimental value to him. Unfortunately they were made of aluminum which cannot be soldered. So I used riveting to attach the pieces to other pieces of nickel which would prevent them from bending. The rivets are made of copper which I thought would be a nice contrast with the silver color of the nickel.
The pieces in the featured image will be attached to the blue leather in the background. I hope to make a bracelet for him by Christmas and surprise him. This project is very important to me because any pets that we have are a part of our family. After they pass, having something close to remember them by can mean so much. It means a lot to me that I can make something special for someone else using the jewelry skills that I’ve learned. 
