I keep seeing setups like these and my excuses for not starting blacksmithing start to lose their power.

Made a pair of pennanular cloak brooches for my partner and I's costumes. Unfortunately, I somehow managed to hammer my thumb out of commission right before the last step for the one on the right.

The anvil is a dumbbell head that broke off at the base long ago.

Definitely! I tried to use that as well as I could, since I needed a final product that is relatively hard, and getting a good curve by hand was a bit tough

Forge on.

Copper work hardens; heating it will counteract that though.

First ever project! And the expensive setup to make it