...just a random thought I had yesterday.

When you wake up with pillow face on Thursday morning at 5:30 and it is still there at 11 o'clock on Thursday night, is it still pillow face...or is it just face?

Peace :)

Well, after a truly rough start to this year I am finally starting to get some energy back, and it's a good thing. Thanks to Joye at Joye Designs & Stone Art Gallery, I have not one but two commissions to work on...a copper bracelet for a lovely lady, and silver band ring for a gentleman. And, a sign of the times, another one of my co-workers is retiring, so it's time to come up with something that represents her 38 (!!!) years working as a nurse. That's going to be a tough one, but the wheels are spinning already so hopefully I can come up with something that does not disappoint.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...thank you universe for allowing me to be a part of creating these items, and for people trusting me to design something that they will have with them always. It never gets old!

Hope everyone made it safely through the snow!

Peace :)

Last night I had one of the most frustrating evenings in the workshop I've had in a long time. I'm working on a commission for a copper bracelet, and needed to drill some holes in the copper. Done it many times, never a problem, until last night. I should probably mention that I purchased some economy drill bits, and will NEVER do so again. First hole...line it up, start drilling, get about halfway through the 16 gauge copper, bit starts to wobble, and then...SNAP. And not just any snap, but right at the surface of the copper, so no way to remove it. Okay, set that aside and worry about it later. Cut another piece like the first, mark the area for the hole, choose another bit, start drilling, wobble....oh no you don't! Take my foot off the foot control, back out the bit, lubricate, examine bit, looks good, start drilling again...wobble SNAP! Are you kidding me? Curse. Loudly. Curse some more. Set that piece aside for now and cut another. Slowly begin process again. Hallelujah, hole is drilled. Turn piece around, begin drilling second hole. You know what's coming right? WOBBLE SNAP!!! No warning on that one.

Leave workshop. Grab a cigarette. Smoke cigarette quickly and angrily. Set aside cheap drill bits which I will NEVER use again. Decide to try to remove last broken drill bit, as a small amount is sticking up from the surface of the copper. Ruin my favorite chain nose pliers.

Enough. Pour a big glass of wine. Tell family to avoid me for at least 30 minutes. Drink wine. No more workshop tonight. Figure out a way to make the bracelet without drilling holes.

Bed :)

Peace

Well, I did NOT see this coming...I thought the evil virus was done with me, turns out it was just playing games. Just as I was starting to feel better, I now have a full blown head and chest cold, along with hyper-inflated lungs, courtesy of the after effects of the stupid virus. Stupid, stupid, stupid virus. Okay, enough of that. Please feel sorry for me at least a little, ha-ha.

I have been making lots of earrings, and playing with all kinds of designs, trying to stay simple, no soldering allowed, just to see how many different ideas I can come up with. One of the setbacks with earrings is the (sometimes) expectation that they should cost less, even though there are two of them, and if you're making them by hand, you kind of have to make them look the same. Either that or go conceptual and make each one completely different! Then there's "primitive" style, which from what I've seen sometimes means messy wraps, messy and uneven loops, all under the guise of "I meant to do that!" Not my style, but why not, right? I guess there is a niche for every idea that one can come up with, you just have to find it.

Peace!

What a great way to ease back into teaching after a fairly long hiatus. Had two returning students, so lots of laughter and conversation along with the learning and teaching! Each time I teach a class it reminds me of how lucky I am to be in a position to share my knowledge, and see people's eyes light up when they "get it", the moment what they are learning makes sense. It's awesome. Thank you universe!

I am still fighting the dregs of the devil virus, but even that is finally getting better too. And believe me...I am thankful for that as well!

Peace!

Well, although I am not fully recovered from the evil virus, I'm on the mend. Thank you universe!!! It is wildly humbling to be so decimated by a (simple??) virus, and I am truly grateful to be working my way back to feeling better.

During the time I was sick I had to cancel a class, which I absolutely hate doing. It's only happened twice in the seven years I've been teaching, but as far as I am concerned that's two times too many. Today's class is a good way to ease back in...learning to use a jeweler's saw, wrapping wire coils and learning to cut jump rings. These may seem like simple things to someone with lots of experience, but to a beginner it can be very intimidating, and anyone who's ever used a jewelry saw knows the frustration of breaking a blade on the first pass :) For myself, coming into jewelry making with a background of carving wood and stone, I had to learn not to use force on the saw, and "let the blade do the work". I think I broke about a dozen saw blades in the first few minutes before that concept finally kicked in. On the bright side, I got very good at loading blades into the frame! What can I say...they don't call me gorilla hands without good reason.

Here's to a fun and informative class, and to health...yours and mine!

Peace!