Travels in the Land of Art and Silver

Crafting as a Business

2011-12-19T01:30:00.000-05:00

Crafting As A Business by Wendy Rosen

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I just picked up a copy of Crafting as a Business, by Wendy Rosen. It's great, different than (and an improvement on) many other craft business books. Her insight and information base is amazing. I gave it 4 stars on Goodreads. I would have given 5 stars if it were more up to date, since this is from 1998 and there has been a huge change in the internet and internet based business and marketing since that time. Everything from show applications and photos to wholesale practices have changed due to online and digital innovations. I would love to lobby for an updated version!

Whether you are just starting out in a craft-based business, or have been working at one for quite some time, I thing the perspectives here are excellent. Many well-known and highly experienced artists share their ideas and opinions here, making it a fascinating and valuable resource. and it was only $4.99 from Amazon!! That makes it even better.

View all my reviews

Skytop Holiday Arts Festival 2011

2011-12-13T20:22:00.000-05:00

Skytop Lodge

Last year I came out of “show retirement” for the first time in about 5 years to show my jewelry pieces at the Holiday Arts Festival at the Skytop Lodge in northeastern PA. After being out of the loop for so long, doing a show took a lot of preparation, but it reminded me of the things I enjoy most doing shows. I like to meet the people who are interested in my work, and I like to chat with show-goers, because they tend to appreciate the same things that I do – well-made fine crafts. And of course, I really soar on all the compliments I get!

Silver Vine Jewelry at the Skytop Holiday Show

I decided to do the show again this year, and again, I put in a huge amount of pre-show preparation. I do think the booth ended up looking quite nice! It was a lovely weekend, and we had large Saturday crowds walking both the show aisles and the exquisite grounds of Skytop Lodge. It’s an impressive place, made of natural stone and timbers, set in rolling hills dotted with lakes. Fine art and craft are a perfect fit with the picturesque surroundings. It was a beautiful show, and a fabulous weekend.

Skytop from the air

Earring Time

2011-09-28T14:42:00.000-04:00

I have started to roll out some finished pieces of jewelry from my new cab haul at last month's Beadfest in Philadelphia . These cabs were cut by Jerry from S and S Lapidary, who is becoming a source for more and more of my earring stones. He does love to cut beautiful matched pairs for earrings!


The River

Here's a brand new pair featuring some gorgeous crazy lace agate. Keep an eye on Etsy in the next week or so; these, and more, will be coming up.

The Cosmos and Malachite

And here is a pair of posts with a beautiful and unusual cut of malachite:

With a Llittle help from My Friends

2011-09-14T00:26:00.000-04:00

On the left is an earring sent to me by a customer. This is a nicely made sailboat, obviously fabricated, with silver sails and an amber boat. But there is only on earring. An emotionally charged piece, one of the pair was lost and I was asked to make a new pair as a close replica. I took on the challenge.

Really - how hard could it be?

The first step was to buy, cut, aand polish amber for the boats. One road trip later, I had a little (well, a lot!) of help from my friend Sue and her husband Tom. They shared a great meal, lots of wine, and lots of fun, along with their lapidary equipment and lots of support. I left the next day with a handful of polished amber boats, a new lapidary passion, and the feeling that the tough part of this job had been accomplished. Only the silver sails were left to make now. Not a problem.(Can you sense the set-up here?)

Well, it wasn't as easy as I thought.Due to a fragile ego, I left out the photos of the mangled sails. No need to share all that. Everything kept falling apart. Nothing seemed to work. So what to do? Get a little help from my friends!

I passed around my sad, mangled sails at a dinner get-together with some jewelry buddies, and I listened to several possible solutions. Thank goodness for friends! A couple of mangly (yeah, it's a word. Now.) attempts later, I came up with the reasonable replica here. Whew.

My customer has happily asked for three pair of earrings to be sure the sentimental piece is always available. Here are the almost finished sails and boats for the 3 pair. At the left is the original earring, with a new bail for it's future life as a pendant.

Stay tuned to see the shaped and cleaned up pairs.
Boy, will I be proud (and relieved!).

NLP Mindfest

2011-09-12T22:33:00.000-04:00

NLP is a powerful and interesting series of techniques to help gain control of your mind, reduce negative emotions, change old unwanted habits, and more. Listen for free for the next 10 days and learn along with me!

http://www.nlpmindfestevent.com/

Straight from Iceland

2011-08-30T08:18:00.001-04:00


First sight in the airport. We missed him SO much!!!

My son has taken the past 6 months to travel across the world, attending a semester of college in New Zealand, hiking, distance running, ice climbing, and helping with repairs through numerous serious earthquakes in Christchurch. On his roundabout way home, he visited Thailand, Greece, Poland, Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Germany, Netherlands, and more. I'm pretty sure I missed a few countries in there. He returned to the states after spending several days in Iceland, his last stop,


Lava beads from Iceland

Dendritic Opal from Germany, in a lovely leather case!

Among all of the cool and thoughtful bits he brought home to share his trip with us were head scarves from Poland, a reindeer hide and amazing sea glass from Iceland, and candy from everywhere. (I now love Minties from New Zealand.)

And special for me, there were lava rocks straight from Iceland!! Cut as beads, he said, "Mom, I didn't see cabs, so I got you flat beads. I figured you could do something with them."

Some earrings made with Icelandic lava stones

How many 20-year-olds would end their trip around the world by buying stones for Mom's addiction? I ask you? I am SO proud. He done growed up good.

New Stones, New Design Inspirations

2011-03-30T22:34:00.000-04:00

I picked up a small haul of new stones this past weekend, and I decided that for a change, instead of pricing them and putting them away, I 'm going to put them on my bench and get to work on them immediately. Woo hoo, that motivation worked!

I didn't even get all of them in this photo, some of them were AWOL on my bench in the happy design party that followed! I discovered whole new crop of ideas. Here are some of the new pieces I have been working on.

I'm looking at some new chains, maybe with some stones interspersed in the links. I'm also considering some really cool clasps for this gorgeous new necklace. The silver components will get some patina, and then we'll see. I am really excited to come up with some more really cool designs. Some single components are going to make some kick-butt necklaces with more of the new stones. I want at least one of these for myself!

Coming soon: some more new pieces with these stones - check back soon to see.

So this is Spring. I think.

2011-03-24T11:51:00.000-04:00

Weather has been strange all over. I'm in the Poconos, where it was 70 lovely degrees just 5 days ago. Yesterday, we got a foot of new snow, and we've had our 2nd (YES, 2ND!) snow day this week, with a 2 hour delay for schools this morning due to the extra snow that fell overnight! I know winter just loves to have his last hurrah, but....really.

I'm cozy and warm inside, recovering from arthroscopic surgery for my knee. It's been a week, and I am just amazed at how fast and painless the whole procedure was for me. I'm told I'm lucky, and I surely do feel that way. I mean - surgery- and no pain! I didn't even bother with the pain killers, there wasn't any to kill! Maybe now I'll enjoy hiking this summer with my family, and be able to do snappy roundhouse kicks (I never could before, but I can dream, right?) In between rousing rounds of physical therapy, let me show off some of the pieces that will be coming to Etsy on FRIDAY (that's tomorrow)!

I'm so proud to include this Silver Vine Necklace in this latest Etsy release! I haven't put one of these up on Etsy in quite some time. This is a very special piece, an original design featuring a silver vine centerpiece with leaves, suspended from a wavy vine necklace. It looks like it was found in a silver forest.

Treasure in the Desert was built around this baby geode of natural black quartz crystals. The silver pendant makes me think of wind, dunes, and shifting sands, with far clouds in the distance .It was was textured with a hand-cut dye made especially for this piece.

Below are Textures Earrings. 'Textures' is something I hope to see a lot more of. I plan to make a series based on these earrings, exploring different textured backgrounds set in interesting shapes.

That's all for now. Waiting for the melt, the sun, and the healing.

Spring Classes are Almost Ready!

2011-03-23T20:37:00.004-04:00

Spring may not be quite ready to settle in yet, but spring classes at the Garden of Beadin are getting all set for a new season. My metals classes are nearly ready to go (schedule to follow), so here's a sneak peek:


Pebble Earrings

Pebble Earrings are a great way to learn to solder, even if you have never tried it before. It's perfect to begin a new spring with a new beginning solder class for anyone who wants to learn silver soldering for jewelry. This project is an easy way to learn, and you can make as many pebble rings as you can during class. Put them together into earrings, or try a bracelet. You can even attach some chain and a clasp for a fabulous necklace or choker!

Do you love wire? Are you looking for something new to try? Viking knit is a woven chain style that has been found in archaeological digs. Viking knit is a fantastic way to make truly time-honored hand crafted chain that is perfect for any level of skill. It's easy and fun, and a very portable project,. I take mine to the beach! So come on out in April and learn how to create viking knit chains of any length.

Viking Knit Bracelet

Rose Pendant

Just in time for Mother's Day, a brand new project to honor spring! This Rose Pendant looks complicated, but I created it as a simple solder project. It's a very easy and forgiving project, perfect for beginner and intermediate solder students. And it looks just beautiful! This will be easiest for those who have done a bit of metal working before, but if you're a motivated beginner, don' let that stop you! Don't miss this one, you will want to tell everybody you made it your self!

Spinning Bead Ring

Another brand new project, for brand new metal workers, is the Spinning Bead Ring. With the bead of your choice, a bit of wire, and a torch, you can turn almost any bead into a sensational ring. You may be able to finish more than one during class, so make one for your self, and make one as a gift. You'll be surprised at how fun and easy it is to create these rings. Warning - be careful, this has been known to be addictive!

Forged Leaf Pendant

Back by popular demand, the Forged Leaf Pendant is coming back in June. Yes, I know the picture shows earrings. If you have time for two, by all means make a pair! But just one becomes a lovely and artistic pendant, which hangs from a jump ring. Just imagine how luscious it will look in your bead work! In this beginner-friendly class, you can use your choice of silver, copper, or brass. Learn to anneal metal with a torch, cut and file it to shape, and forge it for strength and dimension. Learn finishing and patina techniques, and leave class with your own little hand-forged sculpture.

Finally, for beaders who would like to make their own links for securely adding jewelry components, the Wrapped Loop Bracelet is just what you may be looking for. If you are tired of flimsy loop links that fall apart when you least expect it, this is for you. Learn to create a secure and attractive wrapped loop from any wire while building a lovely bracelet with the beads of your choice in this beginner-friendly class. This one is camera shy right now, I'll have a photo for you soon.

And if you are near Stroudsburg, PA, stop in at Garden of Beadin and see these samples for yourself! They will be there by the beginning of April, all ready to welcome in a new spring for aspiring metal workers!

Cathedral of the Forest

2011-03-22T12:19:00.002-04:00

In the cathedral

Of the forest it stood

Awaiting the spring.

Sometimes I see winter in this little piece, sometimes spring, and sometimes fall.

But today, I stand in the forest, awaiting spring. I can feel it, I can smell it.

The geese have returned, the crocuses are barely pushing out of the earth.

The forest seems to hold it's breath. Together, we wait.

The forest at my back door.

For me, the forest is the only cathedral.

It is in the forest that I seek spiritual communion.

It was in the forest that I took my wedding vows.

Several years later, we moved to the forest, where I am happy.

I am thinking about making a series of these pieces. Quiet pierced trees on a variety of backgrounds. Or maybe exploring the forest as a cathedral. As soon as the mucky ground dries, I'll take a walk out back, in the forest. Let's see what develops.

Warming

2011-02-17T22:34:00.001-05:00

A wood stove is a wonderful thing. The wood warms you up again and again, way before you ever burn it. Stacking it is always a good warming workout. If you're cold, go out and stack the wood. You'll be sweating before long. Every couple of days, you have to bring in loads inside, to stack near the wood stove. That'll warm yer jets. Back when we used to cut it and split it, it just warmed us up all dang autumn!

This was home two weeks ago, on yet another snow day. The wood was all stacked, the stove was up and roaring, the house was toasty, and the snow was falling.

I love to sit in a rocker by the fire with a good book. Or knitting. All those wicker baskets are full of yarn (and a few half done projects. I'll admit it.)

For a city girl from Brooklyn, this is a really good day. Cozy. Warming.

Think about warmth.
What warms you up?

SNOW DAY

2011-02-02T21:54:00.001-05:00

Our place looks great in the snow. Even the turkeys like it! I stood at the counter to pour another cup of coffee, and noticed that we had visitors. Here they are from my kitchen window. (Yeah, I know, I need to clean the window again. It's too cold, though. Shhhhh. It's a perfectly good excuse. Really. )

They were just hanging out in the driveway this afternoon, sniffing around and napping. Seriously, three of them were really napping, for about 10 minutes. Heads down, eyes closed. Sort of. Then their compadres came along. They kept popping their heads into the snow, and under the rear tire of my car. I wonder what they wanted down there? Ice?

Well, it seems as though these are the only visitors I'm going to get for a while. I got a call from my UPS delivery folks. They were very nice. In short, they are afraid to drive up my icy dead end dirt road, so I may not have any new metal for a while. My silver shipment will be sitting in the UPS office. Did I really want to make any jewelry today anyway?

That's OK. I can pick it up tomorrow. For now, I have visitors to attend to. Where did I put the bird seed?

Treasury Widget!

2011-01-18T16:45:00.003-05:00

Ever see an Etsy Treasury?
They have come up for me as delightful little surprises over the last few years. Among others, my Spiral Geometry Bracelet, Fusion Tree Brooch, and little Black Dress Pendant have all been treasured by Etsy members.

Today. I learned how to include some of these treasuries in my blog! You can click on these treasury images and go right to the actual treasuries, visit the shops, and see what other treasures await in the artist's shops.

Etsy Treasuries happen when an Etsyer decides to create a collection of favorite Etsy items, usually centered around a theme. Out of the blue, I have gotten notices that someone has chosen one of my jewelry items to include in their Etsy Treasury. What a really lovely compliment!

Whether you are a seller or buyer, treasuries are a fun way to browse the many handcrafted items on Etsy, and to check out the work that others admire.

Have you ever been "treasured" on Etsy? Here's how you can include treasuries on your own blog - it's easy!
http://www.craftcult.com/treasury_widget.php?userid=7604671&src=banner

Want to find some treasuries to browse? Go to www.etsy.com/treasury/
Look around and enjoy!

Save The Arts: An Important Message About the Arts by David Shrigley

2011-01-12T14:22:00.000-05:00

2010-12-08T08:32:00.008-05:00

NEW BOOTH

It's been at least 4 years since I have done an art show, and why? NO BOOTH!! (Left and below, my glass cases before repair and new stain and new inserts, and phase 1 of the counters.)

I decided the best way to get myself back out into the art show world was to schedule a show so I would have to build a booth for it.

It took about 2 weeks of almost constant work, more money than I expected, and several days with almost no sleep, but I made it! I built cabinets, took them apart and rebuilt them again. I took apart glass cases, stained and cleaned them, and put them back together. I created counter tops and figured out how to get them to sit properly and safely on their bases for every show. I mounted photos and signs on backer boards and sewed fabric panels to set them off.

And then, I FORGOT TO PHOTOGRAPH IT!!! So here are some of the before (above) and after (below) photos of the construction. (Left and below, cabinets are rebuilt, and given fabric inserts, and everything has a nice new coat of matching stain.)

I am really pleased with the results, although you won't get to see any of the nice colorful elements here. At the show, I added black drapes, some patterned turquoise fabric hangings to add color, and tan fabric hangings behind my photos. And nice booth and case lighting, too. But now that I'm back in the show world, I'll have to get some photos at my next show. Stay tuned!

RETREAT!!!!

2010-11-08T02:03:00.010-05:00

Don’t retreat, run TO the retreat!!! Last week, I returned from the Jewelry Artists Network’s East Coast Retreat, fondly known as JAR, or Jewelry Artists Retreat, in North Carolina. What fun, what fun!!! I was lucky enough to become a part of this wonderful group three years ago, and I have gone to the retreat every year since. I’m a solid devotee now, and wouldn’t miss it for the world!

The Jewelry Artist Retreats all begin with Janice, who created the retreats, and who also administers the Jewelry Artists Network. If you love making jewelry, you will want to check out the forum at www.JewelryArtistsNetwork.com and become a member. Join us, it’s free, and a better group of people you won’t find anywhere! I was thrilled to find a place where jewelry artists could ask any question at any level, and find others who care and take their questions seriously. I have been privileged over the last few years to meet Janice and a number of the other forum members in person, and they are a truly wonderful group. The first east coast retreat was held in 2007, and some of this year’s retreaters have been there every year since! Our house was full this year, with 13 retreaters. Although we have developed a core of returning members, we always have room for new blood, and 4 of this year’s attendees were brand-spankin new to JAR. We had a blast!

The retreat house is a lovely large house on Lake Gaston in north-eastern North Carolina. It has 2 kitchens, 5 bedrooms, and a beautiful private dock on the lake. Our most common view, however, is usually of another metalsmith, intent on their work and viewed over a sea of tools and torches. We have taken to setting up shop in the large garage, where we can leave the doors open to the breeze and sun, and still sit together to share ideas, designs, techniques, and tools. We might run an impromptu demo for others, or help one another with a particular technique or tool. This year for instance, I had the opportunity to try Janice’s flex shaft hammer hand piece, and Ann helped me to use her Koil Kutter, where I cut enough jump rings to last me much of the coming year.

We shared the liquor-and-chocolate table, many home-made cakes, food, meals, tools, bedrooms, and lots of laughter. Some of the demos and sharings included chain maille patterns, torch-fired keum –bu, forging a ring from a silver coin, cuttlebone and broom straw casting, using a hammer handpiece, making bezels, salt water and ferric chloride etching, and so much more that I can’t remember it all!

The JAR East Coast retreats are really a treat! More details will follow.

Just Off the Bench!

2010-08-17T13:36:00.005-04:00

Things have been really hot around here! OK, so it's been the hottest summer in years, but I'm talking about the bench work going on at the Silver Vine! I haven't come up with so many new things in ages!! What a great feeling.

My current inspiration are some eucalyptus leaf skeletons I bumped into in a local shop some time ago. They have been living in the back of my mind for a long time, so I went to buy them. It turns out they haven't sold these for five years!! I guess I have a better memory than I thought. Well, they were great, ad gave me some tips to hunt them down. i finally got the chance to play, and here are the results!

I am in love with this pendant. As soon as I get the chance to make some more, I think one will get to become mine! I want to make these in all different sizes. They are just too much fun!

Great Vacation, Great Book!

2010-08-08T17:38:00.001-04:00

We just got back from a great time on vacation at Rehoboth Beach, DE. What a great place to relax! It’s good for singles, but great for families. We always have a wonderful time. We lay on the beach all day, sunning and wave jumping, out past the breakers. I love to jog on the beach, and then go into the ocean for a cool-off swim. We love to park our car and not move it for 5 days! There are so many places to eat and shop, and the alleys between streets are filled with lovely flowers, great shops and cafes, and even water bowls for the ever-present pups. You can rent bicycles and pedal to other nearby beach communities, too. Each one has a different ‘flavor’, and they are all good!

There are and lots and lots of galleries and craft shops, and - you guessed it – endless hand-crafted jewelry to see and enjoy! That’s always part of my exploration when I go on vacation. At Browseabout Books on Rehoboth Ave, I picked up a great new book that I recommend highly; Joanna Gollberg’s The Ultimate Jeweler’s guide – The Illustrated Reference of Techniques, Tools, and Materials. I thought it was the perfect souvenir for my vacation. I love Gollberg’s books. They are always chock full of great color photos, and packed with lots of information. This one covers all the basic details and specs of precious and base metals, solders, and even mining ethics, then moves on to a wide selection of basic tools, full of great photos and info about ways to use them, and even how to make some of your own. She continues through all of the basic jewelry-making techniques, from cold-connections through fabrication, forming, texturing, stone setting, and finishing. This book is just perfect for beginners and still full of info for the experienced metal worker. I learned a lot just from a quick skim, and I think my jewelry students will love it! It’s an easy book to browse through and read, and with its spiral spine, it will stay open on your bench while you follow the techniques. I think this one’s destined to be a classic, second only to Tim McCreight’s Complete Metalsmith.

Well, I'm back now, and YEOW!! I can’t work in this mess. Mess-clearing has been my summer, but that's another story. It’s time to clean off my bench, and get some making done!

Wholesale and Retail and Dares - Oh My!

2010-05-10T23:32:00.004-04:00

In my seemingly endless quest to find ways to make an income through jewelry, I have decided to do something that feels inherently daring to me, and investigate wholesale venues!

I have been thinking about wholesale for a very long time. I had a great catch-up call with an old friend recently, and conversation turned to her store, a wonderful herb shop in southern California called In Harmony Herbs and Spices. It’s in Ocean Beach, San Diego, for any of you who have the opportunity to visit. Jodi is amazing, so completely knowledgeable, and she works so hard to make her shop a place her customers love to visit. She has been carrying jewelry for some time, and we soon began to plan what kind of jewelry I might make for her shop. Whew! This feels a lot less daring to me. What a great way for me to keep in touch with a good friend, and ease into wholesale jewelry at the same time!

This brings up so many different questions. Are my retail prices in line with my making a profit at wholesale prices? What kinds of pieces do I begin with? Which of my pieces lend themselves to the kind of production work that would be necessary for establishing standard pieces, sizes and prices? Because the shop owner is my friend, I am even more motivated for this collaboration to work out well. I find myself asking, can I squeeze my prices a little lower to make them more affordable for both wholesale and retail buyers? Can I streamline any of my production methods to decrease time, and create lower prices that way? Wholesale really causes a person to evaluate their work and practices differently!

We settled on starting out with a few different earring designs. I plan to start wholesaling with one line, keep things flexible, adjust, and add lines as I go. Will I really dare wholesale? I sure plan to - next stop, some earring designs to go!

It's been a while!

2010-02-15T11:54:00.000-05:00

Feb 14 2010,Happy Valentine’s Day!

I can’t believe how long it has been since I have posted last! I guess I haven’t figured out how to fit blogging into my regular schedule. A year seems like a long hiatus, no? But it’s been a good year, full of many happy things, and lots of jewelry fun and sales.

I love teaching metalsmith classes at the Garden of Beadin in Bartonsville, PA, and classes are going strong. I like it so much that I have been dreaming of finding new places to teach. Maybe something will turn up soon. I had begun teaching classes at a wonderful new shop (for me), My Father’s Beads, In Coopersburg, PA. Sadly for me, they are closing soon. I will miss the owner, Jeri, and the people I was beginning to meet and know there.

Here are some samples I made in a great workshop I took last fall, with Janna Gregonis. Steeling Kisses is an example of the Korean art of Po Mak San Dum. First, make a nice sharp chisel. Then, chisel an intricate pattern in steel sheet. Finally, hammer in some metal foil. Anything from 24K gold foil to colored candy foil will do. That’s how Steeling Kisses got its name: Mild steel combined with Hershey’s Kiss foil! (Extra perk – you get to eat the kisses.) Here, another pair of earrings for a friend’s gift, this time with 24K gold foil.

Below, some Keum bu earrings from the same weekend, 24 K gold foil heat bonded to sterling silver. Janna taught keum bu with both a hot plate and a torch. I have done keum bu before with a hot plate, but I didn’t want to have to buy and store yet one more piece of equipment. I just loved learning how to do keum bu with a torch! It was right up my alley, and helped avoid a case of hot-hand. Now, if only the cost of 2 K gold foil would drop. Ha!

On TV!!!

2009-03-08T03:23:00.000-04:00

OK, now that it's all over I'm just SOOOO excited! But I'd better start back at the beginning. A few months ago, I sent an email to my college alumni correspondent. I found out that she lives in my town, and edits a local business journal, so I contacted her to say hello. When she found out that I make silver jewelry, she asked me if I would do a presentation for a group she is a member of - the Monroe County Earth Science Association. They go on gem and fossil digs, share mineral samples, discuss earthquakes, and are interested in all manner of earth science based careers. Apparently, they had been hoping to find a silversmith to do a presentation for the group. Well, I teach Earth Science, and my daughter is a major rock hound, so it sounded like the perfect match.

Over the last few weeks, I considered how to go about this presentation. Intro, a bit about silver, pass some stuff around, show some of my work. Zzzzzzzzz. What about a demo? Everybody loves fire, right? Can I bring a torch with me? Sure, said the library. If the fire alarms sound that night, we'll just shut them off again. Go right ahead.

I was a little tense as I pulled up to the library the night of the meeting. I asked my daughter to say something so I wouldn't be nervous. She said, "Mom, you are an intelligent, educated person. You have nothing to worry about." Huh?? WHO was this in the car with me? No child I've ever met! My darling Rick showed up to help out and support me. I was covered.

So, in we went. I talked about how to harden silver with a hammer, and how to soften it again with a torch, and then I went about hardening and softening some silver while I demonstrated how I make a leaf pendant for them. I had a great time. I must be a natural ham. It wasn't until halfway through that I saw the camera. I can't believe I had forgotten - my contact had told me the local cable station might come out to film that night! I had been sure they wouldn't show up. As it turned out, not only did they film, but I even got a private interview afterward! I was on TV!!! I was on cloud 9. (I was on TV!!) I don't know when the show will air. (I was on TV!!) I never even found out what show I was on. But heck, I was on TV!!! (I must be famous!) My 15 minutes of fame, at last.

Forging Ahead

2009-03-01T20:52:00.000-05:00

I had a fun time I had teaching my February metals class. The subject was basic forging, and the goal was to create a sterling silver neck ring and a sterling silver cuff bracelet in 3 hours. It was tight, but everyone did a great job! We practiced on copper first, to get the feel of the hammer and the metal, and then we switched to silver. The sounds of metal on metal could be heard throughout the store, the sound of a happy class hard at work. Just look at them go, hammering away, helping one another out. Here's Diane, proudly modeling her new copper neck ring with the pierced tree pendant she made in our first class. Many who missed that first class would like to try it now! Like all of the students, she did a great job!

I have been really busy planning for future classes, writing lists of materials to order, developing project ideas and creating sample pieces. If I can get of my ideas off the ground, maybe the time will be right for some second level classes. How cool would that be? Already, I’m preparing to make a pitch for getting a torch in the room. First comes annealing, so we can move more metal. I think fusing isn’t far behind. And I hear there have been some requests for soldering!!! Big happy face here! We’ll start seeing some interesting projects from these classes, I think. Can’t wait!

Finally -- Off and Running at 1000 Markets!

2009-02-22T14:07:00.000-05:00

Whew! Finally, I'm waiting for approval to go public with with Silver Vine Jewelry on the web at 1000 Markets! Even as easy as www.1000Markets.com makes it, it still takes time and energy to upload all of your photos and descriptions, and learn your way around a new site. I'm having fun organizing my work into collections, and my Leaf Collection is getting filled out first.

I can tell I'm going to love it here! Everyone is friendly and personable, and the shops are wonderful. I keep getting distracted by the variety of fascinating hand crafts produced by craftsmen and artists from all across the nation. I really want wone of the amazing artistically knitted hats I saw - I've never seen anything like them before! Browsing around is so easy with the "browse" tab just staring at me from the top of the page, and before I know it, another hour has passed, and I have barely begun to post my pieces!

Well, it's time to get back to posting. But wait, there was a beautiful watercolor I saw just a few minutes ago, I wonder what else she paints.....

Pierced!!

2009-01-30T11:22:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a while since I posted, and have I been busy!!! My first jewelry teaching gig is behind me, and the next is coming up fast. I am so lucky to have found Meredith and Cherie, at The Garden of Beadin', our local bead shop (if you're in the Poconos, that is). They are warm and friendly, just great to work with. Cherie's lovely little shop is a perfect place to take classes in jewelry making. My classes in cold connections for jewelry have been warmly recieved. I can tell I'm going to like it here. Our first class, held Jan 10, was a piercing class. It covered the basics of using a jeweler's saw, and piercing a pattern into metal by drilling a hole inside the pattern. Students learned how to thread and hold a jeweler's saw, how follow a pattern, and how to use a light touch. I am so proud of them! Conversations, questions, and amazingly few broken saw blades, an incredible feat for a first experience. I was very impressed as dragonflies, trees, wolves, and more emerged from under their saws. Everyone walked away with a copper or silver pendant to be proud of.

Our next class will be held on Feb 7, and I will be teaching basic forging while we make bracelets and neck rings to hang our pendants from. I really enjoyed teaching the class. It's quite a different experience from being a student, and I can't wait for the next class. I have posted a few of the pieces that I made as class samples. Before class, I readied another pendant that had a scattering of viney leaves on it. I pounded it with a rawhide hammer to help harden the silver when it was complete. Well, my wonky, misshappen hammer hit that piece at some weird angle, shot it off the workbench, and I haven't seen it since. Oh well, some day in the future a beautiful, dusty, viney disc will appear from out of the sawdust, and I'll be back in business, ready for a new groupof students!

What Company!

2008-12-16T01:29:00.000-05:00

I was busy through the 1st of December, choosing the pieces and creating the display for a show I have been privilged to be a part of. This is another show hosted and supported by the wonderful and talented folks at PSG (PA Society of Goldsmiths). When I arrived at the location, Temple Keneseth Israel in Philadelphia, I thought I was hallucinating from sleep deprivation. Sure, I was hoping for a nice place, I had heard they had a gallery. But this place couldn't possibly be right. Would a temple really take up a city block? I entered to find a granite and marble reception area remniscent of an art museum. Obviously, I must have made an error. That's easy to understand. You see, setting up for this show should have been easy. We can set up a whole booth in a few hours, right? How long could it take to arrange some jewelry in 3 of PSG's ubiquitous black frames? No more than a couple of hours, I was sure. Oops. 21 hours and no sleep later, I only had a 2-1/2 hour drive to Philly, and then I would finally be done. It was easy to understand why I might have taken a wrong turn. Amazingly, there was the gallery, and what a beautiful space! And there were the members of PSG, velcroing and arranging, hanging the frames that have become identified with the group. It must be the place after all!

A couple of hours later, all of the black frames were hung, the artists names were in place, the glass cases were locked, and we stepped back to take in the whole picture. to me, this was just irresistable. The quality and variety of the work was astounding. To see all of this work hung in one place gave me flutters! (Or was that the fourth cup of coffee?) Check out some of the photos to get an idea of the breadth and quality that PSG artists are capable of!

The following Sunday, we all joined together for the opening and artist's reception. Hors devoirs and quality art jewelry - is there a better combination? It was great fun to meet with all of the other artists, and to get to know the temple director and meet some of the members. Quite a few pieces had already been sold, and we got right to work. I saw pieces being wrapped up steadily, and I helped to make a few sales as well, if I do say so myself. Many PSG artists donated a piece to the temple's fundraising silent auction, and I can't wait to see how much they raise. With several activities taking place that same day in its various auditoriums, it's obvious that this temple is a vital and vibrant presence in the community, and well appreciated by its members.

So it wasn't a case of sleep deprivation after all. And it turns out that 20 hours isn't all that unusual to create the displays for these events. Well, I'm forewarned for next time. I won't wait until the last day. I will plan, and prepare early, and.... yeah, right. Okay. It's late. I think it's that sleep deprivation thing again. Time to sleep, and dream of the beautiful pieces hanging there.

Finally, a Show!

2008-11-12T14:00:00.000-05:00

After 2 years without a show, I have finally taken the step to get back out there! As a member or PSG (the Pennsylvania Society of Goldsmiths), I had the opportunity to join some outstanding jewelry artists this past weekend for a jewelry trunk show at the Delaware Center for Horticulture. This was a great time for me to pull my work out of hiding, and to begin to develop the new displays that will take me through my shows next year. A big change for me was in not including most of my bead items, which tend to be better sellers than my silver alone. But I did it, and now that I have started, I know I'll keep the momentum going.

There's so much still to be done. Prices need to be figured and tagged (I hate ugly price tags, isn't there a better way?) Chains and neck wires need to be added to the pendants, some color has to be added to the display. And I am determined to create some silver pieces that will use beaded components, so that my beads can come to the shows with me! Lots of work ahead, and it felt so good to take the first step. Too bad that the five pair of silver ginkgo earrings, perfect for a horticulture show, are still sitting half formed on my bench!

One of my favorite parts of this weekend was joining a wonderful metalsmith, Maggi Dabaecke, in her home. Maggi was gracious enough to invite me to stay with her during the show, and what a pleasant evening we had, sharing stories over wine and some fine Italian cheese from her recent trip to Italy. Her home is absolutely beautiful, and her work shop - be still my heart! Bright, airy, modern, and the size of a small classroom.... I still have chills! I was fortunate enough to have taken a workshop with Maggi several years ago, and her work is always exciting, different, and most of all, fun! She has expanded into the realm of enamels, and I can't wait for the workshop she promised us in torch-fired enamels this spring. That's Maggi, on the upper right, with some of her jewelry sculptures - pins and pendants so special, they have a pedestal of their own!

The biggest benefit of this weekend, for me, was in joining the amazing group of artists that is PSG. Experiencing everyone's work was an absolute joy, and provided instant inspiration. The work I saw was full of shape, full of color, complex and dimensional. It was certainly well above the artistic level of the jewelry I see at many craft shows. What a pleasure it was to share the weekend with such craftsmen! In between customers, we had the opportunity to talk, compare ideas, share notes, and trade information. I came home with my head so full of the beautiful work I had seen, that I can't wait to see the effect it has on my own creations!My thoughts are awhirl with images of texture, color, metals, and shapes. Who knows what the results might be?

Beginning the Journey

2008-10-29T02:27:00.001-04:00

Well, I began my journey into the land of art and silver a number of years ago, but this marks my journey into blogging. It’s exciting to speak to others, leaving a trail of thoughts, ideas, and silver scraps.

Here is a piece I am particularly proud of. I made it just a few days ago, inspired by all of the art and technique whizzing by me at the JAN jewelry retreat I just returned from. JAN, wonderful online forum full of kind, intelligent, and gracious jewelry artists, ran its second annual East Coast retreat last week, and I was privileged to join them. For the first time, I was able to put faces to names, and real names to on line nicknames. What a BLAST!!! Literally! I’m still sleeping. For a whole week, we ran demos and tutorials for each other, cooked for each other, watched one another work, stretched our styles, and shared our tools and ideas, all fueled by Wendy’s better than best margaritas.

Janice, our forum leader, and a damn fine person, bless her hearrrrt, made a shield shaped piece that I didn’t want to put down. What is so compelling about it? The shape, the stones (oooh, sugilite!), the design, the weight, the hand engraving (I’m still gonna find a way to learn that!), all came together in a piece that was at once mysterious, intriguing, and sensual. Okay, I’ll admit it. I wanted to own it, but I wanted more to have made it. Well, I’ll show them all! I came home with the beginnings of a sheet of mixed metal laminate, something I haven’t made for some time. After replacing the earrings that disappeared up the vacuum this summer, I cut a mixed metal disk, and made the shield pendant above, Moonlight on the Water. I’m entranced by it. It’s so easy to find satisfaction in the Land of Art and Silver!