More lessons from JAR 2008

Before I launch into some more things I've learned....let me first show the piece I made for the gift exchange. This was made for Cheryl and is sterling, charoite, onyx, hand engraved, patinated.



I love it and I hope she does too! And it was fun to make to boot!

OK, so more lessons...

Laugh. Laugh hard and laugh often.

Find people who inspire you. Hang out with them (helps if you organize a kick ass retreat once a year), go home and make things. Repeat.

Boat trailers are heavy - REAL heavy. Don't try to lift them. Ever. It won't work and you (and your friend who shall remain nameless) will both just end up feeling really stupid.

Buy earplugs. Use them - as needed, in all sorts of situations. ;-)

Scribes can take a beating.
Scribes like the one at the left are FAR more durable than I ever thought. They make really good, really deep holes in very thick metal and retain their sharp point.

Hand graving is hard. BUT, it is way cool and very completely absorbing......even BEGIN to get a knack for it and it can take you away into 'the zone'. But be careful or you'll zone your piece all to hell with very little left.

Finally, I've learned to hid when a camera is put in my face. And never, never, never stick my tongue out while scrunching up my face and tilting my head to one side 3 # from the lens.

So that's all that comes to mind right now. Although I guess I've also learned that I'm not as young as I used to be and these weeks away sans family really do me in. Its worth it, but my recovery time is definitely a lot longer........