TFT - Ring night

I had a great bench night last night - somewhat short, but that's ok. I hate to feel I HAVE to create just because I have the dedicated time, so although at first I sort of felt that way, I'm now settling in and being a little easier on myself.

I am still amazed though that I can work for what seems like a long time (and is kind of for me) and then look at the clock and its only 10pm! THAT is the beauty of having the dedicated night - that I can get in some decent bench time but not have to be up unitl midnight or beyond. I mean, I still don't go to bed until near midnight, but I can settle down upstairs, enjoy a bit of my normal routine, before I drag myself to bed.

Sooooooooo, last night I made 3 rings - just about all done. And mostly in sizes I won't be tempted to keep! I need to do a tiny bit more clean up and then polish/tumble and set the stones. Oh and patina if I decide to.

All 3 rings were initially going to have 5mm faceted swiss topaz stones, but now I'm thinking only one will. I think the one of the others may have a non-faceted swizz topaz (cab) and the other is a toss up between a faceted peridot and a tourmaline cab. Hmm, decisions, decisions, decisions.

As far as the 14k gold ring I had started, well, I removed the shank (cut and then melted remaining nubs), made another quick shank, soldered it on - pickled the piece and then left it there staring me down.

Daring me to do soemthign with it.

Uh-uh, I'm not playing your game ring. I'm not going to be pressured to do something with it or anything with it until I'm good and ready. So just site there, I don't care. I'm not lookin'.

And believe it or not - I ignored it!

I recently FINALLY got my 20 ton press set up. yay! I hadn't played with it yet, but I did receive some 90 durometer urethane the other day, so last night I finally pressed a thing. Really, it was a 'thing'. I took some umm, plastic - whatcha-ma-call-it plastic - and cut a quick shape - some weird amoeba looking thing. And I fiddled with pressing some relatively thin copper. Cool. I like. This is going to be fun. :) I then proceeded to smash a brass cuff - just for the hell of it -and because Debora wanted me to. Deb, we gotta do some more work on this - I think I need to

1 - use more metal, 2 - use thicker metal, and 3 - use some urethane to 'frame' it to get a smoosh instead of a smash (if you know what I mean).

More "adventures with the hydaulic press" coming - stay tuned!

Pedro went off to the vet this morning for his surgery. Splenectomy. And associated mass removal. Poor little guy. I felt so bad leaving him. Wondering if he feels abandoned. But, no, I don't really think he feels abandoned, I don't believe dogs think like that.

However, I do believe he feels stressed. Unfamiliar surroundings, unfamiliar people...at least he has his little doggy bed from home. And I should be able to pick him up tomorrow. Hopefully everything will go just fine. :)

I keep thinking about that post from the other day - how faith cropped into it - I keep trying to build faith in myself in terms of my work and starting a business with it, starting to sell - its compeltely and entirely nerve wracking, but little by little that faith is coming, building, and the more it grows the stronger it gets - like that mustard seed and tree. I think lots of things are like that - if you can just get started - the momentum builds. One positive step leads to the next. So, today I encourage you to move beyond whatever day dreaming or thinking you may be doing and take a step, even if its a little one - take that next positive step. I bet you'll be glad you did. :)

Hope all is right in your world guys!

~Janice