Momentum

I'm trying to keep the momentum here with the posting so I thought I'd update on my upcomign events and share a few WIPs (Work In Progress).

On June 12th I will be showing at The Gunpowder River ArtFest in Monkton MD.

If you are anywhere nearby, come out and see me!!!

I've never done this show but it appears to have some fabulous artists and there will be music, food, demos and even a painting workshop.

Sounds like a good time for the whole family.


THEN, on June 19 & 20 I will be showing in Morgantown WVA at the Arts on the River

Again, a show I've never done. I also don't know much about this one but thought it might be a nice weekend getaway for my entire family. So we're most likely all packing up and heading to WVA on the 18th.

I've been trying to get together a few new pieces so I can properly fill out my tables at these shows.

Unfortunately I've not been able to get a lot of bench time, or I just haven't MADE time.

In the time I have put aside, I have been working on the pieces to the left - almost done.


And I have a handful of pendants from the past month or two that just need chains. I will create a few more pieces before the 12th. Probably my 'made in metal' pieces, fold forming and my lines line. And then I'll just hope for the best!

If you come out to see me at a show, mention my blog by name for a 15% discount!

HAPPY FRIDAY to all! Hope you are looking forward to the weekend. We have a baseball game at 8 am tomorrow - we have to be at the field at 0730. BRIGHT AND EARLY! After that I am going to try to set up my show tables and see how I might arrange my displays. Sunday will be church and a few errands and hopefully some bench time. Seems like I am forgetting something but I don't know what....

So what are your plans for the weekend? Leave me a comment and let me know whats going on in your world. :)

~Janice

Its a beautiful day in the neighborhood

This is, roughly, what I see on my way to work each day. :)

Although I forgot to get photos in the driveway and on my street - the first photo is out of my neighborhood, a mile or two into my morning commute.

I was a bit surprised by how much 'sameness' there was. I shouldn't have been though as I do commute so I take the highways and the tunnel....and those tend to skirt communities and I actually also skirt the city, although you can see a few snapshots from the perimeter.

To the left the photos are in order all the way into my parking lot at work and even into the building where you'll see a lovely smiling face of one of our clerical gals. I am greeted by the smiling face each day - sweet huh?
I think if you click the collage it will open up larger......that is, if you're all that interested!!! lol

I have been somewhat snowed in the past week and a half...its been interesting.

We've shoveled. We've played. I've made a lot of food.

I have shoveled. I've read. I've slept.

I've shoveled.

I haven't blogged much and I haven't had much bench time - although I've sneaked in a little.

I had some pieces in progress, and though they are still in progress......they are almost done. :)

To the left is a piece for me - its a brooch - ocean jasper. Its kind of fun and funky. I"ve been working with a new texturing option for wire and I'm loving it! The piece above and to the left both used it, and these pieces did too.

This ring may just remain in my possession forever. I lurv it.

Charoite and sterling.

Its going to have an LOS'd matte finish.

Its almost done.

There are a few more, but no pics. Hard to get much done in between snow, food, oh and the OLYMPICS.

Yes, I'm a sucker for a world wide sporting event. The cutlure, the costumes, the DRAMA. Its all in there.

Are you watching?  What has been your favorite moment so far?

Janice

TFT - A teaser

I worked until a little after 5pm today, then came home to two little boys running around. LG had a friend come home from school with him. So I had to hold dinner until friend left around 6:30. By the time I got it all on the table and we ate, it was late......late, late, late. Still needed to help LG get set up with his homework, then I fled to the basement.

First I needed to clean out my pickle pot and refill it. First disaster of the evening. I bought new ph down. My old ph down was hardened, a big chunk, always needed to shake it hard to get some to come out. Opened the NEW ph down and turned it over and shook - about 3 cups went into my little pickly pot. Not sure if I need to scoop some out or not, but to be cautious I will do that. (tomorrow)

Then the two tutorials that I was on target to finish BOTH ran into issues. So, neither one is done.

Can we say 'frustrated'?

I then turned my attention to taking pictures of a lot of the work I made for the show earlier this month. I will go ahead and list some on Etsy, however the photos didn't come out too great. Actually the jewlry is REALLY dirty which didn't help. I've never had so much GUNK left on them from polishing. Its like its hardened on and permanently bonded. I need to scrub and tumble and see what happens.


Grrrr.

Moving on..........

I worked on some pieces -- they aren't finished but here is a teaser:


These are pretty raw and rough. No sanding or clean up yet. . . even so they don't look half bad!

Even though tomorrow is NOT an 'official bench night' I might be able to steal away for a bit after LG goes to bed. If so, I will definitely finish these.


Later,
~Janice

Better late than never??

How about 'snafu Sunday' on Monday??? I just can't seem to get to the computer consistently on the weekends and this weekend ever moreso due to a little medical episode (more on that later).

The first Snafu I have been meaning to capture is one that I seem to encounter far too often (but I'm learning).

I'll call it:

Soldering too close for comfort.



The gist of it is this - you create a beautiful bezel, you've sized it just right and painstakingly soldered it to a backplate in JUST the right spot. Next you use your artistic flair to design around the bezel, maybe some granules or wire embellishments. You work had to make sure everything is positioned just right, up tight against the bezel so when you push it over th stone there won't be any gaps. You clean and polish and maybe even give it a patina. Now you're on to stone setting. The stone goes in, you begin to burnish the bezel over, so proud that you sized it all just right, moving along working catty-corner or cross and back when all of a sudden...

errrrrrrrr, grrrp. You hit a snag.

Your lovely embellishments are now a roadblock between you and a perfectly polished smooth bezel. You may end up with something like this:


My fix, if I'm lucky and I'm really thinking ahead a few steps - is to gently tilt the bezel over prior to soldering on those balls or wires. Then the bezel and the balls won't be soldered together.

But what if you already soldered it all and now you can't get your bezel burnished properly? Well, you can try to go in there with the finest sawblade you have and gently separate them.

Or you can try - CAREFULLY - a thin knifeblade or razor (at your own risk).

I used a think knifeblade to get down in the space next to these, just enough that I could then tilt the knife in towards the stone just slightly moving the bezel. Just enough to hold it.

I'm afraid there was nothing I could do with the ones at the bottom. :(

Got a solution for this type of Snafu? Leave a comment or email me your "soldering too close for comfort" solutions - I'll gather all the responses to include in the next Snafu Sunday post.

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I had a chance last night to fiddle a bit. . . yep, all weekend and no bench til last night. I wish I could say it was all fun and games, but I can't. I had a little medical scare Friday night. It began at work on Friday with what I thought was an atypical migraine. It was worse than usual though so I stayed at work late (on a FRIDAY!) thinking I may feel better...I never did so I finally left at about 5:40 and drove home. Got out at home and weaved and wobbled up the driveway - was quite dizzy which is very unusual. Head splitting I went to lay down for a bit before I had to take all the fundraiser stuff up to the ball field. Fell asleep - kind of fitfully - got up at 7:45, made my way downstairs, unsteady, sat at the table and proceded to speak gibberish. Only lasted about 10-15 minutes, but its consistent with a TIA. I felt like crud most of the day Saturday though I went to baseball practice and then the soccer game with little guy. Relaxed all afternoon and evening though - began feeling more normal yesterday.

Have a doctor's appt later today. Maybe it was just a way freaky atypical migraine....but I need to let someone else diagnose it.

Anyway, from the bench last night - and these were just taken quick....didn't do a lot with lighting or anything...

This is the little fold formed sterling piece with the tourmaline now set in it. The piece needs polishing in a major way.

Pendant - sterling and fine silver and a stone -- maybe a chysocolla with malachite. (?)

Needs a chain - probably some plain chain and beady links in there...not sure yet where I want to go with that. I drilled holes in the top ends for rings of some sort.

The next two are still WIPs.

First is ocean jasper and carnelian in sterling. Tube bail on back. Stones need to be set.

Then that pesky necklace...

I sized down the bezels so the stones are ready to go in for good.....just need a final polishing and the chain needs to be finished.

And then MAYbe some LOS.

~Janice