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Good Ol Texas Variety

   Curated By: NoveltiesByNora

ArtFire.com

Handmade Gifts

Catching up again

WWJ ladies and gents are discussing torch annealing and oxidizing, so here's my tube play and weaving. The wire in the tree is bright shiny new, and the bail wire has been torched to soften it up. Slightly dull and darker. The "leaf" is showing the outside of the tube after several trips thru anneal, hammer, anneal.... These are still in progress, no idea what will happen from here with the leaf, the muse took a sleep.

The inside of the tube -

And while I'm here, Rachelle of Purple Cat Jewels makes the cutest little ladybugs!!!

A pile of wire play, after tumbling -

Catch-up - what have I been up to?

Wandering thru the old posts here, finding a ton of stuff never got uploaded! So, here, scattershot, a few of the variety of projects that have passed thru my tools....

Finished! Two more class days with Don Norris, silversmith teacher extraordinaire!

mmmmm, yummmm, here are some shots of my ring from Don's class this week --->>

Hard to tell from the photo, but this is 3 leaves with a butterfly, wings up, about to take flight. *luv it!!!!*

Sweet Don let me experiment with making the ring adjustable!!! *happy dancing all around the place*

Yup, I need a whole lot more practice, but I'm so happy with the end results!

Don's new Texas silversmithing class fee schedule!!!!

Ahhhhhhhh, Texas, Don does love ye exceeding well!

***insert sounds of wild crowds cheering happily and doing the happy dance!!!***

His latest news flash, just for Texas -

 Don has lowered the cost of the one day "Day with Don Class" to $100.00 or FREE!
(What is the "Day with Don"? Per Don - ""Bench Tricks, we will cover a lot of the tricks, and easy ways to do everything. Although this is not a project class we will make a pair of ear rings, a leaf which we can make and put a pin back onto, and some other neat stuff, I mean jewelry!"" **Prerequisite - Must have taken one of Don's other silversmithing classes.)

 * Free "Day with Don" for you if you find one new student to take a Beginning Silversmithing Class.

 * Free - if you repeat either the Intermediate Class or the Beginning Silversmithing Class (you took it last time he was in town).

***repeat sounds of wild crowds cheering happily and doing the happy dance!!!***

Contact Don NOW to sign up - dnorris@frii.com
Classes are filling up, don't miss your chance! Bug him until you get an answer, he's traveling, don't ya know!

 ***********************************
See Monday's post for more details -

Silversmithing with Don Norris! Soon again in San Antonio!

Silversmithing with Don Norris! Soon again in San Antonio!

 {{{ Edited 7/16 - see next post for complete details, there's been a happy change for Texas class fees!! }}}

Heyya peeps! Don's class in San Antonio, which was forever in the distant future, is suddenly almost HERE! August 26 thru the 30th, 5 days, 3 classes. 

Just over one month left to wait and prepare! *happy dancing all around the place*

I am definitely attending the Bench class on Monday and toying with doing the Beginner class again, Thur/Fri, just because it's so much fun and there is sooooo much to learn from Don. After taking his class last Feb, I have No More Torch Fear. I understand soooo many things left out or left fuzzy in the other smithing class a couple of years ago, with another sweet but "traditional approach" teacher. Don cuts right down to business and makes it soo easy!

Anyway, who else is coming???? Break out the piggy bank, clear the calendar, this is the best investment you will Ever make! There are so many pretty possibilities floating around my head now, I Need more hours in my day and more nice weather to spend sitting out in my little work space.

So, sign up and tell Don I sent you! I get Brownie points for spreading the word, and I Need Brownie Points!!! Not in Texas? No problem, he travels alll over, if he's not already scheduled for Your area, talk the local bead shop, or where-ever, into having him over. And still tell him I sent you! Brownie points are universal, donchaknow!

Don's Schedule for the whole country here --
http://silversmithing.homestead.com/amyschedule2010.html
More info and tips here --  learnsilver.com

Don's descriptions of his classes --

*Beginning Silversmithing Class, and we will make a ring. (Note from Sherry -- Understatement!!!)
*Intermediate Silversmithing Class, we will make a solid, textured, band ring, a bangle bracelet, and a pair of ear rings.
*Bench Tricks, we will cover alot of the tricks, and easy ways to do everything. Although this is not a project class we will make a pair of ear rings, a leaf which we can make and put a pin back onto, and some other neat stuff, I mean jewelry!

Here are some of the projects I made in class last February. 

 

My Beginner class - a three band ring.

 I can now make little silver balls!!!!! They are sooo much fun!

Some students made pendants, everything came out gorgeous!!!

Advanced class - A wide band ring

Is this cool or what!?! Wendy brought some of her dicro glass cabs -->> so many pretties, so hard to choose.

Advanced class - Three wire cuff

This was a Challenge! I wasn't fast enough to put the stone in during class, and I haven't made time to buff and polish it, yet, so just ignore those little glitchy places. 

(Bad Girl! Juggle thy schedule Better!) 

But, it's soooo purty!!! I'm so impressed with myself! And I love Don for giving me such glorious new skills!!!!!

I learned to avoid stones this large, because they require more heat than one plumber's torch can deliver. Now, if I had another hand or two.... and a second torch.... maybe....

In the meantime, there are plenty of other things to make, all thanks to Don sharing his Wisdom and shortcuts!

Plus a whole variety of wire practice pieces that were lots of fun.

Here's the Texas schedule for the rest of this year --

August

Lake Jackson, TX Beginning  Sat/Sun  7/8
 
Pearland, Houston, TX Beginning  Thurs/Fri  12/13
Pearland, Houston, TX   Intermediate  Sat/Sun  14/15
Pearland, Houston, TX   1day, Bench Tricks  Mon  16


San Antonio, TX, Beginning  Thur/Fri   19/20
      San Antonio, TX, Intermediate Sat/Sun   21/22  
      San Antonio, TX, 1day, Bench Tricks  Mon  23

       Waco, TX, Beginning  Thur/Fri   26/27
      Waco, TX, Intermediate Sat/Sun   28/29  
      Waco, TX, 1day, Bench Tricks  Mon  30

September

{{{edited 7/16 - Sorry Alpine, I have no details, but your classes have been canceled. Contact Don for more info, web link below}}
      Alpine, TX, Agate Hunt  Thur  2
      Alpine, TX, Lapidary Class, Cut Agate  Fri  3
      Alpine, TX, Beginning   Sat/sun  4/5 }}}}}}


      Arlington, TX, 1 day, Bench Tricks  Wed  8
      Arlington, TX, Beginning  Thur/Fri   9/10
      Arlington, TX, Intermediate  Sat/Sun 11/12

I might have missed some classes, so if you are not listed here, go check Don's list!

Now git on over there and sign up!!!! And tell him I sent You!

http://silversmithing.homestead.com/amyschedule2010.html

Julian's special stone

Julian entrusted me with a special stone. Turn it into a pendant? How's this?
Thank you, my dear, for the opportunity to play with your stone!

Nashville Tennessee Flood 2010

Holy God, be with all the people of Nashville and surrounding areas. The devastation is incredible!

Custom rebirth - Amethyst for Cathy

Dropped into my path, a lovely and Much Loved amethyst sorely in need of rebirth. A week of pondering, seeking the muse, a little testing on other pieces, bend some wire and ponder again.....
Finally, the last twist and the hearts fall into place.
Ahhhhhhhhhh

A circular wrap so there are only 2 ends, in 14K gold filled wire.

What's up?

So, what do you think so far? I'd intended to get many more lovelies uploaded by now, but the fates have other plans, apparently.
Latest news - I'm taking in intensive metalsmithing class with the national teacher - Don Norris - http://learnsilver.com/

My little pea brain is overflowing!

I can hardly wait to gather the proper supplies and get a little work space set up and see what will be born next!

So, be patient with my little venture here. More will come. Soon.
If there's anything on my other blog which is calling your name, please holler, it may either be available still (I do believe that some lovelies will hang around as long as it takes for their new owner to walk by and fall in love) or perhaps I can reproduce the item if the one pictured has already been adopted.

Smoochies!