I returned Sunday night from St. Louis and a 2 day class in silver chain making at SIU at Edwardsville. It was wonderful to work in a metal lab with so many versatile and expensive pieces of equipment. I wish I had brought some silver plate to run through the rolling mill to get some patterns on silver. Maybe another time. We first made a chain - I think called the Helm chain - but I prefer to call it the Floating Ring chain. I plan to make it again using 14K gold filled wire as the floating ring. I think that will be striking.
Next we used a wooden started that our instructor, Harold Siegal, made and began construction on a Turkish chain. Are the Turkish the people who had the whirling dirvishes?? That's what I began to feel like as I worked on that chain - really difficult. I finally began to get the hang of it and it was time to go home. On Sunday we worked on a chain that used large fused 16 ga silver rings that we stretched and small sterling silver rings.. Harold was featured in the spring issue of Step by Step Wire magazine with this chain. It does make a very attractive chain. Working on all these made me eager to get home and get to my bench again. I'll post what I accomplished at the workshop tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
An Alternative to Paypal
April 29, 2008
Many online sellers are subscribing to a new online money exchange program which charges no fees to sellers. Revolution Money Exchange - RME - charges no fees to subscribe along with no fees to send or receive money.
Sellers and buyers - especially from Etsy.com are rushing to RME in droves - to subscribe and also to collect the $25 RME is offering to all new subscribers until May 15.
Many online sellers are subscribing to a new online money exchange program which charges no fees to sellers. Revolution Money Exchange - RME - charges no fees to subscribe along with no fees to send or receive money.
Sellers and buyers - especially from Etsy.com are rushing to RME in droves - to subscribe and also to collect the $25 RME is offering to all new subscribers until May 15.
PayPal is no longer your only way to accept payment for online sales. Revolution Money Exchange is a new and FREE way to exchange money electronically and safely,.
Revolution Money Exchange
- Is free to collect online payments from buyers with MoneyExchange.
- Sending and receiving payments online between accountholders is free.
- Online transfers to and from your bank account are free.
- Get $10 for accounts you refer — up to $500.*
- Plus, your customers, can sign up for free, and they will get a $25 bonus** if they open an account before May 15, 2008.
- A transaction fee applies for check withdrawals, check stop payments, paper statements, ACH returns, and overdrafts.
Account issued by First Bank & Trust, Brookings, SD, Member FDIC and part of the Fishback Financial Corporation.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
I'm in the Mall!
Our Greenwood Mall here in Bowling Green is hosting a "Home Based Business" Showcase on May 10th. I was amazed when I heard about this - I think it's amazing that a retail concern would be showcasing home based businesses. And, not only that, they have also set up displays to highlight some of some of the products from participating businesses in the "Centercourt" area of the mall.
I plan to be one of the exhibitors - I need to get some nice things made for the 10th - and I'm also planning to contribute one piece to an "Art Window" that The Gallery at 916. A percentage of the proceeds of any sales will serve as a fund raiser - so it's a worthwhile cause.
Saturday in the Park . . . with Art! will be at the end of May - that will be fun. I plan to demonstrate a little soldering, I'll be making and oxidizing and polishing sterling silver wire rings, making birthstone rings for little girls, and many more things. I may even take my torch and do a bit of soldering. This event gives artists around Bowling Green an opportunity to display their products, but also to show the public how their pieces are actually made. I'll love this!
I plan to be one of the exhibitors - I need to get some nice things made for the 10th - and I'm also planning to contribute one piece to an "Art Window" that The Gallery at 916. A percentage of the proceeds of any sales will serve as a fund raiser - so it's a worthwhile cause.
Saturday in the Park . . . with Art! will be at the end of May - that will be fun. I plan to demonstrate a little soldering, I'll be making and oxidizing and polishing sterling silver wire rings, making birthstone rings for little girls, and many more things. I may even take my torch and do a bit of soldering. This event gives artists around Bowling Green an opportunity to display their products, but also to show the public how their pieces are actually made. I'll love this!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
The bleeding has almost stopped.
Okay, I got the taxes figured, payments are made and my bankaccout has almost stopped bleeding money! (hope the title didn't alarm you). With my concern that silver prices were going through the roof, (and I was right - they did), I bought up a lot of silver last year when it was around 12.00. That was a really good things, right???? Well, the answer is "yes" and "no". Yes, because I have a backlog of silver that will carry me through for a while so I don't have to pay the 18.00 per ounce. But, it's not a good thing in that I have to pay taxes on all the inventory that is unused from last year.
Grrrrr! Upsetting!
Oh, well, the thing that helps when I'm in that mood is to hit the silver bench, grab some silver and my hammer and have at it.
My Southernisms Jewelry is coming along. I keep thinking of new phrases common to us here in Kentucky. I love the color of our language here. More later.
Grrrrr! Upsetting!
Oh, well, the thing that helps when I'm in that mood is to hit the silver bench, grab some silver and my hammer and have at it.
My Southernisms Jewelry is coming along. I keep thinking of new phrases common to us here in Kentucky. I love the color of our language here. More later.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
ARTWORKS
I beling to ARTWORKS, a visual coalition of artists in the Southern Kentcky area. We recently held a juried show to benefit the grant program that we will be funding. This will be to benefit young artists in our area.
My Silver Garden was the entry I made specifically for this show. I enjoy making jewelry from out of the orginarl components - and the pendant in this necklace was made from an antique sugar spoon that I hammered flat and added the flowers to.
My Silver Garden was the entry I made specifically for this show. I enjoy making jewelry from out of the orginarl components - and the pendant in this necklace was made from an antique sugar spoon that I hammered flat and added the flowers to.
April 15 - Workshop Coming Up
I am looking forward to going to St. Louis in a couple weeks to a class in chain making. Howard Siegel will be teaching it. I haven't met him, but a friend of mine has taken several classes from him and she thinks he's quite good. I want to learn more about making chain - the only chain I make right now is just standard soldered rings that I use various tools to stretch. I like what I do, but it is limited. I think this will broaden my product line.
Arts in the Park is in it's planning stages. I plan to show this year - it sounds like a really fun day - several artists will have booths in various locations around the park in the square down town. Artists will have items to sell, but they will also be demonstrating their art skills. I plan to take my ring mandrel and holder and make some wire rings - and possibly do some other minimal smithing. I don't think I'll take my torch - it's a lot to haul around and could cause some problems. I'd like to have lots of small items (in the 20-30 range to sell).
Today is the last day for taxes - and I still have to run to the P>O. and get my inventory tax payment in the mail. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.
Arts in the Park is in it's planning stages. I plan to show this year - it sounds like a really fun day - several artists will have booths in various locations around the park in the square down town. Artists will have items to sell, but they will also be demonstrating their art skills. I plan to take my ring mandrel and holder and make some wire rings - and possibly do some other minimal smithing. I don't think I'll take my torch - it's a lot to haul around and could cause some problems. I'd like to have lots of small items (in the 20-30 range to sell).
Today is the last day for taxes - and I still have to run to the P>O. and get my inventory tax payment in the mail. Nothing like waiting until the last minute.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
My First Post - A Sterling Performance
4/5/08
This is a second attempt at creating a blog - hopefully more successful than the last. I would like to document my progress in metalsmithing more for my own information than anything else. If any others get something from it, that would be wonderful, but this is mainly for my own information. I will be adding pictures of my creations along with information as to how they were produced.
This is a second attempt at creating a blog - hopefully more successful than the last. I would like to document my progress in metalsmithing more for my own information than anything else. If any others get something from it, that would be wonderful, but this is mainly for my own information. I will be adding pictures of my creations along with information as to how they were produced.
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