Make Your Mark Etching Class

October 13, 2012 "Make Your Mark" Etching Class at Benicia Beads.

What a fun group!!!  The class was only 3 hours, though we hung around longer and Carol, the shop owner had to remind us that it was over.  

Maria, Kathryn & Diane started cutting metal  See how safety-conscious they were?  All were wearing their sexy safety glasses. 

  After learning about filings, sanding, resists and ferric chloride, the gals created way cool metal charms.  And they surprised themselves with the results.  Using Sharpie markers and/or rubber stamps, they etched their design into the copper or brass, then antiqued their piece with stinky liver of sulfur.  Whew!  Did we laugh about the smell!

Kathryn's pieces~~

Maria's work~~

Diana's creations~~

Their teacher had fun too!  

And I thank Carol & Grace at Benicia Beads for the lovely full-o-treasures store, their assistance to set up  & take down, and their support and enthusiasm!  You gals ROCK!

Etching Class "Make Your Mark"

Going to be a fun afternoon~ I'm privileged to teach at Benicia Beads this afternoon.  4 students, cool techniques, fun fun creative fun!  
Hope your weekend is blessed.  I need to make some coffee and get organized!  Perhaps I should change out of my pajamas?? :-)

Richard Salley~Art Is You~Petaluma 2012! Woo hoozie!

"Lasting Impressions" Class with the one-and-only Richard Salley!  I signed up in February.  Then, it seemed quite far away.  I was wrong.

There is Richard and the lovely Jessica Papke.  Each step was explained.  There were transferring, etching & torching stations around the room. 

We asked lots of questions.  Richard was quite patient.

Proof that I took the class and met Richard!  He's wearing one of his "Shadow Cowboy" shirts.  

Jessica Papke.  My new heroine.  Patient.  Eased us through the scariness of the little propane and oxygen torch.  I'm so grateful to her, because it was so very daunting to me.   

I stamped this on this backplate the night before the class.  I was so very tired, and  was quite tempted to wuss out and not really try.   With the help of my encouraging teachers, I was brave.  And I had the funnest day.  :-)

Jewelry for Spain~~

The pieces I brought to Spain~~

We'd been planning our Spain Trip for a long time.  Jenn and Paco's wedding celebration was May 26, 2012 at Alcala de Henares, just outside of Madrid.  Family and friends would be gathering to celebrate the happy day. 

Gifts of Jewelry!  Just the ticket to make the visit more fun~  I worked steadily for some months before we left.  Snippets of time, in between the day job and obligations.  And tah dahhhh!here's the collection.  Memories of smiles and thanks~~what an amazing time!  

Good to be back, though.  This life at home is a blessing to me~~I'm a lucky gal.

Baptism Earrings

My friend Candy was baptized today.  A joyful & important event.  I made these earrings for her.  She liked them!  She was happy.  I was happy.  
A beautiful day.
May your week be full of beauty~  Love to you all!

I WON!!! Stacie Florer is way cool~

Stacie Florer , an amazing jewelry artist, generous and encouraging woman and a beloved friend, had a giveaway in March for those who subscribed to her newsletter .   I did and I WON!!  These earrings arrived in the mail a couple of weeks ago.  They are simply funkily wonderful and light and swingy to wear.  LOVE THEM~

See my smile?  BTW, my sweet hubby took at least 15 photos of me to try to get the most flattering...he's soooo sweet!  

Stacie also included these way cool turquoise beads...anyone who knows me knows that I have a serious love affair with turquoise.  Big love for the amazing blue stones~~I've already used the two barrel beads in a couple of pieces I created right after I got them~

It's Saturday mornin' and the sun is so bright.  I love today!  I need to get serious and work on earrings to take to Spain for my beautiful step-daughter's wedding.  It is customary to bring gifts to the family, and some Spanish ladies will have new jewelry, if I have anything to say about it!

Blessings to y'all.  Hope your Saturday is full of fun~

Sereno=Serene

Sereno is "Serene" in Spanish~

May your week be full of serenity my friend!