Chatting into a New Year! January 2012 Chat Thread

[#1]

Happy New Year - Hello 2012!

Who are we? A friendly group of metalsmiths who like to talk metal,stones,techniques, and everything under the sun.

If you would like to be added to the list, hop over to this thread, follow the instructions and introduce yourself. Every month we start a new chat thread, and this is how we know who everyone is :-)

http://www.etsy.com/teams/7369/chattymetalsmiths/discuss/6774397/page/20/

We are :


AbellaBlue = Jessica
AHeronDesign=Anna
AlegraJewelry = Vicki
AlexSharDesigns = Gaynor
AlisonMooreDesigns = Ally
AmyEstelleMetalworks = Amy
anidem = Jesse
AnnealedHeart= Amanda
artdi = Diana
AZBluerockers = Mary Lou
bagsnstuff = Dianna
BeatrizFortes = Beatriz
BellaBijouJewellery = Jaime
BellaBijouToo = Jaime
bddesigns= Christen
bijoutery = Jen, Jennifer, or bijoutery
Brokentreasures= Amanda
Brontotheroocity= James L.
cabbingrough = LauraH
CGWhitfield = CG, or Cliff
CharOuellette = Char
Chrissilynn2=Chrissi
Chrissicabs=Chrissi
corybethy = Cory
cutforyou = Keith Cler
DaisiemaiCreations = Janea
DaVineJewelry = Danielle
DeirdreCunningham = Deirdre
DiemDesignsJewelry = Sarah Jo
DominicanLounge= Alpha
Doxallodesigns = Janice
Doxallostudio = Janice
Duffy Designs= Duffy
Eklektisch = Cole
Elementaldesigns= Denise
EmilyWiserJewelry = Emily
Epiphany of a Dragonfly = Wanda
evelynjewelry = Evelyn
evittscreekarts= Lois
ericafreestone = Erica
EyemaginationRSB = Robin
FiliGraceJewelry = Grace
fix8ion = Tammy
FoldAndSpindle = Mike
FoxyGirlBoutique = Melissa
gailwilliamsjewelry=gail
GirlLovesGlitter = Lilian
HappyTortoiseSupply = Jason
Hartleystudio = Ann
HRBeaDesign = Heather
InbarBareket = Inbar
JackStones = Jack
JaneaPauline = Janea
JaneDeaux = Gabby
JaneDeauxDeLuxe = Gabby
JazznJewelry = Kathy
jdwoody=James
JelliesJewelry = Jack
JenniferCasady = Jen or Jennifer
Jewelrytutorials = Janice
JonesingforJewelry = Carin
JudithGayleDesigns= Judy
KarlaWheelerDesign = Karla
karmahjean = Karen
KellyDesignStudios = Kelly
kiliari = Raina
KimberlyBellDesigns = Kim
KimVGlass = Kim V
KitandCaboodleShop = Gayle
KriksSilver = Kristie
lamazonian = Vema
LauraRoberson= Laura
LeahBestDesigns=Leah
Lilnut = Caroline
litapsilverj = Lita
Littlecherryhill = Emma
Lovebuttonsca = Laura
lsueszabo = Sue
Luxedesignworkshop = Peg
madstarsilver = Marilyn
MarcusBerknerJewelry = Marcus
Markaplan = Mark
mattjohnsondesigns =Matt
Maythenwolfbane= Nicole
Metalluxe = Peg
MieleMelograno = Liz
MissToryDesigns = Lina
MoMoMetals = Mo
MostlyStoneware = Kathy
novadesigns = Tess
novaofsweden = Tess
NRjewellerydesign = Nikki
OrmanaDesign = Katya
OverThinkingIt = Bree
Pinkcoyotejewelry=Lee
Ppennee = Pennee
PureDichotomy = Wendy
RadianTrace = Ronnie
Ranchiquita = Becki
rockaholic=Peggy
sbevisdesigns = sue
ScrapMetal = Addie
ShireJewelry = Lisa
SilverBlueberry = Esmeralda
SilverLinesJewelry = Jenny
SilverMade Studio = Teresa
silvermaven= Carol and Jackie
SilverspotMetalworks = Jessee J. Smith
StoneBeautiful = Jenn
StoneTemple = Mark
SToNZ = Susan
SugarCity = Grace
thebutterflygirl = Veronika
TheSpeeceCollection = Pat
ThirteenGems=Melissa
tinkertown = Sue (tinkerSue)
TeklasTreasures = Kyra
Treasuregypsy = Darcy
TreeFrogJewelry = Sheryl
TwoSilverMoons = Birgit
UntwistedSister=Terri
valerietyler = Valerie
verysmallbird = Heather
VillainAccessories = Brandi
VisionQuest = kim or VQ
WednesdaysDesign= Kristina (Wednesday)
wpcardenas= Wanda
Zenamels = Julie
2trickpony = Rachel
3sweetpeasjewelry = Gina

[cgwhitfield]

Resins still on the schedule, have a bunch of wholesale orders - think they expect I'll be raising prices - and want to get the tax stuff done early this year. Despite how it looks right now, building may start in April.

And I'm a loner, I guess, don't have a circle....

[MostlyStoneware]

A question for those who do stone-setting ?

I'm at the stage of finishing the fine sanding of these porcelain tiles and cabs so I can have them ready when Lina's box arrives. The porcelain I use has a Moh's scale rating of about 7.5-8 , will this be an appropriate hardness for most who set stones?

[cgwhitfield]

Yes.

[cgwhitfield]

Brittleness, or lack of it, will be more important than a surface hardness in that Moh's range.

[lsueszabo]

yeah kathy, that's fine.
here's the pics of the brooches, in very early stages. the enamels aren't even done yet and no clean up on the metal. you get the idea though..
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lsueszabo/?saved=1

[Former_Member]

Hi Kathy, I don't find too much difference setting hard stones over soft ones except that you have to prepare the inside of the cup so that everything lies nice and flat and you just go slowly with less pressure.

The box hasn't left yet! So take your time. We have 6" of fresh snow this morning on the icy Hatzic hills. DH is out with the truck trying to get to the animals at the rescue centre higher up the mountain. My little P.O.S. car is not going anywhere.

OK CG, I have to go work in the garage and have decided to pull a couple of my shelves on wheels around me to make a sort of "room"
I think I deserve the space heater too.

[MostlyStoneware]

I agree CG, that's why I ordered a very high silica/feldspathic blend of porcelain, far less prone to chipping and breakage than the bone-or kaolinitic ones.

I really LIKE those birds. Great job on the enameling, are they done in a kind of bezel or are they stand alone and then soldered?

[lsueszabo]

thanks kathy- i'm sorry, i'm not following your question...

[cgwhitfield]

Sue, the colourful partridges just the ticket on this bleak and cold day.

[ChrissiLynnDesigns]

Morning everyone. Happy Monday.

I'm 30 pages behind, so I'm not even going to try to catch up. Had a busy weekend...this is what I was up too:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrissilynn/6705412169/in/photostream

It was gorgeous weather all weekend, so I had Hubby come out and take photos of Dancer and I riding. :) They turned out great!

Sue...how was your trip? I see you made it back. :) Hopefully the weather wasn't terrible for your drive home.

Ok...off to see what you all have been up to!

BBL

[ChrissiLynnDesigns]

Gorgeous birds Sue! Love the bright colors!

[2TrickPony]

love the bird broaches.
they resemble the quail we have around here, with longer legs.

[lsueszabo]

thanks guys. i'm having fun with them. they are much better in real life than my crappy photos show. anyways, they'll be done in a week and you'll see them then. can't do the enameling part til class on sunday.

[Former_Member]

Love the birds Sue.
At the Ensemble Exhibition the woman who made the first sale had a collection of whimsical birds. There's just something positive and appealing (to all ages) about them.

Dancer is a pretty little pony.

[ChrissiLynnDesigns]

Thanks Tory. I think so! :) He's as good as he is pretty. :)

[2TrickPony]

http://www.etsy.com/listing/76252299/martin-luther-king-jr-quote-t-shirt-this?ref=sr_list_19&sref=&g...

[maythenwolfbane]

Way behind, I just can't keep up with you guys anymore.


Sue, the birds are so cute.

[MostlyStoneware]

I was just wondering whether you enameled directly onto the silver ostrich, or did you make the enamels on another metal cab that you now have to attach.
Beautiful horse.

[lsueszabo]

the enamels are separate. the silver bird bodies include a bezel to hold the enamel pieces.

[LauraStasa]

Great brooches, Sue!

Cg, you really nailed it with your insight into working in the cold. I never really thought about it before but I do go into survival mode and end up after a few hours thinking "let's just get through this!". I'm also really bad about taking breaks so by the time I can't stand it anymore, I'm overtired as well.

I've just emerged for lunch and the studio is at a balmy 58 degrees now:) I'm going to head out to catch a little sun before the clouds roll in. Be back in a few.

[MostlyStoneware]

Thanks Sue thats what I thought.

Interesting program on CBC right now,on the differences between how men and women shop, and the evolutionary reasons behind it. sort of a "Venus and Mar"sy thing.
Interesting listen.

[cgwhitfield]

I'll hear it in two hours. Doesn't surprise me.

Men hunt with a target in mind, women gather against future possible deprivation? Sustaining the kiddos?

Guessing is another bad habit....

[2TrickPony]

men will more readily pay for overnight shipping.
don't know how that fits into evolution.

[cgwhitfield]

Rachel, I've definitely noticed that.

[Former_Member]

Some days around here I still have to remind people that just because I work at home doesn't mean I drop everything to cater to their needs.


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AMEN!!!!!