Chit Chatting into February - Chatty Metalsmiths Monthly Chat Thread

[#1]

Hey all - welcome! The more the merrier 'round these parts - we don't bite! Please just keep the rules in mind ( no calling out, play nice etc etc)

Who are we? Wanna be on the list? Click on "Discussions" and find the thread that says "Introduce Yourself" and follow the instructions there. Not on the list? It's because you haven't added your name!

AbellaBlue = Jessica
AHeronDesign=Anna
aimeepawluk = Aimee
ajjewelrydesigns = Angela
AlegraJewelry = Vicki
AlegriaDesigns = Marina
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
BrazinHussyStudio = Carol
BrendasBeadsandMore = Brenda
Brokentreasures= Amanda
Brontotheroocity= James L.
BurlapBudda=Jen K.
cabbingrough = LauraH
CGWhitfield = CG, or Cliff
CharOuellette = Char
Chrissilynn2=Chrissi
Chrissicabs=Chrissi
coldfeetstudio = Deborah
corybethy = Cory
craftysou = Soula
cutforyou = Keith Cler
DaisiemaiCreations = Janea
DaVineJewelry = Danielle
DeesumDesigns= Molly
DeirdreCunningham = Deirdre
Dharlee = Dharlee aka Debbie
DiemDesignsJewelry = Sarah Jo
DominicanLounge= Alpha
Doxallodesigns = Janice
Doxallostudio = Janice
DragonflyDreamers=Wendy
Duffy Designs= Duffy
Eklektisch = Cole
Elementaldesigns= Denise
Emerald Eyes Jewelry = Angela
EmilyWiserJewelry = Emily
Epiphany of a Dragonfly = Wanda
evelynjewelry = Evelyn
evittscreekarts= Lois
ericafreestone = Erica
EyemaginationRSB = Robin
FiliGraceJewelry = Grace
fix8ion = Tammy
FlaviaBennettDesigns = Flavia
FoldAndSpindle = Mike
FoxyGirlBoutique = Melissa
gailwilliamsjewelry=gail
GirlLovesGlitter = Lilian
happyment = Rasa
HappyTortoiseSupply = Jason
HappyTurtleDesigns = Ken
Hartleystudio = Ann
Hellfire Workshop= Michael
HRBeaDesign = Heather
InbarBareket = Inbar
InstantArtifact = Ashley
JackStones = Jack
JaneaPauline = Janea
JaneDeaux = Gabby
JaneDeauxDeLuxe = Gabby
JazznJewelry = Kathy
jdwoody=James
JelliesJewelry = Jack
JenniferCasady = Jen or Jennifer
Jewelrybysala= Lori
Jewelrytutorials = Janice
JonesingforJewelry = Carin
JooniJewelry = Yoko
Juliekirkjewellery = Julie
JudithGayleDesigns= Judy
KarlaWheelerDesign = Karla
karmahjean = Karen
KateCalcottDesigns = Kate
KBerlinMetalsmith = Berlin
KellyDesignStudios = Kelly
kiliari = Raina
KimberlyBellDesigns = Kim
KimVGlass = Kim V
KipkalinkaJewels= Christine
KitandCaboodleShop = Gayle
KriksSilver = Kristie
lamazonian = Vema
LaraLewis = Lara
LauraRoberson= Laura
lavomatique = elizabeth
LCarlsonJewelry = Liesl
LeahBestDesigns=Leah
Lilnut = Caroline
LjBjewelry=Laura Jane
LilyEmmeJewelry = Valerie
litapsilverj = Lita
Littlecherryhill = Emma
Lovebuttonsca = Laura
Loveinatangle=Nance
lsueszabo = Sue
Luxedesignworkshop = Peg
madstarsilver = Marilyn
MarcusBerknerJewelry = Marcus
MariTStudio = Marina
Markaplan = Mark
mattjohnsondesigns =Matt
Maythenwolfbane= Nicole
Metalluxe = Peg
MetalAdornments = MorganRae
MieleMelograno = Liz
MissToryDesigns = Lina
MoMoMetals = Mo
MostlyStoneware = Kathy
mizgeorge = george
novadesigns = Tess
novaofsweden = Tess
NRjewellerydesign = Nikki
OiseauMetalArts= Damon
Oldetownsmithy= Roy Dunn
oller13= Vegas
OrmanaDesign = Katya
OverThinkingIt = Bree
panterapens = Matthew
Pinkcoyotejewelry=Lee
Ppennee = Pennee
Prox = Jen
PureDichotomy = Wendy
Quite Clever Jewelry = E.B.
RadianTrace = Ronnie
Ranchiquita = Becki
RI Beach Jewelry = Paula
Ristra Ranch = Vanessa
rmddesigns = Rachel
rockaholic=Peggy
RyanQuantzStudios=Ryan
sbevisdesigns = sue
ScrapMetal = Addie
SeaglassReinvented = Korie
Seek2sustain = Francesca and Claudette
Senobar=Senobar
ShireJewelry = Lisa
SilverBlueberry = Esmeralda
SilverLinesJewelry = Jenny
SilverMade Studio = Teresa
silvermaven= Carol and Jackie
SilverspotMetalworks = Jessee J. Smith
SimpleDesignJewelry=Lisa
slathered = Sharon
StoneBeautiful = Jenn
StoneTemple = Mark
SToNZ = Susan
SugarCity = Grace
SweetOliveJewelry = Amy
SylviaAnderson= Sylvia Anderson
Taitaya= Marleena
Tattooedgrannysgoods = Joni
thebutterflygirl = Veronika
TheSilverExperience = Beth
TheSilverPearl = Mary Anne
TheSpeeceCollection = Pat
ThirteenGems=Melissa
tinkertown = Sue (tinkerSue)
TeklasTreasures = Kyra
Treasuregypsy = Darcy
TreeFrogJewelry = Sheryl
TuHu=Donna
TwoSilverMoons = Birgit
UnionStudioMetals= Michelle & Margarett
UntwistedSister=Terri
valerietyler = Valerie
verysmallbird = Heather
VillainAccessories = Brandi
VisionQuest = kim or VQ
WednesdaysDesign= Kristina (Wednesday)
WiredHeArtJewelry = Misty
wpcardenas= Wanda
xekebcustomsilver = Victoria
Zenamels = Julie
10Fold = Erica
2trickpony = Rachel
3sweetpeasjewelry = Gina

[prox]

I love spicey teas, like chai.
I also have a couple boxes of the Christmas Eve tea. Yum.

[SilverBlueberry]

Cory! Earl grey is blah. One of my faves is something they call tiny dragon pearl tea, looks like this:
http://img.21food.com/20110609/product/1305363492750.jpg

I use about 5 pearls per cup, just pour hot water over them and they sink and unfold. Then I can refill about three times before the flavor is gone. Doesn't get bitter when leaving the leaves in.

My favorite for 'infusions' (herbal tea) is pukka:
http://www.pukkaherbs.com/tea-room/all-our-teas.html
I have one shelf at work dedicated to their teas. :)

[SilverBlueberry]

Oh yes, teavana (is that what they're called? I've only been to a shop once or twice in the US) should have good black loose teas, if you're into black teas.

And then there is Republic of Tea that have some nice selections, they can be bought online or at whole foods (and probably other places):
http://www.republicoftea.com/black-tea/c/3/

Oh, and if you think green tea tasts funny then you've probably had a bad kind of green tea. Sorry. i have a lot to say about tea. ;)

[Former_Member]

Oooohhhhh Fancy :)

Thanks guys!

[PureDichotomy]

KIM... my advice... stay away from Melaleuca.

Several acquaintances tried to get me involved and sign on the dotted line. I went to one of their pitch meetings and left pissed off and angry. Part of it was the woman who "presented", who really hit me as desperate and car salesman-ish. It. Was. Horrible.

Just my opinion but I think the whole thing is a pyramid scheme of sorts. Their cleaning products actually appeal to me because of the toxins (household cleaners you get at the grocery store ARE incredible hazardous. I can give you lots of examples. However...

their pitch is psuedo-scientific they never cite any real studies or sources to back up their claims - particularly on their "health products". They have one "diet bar" that they claim will just magically melt fat away. You don't even need to exercise... that was the last bit of information I heard in the presentation before I shut my ears off.

Anytime you have to sign on the dotted line to promise to spend a set amount of money a month for products you don't need... BEWARE.

[SilverBlueberry]

Okay, I will stop after this:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/111079988/jasmine-dragon-tears-40g?ref=sr_gallery_5&ga_search_query=drag...

[Former_Member]

on tea, Rishi tea's China breakfast is my staple, and you can steep it twice, and it's loose leaf.......sometimes as a treat i buy a 1/4 lb of their Golden Yunnan......
it is from 1300 year old trees, and is just lovely....also both are organic and fair trade....

[Former_Member]

See... I knew you guys would know Tea :D
Thanks for all the suggestions!

[Former_Member]

my adoptive father's ex-streetwalker now, ex-girlfriend, sorry about the complicated explanation......got into Melaleuca like at least 17 or 18 years ago....i cannot see her being a real go getter, spending most of her working life on her back.........i am not saying this to be mean about her, it is just the actual truth.........i imagine my adoptive father was bankrolling her, and i know the my crazy mother would not all ow any of my sibs laundry to be done over there, because it came back stinking of 'the product'........

i have no idea if she ever got out or what she did after my dad kicked her out......it was all very strange. i was not for of him and never saw him much after i left home and i did not like the girlfriend at all. Manipulator doesn't cover it.....

[Former_Member]

often cheap green tea is very astringent or if your water is too hot you can get a harsh aftertaste.

[khmetalwork]

cold and windy down here...supposed to have had rain overnight - if we did the wind dried everything - nothing wet. Storm headed east, someone in Gilbert AZ said it was snowing there...craZee

[Former_Member]

Yeah, I haven't felt any Spring at all in the wind yet this year... Usually you get one or two days by now that make you eager for April but this year it seems like the greenhouse effect is not in effect :)

[Former_Member]

a few weeks ago here in CT, we had a crazy warm, heavy day.......but just one, and then got whomped with over 2 feet of show.....

[SilverBlueberry]

No mice in the roof yet. So far so good.

[Former_Member]

one good thing about the house i don't love, is it seems to be impervious to mice........the dogs do hunt them out in our little feral patch of yard lately, so it's possible one might be brought in........but would be unlikely to live long, the predator population is high in here

[SilverBlueberry]

Our kitties are quite good at hunting the mice they bring in themselves, only sometimes they lose track of them. But if the mice somehow found a way in between the outer and inner wall they will probably stay there and not go into the house (I hope).

We live with mostly forest around us and don't have city mice here. Forest mice aren't usually interested in houses, so I wonder why these are.

[SilverBlueberry]

Is there a recommended thickness for getting fine silver fusing to work? I know it doesn't work on bezel wire..

[2TrickPony]

cory, this tea company is highly recommended
http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/

[2TrickPony]

if I am having trouble fusing esme, I will take a tiny little bit of what I am fusing , ball it up and use it like solder. that helps everything to get going.

[SilverBlueberry]

Smart Rachel. I should try that.

I lika that shop. Maybe I can find a gift for my friend there..

[bellabijoujewellery]

Morning, had a little rant over in Denmark to start the day :-s

[bellabijoujewellery]

Killed it. Of course

[ChrissiLynnDesigns]

No, Jaime...just out to lunch. :)

I love the Republic of Teas!!! I have a little japanese tea pot at the office, and I will usually use that all winter long (if we have a winter). In fact, I may have to clean it out and make some tea this afternoon.

Teavanna has some great tea! I love the blooming ones...very aromatic and flavorful. The key is to make sure your water is not too hot.

[Former_Member]

No Jaime, just doing some actual coordination of rehab for my body after my accident last year......

[SilverBlueberry]

Sorry about that Jaime. Some people are so rude. :(