September Chat thread

[#1]

Welcome metalsmiths ( or should I say "metalworkers"?)
If your name isn't on the list, head over to the Introduce Yourself thread and follow the instructions there please :-)

AbellaBlue = Jessica
AlegraJewelry = Vicki
AlexSharDesigns = Gaynor
AlisonMooreDesigns = Ally
anidem = Jesse
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
DaisiemaiCreations = Janea
DaVineJewelry = Danielle
DiemDesignsJewelry = Sarah Jo (CarpeDiemGems)
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
GirlLovesGlitter = Lilian
HappyTortoiseSupply = Jason
Hartleystudio = Ann
HRBeaDesign = Heather
InbarBareket = Inbar
JackStones = Jack
JaneaPauline = Janea
JazznJewelry = Kathy
JelliesJewelry = Jack
JenniferCasady = Jen or Jennifer
Jewelrytutorials = Janice
JonesingforJewelry = Carin
KarlaWheelerDesign = Karla
karmahjean = Karen
kiliari = Raina
KimberlyBellDesigns = Kim
KimVGlass = Kim V
KitandCaboodleShop = Gayle
KriksSilver = Kristie
lamazonian = Vema
LauraRoberson= Laura
LeahBestDesigns=Leah
Lilnut = Caroline
litapsilverj = Lita
Lovebuttonsca = Laura
lsueszabo = Sue
Luxedesignworkshop = Peg
MarcusBerknerJewelry = Marcus
Markaplan = Mark
mattjohnsondesigns =Matt
Maythenwolfbane= Nicole
Metalluxe = Peg
MieleMelograno = Liz
MissToryDesigns = Lina
novadesigns = Tess
novaofsweden = Tess
NRjewellerydesign = Nikki
OrmanaDesign = Katya
OverThinkingIt = Bree
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
StoneBeautiful = Jenn
StoneTemple = Mark
SToNZ = Susan
SugarCity = Grace
thebutterflygirl = Veronika
TheSpeeceCollection = Pat
ThirteenGems=Melissa
tinkertown = Sue (tinkerSue)
Treasuregypsy = Darcy
TreeFrogJewelry = Sheryl
TwoSilverMoons = Birgit
UntwistedSister=Terri
valerietyler = Valerie
verysmallbird = Heather
VillainAccessories = Brandi
VisionQuest = kim or VQ
WednesdaysDesign= Kristina (Wednesday)
wpcardenas= Wanda
2trickpony = Rachel
3sweetpeasjewelry = Gina

[Former_Member]

good morning, laura! glad you survived :-). congrats on the sales!

[LauraStasa]

Thanks! Street fests aren't always the best; most people end up staying on the street and don't bother to go into the shops. The traffic was a little better this year and the bands were set up right across the street which I think helped.

I'm glad for a quiet day at home today though.

I've got to drag myself out to the barn now. Have a great day!

[ShireJewelry]

good morning all, well, that new thing on etsy for Digests of the posts is useless. Maybe it works better in a forum where hardly anyone speaks but doesn't work in this one. After it prints out a couple of the posts it says go to the forum and read the rest lol yeah, that's useful ! Not !

Been getting ready for the holiday season, putting out ad's, making stock for the fairs and shops in the area. Hopefully it will be a better year.

[lsueszabo]

morning everybody. i got a good night's rest in my own bed last night- my cat was basically glued to me all night. guess she missed me.
erga- i got 2 pieces in, you guys were around during the making of them-
here'one-
http://www.lsueszabo.com/exhibition_detail.php?pid=79

here's the other=-
http://www.lsueszabo.com/exhibition_detail.php?pid=80

yes, i learned some new stuff and better ways to do some of the old stuff. as i;'ve said, my current "teacher" isn't too swift and really doesn't know alot. in fact, much of what she's told me is wrong and leads to some of the problems i've been having. that was probably the most important thing i learned. if i could spend a yr with sarah perkins, i think i could become a really fine enamelist. ah well, i'll forge ahead on my own now but equipped with a much better understanding of how things work.

[cgwhitfield]

Good morning. Hello, coffee.

[lsueszabo]

ok, my contribution to the thread today is this blog post by an etsian who has explained relevancy, titles, and tagging in a way that i can actually understand it. now, to make time to change everything..... ugh. that seems to be the big problem. gotta do it. anyways, have a good read with your coffee guys-
http://sparrowsalvage.blogspot.com/2011/09/relevancy-taming-savage-beast.html

[Former_Member]

nice, sue. both fabulous. congrats!

[lsueszabo]

thanks, i'm working on some more pieces like the ones in my avi, of course with different colors. i've sold them all but 3 out of the original 10 that i made. i am making a huge one for a lady who wants one but said "they're not big enough". haha, huh? ok, i'll fix that.

[cgwhitfield]

Aw, you reminded me of relevancy.....

I seem to have found by accident a way to get stuff early in a relevant listing. Don't understand how though. I check only one example of 'sterling bracelet cuff' - in that order only - to keep an eye on things.

It's very stagnant. I and one one other person trade places as first or second on the first page (since the beginning of relevancy), depending on who has more recently renewed. And I seem to be able to move one or the other bracelet from the second page to first on the first page by renewing. Other than that, the two of us seem to 'own' the first two slots.

Hard to believe that all the other bracelets there aren't equally relevant.

Not complaining, but also not understanding. Seems the algorithm might need some more work on it.

[cgwhitfield]

Sue, I'm curious if everyone at the workshop quietly wore any of their own pieces to the classes, or is that not the 'done thing'?

[lsueszabo]

no, most wear their own pieces to class. i wore only my earrings just cause i wear earrings every day but they were straight metalsmithing, no enamel. i was the only one (besides the teacher) that got in the exhibition, so for the others, it was the only way to show off their work i guess. anyways, it is done most of the time.

[cgwhitfield]

Thanks. Just a dumb question from one who doesn't get out much but wants to keep up....

[Former_Member]

Happy Sunday!

[lsueszabo]

same to you DL.
i'm going to post some of the plique a jour work we were talking about the other day. this guy is one of the best in the world, a russian, can't remember his name but you've GOT to see this- give me a sec.

[StoneyCharms]

thanks for posting the link on relevancy. i need to do that some time!

sounds like a great class. i think i'd really like enameling. love those pieces.

[StoneyCharms]

maybe i'll try being relevant this evening after the pats game. ;) lol. after a couple of brews, won't be able to do much else!

[Former_Member]

lsueszabo says

ok, my contribution to the thread today is this blog post by an etsian who has explained relevancy, titles, and tagging in a way that i can actually understand it. now, to make time to change everything..... ugh. that seems to be the big problem. gotta do it. anyways, have a good read with your coffee guys-
sparrowsalvage.blogspot.com/2011/09/relevancy-taming-savage-beast.html
==========================================
thanks for sharing this article, off to read it.

[lsueszabo]

ok, take a look at some of this on my photostream- it was hard to get the real beauty of these in the photos cause i had to take it at a bad angle through the glass at the exhibition. i think you can still see how f-ing amazing it is.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lsueszabo/6158477581/in/photostream/

[cgwhitfield]

Yes, that's an almost unimaginable level of detail work. Impressive.

[lsueszabo]

i wish you could see it in real life- it's absolute perfection. that's when i know i'm not meant to do plique a jour. it takes years to get to that level, and of course, that's the level i would want to be at if i were going to do it. i'll admire it from afar...

[cgwhitfield]

Know the feeling well, lots of things I don't pursue beyond an introduction. So many things left behind, sadly only have 24 hours a day.

Gotta say, an asymmetric bustle must need courage to wear.....

[SilverBlueberry]

Wow Sue, that's amazing.

Love your outfit from when you went to the fancy place.

I have been productive. Finished a few custom orders, picked tons of funnel chanterelles (you don't even have to look for them, they're everywhere), and made some other new things. Like this:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/82024214/ghost-necklace-fossil-stone-and-sterling
and this
http://www.flickr.com/photos/esmeraldaw/6158894648/in/photostream
It took me way too many tries to solder that bezel to the copper back plate. *pats little torch*

[lsueszabo]

cool stuff esme.
nah cg, i love really "out there" clothes and stuff. it also has an asymmetric cut low back neckline with a zipper that cuts across diagonally. i should have taken a pic of the back. oh well. the shoes i'm wearing were hand made by a japanese artist. they are really cool. i just like stuff that is very different. i know, i'm weird....

[SilverBlueberry]

Love those shoes Sue!

[lsueszabo]

thanks esme. i do too. i've got to get ready for my enameling class. oh boy, lots of new ideas!