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

[cgwhitfield]

Wonder if coppersmiths ever get colds?

[lsueszabo]

morning all. haha, i have not noticed copper being the cure for a cold. geez lois, if you're right, you could be a billionaire :)
i'm home sick again today. i always feel worse the 2nd day and today, i am true to form. we are closing the pool today. i barely was in it this summer, kinda sad. i hate to close it cause even if i don't swim in it, i love to look at it. that's probably weird. and i guess i hate when the cover goes on, it signifies the end of summer and makes it a reality for me.

i have major sales dust to share- i sold one of my victorian erotica brooches to my friend on etsy!! woo hoo.

susan- the site looks good, i have to look a bit more to see if i have anything helpful to say (probably not).

[cgwhitfield]

Too bad the pool couldn't double as a skating rink.

You're going to be so caught up with two days 'off'. Hope day two does the trick.

[lsueszabo]

i know cg! well, i was gonna take some sandwich photos but my dh put the pool cover (which is way too heavy for me to move) right on the step where i do my photos. brilliant. it's finally not raining, light is perfect, and i am home. conspiracy i tell you.

[lsueszabo · Accepted solution]

ANNOUNCEMENT-
Ann Hartley and I have a favor to ask of you all. We are doing a new feature together on the Etsy Metal team blog. It's going to be called "Ask Auntie EM". We are going to be taking metalsmithing questions on any topic and will answer them in our blog column. If we don't know the answers, we will find experts who do. Here's the favor- we need some questions to get this started! We are asking that those of you who belong to other metalsmithing teams besides this one, please post this on your team threads to generate some interest.
So how do you ask a question? Please post your question on the Etsy Metal blog team comments section. Thanks guys!
Here's the blog link-
http://etsymetal.blogspot.com/

[cgwhitfield]

Ah, the sandwich.

Woke up this morning realizing it's going to be impossible for me to finish on time. Still have about ten hours of work on it, and I have to get all the concrete done before it starts freezing too much at night. And yesterday got two large wholesale orders, both urgently asap.

But I'll see if I can arrange the bits for a pic to show where I was going with it.

Adding to all this, my thick skinned metalworking hands allowed me to be too touchy feely with mortar (I do know better) until it was too late to avoid cracks in skin. A few deep cracks, and a tender wrist from trowel work and shovelling and rock chiselling, is slowing me down.

Not a big deal, but I guess I do have priorities. The hands and wrsits will be better soon, nothing that hasn't happened before.

[ChrissiLynnDesigns]

Hi ya everyone! Sorry to be so MIA this month...big show has me working overtime on production work, and also just life in general. In-laws are doing mostly better. FIL has an appointment tomorrow for an MRI, and then they will schedule surgery.

Wanted to show off a little bit of new work:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrissilynn/6187670228/in/photostream

Caution...droolworthy cabs on the way, lol.

I snuck into the lapidary side of my studio this past weekend. Last weekend was spent at my favorite rock shop and also an auction...and I just had a blast. Picked up some amazing material to work with...and hope to get back to cutting soon.

CG--hope the hands and wrist get better soon.

LSue...get to feeling better.

I know I have missed bunches...so going back to catch up a bit.

[kimberlybelldesigns]

Sorry to hear you are still under the weather Sue. I think the neighbors behind us closed their pool this week too. So sad to see summer end.

Hope the hands get better soon CG. Congrats on the wholesale orders.

I took pics of my sandwich last night. Hope I don't forget to post. I'm working frantically on new pieces for my show this weekend. The high is going to be like 68 degrees. That may be a little chilly for outside but the sun is supposed to be out. I ordered a new canopy and walls for my tent and I haven't gotten confirmation of shipping yet. It may not get here in time. I'm so bummed!!!!

[hartleystudio]

I want to pop in too and say thanks to anyone who can give us a question!!! I want to correct one thing...I don't think there is a space for general comments on the blog. Can you all either post them here or, better yet, convo one of us???

THANKS!!!!!

[hartleystudio]

OH!! CG!!! Ben and I both get those skin cracks in the winter, Ben gets them really bad and they are SO SO painful!! I'm so sorry!! I'm sure you know the only thing that fixes it is a bandaid (which never stays on) and some antibiotic cream. Why can't they design a better bandaid? They all stink. Either the wrong shape or size or material.

[cgwhitfield]

Ann, most are almost past the bandaid stage. I find the cloth ones work OK, but the new batch I got stick better to skin than themselves, oddly enough. I found Elastoplast work best but I couldn't seem to find them.

Have no problem with cracks normally, at least not anymore, but I do have very thick skin on my fingers and I was fooled into thinking the mortar - I do like 'hands on' even though it's not necessary - wasn;t doing any damage. It was, but too late before I noticed.

Reminds me of the store when I did have some problems, and the need to have some semblance of respectability meant I changed grubby bandaids for clean ones every hour or so. Now I have the luxury of having grubby looking bandaids in private.

[cgwhitfield]

I don't use any cream, just need to protect the 'crevasse'.

[Former_Member]

best bandaids in the whole wide world: http://www.amazon.com/3M-Nexcare-Comfort-Strip-Bandages/dp/B0030AOAOY

[2TrickPony]

morning!

For Erga,
where is a good place for webhosting? curious.

question. I have one for ann but I have to distill it down into something sensible.

hands. hmm. my hands need a face lift.

[2TrickPony]

ooooo. really erga?
put them in my cart.

[SilverBlueberry]

Maybe one of the leaders can highlight Sue's announcement post so we can easily find it again? If we want to post it elsewhere and all.

[2TrickPony]

<-------believes anything this morning.

[SilverBlueberry]

What did you do now Erga? Sawn in finger?

[Former_Member]

yup, and they were unavailable for a while.

[2TrickPony]

put in the rio order.
I bought myself a battery operated torch lighter.

[cgwhitfield]

Glad I'm a guy, rugged looking hands aren't such a bad thing. Feel sorry for the ladies doing metalwork, hard to work with metal and be delicate with the hands.

[Former_Member]

who, me? no. i think cg needs them, but i need to read back to figure out what happened. ann said there are no good bandaids.... i agree that all bandaids stink, except these.

[SilverBlueberry]

A lot of people seem to use weebly for websites. Better/worse?

[SilverBlueberry]

<- nails are a disaster nowadays

[Former_Member]

ouch, cg. ouch.