Labor Day Labors, Howls, & Laurel Was Right!

Even though we could have easily kept working, we did take Saturday evening and Sunday off.  We loafed and relaxed.  Pad finished this pendant up for Jeannie Tracy, at The Jeweler's Workbench in Waynesville.  She delivered it today.

Black Jade, diamond set in a 14K tube setting.

The bezel was handmade for the uncalibrated Black Jade, the original bail and jump rings were constructed; the center jump ring is oxidized.  Jeannie's design for her gallery.

It looks like Laurel was right!  I replaced the lights and suddenly my colors are coming out truer.  Not quite there yet, but it's getting better.  The camera charger is due in tomorrow, so I should be ready to catch up on photographing stones and designs for our custom orders.  Then I'll have a chance to photograph the new work!

Oh.  The howls?  New neighbors have moved in with two Siberian Huskies.  We haven't met the dogs yet but their people seem nice.  Apparently huskies howl sometimes.  And actually they're rather musical.  So far it's kind of nice.

Time to buff three dozen production rings so I can ship them out in the morning!

Special Work

Appalachian Spring

Appalachian Spring has been on exhibit for the last year in Washington D.C.

at the Appalachian Regional Commission.  It just came back home to us last week.

This custom pendant, designed by Pat and Jeannie Tracie, of The Jeweler's Workbench fame, is being delivered today.

It is constructed of 14 K Gold, Sterling Silver, and hand set Diamonds.  The mountains were textured with a .5 mm burr and the background is oxidized with our favorite jewelers' Silver Black.  (As these two photos show somehow the camera's white balance setting is still not right!)

We've been very busy these last couple of weeks.  I spent a few days on some work for the Guild's Board.  It takes time but it really feels good to be able to help such an incredible and unique organization.  We had a great time at the annual Clay Day at the Folk Art Center.  The pots that we each glazed for the raku firing turned out beautifully!

In the midst of all of our work we've been spending the weekends working on the yarden some more.  Despite how much we have to get done, I took a couple of days last week to finish the trellis project.  We had bought two climbing vines at the Market a couple of weeks ago and they've been growing like crazy.  Since I promised Laura P. and Laure S. here are some before and after views.

The view from the bench three weeks ago, new plants being watered in.

The view Sunday morning after even more plants went in and we mulched.

Only three bags of mulch to go!  The lettuce has been replaced with more coleus.

Here's the bench and Inky three weeks ago.  Mandevillas and tropicals behind it.

The bench and new trellis this weekend.

We re-mulched the paths to the wildflower area too.

The two cherry tomatoes still need to be potted up!

After I strolled through the yarden taking pictures I found Inky holding my place!

It's already over eighty degrees today and by now the wax pot should be ready for me to get to work on waxes for the July Guild Fair!  Since the wax needs to be just over 160 degrees to flow well it's going to be a warm day in the office!  But I know that at the end of the day it's going to be beautiful and cool in the yarden.  I just hope Inky and Sam will share the bench with me . . .

Theatrical Faces and Commissions

The finished Theatrical Faces Pendant, delivered Monday!

(Once more photographed on a white background. 

I really have to get the camera's settings straightened out!)

We actually made it to the Market Saturday!  Lovely grilled scallops and lion's mane mushrooms with Pasta Mamma's rosemary pasta for dinner.  Yum!  More plants found their way home with us too.  The Ingles stores were having good sales on veggies and herbs . . .

We spent Saturday and Sunday planting.  Planting and planting.  I had almost finished re-working the sidewalk bed when the rain came.  So I have more purple basil and curly parsley waiting . . .

I'll deliver C.'s re-strung pearls today.  Violet's rings came out very well too!  Lots more photos to follow soon!

Commissions, Theatrical Faces & Night Moves . . .

Okay; maybe I am persnickety.  That's okay though.  Right?  After all, we are self-employed jewelry-artists!

I spent much longer than I had thought I would sprueing this commissioned pendant Tuesday afternoon.  Here's yet more proof of why I think that Pat is The Best Wax Carver in Asheville!

(And, again, this wax was photographed on a sheet of white paper.

But at least this shows the dimensional aspects of this pendant well.)

Our Clients provided Pat with a rough sketch of what they had in mind.  This is her scaled-down design sketch that they approved before she began carving the wax of their pendant.

Yes, I can be persnickety.  When a piece has as much time in it as this one does I'd much rather err on the side of caution.  So, yes, I very carefully over-sprued.  (I'd rather have the casting turn out perfectly and spend extra time de-sprueing and re-texturing parts of the back than I would have a casting fail and Pat have to re-carve the wax!)  I also sprued the waxes of the two rings that Violet D. ordered.

Yesterday we shipped out the faceted forged ring that Sandy ordered.  I got the Parkway Crafts Center order all ready to ship out first thing in the morning.

I poured the first of these two flasks at 7 PM.  After I quenched and put the pieces into the devester Pat and I made a nice summertime-type dinner.

After dinner Pat flopped and began reading a new C.J. Cherryh novel that she's been looking forward to.  Sam and I went outside to enjoy the evening.  I sat on our bench and listened to the frogs next door and Sammy sprawled on his table so he could guard the edge of our yarden.

Last night was one of those times when it is hard to believe that we live where we do ~ just a couple of miles from one of the busiest roads in town.  Our fountain burbled, the frogs sang a discordant off-beat chorus next door.  An occasional car sound off in the distance.  And all was good.

Until it was time to come back inside and put the castings into the new pickle for the night.

Sam refused to come in. We have a family of coyotes somewhere in the scrub woods behind our house, so leaving the Tiger out unsupervised was not an option!  He wouldn't be herded.  He wouldn't come for the promise of food . . .

Sam finally did come running to the sound of a can being tapped with a knife.  Which is how we got the boyz to come in years ago.  Since we didn't have any canned cat food in the house I had to use a can of tuna.  Pat said it was only fair to let Sam and Ink have it since they came when I used it (Inky was sound asleep in the bedroom) . . .

Ink loved it and of course Sam turned his nose up at canned tuna and pouted; until he got a lap to cuddle on!

Sweet Sam blinks.

Quick Custom Update

It's been another busy week for us!  Monday Pat delivered this custom piece.

Designed to our client's specifications.  Three different textures, sterling silver and bronze with a bezel set 3.5 mm diamond, then patinated.  It turned out exactly as she had hoped!

Tuesday was another trip to Gatlinburg and Arrowcraft.  The Gatlinburg Fine Arts Festival planning meeting went well.  After the meeting I took a couple of minutes to tour the new penguin exhibit.  Next time I'm taking the camera!  It was pretty amazing.

Then across the street with Craig to join Pat and Laurel at Arrowcraft.  Goodness, we'd just delivered new work and they need more already!  Eek!

We grabbed a quick lunch then stopped at Greenbriars before heading home.

Pat being inspired by the river.

Moss, beautiful inspiring moss.

Of course you have to take your shoes off!

Last weekend, when I was mulching the perennial bed, I accidentally scared the dickens out of this beautiful little guy before I knew he was there.  Wildlife in the yarden is always a good sign!  Eat those nasty bugs pretty little snake!

 

I got lucky, some of my favorites of the Tulipia kaufmannia were in the new mix!

I seem to be straying from posting about work lately.  I certainly have lots more recent photos, but then again, it is Spring!  It's been a pretty good week.  We have lots of work to do.  Some interesting custom commissions are coming up.  I've been spending every evening in the yarden, puttering around potting up new plants and relaxing.

Tonight we'll be at the Folk Art Center for the New Guild Members' Reception.  It's in the Main Gallery upstairs, where the stunning exhibit of The Life and Works of Charles Counts is.  It will be a lot of Fun to meet some of the new members and we're both looking forward to re-visiting the exhibit!

Saturday we'll be at the Guild's 80th Annual Meeting, at the Blue Ridge Assembly.  It promises to be a good meeting!  Then it's off to dinner and the party at Bryson Gym at Warren Wilson College!  Busy and Fun days indeed!

Catching Up

A. P.'s finished brooch!

Unfortunately I still haven't gotten the camera set up correctly, so the red rubies look pink.  It's a nice piece.  Pat made an adaptor so it can also be worn as a pendant.  He's going to have a lot of Fun with this lovely surprise!

We've had lots of good things happening in the last week!  The trip to Arrowcraft in Gatlinburg was great.  The drive was beautiful, we delivered our work and had a nice visit.

Pat was test wearing Shooting Stars.

Laurel asked if she could have it for the store.  The next day K. K., one of our first serious Collectors, came in and fell in love with it!

We met up with Nancy and Norman L.  Nancy was able to articualte what it was that had been bothering me about our second Reflections pendant.  (Which is a Big Help!)  We had a nice lunch, in a restaurant whose name I've forgotten, literally sitting over a creek!  Then we went onto to "Swamp North", their family's cabin on the edge of the National Forest.  We spent a wonderful afternoon talking and relaxing while listening to the creek.

I forgot to photograph them, but, Pat had re-strung two gorgeous turquoise necklaces for Nancy.  We made a new traditional-style clasp for the stunning squash blossom that had been her Mother's.  Nancy put it on while still wearing the beautiful Black Opal Ancient Seas pendant we had made for her Birthday and Anniversary last year.

At the time we hadn't even seen her squash blossom necklace . . .  What is so amazing is that both pieces have essentially the same design!!!  And they really look like they were made to go together!

We missed meeting up with Marina P. and David when they came to town.  I'm hoping we still can so we can engrave her Heart of the Mountain pendant.  (We signed it but forgot to engrave it's name before it went to Bellagio Art to Wear!)

We also made it to Painter's Greenhouse for their first Open House and Sale!  Our big project this Spring will be putting in a rock garden on the hillside beside the steps and the wild lilly/foxglove/columbine/iris bed.  So, of course, we loaded up on sedums!

Something tells me we're going to need a lot more plants . . .

Satisfaction

Earthlink finally got our email straightened out yesterday.  Which is nice.  While Pat was in Waynesville I de-sprueed A.'s Annivversary Brooch.  It went really well and it was very satisfying to spend some good time in the studio after being sick for so long.  Here's how's it's coming along after desprueing and a quick initial buff.

Of course I forgot to photograph the custom ring for Jeannie before Pat delivered it yesterday!

We have lots of work to do ~ we have some large wholesale orders and some very interesting custom work coming up!  So off to work I go!

Last Night's Castings & No Email . . .

I put both flasks in the pre-heated kiln at 10 yesterday morning.  I expected my burnout cycle to take 7 hours, but ended up pouring just after 9 hours.  The weather turned a little colder and rainy so I had some heat lags to take into account.  It's better to be slow and sure, 'cause you can definitely run a burnout cycle too fast and too hot.

As I was pouring I could hear the first spring peepers calling nearby.  Spring really is coming!

A.'s Anniversary Brooch turned out beautifully!

I'll be spending quite a bit of time de-sprueing with mini-cutoff discs tomorrow.  But all those heavy sprues were worth it.  After I grind and polish Pat will be setting a 2.5 mm AA ruby into each of the 10 petals.  This is going to be a really lovely brooch!

The ring for The Jewelers Workbench turned out well too.

I've already de-sprued and ground it.  It needs a little touching up and a final polish and it will be ready to deliver tomorrow!

For some reason Earthlink's email has been out of whack all weekend.  We can't access our mail at all.  All their support has said since yesterday is, "We are currently experiencing high call volume indicative of an email outage. We are currently investigating further and apologize for the inconvenience. Please continue to check this site for updates."  Jeepers.

Our Dear Friend Greylond called us last night.  He's in the wilds of Mississippi.  He was sitting by his campfire enjoying a glass of wine and thinking of us.  I was having a glass of beer and had just thought of him shortly before he called.  We had a good long talk, about many things.  We each raised a glass, "To absent Friends!"

Sprueing & A Surprise!

This is a custom ring's wax that Pat carved for The Jewelers Workbench

Here's the pattern for A's Anniversary Brooch

Pat pricks the pattern with a pin to transfer the design to the blue carving wax.

I spent a lot of time thinking about how to sprue this piece . . .

There so much time in the carving that I want to ensure it casts perfectly!  I actually began sprueing this wax Wednesday, then decided I wasn't happy with it.  So I stopped and took a break.  These views are after I finished sprueing it Thursday . . .

I

I used three pieces of 6 gauge and one piece of 8 gauge wax sprueing wire.

Definitely better safe than sorry!

Thursday's high was only 52 degress; too cold to invest.  So I invested both flasks late this afternoon so they'd be ready to go in the kiln first thing in the morning!

I had to run to The Home Depot to pick up an extra bottle of oxygen.  Hmmm ~ gorgeous yellow primroses at the checkout for only $1.46.  They're such beautiful plants that I couldn't resist getting us one.  We may just have to go back for more!

Since I was out I swung by Ingles to pick up some ingrediants for dinner tonight (mussels fresh in from Maine with pasta).  For some reason as I strolled past the magazine section one caught my eye . . .  The April issue of Blue Ridge Country is out.  It's a special issue celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

I picked it up thinking about recommending it to our writer Friend Tim W..  When I leafed through it I found the Guild's ad on page 15 . . .  And there was our first Ancient Seas pendant!!!

What a Fun Surprise!

Oh Yeah!

We've been so busy that, among other things, I forgot to post these . . .!

I think it was last Friday, right before the snowstorm hit, that we shipped this pendant off to A. H. via UPS (his choice).

Oxidized Ridgelines Pendant,

Red Fern Agate complimented by a Garnet,

 in Sterling Silver with 14K Gold accents.

Today, after I shipped A.'s bracelet for Nancy and Norman, Pat delivered "Night Falls on the Mountain",  J. T.'s Ridgelines Pendant, and the Earrings to compliment it.

Oxidized Ridgelines Pendant,

Garnet, Maramumba

(a very special type of Australian Tiger Eye;

which is very difficult to photograph),

and Amber, in Sterling Silver with 14K Gold accents.

The Earrings are Sterling Silver with 14K Gold accents,

the stones are bezel-set Amber

Another view of J.'s Pendant.

Normally I would just delete images with so much light reflection.  But I'm glad we have this one, because it better shows the deep subtle colors of the primary stone.  (Now I'm sorry that I didn't take the time to set up my scrims and play with it more.  It's such a pretty stone, and the Hematite in it is so reflective, that I'm sorry that I didn't take the time to set up my scrims and take a proper photograph of it!)

Shipped!

One of the greatest and most satisfying things about being self-employed jewelers is getting to create really special pieces for really special people.  When our work is a gift for someone that is loved and cared for so much then our work becomes even more special, and more energized.  Since we both are Official Santa AElf Helpers it is a lot of Fun too!!!

We have been very busy this year, and this Winter!  And we have been snowed in for a few days (and I want to post some of the photos I took on a wonderful late night walk Saturday).  So we worked!  And I still haven't had a chance to post the in progress photos I'd taken of some very special Christmas gifts that we got to help design and then make real.  (And I am still determined to post the work shots because some of them are that cool!!!)

We shipped one of them out via FedEx today.  (Our shipper of choice!)  Nancy L. had the idea for this bracelet for one of nieces.

Since they can't share Christmas morning together, this is for Nancy and Norman so they can see what A. will see when she opens her Loving Aunt and Uncle's package Christmas morning!

Hand inscribed Christmas 2009  Bauman 14K

Her bracelet is constructed of 14 karat yellow gold.  The base of the bracelet is 6 mm wide and 1.5 mm thick, and was textured with a .5 mm burr after all of the soldering was completed.  We used twelve inches of 3 mm tall 20 gauge 14K sheet to make the individual ridges, which are individually soldered in place.  The AA Emerald is 3.5 mm wide and is set in a 14K yellow four-prong head.  All of the edges are carefully rounded and smoothed so that no part of the bracelet will snag or pull on something.

Nancy's bracelet turned out beautifully!  It is even more stunning in person.  The proportions worked out perfectly!

We hope that A. will have a Very Merry Christmas and that she will wearher bracelet for many happy years and that she will think of her Loving Aunt and Uncle when she does.