Mountain Morning For Jennifer & Ellen!

Mountain Morning

After searching for awhile I finally found the photo I'd promised to post for Jennifer and Ellen!

Mountain Morning was inspired by this spectacular Picture Jasper.  It sat on my desk for a long time because we just weren't sure how we were going to use it.  It called for really special Ridgelines pendant.

What's really cool is that this pendant so inspired Pat that she designed a new feature for it, that we've since used on a few other pendants.  As well as a hidden bail it has an extra clasp, similar to a pearl enhancer.  This fastens securely around the hand-knotted tiger eye beds.  This pendant is now in K.K.'s Collection.  So now she can wear it on the tiger eye beads or on her favorite chain!  Neat idea, huh?

And no Ellen.  We didn't make it to the Market Saturday!  My company came to town early and when Pat was ready to leave for the Market Asheville got hit with torrential rain.  At least I did pickle some sweet peppers.  It's a start.

I'm still having camera problems.  But we're not going to let that stop us from getting back to blogging.  Work might, but the camera won't!  Just as a teaser of what's to come here's, this photo was taken late this June.

Thirsty Sam at the Fountain

Special thanks to those that emailed and asked about us while we were so busy that we weren't posting.  As I said, all's well we were just working like crazy.  We still are for that matter!  But hopefully we're getting back in the habit again.

Our Furry Friends Benefit Bash ~ SARF

Jeannie sent us this photo of Starlit Mountains that she took.

(It came out better than mine did.)

Jeannie, the owner of The Jeweler's Workbench, in Waynesville, NC, donated this pendant for the silent auction being held for Sarge's Animal Rescue Foundation.  Sarge's is a no kill shelter and the furry friends need all of the help they can get!

The Furry Friends Benefit Bash will be Thursday, July 8th,  Information can be found by following either link.  It's nice to know that bidding has already begun on this pendant, because the idea is to help the furry folks.

For years Jeannie hasn't charged when she replaces watch batteries in her shop.  Instead, she has only asked that people make a donation to Sarge's.  She's made a big difference.  Now everyone can by going to the Benefit or making a donation to Sarge's Animal Rescue Foundation.

Our boys, Sam and Ink and my dear Okay, were all rescues.  Actually there were nine cats that we rescued a few years ago. We found homes for the other six and we became home for our boys.  So we have an extra level of respect and appreciation for Sarge's and the people that volunteer there!

I think it's time to go outside and see if anyone want s a lap to cuddle on for a little while . . .

While we Labor

Among other things, we've been busy getting ready for the July Guild Fair.  Right now Pat's in the second day of a three day class for teachers that she's taking to help prepare for the Guild's Education Outreach program.

I stopped working on waxes at 11:30 last night, then stayed up way too late with some interesting paperwork.  This morning has definitely started slower than it should have.  But I still had to come up for air and spend a couple of minutes outside.

While we Labor . . .

The Morning After . . .

We had a terrific thunderstorm last night.  This is what I found when I went out with my coffee this morning . . .

The new lilies have opened up beautifully!

One of my containers in our shady sitting area.

There was a Tiger at the watering hole!

More coleus.

Some of our lilies did survive the Winter.

The first bloom on our new mystery vine opened this morning!

These Dragon Wing Begonia's weathered the storm well.

When I was digging what's now the new herb bed Inky's little Tron friend appeared.

Are they guarding us from . . .

The Chinese Millet bloom ?!?

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 Yarden Update!

I still need to edit the photos of our newest work. This week is going to be another Fun one with some interesting work ahead of us. We'll be getting some work out to our galleries and we have, lets see, I think it's four special commissions to make! But, before getting to the work, here's what we've been doing for other kinds of Fun . . .

Sunday we went to Painter's Greenhouse for the next stage of their wonderful sale!

We came home with a wonderful mix of annuals, perennials and herbs!

We stopped at our little Ingles so Pat cold pick up some more Begonias.

How could I resist a couple of beautiful young squash plants?

Some of the Basil I potted up.  (Note to self:  Get more Basil ASAP!)

Pat and her Helper take a well earned break at the end of the day.

Inky's a good Guard Mountain Goat! 

Newly potted Dragon Wing Begonia beside Pat.

The new baby banana plant is peaking over the back of our bench.

Baby Squash!

Sugar Snap Pea Blossom; at an odd angle because

I've just started sending the vines back down their trellis.

One of our first Sugar Snap Pea pods!

When she heard we were collecting sedums and succulents for a new rock garden our fiber friend Sandra Rowland gave us two buckets crammed full of this type of sedum!

The others went into the lower rock wall.

The view from the bench Monday morning, after everything was watered in.

An unknown "wild orchid" blooming by our front door.

I bought one or packets of these at one of the big box stores years ago.

Now I have no idea what they are . . .  Except that they look like a miniature White Cattleya Orchid and they come back year after year!

Sneak Peak

A quick sneak peak at two of our newest jewelry explorations before we head off for the Gatlinburg Fine Arts Festival !

Christmas Fern

Budding Dianthus

The first fern and lichen pendants were named Reflections.  At this point we're leaning toward Botanical Ridgelines.  Have a Great Weekend!

Good Intentions . . .

Well, despite my Good Intentions it's been a week since I last posted . . .  Of course that just means we've been busy.  Very busy!!!

We're heading to Gatlinburg tomorrow.  Except for packing the car we're ready for the Gatlinburg Fine Arts Festival!  Friday night is the "A Night with the Artists" party, catered by the Ripley's Aquarium's Executive Chef ~ need I say more?

Last year's party was pretty amazing.  Great food, and a good time.  (You call that "heavy hors d'oeuvres"???  I'd call it two meals!)  Amazing chocolates too . . .  This year the location has changed.  What was once the banquet room at the Aquarium is now the new penguin exhibit!  Since the last meeting was canceled (because the Festival Committee was so on top of things) I'm going to make sure to finally get some photos of the really neat penguin environment.  (I want a sun room roof with moving water on top of it.  Really.  You'll see what I mean next week!)

Nope, no new photos up yet.  But I will be photograph our newest work in the morning.  This is the new evolution of our Ridgelines series.  Sort of a natural growth . . .

I was taking an afternoon break a couple of weeks ago and was sitting on our bench looking at the world.  My focus shifted and I really started to see what was right in front of me.  When I came in I showed Pat what I'd seen and told her about what I was thinking of trying.  Of course she said, "That's Cool!  Do it!  Make it real!"

We're unveiling the first of our Botanical Reflections at the Gatlinburg Fine Arts Festival Saturday.  We're looking forward to seeing what folks think and what Laurel and Craig and Emily and all of our friends at Arrowcraft think!

Photos up soon!

Happy Birthday Aunt Leola & New Work

(Belated) Happy Birthday Aunt Leola !!!

I photographed our Yellow Lady Slipper blooming just for you yesterday.  Pat and I hope that your Birthday was Wonderful and filled with Love and lots of Family!  (Thank you Tina for showing her this page!)

I'm sorry that I didn't get this photo posted until today!  Carl, Pat's son,  gave this beautiful plant to her years ago.  This year we have five stalks with three blooms!

I'm still having trouble with the camera's settings; which is why the backgrounds in the next photos are different tones.  Here are some of the pendants that we delivered to Allanstand, at the Folk Art Center, last week.

Full Moon

Fossilized Bali Coral and Fresh Water Pearls.

Reflections

Picasso Jasper with 14 K Gold accents.

Falling Water #3

Crysocolla, Boulder Opal and Emerald.

Close up details

Ancient Seas

Boulder Opal, Chrysoprase, and Fresh Water Pearls, with 14 K Gold accent.

Doorway Into Time

Labadorite with Fresh Water Pearls.

Night Falls on the Mountain

Australian Maramumba (an Australian Tiger Eye with Heatite and Jasper) with 14 K Gold Accents.

Hope that you enjoyed this glimpse of what we've been working on lately!  Back to work for me.  We have lots to do before the Gatlinburg Fine Arts Fetival next weekend and lots of new ideas to explore!

Just like our Sugar Snap Peas we're reaching for the sun!