The Charger says, "I'm Baaaaack!!!" and Finally Some of Our Latest Work

It's feels so good to have the charger back and the camera back in action!  YEAH!!!

First I celebrated by sending Kathy and Tom a photo of her new Starry Jasper Ridgelines pendant with Marcasite accents.  But, sorry, I'm not posting it until they have a chance to see it.

So, as promised, here are some photos of our latest work!  The new lights have helped tremendously, but something still isn't just quit right.  (I know about the focus problems on some of them, but I'm so happy to be able to shoot them that I'm posting them anyway!)  I don't know if anyone can tell, but to me the colors still aren't perfectly right.

A Spectacular Picture Jasper

$275.00

We make our hidden bails as large as possible, so the pendants can be worn on a favorite chain.  This one looks so great on an omega chain that I have to figure out how to suspend it so I can photograph it on an omega!

Copper in Epidote & Quartz.

$295.00

  I'm going to keep shooting until I do this incredible stone justice!

(Slightly out of focus) Boulder Opal Ridgelines Pendant.

SOLD September 13th, 2010.

The Boulder Opal moves very freely from the suspension rings, the framing rings are static.  Even though I still need to to the final polish on the edges of the Ridgelines, I couldn't resist photographing this pendant!

A Glowing Carnelian.

SOLD September 13th, 2010.

We both love them all, and we get to work with some truly great stones.  Carnelian and Labadorite might well be two of my personal favorites.  (Subject to change depending on what we're working on or playing with!)

Apache Rhyolite.

$225.00

Both the Rhyolite and the surrounding circle/ring move freely on this Ridgelines Pendant.

These are just the latest pieces we've finished recently.  We have another seven custom pieces in line and a few more in the design/quote stage.  Custom work is always first off our bench so sometimes there's no telling what else will be finished in what order, but we have bezels made for another dozen stones and the designs are flowing!

I'll try to post some more photos of works in progress as we go.

Isn't it nice to be able to photograph as much as you want whenever you want?!?

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!

Whimmy Diddles & Weaving . . .

Since the camera's charger left Colorado yesterday and the battery is so low I thought I'd take a look back at what was happening around this time last year.  Which, appropriately enough was the Guild's Annual Heritage Days held at the Folk Art Center!

Alwin Wagener forging a steel Whimmy Diddle.

We'll definitely be going to Heritage Days again next weekend in a couple of weeks (the 18th & 19th).  It's a weekend of that much Free Fun for Everyone!  This year will be the Guild's 30th Annual Heritage Days at the Folk Art Center ~ so it has been a major occasion since the Guild and the community dedicated the Folk Art Center thirty years ago!  

From March through December the Folk Art Center's lobby is filled with Guild members demonstrating and explaining their craft work.  They are some of the best interpretive folks around!  Hard working and inspired craft people that love their work and are happy to tell you anything you'd like to know about it.

Liz Spear Demonstrating hand weaving

(Pat and I are handwoven addicts.  We're also, um, "string challenged"!)

It's fascinating to watch.  Pat and I are jewelers and we work with our hands in such a different way.  I'm always amazed and can't help wondering:

How does she make her hands and feet do that?!?

For Heritage Days the focus is on traditional Appalachian handcrafts.  The auditorium is filled with even more demonstrators, and the hillside hosts sheep shearers, bee keepers, and lots more.  There's great traditional music and clogging and above all, there is the 30th Annual World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition!

Sandra Rowland's Childrens' Activities

Making Corn Husk Dolls

There's Great Traditional Music

Clogging

And above all, there is the Annual World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition!!!

What's a Gee Haw?  And what's a Whimmy Diddle???  Well, it's an old old toy.  It doesn't get much simpler than a notched stick with a propeller on one end and rubbing the notches with another stick.  You can make the propeller gee (swing to the right) or haw (swing to the left).  They tell me you can even control it.  I'm not sure I believe 'em even though I think I've seen it with my own eyes . . .

For the competition you have to gee and haw on command and the judges very carefully try to count how many spins the propeller makes in a certain amount of time!

Colonel Buncombe Makes It All Sound So Very Easy!

The Kids Competition Heats Up

You Get Moon Pies For Placing!

This Young Lady Won the Adults Division

The Big Dogs Compete

This Is The  World Professional Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition. 

Now this is the serious competition!  To get to this level you have to have won at least one Adult World Whimmy Diddle Competition.  And they are very good and very fast!  (And how do they make their whimmy diddles do that???)

How High Can The Judges Count???

Young Mister Hines Won the 2009 World Professional Whimmy Diddle Competition

Moon Pies and a trophy!  And his name is inscribed on the Real Trophy.  (Photos after the next weekend's World Whimmy Diddle Competition!)  And even better yet, he has bragging rights for a year.  He's the Best Professional Whimmy Diddler in the World.

Thank about that!

Liz had just finished weaving this yardage.

She made my all time favorite shirt from the fabric on top.  It even has boy buttons!

Bet you can't stop at just one . . .

Time for me to get back to work!  I have waxes to sprue and invest.  A couple of custom pendants to photograph (if I have enough charge left) and lots more to do.  I hope you enjoyed a look back at last year's Heritage Days.  If you can, come on out to the Folk Art Center next weekend on the 18th and 19th.  I'll bet, like us, you'll come back every year!

[Edited to correct my date mistakes!]

Mz. Fanzy Pantz & Picasso Jasper

One mystery is solved . . .  We left the camera's charger at Pat's Dad's in Colorado!  It's on the its way home now.  Which is Good News.  So it only seems fitting to share some photos from our visit with Terry and David at Moondance Ranch.  The incomparable

Mz. Fanzy Pantz

and her friends.  She's as sweet as she is gorgeous.  We meet them when Terry and David introduced us to their neighbor . . .

and one of the herds' guard Great Pyrenees,

and the Guard Lama.  Like an Old West gunslinger, a piece of straw dangled from her mouth through our whole visit.

No visit could be complete without paying homage to Boomer the Magnificent!  (Sorry Reggie and Paj, but somehow your stall photos didn't come out!)

We have lots of work in progress now, and no photos of any of them!  Pat finished K.K.'s new Starry Jasper and Marcasite pendant yesterday.  It's really spectacular!  I'll post a photo of it as soon as I can re-charge the camera.  Actually, I'll post photos of the other five new pendants then too!

Until then here's Stormy Morning a Picasso Jasper pendant we made early this Spring. 

Like Mountain Morning, it features both a hidden bail and a handmade pearl enhancer-style fastener.

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 . . .