The Flying Pig

Absolutely super day at The Flying Pig Gallery. It was their 10th Anniversary and I saw more people I had not seen in a long time. It was great. Thank you so much Dawna and Roxanne for stopping out along with Amber and her sisters. Everyone there had a big smile with the band playing, iron pouring and wine pouring. What’s Not To Love!

Iron pour. 

Can you see me? I’m way in the background and no you really can’t see me. The only picture I have of myself is terrible. Wouldn’t want to scare you.

See I said everyone was smiling…. Love you R & S

The following pics are of Summertime in Wisconsin and new things I have made over the past couple weeks. 

And this is why we live here…..

A five year old smiles 400 times a day…. 

This frog is not smiling. He is probably terrified.

Roman Glass… Glass is 2,000 years old….

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/155037288/ancient-roman-glass-necklace-sterling

The Kewaunee River

Angels Sinners Saints Necklace: Saints/Sinners piece swivels back and forth.

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/155516900/flaming-heart-necklace-angels-sinners

West Alaska Lake Kewaunee Co. Wisconsin

Lake Michigan Cave Point Co. Park Door Co. Wisconsin

Flaming Heart Sterling Silver Ring

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/155517584/flaming-heart-ring-sterling-silver

Goddess Earrings Adorned with White Topaz Gemstones

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/155517316/goddess-earrings-sterling-silver-white

Chandelier Earrings Labradorite, Pearl, Chalcedony, Garnet Gemstones…. 

Link: https://www.etsy.com/listing/155521661/sterling-silver-gemstone-earrings

Pretty and Ugly all at the same time.

Summer….Enjoy… Life is short. Summer here is short. Childhood robbed by time.

Cave Point Door Co Wisconsin Hiking Lake Michigan Shoreline.

Not Jewelry Related

Did not get much jewelry made today but got my garden in. The kids love it. They plant and take care of their own stuff. I have mostly flowers but put in a salsa garden as I love fresh salsa and BLTs. I also have about 8 grape vines… TrollHogen Grapes, nice name, huh… Great snacking grape and very winter hardy as they come from Michigan. Looks like I might have lost one vine this year though. It was a really harsh winter.
We have acreage here on a small river. We thought we were crazy when we bought it but it was the best move we could have made. The county we live in has one stop light in the entire county, Kewaunee County. North of us is Door County. Door County is one of the top ten vacation spots in the entire country and top 20 vacation spots in the world. It’s a little Martha’s Vineyard…. Gorgeous. If you look at a map of the state of Wisconsin it is in the shape of a mitten. I live in the center of the thumb. Door County is the tip of the thumb. The Bay of Green Bay is on one side and Big Ol’ Lake Michigan on the other side. It’s a beautiful place to live a quiet life. In the winter, well, as my friend Maggie calls it….the white death, just put on a sweater and make something by the fire.
Tomorrow I begin a men’s custom order bracelet and a woman’s custom ordered spinner ring which I have to melt down and make a gold ingot for so I can use her gold in the design of the ring. I love doing that. It’s the ultimate in recycling.
For now I’m going to see if I can call that stupid turkey in for some corn. Cannot believe he is still hanging around. Back in the studio in the morning.

Tools: Getting Pitch Bowl Ready

 

I set up my pitch bowl and it was very straight forward. I used thinset for setting tile because I had some in the basement. You can use cement or even pumice stone to partially fill the bowl. Mix with water to a peanut butter consistency and put in the bowl.

 

 

 

Let the cement or whatever you used ‘set up’ and push some holes in it with your fingers. This gives a space for the pitch melt into it and makes it nice and secure so your pitch never slides around or pops out of the cast iron bowl.

 

Break up your pitch – wear goggles or glasses… it’s sharp and flies around.

 

Melt… You can melt your pitch on the stove in a pan and pour it in the bowl… I did not want pitch in one of my pans. You can melt pitch in the oven in the cast iron bowl itself.. I did not want the bowl in my oven and the weird smell of pitch melting in my house. I used a heat gun which does the job pretty fast. It has two settings 550 degrees and 1000 degrees. I also use the heat gun (Milwaukee brand – Home Depot $65) to warm the pitch and release/adhere the metal while chasing. When you are done you want the pitch melted into a slight mound, a gradual curve over the rim of the bowl.

I have used pitch in classes to hold on to objects too (like a ring while setting a stone)… works great for that as well.

Spoon Ring and Other Things

I am going to post the making of this Spoon Ring next week. I have enjoyed it so much and the ring is double sweet because of repurposing something old, not being used to something new that will be used and bonus (the double sweet part) it’s really beautiful!

Here is the spoon.

Again will show how to make this next week. I have several to make for a few people and it’s a fun process.

~ Turquoise Stone Necklace ~

~ Crazy Lace Agate Stone with handmade chain ~ This necklace is really beautiful. The picture does not do it justice. It’s huge for starters and the stone is very detailed. It was very hard to capture the entire piece and it’s presence in a photo. I will send this necklace to the gallery I sell in so it gets the right attention it deserves. The pictures just do not work with this piece. Yes, always struggling with pictures. Story of my life.

Riveted Sterling Leaf Earrings… Simple but Sweet. The curves on the ear wire are really nice. Having a rolling mill makes all the difference. The curves become perfect.

Everyone have an awesome day! It’s really shaping up to be a beautiful summer here! Enjoy!

Madison Show

Got home from Madison last night. I learned a lot at this show. Funny how you know things about yourself and it takes something like this show to just verify it. I really like being outside and I am an outside kind of person. I really missed being outside at this show. I had not ever done an indoor show and it really changes everything. I missed the elements, the noises, the breeze, the festival atmosphere of being outside. Nothing to do with the show itself…. I just did not really like being indoors.

I did learn that the ‘Square’ credit card payment app on my iPad is awesome. Worked like magic… not kindling… magic. The people loved it too. They were instantly emailed a detail receipt with my photo and logo on it. It also has a feature to text the receipt to their cell phone number. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Took two seconds to check a person out and send them their receipt.

Also my indoor sign and booth set up was awesome. Very dynamic looking on a corner. At this show it stole the show hands down. That is really rewarding because I have worked really hard on my display being original and completely handmade by me. Had a computer software company want me to make them a sign out of barn wood like my sign. I declined the offer but gave them detailed instructions on how to make their own in a similar fashion. It was for a some special room in their building with a theme to it….

Good to be home and looking forward to doing an outdoor show in the sun shine.

Earrings Done

These are gorgeous and simple… The topaz set is even sweeter being slightly smaller… Here is the links to them online: https://www.etsy.com/listing/97788174/hammered-circle-amethyst-briolette?listing_id=97788174&listing_slug=hammered-circle-amethyst-briolette