It's Here

Any day now the Spring issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry magazine will be out and inspiring us all.  A good friend of mine, Deryn Mentock will be the featured artist.  I can't wait to see all of her eye candy.  If you are not familiar with Deryn's work, I encourage you to hop on over to her blog to see the glorious things she is up to. 

 I don't have my issue actually in hand as yet but do have an advanced copy of the piece Stampington did on my Heart to Heart heart boxes.  I am thrilled with the photography and layout of the article.  I can't compliment the people at Stampington enough and the exceptional job they do with all of their publications.  What an honor it was to be invited to submit my heart boxes.  

And in celebration of the spring issue, I now have my Heart to Heart Tutorial for sale in my Etsy store along with the first of two kits that will be available.  

Be sure to sign up for the giveaway I am offering for a complimentary Tutorial.  You will find the particulars down below in my last post.  If you happen to purchase the tutorial and are the winner of the giveaway (which will be selected March 11th), I will be happy to give you a refund for your tutorial purchase.

Thank you all for your continued support and encouragement to offer tutorials and on-line classes.  My next step will be to purchase a movie camera and try my hand at recording my classes in addition to learning and using iMovie.  

Giveaway

In celebration of my very first on-line tutorial, I would like to gift one of you special people with the tutorial.  My hope is to have the tutorial available for purchase the beginning of next week.  The tutorial will be on my Heartboxes which will be featured in the spring issue of Belle Armoire Jewelry Magazine soon to be in a store near you.  This step-by-step tutorial will cover the basics of soldering with a micro-butane torch, etching with ferric chloride, the use of patina, cold connections and more.  I have taken care to provide photos of almost every step to guide you as you proceed through each technique. I will also have kits available in my Etsy store by the end of next week. 

I will be available via email to answer any questions you might have along the way.  

If you would like to be entered into this giveaway, please become a follower of my blog, leave a comment on this post and if you would like to share the news of this giveaway and tutorial on your blog....that would just be the icing on the cake.

I will draw the lucky winner, Sunday, March 11th...so you have just two weeks.

Good luck!!!

Can You Say "Charming"

Living the good life here on the central coast of California and playing with creative souls this last weekend....what fun!

Riki Schumacher and I had the pleasure of team teaching this last weekend to a group of fantastic ladies. It doesn't get better than this for Riki and I.....sharing what we love, meeting new people, re-connecting with friends, getting our hands dirty with silver clay, using metalsmithing tools (can you tell Riki LOVES her jeweler's saw....you go girl), seeing the eagerness on students' faces as they learn new techniques, the excitement of seeing each and every fine silver creation emerge from the tumbler all bright and shiny, the pride that comes with accomplishing a difficult technique like making your very first rivet.....

I must apologize for not getting a picture of all of our students. Please visit Riki's blog to see our other students, Charlene, Sandy and Joy.  I'd like to introduce you to Jody and Theresa on the left and mother-daughter duo, Crystal and Claire (16 years old) on the right.  Claire created the sweetest darn elephant charm....a lot of talent in her young 16 years. 

Everyone did such an amazing job creating charms, etching, discovering patina, cold connections and learning the importance of problem solving in design.

Well, I must now tidy up my studio, put away all of my teaching supplies and continue working on my Heart-To-Heart Tutorial which I hope to have up and running within the  next few weeks.

I hope to also squeeze in a few movies before the Academy Awards this weekend.  I have only seen one of the films nominated this year.  Well I have 5 days .... I might just have to do a marathon movie day or two. I love films!!!

Have a fabo week!

Love Is

Love is....the enchanted dawn of every heart. ~ Lamartine

Love is ....a trembling happiness. ~Kahlil Gibran

Love is....the exchange of two fantasies and the contact of two skins. ~Nicholas Chamfort

Love is....to the moral nature exactly what the sun is to the earth. ~Balzac

Love is....the master key that opens the gates of happiness.

~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Love is....a second life; it grows into the soul, warms every vein, and beats in every pulse. ~Joseph Addison

Love is....the beauty of the soul. ~St. Augustine

Love is....light from heaven; A spark of that immortal fire. ~Lord Byron

Love is....the Mother of Art, inspirer of poet, patriot, and philosopher.  ~unknown

This past week I have been playing with etchant, brass, bling and FIRE.  I love using my butane torch to solder elements together and creating interesting textures on whimsical shaped brass.  

Now it is off to preparing for Riki Schumacher and my Charming Romance class coming up in a few short weeks.  Riki and I had so much fun shopping for the kits for this class.  Part of the joy for us is making our students feel ever so special and treating them to sweet surprises.  We do have a few spots left in the class....so if you would like to join us, just check out the class flyer under "Classes" above for details.  It is a class packed full of techniques:  fine silver clay, etching, and cold connections.

As I prepare for Valentine's Day, I am filled with so many loving memories of my hubby of 32 years.  What a blessing he is to my life. His enduring love, constant support in whatever I do, kindness, care taking in the not-so-good times, strength and purity of heart are constant reminders why I fell in love with him.  My heart is full!

Happy Valentine's Day!