I'm marking it down to learning

Woot! Just got back from my Jewelry/Metalsmithing I class session at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle.

So cool! We just learned about annealing metal (ie heating it till it glows with an acetylene torch, then dropping it in water to quench it, and putting it in sodium bisulfate to remove the oxides), forging it (hammering!), and filing it.

I made a copper cuff bracelet out of a piece of 6 gauge wire. It's kind of lopsided and imperfect, but I'm pretty darn proud of my first attempt with metal. I'll post a picture sometime this week.

Been a busy but fun weekend. I did a "jewelry extreme makeover" on a coral necklace from my mom, that I plan to keep for myself, made 3 bracelets to sell in my etsy shop, repaired the clasp on another bracelet, and spiffied up a very cool charm bracelet I bought on ebay. Pictures of all projects to follow in a later post - one thing I didn't get to was photography.

I got a request from a family friend for two sets of mother-daughter necklaces. Woo hoo! Now I just need to figure out what to make. Being a techie at heart, it's hard to start a project like this without detailed specs. I guess that's where the arty side of me kicks in, right? I sure hope it does. But I'm just thinking about ideas and have had a few already, so I think it'll be fun.

Everyone, please think happy thoughts for my parents' dog, Mona. She has been diagnosed with lymphoma, poor thing. They've started treatment for it so hopefully she will get better soon. Hugs to her, and to my parents.