Safety First ;-)

Making stuff has been on hold this week while we do a few fixes in the shop. There's nothing like molten silver trying to roll off the bench onto the floor to get you moving! And then I thought what if it had made it to the floor and melted a hole in the acetylene hose...not good. Time to re-level.

Supplies: A couple of extra-long deck screws

Tools: a level, a length of pipe, a hydraulic jack, and a cordless drill with a screwdriver bit

Step 1: Place jack and pipe under front edge of bench and raise it a bit for support.

Step 2: Undo screw holding brace at wall.

Step 3: Place level on bench and raise jack until bench is level.

Step 4: Fasten brace to wall using extra-long deck screw.

Step 5: Repeat for additional brace.

The best part was that I never even had to move stuff off the bench. Thanks, Ed!

Show schedule update

Ed had some issues last year with the heat at a show, so I'm being cautious and haven't booked anything until fall. Applications are out and I'm waiting to hear from shows, so keep checking back.

Show reports

We're back from Kerrville and the Texas Arts and Crafts Festival. This one includes fine art and fine craft from all over Texas. We got to see a lot of our friends from Gruene and make a few new ones, too. The weather was hot (it's summer in Texas, after all), but we had good shade under a tent in a grassy area--no pavement!--and a fan to keep the air moving, so we stayed comfortable enough. This was a new show for us and could certainly become a favorite very quickly!

Art in the Park in Arlington was a lot of fun, too. Since all the artists at Crystal Moon come and go as our schedules permit, we don't always get to meet one another. So we spent the day with Teresa, Eli, Jack, Carol (owner), Richard (her son), Dewayne, Blanche, and Marvin and his wife. The music was energetic but super loud, and we spent most of our time shouting at the top of our voices.

Art in the Park Saturday May 22

Crystal Moon Gallery has put together a co-op of artists for Art in the Park at Arlington Highlands on Saturday. I'll be there with some new work--things that aren't in the store--from noon or a little before until five. They tell us that we'll be in front of Ann Taylor Loft not too far from the stage. The weather looks like it will be nice and sunny, so come visit with us for awhile.

I'm in a gallery!

Yes, it's true--I'm in a gallery. David and Carol Abbott have opened the Crystal Moon Gallery in Ridgmar Mall in Fort Worth, and I'm one of the participating artists. This means there is a place where people can visit my jewelry in person and touch the pieces they're interested in.

There are several jewelers there, along with potters, glass-workers, woodworkers, painters, a weaver, and select antiques (really and truly old and unique) and fossils. Since David is also a silversmith and lapidary, they also have loose cut stones and rough materials to choose from.

Website is Finally Up!!!

I finally have a *real* website up and running. It's at www.windingroadjewelry.com.

The offerings are pretty limited, but this is the week I have scheduled for taking pictures and doing the updates. I'm not planning on putting my entire inventory on the web, so if you saw something at a show it's still best to email or call me about it.

Rocks for Christmas

Yep, I'm thinking about Christmas again already. I'm out in the shop turning boring old rocks into gorgeous gems for this fall's jewelry designs. The question of the week is whether I'll get the stones finished or grind off my knuckles first.