Getting back into the swing of things.

Well, I knew I'd be busy when I first got home, but whew! I'm just now getting my feet under me after being back for well over a week.  The MayDay YayDay fair was great fun.  What a beautiful venue.  Many long days could be eased by their proximity to a very fine bakery I think!

I filled this past weekend up with a workshop on Saturday: mould-making with John Bear.  Geared towards potters, but I think I can adapt it somewhat to working with metal.  I must look up how durable plaster of paris is when molten metal is poured into it.... I think Susan Stopps may have mentioned something about that during our casting week.  It sure would be nice to make moulds I could use more than once when I eventually get the right equipment for dealing with molten metal.  And on Sunday, H and I went panning for gold.  Yes.  Seriously.  We also seriously didn't find any.  But it was a great day to be tramping about in the woods.  Tea and herring over a fire.  Nothing better.

Now I'm trying to put my nose to the grindstone and make some production jewellery.  I'm signed up for a table at the RCMP Veteran's Association Convention next week, being held at the Sheraton Hotel.  We'll be set up in the lobby for 3 days, so a comfortable and very public venue, that I expect will draw members of the general public as well.  I'm still working on making a quantity of new designs that are "fair friendly".  It's been a challenge trying to focus on what I can make now with the tools I have, after being spoiled with such a well equipped studio in Haliburton!  It's tougher than I expected that's for sure. 

I do love riveting, and I like the texture I get with my riveting hammer, so I've been using those techniques.  I also have some copper fuming over ammonia to patina it.  I'd like to find some sawdust so I can get more interesting effects with that.  Below is the first rinse and scrub: imagine if that blue would stay on the metal!

But now I must get out for a walk before the day is done.  And find some chocolate.  Yes I do believe I hear its call....