updating since November!

This is a necklace I made a few weeks ago.  Probably is a little hard to tell but it is a domed piece of copper held together with brass eyelets and silver wire.  How long have I been out of the loop?  Last time I placed an order for silver I think it was around $18 an ounce.  Imagine my shock at yesterday's prices!  Upwards of $39 an ounce! :-O I think I'll be using up what I have and then working with lots of lovely colored copper wire and base metals!  This piece was one of those immediate ideas that came to me and I just sat down and banged the whole thing out, except for the blue colored copper, which took longer for a nice patina.  I am really liking the look of stacked flat beads and metal elements these days and as always, I love gemstone drops!  This one is a gorgeous faceted citrine tear drop.  I have very little sterling chain left.  *sigh*  When will prices come down, people?  I really like silver chain with my pendants!

A close up of the pendant.  Because I cut out my own round copper pieces, I don't always get them perfectly round (even though I try!).  Consequently, when I use the dapping block, sometimes the pieces get a bit wonky and warped  out of shape.  After I hammered and banged (and annoyed the neighbors to no end), I was bemoaning that this piece didn't come out perfect on both sides to match evenly.  WAAAAAAAA!!!  BUT!  I then discovered that if I held both wonky domed halves together and held them tight, then lightly tapped the perimeter with my little hammer, each wonked half conformed to the other and it fit perfectly, wonks and all!  This one is not yet for sale, but probably will be soon on my long, long empty etsy shop.  Just for the heck of it, here is the link http://jenniferstumpf.etsy.com.

Many things have happened this year of 2011 so far.  Painful still is the death of our sweet dog, Lucy.  We had her for fifteen years, since she was 10 weeks old, when I found her broken and bleeding by the side of the road, having been thrown from a car and abandoned.  We were lucky to have her for so many wonderful years and she is missed to no end.   Rest in peace, Lucy!  You deserve it and we will see you again, sweet girl!  August 1996- February 23, 2011.

Ah....  still makes me cry.  Hasn't been that long.  But we are still inspired to save another little life via animal shelter rescue and even though it hasn't been very long, we have started looking for that little critter that clicks with us.  It's not like there is a shortage of dogs or cats or other critters for adoption and life is too short and precious to wait!

What else?  I splurged and treated myself to a Bernina sewing machine.   I taught myself to crochet and LOVE it.  Needlework is still a passion, especially tambour embroidery.  The University of Kentucky School of Fine Arts is calling my name again in May for the next advanced master class in tambour embroidery.  The instructor has taken and completed the coveted Lesage school of professional couture, and he is most excellent at his art.  I am in awe of his abilities.  Since I can't get to Paris for the several hundred hour class myself, I head for Kentucky once a year for a week to learn all I can from Bob Haven.  Most exciting!!

Hope life is treating everyone well.  It there is anything that I continually learn, it is that we need to be kind to each other.

My husband and I are heading out for an evening power walk now.  We both are trying to get into better shape.  Ten hours prone in a chair at work has not worked wonders on my physique!