And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

I hope you are having a wonderful Holiday Season!

Intermediate Stone Setting

A few weeks ago, I took a two-day workshop given by Wayne Werner through MASSC on intermediate stone setting. We looked at flush, pave, and prong setting diamond cut stones. These are things I "know" how to do, but am not practiced at, and don't own all the tools for, so I thought it would be good for me to practice with a master. Mr. Werner was funny and great to learn from. The photo above was him demonstrating pave setting using a large, green, diamond shaped, glass paperweight and setting it into a tub of vanilla ice cream using a spoon graver to raise beads of "metal" over the edge. That was on the 2nd day of the workshop. The first day was spent entirely on flush setting. After the demo, it was the attendees' turn to try it out. I actually got the stone to "pop" into the setting I made on the first try, so Wayne gave me a sticker for my optivisor. It says, "Rock Star" on it. He didn't see the part where the stone fell out after I thought I had it burnished in place.

I did manage to get my three CZ's flush set into my a bit of copper and one pave set into a bit of silver. The pave one is a mess, but it's in there. I need a lot more practice with a graver. obviously. I didn't have time to attempt the prong setting at the workshop, but I will work on it. I now have a wish list which includes a huge assortment of setting burrs and stones. We did make two burnishers - steel and brass - I love making my own tools! Mr. Werner also gave a presentation of his body of work and of Foredom tools - I have a wonderful Foredom Flex Shaft, but there are so many great accessories for it and some other fantastic toys I cannot afford nor have space for, but covet greatly. The hardest part of the workshop was writing the article for the MASSC newsletter, which I volunteered to do. I hope I got everything right in it.

Favorite Finds

For me? Pour moi?

I should be shopping for Christmas gifts, but I keep finding fantastic things that I want to fill my home and closet with. Here are just a few of them.

1. earth sky shino bowl recycled glass matcha chawan tea bowl

There's something wonderful about drinking tea from a tea bowl and this one has a gorgeous glaze. I could look at it all day.

2. jigsaw kimono jacket

I love this jacket. The satin ties and the rough cotton are perfect together.

3. Little Goth Riding Hood Cape organic linen simple and sweet cape from down de bayou

I may need to invent a reason to need a blue capelet.

4. dent de lion

This photographer's work has a dreamy quality that I love.