I'll be teaching new classes at Stars

Friday, October 29, 10-4pm, Dandelion and Daggers

No experience needed for this fun and easy class.  Gather all your daggers, flowers, leaves and other top-drilled beads and learn how to make this awesome macramé bracelet.

 
Friday, November 19, 10-4pm, Steampunk Style

Learn to etch, rivet, shape, texture, patinate, torch and cut out metal while making a linked bracelet or watch band.  Students will work with copper and brass sheet metal and wire which they will cut, shape and etch and then embellish with watch parts and other "steampunk" elements. 

I will have old keys, watch parts and stamps available and hopefully some goodies which I have gleaned from the flea markets in Paris and Provence which my husband and I will be visiting on Sept. 24-Oct 9 (to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary!).

Registration begins Monday, September 13, 10am.  Contact Stars Beads, (703) 938-7018.  Hope to see you there!
 

Great Falls Studios Tour, Oct. 16-17

Over 40 artists will be opening their studios (me, too!) in and around Great Falls for this once a year BIG event. 

This will likely be the only public opportunity for you to see my new work this Fall. 

Come visit in my treetop studio where I will demonstrate etching on metal at noon each day.  See also an array of gorgeous new necklaces with pearls in amazing colors and shapes.

Look for our program booklet (it's one you will want to keep for reference) with photos and descriptions of each participating artist's work  and a colorful map of Great Falls with studio locations.  The booklet will be abundantly available throughout Great Falls, including restaurants, hardware store and library, or, if you are geographically challenged, email me and I'll be happy to send you one.
 
Also, look for our Great Falls Studios 36-page insert in The Connection newspaper (Great Falls,

McLean and Reston editions) on October 6. 

As in the booklet, all the same map, photos and artist information, plus great ads from businesses in our community (including an "advertorial" by me ... but you'll have to look to see what that is all about :).

 

Maine, the Way Life Should be

The oft-repeated slogan that sums up perfectly the lifestyle and attitude of this laid back State.  I say it frequently when we have a glorious day of weather and scenery or when we have an unexpected encounter that seems far removed from our experience in the suburbs of Northern Virginia. This was the case when I recently sought to have my jewelry-making wire cutters sharpened.  They were manufactured by a company called XURON,  which just happens to be located in Saco, Maine. 

I have two pairs which have had heavy use over the last five years or so, and they've performed wonderfully.  The #2175F Maxi-Shear is especially useful in classrooms because it has a retainer which latches onto the short piece of wire that can fly across the room unless you hold your finger right next to it as you're cutting.  It will cut up to 12 gauge wire.  The other #9200 is a workhorse with tapered head and can cut up to 14 gauge wire.  Both are under $25 and THEY'RE AMERICAN MADE!

Both of my cutters were dull and nicked from use.  When I emailed the company, I was warned that they might not be able to "fix" them because of the nicks.  I sent them anyway, figuring things couldn't get worse.  When I followed up a few days later, I was told that they were beyond repair but XURON WAS GOING TO REPLACE THEM AT NO CHARGE!
 
So this is my testimonial to this excellent company and the products they make.  I recommend them to you!
 
XURON CORP. 62 Industrial Park Road, Saco, Me. 04072.  Email:  [email protected]; www.xuron.com.  These products may be purchased from www.RioGrande.com and www.Contenti.com  among others.