Strange Period

I must be in the middle of my own winter this year because I am tired 90% of the day (and 100% of the night). Which means that I have to optimise the 10% of the day when I actually do feel energetic, and unfortunately writing on the blog falls out of the boat most of the time. But not only! I have bought a Sievert system to be able to solder at home, like two weeks ago. And I got it out of it's box (step 1), about a week ago. Now it is waiting for me to go upstairs to my neighbour and get a tool to correctly mount it to the gas bottle (step 2)... maybe in 3 weeks? I am not proud of myself :-(

Brooches

Today I was told that I might bring back the brooches! Were they ever gone then? Didn't realise that. Surely, life can't be just about rings :-( I know I haven't been very active lately on my blog. I have all sorts of good reasons for that, but when my very own daddy called me to bust me ass on not keeping him up to date, I thought it was time for a little post ;-) So daddy, I have been working within my art-deco theme, on a brooch with citrine. The goal is to finish it by the end of the week, so I can work on the earrings again. The piece is compose of 4 different pieces sawn out of 1.2 sterling plate (my own alloy), then mounted with a wire structure around a collet setting. I now need to check all the soldering, cleanup, and make the finished, including the pin at the back, so it could be send off for the stone to be set. Labour intense, but finally a piece I feel I wouldn't be embarrassed to wear...

Mathematics

Mila loves Maths. Good. Because it seems no matter what you do you run into the numbers. How to get a caddy full of groceries for under 60euro -only at Lidl ;-) ?, how to fill out tax forms and of course?, when making jewellery. We had our theoretical examination today, which I had forgotten about, but it really was easy-peasy. How to correct a wrong alloy of 835 to obtain 925 silver... In two more years even Mila will see this "rule-of-three" in class. More difficult are the geometrics I had to do today to calculate the distance between the holes in my 1.5mm diamond eternity band and also to design the setting for my stone... At the end the calculations are still more easy then drilling holes!

Art-Deco

Found the theme for Module 3: Art-Deco. I have always been fascinated by this period's architecture and art, and today when the teacher showed us some beautiful pieces from this period, I thought I'd give it a try. Only two pieces of this module need to be designed by us: a pair of earrings with hinge and a stone or object set with a collet setting, and I was thinking of creating a brooch or pin with that stone, an oval citrine.

Back in the saddle!

Since last post a few days have gone by. I lost my way for a few days, but found the track again! After having slept too little in order to think straight, followed by another few days sobbing because the results of my pieces fro module 2 were not what I had hoped for, this dark period ended with a kick under the butt. Right, module 3 seems like a lot of difficult work, but I needn't be afraid, I just need to sit behind the bench, ignore my friends and family, my dirty laundry and dusty house and WORK harder! 

Yesterday I fixed myself a new bench pin. The old one is been given retirement and I hope it finds it's new space in the shelf just fine. I bought the pin online and found this wonderful pattern of how to cut out the different spaces online as well. So I innocently headed to the nearest DIY shop to ask them to use a fancy tool to cut it for me, but apparently, my blond-angelic face didn't work it's miracle this time. Plan B was to twist my lovely neighbour's arm to make him do it.. and it kind of worked, as he dropped of some handtools for me to do it myself... I gathered my courage and did the best I could... but did stop after the main cut-out ;-)

Over-worked and under-intoxicated

Or make that intoxicated after all. All the spray paint and glue, as well as the acid evaporating, I feel really intoxicated. High! With difficulties to breathe and a fast heart beat. Check in on me later this morning just to make sure that I survived the (short) night. OK, Day-1; check-in:

- 5 band rings: 1 to go

- 5 semi-sphere rings: soldered the broken flower; need to do the finishing, polishing etc

- tube: ok

- cabouchon: black fire shadows (that's what I call them at least) :-(

- 3D necklace: finishing, polishing etc

and about 30 hours to go. I am well-advanced with the presentation of the pieces too... so although I have hardly slept the last few days, and my body is filled with deadline-worker-stress, I might actually make it in time... not perfectly, but hopefully well enough to make it to round 3!! 

Goodnight to you all!!

Happy New... Stress 2014

This morning it downed on me: F*ck, in just a few days it is Monday again. And the coming Monday will be a stressful one: exam day, module II. I am not happy with any piece in particular so far and what blocks me is the lack of the right tools to solder, to polish and the lack of material to start again (pure silver but no possibility to alloy). I dressed up real nice (V asked me what the hell I was up to so early in the day), and took Mila (as support and because of the cute-factor), and went to a jewellery store which knows me as a client and who has a very friendly owner. Goal: get him to allow me into his studio to work on my pieces tomorrow. All the effort didn't pay off, as he wasn't going to take the risk of having a control and having to explain I am not an illegal worker in his shop :-( I do understand where he comes from but I was also disappointed. The only thing that keeps me going is the support of my fellow students who all are facing the same type of problems. I moved my studio for it to be in the center of my living room now, because in the corner it is cold and I felt like I was being punished. I then resumed work and spend all evening until now at the bench. Made new todo lists etc... long way to go, the end is NOT in sight just yet :-( Luckily have you too listen to my complaints and sheer me up!

Oh, by the way: Happy New Year 2014!!