Happy New Year

Reflections on the year gone by:
The Christmas rush and fuss is over for another year. Again it was a wonderful time filled with family and friends. We are very thankful that Ron's dad was able to be with us this year. Things have been so touch and go with him lately that we count each day as a blessing.Moses finished his first semester at Presbyterian with A's & B's, a girlfriend, as a pledge for Alpha SIgma Phi, and voluntarily being a member of the Monday Night Discussion Group aka Bible study. I am so amazed at the way he and all his friends have transformed themselves in just a short 6 months. It is hard to believe that in May that Senioritis ruled their lives and now in December they are quite the compentent young adults.

It has been an industrious year for Ron and his fellow mountain bikers. They have now carved out 6+ miles of single track trail. I had to laugh when he asked for bulbs and such to plant at the entrance to the trail. Ron completed this year of biking with very few injuries. This means either he is riding more cautiously or he is riding the less difficult trails. Either way it is nice not to have had any broken bones to tend this year.

As for myself it has been a most rewarding year. I have been so lucky to have had the opportunities to study under Sara Stine and Marcia Macdonald at the Sawtooth Center. I am looking forward to classes with them both in 2008. I am also going to get my first level certification in Precious Metal Clay this spring of 2008. Can't wait to do it. At the top of my wishlist is taking a weeklong class with Marcia at the Penland School. The other thing I hope to do this coming year is to teach a few classes.

Here is wishing that everyone will have a happy and rewarding New Year.

May grace and peace be yours,
Sue

What is Precious Metal Clay and Why should you Care?

From the PMC Guild site (see link):
"Precious Metal Clay, PMC, is an exciting material developed and patented in the 1990s by Mitsubishi Materials of Japan. Microscopic particles of silver are mixed with a moist binder to create a material that has the feel and working properties of modeling clay. Using simple tools, objects are easily given shape, texture, and character. After air-drying, the objects are heated to temperatures approaching the melting point of the metal, where the particles fuse together to make a dense, fully metallic object. Fired PMC work can be polished, soldered, enameled, and enjoyed like any other silver item. PMC is available in three different versions of silver and in a 22k gold alloy.

Who is using PMC? Jewelers, certainly, who immediately appreciate the ability to achieve effects that would either be time consuming or impossible through traditional methods. Ceramists and polymer clay artists naturally gravitate to PMC too, as do dollmakers, beadmakers, and artists who work with glass. PMC spans all ages, with advocates as young as grade school and as mature as... well, very mature."

AND.... this is my point, PMC offers artists who have strength and flexibility issues with their hands another medium to work in that offers a similar joy of working in metal but also is challenging enough to keep the creative juices flowing.

Please visit the guild to read more about PMC. Then rush right out and support your local PMC artists.

Hello and Welcome to my blog spot

Hi All,

Bear with me as I venture down the blogging path. This is a new experience for me as well as for the collective "you".

I was pointed to blogspot by fellow etsyer's. It seems to be a nice way to attract attention to our stores.

Please feel free to comment on my jewelry. Critique is very important to my growth as an "Art" Jewelry artisan.

Thanks for stopping by,
Sue Lawrence-Nester, Artisan