My Plan to Sleep with a College Guy

No, not Gargamel, but his post did remind me that I have never posted an update here.

Mr. Fix-it has just six weeks to go to finish his first year in the jewelry and metal smithing program. After all of the weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth in first semester (I was really worried about his stress levels) he made the Dean's list. And sold a couple of pieces at the Xmas jewelry sale.

In second semester he got credit for a course taken 30 years ago which lightened his course load to "bearable". He sold 3 pieces at the Valentine's sale and is getting more confident.

I'm still at my quit-able job. Apparently I qualify for profit share* this year and have to go to a meeting with the powers-that-be in a week or so to have it all explained to me. I'm thinking I'd better wait 'til after the meeting to bring up the May through August leave of absence I want.

(* with all the doom and gloom in retail I'll be surprised if there was a profit...)

I know they're happy with my work but I'm not sure they'll be willing to cover for me for 4 months. We'll see what happens.

Hey, good for College Guy!

The first two rings. The plain silver band was sold "twice". The first buyer needed it sized down so Mr. Fix-it found it easier to make one from scratch. Put the original back in the sale and it fit the second buyer perfectly.

The box ring has a cocobolo wood inlay. He's kept that for himself.

First twisted silver link chain (mine!)

Oooh, ahhhh!

Love the wood one.

Man, I'd love to do this... I like beading et al but would love to do real metalwork.

Well done that fella a?

BEAUT-EEEE-FULLLLL.

How lovely ... and what a skill to do that.

Lovelier even to receive hand made jewellery.

Clever fella. So pleased for you both TC. x

This is an Etruscan chain. It is totally cool. First you take silver wire, wrap it around a mandril to shape it in to rings, when you have 300+ rings you solder them closed. (You will melt some into puddles of silver with your torch. So will most if not all of your classmates. There will be a great deal of "Arrgghh-ing" involved.) When you have 300+ closed rings you will stretch them into a paper clip shape and start to weave. This 8 inch bracelet takes so much silver and so many hours that you will never ever make an Etruscan chain again because no one will pay you what it is worth.

It's gorgeous though, eh? I wish it wasn't too big for me. Hmmm...can old ladies wear anklets?

count me among the insanely jealous. i tinkered around with "jewelry" for a few years, never moving much beyond copper wire, beads, sea glass... the most elaborate pieces were done of thick copper wire and hammer. would love to go to a school for this!

hope your quitable job will give you good benefits or stocks or whatsits. what are you up to between may and august? whatever it is, sounds like fun to take off that chunk each year.

Last one:



Cowboy boot earrings (an exercise in soldering silver on silver).

soz, somewhere in an old thread I learned that you make jewelry. That explains your "wistful sigh" of many posts ago. Yeah, things are working out pretty well now that he's calmed down a bit.

Thanks Izzie! (We really can't afford for me to keep it all though )

This thread, while interesting, did not live up to the promise of the title

Cycloptichorn

dag, this is where I'll be for 4 months:

http://able2know.org/topic/83582-1

Not a typical "vacation"

No! MINE! Gimme.

Leggo! Uurrkk! You're strangling me!

(Maybe we could arm wrestle?)

<quietly sneaks in, creep thud creep thud creep thud, moves slowly and carefully towards the bracelet, glint in the eye, drooling slightly... pockets it without a soul knowing.....looks towards JoeBlow and TC squabbling... sneaks back to door.... DOOF.... trips over dawg... bracelet flies thru air .... beats a hasty retreat ...quick creep thud quick creep thud quick creep thud>

darn it... love that...

Note to self: get a guard dog...

hahahahahaahahahahahahhahaa

<if I start driving due north right now and Joeblow doesn't call the cops out with the speed guns ...>