Whew! Stringer control!

Well, Holly Cooper was here last weekend; we all thoroughly enjoyed her visit and learned new techniques!  We all found her a great instructor, clear, concise, patient, and extremely talented in her work.  Her handouts had detailed drawings (she is a graphic artist by day) and easy to understand!    We were happy to also welcome 2 new students to our Studio.  Great work Ladies!  Holly agreed to return next year, we are looking at her calendar!  Thanks Holly, hope you enjoyed our home and Studio!

Class Projects with Joy!

Joy is Here! More pics of her work!

Here are more pics of Joy's work, Jelveh and I already went through her jewelry, I'm sure we will want to buy some of them!

Silver-soldering with Carmen -Sat. June 23,2012

This will be a basic soldering class, working with brass and copper and silver also!  Make a bezel for a stone, take home a finished cabachon.  Carmen will demonstrate the different types of soldering, no experience needed, we will provide you with brass and copper to work with and one silver round backing to mount your stone, stones will be provided!  $125 9-4 pm,

Hinges & Clasps & Tube Bezels with Joy & Silver-soldering with Carmen

Well, we have scheduled a 2 day class on Sat., June 30, and Sun. July 1,9:00 am to 4:00 pm.  We think we will enough sign-ups, there are always a few procrastinators, and expect to go on with it!  Sat. Joy will cover Hinges and Clasps, Sun. will be tube bezels, see the descriptions in the Goggle Calendar of Events on those days.  The cost is $250 for both days. Joy will also be here on Monday, available for private short lessons, her fee is $25 an hours, but maybe by Sunday we can arrange a few students that want to learn the same techniques and we can have a 1/2 day or more class!  Let me know ASAP, grace@gracefulcustoms.com

Carmen Martinez will also be here on Sat., June 23 to teach the basics of Silver soldering as well as other metals.  $125, small fee for additional materials, no prior experience needed!

Lapidary Class on Mar. 16, 2013

Once again, Jim and Jennifer will be here to teach lapidary techniques using rough and pre-shaped stones!  We will have all our equipment set up, all materials included!  If you have experience, you can use our equipment for your stones for $15.00 hr. and one of the instructor will be available for assistance as time allows in the class.   Class is $75.00, starts at 10:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm.  .  You will learn how to select, shape and polish a rough stone into a finished, polished cabachon to make into a necklace or bracelet or ring!  e-mail Grace@gracefulcustoms.com  or the instructors at: zig888@comcast.net

Happy Birthday Jelveh!

Well Jelveh had another birthday last weekend at our Open House.  We met new friends, Jewelry makers Jennifer and Marisa, thanks Pat for bringing them to our Studio.  Jelveh demo'ed Frank's new SUPER Round-About, it took her about 30 min. to make that bead!  Ron Martinez was here showing off all his latest carved gems while he worked all day.  Carmen was set up so show us her soldering techniques and was heard hammering away, texturing something!  We had 3 Leche Cake with Jelveh and she opened up her gifts from Grace, a new apron and bags embroidered with her  name!

Silver-smith/metal working Techniques-June/July at Graceful Customs Studio

Wow, look at the talent of our new instructor coming to our Studio!  Joy Raskin is an accomplished metal worker who loves different types of media to work with!  Look at her talent!  She will be here to share some of that talent with us, starting with low-tech techniques and moving on to silver-soldering, cold connections, hinges, clasps, tube setting, & box-making!  Check our calendar for specific dates and class descriptions, starting June 27 through July 4, 2012!  You can see her work and bio at www.joyraskin.com E-mail me if you are interested, all classes are one-day classes, 15% discount if you sign up for 2 or more class!  Class size is limited.  Classes range from $80 to $125.

Saturday, June 2, 2012, Lapidary class & Workshop

Jim & Jennifer will be here on June 2, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., to teach a basic lapidary class.  They will give a brief summary of lapidary techniques and equipment will be set up for you to shape and polish a finished cabachon or two!  Cost is only $75, all materials and supplies will be free.  And anyone who has already had the basics and is experienced using lapidary equipment is invited to work on their own stones,  for $15.00/ hr. e-mail me for more info:  Grace@GracefulCustoms.com

Chain Maille Class March 3, 2012

The March 3rd chain maille is now full, please let me know if you would like to be notified of the next class when scheduled: grace@gracefulcustoms.com