Design Journal

The last of tutorials for Aftosa are now up and loaded on the Aftosa website. Visit www.aftosa.com to see them. The tutorials range from beginning to more advanced techniques. Learn how to use a simple drinking glass to shape your jewelry into a graceful curve. Learn how deconstruct a rubber stamp to make it your own. Learn […]

Now on to the next 10 challenges. The Masters Registry www.mastersregistry.com  is a fantastic program. One of the many reasons I am participating is to break out my my creative comfort zone. To try out new techniques and ideas that I’ve been meaning to tackle but, for some reason or another, I haven’t had the inclination

Tonya just posted the latest round of tutorials at www.wholelottawhimsey.com  I’m so very happy with the outcome. It was fun to finally work with enamels again and to use the scraffito method. Check it out! http://www.tonyadavidson.com/musings_and_mullings/2010/04/design-challenge-13-patrik-kusek.html#more

Do you know Anna Wintour? I recently saw the documentary on Vogue’s editor Anna Wintour. The September Issue, is a film about the making of the magazine’s landmark issue in September 2007. The film chronicles her work on the five-pound (2 kg) 840-page issue, the largest issue Vogue ever sent to press.  It was fascinating to

Check out my tutorial for Tonya at Whole Lotta Whimsy. This peek-a-boo clasp was fun and challenging to make but it was worth it. I love the idea of having a window to peek through. So many different ideas come to mind like having a gemstone show through the window, or making the inside shape

So, I found my 7th grade project which was my very first experience with glaze. I had forgotten about this experience. Yes …I still have it. One of the benefits of living in your childhood home is having access to a box (or two, or three or more) full of memories. A little beaten up,

Been working on a project for Aftosa. Aftosa is primarily a ceramics supply company. They are now carrying PMC and supplies as part of their product mix. So it was a natural to combine ceramics and PMC in a project sheet. Visit www.aftosa.com. Here are some of the first beads. This was the first time I

Finally have time to work on the Masters Registry again. If you are interested in furthering your expertise in metal clay check out the Masters Registry at www.mastersregistry.com. I’m starting to incorporate some found objects into my work lately, so for project C-1, create a brooch using stilt rivets, I decided to use an old ruler,

I dunno, for some reason 5 wild turkeys came walking down the street! There is a first for everything!

Took a much needed day off and headed for Chandon Napa Valley. I have to say, 75 degrees at the end of October, a great meal and some champagne. What could be better. Check out the pics of our feast. If you are ever in Napa head to Chandon and have lunch or dinner at Etoile. Chandon

Getting ready for Halloween. My friend Paul was having a party and of course it was a fancy dress party. So I HAD to go as Medusa. Here is how I made my head piece from 5 larger rubber snakes and 150 little baby snakes!

I had a day to explore Iowa before I flew back home. With a few of Karens recommendations I found some great finds which I’ll share in my tips and tricks section. Check back for that. I also had time to visit the Amana Colonies. Similar to the Amish but more liberal? Hmmm check out

Dawn’s Bead and Hide Away is such a great place to teach and shop! Karen Kubby the proprietress was such a great host and a great business woman. This is hands down one the nicest bead shops I’ve taught at. Tons of space for shopping and teaching. The merchandising was also wonderful. Check out the

Did a 3 day Rio Certification class in Iowa City at Dawn’s Bead and Hide Away. The rain the first day was awful but the rest of the days were great. After the rain cleared the fall colors were spectacular. The student in this class were wonderful, creative and talented. What a pleasure. Now 9

Spent the day working on writing a metal clay project sheet for Aftosa. It was great to be back in the studio. In the future, I’ll be posting the projects here and on the Aftosa website. Check http://www.aftosa.com/meclprsh.html

For the past few weeks I’ve been working with Aftosa. Aftosa has been in the business of ceramic supplies and  has decided to sell PMC supplies and lamp working supplies as well.  We held out first classes this weekend. The nice thing about teaching at Aftosa is that all the materials are at our finger

I usually don’t get a chance to site see very much when I’m traveling. But this time a had a few minutes to window shop. These shots are of shop windows that are from the town of Snohomish, the antiques capital of the Pacific North West. Halloween is coming! Fabulous paper mache devil masks. Saw

Taught another certification class at The Ranch in Snohomish, WA about 40 minutes outside of Seattle. Also taught a PPP, CopperClay, BronzClay workshop. We had so much fun, it was great to make new friends and cath up with old ones. We made a lot of stuff! Visit www.artatheranch.com

From Wikipeida: In Hinduism and Buddhism, the third eye is a symbol of enlightenment (see mokshaand nirvana). In the Indian tradition, it is referred to as the gyananakashu, the eye of knowledge, which is the seat of the ‘teacher inside’ or antar-guru. The third eye is the ajna chakra (sixth chakra) also known as brow chakra or brow centre. This is commonly denoted