[Jewelry making - Article 00432] - Re: [Orchid] Jeweler's former lives

[Dee]

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    Well, Sandra, here's number 141. I've been making stuff since grade
    school, but it's never been my living. I've worked in the stacks at a
    college library, in a bookstore, in a major department store...I've
    been a camp counselor (arts&crafts, fencing instructor, drama coach),
    folk singer, palm reader, magazine writer, teacher, docent...tried
    the dog show circuit for a short while.... In college I majored in
    English and minored in Design and have spent much of my working life
    teaching English and History in high school, 

    The first year we were married, my husband gave me a Trinkit kiln
    for my birthday. That set me off enameling, and the more I learned,
    the more I needed to learn. Made a lot of nice pins and pendants, but
    had to have someone solder on the findings because I didn't know how.
    Meanwhile I got interested in wood, and started making musical
    instruments out of cigar boxes and gourds. Believe it or not, they
    worked! A friend was building a harpsichord, and I was inspired to
    try my hand at something larger than a cigar box, so I built a
    clavichord. It's a lovely thing and has graced my living room for
    decades. 

    Time marches on...The kids were growing up, and my daughter was
    taking a jewelry course in high school. She's very good. I took the
    adult ed course at night and finally learned how to solder from a
    master. I was hooked. I took a jewelry course at a local university,
    and from there went to workshops all over the place. Have been in
    juried shows, have tried a few craft fairs, but I'm not productive
    enough to make a go if it. I've done some commission work, taught
    basic techniques to beginners, and I'm a stickler for safety training
    and proper use and care of tools in the studio. 

    Now I'm retired. I've got a well-equipped home workshop, but I still
    take courses and do bench time at a local school because I like
    working among people. Am learning lapidary work now. I love what I
    do. 

    Jewelry rocks! Rocks rock! Orchid rocks! Thank you, Hanuman, for
    bringing us all together...and thank you, Sandra, for this incredible
    thread. 

Dee
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