Bodega Jazz, Art, & Wine Festival

    This weekend is the Bodega Seafood, Jazz, Art and Wine Festival
Held at the Watt's Ranch, Hwy. 12 @ the SMALL town of Bodega, just 1/2 mile East of Hwy. 1.
     We invite everyone to come over to the coast and join us. Weather should be great, sunny and in the low to mid 80's. That sure looks cool, compared to the inland temps we are reading this afternoon.

Working our way North up the coast

 We are back at the Sonoma County Westside Park in Bodega Bay now. Will leave on Friday for Gualala and our next show Art in the Redwoods @ the Gualala Arts Center.
   Last weekend we were at the 12th Annual Scotts Valley Art and Wine Festival, held in Scotts Valley, Ca. @ Sky Valley Park. Enjoyed seeing all our friends there and meeting new ones too. This years weather was fantastic, just a little fog in the am, then bright sunshine in the afternoons. With a light breeze to keep it cool.

   We met up with Bill and Susan Dakuzahu Fri. evening for dinner. Susan is a website engineer and has been working at building a new website image for us.  It has been in need of some "help" for awhile now and I feel that she has done a great job, click:wearablemetalartbydesign.com   and take a look for yourself at the difference she has made!
 We are now working on re-vamping and building an Email marketing plan called: Vertical Response.  Will sending out our new Newsletter later this month. 
    Also, take a look at our Etsy Store. I have added some new items. The following are just a couple of them:

Pretty colorful pin......
On the left top a free form designer cut cabochon of Spectorite, middle: 5mm round facet London Blue Topaz; right top another free form designer cut cabochon of Lemon Opal from Idaho. And finally, a beautiful free form designer cut cabochon of rare Sugilite from Africa. All three of these beauties are bezel set in Sterling Silver, surrounded by textured and tooled silver background and a small added Copper wire design.....$268.00

 These earrings are: matched pair of Mave Pink fresh water pearls, 3mm round facet garnets, and a free form designer cut match pair of rare Sugilite cabochons. Bezel set in Sterling Silver, with a free form wire design. These have heavy duty posts and large adjustable backs included. ...$175.00


  We  invite you to make that beautiful drive up  Hwy. 1 to the little town of Gualala this weekend and join us at the 50th Annual Art in the Redwoods @ the Gualala Arts Center. Know you will enjoy yourself....check out their website:gualalaarts.org.
   See you there...........

Back Home for a few Days

 

 Had a visitor this morning . Can't think of why or

   what he was looking inside for. Maybe just to say welcome back home.

It is Garlic Time

 First, a big THANK YOU to  Bargetto Winery for hosting the Summer Fine Arts Festival. The live music was wonderful to listen to and the Gypsy Pizza Oven made great tasting pizza. Jerry and I ate way too much, but we couldn't help ourselves, best pizza that we have had.

  Again, our wonderful friends, (clients) made our weekend. We send a thank you to each one of you. Wear and enjoy your new jewelry.

Bargetto Winery - Summer Fine Arts Festival

 Had a great (short) "lay-over" in Bodega Bay @ Westside Park. Rested from our last show and even managed to sneak in a few hours work on my portable bench in our motor home. Early this morning we headed South and  arrived at the Pinto Lake RV Park in Watsonville, Ca. around 2pm.
 Thought I would make an advance look at some of the new work that Jerry and I have just finished for the Summer Fine Arts Festival @
the Bargetto Winery,
3535 Main St.. Soquel, Ca.
   Show is Sat. and Sun. 11am - 5pm
Everyone is welcome, free admission, and food and beverages will be available.
 

Owhee Jasper Pendant

Ocean Jasper, Moonstone, Pearl Earrings

 

 

Owhee matching earrings

Varicite Pendant, has matching earrings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metal Art Pendant (new style)

This is a new style for me
all metal art with Amethyst and Peridot


     On right is Varicity from Austrailia, Pearl and Mint L.G. Sapphire 






  There will be some wonderful artists present. Many of them good friends from the (former) Mt. Art Guild. Looking forward to having you come by, visit and shop at the show.
  This is a link to one of the artists: pattylakinsmith.blogspot.com
 See you this weekend!
If you need directions, call us on our cell: 530-604-3649

Patty Lakinsmith: Another Sneak Peek

Patty Lakinsmith: Another Sneak Peek

Mendocino Trip

Steele Wnes

Thursday, July 14th we headed out on our trip to Mendocino, Ca. for the MAC Summer Fine Arts Festival.  When we stopped in Corning for gas Jerry noted that a tire on the motor home looked "funny". So we headed over to the tire shop where we found we needed to replace 4 of the 6 tires on the rig....ouch that cost a buck or two!!

Steele Wines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stopped over at the Steele Winery in Kelseyville, Ca. steelewines.com , off of Hwy. 29 for the night and a short visit. Naomi Key and Pam Shine are great hosts, even had hot coffee for us early Fri. morning.  
  We drove on around Clear Lake and over to Hwy. 1, headed North to Willits, Ca. There we turned west on Hwy. 20 and down, up, down, up and finally into Fort Bragg, Ca. Continued south on Hwy. 1 to Mendocino. Just a beautiful scenic drive.

MAC Art Center

Art pieces are put out all over the garden area

Fri. afternoon I wondered around the center snapping shots here and there. Then around 4pm we started setting up our booth for the show.
We enjoyed the show and visiting with our friends, however, financially we did not do well. So, even if we enjoyed ourselves not sure that we can come back again next year. :>(

Jerry in kayak

Sunday evening after the show we headed south again on Hwy. 1 around 7 miles to a small campground on the banks of the Albion river: Albion River Campground www.albionrivercampground.com We elected to camp there Sunday and Monday nights. This is a beautiful place to camp with lots of fun things to do. Like taking a kayak out.  

This is all for now. Will continue the "story" as we travel on to the next show: Summer Fine Arts Festival, Bargetto Winery, Soquel, Ca. bargettowinery.com
 Have a great evening, hope to see you soon. 

Getting Ready for lots of shows!

  Hope all of you had a safe enjoyable July 4th weekend. We were in Chester, Ca., (near Lake Almanor) for their annual one day festival hosted by the local Lyons Club. 

   Iam putting the finishing touches on our new work that we have just finished. As we will be heading out on Thurs. for the Mendocino show. Afterwards we have planed a slow drive down the coast hwy. 1 to Bodega. After a couple days there will drive on down and over to Watsonville, Ca. where we have reservations to stay at Pinto Lake RV Resort for a couple weeks. While we are doing the Bargetto Summer Arts show. Then finish off the month with the 3 day Gilroy Garlic Festival.

     The following are  highlights  of what I finished up  over the past few days.

Long designer cut cabochon of an interesting coco brown agate. This is thought to be a fossilized wood. I have bezel set the stone using 30 gauge sterling silver bezel wire. Extending the back 24 gauge sterling sheet on the left side and bottom so I could add texture and tooling. Also added an edge of 16 gauge round wire to this and in a free form design around the piece. The bail is tooled and is large enough for an omega or larger chain.

approx. size: 4 1/2 in. long by 1 1/4 in. wide set price: $375.

Matching earrings are below

Here are the matching earrings to the above pendant. As you can see I have added similar texture and tooling in the design around the bezeled cabochons..

 Size: 1 1/2 in. long by 1 in. wide. I have soldered heavy duty sterling silver posts to center back and have large adjustable backs included. 

  These two items are a set, and are priced together at $375.00

This is another pendant with matching earrings.....

Designer cut cabochon of Owhee Jasper. I have bezel set this piece, then extended the sheet silver partly up for design work to be added. Heavily textured and tooled design accents added to left side. Along with a pretty 5mm round London Blue Topaz facet.  Then I added hand made leaves and some copper wire textured for color to accent the colors in the stone. This piece has a large hand forged loop bail at the back that will fit most any Omega or larger chain.

Colors: soft gray blues with rust brown, and coco brown

                                                                                                                                           These are the matching earrings

  to the above pendant.        The "tongue" cut cabochons are a beautiful color match to the pendant stone. I have "cap" bezel set each and added design accents to top that compliment the pendant, including matching London Blue topaz.

Sterling Silver heavy duty french ear wires, with soft plastic backs.

Size: 2 in. long by 1/2 in wide

colors noted: soft gray blue; rust and coco browns 

Price: $275.00 for the set                                                                          

  These are just a few items that we will have at the Mendocino Show. There are many other items of interest. Some will be listed on our Etsy store: wearablemetalartjfh.etsy.com

I will be adding more over the next few days as time permits.

   Also, during the past month I have been working on our website again. This time I am re-vamping the entire site. As I am looking to promote custom work with our stones and yours. So, I have added a page to explain the process and will be adding several pages of some completed work over the past. With the hope that by viewing the photos you will be inspired to have something made just for you.

  The finished items that we have for sale with be listed in our Etsy Store only.

Well, looking forward to seeing you soon at one of our summer shows.

      Still cool...and have a great summer....

          

                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                                                                    

Summer is Here

  
  We had an eventful return trip home from our last three shows. When we stopped for gas in Corning I discovered the van had a flat rear left tire...just watched it go down while the gas was pumping in. So....ended up at the tire shop to replace not one but all four tires.
   In the meanwhile, Jerry drives out the gas station drive way. Snap, bang and pop...something broke underneath the front end of the motor home. The front "sway bar" bushings gave way on the steering "something rather" *%^#
  I know that we were extremely lucky that all this happened when we were NOT on the freeway driving.....but. The repairs costs more than we made at the last three shows. Funny how that happens.

 A thank you to all of our friends and "client family". We enjoyed visiting, seeing and working with each of you at the last three shows: Art Fiesta, Sacramento; Art in the Park, Burlingame; and Summer Fine Arts Festival, Danville.

  Wow, moving from around 75 degrees, with a brisk bay area breeze, back up the our home at a warm 102 degrees last week. Was a shock on the body!  Then an unusual fast moving low front dumps over a half inch of rain and temps back down in the low 70's on Tues. and Wed. And today, working its way back up into the 90's. With a warming trend to 102-105 for the July 4th weekend and into next week. Summer has finally arrived! Knew it would happen this way....bang just in time for the holiday weekend.
  Speaking of July 4 --we will be up in Chester, for their 4th of July Art and Craft show Monday. At least we will see the beautifull Lassen area and visit Lake Almanor on our trip. Will enjoy seeing our friends at the show as we only get up that way once a year now. This is a fast moving show, held in the community park along side the Feather River in the middle of town. We expect it to be warm up there too, usually in the mid 90's when we hit low 100s. So, figure to see people drift in early around 9am to view the what we have this year. Take a short break  near 11am to see the local parade down Main St., then back down the steps to our booth in the park. Around 3pm....the show closes and we pack up and head for home. A fast one day event hosted by the local Lyons Club.
   I went to use my camera a couple so days ago. And found that the "handy" flip out viewer had flipped one time too many and broke. When I checked around on repairs, found it was cheaper just to purchase a new one. I did some research on the internet on what I needed. Off to Costco, and Best Buy to see them in person and finally purchased a Cannon PowerShot SX130. Seems to have all the bells and whistles that I need, mainly the Macro operation that I use all the time for close ups. Taking pictures of our jewelry has been a challenge for years.
   With rain that we had this week, all of the weeds around our place just grew up overnight again. They always manage to pop up faster than we can keep up with them. I took time out earlier today to spray as many as I could see in the hot bright sunshine.

While outside I thought I would try out my new camera. This is a shot of two of older oak trees on the property. They are beautiful this year in their huge grander.
  On the right is part of the gravel drive back towards our place.

  Couldn't resist taking a shot of one of our "pestky" weeds. These guys just popped up everywhere......everywhere thousands of them!


 Now I best get back to work. Now that I have a new camera I need to design a few pieces for new custom work.
  Oh, almost forgot!!  I have started on redesigning our website: http://www.wearablemetalartbydesign.com/ . After much thought I have decided to move it in a new direction. More towards inviting custom work from you our friends, and new friends soon to be. Iam putting together several pages on custom orders, only have a couple done so far. Will add photos of both sold and un-sold work to help some of you with design ideas. I also want to add photos of some of our stone collection. I say some, as I am a stone addict and have way too many in the safe to actually display a photo of each.
 With this change, I am also going to add more items to our Etsy Store: http://www.wearablemetalartjfh.etsy.com/ .
It is our hope to be able to cut back on the number of shows that we do each month in a few years, less if it can work out. And spend more time designing and doing custom work .
  Bye for now, stay cool and enjoy the summer weather

Spring Jungle

     First, we would like to say a special thanks to all our friends and clients who are our friends! Thanks to your enjoyment of our creations, we had good sales both at Clayton Art and Wine, and Alamo's Mother's Day weekend Arts Festival. It was great to serve and visit with each of you again this year. Look forward to visiting again soon. Perhaps the Summer Fine Arts Festival in Danville, June 18/19(see our show schedule for more info).

Spring is bursting out everywhere around here. It is unbelievable that we are still having great sunny days only in the mid to high 70's, and an occasional low 80's. The weather pattern has been a  few days of soft rain showers, and back to beautiful sunshine.

 From the stark bare trees and brush of winter, our
area is bursting with green, wild flowers and...........

 POLLEN.
While Jerry and I were doing the past two shows we came in contact with what we thought  were allergies. Especially since every year Jerry usually gets them bad. By the time we were home from the Alamo show both of us were sick.  We gave it a few days and now, we had added bad chest colds, fevers, sore throats and you name it. So, off to the doctor.
Thankfully, I am now getting better and Jerry is slowly following. Seems we each had a viral infection which really knocked us to our knees. We were like hybernating bears, both of us sleeping almost around the clock. Just up for water, meds,  soup and showers. Thus why I haven't posted anything for awhile.

   Today, I am back to my bench. Still can't solder as my eyes are still healing from the viral infection.  Feels good to draft up designs for the summer shows and look out at the "jungle" above.
 
We have a very busy schedule for the summer months of June, July, and Aug. Check out our show schedule page for more information.

  Well, back to my design drafting.....
  

ON THE MOVE

 Jerry and I are now at the Sinclair Ranch for a couple days before going on to Clayton, Ca. for the Clayton Art and Wine Festial.
 As you can see Jerry enjoys working on the tractor. Here he is mowing this field, and sneezing most of the way. Up on the hill side the winds usually blow pretty fair, enough to "rock & roll" the motor home. And Spring time usually brings the season's allergies .
  We are very grateful to the owner, Sally Sinclair Brittian, who graciously permits us to park on her property between shows. Jerry and I have always enjoyed being out in the open!

  Tomorrow we will move over to Clayton, Ca. as this weekend is the 16th Annual Clayton Art and Wine Festival! Artists will be located on Marsh Creek Rd. and Main St. in downtown Clayton. Hours: Sat. 10am -7pm and Sun. 10am-5pm
We have been guest artists at this show all 16 years. The volunteer staff members are wonderful, each and every one of them!

14k&9.25 Opal & Ruby

14k & Arg.9.25 Larimar, Chalcedony, Topaz

 Look forward to seeing and visiting with everyone...Come on over and see our new Spring line. Many new items, as this is the first show we attend in the East Bay
   

Working around the yard on Easter Sunday

 Ok,  guys keep it moving!

   Lucy is checking out the new bark while watching and supervising  both Jerry and Red work in the yard this afternoon.
  It was time to re-furbish the landscape barking. Been around 6-7 years since the landscaping was done.  The older well worn bark washed across the drive and down into the berry bushes, with heavy winter rains.

  Red, our brother-in-law.
Mind you, this man is over 80 yrs. young. And he is out on the flat bed trailer shoveling bark from the trailer into the wheel barrows.
This man works everyday of the week!

With is back to you, is Jerry taking a break from the bench  to help Red put in new bark around the yard.

Beautiful, day to be outside!

Just fun'n, Jerry and Red mess'n around while they work. The two of them may "grumble" alot about working. But looking at them, you can see they enjoy it too. They got the entire flat bed unload today...but no Easter eggs were found. Guess the Easter Bunny didn't hop by.  LOL... Oh, well we are on diets anyway.

Happy Easter everyone. Hope your day was enjoyable also.

Enjoying the Coast

 Jerry and I are parked at the Westside Side Park in Bodega Bay for the next 4 days. Taking rest of today, Thursday, and Friday to relax and enjoy the gorgeous bay. We found this park about 4 years ago, when we were doing the Bodega Fisherman's Festival. And, ever since we get here as often as we can between shows. The park is run by the Sonoma County Parks and usually has a full time camp host. They do a good job of keeping the park as "natural" as possible. No hookups, but there is a dump station on site.

  Took a short walk from our site and found this pretty little jewel....
The Ice Plants this time of the year are really beautiful and just coming into bloom. On our way in on Hwy. 12 I saw an older dairy farm with the entire long drive leading up to the house from the road. And the road side edge  lined in Easter Lillie's that were in full bloom. Wanted to take a picture but, the road is very narrow and I found no safe parking.

  From our site we can view the incoming and outgoing boats. This picuture was taken during low tide of a fisherman coming into the harbor. Salmon Season opens on Saturday. So the crab boats are working overtime to get their crab pots pulled and packed away.

  We also have a great view of the bay. Right across to Bodega Bay village. Had lunch at Lucas Wharf this afternoon which is on the far right side of this photo. 

 So from this you can see that Jerry will really enjoy himself. He has already just return from his first walk down to the boat dock .
I will kick back and work on crossword puzzles.
Any of you that want a drive or live close to Sebastopol. The Apple Blossom Festival is on Sat. and Sun. April 16/17 and we will have lots of new pieces for you to enjoy! So come on over and join us.!!
See you soon......

Finishing Up

Another beautiful Spring day. Started off rather on the cool side @31 degrees early this morning!
  I finished up the rest of the new work I had been working on. Still would like to finish up a hand made metal bead necklace tomorrow given enough time.

Pretty "gemmy" Rosy pink Rhodocrosite designer free form cut cabochon with a trillion shape facet cut pink tourmaline. Hand fabricated in Sterling 9.25 with accents of 14k Gold balls. 16ga. round silver wire is hand forged with a forging hammer to form top accents. Bail is located behind center curl.
size: approx. 2 1/2 in. x 1 1/4 in.
$245.

These earrings are hand fabricated in Sterling 9.25 and 14k yellow Gold. 14/20 G.F. hand made ear wires. At the top are a matched pair of 5mm trillion shape faceted Apatite and below a pair of 11 x 9 designer triangle shape Aqua blue quarts druzi.
size: approx. 1 1/4 in. long x 1/2 in. wide
$325.

Jerry finished this pendant today. Hand carved designer cut cab of Covolite, by Rock Raven Lapidary with 10 x 8 Emerald cut facet of London Blue Topaz.

size: 2 1/2 in. long x 1 1/4 in. wide
$420.

Whale pin: One of a kindBelieve it or not, this is a baroque fresh water pearl! Very unusal shape and texture. When I spyed this pearl, I immediately saw a humpback whale. It is made in 9.30 Argentium Sterling, with a pin at the back. I added a 2mm round facet tanzinite blue diamond. Approx. size: 3 in. long x 1in. wide $335.

Another one of Jerry's today...we decided to make this piece into an optional pin. So, he has added a "tail" and a pin to the back. Hand fabricated in 9.25 Sterling. The georgeous bead in the center is a "reptilian" lamp worked bead by Patty Lakinsmith Plays' With Fire studio. Approx. size: 3 1/4 in. long x 3 1/4 wide at the widest point of legs $265.

That's all for tonight. Have a nice evening....Fran

A Few More Done

 With the beautiful Spring weather we are having. It is hard to keep my mind on working inside. However, I did manage to finish a few more nice pieces yesterday.

Larimar Slide

This one is a beauty. When I found these stones at the 2010 Tucson show. I just fell in love with them.
Large Slide (pendant)
Handfabricated using 9.25 Sterling, & 14k yellow Gold. The large designer cut cabochon of natural Larimar has "modeling" blends of baby and sky blues. Accented with a 4mm rd. facet Apatite at top, below this is a 5mm sky blue Topaz facet. Then to the left is a 10mm rd. cabochon of Ocean Blue Chalcedony which glows with a "cat's" eye shimmer. 
size: approx. 2 1/2 in. long and wide - $540.00

Cherry Creek Slide

Another larger piece is this pretty pendant. Handfabricated using 9.25 Sterling Silver. The bottom stone is a large "teardrop" shape cabochon of Cherry Creek Jasper from Colorado. Accented with a 8 mm rd. faceted L. G. Padparadscha Sapphire. And features 3 leaves with a flower setting the sapphire at the top.
size: approx. 2 1/2 in. long x 2 in. wide -
$275

Jasper Combo Slide

This is another "pretty". A large slide (pendant). I wanted this one to be a pin, however when finishing it I felt it was too heavy. It is featuring several stones together with an unusual color combination. At the top, a free form piece of Baltic Amber; left a rare piece of "old stock" Sugilite; right, a 8mm trillion shape facet of Peridot; at the bottom a large free form designer cut cabochon of Deschuttes Jasper, beautiful mixed shades of browns forming a "picture" to each of us. This piece is handfabricated using 9.25 Sterling and Bronze.
Size: approx. 3 1/4 in. long x 1 1/2 in. wide
$295.00

This is last, but not least!
Larger freeform designer cut cabochon of blueish green Turquoise (old stock). Accented with a 7mm rd. cabochon of Amethyst. Handfabricated in 9.25 Sterling and Bronze.
Size: approx. 2 1/4 in. x 1 1/4 in
$165.00




Again, I hope you have enjoyed seeing these pieces. I am finishing some more work in the next few days. So follow our blog so you won't miss anything. :>)


Later..............................

Another great sunshine day.....and more finished work

These are the ones that I finished up today. Hope you are enjoying the previews.

  Pretty 5mm rd. faceted Rhodolite Garnets prong set with hand forged daisy flower petals, accent at the with 3 14k gold balls. Argentium heavy duty french wires
Size: approx. 1 1/4 in. long x 1 in. wide
$85.

Very different pair of 10x8 faceted Gismo Topaz from Nigeria.Color flashess from strong pink to pastels with a hue of purple. Prong set and 9.25 Sterling 16ga. & 18 ga. rd. wires used to form design. Sculptured earwires enter the lobes and grace downwards in a single motion. Design accented with 14k yellow Gold graduated balls.
size: approx. 2 & 1/4 long x 1in. wide
$165.

These beauties are Ocean Blue Chalcedony square buff cut cabochons set in 9.25 Sterling. Below are two matched Osmena pearls from the Phillipines. Heavy duty posts and backs are included.
size: approx. 2 in. long x 1 in. wide
$150.00

 Uniquely designed matched pair earrings. 4mm faceted Pink Tourmaline and underneath match pair of Black Mother of Pearl tear drops. Earring is hand fabricated using 9.25 Sterling, heavy duty french wires
size: approx 1 1/4 in long x 1/2 in. wide
$150.

 

Matched pair of Almadine garnets, checker board face trillion shape. Unique design is hand forged  16 ga. round wire.
Size: approx. 1 1/2 in long x 1 in. wide
$75.00

Very uniquely designed for a very rare stone...Rasberry Ocean Jasper. Accented with fresh water pearls and Rhodolite Garnet cabochons. The stones are designer free form cut cabochons and bezel set in 9.25 Sterling. The design wires are 14 k yellow Gold and Sterling. Earrings have heavy duty posts and backs.
size: approx. 2 1/4 in. long x 1 in. wide earrings
pendant is about 2 in. long at the largest point and about 2 in. wide
$395. for the set

Matched pair of 10x8 Sun Stones cabochons. Very radiant colors of orange/reds (rare)The material was mined from the Dust Devil mine on the Oregon Idaho border. This color intense is rare and considered AAA grade. Earrings are hand fabricated using 14k yellow gold.
size: approx. 1 1/2 in. long x 1 in. wide
$535.00

These are a fun pair...hand fabricated in 9.25 Sterling with a single 18 ga. rd. hammered wire added to face. Very light and airy design, 9.25 Sterling ear wires and 8mm rd. faceted Canary yellow Topaz from Nigeria.
Size: approx. 2 1/4 in. long x 1/2 in. wide
$155.00

Matched pair of Captivating Blue Topaz 6mm rd. faceted, material is from Nigeria. Earring is hand fabricated using 18 ga. round wire of 9.25 Sterling and 14k yellow Gold.
Size: approx. 1 1/4 in. long x 1in. wide
$135.00



Well, this is it for tonight. I will be finishing a few more pieces that need soldering and fixing after getting caught in the buff wheel. I hope to have them posted by Sunday.
  Have a great night looking at the stars outside.......