Metalsmithing Bootcamp!

We are going to have another Crafty Slumber Party at Panopolie this month. On Friday, January 30th you can learn to fuse silver, cold forge silver and work with silver clay all in one night*. We'll also have food and wine and fun. I love these parties; I get to hang out at the store late at night and sometimes I even stop talking long enough to make something of my own. Mostly I just oogle other's projects, eat tasty snacks and fill people's drinks. Sometimes I wear pjs. That's optional.

Register early, these Slumber Parties fill up. Call Panopolie at 919-872-4767. You can't actually stay overnight at the store, but the new Hilton Garden Inn is just behind us and you could stay there if the craftiness overwhelms you!

*actually, you can watch all three but you can only take two of the three classes, we are amazing but we can't do miracles!

Contest to enter this month

This month's Art Bead Scene contest is to create a piece inspired by the Van Gogh painting Irises. This painting is one you have seen before in myriad reproductions but you should take a moment to look it over in a really nice art book (not on a computer screen) or in person if you can. It moves. The flowers seem to float a few inches above the canvas. It's really amazing.

The blues, greens and golds are a lovely combination for any bead work. If just the idea of the painting isn't enough, you may also be inspired by the prizes. Lisa Peters is the monthly sponsor and she creates lovely art beads. I am currently obsessing about these chicks and their many potential uses. Visit her etsy site and visit Art Bead Scene to find out how to enter the contest today.

Words of the year...

From friends I have heard many nice words and phrases for 2009.

Simplify, Home, Balance; all quite deep and herbal tea/yoga/natural fiber. Then there are inspiring phrases like Be Present and Out of the Box; you know those people will be making some changes that would be fun to watch.

But then my friend Jennifer tells me her word for the year is Fudge.

No kidding, she tells me this as she hands me some lovingly wrapped fudge; silky smooth thin pieces of what is, really, the best fudge in the world. She says she can't bear to think of Living In The Moment or Just Being for a whole year. Instead, she's going to perfect her fudge.

No, you can't have her phone number.