Home From Art & Soul

It's 8:18 and it takes me ten minutes to get to work, which means I have to leave in two minutes.  So, what am I doing?  Why, I'm soldering in my kitchen.  Really.

The outlets in my dining room were two pronged, so I picked up my tray and moved to the kitchen.  Took a business call and propped the phone, on speaker, up on the cookbook stack and thought while I soldered.  Isn't it a wonderful world?

I need a lot of practice.  My worst issues right now are alignment and taping, so I plan to go on the charm a day program to get lots of practice.  I figure I can make little alphabet charms for all of Ellie's friends as end of school presents if I keep it up.

I have to give a big shout out to Brad a/k/a Mr. Sally Jean, because his wonderful tip about holding my soldering iron properly has made it possible for me to attach jump rings easily and in perfect alignment.  Thanks Brad! (and Sally too. If you ever have the chance to take a class with her, you should!)

I decided to make my Mother in Law an extra present using my new sort-of skill.  She loves dogs, so I made her a big goose egg charm with a dog.  Fortunately, in real life, he does not have the deranged mad dog look that the glare of the glass in my camera gives him in the photograph.  He's all rough and uneven.  I hope my soldering improves with time.  The good thing about making presents for Moms is that they like them despite, or maybe because of, the imperfections.