Patient, patient and more patient

I've finished today a pair of earrings. I think I'm officially very patient person :o) well ... let's say not very very literary. I was doing project that wanted to show construction that comes in two steps: one object, then another object connected with the first and get the end product, it's like 1+2=3  :o) It sound simple, but with metal clay not always working because not all metals are friendly to each other. For example bronze and silver - very unfriendly to each other and you need a lot of experiments to get right proportions or positions to have nice end product and not pile of junk. Well.. lucky us (all metal clay artist) Hadar Jacobson did that dirty job and explained in her blog and books. In short, I've got construction OK, but the patina...... it looked like it took forever!!!! I did a few times Verdigris patina on the metal clay, but this time.... probably because details were small and just localized application, but it took me probably a week to get the needed color. Every day I would put a few layers of patina, then wait 12 hours to see developing, curse that metal clay is too porous and again apply a few layers and so on and so on :o((( One more thing, don't dry piece with wet patina on heated surface (like cup warmer) the patina dries off quickly and reaction stops. No cutting corners in this process. How I know that? of course I did try:o)

Caged Silver Drop

Woofstock 2012 experience

Fun day at Woofstock -Dog festival at Toronto downtown. Our first visit. For Archie it was first subway ride and first such a big gathering of humans and dogs. A lot of fun for all. The beginning wasn't good, because my flip-flop just broke at the first step into subway. Well too late to turn back and not worth it. I thought that Toronto have seen many strange people so nobody will be surprised with somebody walking barefoot. Yep, no reaction whatsoever:o)

Then we plunged into big crowd of humans and dogs and forgot that we need to look for some shoe store -  too much fun around, sniffing strangers and having fun and cooling down at fountain. 

 

It was good thing that Archie didn't have his breakfast, because all these treats and samples definitely filled him up:o)))

 Met some fancy friends from our dog park:o)

 I was happy and surprised that no cheap dog food companies were around , but a lot of natural, homemade, holistic dog food. Yep, industry definitely going to the right direction.

Also one more very important observation - perfect behaviour of the dogs (and of course theirs mamas and papas:o) didn't hear one growling or angry barking. Such a well behaved crowd!!!    

Gray head-young spirit

Just a story to remind that not always gray hair means old in soul. Recently we attended friend's son's Barmitzva. Full  gathering of  friends and of course family. As usually at the table there are a lot of talks about traditions and Jewish  traditional food. My husband remembered one of the desert cookies that his grandma was making many many years ago. I remembered that in my childhood just my aunt could do that, because it is very complicated recipe and not many could manage that. Our friend tells me "Ask my mom she knows how to do". I of course went through the tables to the gray-headed grand grandma and asking if she will share THE recipe. She tells "Sure , no problem, I'll e-mail it to you!" I was laughing all way to my table! Our friend told how she learned using computer and internet, how she "infected" all her friends with that "virus" and now they sit next to laptops and chatting via the Skype from all around the world :o) Then I remember how about 15 years ago my rabbi (then he was about 75+) was writing memoirs for his family members and he knew that, his grandchildren hardly would open these notes and read his handwriting memories, so he bought computer , books and was learning how to use that box:o) I was so astonished that I told him "Whatever you want or need  I'm ready to be your teacher!" I just so amazed with these kind of old/young people that do not close themselves in the past, but go forward no matter what, embrace  life  and continue to be example of an open mind and a young soul to people surrounding them.