ArtBLISS!

This post appeared Tuesday on AJE Blog.

Cindy Wimmer (author of the new book, The Missing Link) and Jeanette Blix (owner of Fundametals) are the co-creators of ArtBLISS, a weekend retreat in Sterling, VA.  ArtBLISS was created four years ago to provide three days of fun, jewelry-related classes to all of us arty-types!  I had the pleasure of attending the first, second, and fourth (this) years.

Art Jewelry Elements was represented at ArtBLISS this year by Melissa Meman!!!! Karen Totten, Jenny Davies-Reazor, Diana Ptaszynski and me!

 Diana

Jenny

 Me

I took two classes this year: Thin Gauge Sheet Metal Workshop by Stacie Florer; and Worlds of Color Polymer Clay by Christine Damm. Stacie is a delight as a teacher, and Christine is so enthusiastic about polymer it's catching!  I had a lot of fun - I have not really worked in metal before like this, and don't do much with polymer either.  I wanted to expand my horizons!

Here is a photo of a pendant I made in Stacie's class - I LOVE it!  I learned to cut, form and rivet thin gauge sheet metal!

And these are earring pendants I made, but they are not patinaed or tumbled yet.  I am still deciding if I want to add rivets to the bottom to dangle some beads (I'm thinking yes) so I have to wait to get my little riveting gadget in the mail!  And rivets...  Did I mention ArtBLISS makes you buy MORE things than you already have?

There are finished beads I made in Christine's class - again, I LOVE them!  I had so much fun with polymer clay.

And here are beads that are in the process of being completed.  I need to order some oil crayons to use on them (there's that BUY more stuff again!!!!).

On Saturday night we had a vendor night, and got to sell (and trade) some of our beads to the attendees of the workshop.

I highly recommend you check out ArtBLISS next year - it will be their 5 year anniversary and I hear they want to plan some really special things!