Repaired Link to HCJ

Yesterday a friend told me that the link to the Handmade Contemporary Jewelry Project (HCJ) was not working.  That is now fixed.  She also wanted to know what it is.  Well...this is a new site to me that looks very exciting.  Here is an excerpt from the site's about page:
"What are the project's aims?
1.To provide comprehensive, up-to-date information related to contemporary jewellery, contemporary silver ware, and small "object art".
2. To aid easy distribution and dissemination of submitted content. Increase exposure for those taking part."
I am going to look into it a little further, perhaps you should too.

New Page

I have updated my blog to include a separate page with soldering tips (see tab at top of blog).  I originally planned these to be quick little tips which I would submit to a magazine on an ongoing basis, I still may do that but in the mean time I thought people may be able to get some use from them.  I wanted to put them in my blog as a printer friendly page but have not been able to figure out how.  So, for now, you will have to right click and print the blog page.  As time permits, I hope to post more pages on different subjects.

I have also included a search bar on my blog.

If you have not already, sign up as a friend and you will be notified when I post.  Also, if you want, please feel free to pass this page on to people who might find it interesting.

Sweet

Last week I broke down and sprung for a Benchmate. For those of you who are not familiar. Benchmate is a tool system made by GRS that has interchangeable components. One of the nice features is its inside ring holder. I have been setting a lot of stones lately and it will make my life a lot easier. Here is a picture.

This is a practice setting that I had on bench. In the back ground you can see two additional ring holders. The one on the left goes with the Benchmate, it is very similar to the ring holder that I was using, also made by GRS, it is on the right with the gold knob on the end. The Benchmate also came with a bench pin (not shown) but I will probably keep using my old bench pin.

Been a while.

It's been a while since I posted. Those of you who know me, know last year was not a fun one around the Eslinger house. Anyway, it's a new year now and hopefully, I will be able to keep up with my blogging. The last time I posted I wrote about an article that was accepted by a magazine. The article is done and at the publisher. It is scheduled to be published in March of 2012! I will write more once they pay me but in the mean time here is a picture of the ring I did for the article.

I had a hard time photographing it. Hopefully the pro's at the magazine can do it more justice. I am currently in the process of carving waxes for alternative designs of the same basic ring.