In the beginning ...

After 40 plus years of writing for money, I'm now writing for fun? Does this make sense? We'll see.

I was inspired to write this blog by an amazing group of metalsmiths with whom I spend a lot of time, but have never met. We chat daily on an Etsy forum, sharing everything from how badly we need another cup of coffee to our sadness over a pet's death, from a recipe for lemon potatoes to the technique for constructing a tricky hinge.

Our group includes a wide variety--graphic designers, a college professor, full-time jewelers, stay-at-home moms, 20 somethings and old retired folks, shy homebodies and party animals. Yet we all bond over our fascination with metal and stones.

While I've always preferred face to face communication, no long phone conversations for me, I find myself looking forward to my conversations with my group. I look forward to seeing what they are doing, and sharing my activities with them.

These people boost me up when I've done a show with no sales. They share my excitement when I conquer a difficult procedure. I turn to them with questions about metals, plumbing, computers and more. I love to tell someone about a new way to texture metal or a recipe for homemade hand cream.

These people have become friends, valuable friends, and I thank them all.