This past weekend, my sister flew in to go to RAEvN's Nest Art Retreat with me. It started Thursday night with a reception that allowed you to meet other attendees, trade swaps, doodle with inks in your retreat booklet, take "vintage" photos, eat birthday cake. I got to meet Cricket, who signed up for the Trick 'r Treat swap. She's just as sweet and adorable in "real life" as she is on her blog. Carol and I both participated in the charm swap, and the charms could be either a Halloween, Gypsy, or Raven theme.
Friday's class we took Solar Powered Timepiece with Richard Salley. Not only is it a beautiful pendant, but also a functioning compass and sundial. When closed it appears to be an ordinary etched-copper pendant. The triangle dangling from the bottom will serve as part of the sundial.
Open the cover to reveal the compass and sundial face plate, made of "Faux Bone", a pvc disc. The compass can be removed and the copper triangle put in place to serve as the gnomon (“shadow caster”) for the sundial. We worked through most of the dinner break to finish the pendant. Since we both know that once a project comes home it may be a while, if ever, before it gets completed.
After a quick slice of pizza from up the street, Friday evening we took Laurie Mika's Crown Jewels workshop. The idea was to create Renaissance-looking jewelry using polymer clay. Then using a variety of techniques including painting, rubber stamping, embedding, beading and gold leafing, these blocks of polymer clay were transformed. After a full day of with Richard, I was a bit uninspired and only created a couple of pieces during the 2-1/2 hours. I do like Laurie's style with polymer clay. I dabbled in clay years ago, but haven't been doing much lately. I wouldn't mind trying to make a clay mosaic mirror like she shows in her book. Maybe a good snow day project.
Saturday's class was another project with Richard, a Hinged Copper Locket. The locket is similar to the timepiece pendant from the previous day, so we could work ahead while he demoed the techniques to new people in the class.
The locket center is a rusted washer that we cut a shape out of the center with a jeweler's saw. Three blades and easily an hour later, I had my heart cut out. I think the washer is an interesting centerpiece, but I do not plan on cutting on one again any time soon, or perhaps ever. The photo is of mom and dad on a picnic from when they were dating. 
Carol's flight wasn't until later in the evening on Sunday, so we got to enjoy a yummy brunch at Pandl's and then some shopping. Overall, a fantastic weekend that went by way too quickly.
Speaking of going by way too quickly...on the tenth day of Halloween, my swap partner gave to me:
A stripey notebook and clips, with glittery pencils, for jotting down all of the ideas I have for next Halloween...and I have a lot after all of the inspiring things I've been seeing around blogland this year.
Aw shucks, only two days more.
