EEEK! My Jewelry Book is Due August 1st.

Thursday, 4pm

April 30, 2009

How Did I Get an Editor?

 

More than just an article, here on Teach Street, this will be an ongoing journal entry to chronicle the struggles to write my book. Be careful what you wish for because you might get it! I now have a book dead line for August 1st, eeek!

 

Several years ago I contacted my favorite art press to propose a book. I wasn't just disappointed that they didn't respond; I was miffed. What's worse than a rejection? No response at all. So I decided to "do it my way" as Frank Sinatra sings, and self publish my own books as distance learning lessons. I've been successfully developing and selling my virtual books since July of 2003.

 

So how did I find a publisher? Actually they found me via my website www.sandkuhler.com.The original intention of my site was to create a calling card for interested students, provide credibility for potential employers, display my curriculum, and have copy ready descriptions and photos available for marketing tools. I bought my domain name and began working on the site in 1999. Thus far I've been through several webmasters (Hi Kite Lady, Theresa, Emily, Mindy, Iris and Jen!) And some of us are still friends LOL! I’ve had to have it rebuilt several times to keep it simple, simple, simple. I also learned the hard (and long) way that to keep it compatible across all browsers and platforms I had to have it built in HTML (thanks Mindy). All in all, it's been a labor of love as well as an on going project. My site is invaluable in regards to putting me on the map and providing opportunities for employment. Now, it’s saved me the irritation of jumping through very time consuming and aggravating hoops to find an editor (Hi Tina!).

 

 

 

Aloha Friday, 10:40am

May 1, 2009

Wow. Being on Your Own Schedule Must Be Nice. Well, Yes and No.

 

 

YES:

I was just on Maui and Oahu for two weeks teaching. My life had suddenly become so simple. I woke up when the sun either hit me or made the room too hot to continue sleeping. Hopped in the car and searched for decent coffee. Returned, checked emails. Organized stuff (paperwork, tools, materials) to teach later that day. Wow. Its, like, only 9am. Oh yea. Jet lag. I feel so productive. Pondered whether or not I should go to the beach (pathetic if I were in Hawaii and not go to the beach right?) or work on my book. Thank god(ess) there were several days of rain/clouds and vog (volcanic fog blocking out the sun and view) so I could write. Then at around 2pm I’d get ready for work/class. Haul my suitcase full of tools to the trunk of the rental car. Drive to the vicinity of where I was teaching. Find a cheap meal. More coffee. Teach. Find another cheap meal afterwards usually at a hotel- or restaurant bar- somewhere. Unwind. Go home, decompress some more with simultaneous email and television. Fall asleep whenever. Get up the next day and do it again.

 

NO:

At home. Turn off the 7am alarm in my sleep. Over sleep. Here in the Bay Area the sun doesn’t reach the bedroom and it’s always cold so I want to stay in my cocoon and hibernate. Year around. Tosca (my borzoi) is now older and no longer drags squeaky toys into bed to squeak on me to make me get up. Start thinking about the book. Next thoughts about deadlines and jewelry samples creep in. When do I garden? Contact Kaiser about finding an alternate (cheaper) insurance ‘cause I’m self employed. Comcast wants me to contact them regarding a new cable box for the HD transition. Gotta contact the folks at the retirement home in the city where I plan to teach. Still have to unpack from two weeks in Hawaii and do the accounting. Return phone calls. I get overwhelmed and get up.

 

Prepare the cowboy coffee. Take Tosca’s water bowl, water the plants. Fresh water for her. Feed her. Pour boiling water into my cowboy coffee. Make the bed. Select some organic veggies for Baby Joey (newly rescued Dutch Rabbit who died on the operating table while I was in Hawaii, when he got his boy parts removed. Well, they only did side ‘cause of what happened. He did not go into the light but managed to come back to us.) He gets the carrot tops. Tosca gets the carrot (stick). Coffee is done. Go to my studio. Turn on the speakers and subwoofer, iTunes, listen to the Fernando and Greg morning show (http://www.energy92.7 FM) to get me going and put me into a good mood.

 

I make my list knowing that the only thing I should focus on is writing the book. Better do some photography before the light changes. Have to take a frontal photo of The Ring. Work on the list of things to do instead. Get overwhelmed. Put Tosca into the bedroom, shut the door and let Joey out. Play tug-of-war with him as I feed him his meds. I should check my emails to see if I’ve sold any distance learning lessons. Instead review, follow up and archive emails for the next hour and a half. Put new distance learning students into my data base. Send my webmaster new tasks. Follow Teach Street trail and see what’s going on there. Deliberately ignore Facebook ‘cause I gotta write. Start writing this “article” for Teach Street to get warmed up for The Book. Put Joey back. Let Tosca out. Oh man. It’s already 11am and I still haven’t started on the book. I’m ready for a breakfast break and more coffee. Focus. I’ve written the first draft of the following (hardest) sections:

• About this Book
• Dedication
• Acknowledgements
• Biography (paid Terry Graham, Marketing & Public Relations Consulting, to write this with me)
• Resources
• Creativity and Copyrights
• Conclusion

Today I need to begin with taking a frontal photo of The Ring (lights almost gone), then begin photographing the step-by-steps for the Lucky Horseshoe Charm Bracelet, the first project to introduce students to simple metal manipulation and content. But first, go to the bathroom, make another cup of coffee and take Tosca out to pee. Its 11:30 and what have I done?

 

 

 

Monday, 1:12pm

May 11, 2009

Hey Iris…. What is the Book About?

Here is an excerpt: About this Book

 

 

I have been writing since I was a child. The first set of journals were too embarrassing to go back and read, so at the age of 12, I buried them somewhere in the sandy pine forests of Coastal North Carolina. Afterwards I regretted it and swore that no matter what, I would never destroy another journal. As I write this, I am 50 and with a closet stuffed full of journals. They have evolved from pen and paper into a combination of “dear diary”, scrap books, artist books, photo albums, floppy disks, zip drives, memory sticks, CD’s and flash drives. When an engineer discovers something and wants to patent it, they use their journals as proof of development. That closet is my tangible proof.

 

In this second half of my life I worry about what will become of the contents of that closet. Recently a dear friend and artist, Sidney Jackson Bartholomew Junior died. As I write this, his journals, sketch books and artist books lay molding in card board boxes in a Deep South garage. I cringe at the possibility that something equivalent might happen to all my years of journaling. At Sid’s West Coast memorial we sat gathered around a late night diner table strategizing about what could be done. William Dunlap, my first fine arts professor from Appalachian State University and a professional painter suggested someone organize graduate students to go through the boxes and harvest his art journals.

 

What does all of this have to do with a “how to” book on jewelry making? This book is a culmination of my life and professional experience. It is a combination of how I talk to my adult students in the classroom, the requirements of successful technical writing and the written voice of my journals. It is not a dry “how to” instruction manual. It’s more of a slice of life that I am eager to share with you. I believe that being a good teacher is part story telling, especially when it comes to explaining challenging topics and putting things into context. When we understand why things are done in a particular way, it gives insight into how to branch out on a unique creative path. It also hones trouble-shooting skills.

 

The scope of this book begins with simple, cold wire projects then evolves into more complex hot (uses torches) ones. Each design has its own clasp solution. Whether you are new to metalsmithing or returning for the intermediate to advanced projects, please read the entire book first. The tools and materials build on each other in terms of complexity. There are many roads to enlightenment! I may be using different methods than the ones you have learned and a lot of your questions will be answered before you begin.

 

When folks ask what I do I respond with: artist first, teacher second, writer third. Writing this book takes my experiences and anecdotes out of my closet full of journals, from my university classrooms, from my experience being a student and professor, and launches it across time and space. Through this venue, I look forward to visiting with my students past, present and future.

 

 

 

Thursday, 3:32pm

May 21, 2009

43 Pages So Far!

Inspired by the MJSA Journal article: Clock Wise, Managing Your Time Well With Self-Evaluation and Planning by Shannon Cournoyer

 

 

Recently, I read an article out of a professional manufacturer’s jewelry journal about work styles and time management of jewelers. I recognized myself in both scenarios. The Right-Brained Jeweler (a man, BTW) did his creative thing from 8 a.m. till noon. Had lunch for an hour. From 1-1:30 used this transition period to make phone calls, check emails and place orders. From 1:30-3:15 he worked some more on his jewelry. From 3:15 to 4 pm polishing jewelry and then from 4-5 p.m. designed more work.

 

The Left-Brained Jeweler broke down nearly every hour and a half into task units that included any number of things such as consulting with clients, emails related to teaching, ordering supplies, preparing stock, cutting, organizing, computer work, teaching projects, expense reports, scheduling travel, writing articles, participating in online forums. He also grouped non-daily tasks into batches and scheduled them certain days of the week and/or month.

 

Man. I was so happy to read this article because I thought I was the only one with these insane schedules of teaching, making and selling work, traveling, accounting, writing etc… I took the little quiz in the article to see if I was a left- or right- brained person. I really couldn’t tell because I’d experienced all the time management scenarios they presented. Looking for some salvation, my quiz, placed me right smack dab in the middle. No wonder I keep changing my coping strategies (while reminding myself its OK as long as I keep moving forward).

 

I did feel some validation in setting a block of time to write this book every day and not feeling guilty about telling folks not to expect to hear from me between the hours of 8 am and noon from now on. It’s starting to work. Now if I can put on some blinders to keep myself from getting sucked into chores. This morning’s writing time was perforated with seven loads of laundry.

 

Maybe this scenario will work for me:

 

6 a.m. get up, feed Tosca, Joey, me, make bed, clean up

8 a.m. sit down to write. Putz during downloads and for mental breaks

12:00 break for lunch

1:00 emails, class prep, scheduling, inventorying, proposal deadlines, web

6:00 cocktail hour and dinner

8:00 TV and jewelry making

Add as needed: teaching, commuting, errands, gym, meetings

 

I’ve begun photographing and writing up details about the tools and materials as they come up. Organizing it alphabetically. I think I’ll make it a practice to add another tool or material each day. I’ve also begun photographing the first project: Lucky Horseshoe Charm Bracelet. You can see a photo of it on my website:  http://www.sandkuhler.com/workshops_cold.html

 

OK. Gotta pack all my tools boxes and bags for this evenings class. I’m trying to build a following in Marin (Tamalpais Union Adult and Community Education) and it looks like after four workshops its starting to take. I have ten students for my fusing class tonight.

http://www.marinlearn.com/

Oh yes, according to the article you can find detailed examples of time maps at

juliemorgenstern.com/PDFs?time_Map_Sample_Booklet_JM_1-11-09_JC.pdf

 

Happy Time Mapping

Ciao4now!

-Iris

 

 

 

Thursday, 9:37am

June 4, 2009

65 Pages So Far!

Sequestering Myself at Gold Beach, OR

 

It’s gloomy, raining, cold and I’m glad of it. Dog sitting Darlene’s pups plus Tosca. I look like a dog walker with white, petite, medium and large dogs. Add one more and the way they drag me I’ll take off like a white kite flying off into the night!

 

Meanwhile: the book. I deliberately sequestered myself and I’m happy for the boredom that surrounds living in this economically depressed (but interesting) small coastal town. The scope of the book has narrowed down and focused. My life has gotten into a little routine. I’m losing some weight (yea). Been posting photos from this adventure on Face Book just to amuse myself when I need a creative break, and to feel like I have some sort of community. I’m the type who revels in solitude, but it’s nice to connect a bit each day with distant friends while I sit at the internet café and book store to manage my email each morning.

 

The following is what is completed in terms of first draft. I feel like I’m about one third of the way through this book, but keep thinking it will go faster soon since I’ve spent most of the time laying the foundation.

 

 

Table of Contents

 

 

Introduction

About this Book

          Dedication

Acknowledgements

Biography

          Resources

Soapbox Section: Creativity and Copyrights

Tools Talk

          How This Section is Divided Up

          Types and Brands of Tools

          Butane Torch (Or Bringing Out the Pyro in You)

                    Valve

                    Removable Foot

                    Tank (Body)

                    Striker and Regulator

                    Safety Switch

                    Trigger Finger (Worry Not)

                    The Flame Lock

                    Crank Up the Volume

                    Safety

          Cookie Sheet, Dedicated to Jewelry Making

                    Size Matters

                    Coatings

                    Shape

                    Inappropriate Materials

          Dowel Rods

          File: Mill Smooth

                    How to Make a Corn Cob Handle

          Gauge: How Do You Gauge the Gauge of Your Gauge?

                    Concept: The Higher the Number the Thinner the Wire

          Hammer: If I Had a [Good] Hammer

          Kiln Brick: Soft

                    Care and Feeding

                    Re-planing

          Mouse Pad (Phone Book and Grippy Fabric)

          Pliers: Three That I Can’t Live Without

                    Flush Cutter

                    Needle-nose Chain Pliers

                    Rosary Pliers

          Rags

          Ruler

          Safety Glasses

          Screw Punch

          Steel Block

                    Care & Feeding

                    Safety Issues

          Scrap Jars

          Toothbrush: Dedicated, of Course

          Tripod and Screen

                    Preparing Your Screen

          Tweezers: Long and Cross Locking

         

Materials Matter Chatter

          Butane Gas

          Dawn Dishwashing Detergent

          Ear Plugs

          Oil

          Permanent Marker

          Polishing Pads

          Wire Concepts: Temper. Temper. Temper.

Projects

          Lucky Horseshoe Charm Bracelet

                    Where This Project Came From

                    Getting Started

                    Teardrop-Shaped Wires

Concepts

          Work Hardening: Temper. Temper. Temper.

Projects

Lucky Horseshoe Charm Bracelet

                    Where This Project Came From

                    Tool Check List

                    Materials Check List

                    Getting Started

                    Teardrop-Shaped Wires

                    Hammering

                    Forming Horseshoe Links

          Concept: Opening the Door of a Plane

                    Horseshoe Chain Clasp

Concept: What is Content and Where Can I Get Some?

          Briolette Wrap: Harnessing Objects

                    Tools Check List

                    Materials Check List

                    Choosing Wire

                    Centering the Wire

                    Making the Neck and Head

                    Wrapping the Coil Around the Neck

                    Finishing the End