Learn Wire Wrapping – 2-Day Intensive Gresham, Oregon

You Can Learn to Wire Wrap Gemstones

June 7, 2011

Wire Wrapping course in Gresham, Oregon, July & August 2011

Wil Peterson is teaching two intensive wire wrapping courses in Gresham, Oregon. Workshops are designed to accelerate the time it takes for “anyone” from beginning level to intermediate level to master the art of wire jewelry.

Eight Projects Will be Covered

You will accelerate your skills by applying the basics to intermediate designs while accenting the jewelry with both intermediate & advanced embellishments. See the eight beginning projects at WireJewelryWorkshop.com

EVERYTHING needed is supplied including materials & gemstones for each project. You will also receive handouts for each project that will cover the step-by-step instructions for that design.

After every project is completed we will go over the design variations to expand your knowledge of the choices you have in creating one-of-a-kind art jewelry pieces from that template design.

I’ve taught over 20,000 students and have been creating wire jewelry for over 20 years now. I’ve won many awards and built up a reputation for exact skills and unique designs over the years.

This WILL be a very limited engagement with only 3-5 students per workshop and (2) workshops in total. Sign-up is on a first-come basis!

Beginning Level – July 16th & 17th, 2011
Intermediate/Advanced – Aug. 13th & 14th, 2011
Time: 10am – 5pm (with a 1 hour lunch break)
Location: 1615 NW 1st Street Gresham, OR 97030 (This is my parents house)

Beginning Level: $350.00 per person (8 Projects w/ 3-4 design variations)
Intermediate/Advanced Level: $395.00 per person (6 Projects w/ 3-4 design variations)

Call, email or visit WireJewelryWorkshop.com for more info… Wil Peterson (760) 294-8164 / wilp2001@yahoo.com

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Gemstone Faceting Refresher Course

April 13, 2011

It’s Been Too Long and I Forgot How to Facet

Many people learn faceting then get busy and don’t practice for a long time, and when they decide to get back into it, suddenly they think, “Hey, how did I used to do that?” Well, fear not. There are so many awesome videos, on YouTube for instance such as this one by John Bailey at GemstoneArtist:

Do a search on YouTube for faceting and you’ll find many videos.

Don’t Forget the Library

There are also plenty of great books that will help refresh your mind. Our club, Columbia Willamette Faceters’ Guild has an extensive library (if you are a member), and you can often find a few at the library. You may also just want to invest in a book or two. Some ideas to get you started (you may remember you already have these on your shelf at home?):

  • Learn to Facet the Right Way, by Jeff Graham. Can be purchased at Faceters.com in the book section.
  • Faceting for Amateurs, by Glen and Martha Vargus is also considered a good starter book

You can often find these books used at far lower prices than you may see posted on Amazon so don’t let those crazy prices scare you away from a book.  Here is a link to a search on Amazon for the single word “faceting.” Hopefully that’ll help get you started.

And lastly (for now) here is a “How to Get Started in Gemstone Faceting” tutorial that may help from GemCutter.com. If anyone has other ideas or suggestions please post in the comments.

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Thumbnail image for Zeolites of the World

Zeolites of the World

September 6, 2010 Gems

Rudy Tschernich, Curator of the Rice NW Museum of Rocks and Minerals has generously offered his book, Zeolites of the World for free at the Mineral Database web site called Mindat.org. Here is a direct link but if it is broken, look for it in the December 2008 issue.

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Al Gerding Memorial Faceting Trophy

July 30, 2010 Faceting Awards

Columbia Willamette Faceters Guild sponsors the Al Gerding Memorial Faceting Trophy
The Portland Regional Gem & Mineral Show is September 17 – 19, 2010. Exhibitors need to register their intent to exhibit by filling out the “Exhibit Application” for as many categories as they wish then sending it to Lamar Tilgner (address below). Accolades and the [...]

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Faceting Design Contest

May 7, 2010 Gem Designs

Enter the Gemology Project’s faceting design contest by August 1, 2010 to win great prizes and help other faceters by creating an online database of designs.
First prize, for contributor of most useful Design Collection
Receive an “All You Need Kit” containing:

1 BATTWING Lap
One 3,000 Diastik
One 60K Diatsik
Three BATTSTIKS, 1 each CeO, AlOx, and Chromium Oxide

(Retail value: [...]

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Gemstone Designs April Facets

May 4, 2010 Gem Designs

Every month in Facets we publish one or more gemstone designs. The April 2010 issue includes SpinWheel 3 by Jerry Bartlemay, March 2010, inspired by Wind Wheel by Charles Covill and Checkboard Oval OMNI Version by John Bailey, 2008.
We’d love to hear your experience cutting one or both of these designs. Post them here, [...]

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Faceting Gemstones for Fun and Profit

May 4, 2010 Learn Faceting

Yes, it is possible to make a living from your gemstone faceting and no one has done this faster than John Bailey of GemstoneArtist.com. This year, 2010, Bailey will hold ONE boot-camp-style Faceting class.
July 8 – 13, with over 60 hours of classroom instruction in a close, friendly environment. This course is perfect for the [...]

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Fac-Ette for Sale: Sold

May 4, 2010 Tools - Equipment

Seattle Fac-Ette for Sale
The Columbia Willamette Faceters’ Guild has a Seattle Fac-Ette for sale (SOLD). This machine is in excellent condition, having been recently refurbished by Bob Grove.
This package deal includes three used laps (180, 600 and 1200 grit) and an acrylic master lap. Also included are a transfer jig, target dop, 45 degree [...]

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Dopping Tips – Cleaning Epoxy Mess

January 16, 2010 Misc Tips

Clean-up of Messy Epoxy Tubes and Mixing Surfaces
by Glenn Ruminson (FACETS Mar 2005)
I got tired of getting my fingers gummed up from leaking epoxy and hardener tubes. I avoid the mess by slipping a 2″ by 3″ polyethylene bag over the bottom end of the tube — all the mess stays inside the bag.
This is [...]

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Software for Faceters

January 14, 2010 Tools - Equipment

There are a few software programs of use to faceters. The first that comes to mind is GemCad, developed by Robert Strickland. According to GemCad.com, “Gemcad is a computer-aided design (CAD) program for faceted gemstones. It runs under Windows 95 or later on PC compatibles with screen resolution of at least 800 x 600.” [...]

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