NEW! DVD Giveaway and Class in the Studio this weekend.

**We have a winner!** Check the comments on the post below. Chosen at random, commenter Teresa gets the DVD.

Middle of April? Okay. If you say so. Things are humming right along in Kate Richbourg-land. I have, like 5 million irons in the fire and each project is fun and challenging at times. I feel like a sprinter that's nearing the finish line. I. am. so. close. to. finishing. Sorry about the radio silence on the blog. Those fun and challenging projects are requiring every second of my writing time.

One big project that I worked on this year (and the end of last) was a DVD set for F&W, Interweave & Craft Daily. The IW gang and I tossed around a few ideas and the one that all of us were most excited about creating was a series on portable torches for the home metalsmith. You can check out the preview here (#solderlikealady).

You can download individual lessons from the DVD on the Interweave Store website, but even better is the just-released 6-lesson DVD. I just received my copies in the mail and I have one to give away to you!

If you'd like a chance to win, leave a comment about why you'd like to #solderlikealady and I'll choose a random winner on Sunday evening. The video covers all of the portable torches that I wrote about in this post for Jewelry Making Daily along with great projects to create.

And a quick note of you are local to the Bay Area and want to get creative this weekend, I have a couple of spots left in my Metal Movement class this weekend at my studio. Check out the details here. All tools and materials provided.

Stay tuned to the blog in the coming weeks as I have more exciting news AND giveaways to share with you. Have a great weekend everybody!

NEW!!! Class in a Kit

Over the years, I have had requests from students for kits from my classes. It's always been on my  to-do list and I am so excited to offer the first one.

 Vine Stack Rings

The kit features beautiful sterling silver wire that I have patterned and annealed. I have included copper practice wire in the kit so you can hone your skills before jumping in to the sterling silver.

You can find them in my Etsy store at this link. Kit includes the wire and detailed step-by-step instructions with photos. You supply the tools. It's perfect for the advanced beginner. New to soldering or want to learn more? Grab my book Simple Soldering, also listed in my shop.

Hope you like it and stay tuned... more kits are coming soon!

JTV Adventure

Hi Everyone! It's Kate's cousin, Zoe. I am the acting Social Media Manager for Kate during this fun trip to Knoxville!

Well, it was a long trip from the Bay Area to Knoxville (plane maintenance issues, re-routes and delayed luggage arrival), but we made it!

We arrived at the JTV studios bright-eyed and excited this morning and Kate just finished setting up her samples. She's ready for her close-up. :)

I am a huge online shopping and Jewel School fan, so you can imagine my excitement this morning. In fact, I just had the pleasure of meeting Kim Prentiss, my favorite JTV host!

One of Kate's favorite people, Katie Hacker just arrived. She is scheduled to appear on Jewel School this morning too!

Make sure to follow Kate on Facebook and Twitter.
Follow the hashtag #JTVfun on Twitter to experience the adventure. Trust me, you won't want to miss it!

Anniversary Giveaway! Win a Copy of My Upcoming Book

Good morning from Tennessee! I am putting finishing touches on my samples for JTV this morning and wanted to take a moment to post my latest giveaway.

Leave a comment below and enter to win my upcoming book... 

The official release date is December 11, 2012, so you won't see it for a while, but as soon as I get my advance copies, I'll send one to you. (Late November, maybe?) It also includes an instructional DVD that is over 2 HOURS long. The DVD covers a lot of great tips and techniques and is a great companion to the book.

If you'd like to win, leave a comment below. I'll pick the winner at random on Monday morning. For extra chances to win share this contest on your social media outlets (Tweet, FB, blog) and come back here and leave a comment for each share with your link.

Good luck and stay tuned for another giveaway next Friday... I have a GREAT prize coming up!

I Heart Solder Cutting Pliers!

Did you happen to catch my article for Jewelry Making Daily on soldering brass, copper and nickel and about how copper wire solder ROCKS?!

Well, let me remind you. Not only is the wire solder awesome, the tool that I use to cut it with is also one of my faves. No more wrangling tiny cut-up pieces of solder. No more chasing down solder that flies every-which-way after it's cut.

Tah dah!

Cutting sheet.

Cutting wire.

Meet the solder cutting pliers

I love this tool so much that I have added it to my Etsy shop (that's the link). Did you know my Etsy shop stocks my favorite metalsmithing tools and supplies? Well now you do. And if you have stuck with me through the end of this post you can use this code ETSYJULY2012 to save 10% on everything in my shop through July 31. Yep. That also includes THE BOOK.

My favorite things are trickling in so keep your eye on my shop. I have some cool stuff coming.

Thanks for your support!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane!

Oh, gang...
So sorry for the radio silence but between waiting for the galley proofs for my book and prepping for class on Saturday (at Bead Inspirations) and Sunday (at Baubles and Beads)...(Still room in both, BTW. If you are free consider signing up...it's gonna be FUN!) I have been so busy, I just can't take a breath (or type a post!)

Between this weekend and now however, I gotta pack more stuff in. I am winging my way to Cleveland to be a star, a big, big star! Yep. I am going to film 4 (FOUR) episodes of the terrific TV show Beads, Baubles and Jewels.

I am doing  three of projects from THE BOOK, and my delicious Rolled & Wrapped Bead. (This is also the class I am teaching at Bead Inspirations on Saturday.)

They are slated to air at the end of the year, so don't fret...I'll be blogging about it endlessly so you can catch the episodes. (Don't get BB&J in your area? No worries, you can watch current episodes ONLINE.)

Okay. Now off to pack. Where did I put my jeweler's saw?

Rings and a New (Inexpensive) Torch

In a flurry of creativity I am making jewelry before I leave for Bead & Button. I KNOW! I seem to be packed and mostly ready. (Note to self...print those handouts...you do NOT want to be wrestling with the printer in the office center at the hotel. Ask me how I know.)

Anyway. I was so excited to actually have some time to create that I bounded merrily over to my worktable and picked up my torch. Wait. Where is my torch? Torch?

Drat. I packed every single micro torch I owned and sent them on their way to the show for class. I was crestfallen. As I pawed through my storage baskets willing one of my torches to spontaneously appear something caught my eye.

Bernzomatic Micro Torch

This guy.

I had bought this torch a while back to try out, turned it on once and promptly forgot all about it. Desperate times call for desperate measures, so I fired it up.

It did not have a built in lighter so I used my fireplace starter to fire it up. The torch is filled from the bottom and pushing up on that red button starts the butane flowing. There is a little switch underneath (opposite of the red button) that regulates the butane flow. The flame kept blowing out when I tried to light it, but a quick adjustment to that switch made the fuel flow more slowly and the torch lit right up.

So far so good. I tried the torch out and I like it. It certainly does not take the place of my Blazer or Max Flame micro torches, but since it was the only torch I could quickly lay my hands on, I made it work.

So, in a nutshell, these are my pros and cons:

PRO:

• I already had it.
• The flame is tapered and precise.
• Long burn time. 
• Easy to manipulate.
• Great for soldering jump rings and drawing a ball on the end of a wire. 
• Inexpensive and easy to find. $15.95 at most hardware stores.

CON:

• If you hold the torch at a 90° angle to your work it can sometimes blow out. Once I adjusted it to a little higher than 45° over my project it worked perfectly.
• No automatic ignition switch.
• The flame cannot solder projects larger than a quarter in size (1 inch or 24 mm).

Since the flame was small and could only solder small projects, I had to get creative. Here are the rings I made.

I used the torch to anneal the metal and to solder the bezel on the ring on the right. It wasn't powerful enough to solder the settings to the ring bands, so those are riveted together.

Now back to the workbench and my little torch. If you are coming to Bead & Button, make sure and stop by and see me at meet the teachers. I'll have rings for sale!

Simple Soldering Sneak Peek!

Hi all!
Looky what just hit my inbox...

Click image to enlarge.

This is the BLAD (Book Layout and Design) for my book. This is a preview of the book for promotional use and the publisher sent it on to me. I thought it would be cool to share with you. Above is the cover and a synopsis of the book.

Click to enlarge.

And here are a few of the projects included in the book. I am so excited to see it all coming together!

My Book is Available for Pre Order!

Oh gosh!

It's been almost 20 years in the making. (I started this career in 1992...I was three years old.) I am so excited to announce that my metalsmithing book is available for pre order. (Insert excited happy dance here.)

The official release date is December 11, 2012. It seems like an eternity, but let me tell you... at the rate this year is flying by it's gonna be here before you know it!

You know, writing this book has been an amazing experience and looking through all of the instructions, photos and projects during the editing process makes me really happy and darn proud of myself. My goal with this book was to be able to teach anyone to solder (especially beaders!) and to make them at ease as I do in my live classes. Yeah, the projects are cool, but it's the teaching that takes place in this book (and on the DVD) that gets me going. No experience? No problem. I am going to teach you how to wield that torch with confidence.

So if you would like to pre order you have two options:

1. Go to Amazon.com by clicking on this link Simple Soldering: A Beginner's Guide to Jewelry Making to make a purchase. Clicking on this link does provide a small percentage into my affiliate account. It's hard to beat the price that Amazon is offering and if you are strapped for cash, I totally understand.

OR

2. Buy it directly from me at my Etsy store link. Instead of the Amazon discount you'll get a signed copy and two little bonus gifts in your package when I mail your book out. Shipping will be via USPS and you will receive an email with tracking number when your book is sent out on December 11 (or thereabouts).

Stay tuned to the blog over the coming months for more previews and tips and tricks from the book. I will have more photos to share and some previews and giveaways.

978-1596685505

That's my favorite new number! Nope. It's not just a random grouping of numbers that includes a hyphen. It's the ISBN for my upcoming book with DVD Simple Soldering: A Beginners Guide to Jewelry Making (more info at that link).

I am starting pre-orders for the book soon. It will be available from many outlets, including Amazon.com, but I wanted to entice you to pre-purchase from me by letting you know that all books ordered from me will come to you signed by the author (that's me!) and with a couple of extras as thank-you gifts for your support.

I'll announce all of the details on the blog soon. But if you want to be the first to know, how about popping over and joining my email list? Not only will you get info on the upcoming book release and ordering info, it will also keep you up-to-date on my classes, tutorials and other shenanigans.

Thanks for your support! I am so VERY excited to share this book with you. WHOOOOHOOOO!