My brother John Everett Arnold died

My brother, John Everett Arnold, 51, passed away at his Concord Village home Fri., Nov. 2 in St. Louis County. John was born June 8, 1956, in St. Louis, Missouri to Everett B. Arnold, deceased and Maryann Seper Arnold of Lemay. He is survived by me, his sister, Laura Ann Arnold of Indianapolis and his daughter, Stephanie Ann Schmidt of St. Louis. His daughter is a 2005 graduate of Webster University. He was a 1974 Lindbergh High School graduate and attended Purdue University and St. Louis University. He owned and operated Arnold Graphics, a printing company for many years. He also held various positions with several local banks. His interests included playing pool, collecting coins, baseball cards, vintage cars and photography. A memorial service will be held on Sat., Nov. 17 at 3 pm, Kutis Funeral Home, 5255 Lemay Ferry Road. Please share your condolences, memories and photos.

Jewelry Now For Sale at Boca Loca Beads

As of the 1st of July 2007 , you can now find Designs by Laura Ann at Boca Loca Beads located at 1311 Prospect Street in the Fountain Square Historic District in downtown Indianapolis. Store hours are: Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday from Noonto 4 PM. As you walk into the shop, my jewelry designs can be found on the bottom of the large display case to your left. Many of my creations are displayed on dress manequin jewelry holders.

In addition to a myriad of beads and jewelry-making supplies, there are other items for sale including hand woven purses and African textile stamps to name a few. If the special person on your gift list is a do-it-yourself type, you might want to consider purchasing a gift certificate for merchandise or a Boca Loca Bead class.

For a list of classes see: http://www.bocalocabeadsinc.com/classes.htm.

If you still don't see what you are trying to find, you may also want to consider having either myself or the Boca Loca Bead staff design a piece for you. Boca Loca Bead Owner, Jari Sheese, is a talented lampwork bead artist. A unique custom designed piece of jewelry can be crafted with one of Jari's lampwork beads as a focal point. You might also consider repurposing vintage jewelry components from a family member into a new piece. Many of my jewelry designs started with vintage costume jewelry brooches that now serve as pendants.

Indy Chapter PMC Guild Organizes

Last Sunday afternoon (06/03/07) the Indy Chapter of the PMC Guild met at the Indianapolis Art League. Although they will not meet in July or August 2007, meetings generally will be held the 1st Sunday afternoon of the month at the Indianapolis Art Center. Due to the Labor Day weekend, however, the next meeting will be held on Sunday, September 9th (2nd Sunday) and then October 7 with no meetings scheduled for November or December 2007.

The meeting dates for 2008 are as follows: January 6th, February 3rd, March 2nd and April 6th.

So what is PMC? Precious Metal Clay, PMC, is an exciting material developed and patented in the 1990s by Mitsubishi Materials of Japan. Microscopic particles of silver are mixed with a moist binder to create a material that has the feel and working properties of modeling clay. Using simple tools, objects are easily given shape, texture, and character. After air-drying, the objects are heated to temperatures approaching the melting point of the metal, where the particles fuse together to make a dense, fully metallic object. Fired PMC work can be polished, soldered, enameled, and enjoyed like any other silver item. PMC is available in three different versions of silver and in a 22k gold alloy.

If you have an interest in learning more about PMC, please join us or visit http://www.pmcguild.com/.

This post displays two of my jewelry designs featuring PMC pendants. The picture above feautures a PMC pendant created with a two-part mold of a vintage Art Deco style glass button. There are two button holes. One button hole is used for the pendant bail and the other button hole creates a bezel for the purple CZ accent stone. This is a two-strand necklace with one strand of freshwater pearls separated by sterling silver beads andanother strand of lovely faceted amethyst beads separated bysterling silver rondells.

The lower photo features a donut-shaped pendant in which 30-gauge fine silver wire has been crocheted into a circle and then embedded into PMC. The bail for this pendant includes a faceted rose quartz bead. This is also a two strand necklace. One strand is composed of Peruvian pink opal beads separated by fine silver spacer beads and the other strand is a hand crocheted rope of fine silver wire with rose quartz chips.

Swarovski Crystal Jewelry Designs

During a meeting yesterday afternoon, someone asked me if I did any jewelry designs with Swarovski crystals. The answer is: YES! So I decided to post photos of some of my jewelry designs using Swarovski crystals.

The three piece set (single strand necklace, bracelet and earrings) on the left is composed of navy blue fresh water pearls and navy blue bicone Swarovski crystals interspersed by delicate twisted rope sterling silver beads. A very sweet matching set.

Featured in the photo to the right is a double strand grey freshwater pearl and Black Diamond AB round Swarovski crystal necklace and coordinating earrings in Sterling Silver. This demi parure set is smart and sophisticated.

This necklace design done in 14K GF alternates vintage Swarovski in a creamy yellow with khaki colored bi-cone crystals along with freshwater stick pearls, faceted round freshwater pearls and pale yellow jade graduated teardrop beads. The design creates a dramatic combination of shapes, sizes and textures. This necklace has an adjustable lobster clasp and chain.

To the right, the bronze colored bi-cone Swarovski crystals are interspersed among one of the strands of the 8-9 mm bronze freshwater pearls. This elegant twisted pearl design also includes wonderful vintage bronze Czech seed beads finished with a 14 K GF toggle clasp. Personally, I would wear this necklace with a little black dress and metallic bronze pumps or handbag for an updated fashion statement.

Visit Me at the Zionsville Country Market--May 19, 2007

Hopefully, the wonderful weather we experienced this past weekend will continue for a few more weeks so that you can visit me at the upcoming

Zionsville Country Market

on Saturday, May 19, 2007,

from 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

According to the event sponsor, the Greater Zionsville Chamber of Commerce, this year's event will feature "more than 175 of the finest exhibitors in a half-mile of booths under white tents on the famous Brick Street." I will be sharing Booth 316 (located across from Lilly's Boutique Gallery, 40 West Pine St. --Main Street x Pine Street , Zionsville) with the multi-talented polymer clay bead designer, Ponsawan Sila. Just so you know, the Country Market is a 'Juried Art-Antique-Apparel & Craft Show'. Contributions from the Country Market will be made to the Zionsville Chamber Scholarship Fund.

This will be my first year to participate in the Country Market. I understand that if you come you can picnic on Main Street or dine in any of Zionsville's famous restaurants plus there will also be great food sponsored by not-for-profit groups available in the Food Court. Family Entertainment will be available for all ages including face painting, jugglers, balloon art & much, much more...What about parking? A complimentary bus ride shuttle will run from the Zionsville Town Hall located at 1100 W. Oak Street (SR 334) plus free parking will be available from Love Furniture Galleries at 575 S. Main Street (Zionsville Road)

Over the next few weeks I will be posting photos of a representative sample of the work I will have for sale at this event. In the meantime, are you looking for something in particular, e.g. a special necklace, bracelet or earrings with a specific gemstone? E-mail me and tell me what you are trying to find and let me see if I can help. Don't forget Mother's Day is Sunday May 13, 2007

Hope to see you at the Zionsville Country Market!

Labradorite reminds me of Jim Jontz

This necklace and earring set is composed of faceted Labradorite roundels, vintage sky blue faceted crystal cones and gray freshwater pearls. The arrangement of the cone-shaped crystals remind me of little bow ties. The Schiller (eye-catching optical effects) quality of the Labradorite beads is stunning. This gem is named for Labrador, Newfoundland, northeast Canada, where the gem was first identified by geologists in the 1770's.

This set reminds me of my friend Jim Jontz (photo provided by Jim's first wife, Elaine Caldwell Emmi) who passed away last Saturday in Portland, Oregon. Jim studied geology at Indiana University. I met Jim while I was a student at Purdue University. Bill and Penny Parmenter brought him to one of our meetings of Purdue Environmental Action, a student chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America. Jim was serving as the caretaker for Fall Creek Gorge Nature Preserve, a uniquely beautiful spot in Warren County, Indiana. For a description and photos please see http://www.dcwi.com/~eric/goot/fallcrk.htm. The gorge was threatened by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dam proposed for Big Pine Creek. This was Jim's home base when he decided to run for the Indiana House of Representatives. Later, Jim would run and serve in the Indiana State Senate and the U.S. Congress.

Jim and the dam fighters prevailed so this spot of natural beauty is still there for our enjoyment. I think that whenever I visit a place of natural beauty such as Fall Creek Gorge or look at a gemstone with such special qualities it will remind me of Jim Jontz.

Continuing the comparison between Jim Jontz and Labradorite, I have the following additional thoughts:

• Jim Jontz was a "true-blue" (loyal, faithful, staunch) supporter of the environment, working families, senior citizens and utility ratepayers.
• Jim Jontz was "like a rock" to borrow the title of the song written by Bob Seger. See if you think the lyrics apply to Jim--

Words and music by Bob Seger:

Stood there boldly

Sweatin in the sun

Felt like a million

Felt like number one

The height of summer

Id never felt that strong

Like a rock

I was eighteen

Didnt have a care

Working for peanuts

Not a dime to spare

But I was lean and

Solid everywhere

Like a rock

My hands were steady

My eyes were clear and bright

My walk had purpose

My steps were quick and light

And I held firmly

To what I felt was right

Like a rock

Like a rock, I was strong as I could be

Like a rock, nothin ever got to me

Like a rock, I was something to see

Like a rock

And I stood arrow straight

Unencumbered by the weight

Of all these hustlers and their schemes

I stood proud, I stood tall

High above it all

I still believed in my dreams

Twenty years now

Whered they go?

Twenty years

I dont know

Sit and I wonder sometimes

Where theyve gone

And sometimes late at night

When Im bathed in the firelight

The moon comes callin a ghostly white

And I recall

Recall

Like a rock. standin arrow straight

Like a rock, chargin from the gate

Like a rock, carryin the weight

Like a rock

Like a rock, the sun upon my skin

Like a rock, hard against the wind

Like a rock, I see myself again

Like a rock

I just got back from visiting my friend Ponsawan at her studio. Ponsawan is a polymer clay designer. She is also serving this year as the president of the Indiana Bead Society (See www.indianabeadsociety.org). Ponsawan inspired me to start this blog and to begin posting photos of my own jewelry designs. Pictured to the left are a pair of polymer clay earrings. The dangles include a small turquoise nugget, a glass leaf and round wood beads. These earrings coordinate with a polymer clay necklace pictured on the right.

Please check out the polymer clay beads made by my friend Ponsawan at www.silastones.blogspot.com.