It's Been Awhile

Meteorite Heart Pendant featured on blogs.

February is a short month, and this year it flew by.  I was fortunate to be featured on several shopping blogs: "Apartment Therapy" and "Geek Sugar" that drove up the demand for meteorite pieces.  A humbling social network moment for me.  I am still filling the last of the orders. We met the man who I buy meteorite from in New York last weekend.  He brought me the last of his pieces.

I've been fortunate to meet some great local machinists.  Their jobs sway in the breeze as India, Mexico, and China continue to suck work from the USA.  These guys have treated me with respect, and helped to build my business.  My source for meteorite lost his local machinist who used to cut the meteorites from whole chunks into slices. He'd been to Tuscon for the Gem and Mineral Show, and was sitting with whole meteorites he couldn't cut.  So this "woman, girl, chick" called her local boys, and they were more than happy to help.  Amazing, eh? Lesson learned: next year go and get my own damn meteorite and get it cut myself.  :-)

CNC Machine

What these men and their CNC, 100 ton presses, EDM cutters, Lasers, Water Jets, and 3D printers can make would blow your mind.  They are our modern unsung heroes. They are in short supply here in the USA.  Recently CNN had a segment on the "Top 10 Jobs the USA Can't Fill."  #1 is Machinist.  Sadly the reporter could not pronounce the word "machinist." Not only do we not have enough of them, but we can't even pronounce the word correctly.  We have a glut of college graduates who can't make anything.  Whose bright idea was it to do away with Industrial Arts in the high schools?  As a maker of things, and married to a NYU graduate of Industrial Arts this subject is one of my sore spots. 

EDM Cutter

CNC 5 Axis Cutter

I did not start out to write a blog tonight about machinists. I will tell you that the kittens are sleeping on "my" chair with me, and it's getting a bit crowded.  They are young teenagers now.  Continuing to act like wild jungle cats at times.  Nightly they snuggle in bed with us.  All the seeds are here for the garden. Onion sets arrived while we were in NYC.  Artichokes should be here tomorrow, and asparagus following.  Irrigation, and permanent cover for the garden are this spring's tasks.  The edible landscape I designed will replace the grass and ornamental bushes in the guest house yard.  Did I mention 6 new chicks arrive the 19th?  I chose production reds from Murray McMurray.

Trying to type with Fausto and Figaro. :-)

I hope I can keep you posted about all that is happening.  I am a bit overwhelmed as I move into greater production of those outer space rocks, and other items for my Etsy shops.  I am dusting off my wood working tools, and New Mexico Spring Winds permitting, I'll be outside making garden items.

Thanks for reading. Each day is a gift, open now.
xo,
Suz