Thursday, January 26, 2012

Pouncing Rain becomes Bellingham Metal Arts Guild

From: "Pouncing Rain"
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 5:47:09 PM
Subject: Non-Profit Organization

Although the weather dampened the turnout at Friday night’s meeting, the atmosphere was still filled with electricity. We now have a name, a mission statement, and an incorporating Board with offices.
Under the name of Bellingham Metal Arts Guild the mission and objective statement is as follows:
Mission
The Bellingham Metal Arts Guild (BMAG) exists as a non-profit, community based membership organization for people with varied skill levels and interests in the Metal Arts. It provides a forum for the appreciation of and involvement in the diverse field of Metal Arts.
Objectives
BMAG seeks to offer members and our surrounding community and avenue to broaden their creative pursuits by striving to:
·Give encouragement through collaborative interaction in a studio setting;
·Provide educational opportunities through classes, workshops, lectures, and discussion groups;
·Create a forum to increase awareness of the metal arts through supporting community human services with art involvement; and
·Develop the opportunity for the member artists to show and sell work in a gallery setting.
BMAG is committed to facilitating communication and enhancing engagement between other art organizations and their stakeholders in Bellingham and surrounding communities.
This incorporates everything that was discussed at our first organizational meeting while still remaining simple.
In order to continue, it was determined that an incorporating Board had to be named; these names must be included in our application for Washington Articles of Incorporation. The group originally indicating their willingness to do the research was selected to serve as the originating Board. Members are: Ryan Albachten, Sheri Clark (treasurer), Kay Eichacker, Barbara Fasser (president), Hali Garnaas, Jim Jenkins, Kay Ogren (vice president), and Susi Wight (secretary). I have indicated those who have agreed to serve as officers for now. The Board will complete the necessary paperwork, continue the research needed, seek out potential property, and work with others on fundraising. At the appropriate time, they will step aside and a permanent Board will be elected by the membership. The incorporating Board members will be eligible to run at that time.
As you can see, we've been busy. But this is just the beginning. Please join us for out next meeting at the Pouncing Rain building on Friday, February 3rd at 6:30pm. Together we can do this!
Thank you,
Barbara & Susi

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Store is Closing

I will start this posting by saying, thank you. Thank you for your patronage in the past years and for supporting Pouncing Rain. I am sad to announce that I will be closing the retail store in January 2012.
We will continue to give all the classes and workshops that are scheduled and listed in this news-letter. We will also offer personalized “one on one” instruction through the end of February. We will not be scheduling any new classes or workshops, until a new owner is found.
I feel very optimistic, that Pouncing Rain will be purchased and will continue to provide new and exciting metalworking and jewelry making classes.

Since the store is closing, we will not be selling any new gift certificates and will only be honoring gift certificates and store credits until December 31, 2011 for merchandise and February 28, 2012 for classes.
We will not be punching any new punch cards for purchases and will only honor your completed punch cards until December 31, 2011.
Starting December 7, 2011, all merchandise will be sold at 50% off the normal retail price. This EXCLUDES our fine silver and sterling silver stock, as well as all of our metal clays.

As of December 7th, all sales are final. No refunds or returns.
Members will be contacted for details on how to redeem hours or get refunds.

Thank you again for your support and enjoy the great savings just in time for the Holiday season.
-Kathleen

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Ganoksin office and home in Thailand are flooded. They need your help

Ganoksin offices are heavily flooded, Please read through their daily journal presented below, which describes their daily struggle with the crisis and how YOU can help our Orchid community to survive it!

Floods Daily Journal
October 27 at 7:47am

Floods update – Thursday morning

In non-ceremonial event, we received late yesterday afternoon a government emergency relief bag. It arrived by boat. With no handshaking, flashes, no smiles to the cameras and no fat self-content politicians. It was a simple survival kit, made with thought, love and care, containing 5 kg of rice, one bottle of fish sauce, half-dozen canned mackerels, 6 small chili relish servings and brand-less soap, toothpaste and toothbrush. They also did not forget to toss inside some mosquito repellent. 

So cool! 

Later, I sailed away from my living room pier to find a mango tree in distant neighbors' gardens. I dreamed to find a tree so heavily laden with fruits that I wouldn't be able carry them all back on my boat, but all I truly hoped was to find a single mango hanging exactly at my hand reach, and I did! 

I'm just your 50-year old urban gatherer on a quest for a spicy mango salad.




October 26 at 12:07pm

Floods Update – Wednesday morning

We are gradually settling into the routine of life in isolation. The house windows that just a week ago greeted our lush garden in are now a uniform greenish water panorama, to which the TV set oddly adds aquatic clips from the floods front line. 

The water levels are now such that it is inconvenient to embark our boat from the front door (Pier Tua Lek). They are knee deep there. The boat is now parked at the hall that leads to the dining room. The last dry grounds left at the first floor. 

We now can sail from the inside of house to the black waters pond, the home to a myriad of both life, and after life creatures.

 



October 24 at 8:34am

Floods update: Tuesday morning

Our neighborhood is becoming a forgotten island. As the floods continue toward the city center, the flocks of media and life vest equipped reporters keep chasing the water front and are bravely standing in an ankle deep waters on the floods shore. We, in our personal owned Alcatraz are yesterday's news. TV channels bring experts with inconvincible tone who bet on the next turn the floods would take. Fashionable Bangkokians are ordering metrosexual cup of Arabica latte art or designer of espresso coffee, as the less fortunate struggle to save their modest belongings. I bet they would be submerged before the formers finished their drink. 

Our neighborhood is isolated and difficult to reach. We had no contact with the outside world for almost a week now. We still have enough food and water to continue the involuntary house arrest for couple more weeks. There is something very surrealistic in the situation we got caught in, in the cage made of water. 

 




October 24 at 7:59am


Floods update, Monday morning.

The first thing that I did this morning was to check if we still have electricity and running water. Both are fine at the moment! The floods water in the first floor acts as an indoor natural air-condition, we only hope that clouds won't form on the ceilings. In the 12 days that we have been dealing with the floods issue, I am transforming from a spoiled foodie to a savage islander. I am losing weight, my muscles are getting toned, I wear a club-med sun tan on my face and I might answer you the phone with Tarzan's ululating yell if you would call me. 

 


October 23 at 7:02pm
Floods update 

The waters now are almost 2 meters deep around the house. I am sorry to report that we are losing the fight to save the kitchen, like newton that had to get hit by an apple on his head to understand the law of gravity, i am getting it in my face - water mechanics for dummies - waters are oozing through the floor tiles gout lines. Of course moron me, the kitchen is below the water level…. should let it sink like a treasure ship, or should i wear the captain hat and be the last who dessert my kitchen? 





October 23 at 1:38pm

Floods update 

Floods Update, Sunday Afternoon: street water level in front of the house is now marked at
@1.75 meter. It is fully satisfies my "water park biz" entrepreneuring urges. This is almost the top we can absorb without dire consonances. Now speaking on consonances I think we, humans, should be held responsible for all this mess beside mama nature... 


October 23 at 10:08am



Floods Update, Sunday Morning
:

Electricity was cut off this morning, the pumps went silent, water levels in the pantry rose swiftly, and the war to save the kitchen was almost lost. Ton suggested that we should use buckets to bailout our sinking kitchen, and rush to grab the nearest one. I was on the phone trying to reach out to the authorities. Just before I could yell names at the busy tone I got, electricity was on again. What a relief! We just realized that 10 minutes of electricity cut separates us from the scene "To kitchen or not to kitchen". 

Ploy our maid, who never appeared in any "Survival" episode, made it to the outsides of her third floor apartment through a 2.5 meters water filled lobby, Like Gene Hackman at the movie "The Poseidon Adventure". 

Once she reached outside she still had to struggle through 2 meters deep waters, and when the viewers almost believed she failed the task, she managed to climb into a boat and sailed all the way here to check on us. 

When the crisis is over, I am going to give her in an homemade ceremony the "The best Maid Bangpoon" star award 

October 23 at 7:23pm
Floods Update, Saturday evening:

Water levels are rising fast. Our daily routine starts by assessing the night damages and determining what to fight and what to sacrifice. Today we concentrated on saving the kitchen. Water entered the back pantry despite bricks barrier we placed earlier last week. It shamefully failed to protect the service quarters because of hidden cracks the water could found without a tour guide. We carried with our boat sunken sand bags, placed them on the cracks to slow the water inflow, than relocated the water pumps and by midday we managed somehow to control the leakage, and lower the water level in the pantry in 10 cm. The kitchen was saved, at least for now. They do tell us in the news that a nastier body of water is heading our way in couple of days…. We play. We mark lines on the wall and bet to see who's prediction was the closest…. 

The floods are getting really deep, river fishes and our neighbors' beautiful koys (Japanese carps) are elegantly swim in their newly discovered territories; our parking and garden. A face to face encounter with a giant cat fish squeezed from me a high toned scream that alarmed no one. 

The front door is now our marina; we named the pier "Ta Naam Tua Lek", after our hero dog. Afternoon boating is a good exercise and completes the regime of the morning sand bags lifting. 

In our 200 houses community only 10 are still inhibited. It is a sunken ghost town. I imagine what it would take to restore it to what it used to be just a week ago, and envy those who are in the construction business. A huge body of cash is heading their way. 

We rely on stored dry food, and what we are sharing with our neighbors. In a sense I feel lucky to have to go through all this hardship, it's a life time experience in which one can measures his mental building blocks. There is also something very poetic about it, beauty is all around us, even when it's painful.





October 22 at 7:18amFloods update 

Floods update, Saturday morning. The waiting is over. The water did not spare our interiors. I was hoping that the energy of our determination to keep the house dry, would somehow find its way up there and the water would draw or at least settle at a mutual agreed status quo line. We lit incense from mythological fish statues, which were smoking out the fragrant smoke through their mouths, another way to please the spirits of the land. The holiness does stop here my friends; the flooded home appears strangely familiar. Evoking deja vu of hollow architecture - is it the biblical water pools I remember from The city of Beit Lechem or lost the Persian gardens I dreamed on? Walls surround a yard in the middle of which nature imposes herself on man's handiwork 


 



October 21 at 9:50am

Floods update 

Floods update, Friday morning. we retired to bed quite late and very exhausted. so exhausted i couldn't find the words to compose a simple sentence. a full blown flood dyslexia. We surrendered the first floor completely. disconnected the electricity system, and phone lines and set up for a long camping upstairs. --- this morning is very quite. the water only concord the wooden decks, and are still hesitating in entering the front door. it is very quite, the sounds of city and the yelling of distressed neighbors are now gone, the big silence is now made of the sound of bugs, frogs and birds. we are in a middle of a big pond. Its hard to believe that just few kilometers away, on the other side of the 'war zone' life is as usual. 

I walk around the house watching the flooded lushes yard. what a great opportunity for an amateur garden designer to see a real life demo on where exactly to place the water element in the garden for the perfect harmonious location. it's hard to imagine but it does look quite beautiful, except for the awful smell of sewer, we must to get used to it, because we are located just at the southern border of the mass of body traveling to the sea, the rest of the 13,000 BILLION cubic meters of water should pass at least partly over our heads. If all would go well, we are looking at 2 more months before we can start dry things out.... i feeling quite relaxed today, we did all we can and now we have to get used to live like this, just for a while. our greatest fear is that they will cut electricity, tap waters and internet from our area, and our greatest joy is to find out among our friends the precious souls who do care and help. that is for me way more emotional than soaked sofa......



October 20 at 1:28pm

Floods update 

O our neighbors are already deep under water, washed of most of their life possessions.. a meter deep in good cases in most of the houses around. security caught looters last night, they are made of pixels of anarchy. our neighborhood is cut off the supply routes for food and drinking water. we relay on friends from the outside who make it halfway to send supplies. luckily we lost only the parking lot and garden. surprisingly the plants look amazing surrounded by water...in few days when their roots will rotten, i will definitely add a drop of tear or two to the pool of water that surrounds me. we TRY to be optimistic. the water is only kissing the edge of the home entrance. would it regret and go back home? or would it invite itself as an unwanted guest? we are prepared for at least two months of camping within our own home, a trip we would never forget nor recommend to anyone. please keep the comments coming in, it give me both slimes and tears. hanuman 


October 19 at 10:55pm

Floods update 

Floods update. A TV announcement tells us to expect an extra 50-1meter rise by tomorrow. That will officially make me a dolphin 



October 19 at 8:44am

Flood update: Wednesday morning.

... water are raising faster today, garbage bags float and start to smell, walking to the neighborhood gate is getting harder and quite riskier, the water are getting deeper. i cant stop thinking of of health hazards i cant see and try to avoid the snakes, centipedes and other venomous creatures who are trying to escape the water just as we are. The one paddle boat is harder to master than i thought, it seems to have its own mind, turning around instead of going straight.... the first floor is mostly empty now, a truck came yesterday (just in time) and carried away the furniture. we still have many details to try and save to reduce the damage, today i will move up some of the rare plants from the garden to the second floor veranda.

This image shows a satellite view of the floods currently devastating the Thai kingdom. You can see two bodies of water marked in blue just north of Bangkok. 13,000 BILLION Cubic meters of polluted water are making their way to the Gulf of Thailand.
Ganoksin offices are unfortunate to be on flood's path. We Need Your Support

Thailand is currently facing its worst flooding in 50 years. Floodwaters have swamped more than two-thirds of the country, submerging complete towns. Hundreds of lives have been tragically lost. Rice fields and businesses of millions of families have been severely impacted.

We Need Your Support!
At this moment, our offices are completely inundated. We are very much isolated, surrounded by a swamp wide as far as the eye can see. Our only links to the world are email and phone.
At this unfortunate moment, your help is crucial. It is truly needed deeply appreciated.
We have extended the rules for participation in the amazing Rio Grande $10,000 Gift Certificate Prizes Giveaway. For every 35$ you donate to Ganoksin we are offering ONE (1) entry in the Rio Grande $10,000 Gift Certificate Prizes Giveaway.
Help us to keep the long service to our community!
Click on http://www.ganoksin.com/donate .
Alternatively, you can purchase any one of our eBooks and participate in the Rio Grande $10,000 Gift Certificate Prizes Giveaway by clicking on http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/1c8
Yours Truly,
Hanuman and Ton.

Rio Grande is giving away $10,000 worth of gift certificate prizes towards an exciting SHOPPING SPREE throughout their extensive tools & supplies catalogue!

4 lucky winners will share a grand prize pack valued at $ 10,000 to purchase products sold online at Rio Grande
1. First prize: $ 5,000 Rio Grande gift certificate
2. Second prize: $ 3,000 Rio Grande gift certificate
3. Third prize:$ 1,500 Rio Grande gift certificate
4. Fourth prize: $ 500 Rio Grande gift certificate
To enter for the grand prize drawing all you have to do is
1. purchase purchase eBooks from the Ganoksin project website at http://www.ganoksin.com/gnkurl/1c8 
Each 35$ you spend on eBook downloads through the Ganoksin project website entitles you for ONE entry in our random door prize draw of 10,000 $ Gift certificates from Rio Grande.
OR
2. Donate to the Ganoksin project - For every 35$ you donate to Ganoksin we are offering one entry in the Rio Grande $10,000 Gift Certificate Prizes Giveaway.

We are giving away special prizes to customers purchasing eBooks. !!
The Grand Prize winners will be drawn on April 15, 2012

Participation is open worldwide!
Rio Grande is your online source for innovative jewelry-making products, great service and technical know-how. Whether you are just starting out or are a seasoned professional jeweler, metalsmith or artisan, we share your passion.

We Need Your Support!

!

Monday, September 26, 2011

How To Solder Workshop This Saturday


In this one day workshop you will learn soldering techniques using copper that can be applied to working with other metals, such as brass and silver. These techniques include sweat, butt, wire, and pick soldering methods. Using three different types of torches, you will learn how to solder prongs, sheet at a 90° angle, and jump rings. This workshop is designed to give you the confidence and experience you will need to solder on your own and safely set up your own studio. This is a technique based workshop and you will not leave with a finished project.
signup online at:http://pouncingrain.com/howtosolder.html

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Buy on Get One 1/2 Off Sale for September Beginning and Intermediate Classes

Buy One Get One 1/2 Off Sale on Beginning and Intermediate Classes. I want to tell you about an exciting discount for our upcoming Beginning and Intermediate six week classes starting in September. We are offering a BUY ONE GET ONE ½ OFF SALE. What this means is; your first class is full price, $240. but if a friend or family member wants to take the class with you, the 2nd tuition is only $120. If you want to take the Beginning Class this session and pay for the Intermediate Class at the same time, then you would only pay $120. for the 2nd class starting in October.

We will also be delay the start date by one week; classes will now start the week of September 20th. This wonderful weather we are having is making it hard for folks to get in “the back to school” mode, since it is so nice outside. We thought we would try to accommodate those of you who wanted a bit more time before committing to a six week class and offer this huge class discount. There are no changes for the six week advanced class with Ernest, which by the way, has one place left for this Wednesday evening, 9/14/11 start!

Remember, in order to take any of our more advanced classes with our newest instructor, Ernest Garcia, you will need to have taken Beginning Jewelry Making and Intermediate Jewelry Making or the equivalent.

Here are the new start and stop dates for Beginning Jewelry Making and Intermediate Jewelry Making:

Intermediate Jewelry Making 6 Week Class
September 20th -October 25th Tuesdays, 9:30am - 12:30pm
September 20th -October 25th Tuesdays, 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Beginning Jewelry Making 6 Week Class September 22nd -October 27th Thursdays, 9:30am - 12:30pm
September 22nd -October 25th Thursdays, 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Hinges, Clasps and Stone Setting 6 Week Class
September 14th – October 19th Wednesdays, 6:00pm—9:00pm

You can sign up online by Paypal, in person at the shop or by phone. Judi and I hope to see you soon.
-Kathleen

Saturday, July 30, 2011

NEWS THAT COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Pouncing Rain Has News That Could Change Your Life I am Announcing today that I will be retiring in the next year and that I have put Pouncing Rain up for sale. Maybe you are the right person to buy it and take over the Stewardship of our community treasure. It will change your life in ways that are wonderful and mysterious.
Judi was the original founder and matriarch of Pouncing Rain. In 2006 she sold the business to me, and I became the caretaker and leader of this wonderful community treasure.
I have spent the last five years building a busi- ness that speaks to the creative needs of thou- sands of people in the community. Our commu- nity is huge; we have customers and students that have come from all over the world to at- tend classes at Pouncing Rain, from near and far... as far away and Europe and Tahiti. Our community is varied; we have had Doctors, Lawyers, teachers, as well as students and con- struction workers and every vocation in- between. We have had artists working along- side people who have always believed that they had no artistic abilities, all making incredible jewelry.
To make the business as affordable and attrac- tive to a new buyer as possible, we will be eliminating inventory that is not selling and adding more space for additional classes. We will not be changing anything that is at the soul of what our mission is here at Pouncing Rain, teaching people to make beautiful jewelry and the tools and supplies people want to buy.
This is a special place, and it needs a new leader at the helm. I want to retire and spend time with my family and friends. I want to be a member of Pouncing Rain and take some of these very wonderful classes. So, it is with mixed emotions that I announce that Pouncing Rain is for Sale.
-Kathleen

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Silversmith Summer Camp is back!


Silversmith Summer Camp is back!
The words "summer camp" fill our minds with childhood memories of paddling a canoe, horseback rides, and bonfires. While Pouncing Rain’s Silversmith Summer Camp has fire (in the form of torches) that is about as close as we get. First of all our Silversmith Camp is for adult learners. There are two sessions left this summer for you to choose from:

July 11th – 15th
August 8th – 12th

We find it exciting to be surrounded by mature, creative, individuals who are seeking new ways to express their creativity and that is what the Silversmith Summer Camp is all about.

So, what will you be doing and what will you learn during the Silversmith Summer Camp? The weeklong camp will focus on providing beginners, with no experience, an introduction to jewelry making by teaching you the skills to make many beautiful and fun jewelry items. If you have taken a beginning class with us in the past, this is a great way to brush up on the skills you’ve learned while getting more ideas and practice!
Tuition will include all of your materials, copper, brass and sterling silver as well as the use of all the tools you will need. We will be having a "Camp Cookout" (pizza party) at the end of day five for everyone to show and tell about the treasures they made at camp.
Click for more info or to sign-up online