This month’s Member Spotlight is on William Elmer Ranney, whom we call “Bill” and who turned 90 this year. Bill wasn’t very busy until he and wife Cathy started selling all the jewelry, earrings, pendants, and necklaces that he makes in the Sun Lakes Rock, Gem & Silver Club. It all started back in Bloomington,…
This Member Spotlight article highlights a longtime silversmithing pro, Don Hodge! In fact, Don really is a lucky guy, and he even wears a Lucky brand t-shirt. Born and raised right here in Phoenix, Don just turned 82 last month. He graduated from West Phoenix High School, and Don’s lucky streak continued when he decided…
Yup, you heard that right. Beading is one of our most popular classes! We humans have been embellishing and adorning clothing and our bodies with beads for millennia. The age-old process of stringing beads is easy, fun, relaxing, and exciting, all at the same time. Some of the earliest motives for beading were based on…
Well, he’s certainly been busy for the past nine years, but since Dick Eslick enjoys “giving back” to his community, we elected him chair of the Silver department, which automatically gave him a seat on our board of directors. Wife Vicki and Dick moved from Oregon to Oakwood in 2004 after he retired as senior…
Awards: Seven members of the Sun Lakes Rock, Gem & Silver Club entered their gourd art in the Arizona Gourd Society’s Gourd Art Competition and Show and brought home eight ribbons. Gourds can be crafted for any number of things. This year’s entries included a votive candle holder, vase, music box, decorative bowl, wall hangings, fine…
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were lots of jeweler’s benches completely equipped with all of the tools one would need to make beautiful jewelry out of sterling silver right here in Sun Lakes? What? They are already here? Yes, it’s true. And did you know there are three completely separate workshops where you would…
Cathy Porter The Sun Lakes Rock, Gem and Silver Club (SLRGS) has been around a very long time. Opal M. Rickensrud was the secretary of the club in 1984. She’s an entertaining writer and makes for some fun reading. She starts her article by telling how a guest speaker from the National Treasure Hunters League…
Cathy Porter Who doesn’t love jewelry? Imagine designing and making your own unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. The lapis lazuli pendant is a piece you can learn to make in the Silver One class. A bezel is cut to fit the stone and then soldered to the backing. These stones are cabochons. You can learn to make…
Cathy Porter Discover the world of gorgeous glass at the Sun Lakes Rock, Gem & Silver Club (SLRGS). No need for previous experience, as the club offers wonderful instructions in many types of glass. Glass has been used since Ancient Greek and Roman times, notably stained glass to depict religious scenes in churches, etc. SLRGS…
Linda Shanahan Here is what’s happening in the Sun Lakes Rock, Gem and Silver Club, and how YOU can get involved. Classes are offered in a variety of skills, including lapidary, lost wax, stained glass, dichroic glass, silversmithing, wire wrapping, faceting, opals, gourds, and ming trees, just to mention a few. We invite you to…