Ok, there were a few others around, like 70+ others but I have to say, I felt like I really got personal attention from T!m. When I saw that he was teaching at The Queens Ink in Savage, I really didn't care what he was teaching. I had seen his energy on videos and thought this is a fun guy and I want to feel some of that vibe.
I had hoped it would be some kind of stamping/inky class but there weren't any of those. When I saw the classes available - a metal jewelry making one was filled - I really couldn't tell what they were really about, so I picked one by time. Let's start mid afternoon, rather than early am. I suspected I'd be the klutz in the class but fortunately I'm old enough, and generally confident enough to know that it's ok. I can make the others feel downright gifted that way! Thanks to Father Terry in CA, and a lot of others, I no longer have to be in the 98th percentile. Well usually.
I got over to Savage, and prayed for a good parking space. I haven't done this for a loooong time but Patti always says bring your kit of tools, and with that and my lunch, and my drink, and my purse, I was in need of a sherpa. Since they don't have any on hand in Savage MD that I've seen, I prayed...and someone was leaving the am class as I cruised the more convenient parking lot. Phew!
Everything was all set up and other than a bit of a snafu when I picked a seat I was told was empty by the woman sitting next to it, only to be vehemently told it was TAKEN by another woman when I cam back after looking about. Fortunately, I found my bag of supplies which she swore she never saw anywhere. (In hindsight, I should have prayed for a seat too...) But I found myself next to one helpful woman, and one who seemed to have no intention of speaking the entire 3 hours. Very strange. We also played check my Iphone out with T!m.
So what were we doing? Aha..it turned out to be a book with a metal covered canvas cover. Part of me laughed my head off internally thinking What Have I Gotten Into?!?!? but the idea of making a book appealed to me. So T!m turned on the video, and off we went. He kept walking up and down the aisles as did his Tonto, aka Mario. No surprise that this girl made a few mistakes early on... and when he said it's basic sewing, I understood why. Sewing??? Uh, that was 40 years ago T!m.
We laid out our pierced 'signatures' and then started the process.
T!m swore he'd help the slugs finish up their books with some fatal or minor flaws and so we went on to the metal. The hammering and embossing and coloring were ok, but all in all this is not me. For others in the class it was the main point so no size fits all. I got it all ready, the woman on my left helped me with some of my errors since she had made the same, and then T!m came back and helped me deal with some of my sewing issues.
I wrapped up my book project as T!m went around and helped a few other people out. He really has a great teaching style and is so very very patient in getting you to where you need to be. I'd love to take another class with him and you know, I don't think he stopped talking the entire time! But it was always on task, and with a lot of humor. He's just the kind of teacher you'd want for your own child starting out in school.
The class was sadly over, night was finally falling so I packed up my gear, headed to the bathroom and a look round The Queens Ink. A good day in all, and I have a book that looks pretty much like the example on T!m's website. Well it does if you don't look TOO closely!!!
