Mele,
I have been lucky enough to make all three of the previous Shindigs. One thing that is nice about them is you can bring what you like to play with and share or you can just hang around and watch what others brought to play with or play with all of the hosts neat and cool tools. Really no set goals except to have fun and socialize.

warren
http://www.metalrecipes.com

Hey Mele

Hope you will think about it.  What Warren is a good summary. 

The dates are flexible, people have travelled all over for the last 3 years so the open endedness of it allows for different folks' travel plans, but Friday & Saturday are the most overlapping days.  The last 3 Shindigs have been in WI, MN & CT so people flying in might try and rent a car together.

People have brought a project with them to work on or brought tools enough to play, or showed up and used the host's stuff or sat around and chatted and done no metalwork at all! 

I have not taken pics at the previous Shindigs, I was hoping someone else would post something. 

The host puts on food & to help cover costs there is a daily donation.  At previous events it seems to be split about half/half as to who stays on-site and who gets a motel room.

Hope you can make it!

Lynda

We are most amused over on the email list.

Enrique has accused a kind of squishy somepeople on the list of excluding the dot com people from the "planning" of the event, and that this isn't a real invitation to a really great meeting of friends that get together to really shake hands, beat pour bend metal and have a good time.

If somehow you have gotten that feeling from the above messages.
Let me assure you this is real.
No honest metal worker turned away.

Ya'll come.

and planning, shindig PLANNING

. . . clean spots on the floor and tables, access to tools, and everybody's live feedback once they get there, with a few suggestions tossed out in advance maybe... and
the things the hosts care to toss into the mix.
Bring a project to show, and or work on.
Your favorite thing to demo.

We had a great time last year, sorry Enrique decided not to come. He was invited.
He didn't come the year before either.

Gene Olson
Sculptor
Elk River, MN

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emfairmeadows/sets/72157594172207752/

My flickr site has Shindig Photos
-Elizabeth Meadows

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emfairmeadows/collections/
-Elizabeth Meadows

What an amazing Shindig. What great people. Everybody really pitched in so the house and shopped weren't trashed by so many people being in and out and semi living there.

Here is a link to the few photos that Mary Margaret and I took.

Les

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37464981@N00/sets/72157605560865239/

Lynda and Warren,
I am in the area so I am definitely coming!! Thanks for the invite, I can't wait to meet everyone.
Mele

Yay Mele good to hear that, I see you're in Gainesville so you're just a couple of hours away, cool.  Do you get to any of the blacksmithing group meetings?

Lynda

No, I don't know of these meetings. I am new to this site and working with metal. I just hang out here and try to learn from everybody. Everything seems to be up north so I was excited to see something close enough for me to attend. I really like your stuff and can't wait to meet you.

Mele

Hey Mele

Things are geared up and (almost) ready to go at our place for Shindig '08, about 25-30 folks will be there Fri/Sat/Sun, let me know if you need any help with directions.

Lynda

Shindig info: http://www.lyndametcalfe.com/html/shindig08.html

Hi Lynda!,
I just saw this post, I'm very excited about this weekend. We are staying at the Gray Wolf Inn. I think we can find it with the google map (I hope). we are coming Sat and Sun. Do we need to bring anything in the way of food or drinks? I am going to bring my camera to try and take pictures the days we are there. Will we get to go to your shop and see all your cool stuff?
Can't wait, Mele

Hi Mele

Glad to hear you're coming!  I will leave a map at the Gray Wolf Inn showing you where our house and shop is. We live just round the corner from the Inn.  The google map is accurate for that area too although it is not very accurate for where our shop is though.  Don't worry about food and drink, we have plenty.  We do these events on a $15/day donation to the host so people don't have to worry about food.  Head on down to the shop Saturday morning and we'll play there till coming back to our house for dinner in the evening

See you tomorrow,

Lynda

"I have not taken pics at the previous Shindigs, I was hoping someone else would post something. The host puts on food & to help cover costs there is a daily donation."

 Here is this years host at last years Shindig. Host

warren http://www.metalrecipes.com

Just a reminder that at this time next week it will be Shindig time. Not too late to let Lynda know you are coming.
Hope to see alot of the Artmetalist there.
warren
http://www.metalrecipes.com

Aussies Chris & Wanda came to the '06 Shindig hosted by Bruce Fink and are coming back this year for the event at our place, so it has been done already......

We'll keep you posted on where it will be in '09

Lynda

Elmer and Lynda, hosts of the 2008 Shindig: I had to stay home and take care of loose ends, but these photos of this years get together in Brasstown came down the wire, and I thought I'd share.

Marilyn leads a repoussée class: tap tap tapping at the dig.Michael makes Damascus at the 2008 Shindig: Michael Mara forges a Damascus blank at the 2008 Shindig in Brasstown, NC.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/emfairmeadows/sets/72157605495346503/

Photos from Elizabeth.

http://www.radharcknives.com/Shindig_08.htm

Website posted photos from Michael Mara.

Gene Olson Sculptor Elk River, MN