The NIght Before Mistletoe

I cannot believe that my show is already upon me, and I have so much to get done yet.

However, I did want to personally invite you to come out for it. If you're in the Bartlett, IL area, stop by and check out the Mistletoe Magic show tomorrow, Nov. 8th at the World Overcomer's Church Gymnasium (follow the link for all of the details and a map).

As you know, this year has been challenging since this is my first show of the year, and it's nearly over. Hopefully, next year will bring many more shows and more prosperity to all.

More pictures and web updates coming very soon!

Have a great night, and thanks so much for all of your support.

See you tomorrow!

Time For A New Leaf

Well, it's been a while since I've posted onto my blog, and it's about time. Don't you think?

I needed to seriously take some time off from all of the Internet posts and just unwind a bit. Sorry to leave so abruptly, but it wasn't you. I just needed some time off.

However, now that I'm back I have a great new set of leaf beads to show off. They're a custom order so they won't be added to my Etsy Shop, but I do want you to get to see them.

This set, called "Autumn Treasures", consists of ten leaf beads in Amber, Purple and Green. It's the most colors I've used in my leaves before and I love how they turned out.

I varied the order of the colors on the leaves, but kept the bead portions all the same for uniformity in the set.

I may have to make some more leaves in three colors and see what else I can come up with.

Hope you're all doing well and had a terrific summer!

A New Album In Facebook- A Show In November

Hello everyone!

No, I haven't abandoned you, but I have been on vacation for a bit. Today was my first day back to work and my blog. So much has been going on here.

I got some new photos taken of my beads being created and added them to my Facebook page. The album shows how the grape and tree beads are made. You can view the album by clicking HERE.

If you have any questions or comments, please do not be shy.

Mistletoe Magic

I'm still working on getting ready for my show coming up in November. The show will be held in Bartlett, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out. More information is on my Burning Scentsations Facebook page, so be sure to check out all of the details.

More updates are coming to my web site once I get bead pictures taken, so stay tuned folks.

Have a great night!

Thank You All So Much!

I wanted to thank everyone who made my sale this weekend a very big success!

I wasn't sure how it would work out, but I'm so glad that it worked out as well as it has. While being a celebration of Robert's return, it will also help me to do two shows in November which I am so looking forward to after the summer show circuit flopped a bit this year for me.

I'm so thankful to have such wonderful customers and friends as you, and I couldn't keep doing this without you.

I hope you have a great day tomorrow, and remember to always follow your dreams!

Celebration Sale This Weekend!

As you may know if you're a regular reader, my partner, Robert, has been performing all summer up in Door County, Wisconsin. He will be returning home on Monday after being gone for two and a half months and it will be great to have him home.

In honor of his return home, I've decided to hold a sale at My Etsy Shop that starts on Friday, August 22nd and runs through the weekend through Monday, August 25th (CST). During this sale, all purchases totaling $30 or more will receive a 30% discount.

And for my CGGE members, you can take an additional 5% off any item in my shop. During checkout, put CELEBRATION SALE in the comments.

DO NOT not make your payment at the time of sale. I will send out a separate invoice to your e-mail address with your adjusted total.

If the sale is successful, I do have more items that I will be adding to my Etsy Shop as the weekend progresses, so stop by and see what's new!

I don't hold sales very often, so take advantage of this while you can.

Have a great weekend!

Can you resist The Green River?

I've got a new organic choker for My Etsy Shop tomorrow morning in shades of green, ivory, gray and purple!

No, this bead isn't named after the infamous crimes in Washington State, but for the bright green band that flows diagonally across the front side of the bead as you can see in this picture.

The back of the bead has a much more mixed color palette with more of the purples visible than on this side, but you'll have to check out my new listing tomorrow to see all of the pictures of this bead.

The black caps on the end really add an elegant flair to the bead and set off the colors in the body of the bead.

As with all of my chokers, this one is strung on a steel cable with a very secure magnetic clasp for ease of putting the choker on and taking it off.

Be sure to stop by My Shop tomorrow and see all of the pictures of this unique piece of jewelry.

Have a great night!

Burning Scentsations On Facebook!

I've been quite busy this weekend getting set up on Facebook.

As you may know, Facebook is a social networking site where you can connect to friends, family, businesses, fan groups and just about everything else you can imagine. The system is set up to help organize updates from all of your contacts, and keeps you up to date with what your friends are doing and saying in one easy place. Best of all, using Facebook is FREE.

I'm planning on using the site to connect with friends and customers around the country, but in addition to that, I've set up a company page for Burning Scentsations.

Of course, this blog and my other websites are not going anywhere, but I'm hoping this will help increase my exposure on the net. If you're on Facebook, please be sure to stop by the Burning Scentsations page.

I'm still adding photos and features to the page, so be sure to become a Fan of the page so that changes and updates will be forwarded to you automatically. An events calendar will also be coming once I've confirmed the shows I'll be doing this Fall.

More new stuff is coming to Etsy soon also, so stay tuned!

Summer Midnight In The Vines

I've got new grape-themed choker coming to my Etsy Shop later tonight (possibly in the morning) that I thought you'd like a first look at.

This choker's focal bead has a rich, sparkling background of blue and green Dichro that shimmers behind a thriving patch of grapes ready for harvesting.

The encased background's colors remind me a peacock feather while the green leaves, purple grapes and brown vines add a great look to the piece.

I wish the pictures would show up the dichroic glass more, but the sparkling of the background is really wonderful to see in person. It's like a vast array stars that twinkle in the night sky.

I'll be posting it to My Shop later this evening, time permitting, or in the morning. I hope you'll swing by and check out all of the pictures.

Have a great day!

Bears Revealed!

For those who are just dying to know who and what a bear is and how to spot them in your neighborhood (just kidding), check out the description HERE.

Hope you have a great day.

Attention All Bears!

Hey Bears, I've got a new listing coming to my Etsy Shop tomorrow that you might just be interested in. I'm entitling the series "Bear Wear" and have a number of fun ideas.

The choker, strung on nylon coated steel cable with a magnet clasp, is called "Ivory Bear Paw".

This is the first of several new pieces with a Bear Theme coming to my shop. A dark black paw print is on the front of the bead in this choker, but there's a surprise on the back of the bead that you won't see until tomorrow.

Silver and ivory glass create a marble -like background for the dark black bear paw and the design on the back of the bead.

The lines visible in the black paw print are actually reflections in the glass of me taking the picture. The paw is solid black like onyx.

To see the entire design (along with the surprise), be sure to check out my new listing tomorrow in My Shop.

Have a great night!

Come Visit The Mall!

I hope today finds you healthy and happy.

My second web update this weeks debuts a new section of my website: The Mall.

This is the page where all of the shops, galleries and on-line venues that I sell my work in will be listed. As shows and art fairs come along, this will be the place to see that schedule too!

For all of the details, come take a look HERE.

Hope you have a great day!

Let's meet under the Rain Tree!

Tonight has been very busy and very productive. I've completed a picture reorganization on my computer, pushed the new pictures up to the website AND I've got a new item for Etsy tomorrow.

Website Updates

After a few weeks of being gun-shy about updating my web site with new pictures since the MobileMe upgrade that gave me so many problems in July, I've updated my web site with LOTS of new pictures--many of items that have never been in Etsy or shown here!

Be sure to check out the new stuff on the site. Click HERE for the blog post about the new items!

Rain Tree Choker

Do you remember the Rain Tree commercials from the late 70's/early 80's? Apparently, I do since the tree on this bead reminded me of it so much that I named it, you guessed it, "Rain Tree".

The product was for a facial moisturizing creme, if I remember correctly. However, I think this choker will be much more memorable than that old commercial, don't you?

I've been playing a lot with the mottling of ivory glass to look like natural stone this week, and I really like how all of the choker focals have this really interesting and warm background.

My first successful tree bead, which I kept for myself, has this type of warm ivory background (without the marbling design) and I never wear it without someone--guys and girls--stoping me to ask about it or comment on it. So, I guess it was time to make a few more in a similar design, and that is how the trees this week came about.

The branches and trunk of the tree have lots deep, warm colors which adds more variation to the piece.

I'll be adding this choker to my Etsy Shop in the morning, so please be sure to stop by when you get a chance.

Have a great night and take care!

Ready For The Last Flowers Of Summer?

Ready or not, here they come.

This new choker has a new floral design that I'm trying out and really quite happy with. Entitled, "Summer's Last Flowers", it features two flowering plants with orange and blue flowers similar to forget-me-nots or hyacinths.

Swaying the last of the warm summer breezes, each plant has two last bunches of flowers showing their beauty in the last golden days.

The base bead in this choker is a very interesting ivory with mottled tans and dark lanes of color for that stone look.

As with all my chokers, its strung on a nylon coated steel cable with a magnetic clasp that holds the necklace quite securely since the clasp is interlocking barrels instead of the traditional magnetic clasp.

I'll be posting this lovely to my Etsy Shop tomorrow around lunch time (CST), so please check in to see more pictures of this piece.

I hope you're having a great night!

Bonsai In Moonlight

Tonight I've cleaned my beads from the weekend and can now show you the first of three new chokers that will be coming to my Etsy Store this week.

This first one sports a tree focal with a strong Japanese aesthetic to the tree design. Contrasting the rich greens of the leaves and deep browns in the branches and trunk, the marble-like background of the bead makes this one a knock-out.

I also dabbled with a little background manipulation to create circular feature through the branches that is reminiscent of the moon. Can you see it?

Shown on a 16 inch choker cable, the focal is smaller than my previous chokers, but no less dramatic.

I'll be posting this new creation into My Shop tomorrow morning, so be sure to check out all of the pictures and the listing there!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great night!

If You Love Boro...

...Then you have got to check out this new treasury on Etsy.


What is a treasury? Well, for those who aren't used to Etsy, treasuries are collections of items that are currently for sale on Etsy. These collections are created by the user community, buyers and sellers, and put on display for the rest of the users to enjoy. They're typically created around a theme, but do not have to be.

It is made up of beads and jewelry using Borosilicate glass and the items are amazing. This is a great chance to see all of the great colors and what can be done in this amazing glass.

I was contacted by its creator since I'm lucky enough to have been included in the collection as you may notice from this preview picture. See "The Boro Gang" set of my beads in the lower left corner?

To view the actual treasury, just click HERE. You can also visit My Etsy Shop and see all of the creations I've put into the shop as well.

Treasuries last for a limited time only, so please be sure to check it out before it disappears.

Have a great day.

Better Late Than Never!

I was supposed to put up this blog entry last night, but got distracted by Netflix. It's no excuse, I know, but I also went to the gym if that's any better.

At any rate, I do have a new choker for your viewing pleasure. This one is entitled "Flowering Tree Choker" and its focal has a large tree with rich green foliage and bright pink blossoms. (Original title, huh?)

The tree's background is an organic tabular bead in shades and green and blue and has been capped in black on both ends. The greens and blues and a mixture of transparent and opaque glasses for a really cool effect.

The entire bead has been etched to for a more antique-like look to the piece. The transparent glasses in the bead take on a frosted appearance due to the etching process.

I'll be posting this to my Etsy Shop later tonight, so please be sure to stop by a take a look and see more pictures and all of the details.

Have a great day!

A Great Blog Entry

No, I'm not bragging about my blog entry.

A friend of mine has a great article on her glass work and some of her inspirations and journey through the beadmaking landscape that I think is a great illustration of how each of us find ourselves in the glass and where our different inspirations take us.

Check out her article HERE.

It's late and I need to get some sleep. Big weekend coming up.

Have a great night!

We Didn't Start The Fire

But you can certainly wear it!

I've got a new choker coming to my Etsy Shop later today, and it features the "Standing Against The Fire" tree focal that I created before going up to Door County.

The focal of this wonderful piece of jewelry is a lone tree growing on a patch of sandy ground a fire rages in the background, thanks to the bright organic design of the base bead.

In spite of this adversity, the tree just keeps on growing.

The choker is a high-quality steel cable with a very secure magnetic clasp that is quite easy to close and re-open as necessary. The cable is coated in transparent nylon which makes it quite comfortable, and since the cable is small, the choker is very light to wear.

I'll be posting this piece into My Shop later this afternoon with many more pictures. Won't you come take a look?

Have a great day!

Hey, Look. I'm featured!

As you may know if you've been reading this blog for a bit, I am a member of the Creative Glass Artists of Etsy aka CGGE. CGGE is known as a Street Team on Etsy, which is a group of folks around a common theme. Our theme is glass art.

They have honored me with a profile in the Member Spotlight section of their web site which can be found HERE.

Come take a look and find out what makes me tick!

Also be sure to check out the rest of the CGGE site since there are a lot of neat features and information available--not to mentions tons of great pictures and links to fabulous shops.

A very big THANK YOU goes out to the folks in the CGGE who are both fun and caring individuals and I'm glad I found you guys!

Something New Coming Tomorrow

Tomorrow I'll be adding a new item to my shop. It's simple and elegant and not like anything I've had there before.

This new item is the first wave of several new items that are part of a grand experiment and I hope you'll be part of it.

In the morning I'll be adding this lovely choker entitled "Pink And Fruity". The choker is a thin steel cable coated in nylon and wears very comfortably. Using a magnetic clasp, this necklace is easy to put on and keep on, but is not recommended for wear during strenuous physical activity.

The focal bead on this necklace is a new raised grape design in bright pink on an ivory background. The black capped ends add drama and really set off the colors in this item.

So please stop by my Etsy Shop tomorrow and take a look at all of the pictures.

I want to know what you think of the new design, so please post your comments here too!

Have a great night!

Back From Vacation

OK, now that the website drama is over, I can tell you about my wonderful trip up to Door County.

We had a wonderful time and dogs really loved getting out and seeing new things. However, I do think they tired of getting in the car and going to the different towns on the peninsula and walking around so much.

My dogs are pretty lazy and not used to so much exercise since I'm usually busy with work, the gym, chores, etc. The slept well at night, that's for sure.

Now for the big news! I'M IN A GALLERY!

I took a bunch of jewelry and loose beads up to Door County to show a few of the shop owners and see if I couldn't get into one of the shops. Unfortunately, several of the shop owners were out of town during the time I was up there since Mondays and Tuesday are usually the shop owner's weekends.

After a few false leads and dashed hopes, fate took over.

My perseverance paid off when I visited The Dragonfly Gallery & Gardens in Sister Bay. The shop owner, Susie, saw my stuff and went wild. She really loved and took most of what I had brought into the shop.

She was really fun and sweet and has a great energy. I found out that the shop is fairly new and she's working to establish herself yet. She had a number of folks stopping by while I was there since she's got a great location and the shop is fabulous.

I cannot wait to see how her customers react to the items. I'm hoping they will really love them.

If you're up in Door County this summer, please check it out! You won't be disappointed.

Have a great night and weekend!

P.S. Tomorrow is the first day of my class with Ken Herman so wish me luck.

Web Site Update - Success

Finally, after waiting nearly a week my web site has published properly!

Apple's new MobileMe service which replaced the original .Mac service wasn't allowing the site to publish which was a huge drag since I was going on vacation. However, now the site has been completely updated and is ready for viewing.

While some of the pictures and features were published earlier, the software would not confirm the publishing which made me think some pictures and entries were missing. However, it published tonight!

Yeah!

Have a great one!

Web Site Update - Or Not

Just a quick note before heading out on vacation.

I tried to post up a new web update with all the new pictures and designs I've been creating over the last few weeks, but, alas, I cannot get my application to .Mac to publish. I believe it is a glitch with Apple's new MobileMe service which is replacing .Mac.

Please excuse my web site if it is looking funky at the moment.

When I get back, I'll try the update again and if that doesn't work, then I will get to the bottom of the issue.

Thanks for your patience and have a great week!

This Design Is Cursed

I love this bead. It's the second one I've made with a similar design since the first one met a dark fate.

I picked up the bubble bag it was in when I took it to work, and I failed to realize that I was holding it upside-down. The bead fell out of the bag and hit my desk. Instant grapevine pruning.

While I would rather have me break a bead than a customer, I was still rather upset about it. So I canceled the gym that night (any excuse, right?) and got back onto the torch. I made this bead and two organic focals.

Last night, after etching and cleaning the bead up, I took some pictures, and that's when I noticed it. It's amazing what the camera sees and what our eyes see through the camera that we didn't notice before. The bead was cracked, in several places!

YIKES.

Atop the bead, the vine was cracked, by the hole there was another crack and again across the blue grapes. So I will not have this bead design to show while in Door County. The fates are working against me.

That is why I have to tell you, that this design is cursed.

Will I try to lift the curse? Absolutely, but not until I get back from my trip to Door County.

While I'm up in Door County, I wont be able to post any new blog entries, but I will be back late next week and will hopefully have lots of fun stories to relate to you.

Have a great weekend and a better week!

You Won't Want To Fight These Summer Blues!

How many grape and vineyard names can I come up with?

I don't know, but we'll just have to see. This latest vineyard bead is called "Summer Blues" and features a new grape color--pale blue.

I love how the colors of this bead came out against the ivory background and the bright blue bunches of grapes.

As you can see, I also carried over a few tendrils onto the back side of the bead for more detail.

The blue in these beads is almost electric and seems to shine on its own power. More grape colors are coming soon!

There seems to be no end in the number of colors that grapes come in--at least in my world!

I still have more beads to photograph before I can post them. Don't worry, I have already pictures of more beads that I've made recently.

I've really been bitten by the glass-bug this week, and I'm so glad that I'm getting so much done and created. In a few days, I'll be displaying my wares in Door County to a few shop owners and we'll see what happens then!

Have a great night!

Standing Against The Fire

That's the name of this new tree focal bead I created this weekend.

A lone tree grows on a patch of ground while a roiling fire rages in the distance, and the tree does what it can only do--stand there and live life to its fullest. No matter how much time it has, it will enjoy every minute of it.

I can only hope to be as brave and resolute as this tree in my life, and I think we can all use this focal as an object lesson for life from time to time.

The back of this bead shows the rich colors and swirling "flames" of the background, and I suppose the bead could be worn with either side facing forward, depending upon your mood.

This is one of the beads that will be going with me to Door County in our search for a gift shop outlet.

Have a great night and don't forget to stop by my Etsy Shop if you have a chance!

Enjoying The Sunshine

Here's another one of my creations from this past weekend that I'm taking up to Door County.

I've entitled it "In The French Sunshine" because I'm envisioning these grapes are from France and loving their life in the wine country.

This focal has the classic purple grapes draped around the bead along with the twisting vines and leaves of the plant. As you can see, this bead is designed to hang horizontally instead of my usual vertical designs.

Grapes are so much fun and they come in such a wide range of colors.

The ivory background on this bead has been capped in black for additional drama against the crackle-like color variations of the ivory. There so much to see and feel on this bead.

Have a great night!

Please Don't Eat The Daisies

Creatively, this has been one of the best weekends in ages. I needed a weekend like this in the worst way, so I'm glad to have finally gotten it.

I had three successful torching sessions where I created a variety of items that I'm planning on taking up to Door County, a tourist resort in Wisconsin, with me next weekend. Hopefully, I can get my items into a shop up there.

Two of the items that I'm not taking to Door County with me are a pair of daisy focal beads that were commissioned for fan pulls by one of my returning customers.

While I've never done daisies before, I had an idea of how to do them. These beads are the results.

I will have more daisy and floral designs coming in the weeks ahead as I work to enhanc the pattern further and add my own spin to it.

My customer, however, loved the pictures I've sent her and that is always my goal--customer satisfaction.

More pictures of my new creations will be coming all week, so be sure to check back. Also take a peek at my Etsy Shop for wonderful items that are for sale!

Have a great day.

Happy 4th Of July

Good Morning, Everyone!

I'm usually not posting in the mornings since I have to get ready for work, but the only work I have to get ready for today is making some more fabulous beads!

I love holidays!

I was supposed to post the picture of my new leaf bead last night, but totally forgot about it since I was caught up with mowing the lawn, taking care of the dogs, the cat and watching a movie.

Better late than never, though. So without further ado, I present "Water Leaf".

This is another borosilicate leaf in great shades of blue and green, which reminded me of water and how the bead got its name.

This one is a bit smaller than my previous leaf, but has a more organic shape to it.

This would look lovely as a focal of larger necklace or just strung on a cord by itself.

I'm posting this bead to my Etsy Shop momentarily, so please come take a look!

Thanks for stopping by.

Don't Get Stung!

This summer, you'd better be on the lookout for Yellow Jackets! No, not the insects, but this fun little set of beads.

This is the set, for those of you that read this blog regularly, is the set of beads that just about drove me nuts. I was using my new tool on this set while you only see five little beads, I worked for quite a while just to get these.

That's why each bead in this set is $20.00. JUST KIDDING!

The beads are a black base with bright yellow patterns created by raking the hot glass around the bead. It's a cool effect and gives the beads some real punch!

If I can get the hang of the new tool, I'll be able to make more of these with lots of color variation and designs. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I'll be posting this set to my Etsy Shop sometime tomorrow, so come check them out.

Sleep Well!

Fall's First Leaf

Updates have been a bit scant lately since I've been experimenting so much with new techniques, glasses and tools. You've been very patient and now I have something new that's coming to my Etsy Shop in the morning.

May I present: Fall's First Leaf.

This leaf pendant is a mixture of two different colors of Borosilicate glass which is partially what created the cool mix of colors that drape across this bead.

Working with the hard glass is very interesting and challenging, but I'm sure I'll get used to it soon. One thing is for sure, I will definitely need some new shaping tools since boro is so much stiffer, I had a terrible time getting the leaf pattern pressed into the glass. Now I know why they make such a wide range of leaf presses; one size does not fit all!

I'll be adding this pendant to my Etsy Shop in the morning, so please stop by to see the rest of the pictures and check it out.

Have a great night, all!

One Lovely Bead

The new tools sparkled on the workbench, beckoning him to try them out and see what new creations he could create.

The first bead he made was fairly good, although not as symetrical as he would have liked.

Beads two and three went right into the water can with a couple of curses.

Four went into the kiln, only to later be thrown into the trash when it came back out as its shape was a complete disaster.

The new tools did not seem to be helping at all. "Practice makes perfect", he thought and pressed on further.

Five showed real promise, as did six. However, the final step in the beads design sent them both off kilter.

Hours passed and more and more beads went into the water can. More curses followed them and more glass was wasted with little to no improvement in the success rate of the beads.

Growing ever more impatient and ever more doubtful of having any skill with glass whatsoever, it was time to quit. Put the new tools away, turn off the torch and stomp out of the studio.

A small, still part of his mind, which was wiser and calmer than the remainder of his cognitive abilities, suggested making one last bead, but not with the new tools. The old way.

He grabbed a few different colors that he would use in the new bead and began creating one focal bead.

The glass melted as can be expected and the pattern blossomed with ease. The glass flowed and he balanced it with years of practice as he had done so many times before.

The water can sat silent and unnoticed. No curses were hurled.

And into the kiln went one lovely bead.

Two New Web Updates

This weekend I was able to put up two new updates to my website and bring a couple of the galleries up to date with recent photos.

I've added the pictures of my custom order of hollows and the latest organic focals to their respective galleries. Check out the What's New section of my site for all of the details and links.

I also got to try out my new Mandrel Spinner and see how that works. It worked quite well, but I need to prepare and dip my new set of mandrels that I bought for it several months ago in preparation of its arrival. My current mandrels are bit too bent after several years of use and the mandrel spinner does not allow me to compensate for the defects in the mandrels alignment as I can do when spinning the mandrels manually.

I assure you that I will have the new mandrels ready to go in short order and will some lovely new beads to show you soon!

Have a great night!

P.S. In case you're wondering out the podcast I was working on a while back, I've decided to hold off until I can add video to the cast. As I worked on pulling it together, I really had a problem with defining its purpose and scope without video. It just seemed like I was speaking blog entries rather than doing something new or informative.

I have plans for tutorial videos once I get a video camera. It will come, I promise!

Abracadabra! It's Magic!

Or at least it looks like it has magical powers.

Sparkling with supernatural shades of color, this borosilicate focal bead must really be seen in person to be appreciated.

I've entitled it "Sand & Magic".

A double encased core of tans and cremes is surrounded by layered dots of the same core color and clear boro for a great texture and maximized light refraction.

The raised dots feel great on your fingers as you rub them around the bead.

I'll be adding this my Etsy Shop tomorrow morning with more pictures and complete specs on the bead.

Thanks for stopping by!

Meet The Boro Gang!

That's the name of my new set of beads that I made using Borosilicate (hard) glass. I love how these beads came out with their bright cores and clear encasing. The colors just jump off the beads.

These accent beads will look great in just about any design, so don't be shy. Play around with them a bit.

Each one is an experiment in color and design to see what the colors I've got can really do. Notice how the colors are not solid, like in my other glass designs, but actually look like threads of color that varies in each of the sections.

One of the blue colors I used has created an almost sapphire like brilliance that reflects the light out of the bead like a mirror. Very cool.

I even have one bead that has a series of punged dots (on the left end of the strand) against a background that is peacock blue and purple. It's all one rod of glass, but came out in several shades of colors.

I will definitely be playing with Boro much much more!

Be sure to see these beads in my Etsy Shop tomorrow. There'll be lots more pictures and information about the beads.

Thanks for stopping by!

My First Boro Listing - Sky City

This afternoon at lunch, I listed my first boro bead in my Etsy Shop.

This bead is an encased creation that kind of got away from me a bit and didn't turn out like I was expecting. However, it did create a really interesting formation in shades of blues, greens and tans that I think is pretty cool.

Unfortunately, since I didn't get the pictures taken until I came home for lunch, I didn't get a chance to post advance notice for Sky City.

You can see the listing and all of the pictures of Sky City HERE.

Let me know what you think!

The New Adventure Begins!

My first boro beads are out of the kiln, cleaned and drying downstairs. I'll be able to photo them tomorrow and begin loading the first of the new beads into my shop.

After the first couple of attempts at focals, I ended up focusing on accent beads. Simple designs in many colors to let me get the hang of working the harder glass. The bead colors are really cool and unique looking.

One of my mistakes actually looks pretty cool and I think I'll be calling it "Sky City", since that's what it looks like.

Would you like to wear a city around your neck?

Since Borosilicate is a harder glass--much harder, I had turn up the flame a lot higher than I usually need to with the soft glass. It's an interesting sensation to be working with that much heat, but I love how the colors came out...more will be coming soon.

Have a great night, All.

What's Up?

Some of you may have noticed that there have been fewer posts and new items lately than I usually have going here, so I thought I'd give you a glimpse into what's currently going on here.

First off, my partner has been cast in two summer shows up in Wisconsin. This means that he will be gone for the next few months and we have many preparations to make so that he can go and not worry about us here.

Second, I am considering going back to school and weighing my options. There's a class this summer that would give me a good intro into the coursework and let me see if I will like this type of work (it's still computers, but a bit more creative field).

With all that's going on, I haven't had as much time to work on the torch.

Not to worry, more new items will be coming soon.

I have re-listed several items that you might be interested in so please check out My Shop to see what's come up this week.

In addition, I will be playing with Boro (short for Borosilicate - aka pyrex) for the first time and seeing how I like the colors and how the glass works up. Keep an eye out for some beads that don't look like my other designs in the upcoming weeks.

That's the long and the short of it for now. Thanks for stopping by, and let me know if I can be of service to you.

Hope you're having a great night!

That Hollow Feeling!

I've just completed a custom order for a new customer who found me on Etsy, the web site where I keep my store, and I wanted to share with you the results.

The order was for a set of 30 hollow beads in light teal, light amber and fuchsia pink. While the teal and amber ones were done first, the fuchsia ones were a bit of a challenge.

Soft glass does not have a fuchsia that is reliable; that is to say, it tends to not want to be worked in the flame for long nor does it like starts and stops in its glass flow when making the beads. I tried several different manufacturers of the glass, but could not get the fuchsia to come out.

Hollow beads do not exactly come off the rod in a one piece, and it does take a while for the glass to melt, flow and inflate in order for the bead to take shape...this takes time which the pink glass abhors!

Fortunately, I had some wonderful fuchsia frit and used that to color transparent hollows to the nice fuchsia shade.

I'd made the last set of the beads on Sunday and cleaned them up last night. Tonight I strung the beads onto the leather cords by set and took the pictures.

I've forwarded the pictures to my customer, but thought you might like a look too.

I hope she likes her new beads!

Have a great night!

Bead And Button Success!

My trip up to Milwaukee for the Bead & Button Show this weekend was a very big success. I was able to get the new tools and supplies that I wanted and then some while still remaining under budget!

How often does that ever happen?

Among my souvenirs are a pair of shades that will snap onto my normal didydium glasses for working with the hard glass, Borosilicate. In conjunction with this purchase, I also got my first rods of boro in several colors for some great new beads that will be coming soon.

I also got my hands on some dichroic glass, new shaping tools, silver foil and some new books to learn even more cool techniques.

Saturday was a very good day, and I can't wait to share with you the new items that I'm planning on creating in the coming weeks.

Unfortunately, I didn't think to get any pictures of the market while I was there, so I can't show you anything in pictures. Sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking!

I almost didn't get to leave since the show was held open longer due to some severe weather that hit Milwaukee while I was shopping. There were a number of tornadoes around the area and I did see a building that had been blown over or hit with a tornado a few blocks south of the show while I was trying to get back onto the freeway.

Since the building appeared that it might have been abandoned, I can only hope that no one was hurt when the bricks came down.

I hope you all had a very safe and happy weekend!

New Tools Arrived--Bead & Button Weekend!

My new tools arrived today from Scott over at BearFootArt after several weeks of waiting for them to be made. I can't wait to try them out, but it just so happens that this is Bead & Button weekend!

I saw them demoed last year at the Bead & Button Show and I've watched the movies of them in action. There's a number of new techniques that I want to try once I get used the new tools. Keep an eye on my Etsy Shop for some new designs!

Bead & Button Show

I'll be heading up to Milwaukee on Saturday to spend the day looking at all the new toys and glass at the market. If you're in the area, I would really recommend it.

The market is huge and you can see glass beads from artists around the world, new glass vendors for both Boro and soft glass, new tools, suppliers and just about anything else you can imagine in the bead and jewelry market.

Last year I was fortunate to take a class there and spend several days, but that just didn't work out this year. Maybe next year, but I'm not missing the market!

Watch Out For The Breaking Wave

My latest focal bead that I will be adding to Etsy tomorrow is entitled "The Breaking Wave" since the design on the bead at the top looks a lot like a wave on a very deep ocean. Ivory foam of the the wave pours over the side along the surface in a very cool design.

The deep ocean currents are a variety of the deep rich colors in greens and grays, while the upper portion of the bead is dominated with light purples and ivory colors.

This bicone is accented with rich black ends that make the colors really stand out.

Don't forget to stop by My Shop tomorrow and see the new bead. This one will be posted in the mid-morning time.

Sleep Tight!

Time For A Little Creme Soda

While I like rootbeer, there's always been a special place in my heart for Creme Soda--usually A&W Creme soda. No diet stuff. The actual stuff.

So imagine my pleasure when this bead came out of the kiln and my first thought was "It looks just like a frothy creme soda." So that is the name I've given this long barrel bead.

There's a lot depth to this bead and the swirls have been reworked by gravity to give it a wonderful wave effect. The golden shades of light and dark amber, light brown and two shades of ivory really worked out for a classic color combination with lots of possibilities for your designs.

I'll be posting this focal into my Etsy Shop sometime tomorrow, so please check by often. It will probably be a late afternoon, early evening listing.

Hope you have a great night!

A Painted Tear - Coming To Etsy Soon!

No, this tear is not for Hillary Clinton...unless of course she buys it!

This tear is a new organic focal bead that I made on Sunday with a tear-shape that is awash in colors and patterns.

Rich pinks and bright reds collide and the various other glass colors react to create a subdued palette with brilliant punches of color in this cone focal. A cap of black glass sits atop the bead as the colors spiral around the ever-widening base.

There is a lot to see of this bead, and I hop you can stop in and take a look at it in my Etsy Shop tomorrow morning. There'll be plenty of pictures so you can see this bead from all angles.

Have a great night, and thanks for stopping by!

More New Ones Coming!

I hope you all had a terrific day.

Today was a very good day on Etsy as two of my focal beads sold. I am so pleased, words can hardly express my feelings.

I re-listed this flaming tree focal in my Etsy Shop today. It has an organic background and bright leaves in several Autumn shades.

It's one of my favorites, and I hope you can stop by and see it if you missed it on the first time around!

More new beads are coming to my shop on Wednesday, so stop in here tomorrow night for a preview.

Have a great night!

Organic Focals Added To Website

I've just completed the update of my website to include the latest batch of organic focal beads that I made last week.

All of the pictures are loaded and more information about their creation was included. Check out the What's New section for links and more information.

Where's the New Stuff?

If you've been wondering where all are all the new beads lately in my Etsy Shop, then send me lots of good, creative energy this weekend. I'm planning on finishing up a custom set I've been working on and then getting more new beads made for next week.

Hopefully I'll have something to show you soon!

There are several great re-lists in my shop if you'd like to check them out. Perhaps one of your favorites is back one last time!

Have a great weekend!

Passwords - P.I.T.A.

Well, I've been having some trouble logging into my blog this evening and ate up all of my time that I had for blogging. I have too many passwords to remember.

I have passwords for multiple systems at work, bank accounts, computers here at the house, web sites, services... the list goes on and on.

Keeping unique ones for each is really taxing sometimes and my mind just farts and mixes them up in my head. Tonight was one of those nights and I couldn't get the right one for blogger until I walked away for a bit and then tried again. Voila! Success.

Maybe its a sign of me getting older--but not OLD! Maybe I just have too much on my mind. Maybe I should just forget about it and get on with my life and stop obsessing over them.

What do you think?

Let's Have Some Relists!

With the holiday weekend spent on celebrations and using all of my torching sessions on a custom order for a client, I've decided to post a few relists in my Etsy Shop this week.

One has already gone up this afternoon, entitled Iceberg Flower.

More items will be coming back over the next several days, so please keep an eye out, and I hope you find what your heart desires!

Have a great night, and if you're looking for something in particular, please do not hesitate to let me know.

Take Care!

Wear-thering The Storm

As I am writing this, my office is well over 80 degrees and the rest of the house is barely any cooler. Summer has hit today and I am feeling the heat. I cannot wait to go sit in a cool bath and relax a bit before bedtime.

We could sure your a nice cool storm to come through and make everything comfortable again. Perhaps this bead will help. It's called "Triton's Storm", and it is an organic focal in cool shades of turquoise and transparent blues. White foam and storm clouds encircle this bead, while patches of blue ocean do peek through the tempest.

It's a great little focal and will be added to my Etsy Shop in the morning. There are more pictures that will be posted there, and you can see all of the secrets this bead has to offer!

Wouldn't you love to wear this storm around your neck?

Until tomorrow, have a great night!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend, Everyone!

I had a brain fart last night and forgot to blog about the new bead I was going to post into my Etsy Shop. I don't know where my head was at, but don't worry. With the holiday weekend upon us, I decided to hold off adding the new bead until after the break.

The new bead will be posted here Monday night and in my shop on Tuesday, so you haven't missed a thing!

I hope you all have a wonderful, fun and, most importantly, safe Memorial Day weekend!

Summer has finally arrived! (in spirit anyway)

We'll chat again soon!

It's Not Joan's Sister, But...

You might think that they are related by looking at the name, Ruby Rivers.

They're not even related, but this bead is certainly a star with its bright pink highlights against a charcoal gray background that ebbs with lighter shades of blues and ivories.

The pink worked out so nicely with the darker colors in this bead, I'm so glad I gave it a try. Pink, especially transparent pink, can be a tricky color to get to come out in the appropriate shades. Fortunately this bead, which was going to be a black and white only bead initially, all came together as it should.

There is a lot if depth and organic patterns in this bead that will make for a very intersting piece of jewelry.

Come and visit my Etsy Shop in the morning and see the rest of the pictures for yourself.

Have a great night, Everyone!

What's In A Name?

The focal for tomorrow's new listing in my Etsy Shop was almost given a completely different name. Would it have mattered?

Created in a warm color palette, I decided to experiment a bit with form and create a very different kind of bicone bead--at least for me. Using a razor blade tool, I worked in the ridges that you see in this bead once the main shaping had been completed.

The indentations give this bead a wonderful texture as well as a look that I really like. I'll probably do some more unusual shaping once my new tools arrive since I think they will make it a bit easier yet.

I've named this bead Rootbeer Barrel partially due to it's shape with the banding around it and partially due to the rich colors of the bead and the chocolate capped ends. The ivory accents look like rootbeer foam and this one is good enough to eat.

I do hope you will enjoy this one. I'm adding to the my Etsy Shop in the morning.

What was the other name that I almost gave it, you ask? Why, Ribbed For Your Pleasure, of course!

What's Behind The Waterfall?

This stunning bead has a secret, and it's hiding behind the waterfall.

When I took this bead from the kiln, I was surprised to see what appeared to be a cave recessed into the depths of this bead behind a formation that I think looks like a waterfall pattern on the surface of the bead.

While I've made these types of organic beads before, I've never had one with a transparent window into the interior of the bead like this one.

Multiple shades of pastel and transparent green glass give a mossy, forest-like feel to the bead. The ends have been capped in black for a contrast that makes the colors come alive.

This bicone focal is titled "The Secret Cave" and will be available in my in my Etsy Shop in the morning. There will be many more pictures, so I hope you can stop by and take a look!

Thanks for stopping by!

Multiple Web Site Updates

I hope you have had a very nice weekend.

While I'm still awaiting for my new tools to arrive, I did get some more beads made today and will have new focal beads in the next day or two. Right now they are in kiln annealing and getting ready for life in the world.

In between making beads and visiting the glass store, I did get some new updates loaded into the web site.

Along with many more earring pictures, there more pictures of this new rose pendant and the two focal beads that were posted to my Etsy Shop last week.

You can find more information on all of the new additions to my web site HERE.

Have a great week!

OK, It's Been A Long Day

And I'm Pooped!

Work is really stressing me out this week, but tomorrow is Friday and then comes the weekend.

I cannot wait to make more of the focals I experimented with last weekend and try some more new colors and such.

I also have a custom order that I'm working on that I think will be really cool. Pictures will follow of everything of course.

My podcast is being planned still, and I'm working on getting more sounds and music for use in the cast, but I'm having some technical difficulties.

Wish me luck and have a great night.

I'm A Featured Blog!

Good evening All.

Today the monthly newsletter for the Creative Glass Guild of Etsy (CGGE) e-mailed their monthly newsletter to all members. In the newsletter, this blog has been selected as the featured blog of the month!

Thank you so much CGGE and welcome new readers! I hope you like what you see, and stop by often!

I try to keep the blog interesting, on topic, for the most part, and fun to check out. I also regulary preview new items coming to shop here before they get listed. Like this one...

Just Cloning Around

Tomorrow morning, I will be adding this VERY BRIGHT organic focal to my Etsy shop. This bead is entitled "Clones Of Jupiter".

As with Navajo Blanket, I've used a few of the new colors in this bead to see how they would turn out in the organic design. New colors used in this bead are both by CIM--Lipstick and Sangre.

I love how well they mixed in with some Electric Yellow and Dark Ivory in this bead. It colors just flow and swirl around this bead like a gaseous atmosphere of a large planet--can you think of which one?

Anyway, I hope you like it and will stop by tomorrow and see all of the pictures!

Remember Multimedia?

Back in December, as some of you may know, I bought a new Mac computer to enable me to speed up photo and web site editing and include some new multi-media features like podcasts, tutorial movies, etc.

Well, so far you've probably been wondering "Where the hell is the multimedia?"

I can now tell you that my first podcast is coming very soon. I'm learning GarageBand, which came with my Mac, and planning out the first episode.

Keep your eyes and ears open...

Anyone Looking For A Navajo Blanket?

Navajo Blanket is the title of this new focal bead that I made yesterday. It's got a rich, organic palette in shades of purple and blue with some ivories and tans thrown into the mix.

Capped with black ends to really accentuate the colors, this large bicone focal is a real winner and should be quite stunning in any creation you can imagine.

This bead has so much detail and depth to it that it really must be seen and inspected in person to really see the colors play with each other.

Why is it named Navajo Blanket, you ask? Well, it's what I thought of when I looked at the bead. The black ends make the bead look like it has been wrapped up in something. The soft color palettes reminded me of an almost southwestern design. Bring the two concepts together and that how I named it.

You can call it whatever you want when it's yours, however. I will be adding this beauty to my Etsy Shop first thing in the morning with many more pictures. I hope you will stop by!

Have a great night.

New Gallery Added To Website

Just a quick post this morning to let you know that I added a new gallery to my website yesterday for your viewing pleasuring.

The new gallery is dedicated to a new gift item that I've added to my offerings, beaded letter openers. The one shown here is entitled Middle Earth and has a very rich palette of earthy golds and browns on a gold tone opener.

I made up 6 new ones for my show last week, and now you can see them HERE.

Hope you have a great week!

New Wine Stoppers On Website

I've posted a new set of pictures into my web site of several new wine and bottle stoppers in a few different designs like this one, entitled Royal Topper.

Created in wonderful shades of transparent teal and purple, this stopper has a very elegant look to it.

The background used on the transparent dot pattern is silvered ivory which gives the bead a great texture.

The large focal bead is sitting on a purple disk bead at the base of the stopper.

I made up several for my show and now you can see the pictures HERE.

More web updates are coming, so stay tuned!

Great Show, Bad News

First off, let me say, "Thank You" for all the well wishes for my show today that I have received. I really appreciate it and the show went very well. I had some new customers and repeat buyers alike purchase my work. That made me feel great.

Thank you to all of you wonderful folks!

Now the Not So Great

After waiting and waiting and waiting. Septemberfest's letter arrived today, and I didn't get into the show. I am on a waiting list, but that isn't something that can be counted on at this point.

Once I got home and checked my e-mail this evening, I got the notification from the second show. I didn't get accepted into that one either.

WOW, a double whammy. One show rejected me late while the other one did it early to create the perfect storm of OUCH.

Now its time to pick myself back up and keep moving forward which I am doing. It's just a little tough to be rejected by both shows nearly simultaneously. Now I'm focusing back onto my work, new designs and creations since I don't have a production schedule to keep any longer.

There are some shows in the late fall that I'll be looking into and more will be coming about those as they develop.

There is a glass sculpting class coming up in July that I'm looking forward to. It's being taught by Ken Herman whom I saw demonstrate his craft a few weeks back. Click HERE for the blog entry about his work.

That will be really cool.

Thanks for all of your support and interest.

Take Care!

My Bags Are Packed, And I'm Ready To Go!

Good evening Everyone!

Tonight I reorganized all of my stock (and there's more than I thought I would have) into fewer, but more tightly packed boxes and am just about ready to go to the show tomorrow.

I'm feeling really good about everything I'm taking and hopefully folks will respond to it.

I've polished up the silver bangle bracelets since they needed a little more shine and they look great now.

Still no word from Septemberfest, but hopefully soon.

Have a great night, make like Dionne Warwick and say a little prayer for me!

Progress On My Show At Work

Once I have the show on Wednesday, I will have lots of great pictures for the web site in some new categories.

Tonight I created five new letter openers and three new wine/bottle stoppers that I cannot wait to show off, but I don't have the strength to upload the pictures to the web site and set up the new galleries tonight.

I also haven't named any of the new earrings, bottle stoppers or letter openers that I created in the last few days either. Fortunately, all of the pictures have been imported, color corrected and cropped (where necessary) thanks to my very helpful computer.

Now it's just a matter of getting the galleries up so you can see them. However, I hate making you wait, so here's a sneek peek at one of the new letter openers.


I hope you enjoy it and have a great night!

(No, I still haven't heard from Septemberfest!)

Prepping For A Mother's Day Show At Work

I've been very busy this weekend getting ready for a new show that I 'm doing at work in preparation of Mother's Day.

I've made up a bunch more earrings, beads for letter openers in various colors and desings and am going through the many and varied beads I have for other jewelry design options.

I'm pooped! (So this is going to be a short one tonight)

All of the earrings I've made have been photographed, but probably won't be put onto the web site until after my show on Wednesday.

I did one of these shows just before Thanksgiving last year and it was very successful. Let's hope that lightning will strike twice!

And to answer that question that's probably on your mind, no, I have not yet heard from Septemberfest. Hopefully soon one way or the other.

Have a great night, and keep your fingers crossed for me!

I Haven't Heard Yet, But I'm Waiting--Patiently

Have I mentioned that patience is not one my better qualities? I'm still working on it though. Trying not to think about it too much.

I have not yet heard from the Septemberfest folks to find out if I've been accepted into their fall show or not. I'm hoping that I have been, but I won't know until I'm notified. *obviously*

Since I haven't gotten an e-mail yet and the notification date was yesterday, I'm assuming that the information is being mailed out by snail mail.

When I got home tonight from the gym, I thought there might be an envelope for me. Not yet. I'll just keep trying to put it out of my mind. *I really want this show*

As Scarlet O'Hara says, Tomorrow IS another day!

Wish me luck!

*Dear God, I need this show*

Do You Know Where I Got This One?

About a week ago, someone asked me on the Etsy Forums where I got the names for my beads and jewelry that I post in my Etsy Shop.

The names of the beads and sets come from a number of different sources. Sometimes, it's just what comes to mind when I see item. Sometimes color is the overriding item that gives the piece its name. sometimes it is what the piece reminds me of like a movie, favorite memory, a song, or something from a book--fact or fiction. The name doesn't have to make sense to anyone, but me.

So, with that in mind, let's see if you know where I got the name for this pair of earrings.

Using a base color of the hot new pastel purple I got, I decorated the beads with warm tan and brown shades from a silvered stringer. The silver creates the variation in the colors and makes these beads really stand out.

Strung on sterling wire with hematite bead accents, these earrings are ready for anything.

Their name, you ask? I'm calling this pair, "Voices Of The Mountains". Do you know where this reference comes from?

If you do, be sure and post your guesses here on the blog. The first correct guess will win something from my shop. Good Luck!

I'll be adding this pair of earrings to my Etsy Store tomorrow morning, so be sure to come check them out.

Let the guessing begin!

A Big Day For CGGE On Etsy!

As you may recall, I am a member of the Creative Glass Guild Of Etsy or CGGE. Today was a very big day in the Etsy forums for us since we have had one of our biggest, if not THE BIGGEST posting of new glass art today.

There has been so much new work posted that I have not been able to keep up with all of it and still have more to look at.

Our thread for today can be found HERE.

There are so many wonderful artists in this group, I think you will find persuing the links to new items and the chit-chat and banter between everyone very entertaining. Who knows, you might actually find something you can't live without.

All of the artisans in this group are very open and friendly and love the chat with anyone who may have a questions or request.

Won't you come take a look at some of the beauty you may have been missing?

I start one of these "What's New" threads each day on Etsy. The link to the new thread, once it has been posted, is added to the prior day's so that everyone can find the new posting since there are so many on Etsy going at any given time.

Come dive in!

Wander Down An Afternoon Trail...

Sunny afternoon skies, dirt trails through a late summer meadow, warm wind on my face. The world alive in warm, earthy colors. These are just some of the images that come to mind when I think of walking along a trail in the afternoon.

These were the inspiration for this latest pair of earrings that I have named "Afternoon Trail". What a coincidence!

Unlike my earlier earring pairs, this set is hung from sterling silver posts with a spiral design on the front of the findings. Warm shades of tan, brown and orange all collide in the focal beads of this pair. Cream colored stone beads with a wonderful mottling of variation in the stone have also been included in this set with some zinc star accents. All hung on sterling wire.

This lovely pair will be added to my Etsy Shop in the morning and I hope you can stop by and take a look.

Have a great night!

Notification Week Arrives

This week I should be hearing whether I will be participating in the Septemberfest Art Fair in Schaumburg, IL this fall. I sent in my application over a month ago and the May 1st notification date is quickly approaching.

I can hardly wait.

This weekend I placed orders for more jewelry supplies in anticipation of being in at least one show this fall. I've applied to two and surely they both wouldn't turn me down! (If they do, this blog entry would be a bit embarrassing, wouldn't it?). Might have try some revisionist history in that case.

Other activities this weekend included cleaning the beads from last weekend (finally, I know) and shopping for a new camera.

My digital camera is starting to experience problems as it would appear that the CCD (the thing that records the pictures) is starting to go out and I must replace it with a new one.

I've had this camera for many, MANY years, so a new one is well over-due and can only improve my picture taking abilities. Let's hope the new camera will help make picture taking simpler and faster yet!

My old camera is a Kodak and it has served me well, but comparing it to the new models on the market it was a dinosaur. It's 5 years old, which makes it a 35 year old camera in technology years.

I'm leaning toward a 10 mega pixel Olympus at the moment, but more shopping is in order. Once I have the new camera, I'll make some test pictures and post them here for you.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great night!