Lamp Of Luxury - Glass Reflections

Snowtaculer, Snowtacular!

2011-02-02T16:35:00.000-06:00

Snowtacular! Snowtacular!

No words in the vernacular

can describe the cold event!

You'll be numb with wonderment!

Yes, we've survived the great blizzard and 7 or 8 power outages that kept interrupting our shows like V and Being Human!

We eventually realized that Being Human was cursed, so we stopped trying to watch it and started to play Abalone (the game, not the mollusk) by candlelight. I BEAT ROBERT!

The minute we got the game set up and he finished explaining the rules, the power came back on. We did our part to keep the power on by not turning on the TV or the lights. I BEAT ROBERT!

It was very fun sitting there playing a fun game with the candles burning. Sweat rolling down his brow as I moved the final piece into place. I BEAT ROBERT!

To be fair, he was a bit distracted with the storm and the power situation at the time. At least, that's what he kept saying after I BEAT ROBERT!

It's just a good thing I'm not very competitive!

The Weather Outside Is Frightful...

2011-02-01T15:36:00.000-06:00

But time off, is so delightful!

Yes, the blizzard has arrived, and with it our company gave everyone a day and half off. THANK YOU! It is just getting started and should intensify well into the evening. Fortunately, I went to the grocery store and stocked up right after work, so now I just need to stay home and shovel the walk way occasionally.

Here are a couple of latest pictures on our street.

With any luck, we'll stay with power and I might just get some time on the torch tomorrow. I've got a new pendant idea I want to try out and see what comes out.

I'm so glad we got the big tree in our back yard trimmed up and we don't have the huge hanging limbs that were over top of the house and our back fence like we had last year at this time.

If we don't stay with power, then we'll just have to hunker down with the dogs and keep ourselves warm. Maybe I'll knit a bit and finish my scarf--just in time, too!

I'll keep you posted on how it all goes, if I'm able to sometime tomorrow.

Do you have any blizzard stories? How are you coping?

Stay warm and safe folks!

Time for a little Co-op-eration

2011-01-30T10:49:00.001-06:00

About a week ago, I took some of my glass pieces into my favorite yarn shop, Chix With Stix in Forest Park to see if the bead shop up the street might be interested in my work. During the conversation, Kelly mentioned that the gallery next door was an artist co-op. My ears picked right up.

I'd been to an artist co-op in P-Town in 2005 and would have joined that one, but didn't live in the area. Finding one in my area was exciting and I went next door to see what they had and if they would be interested in my work.

At the American Artworks Gallery, I met Lisa (one of the owners) and Gabe (another glass artist). The really liked my work and were excited about having my heart pendants in the shop for Valentines day.

Valentines! I hadn't even given that a thought and I had quite a bit of hearts since I'd found another box of them in my basement. Yikes, I have a lot of glass art sitting around!

The race was on to get retail labels designed and printed (got a new printer at Christmas, fortunately) hearts inventoried, priced, labeled and back to the shop by Wednesday. It was a busy couple of days, but I got 20 hearts completed and packed for retail sale. YEAH!

Wednesday evening after work I officially joined the co-op and turned over my hearts. Lisa is very enthusiastic about my work and I'm thrilled to be showing in such a cool and eclectic place.

Yesterday, I stopped in to see the hearts on display. It was wonderful. They're shining there in the window as well as in a lovely display case.

I'm anxious to see what the response from their clients are. If you're in Forest Park, IL sometime, be sure to stop in and say hello and check out the gallery and support some local artisans!

The Sleeping Giant Stirs

2011-01-27T18:17:00.000-06:00

Wow, it has been a long time since I've posted on here. Sorry folks!

As you can probably tell from my previous post (back in 2009!), I was getting a bit fed up with the whole glass thing and had some definite frustration building.

A complete break was required. (I tend to be an achiever-which means I pressure myself to death!)

So what did I do with 2010?

Aside from renewing existing listings on Etsy from time to time and taking stock of my glass inventory, I explored another avenue for a bit. Knitting.

Knitting enabled me to continue expressing myself creatively while not being in the basement, I mean, glass studio, alone for hours at a time. I could watch TV, chat with Robert, my partner, and interact like a normal person all the while still being creative.

So, since March of last year I have made these three sweaters:

I'm also working on a new scarf from yarn and a pattern that I received at Christmas. It should be completed shortly. After that, I've got a sock class coming in the first week of February that I'm looking forward to.

Still busy, still creative. But this blog is about glass, right?

Yes, it is, and my desire for the torch has begun to rekindle now that I've been away from it for so long.

New design ideas for pendants and beads are starting to take shape once again and I feel like I can finally get back to glass and see where it takes me this time.

The sleeping giant is indeed waking up again, and this time I'll work more at having fun and not worry so much about the rest of it.

(That's what I keep telling myself, anyway)

Art Fair Troubles...

2009-09-27T18:33:00.002-05:00

This has been one long Summer, and now I can relax a bit and enjoy the Fall and it's cooler weather--not that our weather has been particularly hot this year.

I spent a good part of my time getting ready for two shows that I was looking forward to doing and was working almost every weekend to make more stuff for the shows. However, fate had other plans.

About a week before my first show in August, I started to feel a slight twinge of pain in my stomach, but only when I moved in certain ways. Not really thinking much of it, I continued about my business as usual. On the Monday before my show, I went to work as normal and after work went for a bike ride through the wooded trails near our house. For two hours and rode all around the woods and enjoyed the summer evening.

After my ride, I came home and ate dinner--all the while feeling a bit uncomfortable but not really paying much attention. During that night, however, the pain increased and I had some trouble sleeping through the night.

In the morning, I got up, packed up my lunch and breakfast, got ready for work and just before leaving, told my partner that I was having some minor pain in my stomach. He suggested calling the doctor and I agreed. I promised to call the doctor and set up an appointment when I got to work.

Once at work, I started getting an upset stomach and couldn't bring my self to eat my breakfast. Then I knew I was sick. I was turning down food.

I called the doctor and left the symptoms with the nurse and she promised to call me back within the hour. Ten minutes later I was called back and told to go to the emergency room.

I figured they just couldn't fit me into their schedule, so I still wasn't thinking anything big was going on. I told my boss about the issue and headed back home so I could change into comfortable clothes and pick up my partner before going to the hospital. Still figuring I would be back at work the next day.

In the ER, they were having some trouble diagnosing my issue since it wasn't on the right side and I wasn't having nearly enough trouble for a normal appendicitis. However, the CAT scan revealed that it was indeed my appendix and it had to be removed--immediately.

"Will I be able to do the art fair this weekend?", I asked.

"I wouldn't recommend it," was their prompt reply.

So, after paying $500 for my booth at the show, I could not attend. Not only did I lose the money, but I'd spent a long time working on items that I just couldn't take to any show.

To say I was depressed would be an understatement, but I focused on getting better and was soon back on the torch to get ready for the next show.

Another month of torching, and I was ready to display a wide range of heart and leaf pendants along with some of my older items too.

The show ran three days over Labor Day weekend and it was my first time there. While first couple days started off slow, sales were steady until the last day.

I began to panic a bit, but I needn't have. As the afternoon wore on, I ended up having my best day of the show and doubling the sales for the weekend.

It turned out alright, but I'm still upset that I missed one of my shows and lost all of that money. Hopefully, next year's shows will work out better and I can avoid emergency surgery.

So, what's your art fair horror story?

The Race Is On

2009-05-30T11:16:00.002-05:00

Summer festival season is ramping up now and so is my production schedule. I'm currently rushing to complete as many items for the two shows I've been accepted into this summer (yeah!) and awaiting word on a third show where I will be able to showcase my "Naughty" pendants as well as my regular work.

In order to ensure maximum sales, I'm attempting to create 300 new pendants before August 1st (the first show date) which translates to roughly 15 pendants a week (at least).

So far, fortunately, I'm right on schedule and very excited about the prospects of getting my work out to the public and seeing what they think of it.

In my rush to continue torching, I've been neglecting my blogs, shops and other on-line venues in order to have enough time to get everything done, photographed and packaged up for the shows. Is this normal for us artists?

Working full-time, trying to find time to excercise (which I haven't been lately, and it shows!), keep up with the Internet chores and maintain a personal life all seem to be in conflict and never ending battle.

Sorry if you're feeling neglected; it's not you it's me! (how many times have you heard that one?)

Are you felling the summer pressure already? Tell me about it, won't you?

Stupid Is As Stupid Does

2009-04-25T09:48:00.002-05:00

Does it seem like stupidity is taking over the planet to you?

Everywhere I turn, there's someone doing something really dumb--and usually getting away with it which makes it all the more infuriating.

While I'm generally a pretty laid back guy, some things really bug me (in case you haven't noticed from other posts).

For example, about a year ago, a post office in my area changed the flow of traffic in its parking lot by designating one entrance and one exit instead of the free-for-all that it had been.

Now there are HUGE signs that read "EXIT ONLY" on the way into the exit so that cars won't try to come in that way. It's been a year, but people still refuse to read the signs and try to come in against the flow of traffic.

Everyone is then expected to get the hell out of their way so they can steal the parking spot you were waiting for, by the way.

If you try to warn them with a polite toot (which only makes them more stubborn) or gently point out (with your middle finger) the huge signs they're not reading or just flat out refuse to be complicit in their stupidity by moving over and letting them terrorize the rest of the motorists, they look at you like YOU are doing something wrong.

Worse, my partner told me, "Move over so she can get in".

"ABSOLUTELY NOT" I then explained to him that I was not on her side, she was going the wrong way. Both cars sat their facing each other for a few minutes (nobody was behind me, thank goodness) while we waited for a lightbulb to go on. Whether she got it or not, eventually, the other motorist did have to back out and go in the correct way.

Score 1 for society and following the rules! Hopefully she learned the correct way to enter the parking lot from then on.

Then there are those who do something stupid and then want to blame everyone else for it. You've met these people, I'm sure. They're practically entitled to do anything they want and never suffer any consequences (or at least don't think that they should have any consequences).

Just yesterday, a couple friends and I went over to Woodfield Mall at lunch time for a quick stroll through the shops. I parked quickly and we were off toward the mall.

On the other side of the car that I'd parked next to was a woman complaining about the same car.

"I should let all of the air out of his tires" I heard her exclaim as we walked up. "I cannot get my door open to get into the car. They parked too close!"

Notice she said "THEY" parked too close. In actuality, SHE had parked her car right on the line, had rather large doors that needed a lot of room to open and an even larger ass that needed more room yet.

The car, presumably, came in after she'd left her car and parked normally in its parking space. However, now that her poor parking job was inconveniencing her, she felt it was within her rights to flatten their tires and rant about it to strangers walking by.

I quickly looked at the situation and determined she was a victim of her own stupidity. My friends, however, were more easily suckered into helping.

After a few minutes, they'd managed rearrange the seats in her car and wedge her (all of her) into the back seat of the car so she could hopefully maneuver the state of Ohio into the front seat and drive off.

I'm sure she was swearing about that "other driver" the entire time and never realized she was the one in the wrong.

Oh well, I guess you can't win them all.

Have you made a stand against stupidity lately? Tell me about it.

My Swim In The 'Bay

2009-04-10T18:56:00.001-05:00

If you’ve been following my blog, then you know that last week I dipped my toes back into the eBay pool to test the waters. I’d been on eBay quite a bit earlier in my lampworking career, but didn’t find the success I’d originally been hoping for with some of my earlier designs and pieces.

With the advent of my new “male” pendants, I thought I’d give this a try again to see how they would be received. Since they’ve been pretty popular on Etsy, it was time to give “The Bay” another shot.

Last night, the auction for “Joseph” completed with six bids and multiple bidders. To say that I was pleased in the response would be an understatement. While I doubt that I’ll be using it as often as I used to for sales, it would appear that there is a market that I can tap into there too.

Any source of new customers is good, right?

Of course it is! This morning I found a very nice letter from my buyer who is very excited and happy that he won. The e-mail also included this wonderful bit of encouragement:

“If this beautiful multi-colored penis was created on a whim, I encourage you to make more! The others who bid against me would certainly appreciate being able to have one of their own! What a splendid way to celebrate the beauty of the male member!”

I took a chance last week and struck out to expose my work to a new audience and gained a brand new customer with the potential for a few more in the wings. If I hadn’t tried it, I might never have found them.

I guess the moral of the story is to get out of your marketing rut and try something new. For the cost of a few bucks, I was rewarded with a wonderful new customer and some new ideas on how to make my shop work for me!

Remember, try new venues (or older ones that didn’t work in the past), new mediums and anything you can think of to bring in those customers!

Needless to say, there are more penis pendants coming and this won’t be the last auction on eBay!

Now to figure out how to skinny down the cost of the listing fees and still get noticed!

More on that later!

Stress is in the air!

2009-04-09T21:11:00.003-05:00

Well, now that Winter is just about over, a whole new season can begin. For most people, that season is Spring and it is welcomed by all.

For artists who are busily trying to get applications into art fairs, festivals, craft fairs and other seasonal venues, you have now entered the season of Stress!

It's the time of year when you get to send a bunch of faceless, nameless folk pictures of your work, what you feel about your work and a non-refundable check for jurying fees, which basically means we're paying them for the privilege of rejection.

Who comes up with these applications for these shows, anyway?

After filling in our names, addresses, websites, astrological sign, favorite food and estimated weight at the time of the show, the really fun questions begin.

Please describe your work, the process or processes involved, materials and inspirations in 50 words or less.

Are you kidding me? Oh, after this question there will be a very small (SMALL!) box to fill in with our stunning insights and pearls of wisdom--or at least what we can fit in 50 words.

The question practically takes up more words than we're allowed answer it with.

Please categorize your work (one choice only): Art, Glass, Jewelry, Ceramics, Woodcraft, or Other.

This is a trick question, right? I can just about hear the carnival barker now, "Step right up. It's time to play 'Pick Your Pigeonhole'".

For me, I make glass jewelry which I think is art, but isn't it also glass and jewelry? (one choice only, Please)

Seriously, if the show has the word "Art" in the title, then shouldn't everything be art? If I don't pick Art from the list, am I out completely? What about the poor folks who pick Woodcraft? Since craft is in their name do they get automatically rejected?

At least I don't have to pick Other.

Please submit three photos of your work.

OK, this seems simple enough, right? You've been working all year creating one fabulous piece after the other, now pick three (and only three) to represent you in front of our panel of esteemed judges (which we don't know).

If we pick the more elaborate and detailed pieces to showcase our talents, they might think "it's just not right for our attendees". But, if we pick the pieces that are generally popular and should sell well we run the risk of "it's very nice, but not really special enough for our attendees".

Or better yet...

Please submit three photos of your work as slides.

Slides, really? Who can take slides anymore? Where would you get them developed and on what would we display them on?

If I were 10 years younger I probably wouldn't even know what slides are. This is the digital age, take a CD or prints at least.

Fortunately, in lieu of slides, oil paintings and cave drawings are also valid and acceptable forms of pictorial represenation of our work.

Special Requests or Needs?

"Yeah, I'd like to be accepted into your show."

I would love to see what other vendors put down for this one. I'm always afraid to put anything in it since I don't want to appear to be: needy, picky, pushy, demanding, high-maintenance, self-important, entitled, arrogant, a PITA or any other horrible descriptor you can think up. I'm trying to put my best foot forward and hoping to get into a show, so I'll just leave that one blank.

Is that a rookie mistake?

"There are no special requests or needs listed. Obviously, he has no idea what he is doing. Reject!"

After all that, you're probably wondering if I've applied to any shows this year.

Well, yes, I've applied to several this year in spite of the stress and hope and panic and self-doubt it inspires year after year. In the end, if I can get into a couple of shows, it all become worth it. I get to show my work to the public, get feedback, meet some interesting people and, with a little luck, make some money so I can do it all again next year because it is all so worth it!(after all that I'm hoping not to get black balled entirely)

Happy Stress Season, Everyone!

Dipping My Toes Back Into The 'Bay!

2009-04-03T19:36:00.002-05:00

So, why am I nervous?

Maybe it's because I've been down this road once before without much success.

Maybe I'm afraid that this item won't sell either and it will be a waste of my time and energy.

Maybe it means that my work is, which I love, is just not that great.

Maybe I'm just chronically insecure.

So why did I bother in the first place?

I listed an item because I have something new and didn't see anything like it out there currently.

I listed an item to give it a shot and see what the response is like to it.

I listed an item to prove that my own doubts would not derail my ambition.

I listed an item to help publicize my Facebook page for these items and maybe get some new fans.

I listed an item because I figured if it didn't work, I'd still have my item and I'd only be out a couple of bucks and week's worth of watching and waiting.

I listed an item because I was curious.

As you can see, the potential benefits outweigh the doubts, so now I've just got to wait and see what happens. Wish me luck!

Tune in next week for the exciting conclusion! Same ByHand Time, Same ByHand Channel!

To Boldly Rant Where No One Has Ranted Before

2009-03-28T23:27:00.001-05:00

Before I start this, I just want to say that I am a BIG Star Trek fan, and I've apparently spent way too much time thinking about the flaws in a number of episodes and movies. In light of the new movie coming out in May, I thought I'd share with you my list of Star Trek's biggest mistakes and wrong turns. And now my top 10 things I'd love to change about Star Trek:

1. In the original series, they successfully steal a Romulan cloaking device and integrate it into the ship's systems well enough to cloak the enterprise. Then they NEVER use it again! Not in the original series, not in any series following either. Wouldn't you think they'd have replicated the technology and made it standard issue by the time Next Gen came around? What was Star Fleet thinking?

2. The Starship Excelsior is equipped with Trans-Warp drive in "Star Trek III The Search For Spock". This technology is also NEVER used again on a Star Fleet vessel. It is, however, used by the Borg and is the holy grail of transportation in Star Trek Voyager since Trans-Warp drive would enable them to return home in a matter of months instead of decades. If Star Fleet had that technology decades earlier, why was it never used again except by their enemies? Makes no sense to me!

3. Deep Space Nine. WTF? An entire series stuck in an a futuristic airport. Did they forget that half the name of the franchise was Trek? That implies movement, travel, and seeing new things, exploring. That's a little hard to do when you're standing still!

4. Star Trek First Contact is one of my favorite movies, but it too has it's problems. Most notably developing and testing warp drive technology in Montana. There are several Star Trek books that have been written about the perils of using a warp drive anywhere near a large gravity well like a planet or star. Yet this movie decided to make warp travel pioneers land based probably because it would be cheaper to shoot. I once read a terrific book on the subject and it was set on multiple timelines using both original and Next-Gen crews which told a much better tale of how warp drive technology was developed, but it took weeks of slow acceleration due to achieve it until the Inertial Dampeners were invented. It was full of political intrigue, time travel and multiple factions all trying gain control of this new technology. It would have made a far superior movie to this one, but they came up with their own story instead which was good, but could have been so much more!

5. Which brings me to my next point--ignoring the books that have really kept the franchise going and expanded upon the rich universe Gene Rodenberry created. A lot of them would make terrific movies, but they are completely ignored when script time comes around for the next movie. Instead of some really great adventures there have been a few flops in the franchise such as "The Final Frontier", "The Undiscovered Country", and "Generations" with it's plot holes large enough to drive trucks through.

6. Star Trek Enterprise. This poor show started out being written by the producers for the first couple of seasons and it sucked MAJOR. By the time the third and fourth seasons came around and they actually started using noted Star Trek Authors to write the show it was too late. It had failed to gain an audience in the first couple of critical years and that was the end of that. Seasons three and four were really terrific and if the show had started out like that it might have been a big hit. Just remember, Producers do NOT equal Writers!

7. Time Travel Paradoxes. Here's a quick rule. If A lead to B and B Leads to C which prevents A from happening, don't leave your characters at C discussing how they just did it. They should be back at A with no memory of this happening since it wouldn't have happened. Star Trek has gotten this right a few times, but they've also gotten it wrong on more than a few occasions too. Case in point: Star Trek Voyager: Future's End Pt II.

8. Robert Beltran's butt. Why, of all the men they could have stripped down for a little gratuitous nudity on Star Trek Voyager, was Chakotay the one they chose? See #9 for my choice, but Tom Paris would have been nice too.

9. Lieutenant Ayala is the strikingly handsome ex-maquis bridge officer that is seen standing in the background of nearly every episode from the pilot to the finale and only speaks exactly once. He's probably the hottest cast member on the show, but is just not put to any use (although the actor does end up playing many stunt related parts throughout the show including Satan's Robot). I do hope someone on that ship was tapping that when no one was looking!

10. And now for my biggest change: Wesley Crusher--bye bye! I know there's a huge fan base for this one, but he was really nothing more than annoying and needy. Maybe I'm reacting to all of the posts and buzz that were around on-line (pre-internet) about this one, but I just never thought he added much to the show besides being a complete dork and sucking up to the captain every chance he got. Fortunately, he did eventually go Star Fleet Academy and was off the show for most of the run from there.

There you have it, my list of changes that I would make to Star Trek if I could go back in time and change the scripts, casting and other events to make the various incarnations as perfect as they could be.

What would you change?

Do you want to be successful? Read This!

2009-03-25T18:57:00.001-05:00

For those of you who know me, I'm not a regular blog reader. I'm barely a regular blog writer, but am working on getting back to that. However, I have found something that I need to share with everyone!

Allow me to introduce: The Fluent Self Blog

This is a gold mine of do's and don'ts for running just about any business, but with a focus on Internet and artistic salesmanship.

Sounds boring doesn't it? Its NOT. She's got a great conversational style and a great sense of humor.

My introductory article was this one: It's Not The Economy

I soon discovered a bunch of other articles that I will need to read as well. I'm so glad I found this one, and I hope you will be too.

If you're having trouble with sales or want to increase sales (which we do, right?) or just to get a new perspective on your website, business or Internet presence, then this is the blog for you (and ME).

I will be following this blog and taking notes since it really speaks to me, and is a great, fun read.

I hope you enjoy it!

A Perponderance Of Profiles!

2009-03-21T20:40:00.004-05:00

The following is taken from a new handmade only site I'm a member of. Check out my profile and blog on Byhand.me. If you love handmade, you should see this!

Do you realize how much time it takes to set up a profile on a new site to market your work? It seems to take me weeks before I've fully completed everything and have it just the way I want it. Maybe having a full-time job slows me down a bit than some of the lucky ones who only have their art business.

I'm on many sites now, I can hardly keep up with it all, but I do it because I love my art and want to share it with as many others as possible. Would we really do all of this if we didn't love it?

Tonight I've been creating banners for use on Etsy and on my profile here and have finally put them into place. There's a lot of great options on this site in the profile, but it's taken a few weeks of exploring and seeing what other's profiles look like to determine what all it can do.

Up until yesterday, I had no idea that I could upload banners to my profile and blog pages, but now I do. So Voila! New banners on both pages.

A day or two before that, I put up some Etsy Mini's onto my blog sidebar to give it a bit of personality too.

What do you think of the changes so far?

On the blog I tried to merge the banners for both my Etsy shops since this blog will cover either one as time permits.

Now, how many shops should I set up? I probably should have presences on more than one selling site, so I'm thinking about that now. Of course, I'll want it to be a shop that can be linked into this site too. Any suggestions?

(argh, more profiles!)

Shop Loading Continues

2009-02-23T18:35:00.004-06:00

I've been very busy getting my shop loaded with lots of new items over this weekend in addition to making several new pieces.

Working in Boro is a lot of fun and I hope you are enjoying my adventure with me.

This weekend I made some new disk pendants--some with a large front hole--that I will be adding over the next few days.

Drop pendants and a couple hearts were also made, but I'm not sure if one of them will go up. I was using a new color, cranberry, but it didn't quite turn out as expected. The color looks too much like rust and cherry. Reds are giving me some trouble, but I will get them worked out soon, I hope.

If they won't come out, then I can always use some "Red Elvis"--yes, that's actually the name of the color. I know it will come out red for me since I used it in class and is a very reliable color.

The pictures in this posting are new items that I posted to my shop today. Be sure to stop by Etsy and see what all I've added over the weekend.

Hope you're having a great week so far.

Where have I been?

2009-02-19T21:03:00.009-06:00

"I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me!"

It's been quite a while between posting, but I thought it was time revive my blog and get back to you great folks.

Creatively, I've been in a bit of a funk for several months--since last summer actually-- and wasn't sure how to break out of it.

After much thought, soul searching and just generally taking a break from most things glass, I have been able to recapture my desire and creativity.

Over the past few months, I've been preparing to switch from using the soft-glass that I learned on to the harder Borosilicate. There are a number of reasons for this.

I love the wide range of reactive colors available to me in this glass.
I needed a new challenge creatively to prevent me from just making the same thing over and over again.
Boro gives me much more freedom over the types of items that I can make--not just jewelry but sculpture, marbles, paperweights etc. (If I have enough heat, that is).
It was just time for a change.

So, now that the switch has been made, I hope you enjoy the pictures of my latest creations in the new medium.

Also, be sure to check out my Facebook Page for Burning Scentsations!

Several new items have been added my Esty Shop over the past few days, so please check out the all-Boro items now!

Have a great night!

The NIght Before Mistletoe

2008-11-07T17:56:00.002-06:00

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

2008-10-20T23:22:00.003-05:00

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

2008-09-08T23:22:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-08-26T22:33:00.003-05:00

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!

2008-08-21T23:32:00.007-05:00

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?

2008-08-19T00:14:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-08-17T21:35:00.002-05:00

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

2008-08-14T14:39:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-08-14T08:12:00.001-05:00

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!

2008-08-12T23:06:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-08-09T09:34:00.002-05:00

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!

2008-08-07T00:03:00.005-05:00

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?

2008-08-05T22:30:00.004-05:00

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

2008-08-04T22:05:00.002-05:00

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...

2008-07-31T08:00:00.004-05:00

...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!

2008-07-29T12:32:00.004-05:00

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

2008-07-26T00:10:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-24T07:58:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-07-22T23:56:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-21T23:43:00.004-05:00

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

2008-07-18T23:01:00.003-05:00

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

2008-07-18T22:58:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-12T22:40:00.003-05:00

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

2008-07-12T08:33:00.006-05:00

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!

2008-07-10T23:22:00.004-05:00

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

2008-07-08T23:18:00.005-05:00

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

2008-07-07T23:07:00.006-05:00

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

2008-07-07T07:38:00.004-05:00

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

2008-07-04T07:58:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-07-01T23:03:00.004-05:00

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

2008-06-30T23:13:00.003-05:00

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

2008-06-25T22:59:00.002-05:00

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

2008-06-22T23:06:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-06-19T23:12:00.003-05:00

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!

2008-06-17T22:58:00.004-05:00

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

2008-06-16T17:40:00.006-05:00

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!

2008-06-15T23:12:00.002-05:00

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?

2008-06-12T22:59:00.002-05:00

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!

2008-06-10T22:47:00.003-05:00

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!

2008-06-08T22:08:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-06-05T22:18:00.005-05:00

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

2008-06-04T21:55:00.005-05:00

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!

2008-06-03T23:14:00.004-05:00

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!

2008-06-02T22:16:00.003-05:00

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

2008-05-31T07:54:00.004-05:00

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.

2008-05-29T22:44:00.003-05:00

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!

2008-05-27T22:01:00.002-05:00

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

2008-05-26T22:28:00.003-05:00

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!

2008-05-23T22:35:00.004-05:00

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...

2008-05-21T23:04:00.003-05:00

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?

2008-05-20T22:45:00.003-05:00

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?

2008-05-19T22:56:00.004-05:00

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

2008-05-18T21:15:00.004-05:00

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

2008-05-15T22:58:00.002-05:00

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!

2008-05-14T21:12:00.004-05:00

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?

2008-05-12T22:46:00.004-05:00

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

2008-05-12T07:43:00.003-05:00

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

2008-05-10T10:51:00.004-05:00

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

2008-05-07T22:22:00.007-05:00

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!

2008-05-06T22:26:00.003-05:00

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

2008-05-05T22:17:00.005-05:00

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

2008-05-04T22:12:00.004-05:00

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

2008-05-02T23:13:00.002-05:00

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?

2008-04-30T22:30:00.003-05:00

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!

2008-04-29T22:45:00.002-05:00

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...

2008-04-28T22:21:00.003-05:00

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

2008-04-27T22:20:00.003-05:00

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!

Web Site Update - Earring Gallery

2008-04-24T21:39:00.004-05:00

As I'm typing this blog entry, the Earring Gallery 2008 on my web site is being doubled in size with 34 more pictures of my latest earring designs.

I've got more to make yet, so I'm not done, but I've run out of earring findings at the moment and will need to order up some more soon.

I hope you enjoy these new designs. Don't be shy about it. Let me know what you think by posting a note either here or on my web site--www.LampOfLuxury.com.

Check out the web site's What's New section for more information on the update.

New Tools Coming

I've ordered up some new tools tonight that I cannot wait to get my hands on and try out. I've been wanting these tools since last June and now I have ordered them up.

Hopefully they will ship soon as these will enable me to take my beads to a new level of design and different plane of execution...I hope.

When I get the hang of the tools, I'll be sure to let you know when the beads from them are coming and let you be the first to check them out.

Take Care!

Ever Been To Neptune?

2008-04-23T22:16:00.005-05:00

Well, neither have I, but with an out- of- this- world pair of earrings like these, you might feel like you have been!

This pair of earrings is entitled, "Oceans On Neptune" because the rippling blues remind me of pictures of this lovely planet.

The purple base in these beads is another new color that I'm so pleased with. It's a lovely pastel purple that doesn't come out lavender or eggplant. I cannot wait to try it out in some other designs soon.

I've used hematite disks to offset the lentil focals in this pair and accented the top and bottom of each earring with a pale blue stone (I don't remember it's name, sorry) that is nearly translucent. It's rather like a blue quartz and may indeed be a quartz variant.

Strung on sterling silver wire and leverback earring findings, this pair is ready for some adventure with you this summer and beyond!

I'll be posting this pair into my Etsy Shop tomorrow morning.

I'm hoping to have a web site update tomorrow for you with lots of new pictures. Things have been rather busy lately, but I will be home tomorrow night in time to work on them.

Take Care!

On The Hunt

2008-04-22T23:16:00.004-05:00

This is going to be a short one tonight since it so late, but I wanted to tell you about my hunt that I have started at the urging of some friends and customers.

What am I hunting for, you ask? I'm hunting for a gallery that I can display and sell my work in addition to my on-line and art fair presences.

I've contacted a couple so far and have sent out an official e-mail to one gallery tonight that looks quite promising.

With any luck, I will hear back from them soon to arrange a meeting. I'll keep you posted on how the search goes as things develop.

If you have any suggestions, I will definitely take them!

Wish me luck!

Beware The Temptress!

2008-04-21T22:25:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow morning will see a new pair of earrings being added to my Etsy Shop in a brand new color.

This set of earrings, named "The Temptress", uses a new color from CIM--Lipstick. Specifically, these beads were created using the light shade of the colors which gives them a reddish-orange color that is very interesting.

Subdued when it wants to be, but also bold when it has to be. Much like the ladies, I'm sure, who wear this color!

Each bead was accented with black as the secondary color for an almost tiger stripe appearance to the beads.

Black onyx beads and metallic spacers are also included in the design. Each earring is strung on sterling silver wire with sterling leverback earring findings.

Don't forget to stop by and check them out tomorrow in My Shop.

Have a great night All.

How Would You Like To Open Letters In Style?

2008-04-20T22:08:00.004-05:00

Well, I have finally completed my first letter opener after several weeks of having these beads sitting on my work table, and you will get to see the new opener here first.

The beads were easy enough to make and I figured four would do the trick. However, when I put the beads onto the opener, there was a gap in the beads. They slid up and down and I could see the rod going through their holes. It was a catastrophe!

At least it was to me. None of my spacers in bali silver or zinc would fit onto the rod since the holes were not big enough. I was deadlocked and there wasn't anything I could do, until I found myself in a bead shop this weekend.

I was there purchasing something else entirely, and I found these little pewter stars with holes that looked pretty large. I tried them on and BINGO! They fit onto the letter opener and I completed the opener I started over a month ago. (Sometimes, art takes time!)

I'm calling this one Seaside since since the blues and greens in the beads remind me of the ocean. Now that I've got that completed, I've got many more to make!

I'm not listing anything new into Etsy tomorrow, but I've got a whole bunch of new earrings and their pictures, so they'll be loaded into the web site very soon!

Have a great week and we'll chat soon. Thanks for stopping by!

I've Actually Won Something!

2008-04-19T08:23:00.005-05:00

I came out of the shower this morning to find an e-mail stating "You Win" and link to a blog.

As it turns out, I've won free ad space on the blog, Timothy Adams Designs. On Etsy, some users will put up posts to win items or ad space by posting onto their threads. I usually post when I see one of these and this time I won!

Timothy's another artist on Etsy who works in metal. He's got some terrific earring trees, among othe things, that I might just have to pick up before my next show. Check out his shop HERE.

Be sure to stop by both his blog and shop and say Hi if you like!

Have a great weekend!

Have You Seen Amethyst Bubble Before?

2008-04-17T22:24:00.005-05:00

Probably not, but I've named this fun and funky set of earrings "Amethyst Bubbles". Can you guess why?

Strung on sterling silver wire, two round lampwork beads in a pale shade of pink with tan highlights have been layered between hematite disks. On the bottom, large, lovely chunks of Amethyst have been strung. On the top, round amethyst beads have been used to echo the shape of the focal beads.

All of these elements hang from sterling silver leverback earring findings with a clamshell design.

This pair was a bit of an experiment since I don't usually use the gem chips in my earrings, but I love how these turned out (hint: more are coming in various colors in the near future). When I took them into work for my test market, they were very well received. Let's hope you love these too!

I'll be putting them into my Etsy Shop in the morning, so please be sure to stop by and take a peek.

Have a great night and thanks for stopping by.

My 100th Posting!

2008-04-16T22:48:00.007-05:00

Well, I cannot believe it, but this is my 100th posting on my blog. It's quite a milestone for me since I didn't know what I would have to write about initially, but I just decided to jump in and talk about my passions--glass, lampworking, and creating beautiful art.

While there have been a few bumps along the way as I have been getting my feet wet in blogging, I am very happy that it has been interesting enough to keep folks like yourself coming back to it over the past several months.

I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for sticking with me and please keep the comments coming to the blog. I love hearing from you whether you like something of mine or don't. Just feel free to jump in whenever you like!

Now on to the art...

Don't Get Sunburned!

This has been a very productive night. I've managed to make up several sets of new earrings and will be posting a set into my Etsy Shop tomorrow morning!

This vibrant red set is called "Bahama Sunburn" owing to the fact that the blues that run and ripple across the beads remind me of the clean, blue waters around the Bahamas and that sunburns are red. Sounds like a nursery rhyme doesn't it?

Oceans are blue.
Sunburns are red.
If this was your skin,
You'd probably be DEAD!

How's that for cheerful?

The earrings are strung on sterling silver wire and leverback findings along with black onyx beads and zinc stars for the extra pop in the design. These fun and colorful beads (the picture does not do the colors justice, but it's as close as I can get it) would look stunning at any summer event you may want to attend!

This set of earrings was made using a new color that I'm trying out from nice folks at Creation Is Messy (CIM). I have used several of their colors in the past and this new one I really like. It's called "Sangre" and is a very lovely shade which works up so nicely.

I can't wait to try it out as fins on a fish or some other creation. Check out their new colors HERE.

I've got more of their colors coming up in other earring designs that I've been working on, so keep an eye out for CIM. They have some really great glass.

Have a great night, and I hope you can stop by My Shop when you get a chance!

Chat soon!

It's Late And I Haven't Started My Blog Yet

2008-04-15T22:50:00.003-05:00

Usually, I know what I want to talk about when I start typing my blog. Either I have a new item coming to my shop or have seen or done something that I think will be interesting to my readers (and you know who you are!).

I guess this is not one of those times. Lucky you!

While I am working on getting another batch of earrings made up, time just keeps slipping away from me in the evenings. Tonight it was a doctor's appointment that kept me from getting home earlier. By the time I'd eaten, I was ready to just sit and relax (read: veg) in front of the TV.

I've been under a bit of stress for a while with work and other personal matters, but I am marching forward and soon will be back to my old self, I can assure you. The doctor did wonders to relieve the stress in my neck (yes, it's a real doctor).

I should have some new items by the end of the week in my shop and I cannot wait for your to see the new wine stopper and cool glass colors that I've been trying out in my earring designs.

However, since it is already late, as I mentioned before, it will have to wait until another night.

Keep me in your thoughts and I look forward to showing you some wonderful things in the future. Maybe even tomorrow night!

Happy Anniversary, O'Reillys!

2008-04-13T22:35:00.009-05:00

Saturday afternoon, I went out to the stained glass shop that I took my first lampwork glass class in and where I now teach intermediate and advanced classes for their anniversary celebration.

O'Reillys Stained Glass has been creating and serving glass artists for 9 years in Crystal Lake, Illinois. To commemorate the event, there was food, cake and huge crowd of folks to watch demonstrations by glass sculptor Ken Herman.

Ken works in Borosilicate glass and has an unusual torch set up with a specialized table he's built so that he can use several flames at various angles all at the same time. He even has a large flame that comes up from the bottom of the table for melting larger pieces of glass, like paperweights (as you can see in the photo).

This blue perfume bottle is really gorgeous, but I'm partial to blue anyway. However, the stopper with the large flower is really something and quite a work of art in its own right.

The red bottle below is very dainty and a wonderfully executed piece of glass art. The flower stamen stopper is also a very nice touch to this piece.

It was great fun getting to see him work and all of the lovely creations that he has made. He works on a much larger scale than I do, and he was quite an inspiration to watch.

He makes some really amazing glass flowers, perfume bottles and floral scenes that must be seen in person to really be appreciated. I've grabbed a few of his pictures from the web, but more can be found in the For Sale section of O'Reillys Stained Glass's web site.

He's just starting to put his work out into the public and is looking into art fairs and other venues for his work. Who knows, he might just be at an art fair near you in the near future.

Thank you so much, Suzy for the wonderful afternoon and great party. It was a lot of fun and I look forward to celebrating your 10th anniversary next year.

Have a great night!

Feel Like A Treasure Hunt?

2008-04-10T22:29:00.004-05:00

I guess it's actually not much of a hunt since you're here already and I'm going tell you what the treasure is and where you'll be able to find it tomorrow morning.

My latest set of earrings, "Amber Treasure" will be loaded into my Etsy Shop tomorrow.

This set of earrings has a warm amber glow from the opalino glass used in the lentil focals while dark trails of silvered stringers create a swirling pattern across their equators.

For those who may not know, opalino glasses are transparent when worked and darken in color while in the kiln. If the glass has not been worked too long, the beads will be semi-transparent in the finished product. I've had trouble with this type of glass before, but either I'm getting the hang of them or the new torch I bought last year is really bringing out the color in this glass. Maybe a little bit of both.

Either way, I really love how this set came out, and I hope you will too!

Life In The Clouds

2008-04-09T23:05:00.005-05:00

Ever wonder what it would be like to live high above the ground in the clouds?

Perhaps the world you float over would be a huge gas giant or maybe a watery world with no land a tall where huge leviathans rule the deep.

Or maybe, it would be small world with a huge blue sky and bright amber clouds that flow on the gentle winds. That's the world that the focal beads in this set of earrings makes me think of.

As you might have guessed, the earings are named "Life In The Clouds" and are a bright blue color with warm shades of amber and brown weaving around them.

This set of earrings features heart-shaped stud earring findings in sterling silver. The dangles contain copper accent beads and black onyx along with the two lampwork lentil focals on sterling silver wire.

The earrings will look great year round and are perfect for those new summer outfits that you need to buy. Aren't they?

I'll be adding them to my Etsy Shop tomorrow morning, so I hope you can stop by sometime.

Take Care!

Earrings Anyone?

2008-04-08T22:58:00.006-05:00

I've posted a new gallery of earrings from my mad jewelry making weekend on my web site.

Come check out the 46 new pictures of earrings and let me know which ones are your favorites. You can read about the newest addition to my site in the What's New section of my web site.

All of the earrings are strung on sterling silver wire with natural stone of one type or another. Some use leverback earring findings and others are posts. Both earring finding styles are also sterling silver. There's also some with accent beads for an added touch of bling.

Due to the technical difficulties of this morning, I will not be adding a new pair of earrings into My Shop tomorrow morning. Another new pair will be loaded on Thursday though, so check back tomorrow night to find out which pair will be coming!

Have a great night!

I'll Bet You're Wondering...

2008-04-08T18:23:00.005-05:00

Hey, where are the new earrings that were promised in the shop this morning?

Well, funny thing, Etsy updated the loading process of the listing pictures since I last added an item to my shop which caused me to not be able to load them at all this morning.

For whatever reason, I've always had issues with Etsy needing to have its picture loading pages stopped in the browser and then re-clicking the Upload button in order to load the images.

Apparently, I am not the only one since there was a huge thread about all of the folks that could no longer add images, and I added my name to the list; hopefully this issue will be fixed soon.

A new "feature" they added was to prevent users from clicking the upload button too many times until the pictures were loaded since they were getting a lot of duplicate items. Unfortunately, this made my browser incapable of loading the pictures this morning, and I didn't have time to futz with downloading a new browser and trying it out before heading out to work.

Now that I'm back from work, I have downloaded FireFox and successfully added the images to the listing and the earrings are now in my shop.

To access the earring listing directly, click HERE.

So sorry for the delay, but now it is all taken care of.

Can You Handle Temptation?

2008-04-07T22:41:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I've listed anything new into my Etsy Shop, and I think it's time to give you a little temptation..."Crimson Temptation", that is.

This set of earrings has two medium lentils in a rich red and decorated with swirling pattern around the beads that reminds me of a large feather. The pattern was created with a silvered purple stringers. The stringer reacted with the heat and the glass to create an almost raku-like effect which I think is quite striking and interesting.

Black onyx beads, zinc accents and sterling silver wire and leverback finding complete the design.

These earrings could be work for an evening out on the town or just hanging out with friends and a local club.

I'll be adding this little item to my shop tomorrow morning, and hope you can check them out.

Have a terrific week!

New Bracelets Loaded--Earrings Coming Soon!

2008-04-06T23:21:00.004-05:00

This weekend has been all about jewelry. I spent Saturday making 23 pairs of earrings and today creating new bracelets, and photographing all of the new jewelry. This bracelet is entitled "Box Of Violets".

For more information on the new bracelets, and of course, more pictures, just check out my web site HERE.

The earrings will be added to the web site once all of the pictures have been sorted and edited. Look for them in the next few days.

Have a great night!

Web Site Updated - More Purple Pix

2008-04-03T23:05:00.003-05:00

Just a quick one tonight since its getting late, but I wanted to let you know that additional (and larger) photos of the "Purple Knight" and "Purple Squire" pieces have been added to my web site.

Now you can see them in more detail and even run them as a slide show, as you can with all of my pictures on the website.

For the whole scoop, click HERE.

Sleep Tight!

What Goes With A Knight?

2008-04-03T07:34:00.007-05:00

A Squire of course!

I was quite productive last night, completing the bracelet that matches the "Purple Knight" necklace, getting my beads cleaned from the weekend and finishing the last disk of Battlestar Galactica before the Friday night premiere.

The only thing I didn't get done was my blog entry, so I'm making up for that now.

This charming bracelet, which I've titled "Purple Squire" keeping in theme with the necklace, features two of the "Deep Purple" hollow beads, sterling silver wire and toggle clasp, and a hand-woven Byzantine chain in aluminum.

The focal of the bracelet has been left straight, but can also be bent to curve around the wrist if the eventual owner prefers.

Since the chain is aluminum, which will not tarnish, and the beads are hollow, it a very light weight piece of jewelry and should be quite comfortable to wear.

This bracelet is designed to fit loosely on a 7.5 inch wrist, but, since it is chain mail, can be expanded or shortened easily to fit just about any wrist.

Driving Miss Daisy

Our evening out at the play was a lot of fun. The First Folio production of "Driving Miss Daisy" was quite charming and warm and much more like the movie than I would have thought.

If you're in the area, you should definitely check it out. It's sure to give you a wonderful evening of entertainment as it did for us.

Have a great day!