My Swim In The 'Bay

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!

Shop Loading Continues

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?

"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.

1. I love the wide range of reactive colors available to me in this glass.
2. I needed a new challenge creatively to prevent me from just making the same thing over and over again.
3. 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).
4. 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

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

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

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

More pictures and web updates coming very soon!

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

See you tomorrow!

Time For A New Leaf

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A New Album In Facebook- A Show In November

Hello everyone!

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

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

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

Mistletoe Magic

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

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

Have a great night!

Celebration Sale This Weekend!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great weekend!

Summer Midnight In The Vines

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great day!

Let's meet under the Rain Tree!

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

Website Updates

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

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

Rain Tree Choker

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great night and take care!

Ready For The Last Flowers Of Summer?

Ready or not, here they come.

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

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

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

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

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

I hope you're having a great night!

If You Love Boro...

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


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

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

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

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

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

Have a great day.

We Didn't Start The Fire

But you can certainly wear it!

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great day!

Back From Vacation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great night and weekend!

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

This Design Is Cursed

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

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

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

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

YIKES.

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

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

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

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

Have a great weekend and a better week!

You Won't Want To Fight These Summer Blues!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great night!

Standing Against The Fire

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

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

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

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

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

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

Enjoying The Sunshine

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great night!

Please Don't Eat The Daisies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great day.

Don't Get Stung!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sleep Well!

Fall's First Leaf

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

May I present: Fall's First Leaf.

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

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

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

Have a great night, all!