tiger tiger burning bright

new test beads.

an unknown opalino & intense black. i can't tell if it is carnelian or yellow or some oddlot, it was just an unknown bundle of rods when i bought it...

bright eyes - 'easy/lucky/free'

hector falls nuggets

outside of watkins glen, ny, are the hector falls.

i was there over the weekend. the colors of the wet black shale, dry gray shale, moss and sparkling droplets of water inspired a small set of beads.

on a cylindrical base bead of black i placed a center ribbon of copper green, rolled the copper green in a blend of light tobacco and raku frits, then freeform mashed it into an oblong nugget.

then i added a water droplet of clear glass one each side and then 'embossed' the droplet with one of my favorite tools - a punch like thing for setting nails.

these were test beads - i think the next batch will be with avocado, or maybe pastel gray, instead of copper green.

strawberries

it's the end of june - time for local strawberries.

hand sculpted strawberries made with dark red opaque glass rolled in transparent light red frit.

the leaves are transparent grass green and pea green frit. i made a small ball on the end of the grass green rod and then rolled it sparingly in the pea green frit, reheated it and then pulled the 2 color ball of molten glass in to a stringer. i used that custom stringer to make the strawberry leaves.

this pair of strawberries was made with opaque red glass and dots of dark red glass and rolled in transparent red frit.

these leaves are nile green and transparent grass green. i put dots of transparent green on the end of a ball of nile green and then pulled the stringer for these leaves.

for graduation miss mango wore her lucky ruby slippers. they had been retired due to holes in the soles - but some cardboard and duct tape made them ready for one last special night.

ask me how proud i am of my graduate.

the devil & the former miss jones

what a weekend.
friday miss mango graduated from highschool.
and saturday 2 great friends got married.

what does that have to do with beads?
i made deb's wedding jewelry.

i know, it's a terrible picture of deb - but it does show the set. it's all yellow pearls with a few larger yellow blossom beads on an airy silver chain.

an earring.

the devil & the former miss jones.

me - i love shadow self portraits.

some of my friends in some photos from the weekend.

the graduates - the one w/the shades is mine.

a good time was had by all.

p.s. here's a happy snap of the 150 lemon cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting we made for the wedding.

gypsy iron

a new necklace.
it's like a giant charm bracelet.

i started with a very 80's new wave estate sale necklace - think gina in miami vice. it was pretty bombastic and crazy, but i snatched it up because it was made of round link iron chain. i took all the original crap off the necklace and put it away to be used on something else. then the fun began.

every link has an individual bead 'charm' attached to it.

some of the charms are made with my glass beads...

others are made with semi-precious stones, bone figures, lots and lots of pearls...

... salvaged bits of other old jewely, ebony and tribal glass beads. all the charms are on sterling silver headpins with sterling silver spacers.

even the part of the necklace which sits on the back of your neck has charms. that way if you wear your hair up, or have short hair, it all looks good.

thinking blogger award

so, i am 'strolling' around my favorite blogs this morning - and i stop in to visit melanie at earthenwood studio beads, and she has nominated me for a 'thinking blogger award.'

i almost peed my pants.

melanie, who is a complete stranger except for the near daily visits we make to each other's blogs, lavishly praised my illustrated ramblings. it was marvelous - mark twain once wrote something about being able to live a month off a good compliment. thank you melanie.

to receive this award, and this is the really cool part, i have to nominate 5 blogs that inspire me and make me think. so away we go...

1. japonisme - lily at japonisme composes a blog that explores and illuminates the influences of japanese art on western art - or as she puts it "how it was that buddah started impressionism." her blog is always fascinating and always exquisite to look at.

2. ullabenulla - this blog makes me giddy. this blog makes me think pretty thoughts. ulla inspires me to make pretty things and try lush new materials. this blog makes me think i want to go all the way across the country, to california, just to take a day class with ulla.

3. allie's in stitches - first let me say that i do not quilt, ever, at all, no sewing. yet, i read this quilter's blog everyday. why? because her quilts are so beautiful that they are really, secretly, paintings and because i love to watch them evolve day to day as she works on them. she shares her clever processes and complete devotion to crazy quilting.

4. dear ada - i don't even know who writes this blog, but they sure have good taste. just about every morning there is an entry with some lovely painting, jewelry, home trinket, sculpture or item of clothing. and 'dear ada' always gives you the link to that featured artist or designer's site. this blog is like window shopping on some fantasy street, while on some magical vacation, where every store is your favorite and every display is something you love.

5. all cupcakes, all the time - this blog makes me think about food, namely cupcakes. who doesn't love monomania almost as much as frosting?

so, those are my nominees.

if you have been nominated, here are the rules to carry on the meme:

1. if, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think.

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.

3. Optional: Proudly display the thinking blogger award banner in your sidebar.

coral sparkle

finally - some beadiliousness to post.

a bracelet and earring set made with my beads, coral, red jasper, cinnabar, pearls & sterling silver.

the glass beads are a core of 'peachy persimmon' coral glass rolled in aventurine frit and encased with clear.

and a matching pair of earrings.

last night we saw bettye levette at the rochester international jazz festival - she was, of course, great. she did this song as her encore.

art movie

watch this stunning little movie of women in art.

i have been making jewelry left and right - but not getting any of it photographed. most of it is hanging off ears already. i am such a documentation reprobate sometimes.

yesterday i finished miss jones wedding set. it's so lovely- all yellow glass, airy sterling chain and yellow pearls. she walked from the studio with it after having it fitted. i guess i will have to wait for the wedding to get pics.

king solomon burke & the old lady

we all went to see king solomon burke - one of my all time favorite artists.

here's miss mango, and some old lady, up front at the end of the show when he invites everyone up for pictures.

mango has a fresh red rose - he passed them out to some of his female guests.

then after the show, frantic frank, took that old lady back stage to meet king solomon burke.

man, does she look happy or what? he looks rather stunned...

thanks frank! since miss jones (frank's intended) could not be there. solomon burke sang to her over the cel phone and commanded them to produce 15 children. no joke from a man who has 17 children of his own.

my favorite solomon burke song - always keep a diamond in your mind by tom waits.

there's a dead mouse...

...in the middle of my desk
sorry about the long absence - computer problems.
so here i am stealing some blog time on my little mango's apple.

i had a house guest over the weekend, the ever amazing enigma baby gramps stayed at my studio. check out his new song on the pirates of the carribean soundtrack.

here's gramps on letterman. and yes, it says baby gramps on his driver's license.

gramps and my big poppa - two peas in a pod - bff

and another - gramps singing one of my favorite songs - big rock candy mountain.

he said he wrote a song about salvadore dali & kansas (as in dorothy) while staying at the studio - i haven't heard it yet. he pretty much just hides out there when he's here and i don't bother him. i figure touring is weird and exhausting and he seems to adore having some alone time along the way. he and my better half do some stuff, but me, i just let gramps sleep.

got to run - gonna go see king solomon burke tonight.

turkey lurkey

we were driving around and suddenly there they were - wild turkeys.

a whole warbling, gobbling flock of giant lumbering birds.

they're huge - you believe that birds are descended from dinosaurs when you see these monsters. they could definately take my dogs in a fair fight.