Now For Something Completely Different

I took the time this afternoon to list some beads on Etsy.

I know, it has been forever, and a day, since I tended my Belvedere shop.

There are some birds and some seeds and some nice pairs for earrings.

O Beautiful Glass!

It was, indeed, a nice morning at the torch.
Many headpins found their way into the belly of the big red kiln today.
Tomorrow, blissfully, will be more of the same.

Turquoise Glitter

Each bead in this big, graduated strand started with a barrel shaped core of pastel light turquoise. Next it was rolled in medium sized aventurine frit, and then the whole mess was encased in multiple shades of pale, watery transparent glass.

They're the last beads of summer.
Autumn is here and it's time for mossy browns, coral red, ocher, toasty tan and every shade of dirt.

It was a great day to make glass, the air was still so I could have all the windows wide open.

The sun poured in and the trains kept coming and going down in the yard.

Artist's Row 2011

This was the 7th year for "Artist's Row at the Public Market."
I have done it every year and love it. It's a simple, inexpensive and fun show to set up at.

My friends Eve and Annette shopped their way around. Luckily for me Annette brought her camera and snapped all these great photos of my glassy crap. Annette Dragon is an amazing photographer and I have put a link to her website here.

The weather was perfect, sales were brisk and just when I thought it couldn't get any better - I won an award!

I think it was for 'best in jewelry.' I am not sure because I was in the bathroom when it was announced, anyway it came with a trophy (!) and an envelope of cash. Days just don't get much better than yesterday.

Home

I'm back where the living is easy.

In the snapshot below I am wearing my parent's new kitten as a fur collar.
Let me tell you, that sweet little blob of a cat can purr louder than any other feline in the world.

I spent ten exhausting, bittersweet days in Florida helping my Dad care for my Mom.
Her Alzheimer's is progressing at an alarming rate. What a terrible, wicked disease.

Magnolia Bracelet

It's done.

Magnolia Buds bracelet.

Glass, blackened steel, gunmetal.

There are 54 glass headins on this bracelet.

Some of the glass colors I used are: Cim's Desert Pink and Gelly's Sty, Effetre's Pastel Pesto, Pastel Lichen, Moss Agate, Fossil Light, Seashell Swirl, Opalino Carnelian and Silver Pink.

























I am delivering it today to the museum gift shop at the Memorial Art Gallery.

Open House

Friday evening is my first open house at the glass studio.

Besides inviting just about everyone I know, it is also an open house for the whole building I rent space in.
It should be quite a scene... so I wanted to make something special just for the party.

Say hello to my $10 headpin earrings.
Yeah, yeah, I know it's a stupid price. But I want them to be a treat.
They were so much fun to make, I adore torching headpins so it was breeze to do.
There are almost 40 pairs.