belvedere beads

More Murano Beads

2012-01-20T17:02:00.001-05:00

I just found a little baggie of old Italian glass beads...

I kept a pair for myself to study and listed the seven above on Etsy.

I like 'em and think I will try to recreate them.

Yesterday was a great day at the torch and this morning when I unpacked my kiln I was not disappointed. Time to go downstairs and get to reaming beads. I should have some pics to share here on the blog soon that are not of dusty old Italian beads.

Vintage Murano Beads

2012-01-13T16:57:00.002-05:00

A couple of inspiring additions to my collection of vintage Venetian glass beads.

I almost didn't keep these. The color combination of green tinged yellow with aventurine sparkles is so nasty.

This next pair is very intriguing.

The quality is lacking, there is a ton of crap in the glass and they're pretty sloppy.

But, oh, that shape!
A lozenge with bulbous side wings. I've been thinking about how to re-create these - I am thinking that using a pair of tile nippers might work for squeezing them into shape. Any ideas out there?

Kissy Face

2012-01-11T20:24:00.003-05:00

Miss Kiki P. Oodle sends you a big wet one.

Ice Balls Rolling Along

2012-01-11T12:41:00.004-05:00

It's time to share some photographs of the progress I've made on the 'ice balls" bracelet.

All the headpins that I've made for it, so far, have been shaped and hammered into a chain.

Like I've said before: I like my jewelry to look like something that just fell off a plant.

I thought I had fabricated enough for a bracelet. Not even close. Gotta go bang up a couple dozen more spiral tip wires and make some headpins at the torch.

Ice Balls

2012-01-07T17:25:00.011-05:00

Still working on this project.

This little pile of headpins will be wound and shaped into links, hammered, and then made into a chain - that will become a bracelet.

It seems the crappier the clear glass, the more bubbles form on the encased brass spirals.
Which is good! I am using up all the clear short rods in my stash and most of them are not "super clear."
I know, finally a use for that nasty Moretti clear.

Hello Torch

2012-01-05T22:06:00.002-05:00

Big, big sigh.
I am back in my studio and making glass.

Some weird mist swirling around outside my studio window - not unlike the nebulous, big ideas I have for new glass pieces.

I should apologize for the bloggy absence. The holiday sales completely fried me this year. I very much needed the time I took off once the making and selling madness was over. Thanks to all of you who made it far and away my best jewelry year ever, especially the last minute shoppers who begged me until I raided my own personal collection to find them some trinkets to buy. Your procrastination was rewarded with some of my most favorite things. Cripe, I need to make myself some baubles - I have almost nothing left to adorn myself with. Not an option for this old magpie.

Yesterday I swept, dusted and tidied up my 300 square foot studio/nest. Getting it ready for 2012. I also spent some time today getting my glass sketchbooks in order and they're bursting with new ideas. It's time to take a deep breath and jump back into the fiery pool. The next few days should be a wonderful, wild ride on my torch!

Holiday Cheer #2

2011-12-23T20:20:00.002-05:00

Watch this, with holiday cheer in hand.

Holiday Cheer #1

2011-12-18T21:34:00.003-05:00

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixon, Comet, Q-Tip, Donner & Nixon

Whipping up some funky cookies to take to a party.

Chocolate cookies with dark chocolate chips, bacon and a pinch of chipotle powder.

I winged it - but now I need to go back and write down what I did because they were freakin' delicious.

They're Back

2011-12-17T09:41:00.003-05:00

Everything old is new again...

I hadn't made any of my "Mexican Voodoo" pendants in ages.

I've reworked the design. The links are now heavier and nicely hammered with some fancy coils. The skulls are bone, the glass beads are mine and the charms are the best part. A little blue plastic ray-gun, a copper scottie dog, a battered, old sterling ring with a purple glass gem and a religious medal. Alas, these four little boogers are sold, but there will be more soon.

Headpin Chain

2011-12-15T16:37:00.001-05:00

Here's an idea for you - making a chain out of headpins.

Little tiny sterling headpins, with glass berries and leaves, chained together to make a pair of dangle earrings.

Here's a close-up to help you see what I did. They were a snap to put together.
I am doing all kinds of interesting things by chaining headpins together.

In case you're wondering what glass I used - the glass berries are Cim's Lapis and the attached leaves are plain old medium blue transparent.

It's Liberace Season!

2011-12-14T11:05:00.000-05:00

It's just not Christmas until the Liberace records are playing.

Dogwood Necklace

2011-12-09T20:37:00.000-05:00

A big, luscious necklace.

Lots and lots of glass headpins and pearls wired onto a heavy brass chain.

It was delivered it today to the gift shop of the local museum.

This last picture (below) is for you bead-makers out there.
It's the backside of one of the big focal headpins, it's like giving you a peek at their undies.
The biggest flowers were formed on 16 gauge brass wires, the smaller buds and berries on 20gauge wires.

Stocking the Shelves

2011-12-07T12:07:00.005-05:00

I usually don't list jewelry in my Etsy shop - but it's the holidays and I thought I would give it a try.

I love wearing these pendants - each one has a huge round bead that hangs at the perfect length to fidget with it. Your body heat warms up the glass, so when ever you touch it - it's hot.

The bead caps I hammered myself, so each one is one of a kind.

And some love charms - who couldn't use a bit of holiday romance?

The amulet below is called "Baby Love."
It has a vintage bootie charm and would be perfect for that someone who is expecting.

Leaves & Berries Necklace

2011-12-05T09:33:00.001-05:00

A big, over the top necklace of leaves and berries.

A riot of glass headpins - some leaves, some berries. Lots of small wooden beads, pearls and black metal.

It sold almost immediately at More Fire Glass' holiday open house and sale.

Mysterious Goings On

2011-12-02T10:41:00.000-05:00

Doing more experimental headpins - can't wait to get to the kiln and see what comes out.

Craftacular! Craftacular!

2011-11-27T17:27:00.001-05:00

It's coming! Meet my new baby - I've named her Craftacular.

This is the first show I am hostessing that is not at my home.
My husband gave me the stinkeye when 200+ people showed up at our house one night last December -
so this year I have found a friendly venue and am having an event there.

A wonderful mix of local crafters and artisans are bringing their goods - it should be great fun.

Still Hammering

2011-11-23T00:24:00.000-05:00

Just a plain bracelet - simple hammered and rolled bronze links with a sterling silver clasp.
Light ivory glass with copper green glass decorations.

2011-11-22T07:48:00.001-05:00

Simple, little headpin earrings.

Easy and fun to make - these are on sterling silver wires.

I would love to stay and chat but there is so much to do.
The feast is here this year. From dusting to dog grooming it's going to be a very busy day.

Love Charms

2011-11-21T12:37:00.000-05:00

I love torching hearts.

Everyone knows they're my favorite bead to make.

Lately I've been having fun adding little fetish objects to their bottoms. Making them into love charms.

Some of the hearts are left leave plain - for the purists.
But I am the kind of gal that believes more is more, more or less.

Autumn Charms

2011-11-20T12:32:00.002-05:00

A big charm bracelet made with glass headpins and pearls.

It's pure treasure.

It has huge headpin roses.

I adore it and if no one buys it - it's mine.

Podlings

2011-11-20T11:03:00.006-05:00

New pendants - the glass is wound on the end of the mandrel to form a bead with a hole only on the top.

I think I must have been reading some Dr. Seuss the day I made these.

So Many Earrings - So Little Time

2011-11-20T10:40:00.004-05:00

I forgot to photograph these before I put them on their stinking cards.
So, their glamor shots are not all that glamorous, sigh.

All of these earring will be in the More Fire Glass Holiday Sale.

The Joys of Jello

2011-11-16T10:08:00.003-05:00

In the midst of all the holiday jewelry making spasms - I took the time to do a big birthday necklace.

Of course she loved it.
She loves everything about Jello, except eating it.

It was a grand party.

Balls Out

2011-11-15T10:15:00.005-05:00

Giant pendants.

Made with big, round glass beads - some are hollow, some solid.

Last week I bought a dapping block, helicopter punch and some metal blanks and started making my own bead caps. Plink, plink, plink with my big brass hammer.

Making bead caps is lotsa fun. My 'old roadie' husband is nearly deaf so the incessant hammering is not bothering him. Alas, the dogs, who usually sleep at my feet when I am making jewelry abandon me while I am hammering my little heart out. The old one just glares at me as he shuffles upstairs to find a quiet place to continue has seventh, essential, nap of the day.

These pendants turned out exactly the way I had envisioned them - which rarely happens.

I've been wearing this one (above) all week. It's on a nice, long cord so it's fun to fidget with.

What's now at the top of my tool wish list?
A disc cutter.

Blossom Earrings

2011-11-12T10:09:00.005-05:00

I don't want my earrings to look machine made, I don't even want them to look handmade. I want them to look like they just fell off a plant.

The finished earrings are starting to pile up!

Lots of brightly colored pearls mixed with my glass.

All the hand hammered ear wires are sterling but I am experimenting with some colored wire in the parts that do not touch your skin.

I love the spring green wire in this pair used as the stem of the blossom.

Some tiny, flashy gem stones in the mix too. This pair has little faceted labradorite dangles.

Weird Blossoms

2011-11-12T01:26:00.002-05:00

I have been making so much jewelry.
Being over tired and feeling overly decorative at the same time can lead to some pretty fanciful earrings.

These are completely over the top.

Red and black glass flower beads dangle on the end of hammered copper stems. These stems are wrapped with tiny yellow rice pearls and bronze wire. At the top a pair of off mandrel green leaf charms and hammered sterling ear wires.

I haven't decided yet if I will make more of these.
Are they just too big for mere mortal lobes?

Frazzled

2011-11-07T08:59:00.001-05:00

It's a terrible picture but I thought I would share it anyway.
Look at the cool 'frazzled' thing that Double Helix Psyche did on top of Cim's Atlantis.
It looks like milky blue ice crystals.

Is there anything more fun than a cool color reaction?

Cherry Berries

2011-11-07T08:42:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite beads to make.
They're a little bit tricky.
Make the leaves first and set them aside, then make the round base beads. Carefully, carefully re-heat the leaf and press it into the berry part. Be sure to spot heat the berry where you want to attach the leaf. Spot heating the round and re-heating the leaf at the same time is a bit like rubbing your tummy and patting your head at the same time. A little practice and you'll get it.

O Rochester

2011-11-06T10:43:00.000-05:00

The colors of the drive home from my studio seems to be influencing my beads.

A big hole bead. The core is Cim's Atlantis with threads of silvered glass that is encased in clear.

A heart pendant of transparent Ink Blue with silver leaf and Double Helix 'Psyche' dots.

A pair of really large, hand faceted, nuggets.

Doin' the Bumps

2011-11-05T23:21:00.001-05:00

Sets of tiny little bumpy spacers, not much bigger than seed beads.

In Opalino Carnelian on the right and Cim's Larkspur on the right.

More fun to make than plain old spacers.

Swatches

2011-11-04T11:15:00.002-05:00

I have been making so, so many beads.
Just thinking it would be nice to share a few of my new favorite color combinations.

Cim's Ghee with a Double Helix Clio stripe (above)

Cim's Crocus with Double Helix Aurae twists (above)

Double Helix Clio under an encasing of pale blue transparent (above)

Cim's Poison Apple with Double Helix Clio (above)

Appetite for Destruction

2011-11-04T10:12:00.002-05:00

Miss Kiki says "I ate your favorite chair and I don't care."

If someone can tell me what would make an eight year old miniature poodle destroy an innocent armchair please leave me a comment.

Luxury Item

2011-11-03T23:38:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite glass combinations - Cim's "Mink" and dark Ivory with a little bit of fine silver foil.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T19:44:00.002-05:00

The awesome Mr.Tommy Brunett performing the love song "Witch in the Woods."

A Tidy Bench is a Happy Bench

2011-10-30T07:41:00.001-05:00

There, that's better.

Holy Bench Mess Batman!

2011-10-30T07:39:00.000-05:00

So many rods - so little time.

Headpins in the Wild

2011-10-27T08:34:00.002-05:00

I am currently so obsessed with headpins that I am seeing them everywhere.

Kissing Cousins

2011-10-26T23:06:00.001-05:00

Another found object necklace.

This one has an antique Venetian glass bead, a kitschy kissing charm, a filthy old bottle cap. a stone, a baroque pearl, some hammered sterling, one of my glass heart focal beads and a little glass crow dangle.

Which one is my favorite? Could be this one.

More Earrings

2011-10-23T16:30:00.000-05:00

There are a few new pairs of earrings in my Etsy "Belvedere" shop.

A Little Twisted

2011-10-23T09:03:00.002-05:00

A simple bead shape -with a twist - literally.

First, make a small bead with a raised ring around the middle - like the planet Saturn.

Then lightly spot heat an area on the ring of glass and, using tweezers, grab the glass and slowly give it a quarter turn twist.

If you're doing two beads on a mandrel be sure and quench the tweezers before doing the twist on the second bead - otherwise the tweezers will be too hot and the glass will stick to them.

This pair is Cim's Bordello center with a twisted band of Double Helix Aion.
I wish the iridescence of the band showed a little better in these photos, in real life it looks like a soap bubble.

Seed Pod Pairs

2011-10-22T19:35:00.001-05:00

'Tis the season to make pairs, and pairs, and pairs of beads for earrings.

These have a core bead of Cim's Kahki and outer leaves of Cim's Maple.
Maple is one of my new favorite colors, it's a much more earthy transparent brown than topaz.

This pair is Cim's Army Men with Maple again.
Go ahead, ask me how many bundles of Maple glass rods I bought. I'll never tell...

These are my favorites. The centers on these are Cim's Atlantis, the outer leaves are Cim's Halong Bay and Maple (again). Atlantis is dreamy, it's an opalescent turquoise that is not at all fussy.

Jackie (6)O

2011-10-21T16:38:00.004-05:00

My friend Jackie wanted her portrait done a la Andy Warhol's iconic "Jackie O."
It's her big birthday - how could I refuse?

I started with this snapshot of her and hunkered down for a long night of Photoshop magic.

Here's Warhol's version - I think the copy cat version turned out just fine, but best of all, Jackie is happy.

Heaven is Hot

2011-10-21T08:35:00.005-05:00

The weather yesterday was of those fall days.
Not one of the crisp, sunny ones with beautiful leaves and long slanting light.
It was a cold, nasty, windy thing with a dark miserable sky.
Reminding all Rochesterians that big, bad winter is just around the corner.

Yesterday's temperature inside the studio?
86 fucking glorious degrees.
It wasn't just warm - it was hot.
Yes! The boiler is on and as promised my studio is one of the toastiest in that giant, old rambling building.

It was a wonderful day of torching...

...followed by some quality time with my favorite chair.
She's a ruin, but I adore her. She's a rescue chair, found on the curb.
I seduced her with whispers of leather restorer and promises of fancy digs.
And now she's my special, studio friend.

My bowl of 'shorts' is getting out of hand.
Maybe today I will turn straw into gold and make a big batch of buttons out of that mess.

Almost Like Christmas

2011-10-19T13:16:00.001-05:00

Is there anything better than getting new art making supplies?

Look what the UPS man showed up with yesterday.
Just in time for all of that holiday bead making - I ordered in a beautifully, excessive amount of glass.

I'm the kind of artist who likes to have, and use, every color in the crayon box.

I know, I lot of them look so similar, but many of them are cored canes. That means that the centers are a different color than the outside so when they melt you get lovely striations. This kind of rod is perfect for leaves and flower petals.

O! It's just too good.

And the cherry on top of my glassy cupcake?
Glitter for glass, or in other words: cased aventurine rods.

A Penny's Worth of Thoughts

2011-10-16T19:54:00.002-05:00

Another heart necklace with found objects.

A rusted bottle cap, smoky topaz rondelles and sterling silver.
Plus a real gold heart I found run over in the street paired with a little, hand carved, jade Buddha.

A big glass heart and an old penny.

Starring Ed

2011-10-15T17:48:00.003-05:00

About a month ago the curator of one of the shops where my jewelry is sold asked me to make a handful of found object pieces. She wanted merchandise to compliment a show of "Extreme Materials" at the art museum.

Humph, I thought, that's going to be a challenge for me.

Don't get me wrong, I love found objects. In jewelry and otherwise. Orphans, misfits, fragments and do-bobs. My house is full of all kinds of odd things I have dragged home from estate sales. Who else do you know that has a big flock of old, crumbling cement chicken in their entry hall?

But in my jewelry?

I started with one of my standards, a big glass heart on a cord. I make about a jillion of these.
This one is transparent pink with a thin encasing of Double Helix's golden metallic glass called Aurae.

To the bottom of the necklace I added a big hand-hammered figure eight of sterling silver with a chunk of smoky topaz in the center. Then a little, old sterling star charm and a battered, gold washed men's ring engraved "Ed."

I bought the ring at Ed's estate sale.
Dear Ed: you may be dead but your ring lives on.
Hope you don't mind.

The Dork

2011-10-10T10:58:00.001-05:00

The epitome of fashion in the studio. Double glasses.

Never Enough Apples

2011-10-09T20:23:00.000-05:00

Here, in upstate New York, the harvest is in.

I Adore Halloween

2011-10-07T11:06:00.003-05:00

Tonight I have a little studio open house, it's a monthly event called 'First Fridays.'
The building I work in opens up to the public and all the artist's throw open their doors and let people see that witchcraft we do.

Since it's almost, almost Halloween I decided to make some holiday earrings to sell at the event.
Here's the kiln fully loaded with spooky headpins.

I used only basic black, two shades of orange glass (orange and creamsicle) and some intense black frit.
The wires are 19gauge blackened steel.

I even, neurotically, made some special earring cards.
All this for $10 earrings?
Oh, why not.

If you're here in Rochester - this fun event is tonight from 6-9 at the Hungerford Building. 1115 East Main Street. Use door #2 and ask the elevator operator to take you to the 4th floor, I am in studio 402 (rhymes with boo).

P.S. if there are any leftovers from tonight's madness I am going to bring them with me to Java's at the Public Market tomorrow morning. I should drift in around 10:30.

Two Headed Wolf

2011-10-04T17:14:00.002-05:00

My husband owns an enormous independent record store.
Sometimes, when I get inspired, I will design a tee shirts for his crazy business. This is my latest.
The new shirts should be on the shelves late next week.

Big Skies & Little Beads

2011-10-04T12:29:00.005-05:00

I am a headpin making machine.

These are just a few of the hundreds of headpins that I have made in the past week or so.
After all, it is earring season.

Little golden leaves - Double Helix's iridesent 'Aurae' glass over transparent topaz.

Grass green seeds with transparent dark purple leaves wrapped around them.

All of these are going to be bent, hammered and wound into earrings, maybe with a few semi-precious stone added here and there. They will be sold at the endless series of holiday shows and sales I have scheduled from now through December.

Big skies over Rochester last night - this is the view from my studio window as I finished a long afternoon session of torching that lasted well into the evening.

Now For Something Completely Different

2011-09-28T15:06:00.001-05:00

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!

2011-09-26T18:02:00.001-05:00

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

2011-09-21T22:40:00.004-05:00

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

2011-09-19T12:30:00.003-05:00

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

2011-09-15T17:48:00.002-05:00

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

2011-09-02T06:35:00.002-05:00

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

2011-09-01T09:00:00.004-05:00

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.

Berry Nice, Indeed

2011-08-31T12:16:00.002-05:00

I am still working on those five paintings. One is done and delivered but progress on the remaining four canvasses is slow. They're sitting neglected on their easels while I churn out jewelry for an event this Friday night. More on that later.

I am crushing on this one, as in, I am so in love with it that I am going to marry it.

Aren't the photographs gorgeous?
Miss Margaret is home for a month and it certainly is nice to have a professional photographer in the house.

Magnolia Buds

2011-08-28T09:20:00.001-05:00

I am completely obsessed with glass headpins.
First making them at the torch and then using them as elements in jewelry.

The page in my bead sketchbook where I pasted a magazine clipping of magnolias that became the inspiration for this big set of headpins. Without reservation, I can say that archival gluesticks changed my life.

All of the headpins were made on blackened steel wire that I got at the hardware store.

A bracelet? I think so.

Here's an Idea

2011-08-27T18:41:00.001-05:00

I hammered the end of a piece of 20g copper wire flat and twisted it into a spiral.
Then, at the torch, I captured the spiral in the center of a blob of glass to make a headpin.

It's really wonky because the extra bit of metal inside the glass conducted the heat like crazy and made the wire too hot to hold on to. I had to get that miserable, finger burning, sucker in the kiln FAST. I should have just dropped it on my work table and saved my tender digits, but no, I wanted it and had to practically throw it into my kiln.

Next time, either a longer piece of wire or some sort of finger protection will be used.

I love how the spiral is magnified by the glass. So, so many possibilities here.

Maine

2011-08-26T10:39:00.002-05:00

To Maine and back.

These family snapshots were taken at York Beach near Kittery.

I gave my husband the task of finding a heart shaped rock. It kept him busy long enough for me to spend about a half and hour staring aimlessly at the waves. Looking and listening to the ocean is like a drug.

p.s. He found about a half a dozen incredible ones.

Charming Lilies

2011-08-22T23:17:00.006-05:00

What a frazzled week I have had - far too much time spent running in tiny circles and squawking. Not nearly enough time spent with the flame.

My last blog pictures were of a painting I just finished, an oil of lilies of the valley.
After drawing them all week I just had to try making them in glass.

These are wee milk glass white blossoms made on brass headpins that have been wound into charms.

Perfect for earrings or as dangles on a necklace.

I made two of them into earrings for myself and these four are up in my Etsy Belvedere shop.

Lilies of the Valley

2011-08-18T07:45:00.006-05:00

I finished a painting this week
I's always a great feeling when you say to yourself (or to the dogs if they're listening) "done."

The poodles are my constant studio companions.
If they weren't colorblind they would probably be excellent art critics.

Lilies of the Valley
oil on canvas - 24' x 30'
(sold)

What's the Story Morning Glory?

2011-08-13T12:46:00.005-05:00

I have spent the last week, or so, painting like a mad woman. There are five new painting which are coming along very nicely. My big, old house smells like oil paints, my fingers are stained and I feel very content.

Below is a photograph of morning glories that's the 'model' for a 24" x 24" painting.

Each morning I very diligently I have snapped a photo, of the previous day's progress, to show the painting as it has 'grown.'

At this point (above) the shapes have been drawn in with colored pencil and then areas of base colors (under-painting) have been blocked in.

A few days later most of the blocking is done. Since this is an oil painting things need to dry before the next layer is added. This takes time, so I usually work on several painting at a time. Right now there are five going.

Now we're really starting to see the painting come together. A few details are in, layers of translucent color are being built up, mistakes are being fixed and the fun is really getting started.

It's about halfway at this point. If you would like to peak in at the rest of the painting there is a public album up on my facebook page - the link is here.

Yes, of course, when I make glass this week there will be morning glory bud headpins.

Honey Berry Seaweed

2011-08-09T10:55:00.001-05:00

At the end of the torch session I always try to make a big heart with the short rods, leftover frit bits and other scraps of glass that are on my bench. Waste not, want not, and all that.

I gravity shape them, which is fun. Watching all that molten glass flow and droop.
Let us not forget that this is all about playing with fire...

This one (above) was made the day I made all those strawberry headpins.

It really is a nice way not to have a lot of glassy leftovers.

Pressed

2011-08-08T09:59:00.002-05:00

I have a single bead press that I almost never use.
It's a 'Kalera Long & Lean" from Zoozi's. A souvenir from last summer's "Gathering."

It's a sad sort of tool, hanging out on the table next to my work area, never getting any hot glass action.

I have started experimenting with it - and came up with this design.
After pressing the bead I spot heated the edges and ruffled them with my tweezers.

There it is, on the left, collecting dust. I imagine that every time I reach for some frit it's little heart skips a beat. Then realizes I am not coming for it, sigh. Sad little press maybe your day has finally come.

Maybe I should get a "Spree" shaped press to keep it company?

Cherry Tree

2011-08-03T11:45:00.006-05:00

Um, so, what am I working on?
A cherry necklace.

It's being put together with cherry head pins, dozens of off-mandrel leaves and 'tree bark' glass links. The bark beads were made on mandrels that are used to make Pandora sized beads.

Below is a working sketch. As you can see, I ended up doubling up the leaves to give it a fuller look.
That makes six leaves on every link. Hello? That's a lot of leaves. I am sick to death of making them.

Here's the first headpin hammered into a link, with a little extra pounding for texture.

Viola! The first link with all the bits in place.

I think it's going to be lovely.

Road Trip

2011-08-03T10:23:00.002-05:00

Everyone from Record Archive piled in the party bus yesterday afternoon and went to Art Park to see the free ZZ Top show. This is what it looks like when 30,000 to 40,000 people sing along to "Sharp Dressed Man."

P.S. you cannot even begin to see the size of the crowd in this photo. It spread all the way to the left, and the right, around those trees, behind the stage and way up above and beyond me.

New Paintings

2011-08-02T14:33:00.001-05:00

I've got the itch to paint again.

I spent the morning pouring over my photo files.

Looking for potential paintings.

Thinking about what sort of colors I am in the mood to work with.

Maybe what I really want to paint is popsicles, I am addicted to coconut popsicles this summer, the older I get the weirder I get. I mean really it's not seemly for a 50-something year old woman to be bonkers for frozen treats.

Sunday at the Studio

2011-08-01T09:12:00.006-05:00

Perfect temperatures, nice light, no pressures - it was a great morning for making glass.
Even the trains outside my windows showed up in their Sunday best.

I had a mission. See all that green transparent glass below?

I needed to make about 64 small, off-mandrel leaves with holes.
Don't think of it as boring - making them one after another was very meditative.

It's a lousy photo, but I had to be quick about snapping it. There are all those stinkin' leaves on the right.
I'm very excited about the necklace they're for - more on that soon.

Do you know what it says under that dumpster?
Dumpster here.

Exquisite Venetians

2011-07-30T09:41:00.004-05:00

I found the most extraordinary Venetian glass necklace at an estate sale this week.

We've all seen this style, it's the most classic of millefiore beads.
But just look at the workmanship, the artisan who made these was a real master.

Good grief that's some amazing murrini work.
The style of the clasp dates them to the 1940s or very early 1950s.

I am heartbroken that it is too small for my big, old neck.
It's up in my 'Curious Old Things' Etsy shop if you want to see a few more snapshots.

Charming Garden

2011-07-28T08:34:00.007-05:00

A new bracelet - Charming Garden.

I know, new jewelry?
It has been quite some time since there was any new jewelry.

The base bracelet is a really nice, satin finish, vintage brass bracelet I found at some garage sale.

All the berries, leaves, seeds and flowers are glass headpins that I wound into charms and attached to the bracelet. Making headpins is my new glass obsession.

That gorgeous opal pink glass is Cim's Rose Quartz, the red berries are Effetre special dark red with bumps of Cim's Sangre.

I submitted this piece for the Art Bead Scene monthly challenge for July.

(not my) Home Sweet Home

2011-07-27T09:03:00.003-05:00

I have no idea who lives here - but they clearly adore their house.

We were driving around on the north side of Rochester, near the lake, and wham - there it was.
Glittering in the sunshine, a jaw-dropping display of ornament and folly, begging the question - who lives here? A group of children without adult supervision, a crazy person, a performance artist?

The only thing we know for sure is they're not vegetarians.

Imagine, with me, what the inside of the house might look like.

What would it be like to say yes to every overly decorative impulse you ever have, to give no fucks about your neighbors and passers by? I mean it screams look at me, but the road cones and signs say stay out. I am both deeply attracted and scared to death of the place.

Light Up & Melt Down

2011-07-26T07:07:00.001-05:00

Goodbye heatwave!
It was so stinking hot here that I was unable to work at the torch for over a week.
Just imagine how great it felt yesterday to be able to get back in the groove, oh yeah.

Picking Cherries

2011-07-16T08:29:00.001-05:00

All the makings for a new summer necklace - cherry headpins, off mandrel leaves and 'tree bark' beads.

Jelly Trio

2011-07-11T22:35:00.001-05:00

Hand faceted nuggets - Double Helix Gaia on transparent emerald, Double Helix Aurae on transparent yellow and Double Helix Clio on transparent dark violet.

These are fun to make. Start with a nicely rounded bead and add thin trails of the iridescent, metallic glass, slowly melt in the threads (don't burn them). Next spot heat the bead and gently shape it with a flat blade, I use a stainless steel cheese knife. Finally after you have it all faceted change the flame to a reducing flame and coax the metallic glass into doing it's thing.

Venetian Seed Pods

2011-07-10T10:23:00.001-05:00

I call this style of bead 'Venetian seed pods' for lack of a better name.

This pair has pastel uranium yellow base beads, translucent pink leaves and decorations made with hand pulled aventurine stringers.

One day I will make a whole necklace with these. For now, I make them into earrings.

I Ain't Gonna Give You None Of My Jelly Roll

2011-07-09T21:55:00.001-05:00

Sweet Emma

Bouquets

2011-07-09T08:20:00.001-05:00

These sweet little pairs of flower beads are one of my glassy standards.

They're perfect for making summer earrings.

When I make these beads, step one is to fabricate all the individual petals. Then you carefully apply them to the base bead and gently melt them in. It's fussy and time-consuming but I love playing with layering colors and transparency. Like in this pair of transparent blue and opaque yellow flowers, where the blue glass lays over the yellow the result is a beautiful green. Oh, that darn color wheel.

If you're in the Rochester area these flowers, and loads more of my new beads, are at "Let's Bead" in East Rochester.

Simplicity

2011-07-07T09:04:00.001-05:00

I've just been enjoying making some small sets of single color beads.
Simple beads made with some of my favorite colors of glass.

Above is a graduated strand of opalino nile green spacers.
What a fussy color. Prone to snapping and soot trails but so worth the extra effort it takes to work with it.

Below is the beginnings of a strand of opalino carnelian.
I adore how the glass is never, ever the same color twice, ranging from the palest shell pink to a deep orange rose.

Cim's peacock and Cim's Halong Bay, both of them gorgeous translucent colors.

I am slowly building up my bead inventory for summer shows, but if you see anything you want just comment and I will list it on Etsy for you.

Happy 4th

2011-07-04T10:45:00.000-05:00

My your 4th be filled with fireflies, fireworks, baseball and plenty of good, cold beer.

The Remains of the Day

2011-07-02T08:31:00.002-05:00

My evening at the lake was perfect.

The red velvet cake, that was supposed to be a blue velvet cake, was more of a green velvet cake.

Myself and fine friend Frank, baker of the delicious cake.
Please note, I am wearing my tiny tiara.

Dick crooning, my very own rock and roll version of Ben Franklin.
His band played my party on the beach.

"Get Your Identity In Order"

2011-06-30T16:15:00.002-05:00

Oh what a birthday present I just got from the Office of Homeland Security.

Apparently my maiden name is still on my social security account but my married name is on my passport and drivers license. Until there is complete and utter harmonious conformity on all my documents New York State will not renew my drivers license.

I have been married for 22 years. So it's been this way, unbeknownst to me, for a very long time. You'd think it would have come up when I applied for my passport or when I renewed it... or the last time I renewed my driver's license. Nope, today on my 52nd birthday.

"Ma'am, it's all part of Homeland Security's plan," deadpanned the clerk. A dedicated woman who did not think refusing to renew my license was at all stupid, she gave me the stink-eye as she sized me up as a potential terrorist.

I tried to stare her down but she's a pro at this bureaucratic stuff, so I sighed deeply and asked politely "what do I need to do in order to renew my license?" "You will need to go to the offices of the Social Security Administration," she pushed a slip of paper at me printed with an address, "and get your identity in order."

Who wants to drive me around for the next few weeks?

It's time to take a deep breath and drive myself up to the lake with the last few valid hours on my license.

I will do the same thing I like to do every year on my birthday - have a Genny Cream Ale with a fat slice of red velvet cake and then watch the sunset over the vastness of Lake Ontario. So goes another year - I am very comfortable with my identity, even if the powers that be are not.

These snapshots are of last year's sunset and cake.

Cannonball

2011-06-26T09:58:00.003-05:00

Everybody into the pool.

It took a couple of hours last night to clean all the beads I torched last week.
Lots of birds, hearts, spacers sets, hollow 'moons' and one giant hollow.

It's the size of a small clementine - it was a blast to make.
I used a puffy mandrel and all the patience I could muster.

Rhubarbarian

2011-06-22T17:38:00.001-05:00

I have this thing about rhubarb.

This new plant for my garden is a lovely gift from a friend, other friends enable my rhubarb habit by bringing me extra from their gardens. Early summer - it's all about the rhubarb. Rhubarb pie, rhubarb syrup, stewed rhubarb, rhubarb infused vodka, rhubarb cobbler...

Juicy Ideas

2011-06-20T12:00:00.001-05:00

While I was hulling berries, for a Father's Day shortcake, I got a couple of ideas for variations on my strawberry headpins and earrings.

On my way to the studio to make some pale berries.

Fruits Of My Labor

2011-06-17T08:06:00.000-05:00

Strawberry earrings - coming soon to my 'Belvedere' Etsy shop.

Pumpernickel

2011-06-16T23:33:00.001-05:00

The Professor of Rap would like to know.

Wild Strawberries

2011-06-11T15:14:00.002-05:00

My first foray into production work - 18 pairs of tiny strawberry earrings.

Half sold.

Next week?
I'm thinkin' lilies of the valley.

Berry Picking

2011-06-11T01:16:00.001-05:00

This morning I unloaded another 'harvest' of strawberries from my big red bead kiln.

By tomorrow morning they'll all be earrings and on their way to the market for sale.

Earring Cards

2011-06-10T09:35:00.002-05:00

Getting ready for the summer show season.
This morning my earring cards got dusted off and freshened up.
I just print these on card stock, snip them apart, punch holes in them and viola - custom earring cards.

Summer Fruit

2011-06-07T20:00:00.001-05:00

A whole serving of sweet little strawberry headpins.

Perfect in pairs for earrings, they're ripe and ready for charms, dangles, jams or links.
I put a couple pairs up on Etsy but most will be made into earrings for upcoming early summer shows.

I grabbed a few snapshots of my work area as I made them, just for those of you who like seeing some hot studio action.

If you have any questions - just ask. I will be glad to share how I made them.

Hooked

2011-06-07T11:25:00.001-05:00

A large, end of the mandrel, pendant.

Drip Drop Flop

2011-06-05T08:26:00.000-05:00

Clearly, it is never going to stop raining.
April showers dragged into May showers which have now aggravatingly become June showers.

It had better not be one of "those" summers.

Studio Snapshots

2011-06-04T18:29:00.002-05:00

A small handful of photographs of my glass studio. These were taken by my daughter, Margaret. It's fascinating to see something familiar through someone else's eyes. To find out what they think is interesting.

Bigga - da - bugs

2011-06-02T08:21:00.004-05:00

Our family vacation to Maine was wonderful.

The purpose of our trip was to deliver Miss Margaret to the Maine Media Workshops, in Rockport, where she has a three month photography residency.

We did it all... stayed in a cabin, walked the beaches, picked up loads of rocks, ate lobsters and drank beer for breakfast.

One highlight was a tasting tour of the Allagash brewery in Portland. Now that's good beer.
My favorite? The Curieux which is aged in Jim Beam whiskey bottles. I know - it's witchcraft.

This sexy guy watched us eat lobsters. Many a lobster gave their life for us last week. Margaret has always loved lobster, when she was three she ordered "a bigga-da-bug." in some restaurant. I imagine that waitress still remembers her - same with the waiter she ordered "dog balls" (hush puppies) from.

It sure is scenic in Maine.

I can't wait to go back at the end of summer.
Maybe I will finally see a moose. I really want to see a moose, I need to see a moose.

New Beads On Etsy - Squeal of Delight

2011-06-01T16:43:00.002-05:00

Here they are - the first beads from my new studio making landing on Etsy.

Birds! Including two iridescent blue black crow focals.

Hearts! Big crazy ones, very organic and sculptural.

And, the very first marble from my new studio.

Suddenly it's all so very real, I actually have my own studio and I am back in the business of melting glass.

O! I do so love playing with fire.

Moose Whisperer

2011-05-31T16:19:00.001-05:00

Back from our adventure in Maine.
Oh crap is it ever scenic up there.

Another Day * Another Bead

2011-05-24T14:24:00.008-05:00

An "Instagram" snapshot of the sunlight streaming in and filling up my studio with a blinding, bright warmth.

I'm sorry there haven't been many photographs of all the new beads I have been making. I am keeping it simple and just rebuilding an inventory. I didn't have much of anything left after four months without any 'flame time.' Yesterday's beads are mostly small beads for simple hammered link necklaces.

If you look in the center of this pile of mandrels you will see the first marble made in the new studio.
Men love marbles. So, I better get busy because father's day is right around the corner.