I've been running errands all morning and am finally at the torch...had to get rid of a color scheme I pulled yesterday and start fresh - it was really blocking my creativity and I just couldn't get any beads made with it. I guess I just like what I like, and I can't fight it - I mean it wasn't like it was a terrible color combo, it just didn't work for me yesterday. i'll try it again later when I have some distance from it. It shall not taunt me!!
Avalon is on eBay, and I'll be posting Renaissance later tonight. That one *does* have a ring with it...and I'm making two more rings today, both of which will go on eBay for sale. No one has requested one, so these are up for grabs...(still waiting on my mandrel order from Frantz...)
Nothing exciting came from my kiln last night, because of that stupid color combo that blocked me...but today i'm in a groove and you'll get to see something new again. And i'm still working on silver/ivory focals. I should post some of those as well...I'm really digging those!
as much as I love Halloween, I cannot *believe* that its here already!! this month has flown by...wow...and it'll be January before you know it. I'm on a busy timeline between now and about Dec 10...never enough time in the day and about 1000 things that have to be done...
Ok kiddos, I am officially putting the Avalon set up on eBay tonight. Starts at 8:00pm CST, so that it can end at that same time. I understand bidders don't like to be tied up at 2:00 in the afternoon when auctions close, so my auctions will be posted and closing in the evenings. Look for it tonight.
I have a surprise coming right after Halloween...I hope you like it, i've been working on it for a little while...
update: i've ordered 5 more mandrels, ranging in ring size from about a 4.5 to a 7. Assuming they all arrive in the next week or so, I'll be able to make rings in a whole bunch of sizes to suit your needs... from a 4 to a 10...!
Well, the 'ring' phenom is amazing. Lots of emails asking 'how did you do that' and 'are they for sale'. Well, sure they are for sale! The only drawback is I don't have a lot of them made because I only have 1 large sized mandrel so I can only get 1 made a day. at least 1 in each size. I've got 2 size 8 rings see pics at left. And the one blue ring that was my first, so that one I have to keep. However, I am remaking whatever you guys want, so just emal me and let me know. You'll be seeing more and more rings here, as soon as I get more made...I have a mandrel that will make a size 10 or 12 (haven't made one yet, don't know till I do), so I'll work on that one, as well as another size 8, 4 and anything else I can find! what fun.... (oh, rings vary in price, from $35-$45, depending on style).
I'll be posting a 'how to' on these as soon as I get some pics taken. So don't fret, you too will be able to make rings very soon!
New set today. I made my first ring, shown in the picture. I wasn't sure what I was doing, so I just kinda smooshed the glass to make a foundation for the design, then I wasn't sure what design to do...after thinking about it (and trying to keep a really large mandrel moving in the flame) I decided to make flowers on the ring...Then encasing them became a challenge.. All in all, the ring came out much better than it should have, considering I didn't have a clue what I was doing. To top it all off, its a size 4 and barely fits on my finger. It's all a learning experience. Tonight I made another ring, on a larger mandrel and we'll see what size finger it turns out to fit.
I haven't taken the time to clean all the shmutz out of the inside of the ring either. i've heard soaking it in something would eat it away?? soda? I need to double check WC again for the answer - unless someone emails me first..!
Spent the day in Dallas yesterday and found a fabulous beadmaker from Cape Cod Mass...I could have gone broke very easily at her booth, she had really great beads. I don't make big beads, and that's all she had, but I wanted them all. I finally narrowed it down from 12 to 1 and I'll get it posted here sometime this morning.
Did you remember to set your clocks back last night/this morning?
A cold front blew thru, it's 53 out right now. compare to 87 yesterday, that's quite a difference. But we love it. Now it feels like fall instead of summer. (it was 95 last week).
I have yet another set that I took out of the kiln yesterday before we left for Dallas at 6:00am, but I haven't cleaned them yet. Once that's done, I'll post them here and on WC. I have to take Mick's kiln to the store where she's teaching today and hopefully my new digital controller will work on my kiln - so far it'll ramp and hold properly, but I can't get it to skip a step to ramp down. troubleshooting....
a few florals made it out of my kiln.
"lavendar and lace"
"variety bouquet"
I'll be in Dallas tomorrow, previewing a beadshow...so I won't be posting anything new until Sunday...if I'm lucky enough to get anything made today. I do have a plan, though...so come back on Sunday and see what's up!
Just got my digital controller in, and am now programming it. What fun, what fun. But I'm determined to get through it if it takes me all day!!!
Darcy wasn't my assistant in picture taking this morning, she's been whisked to the 'shop' for her yearly shots. Howling the whole way there Clementine went with her, but that didn't make it any better...Thank goodness the vets office is pretty close, so it doesn't take long to get them there and back. Next up, the 'boys'. Our largest and oldest (and most expensive) kitties. Love our kitties!
But I digress..."Black Diamond" came out of the kiln this morning and I'm really happy with it. I've been making the stone style beads for awhile and I just kept going, making the sage and ivory beads along with them to create this strand. I think i'll be putting these last 3 sets up on eBay next week, so look for them then...and hopefully I'll have more than these 3. I'm not sure how much work I'll get done at the torch today, Brian is off on Thursdays and we typically run errands and such. but I'll try.
Thanks for voting for this site, i see I'm currently number 5 on the Artzee site, which I'm really happy about! After hanging out around number 20 on the Top 25, I'm happy to be up so high. In fact, I scrolled down to the bottom of the Artzee site and didn't see my site. Never expected to see it so high. Thanks for the votes, I really appreciate them!
I've added a NEW website to vote, i'll be phasing out the Top 25 in favor of a Bead-only voting place, Artzee.net. For now, vote for both until one of them goes away.
Darcy helped me take photos of the beadset this morning, so Ithought she should get some 'airtime' here on the site. All the cats come running when I take the photos, but this one was the best, so she gets the nod. The full beadset is shown if you click on the pic...I've also posted it on WC for today's show and tell thread...
I'm still sick, but feeling a little better. yesterday I cut my thumb and burned my arm while making that set - i'm sure it was fatigue. I hope to get some good stuff made before I collapse for the day.
Well, I've managed to go and get myself sick. There's something tearing around Austin that Brian caught at Dell and I caught from him. Nearly everyone who I know is either sick, or has been (or will be, i'm sure). I didn't get much sleep at all last night and I feel pretty punky today. I think it's either a cold or some kind of cold-like thing. Either way, no fun.
Mick came over yesterday and we spent the day making beads. The beadset posted in "What's New Today..." is what I made yesterday and pulled from the kiln this morning. All in all, not a bad day at the torch...
New auctions are going up this week, you can see them here. A real mix of different styles and colors, I hope to entertain with all my variety. They are posting late in the day, which means they are also closing late as well. so you can be home at your computer and bid all you want and not lose out while at work or running errands. I'm still trying to get the kinks worked out of posting on eBay.
Here's a shot of the 3 of us beading...Mick wasn't able to join us, but has come over a couple of times since. JarJar was 'napping' in the corner. We had 2 kilns and lots of propane and oxy concentrators whirring away. A good time was had by all.
I've been taking photos and making eBay auction pages this afternoon. Also making and cleaning spacers. I'm ready to get to the 'fun' beads again!
Check out the animated GIFs in the left column. I went a little crazy last night once I figured out how to use the program - not the easiest piece of software I've ever used, but I think i have the hang of it now. The Wet Canvas link is now that little animated gif of my flowers and stone beads. Click on it to get to WC.
I'm off this morning to the metalshop to pick up mandrels the size of rings (5-10) in order to make glass rings. Someone posted a link on WC about how to do it, and I'd like to try it out. I bought a black moretti ring on a website a few weeks back and after receiving it, I realized "these would be so simple to make". Then I lost track of that thought. But now that the instructions are available (I probably could have figure them out for myself), I'm all jazzed to try it for myself. Jim at BlueMoon said he'd split the mandrels with me (I think they come in 10ft lengths?) and he'd stock them for sale. I'd like to have a class on it as well - look at me jumping ahead..good grief. gotta get the mandrels first.
Saw Kill Bill last night. Wow. Not a movie for everyone. Extremely violent, some funny, some not so funny. Its one of those movies that while *I* liked it, I can't recommend it to anyone, because it might give them nightmares. You have to be 1. in the mood, 2. able to handle buckets of blood and knives coming from all directions 3. enjoy chop-socky movies. If you don't say 'yeah!' to all 3, then you probably should not go. Brian and I enjoyed it. I liked the fact that Lucy Lui got killed. Don't much care for her. (I even purposely spelled her name wrong here).
The Houston Bead Show finally sent their admission package to me, so I'll post the admission flyer (print it and save $1.00 on entrance). I'll be shipping the book to my mom in Houston so she can pass them out to ya'll who might want to come out. Nothing like seeing the real Blackberrybeads in person, eh?
I'm not sure where the month is going, is it really the middle of October already? Wow.
I've added a link to the Wet Canvas website on the far left. Its another beadmaking community that is extremely active and full of ideas. They post a Show and Tell each day, so if nothing else, visit and see what people are making. I have to be careful not to get sucked into the WC void and spend hours reading everything there. Must...make....beads...
I've pulled the pixie dust beads off the mandrels, but haven't cleaned them yet. That will take a few hours at least. I need a volunteer!! The past few days I've been making simple spacers because I'm really low on stock. They aren't the most exciting type of bead to work on, but they have to be made, so I make them. I'm always happy once I have a large stock of them to play with and design pieces with, but then I run out and have to make more. A never ending battle...
Today I'm making pixie dust spacers to go with the stone and river rock beads. In the pic under Classes, you'll see the river rocks and pixie dust beads in the middle set. New Auctions this week, as well as last week's auctions are all ending, so bid till your fingers bleed...
I've ordered my digital controller - finally- and look forward to it arriving one day this week. I hope.
Well, Texas was handily whomped in the UT/OU game. I think most of us figured we'd get beat, after the Arkansas game came and went, but it was quite the shellacing now, wasn't it? And that's all I'll say about that.
Its a beautiful fall day here in Austin, in the low 80's and sunny. It rained all weekend and was dreary. I feel like I've awakend from a long weekend.
We went to see Intolerable Cruelty over the weekend, it was funny but not the best Coen work. The lead actors were great to watch, though. What a nice looking couple (Clooney and Zeta-Jones). Next up, is Kill Bill.
Yesterday was 'stone' and 'river rock' bead making day. Friends came over last night and we all sat around the new tables and torched until midnight. I had a great time, and the beads turned out even better. Still making stock for upcoming shows. Have submitted entry for a new show on Dec 20, here in Austin. Its for finished goods only, necklaces, bracelets, etc., no loose beads. But I do have some finished goods that I've put together with my beads, and think I can supply at least a table's worth of goods. Come on by if you're in town and looking for last minute hand made gifts.
Today is Texas/OU day - the game is at 2:30 on ABC (may be a local game, I don't know). We have been taking a pounding the past few years, OU is ranking #1 and we are #11. I don't have high hopes for us, but maybe that's just what we need to get the game won. I'll be watching and yelling at the tv like I always do... hook 'em.
Apparently I've done something to anger the Bead Gods. All of a sudden, my eBay auctions have come to a screeching halt - there are sets with no bids and others with just 1 bid. Is there something I should know?
I managed to make a bunch of small beads yesterday for upcoming eBay posts (course, i'm not so sure now that anyone wants them!). One set is orange/black and white, the others are even more Halloween colors (think the colors of this website). You'll have to come back next week and see what I'm talking about.
Its been raining here the past few days, kinda dreary, although we can always use the rain. The cats end up staying inside and acting bored. I hope they can go out tomorrow and run off some of this energy.
I forget that lots of you don't know that I make fish beads as well as beadsets, so today you get to meet Benjamin. He's made with dichro, so he's sparkly, like someone you might meet at a disco. Maybe I should have named him "Disco Stu", but he's more a 'Benjamin' to me.
My shows are coming up next month, I'll send out an email to everyone who's emailed me - so if you want more details, let me know and I'll include you too!
New eBay auctions are going up this week!
Had a great day yesterday, friends came over and we all made beads in the studio. We have a very large space in the back of our house, and we've covered some tables with flame resistant cement backerboard, painted black, and pulled out all the power strips we had. Oxygen concentrators, kilns, propane tanks, football on the tv, all the tools and glass you could want and chicks working on beads. It was a blast. Brian made hamburgers at the end of the day and we watched Lord of the Rings for the eleventy-eth time. I got some caterpillars done, but the frogs and mice were not cooperating. One bounced on the floor and I never found it. I think it scurried into a cabinet for some cheese.
Today is another torch day, another friend is coming over and we're spending the day making who knows what. I'm going to attempt more frogs and mice - I hope I find the escape artist from yesterday too...
I found a supplier for the small silver removeable ball bracelets - you might have seen them in the past?
Well, these are a great size, only 7" - smaller than my other bracelets. If you have a small wrist or the found the other bracelets too large, these are perfect for you!
My plan is to make a set of beads just for the bracelet, slide them on and sell the whole piece as 'complete'. If you're interested in buying a bracelet blank alone, I will have them for sale and you can use them for anything at all - charms or large hole beads. They are real 925 sterling, and are a really nice size for the wrist...On their own, they will be $20.00. Loaded with beads, the price will depend on the final product, so stay tuned and I'll have some available on the site...
-updated October 2 2003-
Its the first of the month, so your vote really makes a difference in keeping my website high on the list and not lost in the crowd. Thanks for voting, it takes about 15 seconds and makes a difference, it do, it do...
The eBay auctions are going really well. Some folks haven't emailed me yet, so if you've won an auction, please contact me soon!
Enjoying the little Halloween kids that have appeared on this site? I'm completely enamored by the 'signing' at Target this year, and want to take it home with me. the next best thing is putting the little folks on this site to enjoy each day. I think the little witch (at far left) is my favorite, but the princess and batboy are pretty close second. We even bought a candy that has stickers with all these little guys, I still need to scan it and then you'll get to see even MORE of these characters. Can you stand it?
Finished making a custom order yesterday, and am starting to panic a bit about not having enough stock for the upcoming November shows. Having never been a vendor at a bead show, Idon't know how much I'm going to sell, and I fear I don't have enough...How do you know when you have enough beads for a show??
I've decorated my house for Halloween, and even my car got into the act:
How's that for a scary Dracula? I think I need vanity plates that say 'Drac'. What do you think?
new auctions going up each day...nice fall sets, don't miss out on those perfect beads that you really want...