Margie Deeb's Spring/Summer Color Report

Do you keep track of the Spring and Summer Pantone Colors and how they affect your bead/ beadmaking business and fashion?  Margie Deeb does and puts it all together, along with color combinations, percentages of color and lots of great inspiration for you.  

I was lucky to be chosen to make a necklace for Margie's Spring/ Summer 2011 Color Report for Bead & Jewelry Makers.  My assignment was to use the following colors, lavender, silver peony and silver cloud in a necklace.  The Silver peony was supposed to be about 80% and the rest divided between the other two colors.

So this is what I made.  I kept it simple because the predominant color was so soft and almost a nude color (for me, at least) and the other colors were in such small amounts.  I used sterling silver chain for my Silver Cloud color and Moretti glass Periwinkle for the lavender shade.  CIM glass's Desert Pink was very close to the Silver Peony shade along with some rose quartz, (I think that's what the stone is- someone correct me if I'm wrong please) and little matching beads.

Working in a paler palette and keeping from using my typical sculptural beads, made it a fun stretch.  I even used a press, which is so very different, but fun.

So tell me, are you using this Spring and Summer's fashion colors?  If you're interested, check out Margie's color report.  Her color swatch combinations are right on point with great inspiration.

Watch This House

Is it just me, or does this house appear to be looking at you?  Yep, that's what I thought too.  I never knew there were blue eyed houses (with mustaches!)

My Valentine's Day Laugh

As some of you know,  I was away for Valentines Day on a trip.  I wanted to show you the fruit basket from my husband and especially the note that was sent with it.  My son Grant is his assistant at work, and apparently was assigned the task of ordering it for me.  He decided to inject a little humor into it and write the direct quote.  And honestly I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time. (and just in case you're wondering- we had already celebrated an early Valentines Day and this was an "extra".)

Magic Erasing Tip for Beadmakers

Writing in Sharpie on your vent hood???

My good friend Kristy was designing beads for a special necklace and discovered something that helped her a lot.  She likes to keep measurements close at hand and right next to her, so she can hold her bead up close for comparison and really see it.  What a great discovery to find that her Mr. Clean Magic Erasers worked to clean Sharpie writing off of her hood vent after she wrote on it.

Now, before you try it, please find an unobtrusive corner to experiment- just in case it doesn't work on yours.  But for me, I love the idea of having a good clear place to make my markings when I'm doing sets or multiples.  Nice job Kristy and thanks for the tip!

The World Keeps Getting Smaller

Sparky in New Zealand.  She said it's one of the prettiest places she's seen.

The world keeps getting smaller.

I am so sad about New Zealand's horrible earthquake in Christchurch. The devastation and lives lost hit closer to home than it would have 5 years ago.   Not only has facebook brought the world closer through all the contacts, but it's helped me get to know some wonderful glass folks who live there.

And it was a huge help when the earthquake hit and I was trying to find out information on what was going on.  You see, my ever- adventuring daughter was somewhere around there on a biking trip and she had said she'd be visiting friends in Christchurch first.

Needless to say, I was one very worried, teary Mom.  And my facebook friends were such a big help and support, which really touched me.  Right where it counts- in the heart.  Offers of helping make phone calls, web sites and even places for her to stay came pouring in.  That still brings tears to my eyes.  Luckily she was able to get online a few hours later and let us know she was fine and far enough out of town.  I'm sure I was one of the lucky ones.  I had really been concerned when I saw that the youth hostel had collapsed.  That sounded just like a place where she could be.  Perhaps other Moms were not so lucky.

So folks, if you can, let's help them however we can.  This world has gotten smaller, which means our friends and contacts have gotten larger.  And through kindness and assistance we can all make it a better place to live.

You Otter Know

I am a sucker for cute and this one about takes the cake.  Watch this youtube video all the way through.  It's surely an "Awwwww, moment".

Look Closely....

Photographer Elly Presegard's wonderful enhanced photographs enchant me.  Check out her blog for more photos and fantasy.

Headed Home- Atlanta Important Info - Right Here!

I found this on gizmodo.com- thought you might enjoy this....I'm headed home from Texas, back to Atlanta - see you tomorrow!

The secret recipe of Coke has been hidden and locked down for 125 years. But apparently, not anymore. This American Life says they've found the ingredients that make up the delicious bubbly cola and have revealed it to our delight.

The story starts with John Pemberton, a Civil War veteran who's credited with inventing Coca-Cola. His original recipe was written down in a recipe book of various ointments and medicines that was passed down from generation to generation.

A photograph of that recipe, from that very recipe book, was taken in the Feb. 18, 1979, edition of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution and only recently came to light when Ira Glass from This American Life stumbled upon it. Glass tracked down other people who claimed to have discovered the recipe as well and though they didn't match up exactly, they were so strikingly similar that Glass concluded that this recipe was the original. Here it is:

The recipe:
Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP
Citric acid: 3 oz
Caffeine: 1 oz
Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity)
Water: 2.5 gal
Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart
Vanilla: 1 oz
Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color

The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops

Coke has become infamous in guarding their secret recipe with tales of the recipe being under 24 hour surveillance, Coca-Cola executives only knowing half the formula or that the two people who know the recipe can never fly together. It's added to the allure of Coke, for sure, but there's also some truth to the that. When Asa Candler, an early Coke President, bought the original formula from Pemberton in 1887, he was so paranoid about people stealing the recipe that he ordered that the recipe could never be written down again. He also removed all labels from the ingredient bottles and went through company mail to see if anyone was snitching.

Truth be told though, it's impossible to fully replicate Coke's recipe because there's one ingredient only Coca-Cola can get: fluid extract of coca (which is coca leaves stripped of cocaine). Only one factory can process those leaves and only Coca-Cola has a special deal with the DEA that allows them to use it. So even if the secret is out, we're still missing the Coke in our Cola

Window Eye Candy

Here are 2 photos of some of the window eye candy here at Blue Moon Glassworks.  I included something for warm and cool color lovers.   The contrast of styles in the top photo is interesting to me.  I like them both for different reasons.

(Right now, we're working the trade show booth, so these photos were taken a few days ago.  Hope you like them as much as I do!)

Views from Blue Moon

I've been at Blue Moon Glassworks for awhile now, while visiting and helping out.  Thought I'd show you a few things around here.  The top photo is of Bob, who designs and makes the coolest stained glass windows.  He is precise and so very nice.  I love visiting with him and hearing his stories.

This is a large box of dichro that we're getting ready for the Mosaic Artists' conference here this week.  SAMA.  We're going to sell it out, I bet.  It's so sparkly!

And here is a photo of Jim Berry's truck.  He made this art piece all with frit.  I got to ride in the real truck a few days ago and we rumbled and bounced down the street in it.  What fun!

So that's a little about my Austin trip so far.  There will be a lot more to tell you about. It's beautiful weather down here.  If you are attending the SAMA Conference- come see us in the Blue Moon Glassworks booth starting Thursday through Saturday.

Pink No Matter How You Use It

I saw this pink Pelican chair ($5,200) on Kaboodle.com and fell in love.  It must be leftover Valentines Day feelings, because two days ago, I was at a close out center and saw this chair, which I thought would be an inexpensive chuckle in my family room.

My husband would be mortified.  He doesn't like pink at all!  But I think it would be fun to have an old hair dryer carnation chair and footstool.  I know I'd smile every time I looked at it.

So my question today is...do you "embrace"  specific colors for periods of time?  And can you track what makes you feel that way?  Does something set it off?  Or how do you come to decide that you like now?  I've been trying to figure that out and would love your comments.

See you tomorrow,
Marcy

Sara Sally Did It Again!

I just finished taking Sara Sally LaGrand's fabulous corsage class.  I loved it!  We had a great group of students in Austin, TX at Blue Moon Glassworks.

Sara's mellow, but so professional style of teaching was a delight.  We were relaxed, but very motivated and challenged.  So much to think about- color combinations, proportion, new techniques and more.  Whew!  I must say I was tired at the end from having so much fun.

So here is the pin that I made.  Now that I've made one, I would do it differently next time, but I learned some good lessons.  And I will make more, but they will be more my personal style.  And that's a sign of a good teacher- one who inspires and gives you the tools to take it in your own direction.

Happy Valentines Day

Wishing you a very Happy Valentines Day....and plenty of smiles.

Who Says Mushrooms Need a Dark Place To Grow?

I love nature and I love cool lighting and when the two are combined, it makes me swoon.  So when I found this lamp using mushroom shaped LED's  combined with driftwood, I fell in love.

Unfortunately, I can only give you the website and not more information.  I don't read Japanese.  And if you know my work, I'm sure you can guess that I'm just itching to place a small gnome bead underneath a grouping of these cute 'shrooms.

Design Your Own Rug, Throw, Pillow and More

Jonathan Adler's shop always makes me smile.  His marketing and products are always fresh and innovative.  This time, it's a "design your own" section which is a lot of fun.

So pop over and play with the options.  I think it's also a great way to try out color combinations if you're going to make a bead or something else.  you can switch the colors around on the different patterns.  And if you have an extra couple of minutes, look through his other offerings.  I am always amused and interested in the diverse wares he offers.

See you Sunday!

I Crumbled

 I know how big the Pioneer Woman blog and recipes are.  I tried to hold out, but I crumbled.  Here I had been on Facebook, and asked what to bring for a Superbowl Party I was attending.  And someone mentioned this recipe.  "Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Thingies".

All I can say, is that they were scarfed up really quickly.  My house smelled like I actually know how to cook, and with three ingredients, they're pretty much no fail.  Now I'm just wondering if I can make these with my torch and skip the oven.  That would make them perfect!

New Hair Styles That Will Make You Smile

I have some cute hairstyles to show you.  Braids, pig tails or a top knot?  Which is your favorite?

Spring-apalooza Bead Class in NC!

We're all waiting for Spring to hurry up and get here!  And that's the theme of my fun glass sculpting class at Marilyn Peraza's N.C.  studio- March 12-13th.  If you're an advanced beginner or higher, you'll have fun learning bunnies, off mandrel flowers that we'll make into rings, birds and of course gnomes- which helps you learn simple faces, a little body movement and.... hair!  There will also be one special project that you will design with my help.  woot!  Lots of smiles,  good times and personal attention.  Come join the fun!  Class is limited to 6 students.  Hope to see you there.

Hello Kitty Hotel...Pink Perfection

I was totally amazed to see that there is a Hello Kitty townhouse that is for rent.  It makes Barbie's dream home look dull in comparison.  If you click on the link which shows the rooms and appointments, I'm just warning you that you might want to turn down the volume on the youtube video.

I think all of you know how much I enjoy kitsch- but even this might be a little too much for me.  But talk about marketing and branding... I am impressed with that.

You Are What You Craft

stationary from Sweet Perversion on Etsy.com

So do you agree?  You are what you craft.  I do.  But I think for some people it really is who they are and for others, it is just a part of them.

I'm one of the latter.  Perhaps it's the Gemini in me, but my whimsical art is what tends to come out of me, but I have a grown up side of me too.  It comes out sometimes.  I don't know what the catalyst is, but it does.  And then I get comments like, "it doesn't look like your work".  I know it's confusing, but to quote a famous thinker, "I yam what I yam."

Do you have two or more very diverse sides to what you do?  Do you have a single voice?  Have you evolved from one thing to something very different?  I'd love to hear more.  

and P.S., if you check out Sweet Perversion on Etsy, caution... there are a lot of "adult language" cards on her site.  Funny, but definitely not rated PG.

Glass Artist Jennifer Umphress Needs Your Help- And It's So Easy...

Jennifer Umphress's Glass Art

The 14 year old son Izaiah, of one of our fellow glass artists, Jennifer Umphress, has Burkitts Lymphoma cancer.  Jennifer and her husband have had to move to be close to him while Izaiah is going through cancer and chemo treatments at the hospital.  Which means...Jennifer can't do her glass art.

So, a fabulous raffle has been set up, to help pay for living costs in a second location.  Doesn't that make you proud of our glass world?  It does me.

And the raffle is held monthly on the 10th of each month with raffle tickets at different levels.  Wait until you see the goodies.  The photo at the top is not one of the items, ( it is one of my favorite pieces of hers) but she does have another piece that is in the raffle!  Yikes, wouldn't that be wonderful to win!  And so many more artists have donated pieces that are fabulous too.

So, head over to command central...the Umphress's Family & Friends blog and read through.  The paypal button at the bottom of the page is the way to buy the raffle tickets.  And help out one of our fellow artists and her family.  And by the way, 14 year old Izaiah's body is responding to the chemo and the tumor on his kidney is shrinking (hooray!) but there are still months left to go for treatment.

So now that I've written this, I'm heading back over to their blog to buy some raffle tickets.  Wishing all of you the best of luck and let's give Jennifer (who is a sweetie) a helping hand.

,

Happy Chinese Year of the Rabbit

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year!  From what I understand, this "Year of the Rabbit" is supposed to be a calm, more restful year, after last year's "Year of the Tiger".  I think I'm ready for it.  You too?

Six More Weeks of Winter? I Hope Not!

Happy Groundhogs Day to you. (I included this photo, because some of you have never seen a groundhog.  This way you can tell the boys and girls apart.)

 It's still too early in the morning to know if the Groundhog saw his shadow, but the idea of six more weeks of winter is very unappealing to me.  I thought we might brainstorm some great ideas of things to do, when the next snowstorm hits.  Yikes, I've had enough and I don't even live in a cold location.

Besides using my torch and melting glass, my next favorite thing to do is learn something new.  Between youtube (lampwork videos here) and the tutorials that are out there, I could actually enjoy six more weeks if it included learning.  For finding the tutorials, I go to Lampwork Etc or pop over to Etsy and do a search.  Please post if you have some favorite links or tutorials that you'd like to share.

As for other things to keep me busy for 6 more weeks of winter...I've recently started making jewelry.  I know I'm way behind the learning curve, but I'm really enjoying it now.  I'm looking for book suggestions from all of you, any favorites?

So although I'm really hoping that spring is right around the corner, I've got plenty to do.  Please share what you would do.

Win A GTT Cricket Torch!

Today starts my month of February- Raffle for a GTT Cricket Torch!  All it takes is donating beads or $$ to Beads of Courage to get chances to win it.

You can visit HERE (http://www.givebeadsofcourage.blogspot.com) to see all the rules- the quick synopsis is for every 25 beads or dollars you donate to them, you receive one raffle chance.  There are a few very small hoops for you to jump through to help me keep all the details together.  For example, sending me a quick photo of what you're donating, so I can post it on the blog and also you yourself posting on the blog how many beads you donated and your name, so I can get ahold of you if you win!

Not mandatory, but I sure would appreciate if you would write about the contest on your blog and link to the raffle blog, to increase readers.  Wouldn't it be cool if we could get thousands of beads donated this month?  Who said February is the mini month?  It could be gigantic!

So pop over and read all about it and get to making beads.  You have until the end of the month for your donations.  I will draw names for this prize and other wonderful ones that have been generously donated as well.

See you at the other blog too, I hope.  Lots of eye candy and hopefully lots of smiles from the lucky kids who receive these fun beads.

hugs to you all,
Marcy