Jari's Buttons

If you haven't seen Jari Sheese's handmade glass buttons yet, take a gander.  I think they are absolutely fabulous.  You can find them in her etsy shop right here.

IndieMade.com

I read a post recently about someone who had joined Indiemade and they were touting some of its features.  It appears there is a one time monthly fee and there are lots of options to customize and personalize your shop.  One of them is that you can have a custom domain name.  Check it out here and read more about it.  If you already use this site, please post, so we can all learn more about it.

Plant Watering Globes

I'm working on my inventory for a local show, and my category is 50% jewelry and 50% other glass.  Needless to say, I contemplated a lot of things to decide what the other 50% would be.

Although it's caused a lot of wake up in the middle of the night times, when my mind is working over time, it still has been lots of fun.  One of my items is the ubiquitous Blown Glass Plant Water Globe. (I think they need a sassier name, personally.  If you have any ideas, please post them!)

Here it is being tested by my friend Amy Sim's plant.  She has reported good results so far.  I have read reviews for others, and have heard that if your plant is in full sun, you might need two.  And if it is in full sun, these colored glass globes would look so pretty popped into their pots.  I'm thinking I might want to display some of my glass gnomes by them as well. I think they always look great in plants...a touch of whimsy never hurts.

Anyhow,  just wanted to show you one of the items I've been making.  My chandeliers will be featured in the next few days too.  I really like them a lot!

Venice Still Sinking, Dang It!

Scripps Institute of Oceanography is reporting that Venice is still sinking at about 2 mm per year.  It's also tilting a bit too.  This is due to plate tectonics. You can read more about it here.

Tiki Time

My son just celebrated another birthday and on his list were "tiki shot glasses".  He's a responsible adult with a quirky style.  I thought this was a great idea, but looking around the available merchandise was mostly plastic.  So I found some glasses and got to work with my paints.  I know they aren't perfect, but they sure were fun to make.  And I know he'll have fun using them.

And yes, of course they came with a few paper umbrellas.

It's tiki time somewhere.

Belongs to the Sea Treasury

Here is an Etsy Treasury that I'm in  Pop by so you can click on them and check out the rest of the offerings.  Here is the link.

Two of the Fall Colors...I'm In LOVE

I am so excited that one of my very favorite colors will be showcased in Fall 2012.  I love this deep rich teal color and think that everyone looks great in it.

And the other color shown that I am a big fan of is cerulean.

These aren't the Pantone colors, but ones that were in evidence during Fashion Week.  The photos come from one of my favorite websites, Refinery29.

I know that Tangerine Tango is big right now, but as a blue eyed blonde, I sure love this palette.  Orange is gorgeous, but for me, not to wear in sizable amounts.

Pay As You Wish - Tomorrow Only at the High Museum In Atlanta

Pay As You Wish

Saturday, March 24, 201210 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

On Saturday, March 24, pay what you wish all day at the High Museum in Atlanta, GA.! 


Adult, children, seniors, and students may pay whatever they wish for admission during regular Museum hours.


For more info, click HERE!

Spring Buzz on Etsy

Sometimes I go to Etsy Treasuries for a burst of inspiration.  I don't look to other glass folks, but kind of an overall type of feeling.  I saw this treasury curated by lidi of ceraminic, (which you can find here)  And I see a plethora of choices. Now to decide where to start.

Sea Shells From Glass

This is one of my favorite recently made seashells.  I made it from glass, of course, and it's a focal bead or it can just be part of a table scape or keep you company as it reminds you of a favorite vacation.

The velvety feel of it is due to a bath in acid to etch the glass.  It feels like beach sea glass, which is one of the things that I tend to keep in a pocket and just kind of rub on- its soft texture soothes.

This shell and others (I have more to list too) are in my StudioMarcy Etsy shop.  You can find them here.

Now don't worry, this blog won't be all about promoting my glass, but I have to toss in a few every now and again to let you know what's going on.  See you tomorrow!

My StudioMarcy Etsy Shop Is Being Re-Stocked

I am starting to restock my Etsy shop! Hooray.  I will be starting with some of my favorite beads which are in stock and then as I finish up some of my show deadlines, I'll be adding more new ones.  Here is Serena the Seahorse.  You can find her if you go to www.StudioMarcy.etsy.com (and see my other beads too!

Humorous Handbag

I think I looked like one of those old school cartoons, where the character does an exaggerated second look, when I first (and second) saw this handbag by Celine.  It totally cracked me up, and yet, it's color, materials and function all look great.  I just keep seeing a face with its tongue hanging out.  Did you see the same at your first look?

Modern Lightbulbs With Vintage Appeal

I found this Vintage Edison Light Bulb on www.farmhousewares.com.  Yes, they are pricey, but what a look for that special lamp or pendant.  I don't currently have the fixture for this 40 watt charmer, but I will be looking!

Bead Inspiration Through Embroidery

I'm always looking at other art and crafts as a source of inspiration.  Recently, I found this lovely blog by Mary Corbet, which offers free patterns, videos and tips & tricks.  I love beautiful needlework and wish that I had the patience to learn it, but instead, I buy it, receive it as gifts (that's what my sis used to do for me), or admire it from afar.

But meanwhile, I'll use some of the lovely patterns as inspiration.  I think this one is made for beads.  It's a great exercise in stringer control, layering dots and surface embellishment.  You could even take it a step further and make the leaves and flowers in murrine.  If you already tend to use these patterns, let us know your sources, if you don't mind sharing.  Google is my usual first stop.

See you tomorrow!

Brown Gray Palette, Moi?

Maybe it's because I'm around so much color all day and love using it, but this Martha Stewart color palette really speaks to me.  It tells me that live is serene and rest is coming in this simple, but lovely room.  They call the main color, "Mouse Gray"  (and I thought I had read, "mouse droppings gray" for the color- yikes!  Anyhow, someday I might change my more colorful existence to having a retreat in these colors (a touch more grayed aqua in it I'm sure- to add that old beach house look I love).

So my artist friends and everyone else who looks for serenity and who looks for lots more color in your home?  I like bursts of color in the main floor, but give me one room that says, you can relax and go to sleep now.

Oh, this part of her website also has a lot of other color combinations that are beautiful.  Check it out!

Ad-xactly!

I saw a blog post about Dominic Jones Jewellery and this current advertising campaign  It has a strange sense of high fashion eeriness that rather appeals to my sunshine and unicorn typical aesthetic.  Although I can't always see the actual jewelry, I do see gorgeous photography and lines of the models.  Watch how the lighting reflects and highlights, while their bodies are posed so well.  There are all these neutral tones and textures that work so well together.  Well done!

Linn's Spin on Art

I noticed this art by Linn Olofsdotter- originally from Sweden but now working independently in the U.S. for lots of clients including Levi's and Spin Magazine.  For some reason, I am drawn to her color palette and style, which is very unlike my own.  I looked at it and thought. "Ahhh, kind of trippy- but really cool."

So what's your take?  Like it? Skip it?  or maybe even find some inspiration in it.  (I wouldn't have put yellow with that grayed green, but it works, doesn't it? In a modern way.

Catch you tomorrow!

How Do You Like Them Melons?

Melon Cat has hit London's Fashion Week.  The folks at Martine Rose channeled the infamous kitty and supplied their male models with greenish hair wrapped around their heads.  I don't know about you, but I would rather that this doesn't become a big fad.  I'd much prefer this kitty's endearing mustache, if something needs to be mimicked.

Plunderers

The other day, I watched a huge flock of cedar waxwings swoop into my yard and decimate all the berries off of one large hedge within about 5-10 minutes. It was a feeding frenzy/orgy all at once. I'm for sharing, but it also is the home of one of my favorite cardinal families and I'm hoping they will still stick around.

The cedar waxwings were nice enough to drop a feather or two in my yard, which I quickly scooped up, ziploc bagged, and popped into my freezer.  I learned from Sara Sally to freeze for awhile (was it 2 weeks?), then defrost for awhile and then refreeze to be sure all the little living creatures were gone.  Instead of using these in my art, I have promised my cat Zeus, that they are earmarked, (or waxwinged) for him.  He has a penchant for feathers.

I am watching some cute tiny yellow finches feed right now and hoping that a pair of matching feathers get dropped for me. I'd love to make some earrings with them.

What do you make using nature's renewable resources?

Josh Simpson Live Streaming This Evening from Corning

Glass artist Josh Simpson and his astronaut wife, Cady Coleman will be speaking at Corning tonight.  If you're like me and nowhere close by, you can watch it on Corning's livestream network.  Just click here and it's easy to watch.  The presentation starts at 6 pm, Eastern Time.  Hope to see you there.

Surprised and Absolutely Delighted!

Family Portrait with my iPad  (some day I'll get longer arms)

So I was quietly working at my torch making beads Monday evening...thinking about what I needed to make for dinner, when I looked up and saw my daughter. 

Last I had heard, she was in New Zealand checking out the fjords with her friends after her job ended for the season in Antarctica.

I was flabbergasted.  And surprised.  And oh, so happy!  I actually let out a little scream, (I thought that was just in the movies), waved my non bead arm around and then jumped up after quickly turning off my torch.  I didn't want to finish that bead anyhow.

Apparently my husband and son, pictured above with my daughter and I, were in on the secret and had never given me any indication what was going on.  What a joy to have my entire family home at the same time.  Needless to say, I am thankful.  Because she works out of the country, we generally see her once a year for a short while.  This is a bonus visit and I am delighted to put the rest of my life on hold for a few days and just enjoy the moment.

Hope you get some Hallmark moments of your own soon too.  

Framed- In A Whimsical Way

I was hurrying to meet my friend Sylvie for breakfast, when I passed by this art shop and saw these frames in the window.

As you can tell, these are quick phone snapshots (what did we do before that?)  Anyhow, I hadn't see a lot of painted frames in retail stores like that and love the whimsy and extra pizazz that they might add.

Besides, don't you think the wood in them must be rather simple and relatively flat?  I think for all my artistic friends, (and that's most of you), this technique would be a piece of cake.

Unicorn Bike Modification

Where else, but Geekologie would you find bike modifications?  Here's the full story.  I just like the photo.

Houlihan's Call for Artists

I hope some of my U.S. artist friends have a little something to submit for this.  Here is the link for the rest of the information.  Let me know how it works out!

Witches of Bourbon Street

I just ordered my second Deanna Chase book, Witches of Bourbon Street and am excited to receive it.  Deanna is a fellow glass beadmaker, and writes a really fun book to read.  Her main character, Jade Calhoun (who coincidentally also makes glass beads), finds that she has gifts that she will need to learn how to use properly.  The setting in New Orleans is perfect for this type of tale.

I am looking forward to a hardcover copy that is autographed, (Find it here!), or for you higher tech type readers, I understand that it is Kindle, Nook and Barnes and Noble ready too.

Hope you enjoy her style of writing as much as I do.  I can't wait for my package to arrive now!

Mysterious Sculpture Sightings

I recently read that libraries have been the lucky recipients of wonderful paper sculptures left for people to find.  The artist is unknown.

What a wonderful mystery to have on one's hands and such a delight to be one of the folks able to experience this in person.

Have you left your art for people to find?  Or if you were doing this, would you find a way to watch the reaction of the people finding it?  Tell us about it.  We'd love to hear your thoughts and or stories.