TBK

After hanging out at Signature Gallery's opening, we popped down to TBK, (The Big Ketch) for a quick bite. (sounds like a fish joke coming up to me.)

Sorry, no joke.  I just wanted to show you their pendant lighting.  It was simple metal circles painted on the inside a kind of coppery color that in smaller sizes would look cool in a kitchen or dining room to update them.  I'm trying to figure out what to do in my kitchen which was last updated about 25 years ago.

I'll take any renovation hints from all of you.  I sure could use them  I like bright and airy as a rule.  And plenty of the outdoors coming in.  

Water Balloon Photography

Creative advertising whiz, Tim Tadder  who has scads of success, has put together these photos. They catch the moment a water balloon explodes and forms a water wig on a bald head.  I find them pretty spectacular.

Corning Comes to Atlanta...Mark Your Calendars

High Museum plays host, and you are invited.  Here's the schedule according to the High Museum's website.  Hope you can make it.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

10:30 a.m.                        You Design It; We Make It!

11:15 a.m.                        You Design It; We Make It!

1:00 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

1:45 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

2:30 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

3:15 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

4:00 p.m.                          You Design It; We Make It!

6:30 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

Thursday, September 13, 2012

10:30 a.m.                        Glasblowing demonstration

11:15 a.m.                        Glassblowing demonstration 

1:00 p.m.                          You Design It; We Make It!

1:45 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

2:30 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

3:15 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

4:00 p.m.                          You Design It; We Make It!

6:15 p.m.                          Guest Artist Session with Richard Jolley

Friday, September 14, 2012

3:00 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

3:45 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

4:30 p.m.                          You Design It; We Make It!

7:00 p.m.                          Guest Artist Session with Johanna Grawunder

7:45 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration 

8:30 p.m.                          Guest Artist Session with Johanna Grawunder

Saturday, September 15, 2012

10:30 a.m.                        Glassblowing demonstration (Members only)

11:15 a.m.                        Glassblowing demonstration

1:00 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

1:45 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

2:30 p.m.                          You Design It; We Make It!

3:15 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

4:00 p.m.                          Late Show

Sunday, September 16, 2012

12:30 p.m.                        Glassblowing demonstration (Members only)

1:15 p.m.                          Guest Artist Session with Gyun Hur

2:00 p.m.                          Glassblowing demonstration

2:45 p.m.                          You Design It; We Make It!

3:30 p.m.                          Guest Artist Session with Gyun Hur

4:00 p.m.                          Late Show

Southern Flames Bead Exchange- Lucky Me!

Last week, our Southern Flames chapter of beadmakers met for our super fun annual bead exchange.  Of course, the word "exchange" is used loosely, because it's that old game of everyone put something in the center and take turns either opening up a newly wrapped package or stealing from someone else.

 This time, I stole.  Sylvie Lansdowne makes these funny "unfortunate pets" beads, and this drawer pull with a kitty was her exchange bead this year.  It makes me smile.

I am thinking this might end up becoming one of my drawer pulls in my studio.  I might just need to buy a companion to make it a pet set.  Or perhaps fix up my old studio dresser and collect a variety of drawer pulls from my glass friends...

See you tomorrow!

Southern Staple...18 Years Late

Okay I admit I was a bit chicken to try boiled peanuts.  I have always heard that they can be a bit slimy.  Well, after living in the South 18 years now, I have finally tried them and understand why some people love them.

They came to our table nice and warm and the peanuts had a softened, but still chewy texture to them.  And as a non meat protein source, I get it.  Now, if someone offers me some, I'll have a few.  And in the future, maybe I'll be a bit more adventurous.

Well, maybe....

Vistaprint's Smart Marketing

I was intrigued and slightly amused at finding this image in my email in box the other morning.  Vistaprint has been my go-to, inexpensive source for some of my marketing materials.  I'm always finding a discount here or there.

Well, what made me smile, is that they used the image of on of my business cards in the email ad.  How smart is that?  Of course it would catch my eye.  (Do you see it directly to the left of their discount offer in purple?  And as the eye reads from left to right, I would naturally spot my card and then continue reading the rest of the offer.)  Smart cookies!

I am sure they have some wonderful software that does that.  But if anyone reading this blog knows of something that can personalize each direct mail piece like this, I'd love to know about it.  Wouldn't that be snazzy!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.  I have a full day of private lessons tomorrow, but my blog will continue on Monday for sure.

Photos With Glass Rod Colors Already Shown

Oh how I love Design-Seeds, let me count the ways.  

Have you ever noticed how it even shows you which colors you need to choose from your lampwork glass rods?  Pretty easy, isn't it?  I see Dark Periwinkle, Zachary, Pearl Gray and Dark Ivory.  The green might be dark transparent grass green or perhaps the hue you get when you mix pea green and black together. Sweet!  

Now that I've pointed out the ease, can you show me what you make from this inspiration?  I'd love to see it.

I'm off to torch!  Catch you tomorrow.

Still Loving Sea Shells

I love making seashells in glass.  I think most artists have their "go-to" pieces.  Whether it's just to relax for a few minutes or something that isn't so frustrating and always makes them smile.  Well shells fit that bill for me.

Here is one of my favorites.  I have etched it so it has the well worn, velvety feel, as if it has washed up on the beach recently. And I can assure you that there is no living organism inside. ;)

See you tomorrow!

Playing With Alcohol Inks and Colored Metal Patinas

This weekend I attended a short class on using alcohol inks at the Intergalactic Bead Show in Atlanta.  I have a few inks that were gifts and I also bought Lisa Liddy's Metal Me This brand, which has such beautiful colors.  But I wanted to watch other people use them and learn some tips and tricks.

We used the Ranger Brand in class. Those are teacher samples in the above photo.  I learned with this brand, our teacher felt that they needed some of the metal inks as a base, in order to be really visible.

So we put the base onto brass and copper blanks and then added inks and dried them with the heat gun. 

And sanded our pieces to bring up the embossed patterns.  

I found that true to character, I was most interested in mixing colors and seeing what shades I would get with different techniques used.  My classmates seemed mostly color focused as well.  And some were just class junkies.  I could be that way, given the opportunity.

So now that I have tried the basics, I'll be experimenting some more.  I'm excited to open up Lisa's Color Me This sample kit that I got on her Etsy site, MetalMeThis and try hers now.  Her colors are always lovely. And Lisa posted a comment that clarified that her colorants are not inks, but patinas.  Oh this is good news- I won't need a heat gun or have as much hassle with this brand.  Looking forward to trying them very soon!  

I'll post what I make in the near future.  But in the meanwhile, how about if you post comments about what you've done with alcohol inks or  Lisa's patinas and how you like to use them?  Thanks!

Funny T Shirt

Walking back and forth to the Convention Center in Bellevue WA, provided a little bit of entertainment, as we'd pass the Vietnamese restaurant, "What the Pho".

Other friends were equally amused and on my way out of town, I stopped by and picked up a t-shirt. A nearby town had an equally funny named restaurant, "Pho Shizzle".  Unfortunately, I missed buying a t-shirt from that one.  Next time....

I found this pine cone in my driveway which caught my eye.   I love its shape.  Although I know that they open in spirals,  I do wonder what caused this one to stop its process.

But what made me stop, is because its form makes me think that it would become a lovely bead somehow.  I don't think in pine cone colors, but perhaps another way.

Does it inspire you too? If so, what would you make?  What colors?  Tell me how you would use it  to make your art.

Beads of Courage Needs Acts of Courage Donations

My headline pretty much says it all.  Beads of Courage is low and trying really hard to supply all the hospitals that they are affiliated with.  Is there a chance you can help?  Here is the link to their donation page which also gives you their address, what kind of beads qualify, (just about anything as long as it doesn't have metallics on the surface, sharp edges, annealed and well cleaned.  Pretty easy to find some spares, isn't it?)  And from my experience, kids love the less than perfect ones just as much.  I save mine with the slightly crooked smiles, color experiments or just doodling around, because I know some child will enjoy them very much. (As pictured in the photo above- some of the loot that will be heading their way:)

http://www.beadsofcourage.org/pages/beadartists.htm

Here's a little story.  One time I was visiting one of the Atlanta hospitals with the Beads of Courage program and kids were coming by and picking out a special bead.  There were all kinds of fancy beads in the tray, but a little boy kept pouring through them.  His fingers were moving them around until his face lit up.  He found a very simple but really nice royal blue bead and said this was the very bead he had been dreaming about.  It had no decoration on it, but to him it was just perfect. That was when we were asking the kids to design a Dream Bead and he told me that he had just found his Dream Bead and didn't need anything else.  The beadmaker happened to be present and told him that she had brought two, so you can imagine his delight when he found and got to take the second one as well.

That stuck with me.  We don't have to submit the fanciest beads. Each of us makes something that will touch someone's soul and will be special to them for the rest of their lives.

I'm hoping you'll join me in a donation in the near future.  It makes a big difference to these kids, and I don't know about you, but I get just as much from it as they do.

Glass Rooster Bead Redux

Just wanted to show you the final photo on the lampwork bead that I'm sending out for Beads of Courage. After blogging on Tuesday about my designing in glass references, now you can see the outcome.   I think it definitely reads "rooster" and although the legs are a bit shorter and thicker than in real life, I wanted them to be a bit sturdier for practicality.

Wishing you a wonderful day and see you tomorrow.

OMG! Goes Way Back In History

OMG! So who knew that Winston Churchill had someone say OMG to him back in 1917?  This letter was recently revealed.  It's always said that it's hard to be original.  I guess this just reinforces what we know.  Read on...looks like Lord Fisher likes to use exclamation points a lot too.  Thanks to Lost At E Minor for the information.

Rooster Beads

I just had a request for a glass rooster lampwork focal bead.  I wanted to show you how Google is such a big help as I design what I want to create.

For this one, I chose a face close up, to get the eyes and those hanging things (ha ha, I am such a technical person), as well as a good look at a the comb.  (I got one of the terms correct!)

And then I chose two real roosters as much for their coloring as well as their profile.  I love how the shape reminds me a bit of a heart.  And the final two pictures include two that aren't real.  I like to see how other artists capture the essence of what they see as important to the bird.

What I don't do, is look at other glass artists' renditions of roosters.  Even though this is a special request from Beads of Courage, I don't want to even accidentally take on any characteristics of their work.  I want to keep it my own.  If I happen to end up with a similar style that has been done, I always know in my mind that there wasn't an influence from my glass friends.

Is this the way you work too?  Would love to hear about it.  (or if you know what those hangy down thingys are called.)

Now I'm off to make one or two and get them in the kiln.  I'll show you the results in a day or two.

Fall Colors in 104 COE Glass

I've been looking at the Pantone fashion Color Report for Fall 2012 and seeing a good number of the hues are already represented in my glass palette.  Have you been thinking about that, too?

I kind of like Messy Glass's Mink for the French Roast and their Stone Ground for the Honey Gold shade.

Pink Flambe (where did that accent mark go?) has me a bit stumped.  I'm contemplating on that one.  No simple solution, but a combination to make it.  (Kathy Seamands- can you hear me?  Could you please make this one, please?)

Tangerine Tango makes me think of Clockwork and Pantone's Ultramarine Green looks like Messy's Jade Palace to me.  The Bright Chartreause I'd head over to Vetrofond's Verde Muschio  Oh I love that color.  Not for it alone, but how it is found in nature and works to make so many other colors pop!

Olympian Blue reminds me of Electric Avenue (CiM) and Titanium could be Effetre's Dark Gray or perhaps Oliphaunt (Ltd. Run CiM).  Rhapsody could be a paler hue of Evil Queen or maybe Effetre's Soft Violet/New Violet.  And finally, Rose Smoke looks like my Vetrofond Seashell might work or perhaps Messy's Chai which is a Limited Run.

I am so open to other interpretations.  Have a better color match?  Please post and let all of us know.  I know there are always more possibilities and interpretations.  Now let's all get out there and sell some beads!  Working with the Fall Colors, might just increase our sales.

See you soon!

I'm So Happy To Be Home

I heart being home!

Okay, so I admit that I wasn't posting as much as I'd like over the last three week, but I was busy!  While at the Gathering, I taught a 2 day class, co-taught a teaching the teacher class, was filmed and then spoke for the International Society of Glass Beadmakers conference, and participated in all the activities.  Then before the first conference was over, I joined a second conference also in Washington where I taught three classes and participated in that group's activities as well.  (Plus I got a little sightseeing!)  Then I came home and my daughter arrived for her visit prior to leaving for Antarctica next week.  You know how when you want to get in every available minute with someone how you kind of give up on sleeping the amount you should?  Yes, that's me.

I can very easily admit...I'm kind of tired.

So this weekend will be a bit slower.  I'm still unpacking, cleaning, and reassuring my wonderful cat Zeus, that I'm home for a bit.

 I am also teaching a "Beach" class at Flametree Glass tomorrow from 12-2, in case you want a quick sculpture class (www.flametreeglass.com)  I know there's still a little room, in case you'd like to join us.

I'll post more later this week to fill you in on my prior weeks' adventures and some of my purchases.  (making sure the economy stays strong, you know?)  Glad to be back.  See you Sunday.

Jimmy Cheese Shoes

From a distance, these shoes look like fashion frou frou.  Lots of details, neutral colors and a good size heel.  Well study them up closely my friend.  These are Jimmy Cheese Shoes by fashion student Lisa Dillon.  The heels are sculpted cheddar and a stale cheese sandwich was used for part of the platform sole.

They are part of a full line of cheese shoes and accessories that was commissioned by Pilgrims Choice Cheddar for short term display.

These are well done and I hope she received an A for her efforts.

Overhead View

I took this photo earlier this month because I love how it looks like a textural maze.

Do you take photos of odd scenery too? Like what?