Art Resource

I just discovered a website which offers royalty free artwork.  Are you familiar with Vintage Printable?

They have a lot of interesting artwork that you probably haven't been searching for, but enjoy seeing and can find some use for, if you use your imagination.  (case in point, this blog post)  I have always loved illuminated letters.

So pop by and check them out.  Lots of easily searchable categories and you're sure to find something that you can either use, or will make you smile.

See you tomorrow

Currently Fascinated With...

NUDIBRANCHS!

These are awesome!  Have you ever googled nudibranchs?  I love their colors, shapes and patterns.  Look for a new series coming out soon that mimics some that I've found.

Glass friends...see the opal yellow, periwinkle, white, ivory, ink blue...yeah, me too.  What would you use for the interior color- the one on the top layer in the middle..kind of a warm, golden brown that probably needs to be hand-mixed?  Suggestions?  That color seems to have pinkier tones in some places and grayer in others.

Okay, just thought I'd show you.  I think they could make some gorgeous oceanic organic shaped jewelry.  Better get my kiln up and running.  This will be a busy day.

Happy Friday to you!

And Away They Go Until Next Season

I'm sorting through my show inventory and putting away my Christmas beads until next year.  That's  a wonderful thing about this seasonal part...they don't go bad, and I smile when I see them the following year.

And it sure is nice to have a few glass beads and ornaments ready to sell while I'm working on the new designs.

So, enjoy your rest little beadlets.  See you in about 10 months.

ISGB's Renaissance Deadline Soon

The International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB) has a call to member artists to design a "Renaissance" bead.  I have to admit, this one has me thinking.

What would "Renaissance" look like in a bead?  I guess one answer might be ornate and gorgeous- I can think of a variety of beadmakers who do that so well and each one looks like a little treasure that you want to hold in your hand and examine over and over.

Or would one design a bead that has to do with Murano glass during the Renaissance?  Or perhaps, thinking re-birth, would that relate to nature or flames perhaps.  There are so many ways to interpret it.

I have my own ideas.  I am not sure whether I will be submitting an entry, but depending on my decision, I'll either show or tell you about it in a few days.

Happy day after....wishing you a little rest and relaxation...see you tomorrow.

Chilly Greetings to Far Away

I miss my daughter Sparky who is working in the carpentry shop in Antarctica again this year.  Holidays aren't the same, but I am thankful she is doing what she loves and is happy & healthy.  I just miss her, as Moms tend to do, when their kids aren't home.

These are my kids on a gondola many years ago - probably at Steamboat Springs where we would go skiing regularly. (Thanks Page!)  I think her early lifestyle and love of outdoors brought her to this job which she really enjoys.

To everyone out there, who is missing someone, I understand. Okay, I'm done with my personal Mom moments.  Thanks for listening.  I know in my head that this is right for her, but at special times, my heart needs a few extra minutes to catch up.

Wishing you wonderful holidays, and back to glass and creativity in just a few days.

Bangle Bracelets from Class

I took a 4 hour metal bangle bracelet class at Spruill Art Center a little while back and wanted to show you what I made.  Lots of bracelets!  Loved my teachers, Kristin and Joann.  None of the starting wire was fancy.  But it was perfect to learn the techniques.  I enjoyed the hammering more than I thought I would and quite a few of these bracelets ended up being gifts for my friends.  Nothing like handmade, I always say!

Hope your holiday is shaping up.  I think I'm headed off to go read a paperback for awhile. It's been quite a while, since I've taken time to do so.    See you tomorrow!

Our Tree Is Decorated With My Blown Glass Ornaments

Well last night we finally got our tree up.  I had enough remaining ornaments from my holiday shows, to  decorate it, so it is all my handmade work.

We took a shortcut and used our faux tree.  Back in the day when the kids were little, we used to hike up in the mountains and chop one down.  Times have changed.  With the kids living other places and with my busy season being at Christmas, we opted to use this one.  My son Grant helped us put it up and he dubbed the faux snow as "feta cheese".  So this is now the feta cheese tree.  He is kind of right.  I sure hadn't looked at it like that.  I still like the tree and am happy to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Red Shoes!

These shoes just make me smile.  They remind me of some of the Italian and French antiques that were in our home growing up.  Like someone repurposed a piece that they just had enough with.

I do not know who makes these, so if any of you readers know, please post!

The question is, would you (or is it "wood you") wear these?  And whether you like them?

Let me know.  I am curious.

Honestly, I've always been partial to red shoes.  Might be from watching Dorothy a few too many times as a child.

Santa, Could You Bring Me A Cute Robot?

Saw this painting last weekend at Gallery 1526. I love it. Maybe Santa will bring it. Got my fingers crossed.

Rocks, Paper, Scissors...Come Visit

I will be volunteering at the Spruill Art Gallery tomorrow, (Tuesday) from 10 am - 2 pm.  We'll have all kinds of wonderful artisan holiday gift ideas for you.  This one caught my eye when I was volunteering last week.  I think it would be fun to have the three little rocks, paper, scissors dishes.

And of course my blown ornaments and flameworked whimsical figurine ornaments are there too, through Christmas.  These are especially good if you have a small tree.  They are smaller sized.

The address is: 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Road, Atlanta, GA.
(770) 394-4019
Pop by and visit.  (great other shopping in the Periment area as well.)

Atlanta Handmade Gift Fair.. Come See Me!

Doesn't this look like fun??  This will be my first year selling here and I am excited to see all the different items as well.  They look awesome.  Come see me and meet my new friends.  11-6 Saturday.

Flameworking Icons

It's not often that you see two glass icons working in the same room, while you're in class.  We were lucky to have Hans Godo Frabel stop by FlameTree Glass during our Loren Stump class.

He was showing owner, Lance McRorie how he makes his gorgeous large holiday ornaments (I so wish I had gotten a photo of it, so beautiful).  And Loren hadn't had a chance to see him work before either. I snapped a quick picture from across the room.  I didn't want to bother them.  But to see two flameworking icons sitting together and chatting, was pretty special.

Creative Shirt Design

It's not too often that little people's T shirts catch my attention.  I mean I've been out of the loop for a long time and no sign of my kids settling down.  I just haven't been in the market to buy them.

This T shirt is one that made me stop and look.  I remember lots of little boys loving dinosaurs, and this one captures one's' imagination right away.  You can show what you like, and act it out.

So what I don't understand, is why don't they make these for adults?  Dog lovers everywhere could rejoice.  Car lovers could have the hood of their car open and you can see inside.  Dentists can show you exactly where you need to get a filling, just by imitating that "YO!" stance.

Personally, I think a venus flytrap could be pretty awesome on one of these too.

You can find this Dinosaur shirt at the Smithsonian gift shop right here.

Snow White From My Loren Class

I wanted to show you a couple of photos from my Loren Stump 'Toon class.  He made this Snow White  during class.  It started out when I naively asked, "can you show me how you would make a simple small and sweet princess face?  I get asked to do them for Beads of Courage sometimes."

I thought it would be a 10-15 minute response, but obviously, it wasn't.

We got to see her from start to finish.  Looking at my little kids' Disney book for reference.  Choosing the rods colors.  (he is a fan of Creation is Messy's glass for skin colors).  Making the face murrine as shown in the background. And even Maureen McRorie heating up masses of rods for the yellow skirt.  Wish I had gotten a photo of that.  She had both hands full of rods over the biggest flame melting them as quickly as possible.  It was a delight to see him work like that and this Snow White is now living at FlameTree Glass.

And yes, the top half had to be garaged for part of it.  And she had to be reworked a bit with some of the crown popping off.  We learned how to fix things and what started out as just a "head" being done to show me, turned into a full person.  And one of the things I really noticed is how hard it is to keep those arms from moving around while the rest is being done.  I should have asked him why they weren't put on last.

I have one more photo from class that deserves its own post.  So you'll see that in the future.  Have a happy day.

Japanese Water Roller Coaster

I recently read that Yokohama, Japan has this awesome Vanish rollercoaster ride at Cosmo Land.  Look at the steep drop, into what appears to be water, but is a clear tunnel.

I know this one would have me screaming, but it does look like a lot of fun.

Let me know what fun excitement you've recently had in your life...
See you tomorrow with some glass chat.

Simba to Snow Globes

I'm sorry!  I haven't been on every day.  The Loren Stump Toon Class is keeping me really busy.  This is a late night photo of one of the beads we are making in class.  Loren's Simba.  I started making mine at 10 last night, so I know that mine didn't look at all like this one!  The kiln will tell when I get in there this morning,

Today is the last day of class and we're making miniature snow globes. I'm really looking forward to that.

Our Loren Stump class is going great at FlameTree Glass.  On our first day, we worked on line placement and started making components for our first murrine....  Jack's mouth.

We'll get to that today as well as more line placement.  How to be specific in what we're doing.  Simple concepts that aren't easily achieved.

So wish me luck, and a bit of stamina, lol.  I love this class though and recommend Loren's Toons Class to all- but especially sculptural soft glass folks.

Hope to see you tomorrow.  If I'm not sleeping in a bit.

Class Starts Today

Besides teaching glass, I love taking glass classes.  This week, I'm taking a Loren Stump class called "Toons".  I think it will be time to channel our inner Disney.  The Disney I always liked was Cinderella and their wonderful movies when I was growing up.  But sometimes we get requests from Beads of Courage, that definitely call for other Disney skills.  I'm hoping to learn from one of the best and to learn other skills that will apply to my other work that I do.  I know the class will be great fun and it's a my local glass shop, FlameTree Glass.  They are great folks.

So my blog posts might be a bit intermittent over the next few days. But I will show you what we make and chat about what I'm learning.

See you sometime soon

Oh What A View!

This past weekend it was fun setting up shop at the Chattahoochee Nature Center Holiday Market.  The staff and public were great to be around.  But I wanted to show you the view from behind my booth.  I had this huge window right behind me.  And although it was a bit toasty when the sun was coming straight through, I really loved the view of the Nature Center grounds and out to the river and the deck just on the other side of the window.

If you are in the Atlanta area, my next show (and final one of this year)  will be The Handmade Gift Fair at Gallery 1526 -  Saturday, Dec. 15th from 11am to 6pm.  Address:  1526 Dekalb Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA  (Pretty close to the Edgewood/ Candler Park MARTA Station.)  This is my first year with them and it looks like a fun group.  Acoustic guitar, free henna tattoos, face painting for kids, free admission and 25 artisans.

Come See Me At the Chattahoochee Nature Center

If you are in the Metro Atlanta Area today, I will be at the Roswell Chattahoochee Nature Center's Holiday Market today, 10-4pm.  (I'm in the Discovery Center building, near the gift shop)  Free admission too!

I love this venue.  It's full of people who care about what is living around us and their children's and adult programs are wonderful.  such a pretty setting too! When you're done, you can walk along the river and enjoy the views.  Or bring bread to feed the ducks.

I will have small handmade glass ornaments, like this bird loving St. Nick, and so many more items.  From housewares, to jewelry to snowglobes!  Come by and see me.  (and if you are hungry, their French cafe food service is delicious!

9135 Willeo Rd. Roswell, GA 30075.  (not too far from Flametree Glass!) www.chattnaturecenter.org/holiday-market.  770-992-2055.