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.

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!

Beads of Courage's Stash Low- Beadmakers- HELP!

Beads of Courage has been helping a lot of kids recently and are REALLY LOW on inventory.  Here is a link for the form and address. Please help if you have a some spare lampwork beads- they need Acts of Courage beads, which means anything that has at least a 3/32 smooth hole.

I know the program, and especially the kids will appreciate your donation.  Thanks!

Soda Lime Times

I am blown away by Diane Woodall's Soda Lime Times.  If you are a beadmaker, you will love this publication.

Diane includes interviews, techniques, fabulous photos, tool reviews, tutorials and just about everything you can think of done with flair.  I am impressed with the content, layout and everything else in it and highly recommend it.

You can find information about the Soda Lime Times by clicking here.

Winter Fairy Sketch

Are you drawn to the restaurants that have the white paper tablecloths like I am?  I can have an entire conversation with my husband and sketch the entire time. I love it.

This is a sketch I made while at dinner.  Sometimes pictures just kind of "appear" and are not pre-planned.  I had been thinking about softness and movement and wondering about angles and how they would translate in glass...and whether people would like a bead that is totally profile, instead of the traditional front on view?  ...and of course, I thought about pockets and how I would make them in glass.

Isn't that what you think about while at dinner?  Tell me what you sketch when a piece of paper is put in front of you and you're focused on other things.  I'd love to know.