Southern Flames & Sara Beach Demo

My friend Sara Beach did the demo at Southern Flames last night.  She was blowing sweet little pendant sized bottles from borosilicate tubing.   And what a great demo it was too.  She brought lots of examples and made three little bottles.  One sign of a successful demo is that it makes the viewer want to try it.  I'll do it.

I love the ease of these local, regionalized meetings.  You see your friends, you chat about glass and then get to watch someone melt glass and show you what they love to do.

But I am sad that our membership is fading.  What used to be a vibrant, energized group, has shrunken down to quite small and now they are not sure how they will maintain their meetings, pay for the space and what direction they should go.

Is anyone else in a group like this?  The energy seems to be waning and yet the volunteers are still working hard to bring you a monthly program that is interesting and relevant. Let me know what you are doing to keep the spark going.

Polarized Lens

A photographer accidentally dropped his Canon Camera into a Polar Bear exhibit at his zoo.  The bear thought it might be edible and proceeded to attempt to eat it.

...and that gives new meaning to a polarized lens.

bada bing!  (cool pics though, aren't they?)

Peace 'N Love Dove

There is something about what this bird and branch symbolizes that touches me somewhere inside. Perhaps it's because there is so much strife in our lives and in the much bigger picture, this world.  The dove and olive branch together go back to at least the 4th Century.  (How's that for Old School?)

So I made a classic piece about peace and I put a bird on it.  

You can find the dove and olive branch in my Etsy shop.  It can be worn as a pendant or used as an ornament.  If you need help wire wrapping to hang it, I can do that.  Find it here.

Charmed by the Minions, I'm Sure

I am participating in the Art Charm Exchange and Blog Hop today and what is most important, (besides admiring my Minion Charms) and visiting everyone's blogs, is that there is also a Beads of Courage auction with a set of charms - information later in this post.

Our theme for the charms is laughter and we were to make something that reminded us of the word, or makes us laugh.  I chose the latter.

I love little brightly colored robot space guys. Yes, a non techie, who does. I think it goes back to the 60's wind up ones that I always thought was cool.  So thinking that folks attached to Beads of Courage might be bidding on the auction, I designed a charm that might appeal to their child, or their inner child which might make them smile too.

And I have this air stream like small planter that seemed to fit with the scene.  Of course they would always look cute on root growing sweet potatoes, but I've done that already.  It was time for a different photo.

Now, here is the info on the Beads of Courage Auction....The url is:  http://myworld.ebay.com/glassaddictions and it should be up some time today, we hope. If not, check back soon.

And don't forget to visit my fellow charm loving and making teammates.  I know you'll get a kick out them too.

Alenka Obid http://pepita-handmade.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-exchage-reveal.html

Alicia Marinache http://www.allprettythings.ca/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal-blog-hop-and-auction.html   

Babette Cox http://babettecox.com/blog.htm

Carol Watson http://www.carolwatsonartglass.blogspot.com

Carolyn Chenault  http://carolynchenault.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/beads-of-courage-auction/ 

Cassi Paslick http://cassisbeads.blogspot.com/2012/11/beads-of-courage-charm-swap-reveal.html

Charlene Jacka http://clay-space.com/2012/11/early-christmas/

Cheri Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/2012/11/to-participate-in-charm-swap-you-must.html

Cheryl McCloud http://cherylmccloud.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal-blog-hop-and-beads-of.html

Deb Kauzlarich http://debkauzlarich.blogspot.com  

Denielle Hagerman http://somebeadsandotherthings.com  

Emma Todd  http://apolymerpenchant.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap-in-aid-of-boc.html

Erin Prais-Hintz http://treasures-found.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap-laugh.html

Ginger Bishop http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-exchange-2012.html

Inge vonRoos http://ingetraud.wordpress.com

Jean Peter http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com/ http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-charm-swap.html

Jeannie K Dukic http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog/2012/11/12/beads-of-courage/

Jennifer Cameron http://wp.me/p1xIa0-wn

Kia Dallons http://kiadallonsstudio.blogspot.jp/2012/11/laughter-is-best-medicine.html

Kimberly Roberts http://bahamadawn.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap.html

Kristi Bowman  http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal-hop.html 

Lea Avroch http://lajewelrydesign.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-beads-of-courage-art-charm-swap.html

Leslie Schenkel http://twistedchicken.wordpress.com/?p=171

Linda Florian http://www.lilysofthevalleyjewelry.blogspot.com/

Lori Greenberg http://lorigreenberg.com/blog

Lynnea Bennett http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com  

Mallory Hoffman http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-time-has-come-art-charm-blog-reveal.html

Marcy Lamberson http://studiomarcy.blogspot.com/2012/11/charmed-by-minions-im-sure.html

Marsha Neal Studio http://marshanealstudio.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-exchange-and-beads-of-courage.html

Maureen Connolly http://mrsbeadsley.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-reveal.html 

Melissa Meman http://melissameman.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap-blog-hop.html

Monique Urquhart http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/2012/11/charmed-im-sure.html

Natalie McKenna http://www.grubbi.co.uk/ 

Perri Jackson  http://shaktipajdesigns.com/11/blog/reveal-the-laughter-art-charms/

Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-exchange-auction-and-reveal.html

Robin Koza http://www.robinkoza.com  

Shaiha Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-hop.html

Shannon Hicks  http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Shelby Foxwell http://sundownbeaddesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal.html   

Shelley Graham Turner http://shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com/2012/11/reveal-2012-charm-swap.html

Shirley Moore http://beadsandbread.blogspot.com/2012/11/beads-of-courage-art-charm-reveal.html

Stephanie Haussler http://pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/laughter-art-bead-charm-swap-auction.html

Susan Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com/2012/11/beads-of-courage-charm-swap-reveal-and.html

Toltec Jewels http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/2012/11/BOCArtCharmRevealBlogHop.html

Vanessa Gilkes http://culturezine.com/blog/

Elegant Elf Show- Visit Today

In case you're near the Atlanta metro area, today is my final day at the Elegant Elf show in Sandy Springs from 9 - 5 today.  I really am enjoying the other vendors there as well.  I am across the aisle from Susan McDuffie, whose work is lovely.  She has a wrap that keeps beckoning me as I look out across the aisle.

And then there is character extraordinaire, Jake of 2 Jakes Knives, who makes gorgeous handmade knives.  Many with antler handles.  We don't have a need for that, but they really are gorgeous and he has a wonderful sense of humor.

So pop by, if you can.  I've made other friends there too, and of course in the artisan way, I have traded with others, and gotten a little holiday shopping done.  I love that aspect.  It is win/win for all of us.

See you Monday.  I'm taking tomorrow off to put my feet up.

Happy Movember!

Happy Movember!  You know what that is, don't you?  It's when manly men grow their facial hair for mens health awareness and fundraising for it.

I'm a big fan of Movember (Moustache + November).  I love mustaches.  When I met my hubby he had an awesome one and so did his brothers.  If you are old like I am, he looked a lot like Father Guido Sarducci on Saturday Night Live.   I've been trying to get him to grow it back for awhile, but for some strange reason, it has a lot of grey in it now and he doesn't like it as much.

And by the way, if you like mustache items, this necklace can be found here.  But I really enjoy heading over to www.etsy.com and doing a search for them.  I even found mustache cookie cutters there.

Hoofing It

Montreal designer Maskull Lasserre has made amazing shoes that leave animal footprints when they are used on the right kind of surface.  Think snowy sidewalks, and that kind of situation.  They were tested in New York and Canada.  Can you imagine walking down the city street and noticing deer hoot prints in front of you? That would be pretty amusing and amazing.  For more info, you can click here.

I'm just trying to decide which kind of prints I would want on the bottom of my shoes. Probably something that would look like Big Foot or bear tracks would be cool too...I don't know.  What would you want?