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!

Lampworker Shannon Hill Needs Our Help

If you've been on some of the lampwork forums, you might already be aware that fellow lampwork glass artist, Shannon Hill is quite sick. He was recently diagnosed with Lung Cancer, and according to reports, "it's bad". But worse, Shannon doesn't have medical insurance.

So needless to say, the lampwork community has banded together and found multiple ways that you can help, if you can.

1. Buy some raffle tickets that benefit Shannon here. Great selection and watch for additional items being added. Tickets are only $5 and it's paypal. You can also donate items for the raffles here too. I'm giving you fair notice, I'd really love to win that Poppy Vetrofond glass. But if you get it, I'll still be your friend.

2. Visit Shannon's website and order some of his gorgeous beads. He has some beauties. And as an old married woman I'm allowed to say this...enjoy his bio photo while you're there.

3. Not in the mood for beads or raffle tickets? What about his great instructional dvd or video?

4. You can donate directly to his paypal account by logging into paypal and using his paypal address (which is found at the bottom of this page) to send money. Just be sure to write a note and tell him who you are and what it is for, please.

I do not know Shannon personally, but have always heard such nice things about him. I am hoping that those who are able to, will try to help in some very small way. Send him healing thoughts, prayers and well wishes and know that this is one of the real spirits of the season.

See you tomorrow with some tips I recently picked up and don't forget, I just added a 25% or More SALE section to my etsy shop...
Marcy

Ask Studio Marcy...Online Coaching Now Taking Requests

I woke up this morning thinking about all the lovely responses I received from offering a free mini tutorial earlier this week. Thanks everyone for your kind words.

So my natural progression both from being happy from hearing that, is to wonder what else can I do that will be nice for the lampwork community?

It came to me... Online Coaching.

I am a lampwork teacher. I love it. Helping beadmakers achieve what they want to do and then seeing their smiles afterward really makes me excited. There's nothing like it.

I can share my 8 years of glass experience and we can all learn from this. I know that there are lots of lampworkers out here in cyber land who don't have the luxury of classes being taught in their hometowns. (That's one of the things I love about Atlanta- we get great teachers here!)

So here's how I'd like to set this up:
a. I will do this twice a month - every other week to start. We'll see how it goes.
b. Hopefully, this will be a semi interactive situation. Where someone will offer one of their beads as an example and I'll both post their photo and comments and then provide suggestions that might include tips, techniques, color suggestions, etc. in a kind and supportive manner so it is a group learning experience.
c. And the readers who are following this, may offer their opinions also as long as they are in a kind and supportive manner. (I moderate all posts, so only those types of posts will be allowed)
d. I'd like to try to keep this to the sculptural area, to encourage more people to try it.
e. Now the nitty gritty.
1. Email me through my blog contact form on- www.StudioMarcy.com. You can send a photo, 72 dpi and no larger than 1000 x 1000. I can't choose everyone, but I'll try to find the photos which provide a great learning experience for everyone viewing it. I will respond to everyone though. Please include the word "Coach" in the subject line. Also tell me what you would like to know, your website or etsy shop name if you'd like, (hey, additional pr is always good), what kind of torch you use, glass type, and any other back ground info or pertinent info you'd like to tell me.
2. If you are chosen, your name will be placed in a hat for a quarterly drawing for one of my beads.

And I would be remiss if I didn't pop in a plug for my teaching gigs. As I mentioned, I love teaching. If you or your group would like to learn more about sculptural glass beadmaking in person, I'm an empty nester and love to travel. Please contact me for my class syllabus and other info at
www.StudioMarcy.com

Please share this opportunity with others. Blog it, post it in forums, or where ever we can get volunteers to try this concept. Now let's get this party started! Who will be first?
Cheers,
Marcy