Getting Ready For Blue Moon In Austin

I am excited to be teaching in Austin next week at Blue Moon Glassworks. My two day Pets Class is so much fun. It is the same one I taught at the ISGB Gathering last year. We will work on a range of dogs and cats, of course, but will also touch on a small rodent (we actually had a pet rat when my kids were little, but no fear, this one is the much cuter hamster) and of course we will do a bird too. But my favorite part is when each student will use their photos and will design and make their own personal pet! I love how excited students are when they make their special family member...like an inner glow comes forth. Totally awesome.

Tomorrow I will tell you about my other class.
If you are interested in classes Blue Moon, you can reach Jim and Rose Berry by emailing.
Jim@austinbluemoon.com. Or check out the website at www.austinbluemoon.com

ps  I had to include a photo every blog, so this is yesterday's test kitty with a bird on her head .  Haven't made this style before, so have plenty to tweak.  But wanted to show you my first try.  It will be fun to see where it goes.  Can you tell I wanted to try one with color?

Zeus and I Are Almost Famous PLUS Learn About Facebook's New Search Coming Soon

Tim Adam of Handmadeology recorded a video about the new Facebook Graph Search that will be debuting soon.  He showed some of the new search functions.

Well as I was watching to learn about it, I saw my cat Zeus and I  appear under one of the functions.  And there is another photo too.  So while you are learning about the new search (HERE), look for us starting at about 1:50 through 2:08 -ish.  Zeus is waiting for his big break as an internet sensation, but I told him that he has to do more than sleep and look good.  And he isn't up to learning any cool tricks.

Enjoy the video and see what's new for Facebook.  Thanks to Tim Adam and his wonderful sharing of information.

See you tomorrow!

Atlanta Contemporary Jewelry Show- Woot!

I am so excited because today is the opening of the Atlanta Contemporary Jewelry Show.  I go each year with some of my good friends to enjoy the show and lunch afterward.

One of the reasons I love it so much, is that Carolyn Morris Bach will be there.  There is something about her work that I totally adore.  There is always a group at her booth salivating (and buying).  I tend to be one of them.  Perhaps it's her love of owls and birds on her pieces that make us a small bit kindred spirits.  I always love to see nature incorporated in jewelry.

Another favorite is Ricky Frank who creates lovely contemporary enamel pieces.  My good friends and I are going to take one of his classes next year.  It is an art form, I would love to explore.  I think it's his use of gorgeous colors that entrances me as well as his color blending.  I seem to go back to my roots of watercolors often where the blending and colors play such an important role.

So as you're reading this, I'm probably thinking about how the various 28 jewelry artists have inspired me somehow.  And look for some of that inspiration to leak out after the first of the year when I have a chance to have a bit of a breather after the holiday season.  Who knows what  that will bring.

Meanwhile, check out the links above and do a little dreaming yourself.

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!  Enjoy your day and ....perfect reason to indulge in a little chocolate.

Another Fun Hotel This Week

From a Hostel with a pirate flag last week, to a Riverboat Hotel this week, it's been quite a series of trips.  (Next week's hotel is a lot tamer!)

We're staying on the docked Delta King Riverboat this time.  Built in 1927, it is the sister ship to the famous Delta Queen.
(and if you are wondering-  no, Zeus didn't get to come along- he's home with the house sitter).

I'll tell you more about this trip next week, after I compile my photos.  See you then!

Transparent Red Glass Leaf...Va Va Voom!

I love this transparent red glass leaf pendant with veins.  It is worn vertically and can be seen in my Etsy shop, http://www.StudioMarcy.etsy.com along with other new bead selections.  I made it of mandrel and of course, it's one of a kind. Check out all my new beads. I'm so happy to be listing again.

Hot Times in Asheville, NC

So do we look busy?  Here is just a small portion of the group from Hot Times this year.  We all look so focused, but there was a ton of laughs and chatting going on too.  We were just caught at the right time!

The demonstrators were Becky Mason and her sister Diane Woodall, Ann Scherm Baldwin (Schermo) and Terry Hale.  We all learned new things, tried out each others' tools, different glass, and traded tips and tricks.

I was delighted to help some of the members of the group with their sculptural projects.

Can you pick me out of the group?  Lots of blondes at our table.

I'll post more, but wanted to give you the highlights with the demonstrators first.

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.

Sixty Ladybugs for Beads of Courage...Done!

It's bug season.  Ladybug Stars for Beads of Courage have been populating my studio recently.  You can see most of the 60 that I completed in this photo.  I have made it as a limited edition 100 beads and all are completed now. (can you see me doing a happy dance over here?)

This bead was designed by a young Pittsburgh patient for Beads of Courage.  I took her drawing, and did my best to interpret it in glass.  We even emailed, so we could come up with a design on the back-  which is the flower that you see.  You can buy these fundraising beads from Beads of Courage here.

And of course, I have to tell you about the BoC book.  My bead is on the cover along with the Jester bead that my friend Stephanie White made.  You can find the $14 book here.  It's a small book that has photos of each of the beads offered.  The different ones were each designed by someone associated with Beads of Courage- patients, medical staff, etc.  And then interpreted by members of the lampwork community.

So I know that this post is kind of a sales pitch, but it's for a great cause and not for me.  I love this organization and have personally seen what a difference it makes in these kids and their family's lives during their illness.  And it makes me see the strength and courage it takes to get through all of it.  I am in awe.

Hope you have a wonderful week.  See you right here tomorrow!

Hola! Dora the Explorer

There was a request for a special Dora bead for a special 4 year old little girl through Beads of Courage.
Ashley from Beads of Courage lets us beadmakers know, when it is important to make it quickly and get it in.  I understand the meaning and was able to respond for this one.

I was especially happy she had chosen Dora because Dora represents Courage.  And that is a big part of what this wonderful Beads of Courage is about.

Here's hoping this little Dora bead is enjoyed for many years to come. Wishing strength and courage for its new owner. <3

Christmas Decorations in Murano and Venice

Dear Fellow Glass Peeps,
I'm subscribed to the newsletter from venetianbeadshop.com, and always enjoy their local photos of Venice and Murano.  After visiting and taking a class in Murano with Lucio Bubacco, the memories and wish to return are always present.

*flower shop in Venice, below   (I could get lost faster in Venice than any other city, I think!- but what a city!)

So I'm sharing just a few photos from the newsletter, but if you want to see more, please visit their website and learn a little bit about the local life through their eyes.

*restaurant in Murano, below  (Waking up and looking out to the boats and sunrise each morning on Murano was so touching to me.  It really grabbed my heart.  And being around so many other people who love glass too.)

All photos from VenetianBeadShop.com....

Have a Glass Bobble Head Holiday Class with Me

Marcy Lamberson - Holiday Bobbleheads

Nov 5,  Saturday     10 am - 5 pm  (one hour lunch break)

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Join Santa (me!)  and you will become his chief elf toymaker during this  fun full-day class.

You'll learn these two part bobblehead (and bobble belly) beads and how to put them together after they are annealed. Yes, we'll make their inner workings in class and have a demonstration on how to put them together. You'll know the techniques for designing your own bobble heads -- or other body part bead when you're done too!

Holiday cheer, smiles, fun and possibly another holiday bead will be the order of the day-- depending on our spare time. Hope you can join the fun at FlameTree Glass in Roswell, Georgia.  Here's the link!

Important! Register Your Cell Phone for Do Not Call

At the end of this month, your cell phone number will be made public, which opens it up to telemarketers.  And that means that if they call, you can use up your valuable minutes telling them "No Thank You!"

Here is the national Do Not Call telephone number to avoid that hassle.

1-888-382-1222

You can call it and register your cell phone on the Do Not Call list.  If pesky marketers still call you, you can register a complaint with their website as well.  www.donotcall.gov

Please pass on this post to all your friends and family.  And remember, you need to call from the cell phone whose number you want to have on the list.

A Whale of a Time Making Memories

My sister just celebrated her birthday in San Diego with her darling young grandson and his family.  Of course Sea World was on the list of "have-to" places to visit.  I was trying to come up with an unique present and decided to make her a small pendant that would bring back memories of her fun trip.

I found that making a small glass orca whale is pretty easy.  This one has been eating well, but anyone looking at it will know what it is.  

I was thinking of making a tutorial for one, if enough people are interested.  Please post or shoot me an email to let me know if you think it might be something you'd like to learn.

See you tomorrow

Snow Folks for Beads of Courage

Our Southern Flames Glass Chapter is doing a test for Beads of Courage and has committed to donating about 275 snowmen for the kids in the Atlanta hospitals who will have to stay there over the holidays.

This is my first batch along with some that I've started selling in my Studio Marcy etsy shop as well.  They are cute on necklaces, but also, I like them as holiday tree ornaments as well.

And just for a smile...imagine trying to get that many rounded body beads trying to stand up at once for a photo.  I should have shot a video as they started leaning and then would bump into another...pretty funny- like those domino videos where they all topple creating a chain reaction.  Funny!

See you tomorrow- I hope.  My computer is acting up and going into the shop today.  If you don't see me tomorrow, I'll be back as soon as it's fixed.

Thanks, Steve!

Steve Jobs has made my life easier.  Thanks, Steve!  I'm one of those people who didn't have computers growing up, (didn't have them during dinosaur days and that's about how old I am).  but when my kids were little and I was a stay at home Mom, I knew I needed to keep up or I'd be left in the dust.

One day, my husband brought home our first home computer- it was an Apple.  Not only was the company he works for using them, but he thought that it might be the easiest for me to learn on my own as well as for the kids as they were growing up.  He was right.  I loved it from the start.  ( well, there were a few times I kind of hated it too, when I was frustrated).  Since that time about 25 years ago, I have only owned Macs.  It has been a pleasure.

As many artists know, often our work is done alone.  We spend a lot of time by ourselves and by being connected online, allows us time with our friends, fellow artists and to share information.

Thanks Steve.  I appreciate what you and of course the team has done to make my life experience a better one.

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.

Join Me for Creative Beadmaking Class at Glassic Arts in Florida

I'm teaching in Deland, Florida at Kathi Truba's Glassic Arts Studio on November 12-13th.  The class is called "Creative Forces" and teaches you how to interpret photos, words or items into 3-D sculptural beads or as surface decorations on traditional  bead shapes.

I make these for the Beads of Courage Dream Beads, but also these simple techniques work so well for custom orders, holiday ornaments and even for those family members who you hate to turn down when they say, "can you make me a _____?"  (Do you get those requests too?)

I've shown you a little sock monkey bead that I made for one of the kids in the Beads of Courage program.  That was the request.  Below is my picture that I used as a frame of reference.  I modified my piece for shorter monkey limbs (sturdier for little hands playing with it), and added the letter C for the child's name.  Here is the photo that I used as a basic inspiration.

So come join me for class in sunny Florida.  You'll come home with fresh and new ornament and bead ideas and more importantly, some great techniques that will just get better.  You can tell by the photos, that Kathi's studio is a lovely place too. 

Now here's another great part...Kathi and I have put our heads together and we're donating part of the (very reasonably priced)  class fees (both the students' and mine) to Beads of Courage.  So click here to find out more about the class. 

Glass Honey Badgers Don't Care

The Honey Badgers have given up on snakes and are after Santa!  Luckily, he's magic and this is what happens...

I think he made them the official bouncers for the North Pole and even with that awesome title, we all know...Honey Bears Don't Care!

I'll show you next week what they encounter next.

pssst....these Honey Badgers are available from my StudioMarcy Etsy shop.  Get them, before they get you.

Witches and a (Blue-ish) Black Cat

My friends on Facebook have already seen these, but I thought I'd share them with the rest of you. These are my first three witches of the year.  I was working on a small variety to decide which one I wanted to teach in an upcoming  2 hour "Wicked Witch" class at FlameTree Glass in Roswell, GA on October 4th.

And the next evening October 5th, I'm teaching a black cat class there too.   Although this one is actually blue.  I was playing with Czech glass and tested the design with it.  This one is actually available in my Studio Marcy Etsy shop.

If not for those, I also have a Santa and Elf Bobblehead making class at FlameTree on Nov. 5th for a full day.  Lots of workshops lined up close to my home.  Hope you can join me.