Josh Simpson Live Streaming This Evening from Corning

Glass artist Josh Simpson and his astronaut wife, Cady Coleman will be speaking at Corning tonight.  If you're like me and nowhere close by, you can watch it on Corning's livestream network.  Just click here and it's easy to watch.  The presentation starts at 6 pm, Eastern Time.  Hope to see you there.

Surprised and Absolutely Delighted!

Family Portrait with my iPad  (some day I'll get longer arms)

So I was quietly working at my torch making beads Monday evening...thinking about what I needed to make for dinner, when I looked up and saw my daughter. 

Last I had heard, she was in New Zealand checking out the fjords with her friends after her job ended for the season in Antarctica.

I was flabbergasted.  And surprised.  And oh, so happy!  I actually let out a little scream, (I thought that was just in the movies), waved my non bead arm around and then jumped up after quickly turning off my torch.  I didn't want to finish that bead anyhow.

Apparently my husband and son, pictured above with my daughter and I, were in on the secret and had never given me any indication what was going on.  What a joy to have my entire family home at the same time.  Needless to say, I am thankful.  Because she works out of the country, we generally see her once a year for a short while.  This is a bonus visit and I am delighted to put the rest of my life on hold for a few days and just enjoy the moment.

Hope you get some Hallmark moments of your own soon too.  

Framed- In A Whimsical Way

I was hurrying to meet my friend Sylvie for breakfast, when I passed by this art shop and saw these frames in the window.

As you can tell, these are quick phone snapshots (what did we do before that?)  Anyhow, I hadn't see a lot of painted frames in retail stores like that and love the whimsy and extra pizazz that they might add.

Besides, don't you think the wood in them must be rather simple and relatively flat?  I think for all my artistic friends, (and that's most of you), this technique would be a piece of cake.

Unicorn Bike Modification

Where else, but Geekologie would you find bike modifications?  Here's the full story.  I just like the photo.

Houlihan's Call for Artists

I hope some of my U.S. artist friends have a little something to submit for this.  Here is the link for the rest of the information.  Let me know how it works out!

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!

Mysterious Sculpture Sightings

I recently read that libraries have been the lucky recipients of wonderful paper sculptures left for people to find.  The artist is unknown.

What a wonderful mystery to have on one's hands and such a delight to be one of the folks able to experience this in person.

Have you left your art for people to find?  Or if you were doing this, would you find a way to watch the reaction of the people finding it?  Tell us about it.  We'd love to hear your thoughts and or stories.