7... BOO!

I almost forgot I had a holiday thrown into my countdown. I should have planned something special. I think you all know by now that I tend to shy away from making "theme" jewelry. There are already so many designers that make it that I am quite happy to stay making the jewelry I do. Unfortunately, that means I don't have any cute pumpkin earrings or candy corn bracelets to show. Oh well. I think you are going to like what I do have to show today though!!

Side Swept ~

When I previewed this one yesterday, Holly asked what is like to wear an asymmetrical necklace. It is kinda like wearing a asymmetrical dress or shirt. You only have a strap on one shoulder, and it is an odd sensation at first, but by lunch you hardly notice it. The big swoop on the right side there really balances the weight of the beads on the other side. So it hangs "just right". It doesn't move around, it hangs just the way I wanted it too. It has a rather aquatic mermaid-ish feel, don't ya think?

Mystery Design ~

I previewed this one yesterday too. And this necklace has quickly become my favorite "anytime" necklace. I have worn it while running errands out and about town. It is a little bit of color and flair to add to jeans and a nice top. The clasp it the "mystery" in the design. In yesterday's pic, I don't think you could tell where I hide it. Now you can see, it is right up front, lurking behind that fantastic focal. This piece is reminding me of a cut flower. Can you see that? The bead is the flower, with the wire wrapping the stem.

(Insert Clever & Appropriate Name Here)

I think I saved the best for last today. I have been working on this piece all week! Last week when I asked y'all to tell me some of your favorite designs that I should revisit, Laura said she wanted to see another "Don't Do The Dishes". After thinking for several minutes, lol, I finally remembered which on that was and couldn't stop thinking about revisiting the design. I took all the comments from last time to heart and changed things up a lot. The beads are smaller, and travel farther around the neckline. There are a whopping TWENTY NINE hollows in this one. If it was a "statement" piece before... it is a "soap box speech" this time around. It is going to grab attention from any and every corner of the room. The colors are rich blues, periwinkles, and purples. And, it is heavy. Sorry, I made the beads hollow, but it is still a boat load of glass, so it has some bulk to it. I love it, but I have a feeling it is going to be reaction provoking. It'll either be a love it or hate it kind of design. I am doing to admire and adore it for a while, if no one wants to buy it, then I'll take it apart and we'll have some fun sets of hollow for the Bead Box!!



Now, you need to give me some name suggestions for it.

8... An Interview

As if you couldn't get enough of me already, lol, pop over to the Art Bead Scene Blog today for an interview of yours truly. I was asked by the very talented Lynn Davis if I wouldn't mind answering a few questions and I said "I'd love to". It was great to slow down, grab a cup of coffee and reflect on why I do what I do/make what I make. I still can't get over the idea that I have been "interviewed" (and more then once recently). It is crazy! But awesome at the same time. I am honored that people want to hear what I have to say.

Sometimes I have to stop and laugh at myself and how lucky I am. I get moody and complain about this or that around my house and life. People don't do this or they don't do that. Someone needs to pick up their underwear up off the floor or I am going to throw it in the wood burner kind of tirades happen a lot. But, yesterday, I had a few hours of quiet and I got to have a photo shoot with myself wearing fun, brightly colored jewelry. How cool is that?!? Really, how many people get to play dress up when they are 30, take pictures, and post blogs about it? I don't know anyone.



"Strength In Numbers" ~ I told ya it looked really cool on.


"Side Swept" ~ More on this piece tomorrow.


"New Snagged Style" ~ It is on the short / tight side and I like it like that. You can wear it with any neckline.


"Mystery Design" - More on this tomorrow too. And are you wondering what I am looking at out the window? SNOW!! Yes, it has started snowing in NY, YOO HOO!

9... Strength In Numbers

"Strength In Numbers" ~ It took until after midnight last night, but I got this one done! Something is off with the timing on my kiln, or something is off with me. I keep thinking the kiln will be done cooling around a certain time, but it is taking hours longer then I think. Which isn't a bad thing. The slower the beads cool the better. But when I gotta clean them and wire them... I want them sooner rather than later. But I digress... this new design is AWESOME! Last week when Michele left a comment on my "The Impossible Party Guest" post, she said she might like a "lighter" version of the design. That thought stuck with me. Lighter... lighter... lighter... how could I do it lighter? AHA, SMALLER!! I made dozens of teeny tiny little beads. I am talking small. These are just about the size of a pea. There are 45 in total linked into a half and half design that ends up looking like a double strand. This photo does nothing for it. I'll post a photo tomorrow of what it looks like on... because that is when it looks BEST!


"Snagged" ~ Yep, a new Snagged design. I had this idea pop in my head a few days ago when I was sifting through "bad beads" on my desk. Remember THIS project? Well, I saw those beads again and I thought "what if I try to put a big hole in the side of a disc?" Well, here is the answer to that question. I like the new toggle bar style too and what is it about me and transparent ink with turquoise. I can't stop making stuff with those colors.


"Love Spunky" bracelet ~ I don't know what to call this style of bracelet. I just like mixing up loose beads in freeform way. So there ya go.

Speaking of mixing things up... my routine is all outta sorts today. I need to get on the torch NOW, or I won't be able to at all.

Another Countdown... 10

I had a lot of fun (and it saved time) when I did the last show countdown in June/July. So, we are gonna do it again! It is just 10 days until The Fine Craft Show. Double torch sessions have started and I am gonna be kicking out tons of jewelry. I have design ideas coming out of my ears!

Since this is the first day of the countdown, I have one finished piece and photos of my monsterously messy desk full of work in progresses. You'll have to excuse my mess... I am working on it.


~ "Soggy Boggy" in Brights


I am super excited about the piece on the bust! Just wait till I show you how tiny those beads are.


This pile of beads is the start of another necklace and a bracelet too. Can you figure out which pile is for which?


This is one has me very excited too. It isn't even close to being done, but hopefully with in a torch session or two I'll have the beads done.

More tomorrow!

Things My Kids Say

A conversation between Jacob (age 10), Pappy (my Dad), and Me.

Jacob: Hey Pap, would you say this country is a democracy?

Pappy: Yes, yes it is a democracy. Why, what would you call it?

Jacob: I say it is a Republic.

Insert ramblings about the difference between the two and comments about subborn elephants and jack asses.

Me (chimming in shaking my head knowing where this coversation is going): Wait till you hear who Jacob wants to have be president Pap.

Pappy: Who do you want Jacob?

Jacob: John McCain.

Pappy: And is John McCain a republican or a democrat?

Jacob: He's a democrat.

Me again: Wait I minute... I know why he thinks the country is a Republic... because Republicans are in power, lol... and when Democrats win, it is a Democracy.

Jacob: Well, yeah.

Fall Walk 2008

Yes, it is that time of year again... our annual family Fall Walk was yesterday. Check out the 2007 walk post HERE. Traditionally, we travel to Penn Yan, NY and the Outlet Trail, then on to the wineries along Seneca Lake. Once in a blue moon, we mix things up and go some place different. This year we went to Letchworth State Park. We went for a Spring Walk there several months ago with friends, but my parents hadn't been in at least 20 years.

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the walk. You can check out more photos HERE in my Flickr gallery. It was a positively gorgeous day, even though the forcast was for a wash out.

Soggy Boggy

We are hunkered down in the living room today mindlessly glued to the tv and diligently adding logs to the fire to fight the wetness outside. Yeah, the weather is crappy... all dark and gloomy... cold and wet... rainy and windy. Of course, my favorite kind of weather. And no, there is no sarcastic tone in my blogging. I really like days like this. I like being a hermit and beautiful weather makes me feel guilty about curling up and hiding inside. Today I get to do what I love and with good reason!

Alas, I can't spend all my time under a blanket ignoring the world. I have been working on jewelry too. The mailman brought me a big ol' package from my favorite seed bead place out in CA... http://www.whimbeads.com/. I am still holding strong to my "Lemonade Stand For Art" philosophy but in doing so, I renewed my love for working with seed beads and my color choices have dwindled dramatically. It was time to refresh that. I got lots of bright colors... and opaques too. And bigger sizes. I don't like tiny seed beads with big glass beads.

Anyway, I feel like I am rambling and forgetting what I meant to blog about. Oh, yeah... I made a new necklace today, lol. I am calling this style the "Soggy Boggy" necklace. I like the way two cone shaped beads frame a hollow. I see them together and think they were made for each other. At the same time though, you need something to play with and give the necklace a little flexibility. So, I added a little coil of wire and some spinner big hole ringy things. It is simple design, a perfect with jeans and a tee shirt design, a toned down yet still colorful design. I can't wait to make more of them in different colors.

The Impossible Party Guest

I just finished this necklace. Literally, just now... a few moments ago. The idea started about a week or two ago when I got it in my head that I wanted to put a twist into a neckwire and hang stuff off it. Then I thought further and said to myself... how about a twist on each side? Then stuff could hang off each twist and connect back up so it would be like doubled or something. I proceeded to do a half-assed attempt at sketching it. It was a half-assed attempt because my precious gel pen had gone missing.

I knew from the start that the colors would be wild and I pictured a "Pretending" style hodge-podge of mixed up links to connect everything together. I have been having trouble finding my beady groove so Ron chimed in with "just do discs, you are the disc queen, right?" So I started there. I made a few discs the other day, throwing in a random hollow or dotted round along the way. Yesterday, I worked a bit on the wire hardware portion of it, plus a few more beads. All in all it has taken about 3 days of work (at least 8 hours of torching, and another 6 hours wiring) to bring it to life.

It really is a love/hate design. I hold it up and it makes be smirk, thinking to myself "this is really cool". Then I put it on and look in the mirror, which makes my smirk a grin because I think "this looks even better on". Ultimately, though, I go to photograph it and I get frustrated because it doesn't want to lay right, or it won't fit in the frame of the shot the way I want. I upload the photos to find they are blurry or the colors are all wrong. Or something twisted the wrong way (see photo below).

It truly is "The Impossible Party Guest"... it is the friend you love to have around... that is the highlight of your evening... but eventually gets on your nerves... and makes you wanna go home early. LOL.

A Light Bulb Moment

I have been trying to figure out a way to work hollow beads into a bangle for ages. Well, maybe not ages, but I have sketched several ideas. A couple have stuck with me, but none were gotta-go-make-that-right-now-or-I-can't-go-on-beading type of ideas. Oh you know those kinds of ideas... the ones that have you distractedly daydreaming about them so much you burn toast. I really love those kinds of ideas. When they stick with you like that, you know they are gonna be GREAT.

Anywho... hollows + bracelets... not that kind of idea up until recently. I took a batch of beads out of the kiln and this one little hollow didn't want to leave my hand. I kept putting it next to this or that, but it wasn't playing nice with the other beads. It was an individual and wanted to be by itself. It is spunky. It is also a little on the small side, so it couldn't be a focal on the chain, it would get lost. It needed to be a bracelet!!

Here is what I came up with... The Light Bulb Bangle. I don't like hollows spinning around on your wrist. It worries me. Beads are tough little buggers when they are annealled but they aren't indistructible. I fear one getting smack around a little too much and breaking. I decided a tight-ish oval banded bangle was the way to go. The oval shape keeps it from spinning on your wrist keeping the hollow front and center on the top... safe and sound. Who ever whacks the top of their wrist?

I am in love with this bangle. LOVE. It reminds me of bare light bulbs in basements, for some strange reason. It is also a play on words with the light bulb moment I had with the design... a hidden clasp. There is just enough tension to hook the clasp around the base of the beads. It hides the hook and gives even more attention to that pretty little bead. *sigh*



Edited to add a few photos of how it look when you wear it. Paired up with another cool design to be shared tomorrow :) Anyone know how hard it is to take a photo of your own wrist? Go ahead, try it... it is a pain in the backside.

Professional Procrastinator

I have already told you I am kind of freaking out about being ready for the art show coming up in a few weeks. And I have shown a couple of new pieces that will be coming along with me to the event. You would think that I would spend every moment I can get in the studio, right?


WRONG... yesterday I decided to rip the wallpaper down in my kitchen. Thus earning the title of Professional Procrastinator.

I love love love our new house, but hate the kitchen. The kitchen is the only thing I can't stand about the house. It isn't horrible, but it is very dated and needs more work (in my opinion) than any other area of the house. I plan to spend the few weeks between my art show and Thanksgiving doing a remodel of it. Countertops are getting replaced, cabinets are getting painted, and the back splash is getting tiled.


First thing though... that wallpaper. Little green butterflies. As I scored and sprayed and peeled it off, I thought about the day that a woman flipped through a sampler catalog and saw the example of this in the pages. I imagined her heart skipping a beat and a grin coming to her face as she thought... "this is the one... little green butterflies..." Then I thought about how thankful I was that it was only one coat of wallpaper and how awesome it was that it came off in full sheets... NO SCRAPPING!! And another thing to be thankful for... it was only on two walls. The whole process took about two hours, including clean up!


The walls are prepped and almost ready for paint. A little sanding first, then some primer. But I promise, I am going to work on beads today. No, really, I am... all torch all day long. Seriously, I haven't even settled on a kitchen color yet.

Mane Attraction

Oh Oh Oh... I got another one. Check it out... a HOLLOW "Fringe" style necklace. I am thrilled with how this turned out and even more thrilled with the photo. Look at that picture... come on, you gotta admit, it's nice. LOL. I am calling the necklace "Mane Attraction" because the colors remind me of a lion's mane. Yummy orange red and yellow, perfect for Fall.

Now on to the Main Attraction... tagging. I have been tagged a lot and I have been lax in tagging back. I am a poor tagger because I don't know who to tag. I have a ring of blogs I read but don't feel I know anyone well enough to tag them. BUT, I have a solution. I have think I have been tagged enough times and by enough different people that I can retag the people who tagged me with new tags. Don't try to make sense of it... just go with it.

And please... if you tagged me, and I forgot about it, leave a comment and I will add your link in too. I will start with the most recent and go backwards in who I remember having tagged.

1) Carter tagged me with the "Seven Random Things" tag that has been running rampant on blogs everywhere.

Here are seven random things about me: I drink my coffee before brushing my teeth, I missed Grey's Anatomy last week, my favorite beer is Killian's Irish Red, I have a scrape on my elbow, I love the color teal and I am claiming it as my new favorite, I never had a detention in school, and last but not least I love peppermint.

I am retagging Carter with the "What are 5 things on your to-do list?" tag.

2) Angie tagged me too with the "Seven Random Things" tag (see 7 thing above, it is too early on a Monday morning to come up with 7 more).

I am going to retag her with the "Where were you 10 years ago?" tag.

3) Lori tagged me with a "Brilliant Blog Award" a while back. I think technicially I am supposed to pass the award on to 7 more people, but I am going to break those rules. Sue me if you want.

I am retagging Lori with the "Seven Random Things" tag!

4) Lindsey tagged me with the "What would you/where were you" tag game. For this one you are supposed to answer these questions:

What were you doing 10 years ago? - I was home taking care of a nearly one year old Jacob and about to find out I was preggers with the baby that would be Andrew. I had nothing in my life but Ron and Jacob. No art... no crafts... no nothing. I even had to give up my cat because he wouldn't stop peeing in Jacob's crib. It was a sad time personally, good time familywise.

What are 5 things on your to-do list? - I would like to see Rome, I would like to see Ireland, I wanna be on TV someday, I need to vacuum the stairs, and I am going to bake bread today.

If I were a billionaire... - ... maybe the kids would quit bitchin' about not having a Wii.

I am retagging Lindsey with the "Brilliant Blog" award.

5) Melissa tagged me with a "Brilliant Blog Award" as well.

I am going to retag Melissa with the "If I were a billionaire..." tag.

I have a fuzzy memory of someone tagging me with the "Have A Nice Day" award too. But no amount of googling myself found that link, lol. So maybe that one was in my head. Have you ever googled yourself? I googled "Kerry Bogert" and there were something like 15,900 hits! And at least 15 pages of links before the hits were for John Kerry, lol. It is weird how many "kerry bogert and jewelry" things there were. I didn't add the "and jewelry" part, it just kept coming up in unidentifiable languages and lead to dead links that didn't exist. Really weird.

This concludes our tag game for the day. Retaggers, I am not going to your blogs to tell you that I tagged you. If you see this and want to carry on GREAT, go for it... if not, that is okay. I was never any good at chain letters either.

1 Down, At Least A Dozen To Go

Here is what came of Wednesday's torch time. It isn't quite finished yet. It still needs a bit more wire on top of that purple coiled wire. I am waiting on just the right color though. I am really diggin' asymmetrical things at the moment. The hollows are a streaky mix of ink purple/blue and bright aqua. They are also graduated in size with the largest sitting at the center of your neck and the smallest in the back as part of the clasp.

Got any ideas for names?

Pendulum

First off... a HUGE thanks to those that left inspiration comments for me yesterday. They did just what I'd hoped they would. I have some more sketches of the ideas you all sparked and I already started on the beads to bring some of them to life. I wouldn't say I officially found my groove again. But I think I am getting closer to it. Keep the comments coming though! I love hearing what you like to see.

Now, a mini book review. Actually, it isn't a review, just an I-bought-this-book report. In 2007, when I went to the big Bead & Button Show, you might remember that I took a class with Susan Lenart Kazmer. During class she talked about the book she was having published later that year. Turns out it wasn't available until this past Spring. I finally broke down and ordered a copy of it on Amazon last week. It's called Making Connections: A Book Of Cold Joins For Jewelers And Mixed Media Artists. The thing is positively gorgeous. It is a heavy hard cover book with shiny glossy pages that are full color with really cool illustrations.

I have skimmed through it and read a few bits here and there. From class, I remember Susan saying that she intended this to be a reference book not a how to project book and it definitely has that feel. I thought there would be more about other artists working in the same medium, and there are a few shown, but I really would have liked to see more. It is interesting to read the background behind some of her pieces. Like the "Energy Talisman" and how she felt the energy that her son's 2nd grade class put into their learning, so she had them save their pencil stubs for the piece. Kind of made me wonder if I am really a shallow artist that should put more "thought" into why I make the things I do. Then I reminded myself that each artist is different and I put a different kind of thought into my pieces. I put in pride of design, perfectionist craftsmanship, and a heart of color into each piece I make.

Anywho... as I flipped through the book, I stopped at a design she called "a trapeze". I was instantly drawn to it. I knew I wanted to see a hollow swinging in a similar design. I had to modify it quite a bit. Although the book is about "cold joins" meaning no soldering, you still use a torch to "draw a bead" for some of the techniques. I won't bring a torch that close to a glass bead after it has been annealed. So, it was great to set my mind to figuring out the new construction for it. I also wanted to keep with my bright, crisp, and clean style of jewelry too.


I am thrilled with the way it turned out. I like the size, I like the shape, I like the look of it... there isn't a think I don't like. Well, except that it is being a pain in the behind to photograph. I am calling it a "Pendulum" pendant. And I even have ideas stirring for other ways to use this technique... hmmm. The bead is one I have been saving for a few weeks waiting for just the right project. It is a hollow (duh, Kerry, we can see that) and while I worked those dots on the surface, an air bubble popped out of it. I didn't want to scrap it... for 1) I rarely get orange to strike as evenly and beautiful as it has in this hollow... and 2) I kinda like the little hic-up of a hole in it.

Try as I might, I couldn't get the color balanced right for the photo. It is NOT that obnoxious an orange. And when I went to take a picture of it on, Lauren said "Momma... not with that shirt." (Gotta love my 5 year old fashionista!) It'll just have to be one that is loved and admired in person. *sigh*

In Just 3 Weeks

Oh, don't mind me... I am just doing my usual FREAKING out. I finally stopped and looked at a calendar this morning. The Fine Craft Show... that big art show I have been telling you about... the one I was interviewed by Rochester magazine for... the one that highlights only 40 artists... the one I will be doing a demonstration at... yeah, that one. IT IS ONLY THREE WEEKS AWAY!!

Where the hell has the time gone? I told myself when I had to cancel The Clothesline Arts Festival back in September that I would spend all of October (and then some) getting ready for this extra special show. And here it is October 15th... and I haven't made anything yet?!?

Okay, okay, okay... granted I spent September writing 12 tutorial/articles for new books out next summer... and I successfully negotiated a book deal... and the kids had to get in the back-to-school swing of things... and we took down giant trees... and redid the electric in the studio. I was a busy lady. But in my perfectionist head, I feel like I am making excuses, and that the internet is a huge time sink. If I could just turn the computer off more often and WORK MORE, I would be more prepared. Right?

Time to really get down to business. Some major creating has to get done around here. That means... more pictures, less chatting. (Some how I doubt the less chatting is really gonna happen.) Yesterday, I torched for two hours and made all of 6 beads... that can't happen anymore! I need to get back to basics, find me beady groove, and make cool new things. I have design ideas, but I think I have a few too many so they have caused a bit of a "bottle neck" syndrome. It is time to make a list, organize thoughts, and tick them off one-by-one. I am putting extra pressure on myself for this show. Everyone I talk to goes on and on about the high caliber of work that is shown at this event. I don't want to embarrass myself!

Here is what I would LOVE to hear from you wonderful bloggy readers... finish this sentence: "Kerry, I would love to see you make another..." I find a lot of inspiration comes from refreshing old designs. So, tell me about a favorite of mine that you have. It will more then likely spark some ideas of how I can make it again in a new and improved way. Or maybe you remember me mentioning an idea or something that I didn't finish and you think I should go back to work on it.

You get the idea... help me be inspired!

Iroquois Art Project

~By Andrew Bogert

For my topic I picked art because I love art. One kind of Iroquois art is woodworking. Woodworking is past down from generation to generation. For my art project I carved an Iroquois toy boat. My dad and I used a saw, carving tools, and sand paper. A saw is not a traditional tool but carving tools are like Iroquois tools. It is about 9 inches long and 2 inches wide. I located this wood in my back yard. It is nice and smooth and it looks like a small canoe. I loved working on this project and learning about Iroquois art.


A big chunk of the four-day weekend that the kids just had was spent on this project. It is all wrapped up and on it's way to school as I type. (Keep your fingers crossed that Andrew is able to keep it safe on the bus!) Fourth grade around here is the big "Native American" year. They learn a lot about their customs and culture. A few weeks back they visited a longhouse too. Andrew really seems to be enjoying it. His teacher's style of teaching has each kid picking a small subject with in the larger one they are learning about and has them become an expert on that topic. Andrew picked ART. (insert glowing artist Momma pride here) He read about beadwork, wampums, and woodworking. He got it in his head that he wanted to carve a toy boat/canoe. And no amount of negotiating would get him to let me help him make a beadworked belt, dang it. So, Ron rough cut it for him from a scrap of wood in the back yard, he sanded it, and used an old set of my sister's carving tools to whittle away at it. He is SUPER proud of this project!!

And I am SUPER proud of him... so I just had to share.

Do you think you can figure out which three words were newly learned vocabulary words that had to be included in the writing?

No Sauce In The Dining Room

~* Dining Room Chairs - Before & After *~

The minute I saw the fabric I knew I had to have it. It is "Modern Love" from Amy Butler's new August Fields Collection. It is a positively perfect blend of gray, teal, sea foam, and lime that I needed to add a punch of POP to the dining room. I love 'em, love 'em, love 'em.

Unfortunately, I love them so much that I want them to stay just right. So... no more eating red spaghetti sauce in the dining room!

Split Proto-type

When I was gushing the other day about one of the drawings in my sketchbook done with that wonderful gel pen I stumbled across, this was the design I was drawing. I have had a half & half design mixing cords and wire trapped in my head for weeks. I've been so busy with stuff, that it wasn't until a few stolen minutes on Friday that I have been able try it out. My bead making time has been non-existent this past week with all the projects going on around the house (yes, we are still cleaning up the sea of sticks in the backyard, and my studio is now officially up to par on power standards), so I had to make due with the beads on my desk.

It isn't exactly what I drew, I still want to mess around with the design some more. I want to change up the beads too. As for how it feels when you wear it... I LOVE IT!! If fits just how I wanted it to. The twisted wire side hugs the inside of your wrist. Just how it should. There is no rubbing of beads against your clothes. There is no twisting your wrist to get the dangles where they should be. It just works. I like the chunk of the bracelet on the outside too. I think a few more dangles are in order though.

I am excited to work on a necklace version of this design. (Another one of the sketches in my book.) I just need to get to my torch.

I am open to comments... lemme know what you think of this new "Split" design.

Ode To My Gel Pen

From where or whence it came, I know not... nor do I care. From the first stroke on paper, I knew it was love.

If you don't have one, stop what you are doing, and go get one. LOL.

Yes, I really am blogging about a pen. I have no idea how this thing found its way into my house. But I found it the other day. And first, I used it to write a list of things I had to pick up at the store. Then, I used it to fill out the kids school-picture-day-envelopes. Heaven, people. Smooth gliding ink... rich black color... I swear, my handwriting improved instantly.

I sat down for a bit yesterday with my sketchbook and my new found gel pen. I had ideas tumbling in my head and it was time to get them down on paper. My stars, the pen even made my drawings better. I can't stop thinking about the pictures I drew and making the cool bead ideas that are on those pages. And all because of this wonderful pen.

And, if that weren't enough... I even used it to sign my book contract. Sigh... I feel like such a grown up with my fancy gel pen.

Oh, and I hear them come in other colors too.

My Big News...

I have never used Blogger's video loading feature... lets see if it works.








My stars, do I really sound like that? I hate the sound of my own voice. This took about 10 takes, LOL.

So there you have it!! I have a contract to write my first book!! YOOO HOOOO!!

Those stressed out days the past few weeks were about waiting to have phone meetings and going through contract negotiations. I was told not to announce anything until I had the contract in my hand. It arrived by FedEx this morning from Interweave Press!! AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!

Okay...so what is it going to be about? Basically, Glass & Wire... all wire projects, all done with glass beads. It'll be tailored to beginner wire workers, but have projects ranging from beginner to intermediate. I'll have lots of tips and tricks... lots of "alternative" (aka self-taught) ways of doing really basic skills... and the best part... there will be a HUGE focus on COLOR. Tons of color info. How to work color into design, inspiring color combos, and coloring dos/don'ts.

Are you gonna make all the beads? Now that wouldn't make much sense now would it? I couldn't make all the beads for all the people who would want to try out these projects (though I'll try). Then who would want to buy a book that you can't get the beads to make the projects for? So what I'll be doing is putting a call out to some of my favorite glass artists to see if I can't get them to contribute beads for me to work into my projects. What fun we'll have picking artists!!

When will the book be out?!? Publishing takes time. My first deadline is in January 09 (just about 3months away), then again in April 09. I'll be doing a photoshoot of how to make pieces step by step out in Loveland CO where Interweave Press has an office. And tenatively, the book should be out in March of 2010. I know, it seems like ages away. But it'll come sooner then you think. And in the meantime... I contributed on two books due out August 09 remember... so you'll have that to tie you over.

What does that mean for the blog? Well, what fun would a book be if you already saw every project in it before it was published? I'll be keeping things under wraps. I want the book to be a BIG surprise when you first open it. I want it to be viusally stimulating and creation inspiring. But, I can't leave you completely hanging, so there will be sneak peaks here and there leading up to the publication.

I hope my big news was worth the wait. I am so so so so excited about this!! It is going to be a fun year and a half.

KABs Tags

I have new goodies!!

I am really excited about these. Last Thursday, when I finally had some free time, I thought I was going to working on painting some canvases. But, turns out I was wrong. I decided that I wanted to play with my PMC (Precious Metal Clay that becomes Fine Silver when fired) instead. I was thinking... if hot glass and hot metals fuse together, could I get powdered glass to fuse to PMC?

I was pretty sure it was possible. I see "enameled" jewelry all the time. Though, it was nothing I have ever tried before. I haven't done an experiment like this in ages. I learned a ton. For example, the glass fuses better to already fired PMC instead of dried PMC. Which means each piece is fired twice.

Anywho... I made the first one on Thursday and wore it all weekend. I love it. I polished it to a mirror like shine and I kept catching the reflection of it in windows and mirrors. I decided to make a "Limited Edition" set of them. Why Kerry, what do you mean "limited edition"? I'll explain. For these limited edition pieces, there will be no more of them made like this again... ever. They are limited to the 5 you see listed over on my website. In the future, I may revisit the design and do squares or ovals or diamonds, but, never again will you see these special little guys. You better go get one!!

Pop over to my Pendant Pandemonium page to get yours! And you know what? There aren't only cool looking... they are cool sounding!! The heavy metal discs clinking against each other with the glass surface makes them sound like dog tags. I love the sound.

Feel free to leave comments and let me know what you think.

Orphan Works Legislation

Have you heard about this? Stop for a second and listen to this video.



This is a very scary possibility. If I make something and share a picture, suddenly anyone and everyone has the right to take it from me? Unless, I pay to say it belongs to me and has value? But wait, there is no one to pay? It sounds ludicrous, but it has already passed in the Senate!! Please, take a moment to post this video on your blog, then read this article for more information, and there is more details here.

According to this blog, there may still be time to get in touch with your House Representative. With all the "Bail Out" stuff going on, the voting has been put on the back burner for this. Go to THIS WEBSITE to contact representatives with just a couple of clicks. Look, I'll make it even easier... go here: http://capwiz.com/illustratorspartnership/issues/alert/?alertid=11442621 And type your zip code, then fill in your address. How hard is that?

Thanks to Margot Potter, for posting this video on her blog. Now you go post it on yours.

Weekend Warriors In More Ways Then One

My stars, I am sore.

We have had a wild couple of days where some MAJOR home projects suddenly got knocked off the to-do list.

First up was 13 hours in the basement on Friday. Remember last Monday when I told you that we bought a new front loading washer? Well, it couldn't be hooked up. Apparently the old washer was more then 20 years old (it was here when we moved it) and the hoses were so corroded onto the water spickets that the handles broke. So, no water + no washing machine x 5 people = so much laundry it's scary. We intended to move the washer and dryer to a different area of the basement from the get go. The dryer was attached to a 20ft hose that was a fire waiting to happen. Moving it meant we could make a safer vent and we could bust up the nasty old concrete sink that is falling apart. We started the project, with the help of Ron's Step Dad, around 8am on Friday. Five Lowe's trips and 13 hours late, I was washing the fist load of laundry.

Then came Saturday... remember when I told you all about the final walk through at this new house? Well, as a quick refresher, when we walked into what would be our new backyard, we discovered that the two HUGE trees in the backyard were dead. It was heartbreaking. These trees were gorgeous. My cousin Charity's husband, Brad, and his family, just happen to be tree removers on the side. The project started around 10am under a bright and sunny sky. It ended around 8pm, well after dark, under a cloudy and cold sky. This was such a bigger under taking then we expected. There is so much wood!! But thankfully, it'll be put to good use keeping us warm all winter.

I put together a slide show of the day. Check it out.



And if you'd rather not sit and wait for all the pictures to scroll through, hop over to my Flickr gallery. All the photos are there in one set.

If all the projects weren't enough... today will have us spending the afternoon at the football field. Jacob plays for the Jr. Warriors and today's phrase of the day is "Win and You're In". The boys record at the moment is 4-1. If they beat Fairport today then they will go 5-1 giving them the second best record in the league. Which means, they would make it to the championship game!! "Win and You're In"

Win or lose, it is going to be an exciting game.

Okay... that is all I got.

Nope, wait. I have new jewelry to show!! It is an exciting experiment with PMC and Enamels!! Ah, I think I'll make you wait for tomorrow on that one.

Ushering In October

Okay, okay... I know I was thinking I could tell you my big news, but I can't yet. I don't want to jinx it so I am not gonna do it until just the right time. I am actually thinking I will do something special to announce it... hmmm... maybe a video. I haven't a made a video in over a year!! (and NO, I am not preggers... don't even think such things.)

I am very pleased to inform you that I met my deadline yesterday. I finished my tutorials and the final pieces that are to be photographed for the new book. I packaged it all up, and emailed the book's author. She loves everything... YOO HOO! She thinks they'll all be a great additions to the book and what about the 5th one? Wait, we never decided on a 5th design. How about doing this one or that one? Okay, will do. So today I am scrambling to pull together one more tutorial and finished project. Not a bad way to spend a rain soaked fall day in New York.

After Monday evening/Tuesday's balance frustrations, I am kinda feeling full of myself today. I feel like I am making good adjustments. I want to thank you all for the emails you sent and for ranting right along with me in the comments. I think Holly said it best... "there just aren't enough hours in the day." But, Jacob is getting on track, even if it meant that I had to drive him back to school yesterday for homework that was forgotten. (yeah, dude, it's the second day and you forgot your homework already? you're grounded) Andrew is getting what he needs from me. He has had a difficult start to the year mostly because he tends to be manic this time of year anyway plus moving/new school/new friends has sent him on a roller coaster. But, we are working with his teachers and doctors so I am hopeful there. Lauren is rockin' on with her bad self. Ron has a million and one projects but I found time yesterday to step in and help him a bit too.

Now it is time to balance me out a little. I have been missing out on my usual morning blog reading routine with my new juggling routine. So, this morning I took sometime to read through all my favorites. There are some really cool things going on out in blogland right about now. Lots of creative juices flowing. It makes me wanna do some creating of my own. I haven't painted in ages... I think I will work on some canvases today. My "Garden of Glass" could use a little tending, don't ya think?

Random Life Questions

Why does it take a good ten minutes after I have left my house for me to realize that I forgot to brush my teeth?