To the Gallery I go!

I received a wonderful email last week from the purchaser at The Gallery Store at the Memorial Art Gallery. The same gallery that held The Clothesline Arts Festival a few weekends ago. I had left one of my cards at the shop there, in the hopes that they might be interested in carrying my work. AND THEY ARE!

I had a meeting at the gallery today. We narrowed down which pieces they want to have in the store. I am going to work the next couple weeks on created some custom pieces to go with the ones they will have. Then, they are going to "launch" my work to coincide with a new exhibit that will be at the museum in a few weeks. I can't wait to get started on the new pieces!! One is already in the works.

So it was a very busy and excited day around here!! Be sure to keep popping in to the blog here to see the designs that I make just for the museum store!!

OH, and don't forget... "Breaking The Ice" is ending on eBay in just a few hours. GO BID!! I have to say, eBay really has me discouraged... maybe it is just the time of year... I certainly hope it isn't the beads, because these are really awesome beads!!... but I just don't seem to be getting the kind of action I hoped for. :( So go bid!! Make me proud!!

Breaking The Ice

I have a new set of beads for ya, peeps! Head over to eBay at 9:00pm EST to check out "Breaking The Ice". These beads are soooo cool. And for more then just the obvious reason, the color. Yes, the color rocks!! It is icy transparent light blue with three different shades of turquoisey blues. I also used some dark transparent blue too for a subtle background color sift. But I really love 'em (I almost always love my beads, don't I?) because of the retro fabric inspired design. These are just like "The Retro Dozen", but this time I think I nailed the colors that I was hoping for when I first saw in the bag by BlackBags on Etsy that inspired those. These beads really have everything... they have my plaid design, my cubes, and some of my mod dots too.

You know when I blogged the other day about my "Creative Constipation", lol, I didn't even realize that these were in my head too!! Oh, and I wanted to mention... I did a second blog about that day on Watch me Create... so head on over there if you wanna read more about that.

I know what you are thinking... you are saying "Kerry, those beads are gorgeous... but you promised up Bead Box Beads... wtf?" Take it easy... I got you covered... These are just a fraction of the beads I have made in the past two days. I have 4 BB sets ready to go too... though I am going to hold off just a few more days until I can make you some more. And all the BB sets will be in these colors. I just can't get enough of them... we are going to have a very icy week!! All are different, none as special as these... but really cool new designs, along with some old favorites too. Stay tuned!!

My Absent Mind

I am happy to hear everyone is having fun watching my video! I added a link on the right hand side so that anytime you wanna watch it, it'll be easy to find. I would have liked to have it be the lead post for a full day or so, but I GOT BEADS TO SHOW YOU!!

Check out "My Absent Mind". I had fun with the write up about the beads in the auction. LOL... I just so happen to be an extremely absent minded person. These beads are so cool!! And fantastic colors for Fall. They look black in the photos but that is a lush eggplanty purple color with copper green. FABULOUS!!

HURRY UP!! Go get a bid in on the beads!!

The Retro Dozen

Here is the LINK to the auction for "The Retro Dozen"!
It starts at 9:00pm EST.

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SURPRISE!!

How totally unexpected are these? They even shocked me! I have been bouncing around this design in my head for weeks and weeks now. They are inspired by some fabric used on a bag by BlackBags on etsy. It was this "Hi Fi Aqua" bag. I never made them because I couldn't figure out what colors I wanted to use. I love blues but just couldn't come up with the right combo for what was in my head. I couldn't wait any longer and yesterday I started making these and just went for it in classic Black White and Gray.

I am calling them "The Retro Dozen". I struggled with the name for hours! But then I thought... there is a "Baker's Dozen"... there is "The Dirty Dozen"... why not "The Retro Dozen"? I have to say, I am having a really really hard time letting these go. I am so in LOVE with them. I just wanna hold them and cuddle them. If I had seen them made by another artist, I would have added them to my favorites and lusted after them. Then if by chance I could win them, I wouldn't make anything with them... I would just admire and stare at them for ages. I think they are a true "collector's" set.

I told you last week that I was hitting the ground running on Monday and I am sticking to that. I already had two torch sessions yesterday and one this morning. I got this new set made, plus the beads for a new Playground bracelet, a new necklace and another new design. I am hoping the beads for the new design turn out like I hope. If they do, I will be back out at the torch after football practice tonight making what I need to finish it. I think I am really ready for Fall and the pieces for my next show are going to reflect that. I am actually kinda excited to explore really cool Fall color combos!!

Oh, I wanted to share this with you... check out the work of Carrie Armstrong Reid on Etsy. I think these mugs are the coolest things I have ever seen! The design is incredible, and I know coffee mugs (I got a million of them!). I just had to have one!! You all better get one too!!

I'll pop back in later with the link to the auction for you. And you all better not make regret listing these... I wanna see lots of enthusiastic bidding people!

Pinball Wiz

"Pinball Wiz" starts tonight on eBay at 9:00pm EST!! Besure tocome back and get your bids in.

I am on my way out the door. I need to get my O2 tank refilled... for those of you keeping track... yeah that tank went in just TWO weeks!! I'll be back!


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Alrighty, I am all refueled and ready to torch later tonight. This as been such a nutty week. It seems like a second ago it was Monday and suddenly tomorrow is Friday. Holiday's in the middle of the week ROCK in the dead of winter when you are bored, but in the summer when work needs to be done, it just messes with your head.

About the new beads... aren't they KILLER!?! I love LOVE these beads. The name came to me in the shower this morning. For some reason "Pinball Wizard" by The Who was running through my head. When I was a kid, my Dad had a game he used to play with me and my sister. He has always been a music buff and would say "I'll give you a million dollars if you name this song!" while something was blaring from the radio. Most of the time it was The Who. Bonnie and I would always say "who?" but I have yet to see a penny of that million bucks. Anyway, I was running names through my head for the set and was reminded of car rides with my Dad... one thing led to another and suddenly I was saying "Pinball Wiz" is the name of the new beads.

I really think it fits!! I know the pinball game I have on my computer has a black screen with lots of bright neon flashing things. The way this tequila sunrise coral orange and scrumptious turquoisey blue POPS off the encased black is just like the game screen. According to my sister orange and turquoise are the "it" colors this year so this has got to be the "it" set of beads to have!!

In other beady news, I finished the beads for two more Playground bracelets this morning before I ran out of oxygen for the torch. And I hope to get another one done tonight. If you are lucky, I'll share the photos tomorrow. But after what happened when I showed bracelets last time... I am scared to share!! I need these to fill booth space next weekend... you can't buy them all up on me!! LOL!!

Bronze Bells

I was walking around my yard watering this evening when I suddenly realized where I was seeing my latest color combination. It had been right in front of my eyes for weeks and weeks. See this bell? It's the Cosanti Bronze Bell that Ron got for me back at Christmas. Doesn't it look just like the colors in my new beads?!? I took the bell's photo a few weeks ago when Ron hung it up on my arbor. Look, the trees have no leaves, lol. I can tell you they are loaded with leaves these days.

I can finally send a few minutes tell you all about the beads I posted on eBay yesterday. We'll talk about them in the order they were created. The first set I worked on was the "Shadowing" set. I have mentioned a few times that there were some gemstones at the B&B Show that were screaming at me... they said "look at me, look at me... I am beautiful and insanely overpriced... don't you want me?" Of course I wanted it, but come on now... when was the last time you saw a gemstone in any of my work? So you know what I did? I pulled out my sketch book (I told you I always have it), and I wrote down the colors in those beads that were talkign to me. My dunce-ness shows though, cause I didn't write down the type of stone it was, just the colors. But Holly, my roommate tells me it was a form of Jasper.

Anyway, the base was a light ivory-grayish color. The foreground color was a beautiful bright amethyst color. Around the amethyst there seemed to be a dark gray that outlined or shadowed they yummy purple. The outlines faded into that light base. It was just fabulous. I loved the colors and the idea of making shadows. So when it came time to make some beads, I first thought I would use ivory, gray and transparent amethyst... but then I was standing in front of my glass rack and pulled out two shades of gray and metallic silver plum. MSP creates an awesome oily iridecent texture to the surface of the glass. TOTALLY AMAZING stuff that is!! Besure you bid like crazy on these ones... those flawlessly shadowed stringers were really had to do!! Click HERE to check out the auction.

Next up were the "Attic Finds" set. I love the way etched copper green looks with Terra (the newest silver glass by Double Helix). I pulled out Terra, copper green, ivory and clear then went to town!! For a while now I have thought it would be fun to go a set mixing my plaids and cubes. One of the cool things about Terra is the silver in it and the way it reacts with ivory. Silver really ages the ivory, creates a dusty brown look on the surface. I shared photos of these beads on the Lampwork Etc forum and got lots of rave reviews. There are already a bunch of watchers on the auction too. Click HERE to get over to the auction and place your bid!



I liked working with these colors so much that when I snuck out to the torch at 7:30 this morning, I stuck with it. I realized I hadn't made a "Playground" style bracelet in ages. So I made loads of discs with this in my mind the whole time. I plan on making a "Shadowing" one too. The colors are just making me so happy. Can't you see this with a nice seafoamy colored tank top and lovely linen capris? OR how about a dark mocha colored sweater and swaying silk skirt... just perfect!! I think I had gotten out of the habit of making these because I did like 5 of them in one week and sent them away to a magazine. I have made a mental note to myself to do at least 5 of them for Corn Hill.

After all your waiting... I finally got to pick the lastest freebie winner!! YOO HOO to Cindi H!! Congrats Cindi and thanks to everyone who has been voting. I think we are gonna stick with this once a month drawing thing. I will work on something extra special for the July drawing.

Check out "Attic Finds" & "Shadowing" tonight on eBay!! Just use the link under my photo on the left.

Time to hang out with my husband on this fantastic Father's Day!! More about these beads tomorrow.

Ring-a-ding-ding

I hope you are enjoying the Lilac Festival slide show in the post below. I love those slide shows. It is such a great way to share a whole bunch of pictures at once. And seeing as I took over 100 photos yesterday... I figured it was the best way to show you them. I love taking flower pictures. And like a said, there are a bunch that would make really great desktop wallpaper for your computer!! Lemme know if you pick one. My favorite is the one of the purple tulips.

I have lots going on in the studio... so lets get started... first.. the bracelets shown today!! Ring-a-ding-ding... I am having a lot of fun soldering. I think I am getting the knack of it. These ring linked bracelets are really fun to wear. The bottom one is currently in the hands of my cousin Samantha that just graduated from college. CONGRATS SAM! All those rings move and play without being heavy or annoying. And they aren't as bulky as they look, they are very feminine. Only trouble with this is how addicitive they are and how fast I am running out of silver wire!! I just had to place an order. I used up all my 18 guage (favorite size), most of my 16g and I am outta 14g too. How can I get ready for my first show of the year if I am outta wire?!?

I was able to make beads yesterday and it had lead to a delimma... so, I need a show of hands... all those in favor of me posting a set of 9 cubism style beads on eBay, raise your hands. Those that want me to list them as 3 sets of 3 on my website, raise your hands. Oh... and anyone who thinks I should make some jewelry out of them... you raise your hand. I know... Kerry you are beign silly, this is a blog, not a living room full of people, you can't see our hands raised... just send me an email and let me know what you want me to do. Or leave a comment here. (oh, I had to turn the comment moderator on for my blog... you won't see your comment right away, but I check daily and will approve it as soon as I see it.)

My kiln is LOADED with beads for wine bottle stoppers. Big funky focals!! Gotta love big beads. I can't wait to get them cleaned up and on those shiny silver stoppers. I think I have 8 in there now, and I will do a few more through out the week too. I hope to have a photo to show you tomorrow.

BIG NEWS... I am so excited to share this next bit of info with you... www.sweetbeadstudio.com is now live!! I am so so excited for Cindy. She started out as a customer more then a year ago and has really become a great friend. She is by far the most thoughtful person I have ever met. Like me, she is a Mom of three that loves making jewelry. I think she has a great eye for design and beads (you'll see "Kab's" beads all over the place on her website). Go, check out her site, get on her mailing list, buy up all her fabulous jewelry and tell her I sent you!!

Finally, free beads... this week's winner is... LORI O!!! YOO HOO LORI!! I have another set of beads already to go. I'll get a fresh pic and get them posted... keep the votes coming!!

Now lets see, did I get everything in? New soldered bracelets... check. Asked what you want me to do about eBay vs Bead Box Beads... check. Sent you to Cindy's great new website... check. Freebies give away... check. That's about it. I think I covered it... I'll be back with those wine stoppers tomorrow!

Missing Mojo, again

I have had a few rather frustrating days at the torch. Like I said the other day... my brain is overloaded. When I get like this, my mind gets so packed with ideas, nothing can get out. Or what I do manage to make, doesn't live up to my standards and I get even more frustrated. Grrr... I am sooo frustrated that I am grinding my teeth and waking up with headaches. And I am agrivating the vertigo I recently came down with. You should have seen me walking down the hallway last night, lol. It was really rather funny. It was like I was in a fun house, my feet were on one side of the hall and I was walking with my head and hand on the other side of the wall. Kinda kitty corner.

I know what you are thinking... "Kerry, if you have no mojo, what are these cute beads you are showing us?" Well, these are all that have come out of my kiln in the past 3 days. Thanks to the help of Libby at www.sorellabeads.com one of the things jamming up my thoughts is off mandrel pendants. I thought it would be great to make some for the wineries later this month. I have mentioned before, they like simplier things like pendants. These are a great opportunity to play with lots of colors, stripes, dots, and what not. They are really tricky for me, but definitely something I will keep working on. Ohh, you know what I just thought off, if I put the "loop" on the back of the disc, these would make really cool buttons for knitted and crocheted projects. Wouldn't they?

In the photo below, you can see what the backs of these pendants look like. There is a small flattened dot on the back of them, this is where I took the piece off the rod of glass that I built it on. I need to work on getting that to completely melt in to the back of the disc without melting or distorting the shape or design. See why I get frustrated? Maybe I am just being my usual perfectionist self, maybe they are fine with a flat dot on the back, but for me... makes me want to through them across the room. Extreme? Yeah, I know... lol, maybe I am a little hormonal. LOL.

I made my "May" calendar yesterday and I realized that I have really over scheduled myself the next few weeks. I am really really really going to try to find my mojo again and squeeze torch time in anywhere I can find it. I don't know for sure when I will have new sets, but you can be sure I will let you know as soon as I have new things.

FREE BEADS!! YOO HOO!! This week's winner is Nicole S. CONGRATS NICOLE!! I just posted a new set of freebies... go check them out and vote!!

DON'T FORGET!! "Cosmic Crayons" and "Martian Markers", plus all those fun focals are ending tonight!! Go BID BID BID... the focals are going super duper cheap... they are so fun, you gotta get one!!

Martian Markers & Cosmic Crayons

YOO HOO!! Look at all those beads!! I told you I would have a ton to show you. And I know what you are thinking... your are saying to yourself "those are in a slide show, does that mean they are all on eBay?" YEP it does!! It was perfect timing. eBay had a 20 cent listing day today so I could get them all up and it didn't cost an arm and a leg. But enough complaining about eBay fees... lets chat about the beads!!

There are FIVE auctions in all. Two sets of 9 beads (sprees & nuggets) and 3 tube focals. First up, the bead sets... they are called "Martian Markers" & "Cosmic Crayons". I love both of these sets!! I really do, they are totally "me". I would see these online and want to bid on them. Luckily I made then, and have extras in my personal stash, so I won't need to bid. The first on is based on THIS piece by Amanda Hone. These are the ones I was telling you about yesterday. If I am being completely honest, on their own each bead is kinda weird, but when you group them together they are really cool!! The second set was inspired by THESE art magnets. One thing I think is particularly cool is how the sets are very different, opposites even, (circles & squares) but the colors pull them together and they would totally work together.



The focals just rock. You maybe thinking... "how did she pull those out of the Sarah Hornik style ones... they are NOTHING alike". Well, that is the whole point isn't it. The thing I was inspired by was the shape. Long, lean, slender tubes. Anyone of the three would be really cool as a drop pendant, a focal in a bracelet, or hey, even some miss matched funky heavy earring. Whatever you can come up with!!

While we are on the subject of what you can come up with. I want to add a "Designer Corner" here to my blog. It is a pain in the butt to add to my website, but easy for me to add here. If you have a website with a piece of jewelry using my beads, send me the link!! I will add the link here to my blog. I already have a few that people have sent me recently, so I will work on getting those up and running. Please understand though, I would LOVE to post a link to everyone's site, but I can't. I wouldn't have the room, please, only send me the link if you have jewelry or other items using MY beads. Thanks!!

Sun is shinning... I just bought a big ol' tub of chalk and a hula hoop... time to get outside and play! I hope you'll come back and bid on the auctions when they start later tonight AND go get a bid in on "Mystery" it's ending soon!!

Something New with Raku

No slide shows today, but new auctions!! Check out these two FOCALS. The first is called "Raku Cube". I am getting amazing colors out of raku frit and glass rods on my new torch. I love it. It is so earthy and organic, but in my "Cubism" and "Mod Dot" (below) styles, they are sleek and modern. I have never offered focals on eBay before... so I decided to try something different... they start at 99 cents. Yeah, that is right, under a buck. If you all like 'em and bid on 'em (they start later tonight), I'll make more from time to time. This top one is my favorite of the two, but then again, you know I love cubes lately.



This one is "Cosmically Mod", it is my "Mod Dot" style done in black, turquoise and raku. Again, really cool colors and a fabulous focal. There is one raised dot that has "micro bubbling", that comes from me over heating the glass in the torch, oops... but the bead is still "sound", it will not crack or break. And it was so pretty otherwise, I just had to offer it up.

I hope you like these... I would love to hear your feedback. They are definitely different then what I have been doing lately, but that is cool. I like mxing things up, keeps me motivated!!

On the family-of-nothing-but-sick-kids front, lol, I took Andrew to the doctor's this morning. No strep throat and no appendix problems... just "something viral". He is still running a high fever, has a sore throat and a little vomitting, but hopefully it won't last much longer. Lauren now has the sniffles, and I think I am feeling that "tickle" in the back of my throat telling me I'll wake up with it tomorrow too. Fingers crossed that I won't though!! I have too much to do!! This sick kidos thing throws a wrench in my plans to have Bead Box Beads later this week, but I'll try. Of course, I'll keep ya posted.

FREE BEADS!! (Sorry I have been terrible about posting the freebie pics, I'll try harder this week :)) This week's Free Beads Winner is.... JENNIFER P!!!! YOO HOO Jennifer!! Thanks so much for your support gang!! I really do appreciate it. I'll see what I can come up with for beads to give ya this week.

Quadrangles

I know, I know... I have been a very bad blogger. I hate leaving you all without updates just as much as you hate checking in here and seeing the same post three days in a row. Hopefully all the goodies I am going to share today will make up for my lack of blog.

First up... a slide show of my latest Ebay Auction starting later tonight!! Check out "Quadrangles" (a word I found in the theraurus that is the same as "square"). This is my first set of beads off my new torch. As you can see, I remastered discs. And to make these totally different... they are all squares!! Which I think is really really cool. I actually debated for a while weither or not I would list them. I actually wanted to keep them for a new jewelry design, but hey, I can always make more!! So, I hope you love them as much as I do, and make sure you go BID BID BID!!

Next up... some torch experiments. I know I have been told you can't get "real" raku colors out of a Hot Head torch (my old torch). I always argued... "I can get good colors"... OH HOW WRONG I WAS!! I never realize what "true" raku colors should be. This is just one of the beads I made that has been rolled in a little raku frit. If only you could see it in person... there are amazing blues, greens and even purples in there. It is just yummy, and for sure you'll get a chance to fight over some raku beads in the next Bead Box update.

These are just another color experiment for the linked disc necklace design. They may or may not get etched (I am leaning towards etching them)... I love the clear centers and the POPPING teal. Another something fun for summer huh?

Anyway... things here are nutty. The kids are home and already bored. It is been snowing in April (CAN YOU BELIEVE IT)!! I am teaching a private class this afternoon for a few hours. I have a few orders that need working on and a torch that still needs playing with. So I have loads and loads to keep me busy. We are planning on have Easter dinner here tomorrow, too. The kids were up at 6:30 this morning hoping that today was Easter and they could look for their baskets... no such luck, the Easter Bunny didn't come last night... LOL... I am sure he'll be hopping through our neighborhood tomorrow though.

Catching Kandinsky

You asked for discs... I am delivering. Check out "Catching Kandinsky"... the auction will start later tonight on Ebay. This is a HUGE set of TWENTY THREE beads. And the inspiration was Wassily Kandinsky's 1913 painting "Farbstudie Quadrate".

For those of you not familiar with turn of the century artists... this dude is considered one of the leaders in the modern abstract art movements. You can see his painting scrolling through the slide show above. It is very bold and graphic... the colors just ROCK, and to think... it is more then 90 years old... the man definitely had vision. Each one of my main 12 discs represents one of the 12 blocks in the painting. I think these would make really cool toggles like in the necklace and bracelets of the previous post... of they would make sweet looking buttons for felted bags... or an outta this world necklace!!

Last night was rough around here. We had big boomer thunderstorms that knocked out the phone and internet service for hours and hours. Plus, I was trying to have Ron take a photo of me for the new magazines and the book thing... you all know how much I hate hate hate hate to have my picture taken. So nothing was turning out. Ron's only advice was that I shouldn't have cut my hair... so he is no help at all... the brat. I think Lauren and I are going to need to take a ride over to my sister's and see if she can get a good picture. The whole thing just put me in a lousy mood. The beads cheered me up though. The colors are so bright... they can't help but make things happier.

FREE BEADS!! The free beads winner this week is BRENDA T!! YOO HOO BRENDA!! Thanks so much for all the votes everyone!! Keep up the good work!

Deep Breath, Then Plunge

I finally took the leap today. I took a deep breath, drabbed the phone, and placed the order. I don't know why I have put it off for so long. I place supply orders for more then the cost of this torch all the time. So it couldn't have been the money. It has to be the intimidation of learning something new. In case you haven't figured it out... I am upgrading my torch!! I went with "The Bobcat" from GTT. It is a duel fuel torch using oxygen and propane. It will be hotter and quieter then my current torch so, I should be able to do loads more with it, and work faster. I won't hook it up for another couple weeks. I want to finish off the tank of fuel I am currently useing and I also need to get special hoses and regulators, that sorta thing. But I am really excited about it, and nervous too!!

My precious Hot Head torch came back home to me today and I was blazing away on it with in minutes of it getting back. I am so anxious to see the results that are cooking in the kiln. If they are as cool when they come out as they were when they went in, you all are gonna flip. I think these will be one of the coolest sets I have made!! Sorry if I am boasting but hey it is my blog and I'll bost if I wanna, lol. Here is a hint... the name that came to my while I was making them was "Picasso's Plantation" ;) Do you think you know what I am going to show you??

I had to take a few mins today and actually write myself a list of all the projects I have going right now. I'll be able to get things done a lot faster if I am ticking them off a list. I need to get through an Ebay set, Bead Box Beads, 3 tutorials, a couple special requests, and I have two new necklace designs that need working on. I have gotten through the Ebay set (keep your fingers crossed that they are cool), tomorrow and friday I'll be focusing on the BB Beads... when it comes to the tutorials, I am gonna need to take a couple weeks to really focus on them. I know how much you all like to see new tutorials so I hope you'll understand. I am thinking you have had lots of BB Beads lately anyway so I am sure you all have your hands full of your own projects, right?

Speaking of which... I would love to see photos of the things you all make with my beads!! I would be happy to post them here and share a link to your website. SEND 'EM OVER!!

Almost forgot... This week's free beads winner is KATHY H!!! YOO HOO Kathy!! Keep the votes coming gang! I truely appreciate it and I promise to have a fresh cluster of free beads soon :)

Happy LOVE Day!

Sorry, I know this isn't be most lovey-dovey picture, lol. Maybe I should have led with a photo of the more than a foot of snow we have!! Alas, it is just a white out outside so photos were just a big white blur. So, you'll have to settle this little guy. This is that new color combination I have been playing with. Bright bluey turquoise, hints of transparent honey and subtle khaki Moroccan Swirl but ASK, it's all POPPING off a jet black background. These are the colors I am planning on using for the beads in my ArtJewelry article. I would really love your feedback on it. Let me know if I am an ostrich with my head in the sand when it comes to fashionable color combos. I am just a Mom in my winter hermit-ness completely oblivious to what is up in the world of fashion and trends.

Back to the theme of the day... love. Did your honey send you flowers today? Did he woo you with breakfast in bed, chocolates, and love letters? No? Don't worry you aren't alone, mine didn't either, lol. I really wasn't surprised when I was watching the Today Show this morning when they were talking about the high percentages of men who DON'T send flowers or get overly romantic on Valentine's Day. Ron, in the 13 years we have been together, has never once sent me flowers, ever, and I am not kidding. But I really have gotten used to it. And further more, I am thinking I am becoming one of those people that thinks love needs to be celebrated with actions everyday, not just Feb 14th. (Oh who am I kidding, I would really love flowers!) I do want to tell you though, I am very lucky in love. Ron is a wonderful husband and an even better father. He is caring and smart, funny and supportive. I really couldn't ask for more. He doesn't think to buy gifts or send flowers, but he does other things that shows me he loves me. He cooks (outta this world meals) even when he is tired from work and just wants to play video games with friends (yeah, a big kid sometimes). He supports me in my art and passions (not so much in the beginning but once he realized how happy it made me, he caught on). He listens to me when I need to talk, he snuggles me when I am sad, he argues with me when I am being stupid, he pushed me to be the intelligent person I know I can be and most importantly, he loves me just the way I am. Sappy, I know... but hey, it's Valentine's Day, right?

Even though we are house bound with snow falling harder and faster then it has in over 3 years (according to the weatherman), I am going to work my tail off to make an extra special dinner for Ron. (I wonder what balsamic vinegar is for?) Hey, I might even light candles and pretend the snow knocked the power out, lol. I also think I need to use this blog post as a Valentine to let him know I love him too.

Enough drippy lovey gunk... on to beady stuff... first... don't forget "The Painter's Drop Cloth" ends tonight!! Another auction going for a super price!! BID BID BID!! (Oh, and did you see? It was on the Ebay Pulse Page today:) Hmmm... I wonder if I should make extra beads like today's photo for an Ebay set... hmmmm

Second... This week's free beads winnner is MARY L!! YOO HOO MARY!! Thanks so much for your votes and support. I appreciate it so much :) I'll get picks of a new freebie set posted asap.

Finally... if you are into wire working and you wanna be a proof reader for me for my ArtJewelry article, send me an email. I want 2-3 wire workers to have a look at it and see what they think!!

Imaginary Mumps

I patiently waited for the kiln to come to room temp so I could get these beadies outta the kiln. They just came out about an hour ago. I quickly strung them up, took their pics and posted them on Ebay. Go check out "Imaginary Mumps"

I had so much fun making these. I just played around layering my favorite colors. I kept them wonky and irregular shaped just to keep things whimsical. I even made "sidewinders" for the spacers. "Kerry what the heck are sidewinders?" You asked. They are OUT of round spacers. And I made them that way on purpose. They are kinda top heavy. And OMG!! I had silver Greek ceramic beads that were just perfect with these too!!

It is a HUGE set... 22 Beads! HUGE!! It is a 10 inch strand. I wanted to keep them for myself but I know that wouldn't be nice after teasing you with them the other day. I had planned on finishing these yesterday but never made it to the torch. I just wasn't feeling well. I was fine today and finished them up earlier (like 7 hours ago, lol, told ya I was waiting for them to get outta the kiln). Now I will start on the Bead Box Beads in these colors... I got LOTS of ideas!! You are gonna love 'em!! Just wait and see!!

Time to get to bed.

Ice Cubes

Here is the link to the new auction... "ICE CUBES"
Remember, the link won't work until the auction starts at 9:15pm my time 6:15pm PST!

I got new beads, yes sir-e I do! I managed to squeak this new set "Ice Cubes" out last night. A little before dinner, a little after dinner. I had been dreaming of an encased set of cubes for a while now, so there wasn't a whole lot of hemming and hawing... they almost made themselves!

I think they are so appropiate for the recent Ice Event of 2007. All the beads have a bit of encasing just like all that ice that encased everything all week. Kind of a fun way to celebrate the ice don't ya think? I pulled out all the same colors as my recent "Cubism" set, but left the transparents out and tossed in a little EDP. What's EDP you ask? Well, for those of you not familiar with glass... it is "Evil Dark Purple". The rod looks like lovely shade of pinky purple fuschia... then you get it in the flame and it acts like to rolled it in baking soda. It is very hard to control. So, I just let it do it's own thing and I like how it turned out. I think it gives the beads great texture and personality. I also like how I used the same colors as before but this time these feel much more pastely. Almost springy...

There is a funny story to go with these beads... most everyone knows by now that my glass studio space is in my garage. Now in winter we have been known to have a mouse or two living in the garage... can you tell where this is going? Well, my first hour at the torch before dinner was fine, quiet, uneventful. But when I went back out to finish my set, Bity Kitty can out in the garage with me. I noticed she went right to the corner by the back garage door. Ron has a bunch of golf bags lined up in that corner with play clubs for the kids. It is just a few feet from my desk. I was thinking, that's weird, what is she doing in the corner? So I just as I was getting settled and I am just about to touch the coral orange rod to my mandrel when what do I see out of the corner of my eye?... Bity leaping up on top of the golf bag after a BIG HUGE MOUSE running up the bag strap, across the head of a club, and down inside the bag. OMG!! Did I start screaming like a little girl?! YES I DID!! I totally freaked out. I know, it is a completely irrational fear... I am like 100 times the size of that mouse. But dang if I didn't almost pee my pants! LOL! The rest of the time at the torch I kept thinking I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. And anytime I moved my foot, I jumped thinking the tie of my slippers was a tail, lol. Bity stayed on gaurd for me. If we get a warm night anytime soon, I will leave her locked in the garage to "take care of the situation", lol.

I'll pop back in with the link to this new auction later tonight when it starts!

Colorless Cubism

Come on, you all know me well enough to know that I would push through my exhaustion to get the beads finished. This is "Colorless Cubism"... I think the name is pretty self explanitory, lol. I love this B&W! You knew that already too, didn't ya? I am addicted to B&W desings, and of course B&W are gonna rock as cubes.

I am just doing this quick update. Lauren is still sick but thinks she can go sledding. The auction will start at 9:00 pm my East Coast time... and don't forget!! "Cubism" ends TONIGHT!! Get over there and bid before they are gone!!