Getting There

It's getting there.
Slowly, but surely, I'm learning the new ways of the new studio.
It had been too long since I last made beads. What was it, a month, or more?
Well before the Bead Cruise (don't forget early bird registration for returning cruisers opens at noon today!), that's for sure.
I have some new ideas stirring that I want to bring to life. Beads are definitely required.
So the studio was christened yesterday and my first beads here have been made.
Nothing fancy. The learning curve coming back to the flame after so many weeks is a steep one.
I am eager to get in this morning and see how things worked out. There are a couple of pretty cabochons (or should I say Kabochons) waiting for me.
Who knows? Maybe I'll have a few new goodies to post on my website by the end of the week... we'll see.

Couple of Things

First, THANK YOU for such a fantastic response to the release of Snaptatic: Clicking Your Way To Beautiful Jewelry Photos. I am gitty everytime I see a new student registration or eBook download. I couldn't be more excited about the adventure we are going to have!! If you haven't signed up, you should.

Second, I have ANOTHER surprise for you! My box of ArtBliss supplies arrived and I have just a few kits left from the retreat. If you hop on over to Kits & Supplies, Oh MY! you'll see three new kit offerings. I have a couple of those coveted ArtBliss Bang Gal sets, some new Split Personalities in BRIGHTS (one of which I made in the studio today and I love it), and lastly there is the Flying Trapeze pendant too. With all that I have on my plate over the next several week, these will be the last new things (kits/beads/jewelry) that will be posted on my website until Decemeber.

Beads and other things...

If you are looking for my Bead Soup Blog Party post, click this link to see what I made with Diane Cook's ingredients. A huge thank you to everyone taking the time to comment. Y'all are lovely.



:: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM TODAY!!! Hi MOM!
:: I am sipping coffee on the kind of morning that makes it very hard to come out from under the five heavy blankets on my bed.
:: I really busted butt last week to be ready for ArtBliss, and all my stuff is in a box on its way to Washington DC as we speak.
:: Along with the new kits I'll be releasing, I ran-sacked the studio and made over 40 beady grab bags!! Fun... and thanks for that idea, Cindy.
:: Went out antiquing with my Mom and Sister this weekend and it was a total bust. I'm so bummed.
:: I was gonna get my hair trimmed and do something fun with the color on Wednesday, but I think I might cancel that appointment.
:: I wonder if I will ever have time to knit again.
:: Maybe I can cast on for a hat or something else quick n' easy.

:: OH OH, my Snaptastic ebook is nearly finished!! I can't wait to share it with students this weekend.
:: 99 pages, people. Ninety-nine.
:: Been working on it with Brandi over at http://www.brandigirlblog.com/. Can't rave about her enough!!
:: I was thinking recently that I should brainstorm doing a 2012 calendar of my work. Anyone interested?
:: Just looked out the window and the sun is shining so brightly on a patch of leave turning a beautiful shade of red.
:: I <3 Fall.
:: I think I'll take my run outside this morning.

Bliss Kits Preview

Okay, so I was right the first time... the Bead Soup Blog Party isn't until this Saturday. I couldn't leave you hanging though!! So here is a peek at the finished sets of Bang Gal kit beads. This color combo has been created exclusively for ArtBliss visitors!! (If by chance there are sets still available after the show, they will be available on my website.) You can see in the final photo the sample bracelet. I decided to pair these with brass wire. I love the look, and I love that I don't have to charge an arm and a leg to cover the cost of sterling silver. Something really special about these? I made each set truly unique with a new Peacock feather design I have been working on. I started making these feathers several months ago for a super secret behind the scenes project. I hope you like them! I love making them.

I have been torching like a mad woman! I will also be releasing the Split Personality kits and Flying Trapeze as well. If you are wondering which projects those are, grab your copy of Totally Twisted to check them out!! I am also hoping to make loads of head pins today to make the I <3 Wire necklace seen in Easy Wire 2011 available too. Wish me luck!!

Limited Edition Preview

I mentioned the other day how excited I am about the new color combination for the Limited Edition Bang Gals Kit that I'll be taking to ArtBliss this year. The sets are only halfway through there construction, but I thought I would give you a little peek.

Dark red brown, transparent ink blue/purple, new lavender, transparent 14karat, RAKU!, and a yummy yellow color that I forgot the name of.

They have a crisp Fall feel that I am totally in love with. The purple brown yellow palette really hums together. And you throw in the touches of blue/green that the raku is giving off and gosh, I want a sweater and soup. I am mixing in some new surface designs too. In place of random dot patterns, I have raked the dots into falling leaf shapes. And there is one other design I am keeping top secret until the sets are complete. It is a design I have made several times for behind-the-scenes projects over the past few months. I am looking forward to sharing it with you.

This is just the beginning of the new kit colors I'll be rolling out! It feels good to be in the swing of thinking creatively in a beady way. School hasn't started yet (5 more days!), but I am sneaking up to work at the studio anytime I can. Stay tuned... it should be an inspiring ride on the way to ArtBliss!

Twisted Tuesday - Holiday Special!

Forgive me this shameless self promotion, I just gotta say, I think Totally Twisted: Innovative Wire Work + Art Glass Jewelry (by Yours Truly) should be on every beader's wish list this Christmas!! With the holidays officially upon us, and as an author experiencing my first Christmas with my first book, I can't help it, I am biased, I know. To celebrate the season and to help stuff lots of stockings with copies of Totally Twisted, I have marked signed copies down 20% on my website.

So whether you have been holding off getting a copy for yourself, or you want to gift a copy to your best beady girlfriend, now is the time to order!! Shipping rates are the same: US Residents $3.50, Canadian Residents $8, and Everywhere Else $12 ( sorry I can't make it cheaper, books are heavy!) And I am happy to sign the copy to whom ever, just note it in the comments when checking out.

Now, for those of you that already have a copy of the book, and have been eagerly waiting that new kit that I hinted at a few weeks ago, it is here!! You can now order kits for UNHINGED! (photo of kit beads below) This is truly one of my favorites. I love making these beads and I love making this bangle. You can read all about the origins of this design in this 2008 blog post. This would be a great starter project for a newbie wireworker too. If you are gifting a copy of the book, this would make a great companion gift (hint hint)!!

While you are checking out all the Kits & Supplies, Oh My! on my website, you'll see that the 4 kits I launched earlier this yeas have been marked down too!! I have taken 10% off of Bang Gals!, Delightful, Framed, and Timeless. All because I love you guys and I am so thankful for your support and for making 2010 such an exciting year for me. Thanks so much to each and every one of you. This sale will be going on until December 31, 2010. That way, if Santa doesn't get everything on your list, you can come back and treat yourself to something special :) But, I hate shameless self promotion, so I won't be mentioning this again until it is about to expire!!

Happy Shopping and Merry Christmas!!

A Mint Julep

Yes, yes, I know it is suposed to be Twisted Tuesday, and I missed Random Monday yesterday. There is just too much going on around here and something has to give. Even now, I am only popping in for a second to share these photos. I finished another piece, A Mint Julep, for next week's trunk show. I am loving it!! It was inspired by a vintage pearl necklace that Lauren has been sporting lately.

Gotta dash. ~K

A Ray Of Sunshine

We woke to a positively beautiful day this morning. The sun is shining, and it is expected to reach temps in the 60s. With the kids home for Veteran's Day, I have plans to get us out in the sun to soak up as much of that yummy natural vitamin D as we can. Before we do that though, Momma had to get some "work" done. After I cleaned these "The Eyes Have It" beads for kits ordered a few weeks ago, I was about to take them down to the studio for a quick photo shoot when I noticed a lovely ray of sunshine coming through the window of our front door on to the dining room table. Today being what it is, I lined up the beads like good little soldiers and started snapping away. This is one of those times that I wish I knew my camera settings better. I love how the photos turned out, don't get me wrong, but there is a magical glow that happens while sitting in a ray of sunshine that the camera lens looses. I wish I knew better how to catch that glow without completely over exposing the shot. *sigh* I am still learning though, and that is okay. All these little beadies are going to be wrapped and pack and sent on their merry ways to new homes all around the country. Not until tomorrow though, I forgot the post office is closed today!!

And a HUGE thank you for the wonderful compliments on yesterday's post for Jacob. I let him read it last night to which he said and I quote "that was really nice of you Mom."  He read all your comments too and says thanks. And apparently, now that he is thirteen, he thinks he can sleep until 10am and have chocolate cake for breakfast. Nice.

Twisted Tuesdays - Studio Work

I think after the ups and downs of the past month, these two photos speak for themselves and say a thousand words.

Twisted Tuesdays - New Kit Release!!

Confession 1: The last time I spent more than 30 secs in my studio, more than a run down and grab a pair of scissors or tube of glue amount of time, was nearly sixs weeks ago.

Confession 2: I have had about 8 big boxes of new studio goodies delivered to my house this week but I have barely had the heart to open them. They are filled with a plethora of new glass colors, a complete "The Smith" torch set up, and foot upon foot of wire.

I could go on to confess other things right now, like how I am still in my pjs at 10am and haven't had a shower even though I have been up since 6am, or the main reason for confession 1 is that I am avoiding a hip high pile of laundry, but HEY, it is Twisted Tuesday!! and we need to celebrate all things TOTALLY TWISTED. Forget the pjs and laundry... forget the messy studio and unpacked boxes... forget that life gets away from us sometimes. Agreed? Agreed. I am ready to dive back into the studio for some quality cleaning time and to get back to creating some beautiful beads. (Although I may not be able to take part in that art show I mentioned the other day, I can still squeak out beads here and there while Andrew is at tutoring!!)

I have a surprise for you!!

I am ready to roll out a new kit from Totally Twisted!!

I thought a lot about which project would make the best new kit. And, I have two for you. One will be released today and the other next week. I wanted a kit that would have great bang for its buck and one that is easy to tackle for newbies or pros alike (and for me in the studio too). SO, the first kit will be for The Eyes Have It, found on page 129 in my book. A few of you that have seen me in person recently (like at ArtBliss!) got to see the beads for these kits in person, and I was thrilled with the reactions. Oh what fun it is to hear oohhhs and aaahhhs when dumping out a pile of beads on a desk.

Here is how the new kit works. They will be made to order (unlike kits of the past which are usually ready to ship), they will be available in three color combos to start, and I am limiting the quantity I will make to 5 in each color. Also, the price of sterling silver is sky high at the moment, so I am also giving you the option to order just the beads (minus the sterling) if you like. Being that this kit uses 8ft of 16g wire, at today's price, it will save you $35 (kits are priced at $120, just the beads at $85)! I will need about 10 days to make the beads, clean them, kit them, package and ship them. Meaning, orders placed today will be shipping on or before Friday Oct 29th. And they should be in your beady hands by Nov 1st!!




The three color combos I am offering are 1)The Original - black, pink, and rose, 2) Ivoried - ivory, dark red/brown, and silvered ivory, and 3) Tealy - transparent teal, turquoise, periwinkle, and coral. I love each of the combos so much. The Original is rather fun and sassy, I think it is a great anytime color combo, but will be especially nice come Valentine's with that lovely pink. Ivoried let's out a bit of your wild animal side with the way the edges of the dark red/brown feather into the ivory. This combo would be great with oxidized copper or brass too!! Tealy is just plain fun, and possibly my favorite. I can't get enough of these colors!!

An important note: these kits are intended for personal use only, NOT FOR RESALE. You are more than welcome to purchase just the beads and use them how ever you like in other projects of your choosing to resell. however, I am asking that you not purchase the kits, make The Eyes Have It, and then offer it for sale. Thanks for your understanding on this!! These make GREAT GREAT gifts though!! Christmas is around the corner, hint hint. ALSO, please remember, INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT INCLUDED! A detailed, step-by-step, tutorial is available in my book, Totally Twisted.

HAPPY KIT SHOPPING!!

Twisted Tuesdays - K.reating A.rt B.eads

One of the things that a few of us instructors and students talked about this weekend at ArtBLISS was how bored blog readers must get after a big show takes place. For a week solid, it seems like it is all anyone can talk about and if you weren't there, you don't want to hear the same things over and over and over again. Right? Right. So, in an effort not to bore you into oblivion with overkill, while still giving those of you that want to hear about things some details, I am going to limit my posts about the show to just two. One post for each of my classes!!

K.reating A.rt B.eads - Saturday Sept 25th 2010 - ArtBLISS

I have to tell you, the experience of introducing a room full of wonderfully caring, bright, intelligent women to something that I am incredibly passionate about, glass, is something I am going to hold very close to my heart for a long time. I love to teach, I love glass, and I love being in such a mutually supportive environment. Oh how I wish I wasn't so nervous. That way, I would have been enjoying myself from the moment I opened my eyes that morning, instead of spending my early hours of prep worrying. Alas, jitters come with the territory. Thankfully, eventually, those butterflies calmed down enough that I was able to feel really connected to the moments we were having. One of my absolute favorite parts of a day was the last 45 minutes or so, when, even though class was over, we were all sitting around with each other just openly talking/questioning/sharing about experiences. Students got to pick my brain about my thoughts on things. We talked about making the choice to live a creative life and finding for yourself what you can let go to be more fulfilled as a person. The whole thing felt so genuine and intimate. I.loved.it.

Enough of my blather on though... you wanna see pics, right?!? Here ya go...











Thank you so so much Bev, Nadia, Heather, Amy, Michele, Frankie, and Patti for trusting me to introduce you to what I hope will be a long love affair with glass. Remember, I am here if you need me... ask questions anytime... and keep the rod hot, bead warm (not hot bead, cool rod)!

A Typical Hump Day

I have on my plate a very full "hump day". It is that middle of the week kinda day that has everything planned for it, and it is gonna be a p.i.t.a., but by the end of it, I will be one day closer to what will be an awesome weekend! Today, I am meeting with a potential new therapist for Andrew, I am getting my hair cut, meeting with Andrew's care coordinator, and then I have a football meeting for Jacob. I am doing all this today while nursing a very sore throat and stuffy nose (yep, I got the kids' colds, ugh). I am not complaining though. It is miserably dreary out, so naturally, my spirits are high and I am actually looking forward to the distractions of the day.

And, like I said, it means I am one day closer to Friday and the start of The Inaugural Event at ArtBliss. Today's beady photos are from kits I finished up over the weekend. The top photo is for Unhinged bangles!! If you want to hear a little about Unhinged's history, check out my February 2008 post about them! (It is one of my favorite posts I have ever written actually.) I call it up all the time, in my mind, and sometimes for others too. I was hoping to have 18 of these kits made, alas, the cold I have made is so I only have 14, but oh well. I can make more later. If by chance, any of the 14 are left post ArtBliss, it will be one of the new kits I release in the coming days!! Stay turned for that!!

Below are beads for a completely new design. Well, not completely new, it is kinda a hybrid of a design with a twist. Can I tell you a secret? When I proposed this class, I knew I would make 3 bangles with my students, and I knew what 2 of them would be off the bat, but, um, I didn't actually figure out the 3rd design until last Friday. Yeah, potentially irresponsible of me as an instructor, but it all worked out in the end! The new design can be seen here: Sample Bangle. Not a very glamorous name, I know, but the ones we make in class with be called "Create-A-Bang". In honor of all the "create"ing we will be doing this weekend, each student will have a "create" bead as a focal and I hope it becomes a sweet keepsake from our time together. The construction for it is actually very similar to my 2006 design seen in the background of this bracelet grouping. Anyone remember those?!? Yep, that bracelet eventually went on to be "Sandy Lanterns", one of my earliest projects seen in Step By Step Wire magazine!! Now wasn't that a fun little stroll down memory lane!?!

What has you busy this fine Wednesday?