Earth Hour 2009

It's Earth Hour - are your lights off? Ours are!

Do You See What I See?

The latest Chico's catalog came the other day and I finally got a chance to look at it. There is a sweater on the front cover that I adore. Of course it's black and white, and the gorgeous woman with short cropped blond hair is standing in front of the most beautiful blue ocean and had a big fabulous necklace and sparkly bracelet... the whole cover is WoW. It makes me want to:

1.) go buy the whole outfit (except I would probably never wear it)
2.) cut my hair short (but I know better!)
3.) color my hair blond (if I only had the guts)
4.) go to the beach (a warm tropical one, not the windy, grey, PacNW one I have right down the street)

AND... can you guess this one ???
5.) yes, go make beads. (there is a black and white focal coming from this Chico's catalog cover... it's just a matter of time!)

I couldn't find the shot on their website, but I did find several more inspiring pieces. None of them are anything I'd ever wear, really... but they all scream at me to make beads... can't you see them now? I can, and let me just say they are amazing! Now... if I can only take these images and make them work in glass... *that* is what I'll be working on next week.

The only thing left that I have to say is: who in their right mind would paint wearing a jacket like that??? Obviously they have no idea what painting does to a person's wardrobe. Or melting glass for that matter. If I have a piece of clothing that doesn't have paint on it, it's got burn marks... so yeah, I probably won't be doing #1 up there on my list, it would be a total waste of money. #2 isn't happening either. #3 could, someday... if I ever either get crazy enough or brave enough... one or the other... in the meantime, I'll just keep dreaming about #4 while I'm #5, playing with fire... melting my glass...

All That's Left of the Mess of Beads

All the beads from yesterday will have new homes very soon... all except for this mini set, called Tiger Tale. On Etsy now, thanks for looking!

Today's Handful of Beads

Or... What Have I Got Myself Into?



What a day! First I agreed to make a set of beads to go with a focal that sold. No biggie, I'd been rolling the thought around in my head anyway. And it was not bad, once I figured out that it was ok if they didn't all match (I'm not a matchy matchy person, in case you haven't figured that out). All this time I had it in my mind that other people expected matching things and so I stayed away from sets - avoided them like the plague - but then I realized... not everyone does expect that, do they? There are people like me, people who like asymmetrical things, eclectic things, things that are a little "off" (but in a good way)... and they are the ones who will by my beads - it's all good.

Then, the set sold! Great right? Except, not to the person I reserved them for. SO... I got busy. I headed out to the studio as soon as the kiddo went to school and didn't stop until it was time to pick him up. I made another set, and another one after that because a friend wanted some too... and I thought I was going to make a set for myself because they are really that cool and I should make myself something since my birthday is coming (right?)... but then all of a sudden, I had 45 minutes left and I couldn't bring myself to make another small bead... So...just to make my heart happy, I made a big focal, because by that point, I HAD to.

But here is the thing... small beads are ok! They are certainly low stress, compared to the honking big ones I make... which take up to an hour each, by the way. If you ruin a bead you've invested that much time in and so much glass in at the last minute... well, it's bad news and a sad bead day. But if you ruin a little bead that you might have maybe 10 or 15 minutes invested in... eh, melt it all in, encase it in another color, and make something else! No biggie. It was actually kind of liberating after all that "I don't make small beads" talk I had going on in my head.

So ok, I make small beads too... sometimes. We will see. But first I have to get all these sets and custom requests sorted out... for all these *easy* small beads... I've got a big mess on my hands. Except, I'm not complaining, it's not a bad problem to have, really.

Hey Look! She CAN make a set...

More Signs of Spring

Four New Beads Listed on Etsy

In addition to the focal bead I teased you with last night... these are now all up on Etsy for your buying pleasure! Thanks for looking :)

Sneak Preview

I made six beads today and they ALL came out nice! It was a flower kind of day, plus one starfish. Here is my favorite, I'm still editing photos, and nothing listed on Etsy yet, but wanted to give a teaser post.

My Little Hoot Owl

Luke was in a play last week, he was "Hoot Owl" and the play was called "Wildwood Garden" and was all about recycling and taking care of our earth and keeping things "Green".

The second graders did a great job, and Luke loved it so much - he loves acting and costumes and set design - the whole thing. He is amazing at memorizing his lines - I think he knew his the first day, and then had everyone else's lines memorized by show day as well.

He was so sad when it was over though - "I'm sad because that is the last play of the year and I can't do another one until next year". I think I'll have to find a summer theater program for my budding actor... he'll like that. Another thing to add to my list!

Two Things

1. Keep an eye on my friend Shirley's blog. She's into felting these days and makes really wonderful felted vessels - her felt is to-die-for beautiful. But here is why I say keep an eye on her - she bought one of my beads and is designing a vessel around it - how fun is that?! Here you go: JumpingJackGlass.blogspot.com.

2. Eileen from Dorset Hill Beads did a little feature on her blog for the Street Team "Fire Divas" - and she showcased some of my beads for being lucky enough to have the 100th post in one of our promotion threads. Check it out here: Dorset Hill Beads and be sure to click on her link to all the Fire Diva beads on Etsy, some really pretty glass to be had!

Happy Spring!

Today we have had pretty much all the spring weather rolled into one day: sunshine, rain, wind, drizzle, downpours, hail, wind, sunshine. So now, maybe we can move right into summer!

Oh, and here is the only bead that survived today. The weather inside the studio was almost as violent. Glass flying everywhere... things really not working out.

A Couple More Sea Pod Focals

I'm enjoying the silvered glasses so much... I have a sample pack of about 10 different kinds - one rod each. The all do something just a bit different. I'm going to have to order more soon.

Today's New Bead

I love the reactions in this glass, how it shows the ivory under it, and how nice it looks with the green.

Three Things

1.) I like Stamps.com. I think it's worth the monthly fee, even in these economic times. Especially for international shipping.

2.) Frantz makes the best bead release. Period. Except, don't water it down too much, that is bad news.

3.) Alway watch out for striking red rods mixed in with amber rods. Most people would notice right away... but it took me a whole rod for it to click that something wasn't right.

Another Funky Bead or Two

This one is on a green base with aqua silver glass... I like these colors a lot! Reminds me of spring... and the beach.





And this one is purple. Frank asked me to make a purple one... and this is what I came up with. I like it, but I like the ocean, rain forest, bright ones better I think.

Today was a Good Bead Day

But not a good photography day. I like these beads a lot - had SO much fun making them... but eh, they are much nicer in person. But here, I'll show you a couple of them, and then tomorrow I'll try shooting the rest of them again.

Look What Andee Made!

I have been wondering... what has happened to all the beads I've sold, all the beads that have traveled around the world to their new homes... or to jewelry designers who will then send them off again to some unknown destination.... what have they been turned into? Or are they still sitting in a box waiting for the perfect inspiration? Are they being loved and admired? I'm so curious!

Well, lucky me, my friend Andee from Germany posted a picture of her new necklace featuring one of my beads and so I get to see what happened to this one. I love it!

The Rest of Yesterday's Beads

Coming to an Etsy store near you... soon. Thanks for looking!

I love this bead!

Amber base, ivory, silver glass.

Dreaming of Seaside

Remember that cute little cottage I booked six months ago? It's almost time to go!

More Rose Gardening

Still playing around with the tidal pool bead turned garden bead. Getting there...

Sea Cucumbers? Alien Seed Pods?

I'm not sure what these are yet. Or if I'm done with them. I don't think I am...

Rose Garden Bead on Etsy

Thanks for looking!

Rose Garden

It snowed today. Hail too. The ground is crunchy frozen and the air is crisp. Icy fingers of draftyness are reaching through my single pane windows and under the doors... it's downright depressing.

I'm jones'ing for spring, have been flipping through my garden books and magazines, catalogs too. I can't for the life of me figure out what I want to do with my front yard - it's a blank slate right now and anything is possible. And that's the problem, I like it all. White picket fences with climbing roses and hollyhocks and tulips and lilac bushes... tall green hedges and white birch trees with day lilies and hosta.... a funky spiral walkway with blueberry bushes and a pumpkin patch... are you starting to see my dilemma?

So today, instead of digging in the dirt and marking off paths and beds and deciding where the hedge could grow... I made Rose Garden Beads. It's all I could think to do when the world was white and frozen and cold... dreams in pink and green with lots of sunshine.

Team WETsy March Madness

Team WETsy (one of my Etsy street teams) is having a fun promotion this month - find a pot o' gold in some of the team member's shops and get some free things... free beads maybe, free shipping maybe, a discount of some sort. Check it out here: Team WETsy Blog.

New Beads on Etsy

Thanks for looking!

Destination ImagiNation

Luke's big Destination ImagiNation Competition was yesterday. His team, the DIamonds, wasn't allowed to actually compete - for a real prize - as they were too young still - but they got do everything just as if they were, and they did GREAT!

Destination ImaginNation is Luke's new favorite thing in the world - it's so creative and the kids all get to put their wacky ideas out there and people actually listen and then best of all, let them try them out to see if they will work or figure out how to adjust them so that they eventually will.

This group of 9 second-graders brainstormed and decided to do a skit about discovering ice-cream in the center of the earth. They wrote two songs, wrote their own lines, created their own rock monster costumes, invented a device to shoot ice-cream through to feed the fire monster and created their own set and props. All by themselves. The parents were not allowed to help in any way, we had to sign a contract saying we would not even give them ideas. They could ask us how to do something, sew for example, and we could teach them that, but then had to let them do the rest on their own.

Luke decided to use fabric for his costume - he put a diamond heart on it (with fabric glue) and sparkles, and used safety pins instead of sewing. Other kids used boxes or bags to create their costumes. Each one was completely different, and really great. The fire monster wore white with red and yellow feathers glued on. One of the rock monsters had a pet rock - a rock on a rope. And then they had 8 minutes of lines to remember and say in front of a room of complete strangers and a table of judges. They pulled it off and were total superstars and were very proud of themselves. Now they can't wait until next year... when they actually will have a chance to win an award.

The Finished Auction Project

Twelve of Twelve, all squished on the canvas!



"Mrs. Figel's Second Grade Tall Tale Garden"
Inspired by the second grade literature curriculum of Tall Tales, Fairy Tales and Folk Tales, along with their science unit of growing plants from seeds, this wild garden masterpiece showcases the budding imaginations of each of Mrs. Figel's students. Each student contributed to this mixed media wall art hanging by creating a seed pod that grows into something "wild and amazing". From a seed that grows into "a house, a cow and a chicken so that someone can have everything they need", to a diamond seed planted that grows a "real diamond", to a monster flower bud that eats the scary monster flowers. The students sketched their plants and then cut them out of quilting fabric in colors of their choosing. The plants have been arranged on a canvas painted with acrylics to create a wild growing garden landscape and the whole thing is sealed with clear acrylic medium. The edges of this 40" X 30" gallery wrapped canvas have been finished with acrylic paint so that it may be hung in your home without needing a frame.

My Baby's Blue Eyes

I just want to share some really good news with the world. My kid can see. The way most everybody else can. And let me just say, that is something to jump for joy about!



It was this time last year when my heart just about broke when Luke said to me, "Mom, I can tell which ball is the real ball and which ball is the fake ball." He was talking about the baseball and it all of sudden clicked why he wasn't batting well. Why he could throw the ball great, but wasn't so good at catching. And it fit right in with why reading wasn't going well... it all started to add up. All those little signs that didn't seem like much... until that comment.

So now it's a year later, about 9 months into vision therapy and little league is starting up again. And WOW!!! What a difference 9 months can make! The kid can hit the ball! The kid can catch! Even he is amazed at how better baseball is now that there is just one ball. I could cry, I'm so happy for him. Never mind that he's reading like a champ, chapter books and the computer, all that great stuff he needs to do to succeed in school and life - we've been watching that slowly progress over the months, so we knew things were improving, and I've been proud of him for how hard he's been working at all of it. But THIS! This comparison hits it all home for all of us. He's amazed and proud of HIMSELF and this new confidence is the biggest thing of all. Go Luke!

Signs of Spring

Lots of little green sprigs poking up through the ground and dried leaves. Today I found this little sweetie in a place I'm sure there were none last year.