New Studio in the Works

January 2007, this cute little shed will be built in my back yard and I'll be melting glass again! Can't WAIT.

Santa Came

We found this saved to the computer when we woke up. Santa must have hit "print screen" when he stopped in. Or something. We tracked him all around the world. Most amazing was his barrel role over Germany.



Luke woke us up at 6:40 AM. "Mom, Mom! Santa Came! And GUESS WHAT!!! He did NOT bring me coal!!!!"

Here he is, several hours later, with one of his favorite gifts from Santa, plus a necklace of fairy dust around his neck and his laser pet toy hanging from his pocket:

Mistletoe

Luke: "Mom, what's this?"

Me: "It's mistletoe."

Luke: "Oh. What is it?"

Me: "A plant."

Luke: "Oh. But what is it FOR?"

Me: "Kissing people."

Luke: "Hu?"

Me: "You hang it up and then if anyone gets caught standing under it, you get to kiss them. It's an old tradition."

Luke: "Hu. I need some!"

Me: "Why? Who do you want to kiss you?"

Luke: "No one. Well... maybe a flower."

Me: "A Lilly Flower?"

Luke: "Maybe.... yeah...."


Luke and Lilly:

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you a fun and magical holiday!

Some New Things

Some are gifts, some are not...

Decking the Halls

More here: http://cottage-by-the-sea.blogspot.com

Strange Place

My grandfather passed away and I painted this odd painting. It's really big, I don't know maybe 3 feet tall.

Oh the wind...

...and the rain... it's coming down sideways. Luke asked me to take him to the beach to see if it was flooding. It wasn't, but the waves were flowing in reverse and sideways. The seaguls, the ones in the air anyway, were also flying in reverse or sideways. Or both. Some crazy girls were twirling on the beach in the rain and the wind; they seemed pretty happy.

...on a warmer note, I enjoyed my first peppermint mocha of the season today. It was delish. Almost makes me want to hang some garland and lights up. Almost.

The Art Auction Last Night

It was really FUN! I didn't end up donating that big necklace because my neighbor, who is the marketing manager at the hotel where the show was, thought maybe it was too extravagant for this event and so I ended up donating 4 other pieces in it's place and wearing the big necklace instead. All my pieces went quickly, which was nice to see, and next year I'll have a better idea what to donate. We bid on, and won, a week long workshop for Luke at Gage Acaadamy of Art. I'm a bit jealous on that one. And then we won the raffle and got two free nights, dinner, parking, cocktails and breakfast at the hotel!!

So I'm going to put the necklace (lucky necklace!) on my site for sale after all. Wish me luck with it, I don't know how I'm going to find the right buyer for it, but let's hope the universe has some plans and will line that up.

I also went through and lowered some of the prices on some pieces that have not moved very quickly... trying to move some things along to make room for some new work.

Have a great Friday everyone :)
Pam

Another B.I.G. Neck Piece

Voting Day

No no, not another voice telling you to go vote. Just a cute little story to share.

Last night we had the little girl next door over for dinner. Somehow the topic of today being voting day came up and someone said to her that someday she could run for president if she wanted to. Her eyes got HUGE at this new concept. Luke then said to her "Yeah, and if you were president, everyone would have to listen to you and do what you told them to." Her eyes got even BIGGER and I swear, she made a noise that sounded like Homer Simpson thinking about donuts. It was really fun to see how much she like that idea. Funny to see a 5 year old little girl practically drooling over how much power she could have.

Here's to the day when our little girls can and will run for and become president.

And here is to Kesia, the SuperMutt:

Mushroom Flower

A Slightly Better Shot

It still does not do it justice. I wish I could get a shot that really captured it the way it IS.

Auction Piece

I just finished this and I'm so excited about it. It's SO beautiful! I'm donating it to the 3rd Annual Art of Hospitality Silent Auction and Art Show. The event is next Thursday at the Mayflower Park Hotel on 4th and Olive Way in Seattle, 4-8pm. Proceeds benefit John Muir Elementarry School's Arts Program.

The neckpiece is made of my own handmade lampwork beads, pearls, garnets, turquoise and misc. glass. The pendant and toggle clasp are both handcrafted in sterling silver by the Karen Hill Tribe.



I'll try to get a better photo tomorrow when there is more light. Thanks for looking!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween in the new 'hood is GREAT. I'm happy. Hope yours was good too!

There.

I made something. It's been a Very Long Time since that has happened. Turquoise and wood, with a sterling toggle.

Boo!

The neighborhood kids are having a great time "Boo-ing" each other. I don't know where it started, but you get Boo-ed after dark. At our house it came with a loud banging on the door (our doorbell is broken) and then a panic by the dogs. When we opened the door, no one was there... but there was a package with a poem about getting boo-ed and a bag of candy and a boo sign to put on the door to show the world we'd been boo-ed. Luke enjoyed it a lot. So much so that he re-boo-ed the neighbors and was re-boo-ed too. It's nice living in a neighborhood where you get boo-ed.

Six

Six years with this darling boy of mine. He was spoiled royally today, and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Two ponies trailing around through the magic garden, taking the kids for a thrilling jump up and over the little hill between the holly and the ivy. Then a cowboy cookout with the new firepit. Boys playing Power Rangers under the fir canopy, and more climbing the old magnolia.

I think it might just have been the most perfect day. Certainly a perfect birthday.

Run Luke Run

School jog-a-thon. Once again Luke exceeded expectations and I owe a ton of mula due to his many, many, many laps. Go Luke!

Bye Bye Periwinkle

I went back to exploring yellows and ended up with a golden wheat/camel color. I love it and I think this is IT. Now to move on to something new. Jewelry perhaps??? Who knows.