Back in the Saddle!

After what seems like an eternity I am finally back to torching at home! While the garage is not all the way put together, it enough so that I can do my thing without having to stumble over a mountain of stuff just to get in and out of there. I even have the added benefit of being able to easily access the refrigerator out there and find a muffin pan should I need one, that of course being for a different use, not torching.

I am finding that the time off from my torch has actually proven to be a good thing and has helped me be better now. Sometimes a break from things came help make us better, doesn’t usually feel like that in the interim, your just aching to be back at it, but somehow, it helps refine things without doing anything. My best example would be my yoga practice, something I has severely neglected since we moved and need to get back on track with. I have found that there are time when you are introduce to a new pose and your body just doesn’t want to go there, so you stop doing it, six month later you try it again and you are more successful now than you were the first time you tried it. You haven’t been practicing this pose, so why can you now do it? Chances are you’ve been working towards it in other areas without being aware of it, be it physically or mentally, you are now ready for it.

Last night I went out, fired up my new GTT Cricket torch and sat down to make a bead on it for the first time. I will admit I was a little intimidated by it in the beginning, I am not used to this much power and heat! I just made basic beads for quite a while until I felt I had my feet back under me and I had begun to make friends with my new torch. I think we are going to get along very well, Cricket and I. I worked on a minor in my lampworking class last weekend, but have to say I think this little guy blows the minor away! Everyone has different reason for the torch they choose and the minor is a great torch, I wouldn’t regret having one at all. That said, I am so glad I made the choice I did and went with the Cricket! It’s the right one for me!

My beads from last night turned out pretty well, some better than I thought they would. I will be torching my little heart out for years to come I am certain. There is so much more to learn, explore and experience!

Conquering The Garage!

It is pretty much the last frontier left in the move. The Garage! I do still have an over flow of stuff in the spare bed room, kind of the "what in the heck am I going to do with this", pile which is just really waiting for there to be shelves in which to take up residence upon out in the garage.

I have made some good progress over the past few days, I can even see some floor now! I have built, with the help of Bob, a bunch of the racks and am now unpacking boxes. It is amazing what you find as you unpack them. Quite a number of things you wished you would have gotten rid of at the other end. Did we really need to move this? But one only has so much time and energy, I could only go to the Goodwill so many times and the garage sale I had was already a monumental undertaking! I just keep telling myself they have a Goodwill here, so I can take stuff to them!

Hopefully I will have my lampworking bench all set up by the end of the weekend! I am taking a class all day on Saturday, so I will be itching to get home and melt glass in my own space with my own torch after that! I will be very glad when all the boxes in the garage are unpacked and put away! It'll be nice to be able to find a muffin pan if I should need one, I know they are out there some where, and I did discover the waffle iron today, so we could be having waffles his weekend I am thinking!!

I have put a few more items in my Etsy shop over the past couple days, and will get more in there daily if possible. Somedays, I don't get to it, but I try not to go more than a day or two with out putting something in there!

Something I can Support...

I added the link below because it is a company I have supported for several years now. The owner of this company is an awesome woman who has worked very hard to make an on-line business work in a very competitive market. I have long been inspired by her drive, ethics and overall business savvy. For me, putting up this link isn't about whether or not I sell cosmetics, it's about anyone who takes the time to handcraft items and sell them as their own. It's about protecting being an artisan, no matter what your market may be. For the lampworking world it is a constant struggle to educate consumers about what true artisan made lampwork beads are and how to tell the difference between quality and cheaply made imports. Different items, same struggles!

Even if you aren't interested in reading the entire link I posted, if you wear make-up, I highly recommend Aromaleigh Mineral Make-up! I've been wearing it for years, my 15 year old daughter wears it, as does my mother!

My Head Hurts!

Just when you start to get on a roll and get things going, it always seems like there is something waiting in the wings to try and derail your efforts. For me it's my migraine headaches. They are a frequent occurrence in my life. One that I am fairly well armed to deal with given the plethora of expensive pharmaceuticals available to me to take care of these brain splitting wonders. Even with medical insurance I still pay a pretty penny to rid myself of this pain. The meds work most of the time, but not all of the time. Herein lies the problem. I am on my second dose of migraine meds, enough to put down an African elephant, and given the fact that I am not a very large person, this is a lot of medication! I have also tried my back up pain med's, which have done nothing. It kind of feels like a big waste of money since now I have ingested the maximum migraine medication I can take in a day and I still have a significant headache. I thankfully am not to the point of heading off to the local ER for a shot of pain medication. That is a trip I really dislike, since it usually takes forever, ends up costing a bit even with insurance and my body dose not like the pain meds at all!

I really thought I was going to be able to get somethings done this week! I could have taken pictures today, it was beautiful outside, but the sunshine was too bright for my head. I went out for a bit to run some errands , and by the time I got home my head was pounding worse than it was when I left! I have a couple of projects I really want to get finished up and I really want to get out in that darn garage so I can organize and make room for my lampworking table!!! I need to melt some glass! Headache or not! I've been away from a torch way too long!

OK, I just needed to rant and rave about my head! No one really needs to listen or read this, I just needed to say it out loud! If you read this far, thanks for listening! Hopefully I will have more new listings trickling into my Etsy shop as the week progresses. My in-laws are visiting next week, so I may not have as many listings while they are here,I want to enjoy their company, I really like them!

What They DONT Tell You...

As I have written about here on my blog before, I recently embarked on a new venture making lampwork beads. It has been very interesting and quite enjoyable, but also equally challenging and frustrating! I did a lot of research before diving into this new art form and found it fascinating that on many websites it appears from the bios people write, that they must have skipped the phase I am in and went straight to perfection! No one seems to mention the challenge and frustration one feels in the learning process. You will read that is takes a lot of practice, but somewhere they leave out the rest of the story.

I am making pretty good progress, I think. I have conquered some areas that where giving me fits, and have moved on to try and work out some more rough areas. There is still a mountain of things to learn and I am sure I will be learning for years to come.

The other part of this I find amusing are the people who will actually tell you it is a fairly inexpensive thing to get into????? WHAT??? Are they just using a candle? I am currently using a Hot Head torch, and I will say I am not a huge fan! I learned to make beads on a GTT Lynx so this thing is darn near a candle in comparison. Also I use mapp gas canisters with it, the disposable type and at $8.00 a pop, which run for about 4-5 hours, it is not at all a cost effective way to melt glass. The torch head may only cost you $40.00, but you will make up the difference in cost over a dual fuel torch in the cost of those canisters!

The cost of glass can run the gamut from a couple dollars for a 1/4lb to over $20.00 for a 1/4lb. Then you have tools you need to buy... which leads to more tools, presses... more types of glass... powders... frit... silver...The list could go on and on. So how is this an inexpensive hobby to get into? I am not sure. I would like to quiz that person as to how they came up with that notion. I have yet to buy a kiln, dual fuel torch, or any really nice glass and I have already spent quite a pretty penny with the big ticket items yet to be purchased.

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. I love this and will continue to do it for a very long time. I just think it's funny what people do and don't tell you!

Moving On!!!

After what seems like 100 years, not four, Bob is finally done with his degree in nursing, has taken his licensing exam and is an RN at long last. As of this writing, a job is still something he is pursuing. Hopefully he will be able to find something locally. Amazingly for the first time in 30 years, most hospitals have gone into hiring freezes, even with Rn's. It's not that the overwhelming demand for Rn's has changed, it is only growing. The photos here are of the University of Portland School of Nursing Pinning Ceremony. Bob opted not to participate in the actual graduation commencement ceremony. This was a very nice program done just for the students from the nursing program, and they received their pin, which has been given out to graduates since the first class graduated in 1937.


This is a lovely picture of our very photogenic family! I think you could take 100 pictures and still not get a good one of all of us! We at least all look happy, although I am not sure about Emily, she could be bored.


In other news, I have left my job with the school district a little sooner than planned, but I am happier for it. I really enjoyed the years I worked with the elementary kids, and a great number of the staff members. I had planned to quit at the end of the school year, but certain situations, not worth talking about here, expedited my departure. For me this has turned out to be great timing since Bob is still not working so we have a lot of time to spend together. After four long years in school, we lost out on a lot of quality time and have a bit of catching up to do. We have already gotten a good start on planting a vegetable garden, eaten out ALONE several times, and have plans to take the dogs to the beach this week since the weather is supposed to be nice.


I am working diligently at learning to make lampwork beads. It is quite a process to learn. It is not something that, for me, is second nature, so I am having to just patiently and methodically work at learning each step of the process. I am very glad to have taken classes. I think I would be far more frustrated if I hadn't. I am certain that I will take more, since I am such a visual learner. I have some really great books, and they do help, but there is nothing like being able to do something with an experienced person watching and be able to tell you what you are doing wrong and how to correct it.

Quinn and I spend a couple hours every night out in the garage melting glass. So far I haven't sent any molten glass projectiles his way. As long as I think he'll be safe he can stay, but if things get dangerous, I don't want to burn the dog! I am really anxious to get a better torch since I learned on a great high end torch, so my simple Hot Head torch has been a bit of a step backwards. I am getting it down more now. I spent more time reading in Cindy Jenkins book, since she invented the darn thing, I figured she would have the best instruction in regards to it. I may do a bit of research on the Internet as well. I need to get some better visual pictures as to flame setting etc. Also the expense of these mapp gas canisters is crazy! I would use a larger propane tank, but I don't know where I can get it filled with the mapp gas. I think this week I will check with the welding supply place since these little canisters are costing way to much. I am just too slow at shaping beads right now, which is part of the problem, but I am not getting enough use out of a tank.

As always, I am trying to keep my Etsy shop fresh and intresting. I have a bunch of new summery listing for you to check out. I will try to do a post of those here soon. If you'd like to contact me you can leave a message here or through my Etsy shop. Thanks for stopping by!

What A Great Weekend!

We had absolutely gorgeous weather this weekend! We even had the doors and windows open today! I love the fresh air, my neighbors on one side who we love prefer their air conditioner and already have it going, our neighbors on the other side, that are less than appreciative of our existence, like having their doors and windows open. We are privileged to hear all of the very loud conversations they have, especially the mothers exchanges with her two young boys. Now, If only I could get them to enjoy their A/C and have our other neighbors open their doors and windows we'd have a really good time! I guess that is the nature of things! Unfortunately!

I was going to take some pictures of new pieces for my Etsy shop to get posted this week, but it was actually too sunny! I am not complaining, it's spring in Oregon, I am guaranteed more overcast and rainy days to come! In the mean time I still have plenty of items left in my spring clearance sale to pick from, so if you haven't already, go check it out!

My friend Nikki at Bastille bleu has been hard at work creating some great new spring lampwork bead set that are now listed on her Etsy shop, stop by and see what she has been up to! My Mom has also been working hard on her Etsy shop PG'sGemspiration. She has a bunch of new listings to check out, stop by and see her as well.

Easter is coming up quickly and I haven't done a thing for it yet! I'd better get out early this week and pick up something for the Easter Bunny. I didn't do any thing for Valentines Day, so if I miss two in a row there is bound to be trouble!

It's All About The Love...

Cupcake love that is! At the risk of having done TOO many post about cupcakes, I am going to do one more. I can't promise this will be the last since I am on a cupcake bracelet theme of sorts, so it could happen again. The photo is of my latest listing called "Cupcake Love", it is my favorite so far. I am in love with pink, black, white and lime together. I just put the bracelet up in my Etsy shop tonight, along with the accompanying earrings. I know... earrings? I am working on getting more in my shop. I have such a thing for bracelets, that I have kind of lost any inspiration for earrings. I am tring, so when I think of something I think will work, I am giving it a go. Taking pictures of them has been a bit of a challenge for me, I am working on that also. I think the cupcake earring photos came out pretty good, if I do say so myself!

I just got in some really cute beads which I will be working on this weekend. I have the cutest set of cactus beads! They are going to make such a cute bracelet! I have some really pretty lentil shaped beads from an Etsy seller I just got in. I thought maybe they were going to be too big, but I think they are going to be a great size. I am really bad about visualizing size on the Internet. I have a gauge that sits right here next to the computer,(Thank you Clarkie!)but I still have trouble knowing just how big or small things are going to look unless it is something I have had experience buying, then I have a reference. I also don't know my left from my right, I doubt that will ever change! My husband thought when we got married I could just look at the hand with the rings and know it was left. Only problem is, when I look at the ring hand I still have to think, do you wear your rings on your left hand or your right hand? My car has an arrow that points to the side that the gas tank is on, I've had the car for 7 years, I still need the arrow!

I still have a whole bunch of things still to list, plus more pictures to take and lots more beads to make new things with, so if you haven't looked at my Etsy shop lately, chances are there are some new things you haven't seen yet.

Shop Update...

This week I listed several new pieces in my Etsy shop over the weekend including the one shown here called "Sunnyside Up". This bracelet features beads from Desert Bug Designs. She is not an Etsy seller, but her work is so popular, highly sought after and distinctive, that I went a head and listed where the beads came from, even though it is basically my personal policy to only list by name the artist I buy from, if they are Etsy sellers. It is my goal to promote Etsy in general, so if they sell there I will list them. Doesn't matter to me if they sell other places as well, that is up to you to figure out, I'm just only going to list the Etsy connection.

This bracelet got quite a bit of attention this week! It was listed in TWO treasuries on Etsy! I was so excited when I got a message about the first one and completely shocked the next day when I got another message from someone else letting me know they also had used it in a treasury! It's amazing to me with all the volume of stuff on Etsy that someone would find and pick anything of mine! Both treasuries were about things either sunny or pink, both well represented in this piece I suppose! I'd put the links up here, but the treasuries run for such a brief period of time that they will have expired before anyone has a chance to read this.

I love these beads! They are sunny, bright and very detailed to say the least. The artist certainly puts as much as one possibly can into every millimeter of bead. This artists strands of beads routinely sell for well over $100.00. I was fortunate to not have paid anywhere near that much, but this is still the most expensive set of beads I have bought so far. I think they are worth the price, given all the workmanship involved. One only needs to have a basic understanding of lampworking to see how much work is involved in each bead.

I have learned a lot over the past few months of buying lampwork beads and am proud to say I buy only artisan made lampwork beads made by artist who live here in the USA. I have seen some very talented people on Etsy from Canada, Australia and Europe as well, but I am too impatient to order from them! It's not even the cost of shipping, most offer very competitive rates, it's knowing I'll have to wait a couple of weeks to get my beads. I'm not sure how this is any different than waiting for made to order beads, since they can take that long as well. I guess I may have some flawed logic, which may need some reconsideration.

I also posted some fantastic pieces in my shop featuring beads by my friend nikki, of Bastile Bleu on Etsy. Look for bracelets named "Day At The Zoo", "Reflections In Gray", and a piece yet to be listed called "Laughing Heart". She does a fantastic job with her beads and offers a wide variety of styles to chose from. You have to check out her new baby dragon hatchlings! These are adorable! I'm getting one for myself since I am a dragon by the Chinese zodiac, even though no one ever believes I could be a dragon...(she says sarcastically!)

I've got another cupcake bracelet finished and ready to list. This one even has matching earrings... I'm not going to show a picture of it here yet.. it's so cute! I'll unveil it later this week in my Etsy shop!

Did Somebody Say SALE???

OK, It sounds more exciting than it actually is, since it isn't so much a new sale, as much a continuation of the previous one... I added a sale section to my Etsy shop and put the remaining valentine pieces in there. I will probably begin adding items I feel aren't selling and are just taking up space in the shop as time goes on. I feel I need to do some spring cleaning, so I am certain a spring sale is on the horizon. I have a lot of stock right now in my shop and it's just not all getting looked at. I know there are some really great pieces, but when they sit on the back pages, they just don't really get viewed.

I have had a fairly productive weekend. I made quite a few bracelets, and I'd give you a sneak peek here, but I haven't made made it to the photo part yet, so that will have to wait. I need to update my slide show that plays at the bottom of the page since quite a few things on there are sold. I will add a bunch of my new items onto there this week, I promise. I have been able to get the laundry done, did the dishes, have dinner cooking, had Emily vacuum and dust(thank goodness for slave labor!), I even got Bob to clean up his mess, although he didn't like my approach very much!

I have a lot more beads still in the mail... I have made some SUPER cute stuff for the shop! Including the much talked about cupcakes! I am amazed at the array of talented lampwork artist I have been able to find. They all bring something different to the party! It's so much fun! I really enjoy working with this type of bead! They are just fascinating!

I should have some pictures taken tonight and new listings going up in my Etsy shop little by little this week! Thanks for stopping by

Three Day Weekend!!!

Who doesn't look forward to a three day weekend? I guess the people who aren't having one... Sorry Bob. I think I will get a lot of beading done this weekend. I got in a whole bunch of fantastic lampwork beads, with more still to come. I've stocked up on some nice Bali silver pieces, still waiting for a bit of that to arrive, as well. I tried out a few new sellers this time around, mostly from Etsy, one from eBay, whom I since discovered also sells on Etsy.

I have so many ideas floating around in my head right now, I need to find time to create, so I came clear out some brain space! I go to sleep beading, wake up beading, and think about things I could be doing with the beads as I am opening the packages when they arrive.

Things are definitely going to be more whimsical for spring and summer. I can't help myself with all the fun beads I have found. I will still have some normal stuff, or as normal as I get. Look for some nice bright colors, I have a great set of bugs that will make it's debut in several pieces, some delicious strawberries, and of course, the much talked about cupcakes! I have plenty more ocean/sea/beach themed pieces planned with a good bit of whimsy involved. I will post some of my finished pieces here, but all items of course will be in my Etsy shop as I get them made. If you are interested in something custom don't hesitate to contact me. I'd love to work on something special. You can leave me a message here or contact me through my Etsy shop.

My Latest Obsession.... Lampwork Beads!!!!

I tend to kind of leap off the deep end when getting into something new, and while lampwork beads aren't completely new to me, I have recently become quite fascinated by them. They are amazing, especially that they can be handmade by an average person. I have been buying them on a popular auction based web site lately, and getting pretty good thanks to Bob. He is now regretting showing me how to win a auction so well. I must admit it is a bit addicting. The thrill of the kill! Your heart starts pumping that last two minutes as you get ready to pounce!

I have been creating with my winnings and listing them in my shop. There is quite a range of quality and prices available out there, some overpriced, some under priced. I've made a few things that span the field, from the higher end on down. I have been fortunate so far to not have bought any complete duds. I have a few pieces I wouldn't put in something for my shop, but would use in something for personal use. I'll put up a few pictures here as a sample of what is now available in my shop. Plenty more to come. I have at least a dozen stands of beads I should be getting next week!!!!