Jan 30 2010

Another cold spell has set in - and tomorrow we are supposed to run 9 miles outside - I'll have on my winter running pants as well as some fleece shorts to keep my legs warm.....

I believe I had an AHHAA! day at the torch yesterday. I've been working on disk beads and manipulating the glass, but wondered what the technique would like like on a round bead - I like the end result and will continue on this course for awhile - My next dilemna is color scheme. I will probably get into a rut using black, ivory, turquoise and mustard - any other suggestions?????

Jan 28 2010

It's too cold and windy to try and warm the garage up enough to be comfortable torching, so it's picture taking time. I collect all of my orphan and not so perfect beads and send them to an organization called Beads of Courage. Their mission is To provide innovative, arts-in-medicine supportive care programs for children coping with serious illness, their families and the health care providers who care for them. Their web site is http://www.beadsofcourage.org

Besides sending just beads, I try to make heart beads, which are given to kids who have completed certain hospital procedures. Here's a photo of the hearts I made yesterday.

Another photo is of beads that make me think of warmer weather to come.

One World One Heart

What a wonderful idea - from A Whimsical Bohemian http://awhimsicalbohemian.typepad.com/a_whimsical_bohemian/one-world-one-heart.html
This is a give-away - and all you need to do is post a comment to my blog. If you don't have a blog that your comment relates to, please leave and email address, as if you are the winner, I need some way of getting in touch with you.

My entry is a keychain/pendant. It is multifunctional - lampwork beads by myself, combined with copper wire to create this flob.



Join the Magic Carpet ride, and leave a comment. Remember, you must leave a comment to be eligible to win, I must have a way to link back to you or leave an email address so you can be contacted if you should win. This event is open till Feb 15. I will be taking entries till 12 noon, eastern standard time, and will email the winner by 7pm that night. Good luck, and enjoy. While you're here, have a look around.

Wow it's been a long time since I've written anything here. Maybe it's because I've been in a slump. Christmas was a great time to visit with the kids - and believe it or not, I didn't touch the torch that whole time! Then, it was trying to get back into the swing of things - and wondering where I wanted my beads to go. My inspiration came when my torching friends and I made plans for Bead and Button - We're taking a CLASS this year - I'm so looking forward to learning more about dots from Kristina Longan. She is such a fantastic artisan.

Other stuff - I can't understand why this bead is still sitting here on Etys.
Check out this link: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=30975883
It is the sweetest heart big hole bead for valentines day!

This is what I've been working on. More beads with dots to follow - I've got to practise.