Fused Glass Bracelets...

Yea!!! I had been waiting for this class to come to me for nearly a year, and finally, in March, Jayne Persico came to Michele's studio to teach her fused glass cuff bracelet class!
Above is the red, orange and yellow bracelet I whipped out in the class.
Below are the bracelets I have made since. It's such an exciting and invigorating experience to actually open the kiln at 1300 degrees Fahrenheit to work with the glass.

Jayne's developed a perfect way to measure your wrist so that the bracelets are perfectly fit to your arm. The most technical part of the process is getting the measurements right, so that the bracelet fits snugly enough so it doesn't go flying off your wrist.
I've got a few more in the works, I just need to set aside a few hours to babysit the kiln:)

"Rocky Road" Dip Dishes

I am officially unveiling my newest series of dishes, the "Rocky Road" dishes.
Made up of several cut pieces of glass in browns, reds, and vanilla. This series is very time consuming to produce, but I absolutely LOVE the results!

"Meet the Baby" Shower

Yea! I finally got to meet my baby niece, Adi! We had a fabulous open house, "Meet the Baby" shower for her, where the most popular game was, "Pass the Baby!"

She's so cute, I can't stand it!!

And, of course, we had a great spread to munch on for the virgin voyage of dad's plates:)

CGGE & EtsyBead Creative Minds for Charity!

DSCI1877, originally uploaded by thumbelinacreations.

"The Creative Glass Guild of Etsy (CGGE) and the etsyBEAD Street Team have joined forces for a creative collaboration challenge. CGGE members will create gorgeous glass cabs, beads, and pendants for etsyBEAD members to turn into beautiful pieces of finished jewelry. These pieces will then be donated to the Helping Others Street Team (HOST) in order to raise money for those fellow Etsyians in need."

And here is the entry that Jonquil of Thumbelina Creations and I will be submitting. She did such a gorgeous job of tying the piece together! I am in love with the new Key to My Heart Necklace!

Details: The short chain is 16 in. while longer chain is 18 in. The pink marbleized tumbled glass pendant with lead-free pewter key charm is the focal point of the longer chain. The center of the shorter chain carries an antique silver button and light pink glass teardrop. Various other glass beads decorate the chains, as well.
This necklace is very light and comfortable to wear. It doesn't shift around on the neck. And all the glass beads sparkle when they catch the light.

All proceeds will go to HOST...

"What is HOST?" you ask.

From their blog:
"HOST stands for Helping Others Street Team. We are a group of Etsy sellers and buyers who want to help other Etsy buyers and sellers through difficulties weather [sic] those difficulties be financial, emotional or otherwise. We will try to keep an updated list so that you can see who currently needs help. If you see someone you would like to help, please feel free to do so. The help can take many forms; praying, snagging a treasury with some of the people here featured, helping promote threads to help the listed people, buying from their stores, sending needed items to them, helping with cash donations. Sometimes someone simply needs someone to talk to during difficult times. If you are able to help someone on this list, please let one of the members know. If you would like to remain anonymous, rest assured, we will keep you anonymous, but by letting one of us know, we can keep the list accurate as to who still needs help."

Michael Stutz - "Peplos Kore"

"Peplos Kore" by Michael Stutz, on display at San Francisco Airport

Made from strips of shredded cardboard woven over a plywood armature and sealed with light resistant UV polymers, the detail in this sculpture is incredible. I saw this while waiting to board my flight to Nebraska. Definitely click on the picture and explore Stutz's site to find the full image. It's truly amazing!

Matt Costa - "Mr. Pitiful"

I found this new(-to-me) artist while flying home from Vegas aboard Virgin Air. Posh! I explored all of the videos on my personal entertainment system, and played a few anagram games as well:)

Viva Las Vegas!!

So, I just got back from Las Vegas, where I went for the annual Glass Expo at the South Point Casino. Not only did I see a lot of innovative materials, but I gathered a bunch of new ideas to play around with.

Chihuly's Glass Flowers in the lobby of the Bellagio

Among the coolest things I saw: No Days Glaze adhesives for stained glass, mosaics and fusing; Artistic Lighting Solutions, an artistic lighting option that I'm anxious to explore; and Fusing Farm glazes for turning float glass into artistic fused glass plates.

Michele, Sharon and me on Fremont Street.

And then , there was the night life!
Honestly, we didn't party so much as we walked around to see the sights.
We checked out a couple of souvenir shops and played some slots.

I won $6.00!! High Roller!!

Michele and I went out on the town a couple of nights in a row. Here I am outside of Treasure Island. The show was canceled due to high winds, so we entertained ourselves:)


Oh yeah, baby! Michele was the true high roller in Vegas.
But, now it's back to normal life...almost.
I'm visiting my new niece in Nebraska, and then I'll get back to glass:)
Such the jet setter!

Sharing Your Photos...and my new niece!

My new niece, Adi, sketched out with Adobe Photoshop Express.
There's a super cool and cheap, er...thrifty, way to upload, edit and share your photos!! Adobe, the creator of Photoshop, has put into beta a new photo editing tool that uses Flash. Simply sign up for an account, upload photos, and edit away! The tools aren't as exact, or as complicated as Photoshop, but the results are amazingly pleasing, for such a simple idea. Plus, you can play around with your photos, creating some more bizarre images, as well...
It also lets you link and upload directly to selected outside sites, such as Facebook, Picasa, and Photobucket. You get 2 GB of free space to show off your photos in galleries you create. (I've embedded these two photos into my blog post without putting them in my public gallery, for those concerned about privacy issues.)

Oh, Go Felt A Snake!!

I've been trying to find some really cool felted hair thingies, but can't quite find what I'm looking for...What to do? Well, make them myself, I'm sure! So, I've been researching the topic of felting to learn more about it and have found the coolest site with lots of great tutorials.
I thought I'd share it: Woolcrafting... and the portion that I'm most intrigued with, Learning to Make Felted Snakes. It's this technique that I will have to master in order to make my envisioned hair-thingies:)
If I ever get around to actually making them, I will show them off!

Crochet Some Hearts...

Grandma taught me to crochet when I was young, and I caught on but didn't have the attention span to finish anything (just like when mom tried to teach me to quilt - I still have the almost finished piece mounted in a wooden frame). I have been thinking that I'd like to learn to knit and re-learn to crochet with wool, so I can experiment with felting.
I ran across these directions. Maybe I'll find that old needle lying around somewhere:)

Kaki King - Langerado, 2005

So, driving home from work tonight, listening to KFOG on the radio, I hear this beautiful song being played. The guitarist is Kaki King, whom I've never heard of before. I make a mental note tha tI must check this guitarist out!
Of course, I head to YouTube, because I want to share...and I don't find the song the I was listening to ("Sad Americans"), but I see some amazing footage of this girl playing guitar in a very unusual style! WOW!

John Mayer - Message in a Bottle

Enjoy!

Craftzine.com blog: Shrink Your Trash

Craftzine.com blog: Shrink Your Trash
DIY Shrinky Dinks
DIY Shrinky Dink Jewelry - About.com Teen Fashion

Here's are some great articles I found while trying to find some Shrinky Dinks for my next "fused glass" project with kindergartners and first graders. Cool idea that I'll have to check out when I have a little more time:)

And one more awesome and inspiring blog:
Dabbled - Experiments in Art, Craft & Food. Make rings, suncatchers, wine glass markers, and learn all about sealing your creations!

Mosaic for a Cause...

will be taking place Saturday, April 12th (1:30pm-5pm workshop)

and Sunday, April 13th (10am-12pm option to grout in studio) at M.Mitcavish Glass Studio, 68 Coombs St. Studio O1, Napa, CA 94559 (www.mitcavish.net)
The workshop will be taught by Marisa Casa.

The cost for the workshop/fundraiser is $50, and is tax-deductible.
In this mosaic workshop, you will learn:

• Types of Tesserae
• Tools and Protective Equipment
• Cutting Techniques
• Design Techniques
• Adhesion Techniques
• Grouting
• Workspace Setup & Organization

Come meet new people, start a new hobby, and donate to a worthy cause!

They're Always After Me Lucky Charms!!!

The California Crafters Club of Etsy (CCCOE) is proud to present the entries in their February challenge under the topic of “LUCKY CHARMS”.

Now it’s your turn to judge which one is the best. Polls open until midnight Thu., March 7. See below for this month's prize, 10% off in the list of shops AND a spot in one of our treasuries beginning March 8.

Click through the list or see them all in one place here

Rules:
1. Post your vote here.
2. Chat as you wish but vote only once!

Here is the list of entrants, or you can click on this link to see them all in one place
http://quirkynberkeley.blogspot.com/2008/03/cccoe-february-challenge-entries-lucky.html

1. Spirit Charm - OOAK by PalleikoDesigns

2. Lucky Charm Magic Wand by NeedleWorks

3. Good Karma charm bracelet by ElenaMary

4. Lucky Fish Necklace by luchi

5. Land of the Leprechauns by RedBessBonney

6. Super lucky button horseshoe earrings by AlliesAdornments

7. Chinese Animal Lucky Charms by Wumpus

8. Shamrock is the new Black by Tresijas

9. Lucky Little Snot Mens Handkerchiefs Set by Knittergirl

10. Larry the Lucky Llama by visionquest

11. Elephants for luck by QuirkynBerkeley

12. Lucky in love!! by mycatlulu

Lucky number 13!!!
Lucky Charms by CalyxAnn

14. Jinx the Lucky Cat by buttercupbloom

15. Gilbert and George's Lucky Origami Peace Cranes
by Nancy McNally aka localcolorist

16. Broadway Cricket Struts Her Stuff Down 42nd Street by peggradyart

17. February Birthstone Pendant by Marie Julie

18. Silk Drawstring Tarot Card Bag by Oceanavesilks

19. Feeling Centered and Lucky Necklace by AmandaKLockrowJewels

20. Lucky Minx Scarf by phydeaux

21. She has an Irish Brogue by Onyx of Treslocas

22. Luck of the Irish by anniek

23. abstract lucky charm 4 leaf clover pendant

Each voter is eligible for a 10% discount off entire purchase from the following shops during the week of March 8 through 14. We will also feature voters in a treasury. We cannot notify you individually due to site rules, but start looking for the CCCOE treasuries starting on March 8.

Keep your eyes on this list as more shops may be added during the week of voting.

http://CalyxAnn.etsy.com	http://Shellmitchell.etsy.com
http://Ohmay.etsy.com	http://Knittergirl.etsy.com
http://annieKdesigns.etsy.com	http://prairieprimitives.etsy.com
http://sandysimone.etsy.com	http://thevintagejewelrybox.etsy.com
http://cigarboxbeads.etsy.com	http://prettycheap.etsy.com
http://needleworks.etsy.com	http://laurenbacchus.etsy.com
http://Elenamary.etsy.com	http://KimzVisionz.etsy.com
http://suchandsort.etsy.com	http://senoritasoto.etsy.com
http://JMCdesigns.etsy.com	http://Phydeaux.etsy.com
http://quirkynberkeley.etsy.com	http://localcolorist.etsy.com
http://peggradyart.etsy.com	http://buttercupbloom.etsy.com
http://redbessbonney.etsy.com	http://visionquest.etsy.com
http://tresijas.etsy.com	http://treslocas.etsy.com
http://Blackbird72.etsy.com	http://Yolandasclay.etsy.com
http://Mycatlulu.etsy.com	http://Luchi.etsy.com
http://AmandaKLockrowJewels.etsy.com	http://alliesadornments.etsy.com
http://palleikodesigns.etsy.com	http://combustionglassworks.etsy.com
http://designsbymariejulie.etsy.com	http://oceanavesilks.etsy.com

Jack Johnson and Ben Harper - Gone

Yowsers! Hot, hot, hot! Two of my all-time favorite guitarists/singer/songwriters on the same stage playing such a meaningful and soulful song. Just listen to that slide guitar, too! What a find!

Miss Carrie's Stained Glass....

I've almost finished my leaded stained glass piece to match the stained glass project that I did with the kindergarten and first graders at Salvador and McPherson Schools. I was able to grind, lead, solder, and putty all in one three hour period! Then, I polished it up for the final clean, the next day. Now, I just need to solder some hangers on it, so it can hang from my window, instead of sitting on the overpopulated windowsill!

Ivan Chan - "Out on a Limb"

Out on a Limb, oil on canvas, 36" x 12" NFS, originally uploaded by Ivan Chan Studio.

oil on canvas, 36" x 12" (NFS)

It is our intentions that take us where we will go, and even if it seems accidental to find oneself on the edge, it is no less purposeful.

What do we learn, and what do we offer, when we climb out on a limb?

I learned--and offered--my willingness to leap.

Thought that I'd share with you today one of my favorite Californian artists, Ivan Chan.
I love his "Here Kitty Series," a series of halo-ed cats caught in contemplation.
His technique consists of fingerpainting with non-toxic, professional grade paints.
Read his bio, here.
Check out his blog, here.
See more of his work, here.

Gary Jules - "Mad World"

Ingrid Michaelson - "The Way I Am"