Secrets

Some new beads in my Artfire shop, "Secrets". Lots of gorgeous color in these beads! I need to get back to playing with this color combo it really makes me smile~

Gifts and Wishes

Gifts and Wishes is ready to go! The set up was smoother than last year and we had a few good laughs. It was a great crew! The opening is thursday night from 6-8, and there is lots of gorgeous goodies. I had a hard time not shopping during set up!

Featured artist - Julie Sigmund from Jewlie Beads, Mount Olive, NC

Julie is a very talented artist, one of my favorites. She's a skilled tutorial writer as well! I wown a couple pair of her earrings and they are by far my favorite pieces of jewelry. Perfect wire wrapping and unique styles make them eye catchers whenever I wear them!
Just look at these.

How long have you been working in your medium?
I've been wire wrapping and lampworking just over 4 years now.

What drew you to this medium?
I had started lampworking first and I had a small handful of beads that I was proud of at the time. I had several pieces in different jewelry magazines that were put together using wire and that's when I created my first piece. I've been hooked ever since!

What is your favorite thing about your art?
Wire wrapping is full of surprises and I love surprises! I may have one idea in mind and end up with something totally different than expected when I'm finished.

What's your favorite piece?
I have many favorites and it's hard to pick out just one or two.

What's the hardest piece you've ever made?
My "Dragonfly Pendant"! I love dragonflies and I was determined to make a pendant with a dragonfly in my design. It took me several weeks to come up with a design that would work and lots of wasted wire before my pendant was complete. I still find poor little wire wrapped dragonflies in my scrap wire box that didn't make it. LOL!

What's the one favorite tool you cannot live without?
My "Hot Head" torch! I use my torch all the time when I'm creating something new. I fuse, lampwork and soften heavy gauge wire with it and I don't think I could live without it!

What's your favorite thing about your workspace or studio?
My favorite thing about my workspace is that it's at my home! I can work anytime of day or night and I love that.
I'm in the process of having a new studio in my husband's large shop. It will still be at my home, but away from all the distractions that my current space has and it will have more space for me to be more organized. I'm totally excited!

Who or what inspires you?
I find inspiration all over! I get inspiration from other artists, my natural surroundings, colors or patterns on fabrics, but one of my favorites is finding inspiration while walking my dogs. I'm fortunate to be surrounded by beautiful woods and lots of nature!

What's your favorite inspirational saying?
If you can dream it, you can do it. Walt Disney.

What's one thing you've never done you always wanted to do?
I would love to travel the world!

Gifts and Wishes

The Gifts and Wishes show start this thursday at Coast Collective Gallery. It's a wonderful show with plenty of ideas for Xmas gifts! The opening is thursday night and it runs for two weeks, come do some Christmas shopping!

New ring!

I've got a new ring in my Etsy shop! And it's not a spinner hehehehehe........

The weather has been great here, we've gone for a few evening rides. I love riding at dusk, it's so quiet. Like sneaking through places while everything is tucking in for the night.

Artfire!

I'm really trying to upload some new stuff into my Artfire shop! I've been ticking away at inventory for fall and Christmas shows, and also working on some new beads. This little earring pair is new in my Artfire shop!

Featured artist Caron Reid

Caron Reid - BeadSire

Brisbane, Australia

What is your craft?
Wirework and metal clays

How long have you been working in your medium?
I've been playing with wire for about two and a half years and am still a beginner when it comes to metal clay.

What drew you to this medium?
I love stones and wanted to enhance the beauty within each one, they tend to speak to you. So I started playing with wire wrapping them and then started to play with clay to see what I could do to expand my knowledge base.

What is your favorite thing about your art?
Starting with one idea and ending up with something completely different - the best thing is starting with a not so attractive stone and by the time you have finished with it, you have this piece that is truly lovely!

What's your favorite piece?
I have a few special pieces, but not any particular favourite, as so much goes into each one I make that it's hard to pick a favourite.

What's the hardest piece you've ever made?
My first PMC bezeled piece - you have to get the bezel just right, otherwise you'll have gaps when it is fired - used up a heap of bezel wire, but got there in the end and I was thrilled with the result.

What's the one favorite tool you cannot live without?
Can I say pliers! I remember when I started off, I had these cheap dollar store ones, but then invested in a set of good quality ones. The other day I was teaching my daughter how to wire wrap beads and used the cheap ones - that didn't last long and I will now invest in a good set for her as well (before I lose them :-)).

What's your favorite thing about your workspace or studio?
My studio is my garage and is a work in progress. I need to get some more storage and drawers for my beads, but it's a great space and I do love my little workbench!

Who or what inspires you?
There are many artists across various mediums that inspire me, especially within our team. From Cat who can create magic with wire to Kristi who transforms clay to works of art, then there are the seedies like Erin and Peter who leave me in awe or the firies - Ness, Melissa, Gail or Nicole - who captivate me with glass, just to name a few.

What's your favorite inspirational saying?
It only takes a second to be nice to make someone happy for a long time.

What's one thing you've never done you always wanted to do?
There is a wealth of techniques I'd like to learn and incorporate within my designs which include chain maille and seed beads.

More photos

I'm still going over photos, trying to pick and choose which ones will go in a digital photo frame to get ready for the Stinking Fish Studio Tour. I had visions of a photo with a art quote of some form on each one but have no idea how to do that without photoshop so it may not happen. None the less I'll have a good selection of photos of me working playing in the studio.

I like this photo, I rarely smile when working I always look so serious! I also LOVE the shirt, it's super comfy, courtesy of Andrea G and the Gaffer Girls.

Rings on every finger!

I am going through photos from a photo shoot a friend did for me the other day (Thanks Tasha!) and I adore this photo!

Small running steps

Today was a busy day, but I felt like I got little done. Not sure how that happens? I am still doing a walk/run three days a week and really starting to look forward to it. I've got three running sections and a hill in my routine and if I go early morning it kick starts me for the rest of my day. In this brisk weather it's really a good way to wake up! Next week I'll add another running section, little steps will hopefully get me great results!

Cold and rainy

It's a cold and rainy day here today, I feel bad for the farmers market people. Setting up in this cannot be much fun. I'm off to buy a pie since tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I will NOT be baking. I'll be hard pressed to cook a turkey and fixings with this cold.

The photo I picked today I like for two reasons. One it's a little cabin in the woods, in the snow. To me I don't think there is a better place to be, maybe a few goods friends and some good food and wine. But snow and isolation are something that appeal to me. Maybe after a week of it I'd change my mind, what do you think?

The second reason is quote #6 You don't have to win every argument. I think it's important to learn to pick your battles in life. To not sweat the small stuff. I'm trying to walk away from pointless arguments, usually started via the internet. I'm trying to spend more time on positive things, creating, spending time with family and friends. Life's too short to focus on the negative.

Winterscape

I really love these photos, they are in a slide show someone sent me last winter. I'm going to try and remember to post one every once and a while. The photos are all spectacular winter shots, and I'm such a snow bunny they really appeal to me. They sayings are all very uplifting too!

Winterscape a new bead set in my artfire shop! Yup you read it right, I'm on Artfire now too! I thought I'd try another selling venue and I've heard good things about Artfire so I'm giving it a go.

Surgery went fine

Snoopy's (my cats) dental surgery went fine. He was more upset about not getting his breakfast this morning than anything else I think! He's groggy but home. I on the other hand have a nasty head cold, so I didn't get much of anything accomplished today.

Boro did not happen

“One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.” - Lucille Ball

Today was a quiet day here, I have a nasty head cold. I had forgotten how hard it is to torch when it feels like your head is in a bucket. I has planned on tackling boro, on my own today but alas it did not happen. I spent two weeks playing with boro on and off when I was in Washington and am really taken with it. I did manage to add another kiln schedule for boro, I think, it’s doing a trail run as I type this!

The cat and I spent a good portion of the day reclined with a book. He has dental surgery tomorrow, some how me managed to sheer off both canines on his right side. Needless to say he’s uncomfortable and the vet is going to fix all that up tomorrow. Seeing him in pain stresses me out, I’ll admit. He’s my buddy and I hate to see him uncomfortable.

So tomorrow send him some healing vibes, and me some “go get em” vibes, for if my head clears I’m tackling boro!

Digitalis

Digitalis is a new set in my etsy shop. This is still one of my favorite twisties. I love the color combo's you get out of it!

Brave he is not!

Poor Eazy he's been going through the same trauma every night for three days now. He is not a brave old man. He can chase down a cow doing mach 90 but if a scary plastic play ball is in his gateway the sky MUST be falling!

This is the cause of all his grief and angst! This rather terrifying play ball has been sitting by his gateway for three days, he has to walk by it twice a day to get into and out of the pasture, and I figure eventually he'll have to get over his fear?

Friends

“Truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget.”

Today I am stealing a quote from Andrea G's blog. I don't feel forgotten today but I sure do miss having friends close by. I miss the days of sharing a bottle of wine on the deck in the late day sun. I miss the laughter over silly, silly things. I miss the trail rides all deck up in holiday cheer (Maggie).

Today is a day of getting older for me, a birthday. A bit of a melancholy one, I find myself thinking of friends I miss. Some moved, some passed away and some living in other cities. Wishing I had a time machine so I could visit you all.

New bead!

Wild Water - new in my etsy!

Sunflowers

My sunflowers are still going strong!