What are you working towards?

Tell me about your goals this year? What are you working towards? Do you have a plan, do you have a lofty goal? Is it a new product? Learning a new technique? Are you excited or anxious? What fueled your choices?

Tucson

Here!

After a trying flight I'm here in Tucson. An hour spent de icing on the runway and screaming children made for a rather exhausting flight. But I'm here and it's sunny and there are cactus everywhere!

Traveling and rooming with Andrea G makes for a fun trip, I'm lucky! Can't wait for tomorrow and seeing what the sunshine brings.

We'll be at the Whole Bead Show at the Windmill Inn, come by and say hi!

Patina

Some new patina's after tumbling, what do you think?

Stretch

A little bit of fear means you are doing something worth doing, you are stretching, you are going outside your immediate grasp.

Yanni

Lofty Goals 2012

I love lofty goals! Last year I accomplished mine without even realizing it until I was done. 2012 I'd like to work bigger in metal. BIGGER! I have a yearning to make functional pieces. Bowls and vessels. I've signed up for a class in the summer with Crys Harse at MISSA and am really looking forward to it.

I am really drawn to her bowls, this one is one of my favorites.

My first Glymm box has arrived

My first Glymm box has arrived! I have to say this is the best present. Every month I get a box of beauty samples, I've subscribed to Glymm and Loose Button. I'm not a girly girl by any means but these boxes pretty much make me squeal every time they arrive, they are a special present just for me! I've already gotten two Loose Button boxes but this is my first Glymm box.

In this months Glymm box there is a card giving you info on your products, and a coupon card for a free lip shine with any purchase through the Glymm store (25.00 value).

My box is missing the Kaia Naturals Bamboo cleansing cloths, it was listed on my card but not in my box. I'm confident Glymm will correct this. So right off the batt I have a 17.99 value (assuming they send the cloths).

I also received a Vasanti Brighten Up face rejuvenator, a sample worth aprox 3.50. I am excited to try this as it promises brighter younger skin, and who doesn't want younger skin? A Anastasia Brow gel is next a 5.25 value. I won't use this but I do know someone who it'll make the perfect gift for! Two Burt's Bee's body lotion samples, about 1.50 value. I love Burt's Bee's products so I'm really happy about these, they are the perfect size to take on my upcoming trip too! Last but not least a Cargo Eye pencil, again I wont use this ( I already have one I love) but it'll go as a gift to the same person who's getting the brow gel!

So aprox a 35.00 value (again, assuming the missing cleansing cloths arrive). If the cleansing cloths never arrive a 17.00 value. That's if I don't use the free lip shine card!

Yesterday's snow

This was my front door yesterday. We got a lot of snow Wednesday morning! It's pretty rare for it to come into the alleyway of the barn to our front door. The wind normally comes form the other direction here.

The boys seem to seem to still be enjoying the snow. It's nice to see them playing, Indy especially he's not really a playful horse. When I let them into the field each morning they seem to be bouncing up and down to go for a good run.

Today seems to be a quiet day, the horses played a bit but not as much as past days. The skies are dark and heavy, making me a bit nervous. Seems a bit like a calm before a storm. I have to drive sunday whether I like it or not so I am hoping the roads are decent by then.

A million moments

Our live are made up of a million moments

Spent in a million different ways

Some are spent searching for love, peace and harmony

Others are spent surviving day to day

But there is no greater moment than when we find that life

With all it's joys and sorrows

Is meant to be lived one day at a time

Unknown

It's here!

The snow they have been forecasting seems to be here! I love snow days, waking up to the peaceful quiet. Snow forces the world to slow down, something I think we can all use once and a while.

The horses always seem to enjoy a good tear about in the snow. I like that it's much cleaner than mud!

Today I'll be taking some time to enjoy the view, have a cup of hot tea and watch the flakes fall.

What does my work offer?

What does my work offer you? Aside from being wearable art (does it get any better than that?) I hope my work offers you some sense of joy. Something you want to wear, hopefully daily. Something that makes you smile.

Do you have a favorite piece of jewelry? Do you have a favorite piece of mine, is there a piece you keep looking at?

Bead Soup!

I'm in! The bead soup blog party this time around was a random draw of 200 people and I got in!

My partner is Nan Emmett and I am very excited! look at all the birdies! I started out making beads in clay, many many moons ago so i think it's kinda neat we got paired up. Many thanks to Lori for hosting this!

What fuels me?

What fuels my passion? Well to keep it simple glass. Glass fuels my desire to create. To try new colors and strive for interesting reactions. That said I've found myself needing to be more organized when torching lately. If I find a interesting color combination I can't repeat it if I can't remember what it is! So I've been keeping notes, not something I've done prior to this. It's helping me narrow down what I like and do not like about the reactions.

Do you keep notes? Do you enjoy keeping notes or do you find it a chore?

New year mission statement

Well it's a new year and I have new goals. I've found myself working in boro a lot lately, loving the colors, reactions and etherial quality it has. It makes me think I am looking for a bit more peace and serenity in my life? My inspiration lately has come from the outdoors, water and interestingly enough trees. I haven't seen the tree's translate into my work yet.

Boro is almost like meditating for me, it's a stiffer glass it moves a lot slower and forces me to slow down. It's also more forgiving for off mandrel style work and I am really enjoying the pod style pieces I've been working on.

Working away

Back in the studio!

Did a bit of metalsmithing yesterday and today I fired up the torch and worked with boro. Trying to duplicate the beads (or close to the beads) above.

Trying to find some inspiration for blog posts, maybe a group or "plan" to follow. Anyone have and blog groups they'd like to recommend?

Happy New Year!

A slightly belated Happy New Year to everyone! We spent a week and a 1/2 in alberta and had a wonderful time. I came home to a full mailbox and my goodies from a facebook bead group trade with Laura Bracken.

This gorgeous little package was for me!

And what a wonderful swap present! The earrings are so me! I love turquoise and the warmer tones in the copper. The pendant is very very cool. It's a see through pendant with a small tree and moss, I believe it's brass and a resin. I absolutely love it! Chocolate and a very sweet bookmark too, I feel really spoilt!