Jan Locander Lampwork Blog

Gifts

2012-01-14T08:57:00.002-06:00

I seem to be running perpetually behind since Christmas. Here are a few photos that I took quickly with my phone of some of the gifts that I made before the holidays. I forgot to take photos of all of them and those items are already in the hands of their recipients. I have been trying to get organized and start posting again but sometimes I feel like I just don't have much to say. How many blogs are out there? How many can you keep up with? How much time do I waste on the computer when I could be doing something productive. And then there is the Pinterest obsession that is my newest distraction. It is a great site to post things all in one place but it is a complete time killer. I strive to be more disciplined.

Happy New Year!

Glass Leaves

2011-11-25T09:35:00.000-06:00

Something else new that is not quite finished. I made some of these leaves a long time ago and then a few more recently for practice. It is amazing how my skills are not what they used to be after spending time away from the torch for so long. I don't agree with the people that say it is like riding a bicycle. For me, I have to get that muscle memory back and it takes a few tries before I feel like my skills are up to par. I am tenacious so if it doesn't work quite the way I think it should, I will keep trying until I am satisfied with the turnout. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I can relax now that all the dishes are done.

Glass Headpins

2011-11-15T11:16:00.000-06:00

These are my new favorite earrings and the photo is taken with my phone as a test. When I made something new that I really like, they are usually my favorite until the next idea comes along. They have etched brass domed disks that I made and lampwork leaf headpins that I also made. I need to make more of these as I already have orders for them. They are so lightweight that you can hardly tell you have earrings on. I have all sorts of ideas in my head for more so stay tuned.

Glass Floral Bouquet

2011-11-14T10:59:00.000-06:00

This piece started out as something completely different and took off on it's own. That is my favorite way to work anyway because it just sort of happens. All of the components are my handmade glass attached to hand dyed and sewn silk ribbon. I plan to explore this concept a bit more and who knows what the next one will look like.

Show season

2011-11-14T10:54:00.000-06:00

Even though I am only doing one small show this Fall, I have a dear friend who uses my lampwork in her jewelry. She has several shows and I have been busy making things for her. In the meantime, I have new jewelry as well that I thought I would share. I am doing a show for Master Gardeners so I have been making leaves, flowers and birds. It is fun to go in a different direction and gives me a chance to practice my much to be desired sculpting skills. More later.

My new favorites!

2011-10-21T17:06:00.000-05:00

These beads are all made exactly the same way with the same ingredients yet they all look a little different. I don't know what the base glass is and I only have a tiny piece left. These have been fun to make because I never know what they are going to look like until they come out of the kiln. The sun was going down when I took the photograph. Maybe I should take another one in the sun. Have a great weekend!

Disc Beads

2011-10-21T16:59:00.000-05:00

My friend wanted some discs to use in her earrings so I have had lots of practice lately. I tried to give her a variety of colors and I even found some Filigrana that I forgot that I had. It may not show up in the photo but there are 6 pair of discs using all the colors of Filigrana that I have. We have had great weather this week and it has finally started cooling down a little. I have more photos to show - next time.

"Zentangle" Inspired

2011-09-24T13:12:00.000-05:00

Something a little different for a change. I used to "doodle" at work when someone I was calling had to put me on hold. One day when I was looking around online, I ran across the term "Zentangle" which was a specific type of "doodle." I didn't take it literally but used an abstract method of filling up space with multiple patterns. These take many hours since the details are very small and the paper is 11 x 14. I would like to try a very large one but that is for another day. Have a good weekend!

Find the Hidden Object!

2011-08-22T09:35:00.000-05:00

Can you find the hidden object! I used to like to do the hidden picture projects when I was a kid and that is what this reminded me of. Little Olive's coloring blends so well with the boulder that she can sit there and not be noticed. She is such a sweet cat with the most beautiful green eyes. She does not like the camera so I grabbed this shot while she was not looking.

More etched copper lampwork!

2011-08-20T15:56:00.000-05:00

No new beads lately because of the heat but I did make another pair of earrings from etched copper. I have a new sheet of etched copper with a different design and I punched out shapes recently that I will make into something soon. I checked the temperature in my studio one day this week and it was 106! We have broken so many heat and drought records that I quit counting. Pray for rain!

New etched copper lampwork earrings!

2011-07-02T12:08:00.000-05:00

I am still here but not very productive. I made these for a dear friend and she liked them. The beads are made with a silver glass shard encased so they have a lot of different colors in them. It has been way too hot here to even consider making beads. We have had the hottest June on record and are still under extreme drought conditions. No fireworks this 4th of July! Have a good weekend!

New computer!

2011-06-03T10:20:00.000-05:00

Technology is not my strong suit. I didn't realize that buying a new computer would also entail buying new everything else to go with it. I still have not purchased new photo editing software because of the confusing reviews that I have read. So there won't be many photos uploaded until I can make up my mind which one to purchase. I used the one that came with my computer but it does not give me the options that I am used to. Let's see how this looks when I attempt to get one on this post. I made this for my step-daughter and she loved it.

Air Plant aka Tallandisia

2011-04-05T13:04:00.000-05:00

The miracles that surround us never cease to amaze me. This plant is not planted in soil but thrives on air and water. I didn't think it was even growing and then these funny little blooms started appearing! I looked up "air plant" and there are hundred of varieties. Now I want more!

Etching Copper Experiment

2011-03-31T10:14:00.000-05:00

After reading everything that I could find on etching copper, I decided to give it a try. I used the nasty Ferric Chloride which is used to etch circuit boards and available at Radio Shack. Please read all safety precautions if you want to try this yourself. There is a lot of information out there about how to dispose of it. You should do it outside, on a newspaper covered area, have a larger container with water and baking soda mix to neutralize, a container of water and Ammonia, a small disposable container for your etching, some sort of tape, rubber gloves, safety glasses and paper towels.
The steps are to clean the copper well. That requires sanding, cleaning with alcohol and not touching the surface to etch . The oil from your skin will transfer to the copper and those areas will not etch (ask me how I know.) Next is to cover the back of the copper with tape and burnish it well without touching the right side. Then draw on the right side with a new Sharpie or a paint pen. Draw around the edges too because you don't want the edges to etch. I used a very fine Sharpie and a not so fine paint pen. The paint pen will result in a deeper etch but you can get more detail from a fine point Sharpie. You can also use rubber stamps and StazOn ink. I found out that the stamps with less detail seem to work better. Make sure the ink is completely dry. Carefully pour the Ferric Chloride in a shallow disposable dish not much larger than what you are etching ( in order not to waste it) at a depth of about 1/2 an inch. I did one very small copper piece in a tiny jar with only 1/4 of an inch and that worked also. I think you probably need more solution if you are etching a larger area but haven't tried it yet. Place another piece of tape on the back of the taped copper so you can tape it upside down, suspended in the solution just until the surface is in the Ferric Chloride. I left mine in for 30 minutes up to an hour depending on how deep of an etch I wanted and how many times I had used the solution. I read that if the solution is agitated, the copper particles will lift away better so I gently stirred with a glass rod about every 10 minutes. I am not sure if that is really necessary but I did it anyway. You don't want the copper to touch the bottom of the container because you won't get an even etch. If you want to test the etch, you can lift it up one side of the tape and use a straight pen to "feel" the etch.
If you are satisfied, carefully lift out the copper and submerge into the baking soda water mixture to rinse. It will bubble up so make sure your container is large enough. Then clean it with an old toothbrush and water mixed with Ammonia to completely remove the solution. Dry with paper towels. I tumbled mine at this point to work harden and polish. After they tumbled, I used a Patina solution and then lightly sanded the highlights to bring out the pattern. I also used Renaissance Wax to seal the Patina.
Disposing of the Ferric Chloride properly is a whole story of it's own and I will let you search for that yourself. I did not come up with this technique and I read every tutorial that I could find before I attempted it. Safety first! I will include photos of my first attempts. Have fun!

Collage

2011-03-23T20:16:00.000-05:00

I have made collages before but not exactly like this one. Most of the papers I used are painted by me. I enjoy the layering and moving paint around to see what colors and textures will show through in the process. I discovered what Citrasolv does to National Geographic photos and this includes some of those papers as well. That was a fun experiment except for all of the honey bees that it attracted. I have lots of other things stashed away to play with including a paper making kit that a friend found at a garage sale. All I need is a old blender to start making my own papers. There are not enough hours in the day.

New Chalcedony Beads!

2011-03-21T17:49:00.000-05:00

These look much better in person and I can't seem to capture the depth or the color with my camera. I didn't make these all in on session and I plan on making more. This is only two colors of glass and one in particular gives all the colors under the clear encasing. It is a process of lots of oxygen and heating and cooling over and over. My concentrator only puts off so much oxygen and it would be interesting to see what I could get if I used tanked oxy instead of a concentrator. It is fun to see the difference in each bead and I could not make them exactly the same even if I wanted to.

My last post had a glitch in the photo upload and I can't seem to figure out why there is a white space at the bottom of the photo because that only appeared when I uploaded it to this blog. Any ideas?

Making stuff.

2011-03-10T18:28:00.000-06:00

I don't seem to be able to focus on one medium but at least I am back to making things again. I made this little mixed media piece and the first person that I showed it to wanted it. That inspires me to keep going! It is only 12" x 12" and I think it looks bigger in the photo. After making tiny art pieces in beads for so long, it is difficult for me to adjust to working bigger. I actually made beads yesterday but have not photographed them yet. We have had smoke in this area all day from a "controlled burn" somewhere North of where I live. It makes it hard to breathe outside and I hope it clears up quickly. That can't be healthy for those who have to work outside. It has also made driving hazardous. More soon!

Happy New Year 2011!

2011-01-05T12:41:00.000-06:00

It has been so long since I posted but Thanksgiving and Christmas seem to sneak up on me and take all my spare time. I managed to make a few disc beads specifically with this project in mind. It was an experiment that I think actually works quite well. What do you think?

Fall Knitting

2010-10-28T10:22:00.001-05:00

Living in Texas, we have warm (understatement) weather. Yesterday, the high was 91! Knitting with wool and actually getting to wear wool has a very short season. I now have two new garments to add to my collection and am looking forward to cooler weather so I can actually put them on.
The Cedar Leaf Shawlette was one of those "have to" knit items. The yarn is absolutely luscious and I wish you could feel how soft it is. It is Madelinetosh Pashmina and is my all time favorite yarn so far. I have worked on this off and on for several months when I needed something mindless to knit. The leaves took concentration but the rest of the shawl was easy.
The other project is my second Ishbel. It is knit from Madelinetosh Tosh Sock yarn which is also very soft but not quite as soft as the above mentioned yarn. I ran out of yarn on the last lace section because I was trying to knit the larger of the lace patterns. Searching online for the same yarn was not getting me anywhere. I found a sweet person on Ravelry that had one skein to spare and thanks to her, I was able to finally finish it. I am still amazed what blocking does to lace and it is fun to see the finished results.

I have actually made a few beads lately and will show those soon so this blog doesn't turn into a total knitting blog.

Knitting Everywhere!

2010-10-11T09:02:00.001-05:00

We spent part of Saturday at the Bayou City Art Festival and when I came across this talented artist, this is what was standing proudly guarding her booth. My husband stopped traffic for me long enough to get a quick shot. Having knitting on the brain, I related to her immediately. I would have fallen over if I had spotted a glass bead maker in the mix. I couldn't even get into the booth because of all the people milling around but I had to have a photo of her to share with other knitters.

Multnomah

2010-09-23T15:42:00.000-05:00

Another word that I didn't know what it meant so I looked it up and it is the name of a County in Oregon. I admire the creativity of people when it comes to naming things. I for one always had a hard time coming up with names for my glass beads.

The Multnomah shawl is another pattern that I found on Ravelry and the yarn was a gift from a dear friend. It is Crazy Zauberball made in Germany. It has all my favorite colors in one ball! The dark red in the photos is actually more brown in real life. The self striping is very pretty and it doesn't pool unattractively like some other variegated yarns that I have used. I blocked this fairly aggressively and pulled out the feather and fan patterns into sharp points. I like it that way. I promised myself that I would get back to making beads when it cooled off and there is a slight chance that will happen this weekend. I am ready for cooler weather so I can wear my new shawl!

Ishbel

2010-09-07T10:32:00.000-05:00

This has been finished for a while and I thought I would share this wonderful pattern. I saw this shawl knitted in person and it was absolutely beautiful. Ysolda Teague is the designer and it is in her first book, Whimsical Little Knits 1. It is a top down shawl and can be made in different sizes or different yarn weights. If you look on Ravelry, it has been listed as a project 7,743 times! This one is the smaller size out of Colinette Jitterbug which is a rather squishy sock weight. I left off 2 rows on the border because I was afraid I was going to run out of yarn. I am pleased with this one and will probably make it again.

Phoncible

2010-09-05T19:15:00.000-05:00

I am not sure what that word actually means, but that is the name of my latest hat. I found the pattern on Ravelry. What did I ever do before discovering Ravelry? This one is going to my daughter because she picked out the pattern and the yarn. The yarn is Noro Kureyon which is rather scratchy to knit with but it should keep her head warm. I learned how to knit jogless stripes with this pattern and I think I finally got it down. The hat is not quite a slouchy as it looks because the wig stand has a tiny head. When I blocked it, I soaked it in hair condition after using Sweater Soak and I think it helped to make it a bit softer. I hope she likes it!

Side Slip Cloche

2010-08-31T16:03:00.000-05:00

Laura Irwin is an incredible designer. In her book Boutique Knits, she has some beautiful patterns. This one is the Side Slip Cloche knit with Berroco Vintage. I am not sure who will get this one as a gift but I know it will be adorable on someone. It would be cute with a variety of brooches or buttons added to the brim above the ruffle. You could even change the look by changing out the accessories. I have been uploading my photos so look for more projects soon.

Lotus Hat

2010-08-31T08:09:00.000-05:00

I thought that this pattern (Lotus Hat on Ravelry) might be a little difficult but it was really easy. This hat was made for a sweet family friend who has lost most of her hair due to chemo. It is 100% cotton and very soft. I have been stalking Ebay for an antique hat mold that wasn't completely out of my price range. Looking at the Styrofoam wig stand, I am thinking that there must be a more attractive way to display my hats but I haven't found one yet. Let me know if anyone has any suggestions.

First Real Lace

2010-08-11T18:07:00.000-05:00

There are a lot of firsts in my latest project. First time using lace weight yarn, first nupps ( that is a story within itself), first twisted loop backward cast on, first short rows, and first purl 2 tog bind off. The pattern is Annis from Knitty and the yarn is Miss Babs Yet. There is a sad story on Miss Babs blog about her unfortunate smoke incident but happily, she is dying fiber again. Don't you just love the name of her company? I will be ordering from her again. Back to the nupps - which I considered leaving out but I am always up for a good challenge and a challenge they were. These are basically 7 stitches in 1 stitch and the tricky part is purling 7 together on the back row.. Luckily I found a video on Utube that uses a crochet hook otherwise I would have given up. Even with the crochet hook, those rows took me a long time. Not to mention the initial cast on of a whopping 363 stitches. It was worth the effort and I will probably make another one which should go faster the second time around. I love to watch the stitches open up with wet blocking but get impatient waiting for the project to dry. The left part of the bottom photo is the curling mess that it looks like before blocking. I am ready for Fall and a break from this 99 degree heat!

Figs

2010-08-01T11:58:00.000-05:00

Being raised in Houston, we always had fresh figs in the summer that I took for granted. My Grandmother, Aunt and Mom made preserves every year. At one point, my little brother would not touch a piece of bread unless it was covered with fig preserves. Who would have thought that they would become a delicacy served in only the finest restaurants. These are from my Dad's tree that he managed to pick before the deer and the birds munched on them. Aren't they pretty?

Malabrigo

2010-07-29T09:55:00.000-05:00

Malabrigo yarn is so soft and a pleasure to knit with. The hat pattern is Amanda on Ravelry ( my latest obsession) and the fingerless mitts are The Irish Hiking Wrist Warmers also on Ravelry. There is a generous amount of yardage in each skein so I was able to make the hat and the mitts out of one with plenty to spare. They are the same color but for some reason, my monitor is showing them a tad different. This is the worsted weight and I have another skein of sock weight on the needles for another project.

I am starting early on Christmas gifts because as we know, it gets closer every year.

More knitting

2010-07-13T18:17:00.000-05:00

I am still knitting because it is portable, I have tangible results, I can stop and start whenever I need to, I love the fibers running through my finger, I have something tangible to show when I am finished, and I can totally escape from reality by having to count every stitch. My poor little studio is being neglected but I will get back to it someday when it gets cooler and my life gets back to somewhat normal. We have more medical issues to deal with and this one will take us through October.
This is my first real lace project, first triangle shawl and it won't be the last. Blocking it was an experience but it completely made the stitches come to life. I used weed eater string because I don't have any real blocking wires. I don't have blocking mats either but my old trusty fabric cutting board did the job and it even has diagonal lines on it. There will be more lace knitting in the near future now that I have conquered my fear. I used sock yarn weight merino instead of lace weight. It has more "umph" and I haven't graduated to lace weight yet (don't tell anyone but I ordered some luscious merino silk lace weight yesterday.) I got a notice today that it has been shipped. Don't you love online purchases? It is so much fun when the UPS man pulls up in front of my house! I am easily excited.

I have a few more projects to photograph but I was so proud of myself for finishing this one that I had to show it first.

More Chalcedony

2010-04-06T16:59:00.002-05:00

This glass is still amazing to me. The variations in colors has kept my interest and lately, it is all the glass that I want to play with. I am still making beads for Beads of Courage but I didn't photograph them before they were shipped off. Our bead group, The Houston Society of Glass Beadmakers (aka Houston Hotties) has sent over 2,000 beads so for this year and that was only three months worth. Keep it up!

Luscious Yarn

2010-04-06T16:45:00.002-05:00

Here is a photo of my latest project and the yarn before I started. I am rather proud of myself for knitting this since I am still a novice knitter. Thanks to Ravelry, I have a whole new world of knitting that is at my fingertips. When I saw this pattern for the first time, I knew that I wanted to knit it but had to wait a while since I had no idea what I was doing. It is the Cedar Leaf Shawlette, by Alana Dakos and it is a beautiful pattern. Her site is Never Not Knitting if you want to see more of her work. The yarn I chose is Madelinetosh Sock yarn in the colorway Copper Penny. It wasn't my first color choice my first choice (Cove) was sold out. I am happy with my shawlette and will do another one soon. Blocking made a huge difference in the final outcome. I will be blocking everything from now on. I have more beads too but that will be in the next post.

Still knitting

2010-03-09T09:35:00.004-06:00

I do have some new beads but the knitting seems to be taking my focus at the moment. I started a rather ambitious project (ambitious for me) and it is taking longer than I had planned. My goal is to finish everything that I start before casting on another project. If I am not happy with the direction it is going, I just rip it out instead of letting it sit unfinished. Yarn is too precious to waste! Here are a few of the things I have completed lately. Some of the hats went to my daughter who lives where it is cold and others to a family friend who is going through chemo. The little fingerless gloves will go to my daughter if she will wear them and if not, they are mine. I was very proud of myself knitting a thumb! When I first started trying something besides straight scarfs, I didn't know what I was doing but with the help of books and gracious knitters who write tutorials, I am slowly adding to my stitch repertoire. My studio is beginning to feel lonely and I have promised myself that I will start making beads on a regular basis soon. But for now, the knitting needles are still calling.

Too cold!

2010-01-15T09:31:00.003-06:00

It has been too cold to go to my studio. We had low temperatures in the teens so my studio was temporarily converted into a greenhouse. I found this luscious cotton yarn and knitted this cozy scarf. It is Maya made by Thaki yarn and it feels like knitting with cotton balls. Stay warm!

My Christmas tree is up!

2009-12-07T13:43:00.003-06:00

I always feel better when the tree is up and decorated. My tree is fairly small so I load it up with handmade ornaments hand painted by me. I would love to have hand blown glass ornaments but until then, these will suffice. My studio is still lonely but I did manage to paint the inside of my house and take some photos of beads I made several months ago. The holidays speed by so maybe after Christmas, I can start making beads again. Have a great day!

This year is almost gone...

2009-11-20T08:08:00.002-06:00

April? What happened to this year? I do have some new beads that I made several months ago but I am just now uploading them. My computer was sick and I had to uninstall all my software and reinstall it. Not an easy task for someone who knows next to nothing about computers. I was thrilled when it actually worked. No more surfing unknown sites for me!
The glass makers know how to entice beadmakers by coming up with new wonderful glass. Chalcedony is one of these. These beads were all made with one single rod of glass that produces multiple colors. The glass will "strike" to different stages depending on how many cycles of heating and cooling it goes through. Some of these are encased in clear which produces another element to the mix. I have more beads that I will post soon after I edit the photos. Have a great day!

New Venture

2009-04-23T15:00:00.004-05:00

I have been gone for so long that it is hard getting back online again. After loosing my Mother, my creative energy took a hiatus. My life is still not my own due to family issues but I have managed to squeeze in a little ME time. I have been bitten by the fiber bug once again and I think I needed to go in another direction for a while. The glass will wait and I will get back to that soon I hope.
For now, I have been dyeing and felting which I had never done before. I stumbled upon a Felting Forum while searching for something and that opened up a new experience. I had actually purchased needle felting supplies a long time ago but what really interests me is wet felting. Getting my hands in those raw fibers and turning them into something using only water, soap and agitation is very rewarding. I have posted photos on my Flickr site and here are a few of my fist items. The following is a general explanation for Nuno or Laminated Felting: The silk chiffon and the fibers are hand dyed. The wool fibers are "laminated" to the silk using warm soapy water and by rubbing enough to migrate the wool through the silk. The whole piece is then rolled using bubble wrap until it starts to firm up. It is then dipped alternately in hot and cold water and thrown (yes thrown) down to cause the wool to shrink. This has been quite a learning experience since I am teaching myself. I still have a lot to learn but I am having fun in the process. There are other methods that I am using also which I will explain in another post.

Sad News

2008-12-05T09:23:00.002-06:00

I know I have not posted in a long time. My Mother passed away on November 22 and her Memorial service was December 1 which would have been her 83rd Birthday. In the previous post, I mentioned that she fell and broke her hip. After having a partial hip replacement she was recovering nicely and then a staph infection showed up. They went back in, removed the prosthesis and left it out. The infection turned out to be a MRSA and even with multiple IV antibiotics, her body could not recover. It is tragic but I know she is in a better place and will not have to suffer any more. My Aunt and Uncle continue to have major health issues as well. My Dad ended up in the ER two days ago but it was stress related. He has been ordered to not do any more care giving for at least three months.

My art will have to be put on the back burner for a little longer as I help my Dad get things in order. My torch will still be there when I am ready but I also have to take care of myself during this grieving period too. Thank you to all who have continued to pray for us. We could not have survived without your prayers and support.

REVISED FALL SHOW SCHEDULE

2008-09-26T20:21:00.002-05:00

My family is in a medical crisis at the moment. My Father's only Brother had major surgery and five days later my Mother fell and broke her hip. They are both in their 80's and require around the clock care. My Mother's only Nephew had Heart Bypass yesterday. I won't be doing the Market Street Show October 4th or the Trunk Show this weekend. I probably won't be doing any shows in October unless things drastically improve. Wish us speedy recoveries!

HURRICANE COMING!!!!

2008-09-11T16:32:00.003-05:00

The trunk show this weekend has been canceled due to Hurricane Ike. This is a big storm and they are comparing it to Carla which I remember as a child. I have brought all the plants in and tied up the furniture. We are staying put and hopefully we won't have major damage. We could loose power so I am unplugging my computer as it gets closer.

Stay safe!!!

Fall is coming!

2008-09-06T10:25:00.002-05:00

The past two mornings it has been in the high 60's and I can tell that the weather is finally changing. I can't believe another week has flown by and I have lots of shows to get ready for. I have been making more leaves and there will be a tutorial on my leaves in the upcoming HSGB Newsletter. Have a great weekend!

Whoever dies with the most wins!

2008-08-28T21:30:00.002-05:00

Do you think I have enough beads? Yes, I made everyone of them and there is another shoe box full that I didn't even get to. I ran out of jewelry trays. Why is it that when I start getting ready for shows that I don't feel like I have enough beads made? If you have the answer, please let me know.

Color Choices

2008-08-28T11:26:00.003-05:00

My color choices seem to go in phases. I tend to gravitate towards the earthy shades first. I love greens and shades of turquoise. This bead didn't turn out the way I planned but I like it anyway. I am going to take a group photograph of all the beads that are going with me to the upcoming trunk shows. I am not sure I can get them all in one shot but this should be interesting.

Upcoming Shows

2008-08-25T09:28:00.002-05:00

Fall is right around the corner which translates into "busy". My ISGB chapter is doing lots of Trunk Shows at the local bead stores which are great fun. The Market Street Fine Art Show is the only outdoor show that I am participating in. The weather is always risky so hopefully it will not rain this year on that date. I am among the featured artists for the month of November at the Potter's Guild Shop and Gallery. We will be in our new location by then and I will send out an announcement when we move. Here is a schedule of upcoming events. Have a great week!

Antique Keys

2008-08-24T12:59:00.003-05:00

My friend went to Canton and I asked her to pick up some skeleton keys for me. I now wish I had requested more. I am sure this is a trend but I think these would look great in numerous ways. I need to go antique shopping!

My first trunk show of the season is Saturday Auguest 20! Look for details tomorrow.

I wish I could sleep like this

2008-08-23T22:09:00.002-05:00

My next door neighbor's kitty sleeps in the strangest places. He has wedged himself up next to the brick wall on the front porch and didn't even wake up when I opened the door. He is the sweetest cat and I brush him everyday to keep that long hair tangle free.

Silver

2008-08-15T20:09:00.002-05:00

Silver reacts with glass and you never know exactly what you are going to get. I had to order some more and I hope I don't run out before it arrives. Lately, I can't seem to make a bead without picking up the fine silver. This bead is hard to photograph due to the iridescence from the silver but I hope I have captured some of it. Have a great weekend!

Something New!

2008-08-14T20:24:00.002-05:00

I have had this idea in my head for quite a while and finally put it together. About 3 years ago, I took a PMC class and made the silver pendant. It was a fun class but I decided that I would stick with the glass and let others do the PMC. This is fun to wear because it makes little jingling noises when you move it around.

Gearing up for Fall

2008-08-12T12:40:00.002-05:00

This time of year always creeps up on me and I start to feel panicked if I don't have a lot of work ready for Fall show season. Last week my son was here having his wisdom teeth extracted and I am glad we have that behind us. I missed a good photo shoot opportunity but I don't think he would have approved.

This is the beginning of more to come. I will post the show dates soon.

Monday

2008-08-04T11:59:00.002-05:00

I am not sure what happened to the weekend but I did manage to get one bead made that I actually like. We are expecting a tropical storm to hit tomorrow so hopefully all we will get is the much needed rain and temperatures below 100 degrees.

What was I thinking?

2008-07-31T10:28:00.002-05:00

Experimenting in glass is the way that I have learned what I know today. Sometimes they turn out fabulous and other times they turn out like this. This is a cab and not a bead and designed with a specific idea in mind for my friend the wonderful metalsmith. I think the concept has potential but this one is not going anywhere.
On the other hand, I have been playing around with a tutorial that a generous bead artist published and you would never know these were even the same type of bead because I put my spin on them. I am very happy with these.

Computers

2008-07-28T11:59:00.002-05:00

My modem decided that for some unknown reason, it wasn't going to talk to my Internet Provider anymore. There is nothing more frustrating to me than a computer that does not work because unfortunately, I don't know how to fix it. My dear brother walked me through some diagnostic tests and that didn't work either. I finally had to call my provider and they were able to figure out what the problem was and get it going again by resetting something. All I knew was that for over 24 hours, I was without internet. It goes to show how much I depend on everything working the way it is supposed to work.

Enough of that, I have new beads and cabs! Torching in 100 degree heat is no fun but I do it in short spurts. Hopefully, there will be more beads later in the week.

Challenge

2008-07-22T19:34:00.004-05:00

My bead group has challenges monthly and a themed Newsletter that is very informative. The theme for the next Newsletter is "The Dog Days of Summer". It was 100 degrees here yesterday so I think that qualifies. I made a dog bead inspired by my friend's sweet dog. The mismatched ears were on purpose because that is the way her ears really look!

Three Colors

2008-07-21T16:47:00.002-05:00

Glass is amazing and that is why I don't think I will ever get tired of exploring. This bead only has three colors of regular Moretti glass. Can you guess what they are???

New Favorites

2008-07-13T18:10:00.002-05:00

Thank you for coming to our opening of the new VanJan Collection! It will stay in place at the Houston Potter's Guild Shop through the rest of July.

This is a new set that I am very happy with. I used more shards from Janet's Glass on Etsy and I love the reaction with the silver on these beads. I actually made an entire set in one sitting which hardly ever happens.

Stay cool!

Happy Fourth of July!!!

2008-07-04T07:44:00.003-05:00

New beads! I also have new cabs for my jewelry partner Vanessa. I can't wait to see what she does with them. Our new line of jewelry is called VanJan . We will be showing our collaborative work throughout July at the Houston Potter's Guild Shop and Gallery. Stop by if you are in the area.

July Show

2008-07-01T17:24:00.003-05:00

During the month of July, Vanessa Parker and I are showing our collaborative work at the Houston Potter's Guild Shop and Gallery. We will have an open house with a drawing for a free necklace on July 12. Please stop by and take a look at our new work.

New Direction

2008-06-30T10:29:00.003-05:00

I felt the need to take a small break from beadmaking and do something else creative. If I am having trouble getting the ideas to flow in glass, if I attempt to do something completely different it helps to get me back on track. I made this collage painting on watercolor paper and then cut it up to make cards out of. It actually turned out pretty well. The hardest part is putting the first stroke of paint down. More soon!

Silver Cored Beads

2008-06-25T09:45:00.002-05:00

My bead group purchased a Retro Bead Liner and I got to bring it home to do a tutorial. It is much harder to use than I thought but these are the results of my first sterling silver lined beads. I had to complete them using dapping punches and a chasing hammer but I think they look pretty good for my first ones. I don't think I will be making too many of these because it is hard on my hands. I actually have to borrow my husband's hands to turn the wheel. We are also going to purchase the Jim Moore Bead Liner and I hope that one is easier to use.

Inspiration

2008-06-21T09:56:00.002-05:00

It is so hot this time of year that I have a hard time motivating myself to sit in front of a flaming torch. The plants start begging for water and shade but there are a few that love the heat. This hibiscus blooms in different colors. It must have been grafted but it is fun to see what color will bloom on a certain day. I have not had all three colors blooming at the same time but hopefully that will happen sometime during our long summers. Stay cool and I will have bead photos soon.

Green Thumb

2008-06-18T19:36:00.002-05:00

With the tomato scare this summer, I appreciate my Dad's green thumb even more. There is nothing like a big juicy home grown tomato. He can grow just about anything but the deer eat most of it. They were on the property before he was so he fences off a few vegetable plants and they are free to munch on the rest. I managed to get this shot while I was there. She is chomping away in a round garden bed with a bird bath right next to her.

St. Luke's Methodist Church

2008-06-18T19:27:00.003-05:00

Two more weeks and the St. Luke's Show will end. Vanessa has worked very hard getting all the jewelry ready for this show and it looks great. I am very pleased with our collaborative work and I love what she has done with my glass. Come by and take a look if you are in the area. Attached is the postcard that Vanessa designed.

Rings

2008-06-14T09:01:00.002-05:00

I only have one mandrel large enough for a ring and the ring is probably a size 5-6. My daughter wears the first one that I made and requested another one. I am happy to oblige as it gives me an excuse to practice using that big mandrel. They are heavy and I only have one but here it is. She likes it.

June Beads of Courage

2008-06-06T10:01:00.003-05:00

Where did May go? Every month, my bead chapter collects beads for the Beads of Courage Program. I mail them into BOC for them to distribute to the member hospitals. I normally don't make bright beads but these were fun and gave me an opportunity to practice layered dots as well. I just grab whatever bright color is on my bench and start layering. Most of the time I forget what color I started with by the time I get to the last layer. Stay cool!

Collaborative Work

2008-05-28T12:34:00.008-05:00

Vanessa Parker is a very talented Jewelry Artist. We have been working on some collaborative items for an upcoming show. Vanessa is the Artist of the Month at St. Luke's United Methodist Church on Westheimer and the show starts Sunday so drop by if you are in the area. There are three cases of Vanessa's jewelry that will be located in the Rotunda Art Gallery during June. This is an example of a bracelet that she made using my beads. I love what she has done! I also made some cabs for her as shown in the pendant. Look here to see more of our collaborative work: http://www.betojdesigns.com/page11/page9/page9.html

Summer is Here!

2008-05-23T14:07:00.002-05:00

We went from Spring straight to Summer! It was 95 one day this week and today's predicted high is 93. I have been doing lots of bead crochet when I am not constructing jewelry. Here are a few photos of beads with the coordinating ropes.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T10:01:00.002-05:00

I am back to making beads again after a whirlwind session of jewelry making. It is hard to capture the depth of this bead but it has many layers. I have not made raised florals in a while and they take some preparation because of all the canes that have to be made in advance.
I hope all the Moms out there have a great day!

Market Street Jewelry

2008-05-01T09:02:00.006-05:00

Today I am still working on jewelry, but I am running out of time. I always do this to myself before a show but I seem to work better under pressure. The weather is supposed to cooperate so let's hope Saturday is a beautiful day. The show is from 10:00 to 7:00 in the West end of Market Street. Stop by and say HI!

More Photos!

2008-04-28T08:42:00.003-05:00

I have more for Market Street! The Bright Bumpy Necklace looks so much better in person. It is 36" long and can be worn as one strand, doubled, or wrapped around the wrist. We were making bright bumpy beads to send to Beads of Courage and I was having so much fun that I kept making them. It is not a style that I normally do but I have to get out of my comfort zone occasionally. More later!

2008-04-24T15:51:00.003-05:00

Here are a couple of more new pieces. I reworked the bent bead necklace three times before I was happy with it. I finally just put it down late last night and started over with fresh eyes this morning. Now the fun part of inventory lists , tags and prices. More later!

Market Street Art Show Jewelry

2008-04-22T19:54:00.002-05:00

I am working on jewelry this week for the upcoming Market Street Art Show. May 3 will be here before I know it, so I am trying to get myself on a schedule ( like that is going to happen). Here are some new pieces that I will have in the show. I will post more later as I photograph them.

Trunk Show at Bead Connection

2008-04-22T11:24:00.002-05:00

A few new beads for the show April 26 at Bead Connection in League City. It is cloudy outside so these photos are not great but I hope you can use your imagination. Beads always look better in person. I have some new big holed beads for the Pandora style and some of them are made out of the new expensive silver glass.

Bead Crochet

2008-04-15T11:47:00.005-05:00

I finally made something out of one of my completed crochet ropes. I am very pleased with the way this turned out. I have also made it so the pendant can be interchanged. I have lots of photos to edit so more coming soon.

April Events

2008-04-09T18:58:00.004-05:00

There are several events coming up soon. The Woodlands Waterway Art Show is this Saturday and Sunday. I will be in a tent along with other artists from The Woodlands Art League doing demonstrations. This is an opportunity to see all kinds of art in progress. April 26, our ISGB Chapter will be in League City at Bead Connection for another trunk show. It is a great bead store and I am looking forward to hanging out with my bead buddies. May 3 is the Market Street Fine Art Show. I will be in a tent with four other artists from the Woodlands Art League and we will be selling our art all day. I will be selling beads and jewelry and the other artists will be selling paintings. I will post more photos soon. I better get busy!

Evil camera!

2008-03-30T14:42:00.002-05:00

She normally runs when she sees the camera but this time she just gave me a dirty look. I wish I could sleep like she does!

Thimble Mandrel

2008-03-25T10:18:00.002-05:00

Linda Campbell came up with an idea for a Thimble Mandrel. I thought that was very ingenious but I wanted one to use as a bead cap mandrel. The tricky part is getting the hole in the top because the mandrel is flat without a hole. I poked an indention in the middle while molten and then used my Dremel with a tiny diamond bit to make a hole in the end. These have great potential for fabulous necklace designs. I have one in mind but I have to make two matching "thimbles" which is not an easy task.
There are several events coming up soon which I will chat about at a later date.

St. Patrick's Day is Monday March 17th

2008-03-13T19:32:00.004-05:00

If you are out and about Monday, please come by to see us. There will be some great deals on pottery, jewelry and other art. In addition to the sale prices, you can pick a gold coin out of the Pot of Gold for a discount on a regularly priced item. It should be fun!

Spring Beads Trunk Show March 15

2008-03-10T22:31:00.003-05:00

Our ISGB chapter is going to be at Spring Beads again Saturday March 15. Thank you Deanna!
We have so much fun selling our beads and buying other beads from the shop. They have a great selection of seed beads, findings and anything else you could want. Here is a quick group shot of a sampling of beads I will have with me. Hope to see you there!

Where did February go?

2008-03-04T22:12:00.002-06:00

It is March already? It seems like we just got through Christmas.
Green is probably my favorite color and I am tempted to keep this one but I already have lots of green. I hope someone else likes it as much as I do.

More disc pendants!

2008-02-29T15:04:00.002-06:00

I seem to get stuck on one thing when I come up with something different. Here are a couple of more Disc Pendants. These are probably going to the Potter's Guild soon so if you see one you like, let me know because this phase will probably end soon.

Shards

2008-02-25T17:24:00.002-06:00

What is a shard? It is a sliver of glass that is broken off of a very thin bulb of glass that has been blown from a glob off the end of a hollow tubing. Clear as mud? Why would I want to do that? Shards just add another layer to a bead and they are fun to play with. You can leave them on the surface with the rough edges curled, melt them flat, twist them around or encase them under transparent glass. Those are just a few things that you can do with them. My studio looks like a mad scientist has blown something up. I promise to clean it up soon but then I could not find anything.

Disc Pendant

2008-02-16T13:35:00.003-06:00

New Things at The Potter's Guild

2008-02-16T13:30:00.002-06:00

I put together a few new pieces for the Gallery in preparation for the March event. I almost kept the turquoise disk pendant, which happened to come to me during the middle of the night when I could not sleep. That happens quite a bit.

Hearts for Beads of Courage

2008-02-13T22:53:00.002-06:00

Here is the photo that I promised. I am so proud of our ISGB chapter for their hard work in making all of these for Beads of Courage. Way to go!

Beads of Courage

2008-02-12T07:54:00.000-06:00

I went to MD Anderson recently for the Beads of Courage staff training. It was an amazing experience to be there first hand to see the excitement of the nursing staff in implementing this program. My friend Diane Woodall was there with me and we couldn't stop talking about it on the way home. We toured the Pediatric Lymphoma ward which I was a little nervous about because I am such a wimp when it comes to anything medical related. The children in this hospital face more than I can imagine. The staff is wonderful and I will never know how they manage to get through a day. Our ISGB chapter has made Beads of Courage a top priority and it is one small way we can give back. We had a challenge for the month of February to make Purple Hearts which the child receives upon completion of their treatment. I brought home 155 hearts from our group to ship to BOC! I am so proud of our members for embracing this with such enthusiasm and I hope that we can continue to donate on a monthly basis. It is hard to imagine that they need this many beads but they are unfortunately in constant need of beads to give to children with cancer. I will take a group photo before I ship them off and post it here so you can see what that many hearts look like.

More Hearts

2008-01-29T15:12:00.001-06:00

This is my favorite one even though it is not the normal heart color. I love the organic nature of reactive glass and this one shows it off well.

Hearts

2008-01-29T15:01:00.000-06:00

I have a few hearts that I have been working on lately. Most of these are going to Beads Of Courage and I have added their website to my Links. It is a wonderful program for children with cancer. Recently they have added burn hospitals and heart hospitals to their program as well.
I have exciting news! I have been excepted into the Houston Potters Guild Shop and Gallery beginning February 1! There are more hearts that I am working on for the gallery "Take Hearts" exhibit which also starts February 1. I am in the company of wonderful, talented artists and it is an honor to be in their gallery. Please take a look at their website which I have included in my "Links".

For Suzanne

2008-01-24T12:04:00.000-06:00

I have a dear friend that likes to pick through my beads and then have me "do my thing" with them. These are all for her and I hope she likes them. I will be teaching her "Ndebele" so she can make ropes for them and they will be interchangeable. More soon!

Dreary Weather

2008-01-18T16:44:00.002-06:00

It is cold and rainy which is not the best photo weather. I made these beads this week and they look so much better in person. These are the best photographs that I could get considering that we have not seen the sun in a while.
I have exciting news coming up but I will save that for another day.

2008-01-18T16:44:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!

2008-01-13T11:58:00.000-06:00

It has taken me a while to get back into production mode. I always have the urge to clean everything once I start putting away Christmas. Here is one more scarf. I have been in a knitting mood lately. I was also playing with PhotoShop and cropped this detail out of one of my beads. New beads soon!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T15:19:00.000-06:00

It is Christmas Eve and everything is wrapped so I decided to take a moment to upload a couple of photos. I hope you have a blessed Christmas. Hope to see you soon!

Spring Beads Trunk Show

2007-12-14T12:37:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow we will be back at Spring Beads in Old Town Spring from 10:00 - 5:00. I hope the weather cooperates. One thing about this area is that the weather is constantly changing so we will have to wait until morning to see what it is going to be like.
Here is a new bead and I have quite a few "Pandora" style beads that I will bring with me too.
Hope to see you tomorrow!

New Toy

2007-12-09T23:09:00.000-06:00

I got my Christmas present early. Isn't she pretty? I have been so busy since she got here that I really haven't had time to play with her yet. It took a trip to the welding store to connect everything properly and I hope to see how hot she will get tomorrow.
Thanks everyone who came to see us at Fads 'N Phases. We had a great time visiting with everyone and playing with all of our beads. Thank you Marla!
Have a great week!

2007-12-07T17:04:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is the Trunk Show at Fad's N Phases. This is the last of the new beads for the week. I have to get the car loaded and the price tags complete. It should be fun!

2007-12-05T13:53:00.001-06:00

Here are a few from yesterday. I love the first one and just might have to keep it unless I make something else I like better. My newest beads are usually my favorite beads. I hope to have new inventory for the trunk shows the next 2 Saturdays.

Glass

2007-12-04T10:04:00.000-06:00

I love the way the colors reacted with the silver in this bead. It is so much fun to get up in the morning to see what is in my kiln. I am trying to make new beads for the Trunk shows the next 2 weekends. We will in in Old Town Spring at Spring Beads again on the 15th. Thanks Deena! She has a great bead store too.

2007-12-01T10:51:00.001-06:00

More new beads!

Trunk Show Beads

2007-12-01T10:39:00.000-06:00

Our local ISGB Chapter is having another trunk show next Saturday, December 8th at Fads 'N Phases. Here is a link with the information. It will be fun and there will be tons of beads to pick from. http://www.fadsnphases.com/index_Page1289.htm
I have been on a green kick lately trying to get the perfect color. I will have plenty of beads at the show that are not green but these are the most recent ones.

Thanksgiving

2007-11-26T10:19:00.000-06:00

We had a quiet Thanksgiving with family and leftovers for 4 days. I made my first apple pie which surprised my daughter but my Mom and Aunt always made the pies in my family. It wasn't too bad for my first one.
Now that the sun is shining, I will add new bead photos soon.
Have a good week!

Naming Beads

2007-11-16T13:17:00.000-06:00

The trunk show last weekend was fun! Thank you Deena and staff for being such great hosts. Our group spent the day in a beautiful bead shop and sold our beads to other jewelry designers.
Here are a couple of new ones. The photos aren't the greatest but hopefully, at least the colors will show. Other artists have the most clever names for their beads but for some reason, I have a difficult time naming them. I usually just include details in my titles so I can remember what they were.
Have a great weekend!