New work!

I just opened up the kiln. 

Like I said, lots of new buttons

and roughly edged circles, I like 'em!

I always love the metallic glazes. 
What do you think?
I'm going to try to load up again today, this time with more charms and pendants.

Giveaway winner! and working working

Thank you so much for all your great comments for my Blog partner giveaway! 

And the Winner is........  Staci Louise and I didn't even rig it!  At least I know you will check back to see if you won ;-) 
Also, I have an extra copy of Bead Unique Magazine that I would like to give away.  They sent me 3 copies!  Please leave a comment below if you would like to have a chance to win the magazine.  I'll announce the winner within a few days :-)

and working working...
I made some new beads pendants and buttons yesterday with my morning off because of the snow.  I was really happy with how some of them were shaping up.  I used a bisque fired pendant as a stamp and I think I love it.  More concentric circles for me as usual but these have a rough edge to the concentric circle orderliness.  As of now they are reminding me of oyster shells, but that could all change as I glaze them and get them fired.

And buttons!  I am really working on the buttons!  This firing may be 1/3 buttons.  Fiber Artists rock my socks and I want to offer  more for the great fiber artist and knitting/quilting/fabric/yarn shops out there.

So this weekend will be all about firing the kiln and getting ready for my next trunk show.  I think it would be awesome to get a ton of trunk shows scheduled for this spring/summer..... then I could just go to all the bead shows and shop, instead of setting up booths.... just thinking out loud ....  could be fun!

I heart U!

I love her :-)   I think this is the cutest, most gorgeous photo of my sunshine. 

I made a few quick necklaces with the new heart charms this weekend.

It all started with this one that I made for myself.  Then all of a sudden the kids had me making one for each of them and also for their friends. Both of my girls had sleepovers, on the same night! WHOOT!!!  So I ended up making 5 necklaces, packing up the girls and EVERYONE went out to play with friends.  You can tell I don't get out much-- but I sure know how to party when I do :-)

This photo of starshine got a bit blurry, but you can still see her cute necklace.

I picked up my trunk show at Bucks County Beads on Sunday.  It went really well.  I don't know how I am going to refill my stock before dropping off my next trunk show at The Bead Garden on February 5th!  I'm sure I'll manage, but it will be tricky to pull off another firing before then.  I ended up selling so many charm sets on etsy and at the trunk show in the past month and I'm running really low even though I just made more! 
This is a good thing!

I am also REALLY REALLY close to my 600th etsy sale!  I was thinking that it would be good to reach 600 before my birthday on 2/13, but at this rate I better figure out my fabulous prize for lucky #600 right away!  Only ~5~ to go! 

You guys are the BEST! and don't forget to enter the giveaway one post down :-)

I hope you had a great weekend!

Blog Partner Giveaway

It's time for a giveaway!

I have been meaning to post this giveaway for quite a while.  I received several great finds as part of the Rings and Things Blog Partner Program.  Items were sent to me for free, for me to blog about etc...  And I want to share them with you.

Aren't these little heads a riot?  I can see them as frogs, lizards or aliens.  I love those big kissable lips!

It was nice to see that Rings and Things has these fun jewelry blanks by Amate Studios.  I met these guys at Bead Fest Philly 2 years ago.  This should be great for all you resin lovers out there.

And lastly a set of my porcelain heart charms--

Leave a comment below, and I will choose a winner from your comments next Friday....as long as I don't have to set up a Trunk show that day.  If I do, then I will announce a winner on Saturday.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Thanks for letting me know you are out there, and thank you to Rings-and-Things for the fun blog partner giveaways!

Giveaway Coming soon...

Just a little post to let you know that I will be hosting a giveaway tomorrow or Saturday with some of the goodies that I received as part of the Rings-and-Things blog partner program.... and some of my new heart beads :-)

Also, I am inching up on my 600th Etsy sale.  That is the coolest thing EVER!  You guys are the BEST!  I LOVE YOU!  You make making things awesome! 

I have been blogging since before my 100th sale... and every time I hit another 100, I send a random thank you prize of FABULOUSNESS to the person who makes that little number counter hit the next 100.  It might be beads, it might be pottery, it might be a tile box.... It could be anything, but I will have made it.

My goal it to hit the big 600 before my birthday next month.  Think of me as your early valentines date :-)


anyway-- I didn't want anyone to miss the giveaway :-)

New work! Adding to the Etsy shop tonight!

I just opened up the kiln this morning!  Whoo Hoo!  I am very excited about what I found inside!
I am going to be adding quite a few sets to the etsy shop this evening.  You can check out my Facebook Fan Page-- Artisan Clay, if you would like to see what I am adding as I add it.

 I am going to start with a bunch of these Charm sets.  Then some glazed heart sets in Blue, Bronze and a color I am going to call, Heart of Stone...if I can get it all in... It's will take a while and may going into tomorrow night, too.

And  I'll add some heart sets in this style this week, after those who requested them get their picks :-)

So Cute!

Some pretty cool ladies :-)

State of your studio--(BOC second Saturday---or after)

Hey!  It's Second Saturday State of your Studio time again!  You actually have @ a month to post a photo of the state of your studio.... Just in case you want to play along.  Marsha Neal Minutella does a blog post on the Beads-of-clay blog every month and anyone who wants to can post a link to their State of Your Studio Blog post.  You should check it out!  It is fun to see what everyone is up to!

Last night I was making what seems like a million little heart charms.  I added some Heart Charm sets to my etsy shop this week and they seem to be really popular... So I got some special requests for more.  I had made them in the first place as a donation for the Beads-of-Courage organization, since I became aware that they use purple and red heart beads for their patients.   SO I since they were popular and since Beads-of-courage probably could use some more... I started a new batch.  It's a big batch so that I can donate some and add some to etsy and maybe add some to a local trunk show.

Here's a shot of everything I have added to the etsy shop in the past couple of days.

Also hanging around the studio is a T-shirt project I am working up for my Girl Scout troop.  This shirt has gold glitter on a green shirt.  I like it!  I am torn over what exactly to do with them for their T-shirts.  I want them all to have cool looking shirts, but I want them all to be able to feel like they have design control, and maybe that means letting them go at shirts with fabric paint in as they wish.  I just don't think that they will all have cool looking shirts that way ;-(

Oh yeah and there is a hat project too....   Of course I have ideas...  too many ideas?  sheesh!

The Best Little Bead Box

Did you know that I was the last artist for the Best Little Bead Box project?

The box arrived on Christmas Eve and for once We didn't have big plans for that evening.  We cooked a yummy feast and I poured over the contents of the boxes.  The boxes had already spent time with many a well known beader before their time spent with me.  We have writers, editors, instructors, and I guess we could even say TV stars ;-) involved.... and LITTLE OLD ME TOO!  Crazy!  How did I get invited into this gig?  I'm a lucky lady!

So what is this project anyway? 

12 beaders pass along this wonderful box of goodies each taking from it and "leaving it richer for the next, giving til it hurts just a little"  The box swelled to to large flat rate boxes by the end and it is rich!

Next up the boxes are to be divided into groups and offered up to YOU!--->  The proceeds from the boxes will be donated to the Beads Of Courage organization for it's work with children in hospitals and treatment centers across the country.

Check out the Best Little Bead Box Blog for all the details of it's journey so far and stay tuned for your opportunity to own the contents!

Here are some photos of beads I added to the box

Look What Kristi Bowman Made!

That's my heart charm!  Kristi won the charm from the Beads-of-Clay  blog.
Check out what Kristi has to say about her bracelet on her blog--- http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/2011/01/stone-age.html

Best Day EVER! Philly Art Museum via my children's eyes

We had such a fun day today!
The girls and I went down to the Philadelphia Museum of Art for "pay what you wish day" which just so happens to be "family art studio day"   Lucky us! 
We woke up early and arrived shortly after the museum opened.  They had lots of fun crafts to do with the theme of Around the World  Sonya and I made beautiful carpets in paper with yarn fringe.  Lydia made a Ganesha puppet and a miniature period furnished room.  I really enjoyed making my little carpet.  I just so happened to be thinkin' on things such as flowers and leaves in functional art.

While in the Art Studio the kids were going on about Pigasso.  Soon enough I found his name spelled out for them and they could figure it out.   Picasso Picasso Picasso...  popular guy I guess ;-)

Sonya was obsessed with finding a picture of Picasso. OBSESSED!  Repeat it 100 times and zig zagging through the rooms kind of obsessed. Not a picture by Picasso, it needed to be a picture OF Picasso.  I was worried until we found this self portrait.  She was so sure that he was going to have multiple noses.  It was a let down.

The kids were so cute drawing each other's portraits on the car ride down and then sitting down as soon as we hit the impressionists to sketch out some landscapes.

And this is what I came for.  That's what I needed--- the stroke I would like to master.  It was great to see this after mulling over a concept, finding "the tool" to try it.  I need to make time to sit down with it, but right now I am collecting ideas.... I think it will be much more about mastering the use of this tool I hope will help me make the effect......

Collecting architectural inspiration.....  looks a bit like manufactured buttons.

This was adorable!  Sonya sketching like crazy the little ceremonial Japanese tea house.  She was SO serious.  And we patiently waited. 

another leaf and floral concept......

A Lovely Door! 
We only made it though 2 or 3 wings.... and had lunch and went to the make and take craft.  I don't think the kids are as into the Asian art as I am.  I think that their impression of a lot of it was that they have sat through million of my documentaries on Asian Art, Architecture and culture and they've seen it all before a million times!   Ha!  Seeing these wonderful works live and in person and they are so cool mellow about it. 
I can't wait to go back next time.  I have the April Family Studio day written in on my calender.  The kids and I had a blast!

Getting personal-- the past year

     I have kept alot of my life private this past year.  It's been really hard to keep it all to myself and my most trusted friends and family.  Writing helps, Sharing helps, but NO ONE likes to hear that things are really messed up.  Even those trusted friends get tired of it. 

This past year has been a crazy ride.

A lot of things happened that I did not cause but I had to fix..... because I have two wonderful children to take care of.   I have wondered if I would still be living in this house in a week, in a month, in a year...  I still don't know.  

I have said the words, "I'm done asking you to change.  I'm not holding you up any more."
There were some really bad times and I am sure that translated into some weird vibes here on the blog from time to time. 

My mind has changed and I look at my day to day differently now.  I don't know what the future will bring, but I know that I am capable of anything I need to do and I am happy in myself. 

I started a second job in January of 2010.  It was a huge change for me and a really big learning experience.  It was hard to let go of the routine I had working on my own business, but I love the freedom I feel in helping my brother realize his business goals.

I am very happy in my work here with Artisan Clay.  I feel really really good about how things are going.  I am so thankful for every one of you who has helped encourage me in my work.  Your kind words mean so much to me.   I love the people I have "met" here and I wish I had the time to blog everyday and keep up with all of you.  As it is now I usually steal a few minutes late at night and read up on a few blogs each week.  This is such a wonderful community.  Of course I also love seeing the beads I make finding their way into happy homes.  

I feel that I made a really big improvement in my outlook this year.  I feel like I have been able to let go of "ego" a bit.  I have been able to change my perception of the world and people in it and improve my well being.  That's huge!  I mean really!   My outlook is so much better. 

Anyway... that's some personal stuff,    yeeeesh.  I hope it's OK to vent.    I thank you for your support this past year, and I am very excited for the future.