Lost Finale

Tonight is the season 4 Lost season finale.  It’s hard to believe a year ago we were watching the end of last season…how they thought they’d get off the island.  It was the big show down w/ the Others.  Now in the show its what a week later and in reality its been a year.  Kinda crazy.  During that crazy week several people have died…Jack has had surgury…many more questions have arisen, and very few have been answered.  I’m sure they’ll answer a few questions will be answered tonight.  Lost is pretty famous for their great season finales, it’s almost what keeps the show going.  So I’m sure they’ll throw us a few bones, but they’ll add another huge twist to the story too! 

busy busy

Phew whatta weekend!  It was action packed with driving, family, friends, and mostly decent weather.  We stayed w/ Chris’s parents and saw 3 grandmas, 3 sets of cousins, an aunt/uncle, and close friends.  I’m so glad it was the holiday weekend b/c we never would have finished it all w/out the extra day.  but we got it all in and it was all very productive.  I might be making some flowers for his cousin’s wedding this fall…we had lunch on Saturday and fed on eachothers excitment talking about it.  I got to see my cousins little veggie garden which was fun b/c I’ve been aching to get back out into the yard and finish up some loose ends…not sure when it will happen though. 
This week isn’t much of a break.  We’ve been shopping for camping/backpacking gear for Chris.  While I’m drooling over beads and taking classes he’s going on a guys trip to YellowStone National Park.  I’m a bit jealous b/c it sounds like a blast.  Yesterday we went out and got him some nice hiking boots and a backpack w/ first aid kit.  Today we might stop by another shop to see if they have any clothing he needs to bring.  I’m mentally making lists of tools and beads I want to bring to Mom’s next week.  I leave Tuesday morning so less than a week away!  In fact a week from right now we’ll be in Milwaukee getting ready for our first class….more on that later.
Unfortunately all the fun of visiting w/ family and friends along w/ packing hasnt’ left much time to experiment or play w/ my glass and metal.  And now I’m starting to think that next week won’t be enough time.  oh well…I’ll do what I can w/ the time I have.  It’ll be so much fun…I can hardly wait.

taking action

It’s been a while since I’ve showed any kitty pictures so today I picked two of the funnier ones we’ve taken recently. The top pic is Mira giving Orion a bath. She’s so funny when she’s in bathing mode, her entire head and neck get into the motion so it looks like it’s a workout. The even funnier thing is when this was snapped she was in mid lick and the next lick turned into a bite which became a brother-sister brawl and a good wrestling match! The bottom picture is Mira in her not so modest pose. She was at the Vet yesterday and now weighs 10.5lbs! That’s what Orion weighs and she’s half his size…except in the belly region She’s definitely not ashamed of that belly of hers. I think it just makes her more squishable! =0)

The last few day’s I’ve been feeling really good. For a while now I’ve been in a situation where I’ve been doing the dance of uncertainty about what to do about it. Well I’ve finally made a decision and have been taking action in all different ways in my life. And it feels so good! The craft fair this weekend was a big milestone for me. I really think that if I had really been miserable I wouldn’t still be thinking about it and getting excited. I also think not being accepted into the larger show I applied to was a big milestone as well. Now I can do the experimenting I’ve been thinking about and talking about for months. And so instead of still thinking about it…I took out some of my stuff and began experimenting….

My newest obsession and idea of experimentation is not the metal work you would think….although I plan to combine the two. It is with glass. I have no desire to take up lampworking…I think it’s an incredible art but I’m just not set up for it at home. But inspired by this Watch Me Create blog and the idea of recycling coupled with the fact that I LOVE wine… I want to use the glass from wine bottles to create something. Right now my ideas are for simple jewelry. I have several pendant ideas to play with. I would like to be able to make a cab out of the glass and make a bangle or something that way since I’m personally more of a bracelet girl. I’ve got an idea to try and combine some of the glass with some PMC to try and make a broach that’s in my head. And if that works that’ll open up some ideas for a different bracelet…which can evolve into some pretty neat centers for some flowers. BUT what occurred to me the other day was how cool would it be if I can shape the glass just right to make leaves from green wine bottle glass!!!! This could be a way to get me to create leaves faster and w/out procrastination! And that is really how the train of thought in my head evolved with all those ideas…it’s a wonder I get anything done at all.

Now what I’ve actually done for experimenting…. I’ve done some internet research for ideas on how to sand down the edges of sharp glass as well as how to drill holes in glass. I’ve purchased a stone for sanding glass and some diamond drill bits. Monday I took some empty wine bottles and a hammer and broke some glass. I picked out some pendant size pieces and in water carefully sanded the edges of the glass. I want the piece to still be shiney and see thru…otherwise the easy thing to do would be to put them in a tumbler and make some beach glass. That’s an entirely different area to explore. I haven’t tried drilling yet although I’ve found some instructions. The last few days I’ve been sanding different pieces to get a nice pile together. The sanding works great! I’m thrilled with the results. What I want to work on next is finding a way to cut shapes from the glass…I bought some glass nippers but that more shatters than breaks. So research that and try out the drill…that’s what’s next on the list.

first craft show

I have survived my first craft show. It went fairly well, we got there around 7:45am and unloaded the truck and set up the booth all in about an hour. We were give about a two hour slot to set up so that wasn’t so bad. Unfortunately, we had some issues with a canopy that I bought earlier in the week. Good thing it didn’t rain…although it was quite chilly. The weather man said 70’s but it ended up being in the 50’s and very windy and mostly cloudy. I was completely chilled. Mom brought me a sweater that helped a lot, and Darcey’s mom let us borrow some blankets.
I sold one piece to Mom but that was about it. That was pretty much what I had expected. It was a very small town in the outskirts of Chicago area, and there wasn’t a whole lot of advertising going on. I got a lot out of it though. I learned how to stake down all of my display in extremely windy conditions…it didn’t fall once! I slowly got an idea of how to arrange the display so that it will invite people into the booth. This was hard w/out walls…and in the picture was not a good flow. About half way through the show we rearranged a little and that helped. I learned that I could sit in not the best of conditions while not exactly doing well and not hate it. That’s kinda a big deal b/c it comes with the territory if this is something I want to pursue. I have a list of things I want to add or change for the next show. I’m not scheduled to be in another this year, but you never know. I received a variety of comments ranging from overflowing compliments to a low grunt.  I’m actually thinking that I’ll try this again.  I’m making a list of other shows in the area to go check out this summer to see how well flowers would fit in.  Should be fun doing the research! 
Now that this is over I’m excited about doing some experimenting. I have a few ideas up my sleeve for some experiments with some glass and metal. This is taking a step away from flowers and going into new territory…jewelry. I’m hoping I can bring some of my ideas back into the flowers but I’m going to start small first. I also have quite a few flower ideas stored up too. But experimenting is taking a priority since the B+B show is fast approaching and my ideas sort of tie into the classes we are taking.

Metallic Enhancements

Chris came up with Metallic Enhancements as another way of describing these new flowers. I thought it created a different visual…but not the wrong visual. It’s odd how different words meaning the same thing can imply or create different mental images.

Here are my final two pieces to share. This is it for now…everything I have done is in the gallery. phew it feels good to be all caught up with that. You can see it all in person on Sunday in Pingree Grove if you’re in the Chicago area.
The first I’m going to show is Rusty Rose. I created this last July and actually worked on some of the wire wrapping while camping in Missouri last summer. I entered it into a juried show at the Peoria Art Guild and it was on display there for a month last fall. The bottom layer of petals are made using the most sparkly of cut beads. They were bought out west and I doubt I’ll find them again…but they are wonderful. The wire work is copper, and small turquoise rounds are the accents. Rusty Rose is permanently planted in a pink wine glass.

Late last fall early winter I started thinking about using the wire work with petals to create a SnowFlake. We all know no two snowflakes are exactly a like and really that holds true for flowers as well. I think blending the concepts into a snowflake flower turned out spectacularly well. This is a little rough…but I really like it. I think it could become a line of flowers when the winter mood hits each year. I was really torn on this flower whether or not to add some leaves, and what they would look like. Then it dawned on me…snowflakes don’t have leaves. If you think it looks a bit lonely, it really looks spectacular when combined with some live baby’s breath.

Metal Embellishments

Introducing a new spin on beaded flowers…Metal Embellishments! I’m thinking this is a pretty new idea, I haven’t found anyone else combining the two ideas to come up with anything similar. Either way it’s new to me!

For a year now you’ve heard me mention metal work, whether it’s talking about a budding interest or griping about not having time to play with it yet. In truth I have been playing a little bit. A year ago I made my first metal purchase…I got a saw, bench pin, some sheet metal, and some wire. I’ve played with all of this and even invested in some more tools. But the first thing I started to play with was the wire. At first I didn’t like it, the coiling was mundane and tedious. Now I’m finding the coiling to be relaxing, it’s perfect to work on when my hands need something to work on but my mind wants to turn off. It is very similar to stringing beads.
All the magazines and books that talk about wire work all focus on how to make it into jewelry. Lately I’ve become more receptive to making jewelry but it is not my primary focus. I found I really enjoyed making the swirlies and curly shapes with the wire. Then I placed these shapes over some beaded petals and voila my new technique was found! I really love making flowers and want to stay in this medium so I was really excited to have found a way to incorporate my new interest with the beaded flowers.

I have four pieces to show the first two are my first piece from last summer and my most recent piece. Copper Blue is my first flower with metal embellishment. The flower itself was just completed last month, but the petals have been together in my bead room for a year now. The center is a wonderful piece of denim lapis, and the wire is copper that was antiqued and then shined up a bit.

Brilliance in the Dark is my most recent and biggest piece so far. The colors really just came together on their own and while making all the leaves for this project I came up with a story behind the flower. I envisioned this flower growing out of an ancient oak tree symbiotically deep in the forest. It blooms twice a year and only at night. The wire work is brass and the center of the flower is a swarovski crystal. The flower is permanently planted in a bamboo bowl that is about 4 inches high and 9 inches in diameter.

I have created a new category in my gallery for metal embellished flowers. Here I will show flowers incorporating wire work and any other metal work that might emerge in the future. I have lots of ideas and am hoping to get some real cool stuff in this gallery. Soon I’ll add the other two pieces for everyone to see.

piles and piles

Nope not the assembly line piles I talked about last time I had that post title. These are packing piles. I’ve been getting my stuff together for the craft show this weekend. I have a pile of paper work that needs to go, piles of flowers, piles of display items, piles of just in case I might need this. I have a list of things I need to do or pick up. So far I’m enjoying the process. I emailed the lady in charge of the show to ask if there would be food vendors and she told me there would me…hot dogs, brats, hamburgers, portabella sandwiches with a garlic wine sauce, then Italian ices and the church is having a bake sale! I think I’m as excited for the fair food as I am for the show!
I still haven’t checked the weather…I’m hoping for nice and sunny! It’s been a chilly spring around here so as long as the sun is out I’ll be happy. I did buy a canopy, just in case. This will give me the opportunity to get a real booth shot for applying to future shows. And I got my hair cut. I know that doesn’t sound like it would be on the list of to dos to get ready for the show…it wasn’t really..I just needed one. I decided I needed something different. So I chopped my already short hair in to the Sienna Miller cut. I love it!!! it feels so good to have something new. Next time I go for a trim I’m thinking of getting highlights! I haven’t done that since right before my wedding.

Other piles I’m making are the beginnings of what is going with me up to Mom’s for the week of the B+B show. It’s getting close and we’ve been chatting regularly about our classes and what we want to work on that week. We finally got our tickets in the mail this week so it is becoming very real. I think it’s going to look like I’m moving back in with the amount of stuff I’m probably going to bring.

first craft fair

A week from today, May 18th I’m going to participate in my first craft fair.  The fair is the first annual craft show in Pingree Grove IL.  Where in the world is that ???  It’s just west of Elgin and south of Huntley IL, a tiny little town that is growing fast enough that they can now support a craft show.  And just to show what a small world this is, our friends Jon and T just bought a town home here which turns out to be down the road from where my cousin and his wife live.  And even crazier…my cousin’s wife will be in the show as well!  We’ve requested to have booths next to each other.  She paints in watercolors and I can’t wait to see her work.

You’d think I’d really be freaking out… but so far I’ve actually been ok about everything.  I’m fairly confident in my stock.  I have a little bit of everything that I feel confident in.  I have a pretty good idea how I want to set up my booth.  Today I spent the day putting price tags on my pieces, pricing everything, and making an inventory spread sheet.  I need to start making a pile of things I need to bring to the show.  I need to buy a money box of some sort and get money to put in it.  I have some finishing touches to add on four of my pieces.  I know there are more things I need to think of and add to the list.  So this week I might start freak out mode.  And if I don’t freak out by Friday I’ll definitely be nervous by Saturday.  I’ll learn a lot at this show, it’ll be fun to learn the flow of setting up a booth and talking with people.  I have a hard time talking with people about my flowers so this will give me a chance to get used to that.  Plus it’ll be fun to see friends and family. 

If you’re in the area and hopefully it’ll be a nice day out stop by the show.  The should be a little over 50 participants, with a little bit of everything to look at. 

Fiesta, Rouge, Berries, and Jewels

Today I’ve uploaded and opened the rest of the batch of 16 flowers that I’ve recently completed. They don’t really combine together into any themes, they’re just wonderful beauties on their own.

While I was thinking of this flower on Monday which was Cinco de Mayo, I wasn’t able to get it up in time. Fiesta Lily is the perfect flower for a Mexcian celebration. The vibrant colors and fun petals would fit in perfectly on a table full of fajitas and la cervezas. This year we didn’t go out to celebrate, or even buy yummy themed food to cook. But we did enjoy some Pacificos on the deck.

The next bouquet is Pink Rouge. This was another one I had a hard time naming. These are new flowers that just fit together after I’d made them. It’s a small bouquet with all the flowers on the petit side. The colors are really different shades of red even if some of them venture closer to pink.

Berry Delight could have fit into the so good you could eat them, but I had trouble photographing it. So it’s just now being posted. Older flowers that found their way to fit together into a nice bouquet. The purple lily is actually accented with pink, it’s hard to see in the pic.

Finally there is Jewels. This was the first mini table bouquet I made. The colors are all jewel tone using silver lined beads. Although small this piece has a ton of color and would not fade or get lost on a desk full of papers.

That’s all my newly finished pieces. They were fun to group together to show in my blog. I haven’t been doing a lot of beading lately. I’ve been more working in the yard. My squash plants are all planted in the garden now. I planted them a week or so ago and then we had a frost. So I put some more seed out there and am hoping they’ll sprout soon. We’ve been out buying a some flowers for the yard, the other day I was out working in it past dark. Right now is really the best time to be working, the mosquitoes haven’t started coming out yet. This weekend we’re going to finish up some painting around the house. I think then we’ll be done painting for a while. We have a couple more things on our list but we’ll see how it goes. Gotta have some fun too, all work and no play is never good!

wishing for the sun

It’s chilly and cloudy today, one of those days when you wonder if it’s spring or fall outside.  Good thing I have a couple of sunny flowers to show that will hopefully warm up the day. 

Hues of the Sun is a flower that I came up with the idea for last fall.  I made all the leaves in October and then it sat in the unfinished pile for months waiting for the perfect center.  It turns out some dyed fresh water pearls worked wonders and truly complete the spectrum of sunny colors. 

StarSuns you’ve seen before.  I taught a class at the Bead Parlor in February using this flower.  Just recently I gave them leaves and made them into a permanent bouquet.  Each flower is actually a slightly different shade of golden yellow because of this and the contrasting centers they truly glow.  And right as I typed that the sun started peaking through the clouds.  Maybe these flowers will help warm up the air.

This weekend Mom and Dad came to pick up Velesa, so we are now back to two kitties.  We helped the Dude semi move into his apartment and got to check out the area.  He’ll only be 45 min away so that’s kinda cool.  Plus he’s only 10min away from the Bead Parlor     Last night while the guys watched bad Sci Fi movies Mom and I chatted about our plans for the B+B show.  It’s now only a month away and a reasonable time to get excited.  We looked at the classes we’re signed up to take.  Went through my treasure bead boxes and pulled out treasures that might be useful.  I made lists of things I want to work on during my time off…and it was a long list.  I still have a couple more flowers left to show, plus an announcement of a new line of flowers coming out.  I’ll be probably talking a lot about the B+B show and I signed up to be in my first craft show…more on that soon.