Conversations about my favorite beads and lampwork bead makers, jewelry artists, indie and documentary films, gardening, food, Isaac Newton, Pinterest, and The Desire Map, all part of my continuing journey to become a better bead artist and super human being.
Showing posts with label my lampwork beads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my lampwork beads. Show all posts
I just spent the first "normal" weekend I've had in a long time. My gorgeous son graduated 8th grade; we hung out, ate lots of good and junky food, and watched several movies.
Tomorrow I go to work, like normal people do, which is a blessing! Remember when I send a message to the Universe? It worked! So, just a short note because a lot of today's time was spent processing photos of these beads that I'll be listing soon. If you are interested in any of them, send me an email offer.
My last entry talked about changes in the universe, as it applies to people and events near to my life. My friends are healing (Benign!) and so am I. I wrote a letter to the Universe on my other blog (Beads of Thought) and it seems to have been received, because solutions have been trickling in. I asked my son's dad (who has a knack for connecting astrology to life) to explain what in the Universe is going on, and he said to look for Mercury to be out of retrograde, and changes to occur on April 23. Well, today I awakened more refreshed than I have been in a while and full of energy. I even told my friend on the phone, "Something is wrong with me! I'm excited and relaxed at the same time. Nothing is getting to me and all possibilities exist; I'm so flexible. I'm not me, am I? I'm manic? Am I annoying?"
Even though I don't talk with you as often as I like, I want you to know I think of you constantly. Every day there is something new I want to share with you. I've been saving up our conversations, so I'll just start them up again with Michael Schwade. Who? Michael.
Michael (MSchwade on ETSY) has 45 years in jewelry designing and bench crafting. The Universe sent him to my bead store and he bought my Panatone bead.
He made this stunning pendant of torch welded bronze. This Cirque du Soliel trapeze artist is balancing my bead above her head.
I feel like I'm a trapeze artist sometimes, and I'm sure you do to! I hope I'm as graceful as Michael's piece, even when I feel more like Atlas! Michael, there are a lot of people would love an interchangeable bead holder like your Cirque du Soliel; you should consider making them for people who love artisan beads.
I'm giving Michael 25% off anything in my shop because he sent me a picture of what he made with my bead. If you are making things with my work, I'd love to show them off and appreciate you too! Send me a picture!
Another gift from the Universe is Sharon from Periwinkle Tangerine and Chubby Cheek Sweaters. I finished a set of beads for her that she will be using on several sweaters she's made. I can't wait to show the finished product to you, so here are the beads she's using.
I had a really productive lampworking week last week! I listed a lot and I made new beads. Below is just a little gallery. Most of them have not been listed, so as I often promise, here are your first looks at new beads! I love you all, all my stars in my universe, you are blessings to me!
Who's there? The Universe, that's who! I can't be the only person who's noticing a shift in things in their world. Some special friends had biopsies and the results will be coming back on the same day, though they live in different towns and do not know each other. And their friends are going through similar situations. There are a lot of mental health issues being dealt with by myself, my friends, friends of friends, both near and far. There's a tendency for me to be self-destructive (translate party girl), but I get over it fast and get on with the business of being there for others. That is something the Universe seems to be saying LOUD...I am a greater support for others and less in need than I think...I must have faith in the Universe, for time and time again it proves itself to be there for me.
"It's time to step out on faith, I gotta show my face, it's been elusive for so long...look what I have found...strength, courage, and wisdom, it's been inside of me all along..."
I can't believe it has only been a week since my last post...No, it has to be longer than that! See, I told you I can't believe it (LOL)! I think I will just spit out all the grain I've been storing in my cheek without care of the order in which I give it (boy, grammatically that was from another time...been writing like that a lot lately!)
Sales, sales, sales. Is it the season? Is it the economy? Is it both? I've been noticing a lot of great sales and here are a few I've held onto to share with you.
"Save 15% on all chain and stringing material during the String-a-Palooza! This is a great time to get basic elements for your designs. Everything from jewelry wire and silk cord to sterling silver and base metal chain is on sale. Enter ZZ-PALOOZA15 at checkout to save before this sale ends on Wednesday, April 20, 2011." at Artbeads
Wednesday, April 13, thru Sunday, April 17, 2011: Don't get strung out choosing the right jewelry cord — stock up now on quality stringing supplies at great sale prices! Get 10-20% off volume pricing for WireLace®, velvet ribbon, Rattail™ satin-like cord, SoftFlex® beading wire and SoftTouch™ stringing cable. 5 days only! at Rings & Things
At Heartsy you get "Daily deals on fabulous hand made items", at least 50% off from selected ETSY artists in all categories. I hope I'll be chosen some day.
And of course for my blog subscribers, at Mona Rae Beads when you make a purchase over $20, you get 15% off when you comment "subscribe15"! Did you see the rosary I made? It is a jewelry piece but includes all the parts of a 5 decade rosary. Perfect for spring!
I received an order for 6 beads that will be used as buttons on a hand crocheted coat. I can't wait to see what Sharon at Chubby Cheek Sweaters does with these!
Julie Smith, one of my loyal fans, just purchased these from me. I hope she sends me pics of what she makes with them! If you send me pics of your creations with my beads I will give you an immediate refund and shout out in my blog!
Well, I've said a lot today, yet there's so much more I can share with you! I have new listings and price reductions in my shop, so I thank you in advance for looking at them. In the meantime, I want to share a charming story about being tenacious, making others happy, and this bead that I sold to Deborah (The Jeweled Bird). It will bring you back full circle, as the Universe always does!
2/28 MONA: When I was packing your bead to mail today, I noticed the small surface encasing crack had turned into many cracks. I must have grabbed an incompatible rod of clear. I can make you a new one or refund your money.
DEB: I really REALLY fell in love with that one!
MONA: I love this bead too, and it was fun to make, and it was so vibrant and my first successful attempt at baleen pleats.
MONA: I made another one yesterday and used a fresh rod of the clear. The same thing happened with the encasement, but this time it cracked in a way that told me it was incompatible with the gold metal in the pink...So, I just made another one, this time with a less expensive (no silver metal in it) clear, which unfortunately is not as crystal. It is in the kiln now... If you don't like it then I'll try it without the clear encasing. I guess another option would be to either use another color other than pink...As long as power stays on, I'll be trying again tomorrow
DEB: No problem, thank you!
MONA: I did try another. I used a light gray clear and the rubino I used didn't turn out as pink. It is a deep rich purple...Still want to try again for another
DEB: No problem, thank you, thank you!
MONA: I had a couple ideas, one of which I am sure will work. I'm going to re'anneal the two I made that cracked to see if they can be "healed". The other idea I had is... lightly encase the bead with 104 moretti clear frit then encase with the Aether it will keep the two metals (Aether silver & Rubino gold) from "stressing eachother out."
DEB: First thanks for the update, second, I truly thank you for the tenacity that you have shown for this one focal...
If you decide that 'enough is enough, I will understand, as you have devoted so much time to ME and this one bead.
MONA: I appreciate your patience and the opportunity to work it out so it can't happen again. I hope we are successful so that you can have the beautiful bead you want and I'll have a solution to share with others.
DEB: Well, I will remain optimistic, then:):):)...it is so hard when you really fall for a bead...and you have been so kind to try to make it work... i will keep my fingers crossed!
MONA: The last option might be to take the bead as it is. The cracks do not go all the way through, so the bead would not break. However, how you use the bead will make a difference in what will happen (will the cracks get bigger, will the clear encasing break off?)...
MONA: Well, they came out of the kiln and looked healed with the exception of one tiny crack, but as soon as I dropped them into the water to soak (and I dropped them on purpose) the encasement on "the one" cracked. I also made a test bead using the clear frit encasement and it also had two long cracks in it. However, I found one rod of diamond clear (which is not double helix) and I will try that this weekend.
DEB: Dear Mona, your efforts are so , SO appreciated...I think, perhaps, you love this pretty bead as much as I do.
MONA: Yes, I really do like this one as much as you do. I'm very frustrated that I haven't been able to duplicate it, which makes it even more special! I'm disappointed in the performance of the diamond clear. If you want it cracked, you can have it cracked. If you don't want it cracked, then I'll wear it! Other options at this point are to make it without clear or make it without rubino. Do you want me to try that?
DEB: Hello Mona....Oh you poor dear...you have tried harder than anyone I know! I will PROUDLY wear the cracked bead...as a testament to your perseverance and as a beautiful object with a mind of it's own. I cannot explain WHY it is so special..it just is! I give you my grateful thanks for trying to repair this beauty...or remake her. I thanks you so much...
I look forward to wearing the 'special' bead, and I look forward to telling it's impressive story...about a glass woman who tried so hard hard to make me happy (and did:):):) (4/13)
I have lots to say, but no time to say a lot! I wanted to share with you a few sales I've noticed, and some personal growth stuff, but for now, I'll just leave you with the fulfillment of a promise of brevity. I made a rosary!
I started listing jewelry in my store!
I listed new inventory and reduced prices on last month's new beads!
Everywhere I look, around me I see all the procrastination. Why do I do it? I feel guilty and overwhelmed for not doing what I need to do, and overwhelmed by the feelings of inadequacy to do those things to begin with. On the other hand I tell myself that I'm not really putting things off, but processing them through thought in the back ground. Where is the BS? I'm not sure, but thinking about it all just ruins this otherwise perfectly gloomy, rainy day.
Regardless, I am blessed. I have a loving mom and son, great friends, and social networks that support me. I was featured on three ETSY treasuries yesterday! Skaan's Spring Has Sprung, JewelryByTamar's Can I Please Have Honey Mustard Salad Dressing, and RenataAndJonathan's Having Friends Is Cool. I've heard that the more comments and clicks a treasury receives, the more likely that treasury will appear on the ETSY home, or "front", page.
Thinking of treasuries reminded me of a web site I once knew about that would look up your name and report any treasuries you were in. A little search for the web site landed me in a place called Craftopolis. I'm going to check it out. Supposedly they use google analytics to report a lot of different aspects of activity on your ETSY site; but then again, ETSY has a lot of new features that do that for you already.
Speaking of activity on ETSY, I have a circle of artist friends that is growing and growing. I have decided to create a treasury featuring my faves from my new friends. Go visit and comment and click: Rings n' Things, Bobbles n' Bling, Jewelry in all Things
Techology is the answer. To what? To better feelings about my bead business. To better feelings and more intimacy with friends. To new inspirations, artistic and emotional. To scholarly pursuits. To education for all. To safety. To global unity, and as we embrace technology, we resort to the ancient standby of prayer. As we pray knowingly for all in our worlds, we pray subconsciously that technology will continue to lift us, and not be our downfall as we fear.
We interrupt this insight with a message from our rerun of Nip Tuck, courtesy of instant que and Net Flix. OMG, a woman just stuffed a man with a machine that fills teddy bears!
I love my FaceBook too; another example of technology's positive influence. With the recent earthquake in Japan, I'm getting to know more about the people in my life through their discussions and deep insights into morality, ethics, religion, and more. I'm glad I know the people I do, and through the social media I'm getting to know more about them than I otherwise would or could. Lampwork Etc. was my first real exposure to the magic of social networking, and I've made very special life long friends there as well.
My social network friends encourage many facets of my life. Bead making is one example. I made a lot of new beads this week; check out my album on FaceBook.
As I start to think about the time I took to make beads, in spite of the guilt I felt for not working on my research, I realize even more how technology plays a part in my life. If I hadn't been making beads, I would not have thought about technology. If I hadn't been thinking about technology, I would not have realized the most obvious object of the research I was supposed to be doing. When I realized I should do my research on the implementation of the iPad in special education, I also realized that subconsciously I WAS working on my research!
So, today's lesson is to embrace technology, your friends, your passion, your craft, and your subconscious work; guilt is a waste of time and masks the work you do in the background of your mind.
Well, after a lonely weekend I decided to take Monday off and make beads, without question. This decision came after reading Danielle LaPorte's White Hot Truth article, "On bright faith and why falling in love is uncool". If you want to know more about me, read it! You will probably find out more about "you" in the process. I love Danielle LaPorte's newsletter/blog; she inspires me to personal growth EVERY time I read it. She's on Facebook too; go check her out.
"Bright faith is primal to creativity. Bright faith is essential to falling in love--with people,with causes, with your own unfolding self. Bright faith can be unnerving, slightly embarrassing, and awkward. We are trained to resist it, and we do so at the cost of innovation and the passion we crave." When I read this I had a little more appreciation for who I am when I'm having an exciting moment, and it gave me permission not to resist who I am at the expense of the innovation and passion I crave. So, I made beads.
My bestest friends have been asking me for specific beads. Joely wants a Buddha, Doug wants anything made by me, and Isaac wants ... well, other than to stay my baby boy, he loves anything I do or make for him. Doug loves everything Pink Floyd and Egyptian. Joely is pretty specific. I showed Isaac the beads that came out of the kiln this morning; it's a good thing his favorite is the one not made with other people in mind!
The Buddha was fun to make; he's the second one I've ever made. I love making sculptural beads; they dissolve all my worries. The scarab was made on a whim and I love it, but I'm afraid it will break when I take it off the mandrel (had problems remembering to keep it warm!) It has an eye of Horus (a bad one) on the back.
The bicone bead was an experiment that didn't work but gave me another idea for technique. It was Isaac's favorite and I'll string it for his Valentine's gift. And I know just the beads I'd use from Rings & Things; and they're having a free shipping deal right now!
These bicone vaseline glass trade beads (I have a lot left over from using some in my virtual necklace)! They're perfect for Isaac because he loves the color, it looks great with the celadon dots on the bead, and they glow in the dark!
I knew I'd find a use for these Mirage "mood" beads! They are the perfect shape and color for the scarab, which is made with green and blue dichroic glass.
Designing the necklace for the Buddha bead makes me want to keep it for myself! I envision tons of silver for a Tibettan look, heavy, with a tassel type pendant focal. How about this Karen Hilltribe Pendant to hang below my Buddha?
I have fun sharing my growth with you, and hopefully inspiring you with what inspires me. Please let me know that you are having fun too; subscribe to my blog by clicking on the right banner, and all comments are more than welcome!
