Sheep & Wool Festival

Today I went out to a sheep & wool festival to purchase yarn and wool roving. It was exciting seeing and touching all that was there. Silly me, I thought there was actually going to be sheep there so we could watch a sheering. But, nope. No sheep. Thats okay, there was plenty to see without the sheep. I purchased brightly colored roving and spent some time this afternoon making felted beads. Peter said, "You just have to be making something, don't you?" Yup. Being too idle gets me in trouble :)

On our way home we went to Peter's office in Fairport and passed Jenkins Horse Farm....my dream is to one day have a horse. I had to stop and take a picture. I missed a great photo opportunity on our way out to the Wool festival. There was a white horse on top of the hill....big sky, lots of grass and the fence in the foreground. The one I took on our way home will have to do for now.

New Pendant

Its so funny how things come together. I had this large disk laying around for almost a year and the heart was on my bench for months too. But today for some reason I put them both together and TAH DAAAA.....my new arrow and heart pendant! I love it. Recently I picked up Stephanie Sersiches book and remembered there was a pendant idea in there. I used her seed bead method of making the bail.....looks better than what I would have done....a simple loop.

I'd love to hear what you think.

Another Pet Portrait

This is Hady, isn't she sweet?! As I mentioned earlier this year, I have the itch once again to paint pet portraits so I've been busy lining up my next doggies to paint. This portrait is for my friend Meghan and her husband. I showed them the picture midway thru so I already know that they like it..... thats a relief! I have 2 more in the works and hope to have a nice display for the upcoming festival season. I enjoy painting and just love the fact that I've found a way to include my beads into my paintings.

I'd love to hear what you think!

I Feel So Good

I'm just so thrilled to announce this.....I have been published!! This is so special to me for so many reasons. First, it was a juried process where exceptional glass workers reviewed submissions & choose my piece. This alone is HUGE to me. Second, I'm in the company of other FANTASTIC glass artists from around the world. Another reason this is so meaningful to me ...... the comment that appears at the bottom of "my" page.....Jude Schlotzhaurer of Jude Glass wrote why my piece spoke to her. It really reflects my exact feelings around the principles of design and the use of the elements of art.

I'm sooooo honored, happy, giddy with excitement. I feel like the Mary Tyle Moore song, "You're gonna make it after all!"

I will have a few copies of this book at my booth this season so you can take a peek and purchase if you'd like. I wish I knew who purchased the necklace that appears in the book....I'm sure they would like to see it in print!

Big Brown Wins Again!!

I love horses and horse racing and I make a point to watch the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont. They go by so quick but I enjoy seeing the horses and those hats! Anyways, Big Brown just won his second race in the triple crown!! He won so easily too. I will be crossing my fingers that he takes the triple crown!

Coming Together

In a past post I mentioned that I've been recently inspired by Dale Chilhuly. Really nothing new about that....I adore his work. But, I thought it would be interesting and fun to interpret one of his pieces into a necklace. I have some components ready (pictured above) but today,as I was playing with things on my work bench....the AHH, HAAA moment came. I think its going to be outstanding! I think I need lots of components however so don't expect anything to soon here. But when it comes to fruition, I will show it off here first!

Today, after a morning of torch work, we went on a very long and hilly bike ride....not a motorcycle ride either! It was 11 miles....not to bad but the hills were the killer! By summers end, my legs & butt will be rock hard if we keep this bike thing going! We have a small but growing group of "bikers" getting together to tour the bike trails in our area.

Spring has Sprung

Yesterday Peter and I went for a nice bicycle ride thru Durand Park & along the Lakeshore Walking trail. We stopped to take pictures of some flowering trees and my favorites~ the Swans. I see them each day on my ride to and from work and wanted to see them up close. They are just beautiful. Heres the Mom sitting on her eggs.

On the Bead Front, I've been fairly busy. I've been making beads, constructing jewelry pieces and doing some needed computer stuff. I won't bore with all that but its been busy. My Flicker Gallery is beginning to take shape now too. Actually that was one of the computer things I was busy doing. I plan on putting my images of jewelry/ beads here once I remove them from my website so you still have somewhere to see them.

I know I mentioned my new Mac computer. Its a whole new world learning a new system. Most things are very easy. But other things...UGH, its like learning Greek! For one thing, I can't seem to get how to copy images from a disk onto my photo library. Should be easy but it hasn't proven to be! I have some older jewelry images that I'd like to put on my Flicker Gallery.

Okay, enough computer complaining. Its time to make something! Oh, and very soon you will see my latest Pet Portrait! Can't wait to share it with you.