The damages report

To any of you that came looking for me late Saturday or Sunday, you have my sincere apologies.

For me at least this show was direct from H*!!

We arrived at 11:00 a.m. on Friday morning to set up and had to wait for half an hour for the person in charge to show up and tell us where to set up.

Here is a picture of our booth.

If it looks like we're sitting in the street, it's because we practically were --- the back edge of the tent was about 3 inches from the edge of the curb.

And the wind! Oh let me tell you, it never stopped.

The whole time we were there I was picking things up after the wind blew them off the table. In the picture on the left hand side you can see that I had two framed pieces up, but I gave up on that after they were blown off too.

This picture shows the damage that was done to one of the pieces. All of the little bunches of glass flowers were knocked off the roof and many of the individual flowers around the base of the birdhouse were also damaged.

I'll have to figure out how to repair or rework this piece.

It's not that I haven't done shows in adverse conditions. We worked through some pretty strong winds in Atchison, KS a few years ago, and when we went to a show in St. Joseph, MO it rained most of the weekend, but in both of those cases I was never worried that a big gust would take my whole tent out into traffic -- literally.

Also in both of those cases the people who were in charge of the show were right on site----

and there were bathrooms available (at this show the porta potties were never unlocked -- we had to go ask a local business to let us use the facilities --- which on Saturday morning meant not until after 11 a.m. when we'd been there since 8:00 a.m.)

oh yes, and at that show people were actually there to look at (and buy) the art

At this show people didn't even know why we were there and one vendor got yelled at by a passing driver because he couldn't see around her tent to make his turn.

{sigh!}

I will be writing a letter to the promoter to explain the issues we had, and I'm really glad this was not an expensive show.

There was an up side to the weekend, however.

A while back I ran across the website of an artist that is doing very cool bead embroidery stuff. When I saw that she was doing this same show, I was pretty excited because it meant I would get to see her work, and hopefully talk with her.

I got to do both.

And what I saw has set me to thinking about a whole new way to display my things. I'll be talking about that whole idea as we move along into creating our new look.

The latest (and last for a while) piece of beach glass complete.

Because of the curve of the sides of this semi-triangular piece of glass, I needed to use something across the back of the glass to pull the sides in.

I didn't realize it would look like a sort of spider web through the glass --- an effect that I really like

Because we don't have another show for a while, I'm not going to be working on these semi-production pieces for a while.

I have several ideas for some bigger, framed pieces that I want to work on, and there are some other jewelry pieces I want to do that are bigger and more complex.




Check out my newest doodle!

As I said, folks weren't at the show to buy --- most just walked by and complained about the sidewalk being blocked --- so I had some time on my hands

I did this little drawing of the giraffe

A while back my mother gave me a white shirt that my dad didn't need any more, and I've been thinking about doing something to "jazz it up" so I can wear it sort of like a jacket at shows.




I think I will begin by putting the bear and bird design I've been using on my business cards on the back of the shirt, then add some of the other animal drawings that I've done -- like this new giraffe

We'll see where that all goes.

Time to get some laundry done, and run a few errands

Another piece for the show

One more piece of beach glass finished for the show!

This one, from the latest batch of glass out of the tumbler, was a clear glass, so it now has that nice frosted look.

I used all clear beads with an AB finish and dark green thread -- looks sort of like pale mint --- or sea foam green.

Another one is in the works too --- one of the tomato colored ones from the last batch. The bezeling of that one is complete, and I have started the chain. It may not be finished before the show starts, but it should be on the table before the weekend is over. (Unless I'm so busy writing receipts that I don't get to work on it --- which would be okay too!)

Got an email this morning that the hours for Sunday at the show have changed to an hour later, so instead of being from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Guess we get to sleep a bit longer!


'Tis the season to make mittnz!

This is the very first one --- made out of wool yarn. The color here is a bit over exposed --- it's actually more of a burgandy than this shows.

This pair is toddler size. This is one of those patterns that you make the bigger sizes by graduating up in needle size. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that after all these years of knitting I don't seem to own a pair of size 4 (American) short straight needles! hmmmmm, guess when we get to the size that needs those I'll have to use my circular set with a short cable.

Only 17 more to make!!

It's Show Time!!

Yup, the first show of the season is this weekend!

The first chance to show this whole new line of jewelry and see how it is received.


So here are the particulars:

Art a La Carte -- ParkerFest
19751 E. Mainstreet
Parker, CO 80134

(just East of Parker Road off of Mainstreet, South of E470)

Friday, May 15 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Saturdy, May 16 from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm
Sunday, May 17 from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm

We've never done this show before, so we're hoping for good things!

If you live anywhere in the area, come on by and say hello (and if you bring a print out of this blog post, I'll give you a 10% discount on any single item on my table over $20)

Beach Glass Set-up and a Finished Object

After some fiddling around I finally have a set up for the Rocky Mountain Beach Glass.

Made up entirely out of materials that were on hand, I tried to create that "day on the sand" look for this display.

The "beach" is a piece of rough sandpaper. The "beach chair" is three pieces of thing scrap lumber held together with duct tape hinges. The "beach towel" is a strip of terry cloth ripped out of a towel that had seen better days but still had a few "good" spots. The sign was printed on my computer printer on cardstock, and is held together in that tri-fold shape by a piece of tape. Only the shells are the real thing, and these came out of a box of goodies that were my grandmother's (the kind of "green" use she would highly approve of!). I would have like to have a little sand castle or a mini bucket and shovel, but those things were not in the "stuff I've collected and just can't throw out" box, so this will do.

I have 10 finished pieces of beach glass right now and hope to have at least one more finished by Friday --- and maybe have some "on hand" with me to work on at the show.

A finished object!!

And just for me!!!!

This is made out of a piece of the complex cloth, with some quilting embellishments.

I thought about adding some glitter fabric paint, but frankly I wanted to get it done before the weekend.

This is going to be used to protect my "darth vader" sunglasses (you know, the kind that fit right over your regular glasses) while they're bumping around in my bag.

I'm not as happy with the actual design of the finished object (it's a little uneven and the button closure isn't the best) as I am the cloth it's made out of, but it will do the job it was designed for.

Meantime I have quite a bit more of this lovely fabric to do something else with --- as soon as I figure out what that is!

time to get to it

More beach glass

Once I finally figured out how to enclose this piece of glass so I could make it into a necklace I was so excited about it I just kept on working!

I'm really pleased with how it came out.

This means I'll have at least 10 pieces of the Rocky Mountain Beach Glass to put out on the table at our show this weekend. That is enough to actually look like a "line" of jewelry.

We spent some time over the weekend working on how this stuff will be displayed. I'll be doing a "dry run" in the next couple of days with the actual pieces of jewelry, and I'll be taking some pictures then.

And yesterday was the day for the great "wash out" of the load of glass that had been slosshing around for the last month (more or less)

These are the pieces that came out.

Some really nice possibilities here for some future pieces of jewelry!






Remember these from the other day?


I've decided I like the look of these better

So I'm going through and redoing the mushrooms, changing them all to these lovely red topped ones.

Ok, it means I'm not as close to done as I thought I was, but remember this is a Christmas present!!

I've got plenty of time to get it done




It's time for Mittnz!

If you were reading along here last year, you may remember that I participated in a challenge to knit 8 pairs of mittens to be sent to Cheyenne River Reservation for the folks there. Last year this effort resulted in 1003 pair of mittens and other wrist/hand warming goodies being sent.

This year's challenge is to knit 9 pair.

And it's high time I got to it!!

So this little gem (being knit on size 2 and size 3 needles) was started last night. I cast on, did all 20 rows of ribbing and the 6 rows before the beginning of the thumb increases in about an hour and a half.

Since these are to be ready to mail the last week of September, I figure I need to knit 1.5 pair (just 3 mittens!) a month. How easy is that? (Especially since I can usually do some of this kind of knitting in the car as we travel).

Want to join the challenge? Hop on over to Sheep Shots and read up on how to join us!

Well folks, the laundry awaits.......(yeah, if it's Monday it must be laundry!)

Happy Mother's Day!

To all of you who are mother's Happy Mother's Day!

And a Happy Mother's Day too to all of you wonderful women that set a great example for the children of other women --- this is your day too!!

the "eyes" have it?

The giraffe eyes are looking good!

After the first painting I decided to use some Micron markers to do the black pupil, the ring around the outside of the iris and some of the other detail because I handle a marker better than I do a paint brush

These are all ready for the clear glaze, which I plan to put on today --- then tomorrow I can get back to assembling this critter.
and talk about great timing

this picture was in our paper yesterday ---- one of the new babies at the Denver Zoo

so cute!

and gives me the kind of detail of the face that I need to work on the project I'm doing!

Guess I'll be figuring out a way to do eyelashes to go with those eyeballs!

This is the first object to be made out of the "complex cloth"

I've already made the lining/batting/top sandwich here and done the quilting both around the stamped leaves and some that is just quilted shapes in the open areas

Serious consideration is now being given to the addition of glitter puff paint use in some areas

Oh yes, this is intended to be a case for my sunglasses (the kind that go entirely over the regular glasses) -- lookin' good



Having finished up all of the numbered ladybug suit, it's on to the mushrooms

These went a bit faster --- guess I'm developing a system for creating each one in the graphics program

Having these done means I'm now over half finished with the number cards --- the face cards will definately take a bit longer --- those will all have to be hand done since each one will be different --- but I'm looking forward to those

time to get movin'

Here's looking at you -- continued

Seems we have a theme running here

Tuesday it was the Eye of Horus glass cab eyes

Today it is these little lovelies

These are for the giraffe

they are wood beads that I strung onto a bamboo skewer to work on (I hate having to paint my fingers every time I work on something like this, so I'm always devising some kind of "handle")

they have had 2 coats of white paint and a circle of warm brown painted on

today the pupils and the "spokes"

this giraffe is definately turning into a learning experience -- I've had the instructions for making eyes this way for a while, but I've never tried it (and even this first time out, I've "tweeked" the instructions as they call for using paper clay to form the "marbles" to paint on --- but these wood beads were just the right size, so there ya go)

I actually cut into the "complex cloth" and started making the object I had in mind when I created it. (and did I remember to take a picture to show ya'll --- of course not, but I will, I promise)

The piece of gold glass was another "I can't figure this out" deal, so after 3 attempts to build some sort of frame around it, I'm moving on to something else and will go back to that one. Meantime, we have a show the weekend after Mother's Day, and I still haven't figured out the whole display thing. I really hate the idea of just plopping these out on PVC t-bar stands, but right now that appears to be the only choice I have ---- I think I better work on this a little more the next few days --- browse around my accessories tub, see what I can come up with.

time to get to it!

Another piece of glass

One more piece of Rocky Mountain Beach Glass jewelry complete!

I really like the way the deep impressions in the glass look even after a month of rolling around in the tumbler.

This one was such a big piece of glass (1.25" tall, 1.5" wide) that it needed some embellishing, but I didn't want to cover the patterning in the glass itself. Fringing was my answer, although I was not going for that over long dangle look.

I do like the way this one came out.

Next up in the beach glass is a piece of the gold textured stuff.

Sunday I will be washing out the batch of glass that has been rumbling around for a month now, so there should be some interesting pieces there too.

Meantime I'm working on some ideas for two pieces of distinctly Egyptian looking jewelry.

These two extremely similar, but not exactly alike, glass cabs look like eyes to me. I picked these up in an exchange with another artist in Springfield, MO, a couple of years ago at a show. There have been several fleeting ideas about how to use these, but nothing that really stuck until now.

The Eye of Horus is a frequently seen Egyptian symbol, and I'm thinking I might be able to create two pieces on that theme, using these two pieces of glass.

(Here's looking at you, kid!)

Look at the Birdie

Yup, the last of the birdhouses is now complete!!

This one actually ended up having only needle felted embellishments

The robin is pretty cool, and all of the flowers are needle felted from my hand dyed Jacob's sheep wool

YEAH!!

So, now it's on to other projects --- afghans and flower pots and jewelry (Oh MY!)

flowers, pots and giraffe snakes(?)

It was a busy day in the studio!

these needle felted flowers and leaves are for the birdhouse (to go with the robin)

I'll probably use some pressed glass beads too

should be able to get this project all finished soon!



The pots for the flower cart are all ready now, each one having been painted and glazed and now the little bits of oasis has been installed in each one too

Now it will be on to making all the little beaded or felted flowers and foliage -- I've found several patterns for different flowers that call for size 11 seed beads, but I'm thinking I'll be using size 15s to get these somewhere near to being in the proper scale


The bezeling around the new piece of beach glass is complete, and I've started on the chain. This one looks like silver even though it's entirely glass beads --- I really like that whole idea.

The new issue of Bead and Button arrived on Friday, and there are some cool new ideas in it that I'm looking forward to trying out --- nothing better than learning a new technique and taking it out for a spin!!


Comments online and here in the studio by the DH not withstanding, I am NOT making a snake here (can't you hear Sir Hiss singing "trust in me, trust in me.....")

I can understand the confussion --- yesterday's picture does indeed look like a blind if very well fed snake (ok, even a blind snake finds a mouse sometimes!)

However, I'm plunging on with the transformation.

You may recall I said that some kind of weight would be required to keep the weight of the neck from pulling the whole thing over on it's nose.

The plastic baggie in the left hand picture is full of plastic doll pellets (used to give soft dolls that "feels like a real baby" heft), and that next to it is a container of steel shot --- big ones! The right hand picture is the little pouch I made and filled with a mix of those two weighty items. The bag weighs 1 pound 12 ounces -- an amount which I hoped would counterbalance the weight of the spine and the neck

and it does

Behold, we now sit upright, and the back legs are attached.

So now we're on to attaching the front legs then there will be the creation of tail, ears and horns and possibly eyelids ---

there will also be some needle sculpting to be done around the nose and mouth

he's coming along!!

Robin and giraffe

now he can see!

While I was afraid that the white spot would be too big, once I put the bead eyes on, he looks great!

Now I'll be working on some sort of flowers for the bird house





Under the catagory of "oddities in the studio" --

the picture on the left is a piece of PVC pipe, wrapped in quilt batting and tied with thread (to keep the batting from shifting while I'm working with it) which is intended to be the "spine" of the giraffe

the picture on the right is the body/neck/head of the giraffe after I stuffed the head and inserted the "spine"

some sort of weight in the rear end of this critter will be required to keep it from doing a nose dive, so I'll be devising a bag to be inserted in the back end with a hefty dose of plastic doll pellets in it. (Probably an over sized "yoyo" made out of unbleached muslin)

Got to love these engineering things that go on

time to get to work!

one blind bird

he's not dead --- just not finished yet!

I had been working on him a couple of days ago and hit my thumb with the felting needle (enough to draw blood), so there was a bit of a delay on returning to work on him

He still needs eyes and a bit more tweeking on the beak, then it's on to decorating the birdhouse
(nasturtiums perhaps?)