This was fun!

lampwork bead paletteI usually don't even read advertising emails...

This one caught my eye though, because of the phrase "Chip it!"

It is a palette creator from Sherwin Williams, where I buy a lot of my paint.  The cool thing is, that you can enter a url (in my case I entered the url of an image I found online of some of my favorite beads) and the Chip it tool creates a palette for you..Very helpful when gathering glass together for a set of beads.  There are surely more sophisticated tools for doing this, but I love that this is simple, easy to use, and, kind of fun.  I also entered urls of some of the paintings at the new Gauguin exhibit currently showing at the Seattle Art Museum. Have fun creating some palettes of your own!

First Great Tip of 2012 for Lampworkers and Jewelry Artists

 Making metric to standard conversions in working out the details of a designs can be daunting.  Tubing and wire can be measured by gauge, mm or inches and sometimes you are using things measured in different ways.  I have been working on some beads that are going to be lined with metal tubing, so I have been making all sorts of conversions, with my calculator app on my computer always open and ready to go.

While I was looking for some supplies, I found a page on the Rings and Things website that has all of those conversions on one page.  Not only the usual conversions, but some formulas that allow you to make your own calculations.  It is certainly worth a look and has saved me lots of time!

Instead of making beads, I have been doing this...

Have been spending lots of time practicing! I received a concertina LAST Christmas and am learning to play.  I love this old time music and want to be able to play like this..some day!

This is the amazing Jody Kruskal on the Anglo concertina and Dan Herman on the banjo..Bravo!

pomegranate treasury...

a new pomegranate treasuryMy little pomegranate seeds are included in this lovely Etsy treasury..click to take a closer look!

poppies, poppies, poppies

Jennifer Lommers Poppy CardsA friend, Jennifer Lommers, is an incredible painter.  Her subjects include birds, bicycles, gorgeous landscapes, and my personal favorite, poppies.  I have been making poppies from glass for quite a few years now, and I have to admit, Jen's painted poppies are most inspiring!  She has an Etsy store filled with beautiful paintings.

Wakerobin Farm Poppies by Ellen Dooley

special order time!

  

I have been hard at work on a mountain of special orders.  That's a good thing.  It means we are all busy!  If you have any special requests, now is the time..  I have managed to even add a few new things to my Etsy store.  Take a look and see what I have been up to at the torch!

full moon through the trees

pomegranate treasury

Pomegranate TreasuryMy pomegranate seeds were included in this lovely fall treasury....Take a look!

something to make you smile!

My friend Brigget is an amazing CSA farmer, grows great veggies, lives with a beautiful assortment of creatures, and, on top of that, is an incredible musician.  Here is Brigget and some of her friends playing one of her compositions in the barn.

it's a zen thing

preview - encased lampwork bead rounds

if you want to see some cool things....

Go to Monroe, WA this weekend to see Debi Burton's booth Ormolulu at Ruffles and Rust  you won't be sorry.   If you are into cool old things for your house, studio, kitchen or findings box for jewelry, you will find something at Debi's!