Diamonds are a girls best friend?

Wow, I can't believe its been a year since I've posted. SO many things have changed. These days I sell very little on Etsy and do most of my sales on Facebook. Auction style in different groups dedicated to lampwork beads. I love it, so easy, faster and more of a connection with my customers!

Why diamonds you ask? Well those are a great new shape I have been making. Actually I purchased the diamond press used. I was actually looking for a crystal shape but I didn't realize the difference. I made a purchase from out of the US and when it arrived I was a bit disappointed but I figured I'd give it a try. WOW, I love this press! It has become my absolute favorite! I'll post some pics below so you can see what I mean.
So, if your looking for me on Etsy, I'm still there but most all of my new work goes on Facebook. Handmade Lampwork Beads For Sale, Artisan Lampwork Beads For Sale, Lampwork Beads for Sale and Lampwork Auctions are the groups I frequent most but on occasion I will be found on others too!
I hope you'll come find me, along with lots of other fantastic artists you'll probably recognize!
Heres a small sampling of recent work, including a few monsters!!
Thanks for looking!
Sue

Here I am, yoo hoo........yes, I'm here!

I know, I know. I'm terrible at keeping up with my blog! between the kids, Tony 11, Lela 5 both home schooled, 7 chickens, 5 chihuahuas, it gets quite busy. And to top that off Chowder, our middle sons chihuahua, broke his leg. I was staying at my daughters for the weekend and took all 5 dogs and the two youngest kids. My daughter had 2 chihuahuas (yes, ALL are related LOL) they were so excited to be together and running around like crazy nuts on the tile floor, up on to the couch, off the back of the couch, around through the kitchen, dining room and back to the living room on the couch. All on tile floors........yea, it was pretty crazy. We heard this awful cry and when we ran in chowder was lying on the floor with this horrible puppy scream. I picked him up and noticed his little foot was going the wrong way. I am a baby so I immediately started crying with him! We called a local vet, woke the kiddos up, now Tony, lela and my grand baby Isabella 4, got them dressed and jumped in the car for the long ride through a florida downpour........ during a typical florida "rush hour" bumper to bumper! It was awful. He broke his leg, both bones...... and was after 3 hours sent home with a pressure splint, cone of shame and pain meds. We were told to return in a week. Its been almost two weeks now, he has seen the twice and is due to go again at the end of this week. My son has a gofundme.com going to try and raise a bit of money to help since he works at legoland and this is a slow time so his hours are cut to 2 days right at this time......talk about bad timing! Any hoo, things have been crazy here!
I myself have joined a facebook group, Lampwork Beads For Sale, and I have been selling my beads on there. Its great and keeping me busy making beads.
Heres a few new things I've been doing........I've been on a bead pair for earrings kinda kick! Not sure why but its where I'm at right now. LOL


yup, all pairs. Only the colorful ones and the pink ones are listed on the Lampwork Beads For Sale group right now. The others will probably be listed over the next few days and its done auction style. So if you find your interested in any of them just holler at me!!

So I guess that's it for now, hopefully things will slow down a bit, fingers crossed :-)
till next time
sue

Tony's on the torch!

After a large sale in my etsy shop to raise the funds, Tony is up and running. I'm so thankful to my customers and friends that placed orders to help us! Last night was his first night on his own torch and he was SO excited!
Here is a pic I snapped of him while we worked together!

It's great to have someone to chat with while I torch as long as he doesn't use up too much of my glass! Lol

Till next time
Sue

Christmas Ornaments, well sort of.

Ok, here they are! They are not yet made into ornaments yet and I didn't get a picture before they left to their new homes (and our Christmas tree) Then I didn't even think to take a pic of my kids ornaments (sheep and heart) before packing them up. But, just so you know they were wired up very simply and then hung with a ribbon. Perhaps next year I will put them all together for a shot!
If you love the smiles on the sheep and pup, those are made using a tutorial from Bonnie of Puddy Tat Glass. Unfortunately Bonnie is no longer making beads so she shared her smile with the glass community. Bonnie, if you read this, thank you and I will SO miss your critters!!

Until next time take care,
Sue

My first Top, made with boro!

Yes, I'm still here, surprised?  It sure has been a while since I wrote here last.  Wanted to share my first borosilicate top tho.  I was making icicles and thought it would be fun to give this a try.  First test with it the top was too long so I shortened it and gave it another shot.  It worked good so into the kiln it went.  I couldnt wait to show the kids in the morning!!  I yanked the table cloth off the table, called the kids and started spinning it.  Pretty darn neat for a first try.  The kids had fun taking turns spinning it.  Once she got the hang of it even lela did a great job with it. (it only flung off the table on to the carpet twice LOL)  I can't wait to pull the boro out again and give it another try!!
For now its back to Christmas ornaments tho.   Each year I make my two youngest and my grand daughter an ornament.  Last year it was a fish for Lela, a Santa hat bell for Tony and a ballerina bear for Isabella.   This year.....a large heart with holly and berries for Lela, a tiny mouse for Isabella and a sheep with a HUGE grin thanks to a tutorial from Puddy Tat Glass!!  I LOVE the grins she puts on her critters and was so happy to try out her tutorial.  The hardest part now is waiting to open the kiln in the morning........and on that note, I'm off to bed.
I'll post pictures in a day or two of their ornaments,
until then take care
Sue

Customer Creations

I love to see the beautiful jewelry that is made with the beads I create. So many different styles, its wonderful!
This bracelet is made by Carla Foster. She doesnt sell her work so its NFS. She makes beautiful jewelry, I'd wear it all!! This bracelet has the cutest little flying pigs, just adorable!!

Thank you for sharing Carla!!

Till next time,
Sue

July already?

Geez, I can't believe its July already!! I've been so busy with life these days that I've totally neglected things.
I have been doing some earrings and kumihimo braids tho......that I can do at night while I'm sitting.
Want to see.......

So yes, I have been busy. We also lost a family member, my sister in law, who was more like a real sister to me that I've ever known. She passed on unexpectedly on March 6th, 2013. Her only daughter is getting married tomorrow, July 4th. Her mom will not physically be there in the traditional way but in spirit she will be there, with all. I was able to make a necklace for her daughter using cremains beads. They turned out beautiful and the necklace just reminds me so much of her moms blue eyes. Its not the same blue but they sparkle just like Lyns did when she smiled. I did take a few pictures before sending it up north for the wedding.

So I guess yes, i've been busy...... Hope your summer is going along wonderfully!
Till next time,
Sue

Whats new!

I'm back. Its been just over a month since my last post. I've been busy with life, Drs 2 days a week, kids, garden, dogs and friends have moved back to Florida and right across the street! Jess doesn't play with fire like I do but she does like to craft so YES, I'll take that....having a friend that enjoys creating is a good thing! :-) She likes to crochet and does beautiful work! her Etsy shop is https://www.etsy.com/shop/MamadukesCreations She makes the cutest things. Her Etsy shop is just getting started this item that already sold and my favorite, but no worries, you can have her make one for your little one as this is a made to order item!! I'm sure once she is settled into her new home she will be back up and running with a nice full shop!! Right Jess?! I've been making earrings......and have loads more pairs to make into more earrings. Heres a pair I've finished. Its not listed in my shop yet but will be soon! thanks for stopping by, until next time take care! Sue

Second Reveal..........drum roll .... My bead Soup!

Lupe Meter, http://gesmpccorner.blogspot.com/ Sent me this bead soup.......well I, being very new to making any kind of jewelry was totally stumped on what to do with her beautiful polymer focal. I would just sit and look and move things around and just had no clue. I figured her focal piece should stand out so I would go with what I knew best, simple! Heres the soup she sent me and the beautiful focal piece! And here is what I've come up with. I actually no longer have it in my possession. My daughter was modeling it for me and when she went home, it went home with her. She doesn't wear much jewelry but it looked beautiful on her so I didn't mind it leaving at all. Lupe, I hope you like what I've made with your beautiful soup and focal piece! Since I'm late getting started I need to get going on seeing this second reveal and I'm starting with http://gesmpccorner.blogspot.com/ For the rest of the list of blogs head over here.......http://www.prettythingsblog.com/ Be sure to look at Loris' blog first, her soup there is beautiful!! Thanks for stopping by sue

The first reveal..........

So the first reveal for the bead soup has taken place! I'm going to put the link to the page that it is on so you get to see Lori Andersons bead soup first then go below her post and you will find the links to all in the first reveal. http://www.prettythingsblog.com/ I tried but could not get the list to work here. So, go take a look and see all the wonderful creations!! Now, I'm off to look myself!! And, just in case you are wondering, I'm in the second reveal. April 6th. I'm ready!! Have fun, Sue

My blog Soup is here, thanks Lupe Meter!!

Yup, its here! Wow, Lupe the polymer pieces are beautiful!! SO many goodies, how does one choose!! I have an idea, sketched it out on paper and hopefully I can do your pieces justice! Thank you Lupe!! Sue

A sneek pink of my Bead Soup

Ok, my partner is Lupe Meter and here is a sneek peek into the bead soup I'm sending her!!

I know, I know, its hard to tell what it is isn't it? Well, we can't let her see it right? She has to be surprised!! Lupe, I hope you are surprised with your bead soup and I hope you like it!! Sue

Now I've got my partner and reveal date!!

Ok, so I've now been given my partners name Lupe Meter and my reveal date of April 6th. I am set and ready to go!! Now I need to get a sneek peek picture of my bead soup!! So, come back tomorrow and I'll show a picture of my package and possibly a played with pic of the soup!! :) Till then, Sue

Bead Soup Blog Party

Ok, I'm all signed up and ready to go!! This is my first time joining and i'm looking SO forward to getting my partner!! I have my soup almost all picked out, just need a couple more things so I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready!! SO, are you in? 500 sign ups is amazing and SO much work i'm sure, bless her heart!! Thank you Lori, I can't wait to get my partner and get started!! Till then, Sue

Marbles

So, i've always had this fascination with marbles. Over the years i've put them in jars and bowls and enjoyed how they look there. Maybe a year ago I tried my hand at making one....well actually 3 but who's counting. It was VERY difficult for me. They were very small, misshapen and not quite that pretty but "I" made them so I was thrilled. But with it being so hard I got rid of my book and marble mold. Figuring I would just stick to beads........ A quick look at them:

yea, pretty crappy and very tiny. SO, go forward and I've decided to try it again after finding a youtube video. She made it look SO easy. I wish I could find the video again, it was a woman making a marble at a show and a little boy was watching. She inspired me to try it again and i'm SO glad I did. Not that my marbles are much better, although they are, but she made it look easy enough to try again! So, I first started with soft glass again since its what I'm used to working with. Here is some results:

First a group shot......the good,the bad and the ugly!! :) then some I really like looking at. I've been carrying some around in my pocket, taking them out to admire. So, I decided to give boro a try. Why not, I had enjoyed making the boro chains from Pipyrs tutorial, why not marbles right? Other than it taking SO much longer, it was great! So I have decided to continue with boro for marbles. Yea, I made a pandora bead just for the heck of it but it certainly didn't come out as nice as the marbles did!! The marbles stand in the pics is soft glass.....I need to make one with boro and not so colorful :)

Top 3 pictures are of one I used a flower pin frog with and the last 2 are of one swirled. I have 2 new ones from last night, one I made using a tube and the other a flower compression marble from a video I found on youtube. They came out VERY cool and I'll post pics once I get them done. Till next time, take care! Sue

New Glass Chains

I've been working on something new: Glass Chains! I've been trying to make them in soft glass but have not been able to get beyond 3 chains. A secret Santa gifted me a tutorial written by Pipyr Here's the link http://pipyr.com/tutorials.html just in case you would like to try too! Her tutorial is SO well written, lots of pictures and includes an off mandrel button tutorial. Now, if you know me you know I LOVE making buttons! My etsy shop has lots of them. I have them on my desk waiting to be listed, on my work bench waiting to be photographed, they are everywhere! The off mandrel button tutorial was very easy to follow with great results too! Now mind you I've only played with boro twice so I was a little worried but figured since her tutorial was written using boro (she says soft glass can be used too :) I decided that I would work with the boro first! Here are my results! I just LOVE this chain, so much so that I made a second one in clear!! Here is the end of the first day, 2 1/2 hours on it.

and the button

Last night I was able to get another 2 1/2 hours on the torch and made the rest of the links and a few toggles. I'm not sure if I'm going to use a toggle clasp or the button with the leather the way Pipyr does it in the tutorial so I made both.

So, what do you think? Any thoughts on the clasp? Have you gone to check out the tutorial yet? You will be very pleased if you do decide to purchase it!! Well, till next time, Have a good one, Sue