Sandblasted Star Focal

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Two posts in one day! What's up with that? I just finished sandblasting this lentil focal. It is the first sand blasted bead that I'm happy with the results. I heavily blasted this one, leaving the stars shiney and raised.

Tomorrow will be spent preparing and setting up for a show this Saturday at the Eitlejorg Museum. I'm looking forward to it, as many of my glass buddies will be there. Please stop by if you are in the area!

Have a great weekend!

Pod Focal Bead

Just a quick post and run. Here is a Pod focal bead from yesterday. I hope everyone is having a great week!

New Focal Bead

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Just a quick post. I had a chance to torch for a few hours last night, and here is one more Nebula inspired bead. It was really impossible to capture the full depth and sparkle.

Have a great night!

Class and Visit with Cynthia Tilker

ISLAGA, the wonderful glass group that I belong to, hosted two classes with Cynthia Tilker this past week. Cynthia is a beautiful person who makes beautiful beads, and it was so wonderful to finally meet her in person!

 

Fran, Chic, Cynthia and myself headed south to ABR Imagery the Wednesday before the start of classes, and did a little shopping. Thanks to ABR for letting us visit...and buy (they are such enablers!) After about two hours of shopping, we picked up lunch and had a picnic at Oliver Winery. After lunch we did some wine tasting. It was a wonderful afternoon, and the weather was perfect!

Oliver Winery front view

Fran, Chic, Cynthia, Me

Fran and Cynthia

Chic, Fran, Cynthia

I took the Saturday/Sunday class. WOW, Cynthia does amazing work, and is a fantastic instructor....not to mention a lot of FUN! She holds nothing back when she teaches, as she is all sharing with her information. This was absolutely one of my all time favorite classes. If you get a chance to study with her, don't pass it up!

Cynthia at the torch

Cynthia, Jen, Dawn

Class photo:
Dawn, Cynthia, Sallie, Me, Barb, Jen Cameron, Carol, Bette, Sue, Cherine

Cynthia had some time before her flight on Monday, and she and Dawn decided to spend the night here at the ranch. We had an enjoyable Sunday evening, and spent some time Monday morning torching a bit :)

Cynthia and Dawn

I'm on vacation this week (well, actually a stay-cation) and will be torching for a show this coming weekend at the Eitlejorg Museum. I hope you have a wonderful week, and as always, thanks for looking!

Nebula Inspired Beads

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(Above are pictures of two beads inspired by the middle nebula pictures)

My work is inspired by nature. As an artist, how can you not be inspired by all the life that surrounds you daily? Leaves, acorns, vegitation of all kinds, the ocean and all it's beautiful creatures of many colors surely inspires the artist in all of us.

Lately, space and all the galaxies have my interest. I have been reading and searching out informaiton and pictures of space. Wow, talk about beautiful colors!

Indianapolis is the home of Butler University. Butler offers one of the biggest observatories open to the public in the United States (not to mention the Butler Bull Dogs!!). That is where I will spend quite a few evenings this spring and summer. How exciting!!

I hope you are enjoying your weekend. As always, thanks for looking!

Bead With A Cosmic Feel

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Here is a bead fresh out of the kiln. It is very cosmic!

Have a great week, and thanks for stopping by!

Playing With Sand Blasting

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Here are first attempts at sand blasting on beads. Samma and I are putting our heads together, playing and experimenting.

The first two photos are "Man In The Moon", front and back. The front has been lightly blasted for a soft etched look. I wish I had not added the star, as I think it takes away from the bead instead of adding something to it. The last two beads were blasted fast and furious for a deeper blast, more like engraving. We have made some progress in figuring out the process, and our next task is to do some blasting in stages for a more dimensional result.

Today will be spent at the torch making leaf/tree beads, and then much of the afternoon spent outside with my lovely daughter preparing the flower gardens for planting.

I hope everyone has a Happy Easter!! Thanks for looking!

What A Beautiful Morning!

Here is a Lotus Pod from yesterday. I'm a bit disappointed in the silver glass around the silver mesh, as it "grayed out" a bit. It is still earthy and pretty, just not quite what I was going for!

This bead is in line to be electroformed. I think it will look nice with a copper-topper caps :)

Good morning! Spring has finally arrived here in Indiana, and I woke to the birds singing outside my open window! I love all the seasons, one of the advantages of living here in the Ohio Valley. However, the older I get, it seems the longer Winter becomes! I am more than ready to see the SUN!!!

It is going to be a great day! My good friend Samma is coming over to play for the day. We are going to torch, and work on some new sand blasting designs.

The Butler Bull Dogs play today. I hope the win!! Win or lose, THEY ARE WINNERS! Our city is certainly proud of them :) They are one of the smallest schools to go to the Final Four. GO BULL DOGS!!

Above are a few beads from yesterday. Thanks for looking, and have a great weekend!