Happy Holidays...

Hey Kids! Christmas is just days away. I guess you could say that at any time of the year but it really is just 4 days away. Have you done all of your shopping? I know I haven't...but then again, I have a store full of goodies for all of my friends. Can you say handmade for the holidays?

And the new year...ahh the new year. It's coming quickly too. Doing a bunch of plotting and planning of classes and art shows and podcasts...I could go on. I have listed new classes over at my web site so please go on over and see if there's something you fancy. There's bead making and mosaics and fusing and PMC...some macramé and jewelry stuff. And in February there's going to be a bead making/fusing/PMC workshop that will have you produce a fabulous bracelet or necklace. Fused dichro will be set in PMC and then there are the beads that you'll make and the whole piece will be spectacular! We're expecting 2 or 3 days for this one. And a super good time.

So I promise to update this blog more often. I spend more time over at craftgossip.com and that's not fair to this blog. But I swear I'll be better...

Getting Ready for the Holidays!

'Tis the Season!! Egad!! Thanksgiving is days away...Black Friday is this Friday...Small Business Saturday follows and right after that is Cyber Monday. All these days and names of days mean one thing. The holiday shopping season is upon us. Are you ready? Ready for what? Buying? Selling? Making stuff for gifts? I can help you...I've got jewelry and other gift items. I've got beads and other goodies to help you make stuff. I've got some cool upcoming classes that can be given as gifts or taken to make something fun...and there are even gift certificates available. They're good for items in the store or classes. If you can't make it into my store you can always check out my etsy store which gets new items listed daily. I've been adding a bunch of dichroic glass pendants!

Along with all of that there's a super cool opening scheduled for December 11th from 6-10pm. I'm having  group show for the monthly NELA Art Walk and would love for all of you to come. The WAO Truck is confirmed so we'll have Thomas and his fabulous Vietnamese food and Leigh and I will be demoing Vitrigraph and I'll be making blown ornaments that will be available to purchase. Sounds like a fantastic time!! Please stop by!!

And please check out my web site, www.theglassstudio.net for my schedule of classes through January. More will be listed soon. And we'll have our first vitrigraph class in February. The next glass bead making class is Hearts and Flowers and it's starting to fill up...yay!!! So if you need anything or have any question or would like to sign up for a class call @ 323.257.0764 or email @ info@theglassstudio.net. Thanks!!

Howdy Everyone!

Hello Readers!

Here's a little update from The Glass Studio. We had our second art crawl experience last Saturday and I want to thanks everyone that showed up! There was the cutest glass pendant Make and Take project that was conducted by Leigh Adams. She rocks!! This was the closing event for the show that she's in. It also had included Chad Sperandeo and his most wonderful mosaic art. Thanks to both of them for sharing!

My next show will go up in a couple of weeks. I'm working with photographer and assemblage artist, Thomas Grey Parker. This is the first in a long series I like to call Translations. This is where I work with photographers and fine artists and graphic artists to translate their work into glass. Should be interesting. The next Highland Park/Eagle Rock art crawl is November 13th from 6-10pm. And I'm hoping to have the TAM truck again for fabulous Vietnamese food. So yummy!

I've got a list of classes on my web site www.theglassstudio.com. There's some good stuff ahead. And if you have any questions you can call the store @ 323.257.0764 or send me an email @ info@theglassstudio.net.

Torch rental time is also available at a rate of $15/hr or if you buy a 10 hour block it brings the price to $12/hr. So if you want to make beads...experience on the torch is required. If you have none then you need to take a beginning class...hope to see you soon!!

Come visit on Facebook...like the store. Come on, you know you do!!

It's official!

Had my grand opening shin dig...and it was a smashing success!! Such a good time and so many people. Thanks to everyone that shower up. Hope you'll come back for more parties and super good times. Special thanks to Shirlee and Leigh and Chad. Great art from great people. It will all be up for at least a month if not longer. We will be having a closing party next art walk which is the second Saturday of the October. October 9th to be exact. Soon after I'll be putting up the next show which will be a collaborative project. Part of the "Translations" series. More on that soon...

There were make and take sun catchers and the food truck, TAM Truck, which served the most wonderful Vietnamese food. I'm planning next month's event which will have another food truck, could be TAM, could be Ahn Joo...and of course another make and take project. I hope to see you then. October 9th.

Check out my web site for a list of upcoming classes and other events!! www.theglassstudio.net!

The Studio

I'm so close sometimes I find it hard to believe. It's all very exciting. I put down a fancy floor and I'm starting to sort my merchandise. Store furniture is finding its place. Art shows up in just over a week. The opening is September 11. It's the second Saturday of the month and in my neck of the woods that's art crawl night. It's Highland Park and Eagle Rocks party night every month and I'm so happy to be joining in. I hope you can come by.

I'll have Leigh Adams and Chad Sterandeo and Shirlee Yantz showing their most recent work, as well as a few pieces from me. The party starts at 6:00pm but we'll be there earlier making sun catchers and other small goodies you can take home with you. Good times ahead, that's all I can say...good times ahead!

My Studio...The Glass Studio

Signed the lease...got the keys...there will be painting and organizing...moving stuff over. I won't be working at home anymore. I'll be at the shop. Making beads and fusing glass and making mosaics and jewelry. There will be classes and rental space. Wanna make beads with me? How about some jewelry? Fuse a plate or two? It's all going to be possible soon. And I'm formulating my class schedule for the next couple of months. The web site is going up next week. Prices for classes and rental time will be listed there. And I'll be writing here a lot more...

But in the meantime...if you need beads go to my etsy store...www.beadbrains.etsy.com. Or come to the show at The Pasadena Bead and Design Show. It's July 29, 30, 31 and August 1. At the Pasadena Hilton. I'll be signing people up for classes there. And there will be a little discount if you sign up at the show. There's fun stuff in store. Stop on by!

My Studio and The Pasadena Bead and Design Show

It's been over a month since I've written here. Shame on me. I've been a busy girl and I do have that other glass blog I write over at craftgossip.com. Are these valid excuses? Perhaps...but I do have to pay more attention to this blog, and I will. No really, I will. I'm working on a bunch of things and my new studio is one of them. I've put a deposit on a space and should be signing the lease next week. Very exciting. I'll have a soft opening in August as I adjust and acquire stuff and all the good stuff that happens when you open a retail/workshop space. There will be beads (of course) and glass and jewelry making stuff and good times ahead. I'm putting together my preliminary teaching schedule and am planning on having the first couple months of classes on my web site sooon!! Oh, yes there's a new web site in the works.

The Pasadena Bead and Design Show is at the end of July. July 29, 30, 31 and August 1 to be exact. I'll be there and would love it if you were there too. I'll be signing people up for classes and selling beads and having a good time. I've also got to keep myself from shopping for the store. Yikes...

So as things happen I'll be right here to let you all know what's up...now time to take some pictures for my etsy store. Oh yeah, if you need beads go there...beadbrains.etsy.com.

Portland...Bullseye...my studio

My class ended last Saturday. It was at Bullseye Glass in Portland, OR. If you're a glass person you know all about Bullseye. They make most of the art glass we use for kiln forming, also known as fusing. So I went up to Oregon to take a dealers forum with them. It's conducted for individuals that are planning to deal their glass, become a Bullseye Resource Center and teach kiln forming. I am doing all of those things...and am very excited about it. The class was fantastic! The people at Bullseye are amazing! And I truly look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the Bullseye Glass company.

So here's a little update on my studio plans...I'm looking for a location. I'm hopeful about one in particular. I'm planning on opening in Highland Park. I've got plans and goals and aspirations for my new adventure and as things progress I'll note them here. It's very exciting.

I do have a few little shows and classes coming up. Tomorrow I'll be at Seed in Costa Mesa for their monthly last Saturday trunk show. If you're in the area stop by and pick up a trinket or two. I've got some classes coming up too. There's one at The Beadiak, June 5-6, but that one is full. We'll be scheduling another one so keep your eyes open. Those are always a good time since they're a two day class and two days is so much better. The following Saturday, June 12, I'll be at Hands on Third for a one day bead making class. And the following Saturday, June 19, I'll be at Lighthouse Stained Glass in Hollywood. I think there's still room in those classes but you'll have to check with them.

At the end of July I'll be at the Pasadena Bead and Design Show at the Pasadena Hilton Hotel. Lots of beads and lots of good times. It's a 4 day show and the admission fee is good for all 4 days. I'll be talking that show up for the next 2 months. If you need anything right away go on over to my etsy store and see what I've got...or email me. See you all soon!!

The Glass Studio

I'm looking at a couple of spaces...we'll see. I'm making it official. I'm opening my glass studio and it will be called, The Glass Studio. I'm excited. I have plans and hopes and aspirations and I'm working to make them a reality. So here is where I will give the updates on my progress and let all who read this what my plans are. Glass and good times ahead.

Meanwhile...I"ve got an opening this Saturday, May 1st, over at Freehand in

the mid-city area of Los Angeles. It's a fabulous store on 3rd near Orlando, 8413 West 3rd. St to be exact. It's from 5-8pm and I'm so thrilled to be a part of this show. It's their annual jewelry show so this is a big deal for me. Hope to see you there.

The following weekend, May 8-9, is a trunk show over at the San Gabriel Bead Company. Both Saturday and Sunday. So if you couldn't get to the bead show in Culver City this weekend please stop by and pick up some beads. I'll be doing some macramé too.

I'll be at the Red Rabbit Craft

Show

on May 15th also doing a bit of macramé and selling beads. That's being held in Glendale. Check out the postcard I've got here in the blog. That should be some fun.

In keeping with the macramé theme, I'll be doing a book signing of my book, Mod Knots down at Seed People's Market in Costa Mesa for their last Saturday event and of course I'll have beads and jewelry on hand. seed is a great store over at The Camp on Bristol. You should definitely check it out.

In between those two events I'm actually running off to take a class. I'll be up in Portland at Bullseye Glass. I'm really looking forward to this. And I'll blog all about it when I get back.

Bead making classes start up again in the month of June. First weekend, June 5-6 I'll be out in Agoura at the Beadiak doing the 2-day class. Always a good time. The following Saturday, June 13, I'll be at Hands on Third. And the Saturday after that I"ll be at Lighthouse Stained Glass. Things book up quick.

As always if you need some beads you can check my etsy store and shop away. Thanks for reading this and I'll keep more regular updates about the studio and other inportant information!!

Las Vegas

I'm getting ready for Las Vegas. We've got the Glass Craft and Bead Expo coming up April 9-11 at the South Point Hotel and Casino. I'm very excited. I've got a table in the bead area and excuses for running around to the other vendors to look around at all the glass goodies they have to offer. Are you going to Glass Craft? If you are please stop by and visit my table. Chit chat...maybe buy some beads...show me what you bought.

I had a couple of great classes I taught recently. There was a weekend bead making class at The Beadiak in Agoura and a macramé bracelet class and Beadniks in Santa Monica. Great student!! Great stores. Always a good time. And this past Saturday I was in Costa Mesa doing a little trunk show at this cool store named Seed. They're carrying my jewelry there too. Yay!!

There are a whole host of activities I've got on my agenda coming up besides Glass Craft. There's a glass bead making class at Lighthouse, April 17 from 1-6. It's always a good time. And at the end of the month there's the Bead Society of Los Angeles Bead Show in Culver City. Lots of goodies and beads and stuff you need. For those of you that attend regularly I'll be at my regular table which is actually expanded to two tables. There will be my beads and Jenn Houser's fused glass. I'm trying to get Stacey Peterson with her cool PMC components and charms and jewelry to join us.

May is a busy month too. I have a trunk show scheduled for over at the San Gabriel Bead Company in Arcadia the weekend of May 8-9. I love this store and really look forward to this little event. There's going to be some macramé make and takes if you're interested. May 15th I'll be in Glendale for the Red Rabbit Arts and Crafts Market. More make and takes...

I'll be in Portland from the 16th through the 22nd, over at Bullseye Glass for a class. I'm so excited about that. There will be pictures and blog postings all about that adventure. Yea ha!!

And I've got a weekend class booked over at The Beadiak in Agoura for the first weekend of June. Those classes are always a blast so if you're ready to take the plunge and learn bead making here's a great opportunity. Hope to see you at one or more of these events!! Have a great day!! Now I must play with some of the glass I picked up over at The Mandrel yesterday...she had a great class with Leah Fairbanks this past weekend. I used the glass as an excuse to go say hi to Leah...

Shows...Classes...Stuff

The shows are lining up. Adding new stores. Just dropped off a bunch of flower oriented jewelry over at the Arboretum. Have you been there? So beautiful! I highly recommend it. And the classes...so it's a busy time of year. Beads get made. Blogs get written. It's all good.

Let's start with the shows. My next is a small trunk show March 27th down in Costa Mesa at the store Seed. It's a pretty cool little place. They sell a lot of eco friendly goods, offer fun classes and have a Patagonia shop there too. They're in a small mall that has one of my favorite vegan restaurants around, Native Foods. Guess I know where lunch is coming from.

Less than two weeks later I'll be in Las Vegas for Glasscraft and Bead Expo, April 9-11. I'll be in the bead part. Of course I'll be wandering around the show every chance I get to buy glass and tools and whatever cool stuff suits my glass fancy. In the past I've only spent what seemed like mere moments at the show. I'll be there 4 days so it should get interesting. I don't think I've ever spent that much time in Vegas.

The next show is the Bead Society of Los Angeles shin dig over in Culver City at the Veteran's Memorial Hall at Culver and Overland on April 25. 10-5. Always a good time and this season should be no exception. I'm really looking forward to seeing all my bead buddies...let me know if you need anything special and I'll bring it along.

May 1st is the opening for a jewelry show I'm in at Freehand over on 3rd St. in Mid-City Los Angeles. It is such an honor to be a part of this show. I love the store and have been fortunate enough to have been selling there for many years. This is my first time participating in their annual jewelry show. It's so cool. And it's their 30th Anniversary!

May 8-9 I'll have a trunk show over at the San Gabriel Bead Company. It is after all one of my favorite places on the planet. Do stop by. Get some beads. Hang out and make something. We'll be doing a bit of macramé and stuff...

The last show I'm listing is the Pasadena Bead and Design show in August. You'll hear more about it as it draws nearer...gotta plan ahead.

As for classes...the next is March 20-21 at The Beadiak in Agoura. I understand there's only a couple of spaces left so call them up and sign up. Two day classes are so cool. So much more torch time. And lunch is included.

March 23 I'll be down in Santa Monica teaching a little macramé class. A very cool bracelet. Just saw a bunch of the style at Fred Segal. Make your own...an even cooler version. Check out the Beadniks sight for contact info. We'll be having a book signing too of my Mod Knots masterpiece.

I'll be back over at Lighthouse Stained Glass April 17. 1-6. Always a good time...

Now I must get back to work on my new book outline. I'll keep you posted on the progress of that too as well as all kinds of exciting upcoming events! Now get off the computer and go make something!!

Wig Wag

Last night while working on my other blog I write over at craftgossip.com I found a cool tutorial on how to do the wig wag twistie. Well I gave it a try. It was posted over at torchbugs.com a form site for bad making. It has a bunch of tutorials which was something I was looking for last night. And I felt very fortunate finding something I was really curious about. It's a twistie I've seen used by Sarah Hornik and she was the person that posted the how-to. Whoo hoo! So I did it and it turned out pretty good for a first try. I plan on working on it a bit to get it down. I certainly like the look and would love to see it with raku and black, one of my favorite twistie combinations. So check out the twistie and the disk heart bead I made with it. Not bad...

Upcoming Good Times!

So I've got some cool glass adventures coming up...the first thing is a class at The Beadiak in Agoura. It's a weekend class and those are always a good time. Come on down I think there's a couple spaces still open. Call over to The Beadiak and sign up...818.597.8020. Everything you need is provided, even lunch. Just bring your desire to make glass beads...11-4 March 20-21, 2010.

GlassCraft and Bead Expo is coming to Las Vegas and I'm going to be there. I've got a table over in the bead area and I'll be loaded down with goodies for sale. And checking out all the cool glass stuff every chance I get. Are you going? It should be a blast! After all...what happens in Vegas...

I've got another cool event coming up in May. I'll be showing in the annual jewelry show at Freehand Gallery in Mid City Los Angeles. This is so cool!! I've been selling out of this store for ages but this is my first time doing their jewelry show. And it's their 30th anniversary. I'm so honored to be a part of it. I'll be creating some new goodies. Outrageous, large and super fun pieces! The opening is May 1st. I'll keep everyone posted though.

And lastly for todays blog posting. I'm working on the outline for my new book. My acquisitions editor at my publisher is having me move forward and create an outline so she can then present it to the powers that be. And it's a glass book! I love macramé but what I really really love is glass...

Time for Art Soup and Glass Bead Making!

This weekend I'l be over at Art Soup Studio in Altadena teaching glass bead making! Should be a blast. Two solid days of bead making fun. We'll pull stringer and make beads and then use that stringer we made to decorate more beads. Then there will be lunch...

So maybe you couldn't make it to this class...I have another 2 day class coming up next month at The Beadiak out in Agoura. March 2021, 2010. 11-4. That's always a good time! It's a great little bead store too. Hard to leave without picking up some cool gem stone beads or findings I can't find anywhere else. I think there's still space available in that class. Call over there to find out...818.597.8020.

And my next show...GlassCraft and Bead Expo in fabulous Las Vegas!! There will be beads and fused glass and good times...oh yeah. I've only spent small amounts of time at this show in the past so it sure will be interesting to do a few days. Las Vegas...Viva Las Vegas!!! So if you need beads, you can go to my etsy store, beadbrains.etsy.com or take a drive out to Las Vegas April 9-11, 2010.

Another New Class...this one at Art Soup Studio

Another new class has just been added to my schedule. Feb 20-21 at Art Soup Studio in Altadena. This is going to be a small, intimate class with limited seating. It does mean more attention. And the price is right. $200. Two days, from 11-5. Materials and lunch both days are included. If you're interested call me @ 323.387.9705 or email me @ beadbrains@sbcglobal.net. Hope to see you there or at one of my other classes I've got scheduled. Beginners welcome!!

CHA and a New Glass Bead Making Class Scheduled

Today was the last day of CHA, The Craft and Hobby Association Show down in Anaheim. Disneyland is spittin' distance away. So I'm there for my macrame book but my heart is there for the glass and stuff I can write about that's related to glass. I saw Paula Radke and her lovely dichroic glass and there was the Streuter booth that sells fabulous adhesives for stained glass, mosaic and fusing. Bart Streuter was telling me the mosaic mesh was created cause Leigh Adams told him to. I believe it. She used it for her Arboretum project, The Dream Snake (I made lampworked components for the eyes). Cool sticky products. Then I talked with the Amate Studios booth. Saw them last year amongst the Paris Hilton madness. Their booth was across from hers. They sell pendants that can be used with resin and stuff like that. They're little frames and this year they had so many more shapes and sizes and some had deeper cavities so I'm seeing fused glass in those bad boys. Fun potential. And then today in the last moments of the show I hung out in the Mosaic Mercantile booth and was lucky enough to get some samples. I'm going to try to melt down some of the tiles to see what happens and then get back to them on that. We'll see what happens...and then I'll write about it. So now we wait for CHA in 2011. We'll see if I'll be promoting my new glass book that I'm pitching next week. Cross your fingers.

Now for some exciting bead making class news. I have a two day class coming up in March out in the west valley at The Beadiak in Agoura. It's scheduled for March 20-21 from 11-4. Two day classes are so cool because on day two you're a bead maker. It's a good thing. So sign up. Go on...you know you want to.

One last thing for the day, I'll have a booth at Glasscraft in Las Vegas April 9-11. All glass all the time!!!

The Bathroom Continues and CHA

If you've been reading this here little blog you know I've been working on accent tiles for my bathroom re-do. Well, there on the wall!!! The grout is on!!! Once the fixtures are installed a bath can be taken. (We won't talk about the condition of the rest of the bathroom. That's not important right now) So what do you think? I think they're gorgeous!! After the floor, the sink goes in...yes, I made it!!

Today was the first day of CHA... I wrote about it a bit on my other blog over at craftgossip.com. There's glass stuff there and I'll be writing more tomorrow. Check it out. I'll do a recap of all I saw tomorrow here. So...I love my glass tiles!!!

Bead Show and Tiles!

How is it January 11th already? Time flies when you've got bunches of stuff to do. There's that bead show in Pasadena that I'll be setting up for tomorrow. The show runs from January 14-17 at the Pasadena Hilton Hotel. Come on down for some cool beads and lots of other jewelry related goodies! Then there's the bathroom project...I'm gluing up the art tiles almost as I write this. The first 5' strip is almost done. It's looking really good. Two more 5 foot strips still need to be assembled. The other two are one tile high not two so it shouldn't take that long to get it glued up. Got the mesh the tiles are being glued to from Maryland Mosaics, a great site for all things mosaic. I'll be at that fabulous bead show during the installation. But I trust Josh to do an amazing job! Can't wait to see it! When the sink gets installed...ahhh!

Happy New Glass Year!

Welcome 2010! New adventures ahead. On my blog post for craftgossip.com I sent out a question. What are your glass goals for 2010? So what are they? For myself it's all about new adventures. A studio. More teaching. More beads. More fusing. More mosaic. I'm ready. Are you?

Since my last post I've fire polished all the tiles for my bathroom re-do. They look so good!! Now I'm studying them for their placement. I've got them next to the subway tiles that will also be used for most of the tub area. I like the way they look together. What do you think? This is my first foray into tile making and I'm so happy with the way everything is coming along. It allows me to look forward to the prospects of designing lines of tiles that will be sold to the public. The swanky public since these guys can get very pricey. Part of my glass adventures. I'm starting to envision the new back splash for the kitchen...

I'm not going to neglect my beads. How can I? They can be pretty darn cute. So everyday I get on the torch in preparation for my show that is less than two weeks away in Pasadena. Please come down if you can. The Pasadena Bead and Design Show. I've been playing with alot of dichroic glass so there will be bunches of colorful pretty beads. And they sparkle too. But there will also be an abundance of sweet treats...cupcakes and pie slices and cakes and cake slices. Some donuts and sundaes too. And we must not forget some of the healthier fair such as strawberries and pears and other tasty fruits...

I've got a web site launching very soon that's connected to this blog. It's part of my new glass adventures. Information...stuff to buy...eventually tutorials and podcasts. It's very exciting, as the glass future. And since 2010 has finally arrived the future is now!!