Glass Blowing Class

The results of my glass blowing class last weekend. It was a blast and I was amazed at the results for first time glass blower, Suzanne!

The teacher was very kind and told me I should pursue more glassblowing.  She was impressed with my creations.  Two vases, three cups, a paperweight and a float. 

Hope you enjoy...

Hugs

Never criticize a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes

Well, the time has come for me to make a change.  I will be moving to the Los Angeles area after mom's birthday September 11th.  Three years in October I moved from NYC to Seattle to live with her and provide the attention and support I believed she needed.  I learned to work with glass, helped her get her house in order and find that she is fully capable of living on her own in her house.  She drives, has her friends and activities, so I'm embarking on the adventure at hand.

I will be so happy to enjoy the sunshine that California has to offer.  The Washington dreary blues has fully established itself in me and I need to get out. 

I'll be taking my bead equipment with me and if six months here and six months there brings the relief I need then all will be well.

So I will be taking some time off from my beadmaking while getting established with my sister-in-law Jeanette.  We have lived together before she and my brother, Jerry, were married and find that since his passing in 2000, we are going to give it a whirl again.  We have a lot of fun together and are the same age, have so many life experiences in common and can offer each other a new brand/level of support.

This is a big move and of course I have a lot of emotional turmoil going on since the decision to move has come about.  All I know is when you gotta go - you gotta go.

My mother is small in stature but mighty in control issues.  I don't suppose I have the full support of the entire family because it is easier for them if I stay with grandma and "do my duty" as a good daughter should.  Right?  All I know is that I need a longer break than I have been taking away from the situation at hand.

As the old indian proverb states, "never criticize a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes". 

Later then,

Love and hugs
Suzanne

Wonderful Weekend!

Two wonderful things happened this weekend. Mom and I drove to La Conner, WA to have Scott Bowens at Bearfoot Art Glass where I buy my bead tools, take a look at my bead spinner. After a year of use - 6-8 hours per day making beads it started making some noises and moves that weren't allowing me complete freedom to make beautiful beads. Scott fixed my bead spinner, thank you Scott, love you, and mom and I had a wonderful lunch at the La Conner Waterfront Cafe and Scott loved my beads enough to offer me the opportunity to sell in his new shop on main street in his fabulously artsy glass art shop in this fabulously artsy tourist town. Win - Win. I'm so excited. He is offering a showcase of my beads in his already internationally known shop both online and locally.

Then, on Saturday and Sunday I signed up at Pratt Fine Arts School in downtown Seattle for a PMC (Precious Metal Clay) class to learn what the possibilities are for incorporating this clay into my glass beads. Well, the possibilities are endless, although the pictures I'm showing are simple, to say the least, but gave me the tools needed to begin implementing the fine silver clay into my glass beads. I'm very excited about this material and believe it will give my beads, if only adding my own personal tag to each bead I make (which will make them collectible as well as beatiful) it is totally worth the class in a non-air conditioned room with torches going, etc... Enjoy the pics and use your imagination  ;o)   !!!!

xoxoxo
Suzanne

Birdies, birdies, birdies - birdie mania!!! This is just smugling of what has come out of my kiln during the last couple of days. But, good news, I've come up with a NEW bird. In the oven now!!! Will post tomorrow. Darling I promise you. I am doing the Art Walk Thursday Night in downtown Seattle, Pioneer Square. Hope to sell lots of beads! In conjunction with jewelry designers in the region. Could be great...could be just another show...send your energy my way. I love you soooooo much.

hugs. Suzanne

Birdie Mania Cont...

Sunday birdie just for you.

hugs
Suzanne

Bird Mania

Redwing Kooky Bird

I've gone to the birds again this week. All I want to make is birds, birds, birds! So far I have six or seven fabulous little bird beads sitting on my counter tonight. I've been admiring them in the sunshine we've been blessed with this week in Washington. This is one of my favorites. He's a little sweetie. Hope you like him as much as I do.

Enjoy!!
hugs

Nothing like a summer rose. We clipped this rose bush down a couple of months ago and didn't know if we would see any roses throughout the summer. Yet, walla, a summer rose. A symbol of love, hope, peace and beauty. Enjoy!

xoxo - Suzanne

What a hoot! A side by side comparison of a work in progress. I began making beads in 2009. I loved making birds on my beads. At my nephew's BBQ last summer - August - I proudly displayed my first bird bead. Attendees were impressed that I was able to put a bird on a bead and politely ahh'd and oogled what I had accomplished. This year my bird beads have taken on a new appearance and I will, once again, be so proud to display my present bird beads. Hopefully, they will smile and oogle at the whimsy and progress I've made in a year. Ah, the plight of a glass bead maker in the Pacific Northwest.

Enjoy - I love making bird beads.

xoxo Suzanne

Clowns, Clowns, Clowns

Hot, hot, hot! It has been very hot in Washington for the last couple of days that working in the studio has just been too exhausting. Even though I have a box fan at the base of my feet to cool me off.

I've been making faces at the torch just to see what what I can come up with on a daily basis. I just read what I wrote and need to explain the faces I'm making are on beads..haha...not on my face. Here mixed with some fun beads are the faces so far. I love them - they make me smile.

I hope you enjoy them as well. They are available on Etsy by this evening!

hugs and more hugs
Suzanne

Miracle Rods of Glass

This is a picture of my glass rods. Reminds me of Moses picking up the serpant and it turned into a rod which he used to strike a stone and water sprung forth from where he touched. (Bible language haha) I think he also used it to split the Red Sea (but I'd have to brush up on my bible to know for certain). Whenever I pick up a rod of glass and it touches the flame, it turns into a little piece of art. Now, that's a miracle in the book of - Suzanne
hugs

Daytime/Night Time
You know, flowers don't go away just because the sun goes down and they can't be seen at night.  They just keep on keepin on til morning when we wake up and wonder at their beauty once again. This focal bead is of the daytime and the night time flowers (just so you know they are just as beautiful at night as they are during the day).

The set is 10 beads in all, eight white and black spacer beads, a perfect larger bead accenting the focal, and the focal bead which is about 1.5 inches. The two larger beads are encased in clear glass for a three dimensional effect. The daytime flower on the focal bead is on transparent lavender against a white core. The nightime flower has a tiny bubble encased at the center of the petals.
All beads are made on a 3/32 mandrel.

Enjoy!

xox
s

Busy Day!!! Spent all day in the Studio and used up all my manrels...;-))))) - as you can see.
Beads are all tucked away for the night in the kiln - baking away.
Happy Day! Can't wait until tomorrow morning to see how the beads faired. Posting pics then...
tune in, same time, same channel.

Hugs and kisses - Suzanne the art glass gal

I'm not your toy?

Lady Bug, Lady Bug, fly away home! This is my favorite from yesterday. Transparent Dk Blue and little red lady bugs wired up on my own handmade glass headpins. For sale soon on Etsy! Enjoy...hugs

Purse Hooks are here! Check out my shop on Etsy! Address under my profile on Facebook or click on the photos in the right hand border of my blog! Such fun and so fun to give as gifts. Stock up - Christmas is coming ;-)))))))))))))

xoxo
Suzanne

With Love for MOM

New Purse Key Finder for MOM!!! Mom is forever losing her keys - IN HER PURSE!!! Unlike many of us - right? I made this especially for her. Of course, only a heart would do. Because, well, because she is, Mom.
xoxo
Suzanne

Wyoming BFF's

My girlfriend Ginger just visited from my home town, Sheridan, Wyoming. We had a grand time together including her husband Randy, a stunningly amazing water color artist. Ginger ordered two sets of beads for BFF's D'Ann and Cathy back in Sheridan and the one in the middle for herself.  I think she would have bought beads for everyone in town if she could have - we had so much fun touching and holding them in the sunlight next to the window..."ooooo ahhhh.  I like this one" Ginger said, "I like that one." Randy chimed in.   Too bad I'm so expensive....haha

I had a blast wiring them up with my own handmade glass headpins and am shipping them off to Ginger tomorrow for delivery to D'Ann and Cathy. I hope you enjoy wearing them my dear, sweet, forever friends. Not only will you think of Ginger's thoughtfulness and love for you when you wear them, but also the joy it gives me knowing they belong to you. 

Hugs to all three of you and - oh - you too Randy!!!  Thanks for the wonderful visit from my very deep roots in Sheridan.

xoxo

Ouch

First day back in the studio after a month on vacation.  First thing, I picked up a hot piece of glass and burned my fingers...I had to laugh.  My glass was obviously protesting for my being away for such a long time.  I had to admit, I was a little afraid to get back in the saddle melting my glass into beautiful beads.  "What will happen - I may have forgotten even how to hold the mandrel"...

It wasn't long and I was making beads even better than before.  Recreation is the spring board for re-creation.  Will post my creations when I take them from the kiln in about 8 hours.  I had so much fun once I got started.  Now I can't wait to get back in there in the morning.  Did I mention "I love melting glass?"

hugs
Suzanne

Jeanette, me and Gabe at 26 Beach restraunt in Venice Beach, CA. Having a great time.

Mt. Rainier on the way to California.

The  most beautiful purple blossomed trees line the streets of Alta Loma, CA.  I had to take a picture to share, however, in person they are just so much more.  Having a great time - ordered more glass to have ready for me when I get home.  Some really beautiful colors. 

Love you