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You know I have been scrolling down my home page and I have noticed a VERY noticeable "theme" if you will. Even in the pic of me below....just about everything is Autumn themed...well at least colour wise. Actually the outfit I am wearing matches just about everything in my closet...all shades of browns and black. I guess I am not a HUGE fan of bright colours. I guess my personality is Loud enough ;>)
I have listed two more Ebay auctions and 3 items in my Etsy store. It was pretty smokin' hot yesterday in the studio so I only managed a couple of sets. Today I will start earlier as I am having my new bed delivered and I need to get ready for it - yay!! Tonight I think we will just be chillin' on the deck with some cold beer. Saturday night we are going to a big party with live bands.... Darren was told to bring his drum sticks - yay...I LOVE watching him play! Sunday we might squeeze in a car show downtown Vancouver but we will see how the weekend plays out!
I just could not figure out which pic of beads to show you so I opted for girlies. This is the group I had over last month. We all went to high school together and reconnected through Facebook. I think all of us stayed in the Fraser Valley except Liana, she went to Saudi Arabia (beside me) where she pays $0.12 cents per ltr. of gas - CRAZY!!! Makes me super mad that we pay close to $1.50 per ltr. and my truck has an 80 ltr. tank!!
Today I have 4 NEW Ebay auctions up and also listed a bunch of Pandora/Euro bracelet beads on Etsy yesterday. Mom stopped by last night long enough for a Mona-tini, pick up her custom order of "beach glass" and hug Darren good-bye as he pulled in the driveway. She will be back tomorrow so I am hoping to create something fabulous on the torch today - just don't know what!! I am having the "mid-week" block and need to be inspired.
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. We actually stayed in our own country for once, lol. Darren's cousin got married so we went to that....had a great time. It was in a huge white tent on the lawn of the Hart House at Deer Lake. I got to meet some wonderful people, had amazing food and even managed a few dances. Now I have to check out the bride and groom's website to see if we made any of the "action shots".
Friday afternoon I sat at the torch and produced some very large Inukshuk focals...I believe I will be adding one to Etsy later today and saving the rest for finished pieces. The Inukshuk pictured is a finished pendant that Mom made up for me. This pendant is being featured in the Images of Canada mail order magazine. We have been featured a few times before....really a great magazine to fine unique items. The pendants will be coming out this "Winter" season so you won't see it online yet.
Later today I will also be adding some "Euro bracelet" beads...both lampworked and silver cored resin...so stay tuned! First I have to "dump" over 500 pics off my digital camera. Darren's daughter Paige is a budding photographer and when she gets her hand's on my camera she is shooting anything and everything - pretty funny to watch and even more funny as the pics download to my computer!!
Hello all, what a fabulous day! Yesterday was amazing as well and I got loads of yard work done .... mowed.... picked weeds.... cut back the rose bushes... and then melted because it was so HOT out. Mom came out and delivered my case of Mona Vie, check out the link if you don't know what it is. I have been taking it for 3 weeks now and I have noticed I have a bunch more energy!! I normally feel fairly healthy but I don't eat any fruit and don't take supplements so I am going to drink "the juice"...does a body good. Truth be told it tastes AMAZING as a martini - shocking!! LOL Both Mom and Darren (among other friends I know) are taking it as well so I am excited to hear everybody's feedback! I ain't gettin' any younger ya know!
I have a couple of Ebay auctions up and this is one of them. "Reef at Night" is the name of the set and they are so great...totally my colours and totally different for me. Today I am working on more Inukshuks in different sizes and shapes...hehehhehe, I love it when "inspiration" hits!!
Happy August and a big welcome to the HOT weather! It was a long weekend here celebrating British Columbia's 150th birthday - boy we are a young place! We did not celebrate the birthday in Canada but back down in the US at Darren's trailer. The weekend was great except for the two snake sitings....one squished and dead and one tail scooting back into the bush.......NOT impressed and I ended our walk in the woods rather quickly. Gives me the creeps just thinking about it. I felt safe around the pool - ha - I am suck a chicken!!!
Before we left I made some totally NEW beads. I had a wave of inspiration hit me Friday afternoon/night! One of the new designs is pictured and a few are up in my Etsy store today. On the back of the Inukshuk focal is a fine silver Maple Leaf - how Canadian!! I guess I should also say "how Olympics" as well but I view the Inukshuk as a coastal symbol more than the 2010 Olympic symbol. Check out of the other pics as I would love some feedback on the new pieces.
Should be another hot day here and I am glad I got the flowers watered already. Hopefully the studio will stay cool and I can get more torching done tonight...when I am on a roll .... I am on a roll!!!
The last day of July here and I am not sure how we got here so bloody fast! I think this Summer has been the "fastest" on record in my little life. I guess, because my life is so busy, it goes a little quicker than normal.
I took a different direction with my drawer pulls the other night. This knob has so many elements that are close to impossible to photograph. An Autumn Harvest base has been "pushed through" copper mesh and then covered with Northern Lights...lots of chemical reactions...all subtle but so stunning! Keeping with my underwater theme I am stuck on, a seastar tops the pull. They take a long time to make but are worth the burnt fingers, lol. I have 3 drawer pulls in my Etsy store along with a new set of chocolate brown hollows...trimmed with fine silver dots.
Tonight I am helping the Pacific Pyros take down our Molten Obsession show. I am very thankful that the display is about 2 minutes away from my house - ya! With the cost of gas these days I prefer to stay close to home...not that I do a lot of driving normally.
I got a new cell phone last week (my last one finally died - poor thing) and everyday I learn a new thing - and not by choice. This morning I answered the phone and the speaker phone kicked in....can't figure out how and I will be damned if I start reading the instructions. I have finally figured out how to load my music and pictures on via my computer....it is a pretty cool phone and I am sure I will figure it all out eventually, lol.
Today I have one more Pirate drawer pull on my Etsy store. I think this is the last piece I made last week - I am itching to get some torching done tonight. The base is French Vanilla and the skull is Silver Blue that has been heavily antiqued.
We have been down at the trailer since Friday and got home last night. Today has been a day of shipping and a few new Ebay auctions listed. Later will be the mowing of the lawn, watering and then finally an evening at the torch. I have a few ideas I would like to translate into glass.... mind you they always look better in my head, LOL.
I think we are one third through Season 2 of Lost....did I tell you I LOVE this series!! We actually watched some down at the trailer and another episode last night
The Chicken Quote:
DR SEUSS:
Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the
chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.
I am so excited I finally got one of these drawer pulls made....it has been in my head forever. They take a long time and my fingers were getting a little burny but I worked through it, lol. I just listed him on my Etsy store (lots of pics there).
It has been a very productive morning so far...up early...gym....watered the flowers.....picked morning glory.....found out I had a raspberry bush and ate them....protein shake....dishes...photographed and listed beads (more to come) and now updating the site. Hey I even managed to watch last night's Coronation Street online while editing photos...yup I am a multi-tasker!
Last night we finally started watching the 2nd season of Lost...OMG I wanted to stay up all night and keep watching - what a great show!! I am so confused - I LOVE IT!! I can't believe Darren was brave enough to leave the whole season at my house - bwwaahhhahhahah. I did promise to watch it together - aarrrghghhghh.
Alright I have to get lunch ready for Ricky (oh brother) and clean and ship the beads I made last night.
I forgot to add my chicken quote:
DR. PHIL:
The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must
first deal with the problem on 'THIS' side of the road before it goes
after the problem on the 'OTHER SIDE' of the road. What we need to do is
help him realize how stupid he ' s acting by not taking on his 'CURRENT'
problems before adding 'NEW' problems.
Okay so you know when I said I would not let the raccoon in the house...well I did mean it...however Ricky was unaware of my policy, lol. I usually leave my French doors open that lead to the deck so the cats can come in and out. Well dear darling Ricky decided that she wanted to find the cat food in the kitchen and she did. I did shoo her outside where she waited by the door for her daily lunch, lol. Yes that is my hand in the pic and in my other pictures you can see Muzzy laying beside us.
OK back to the weekend...I went camping....oh I'll wait for you to get back on your chair...you okay!!! I know this is definitely not my kinda thing to do but my sister and her boyfriend invited me and Darren up to Chehalis Lake for an afternoon. After you turn off the pavement it is a 28km drive on dirt/gravel roads...my truck is filthy but it was a lot of fun. We camped beside the lake and were the only people there. The weather was perfect and at night the full moon shone while we sat by the fire. We did spend only one night (that was enough for us) and yesterday we walked around the great little town of Ft. Langley beside the Fraser River. I slept like a LOG last night, LOL.
 At one point in my life I was called Dr. Doolittle and with good reason. I raised a bunch of little wild, pink, blind baby mice, I took a pigeon in and was given a small turtle to raise. Among them (which all happened within a month) I have raised and loved many animals. Fast forward to today and I am down to two cats but I am feeding two strays and a young raccoon. Well yesterday Ricky (who is clearly a female - oops) the Raccoon hung out on my deck in the middle of the afternoon with the two cats. I opened my French doors and she wanted to come in the house....no I did not let her so stop that email, LOL. Long story short she ate out of my hand and kept smelling my arm...kind of a weird feeling. My priority and safety is to my kitties (and me) but I keep hearing wonderful stories of raccoons co-existing with others........I mean hey...they were here first. I hope to keep my camera by the doors now as there were so many good pictures to be had.
Pictured are two sets of Silver Blue hollows that were a "made to order" from my Etsy store. One with clear scrolls and one with gold scrolls.
4 new Autumn inspired auctions up on Ebay now. Is it too early for Fall colours??? Personally they are my favorites and I get so excited to see the stores change their clothes over from Summer to Fall. The set pictured is Autumn Harvest disks (a colour I still have in stock). They have a very boro like feel to them.
Mom is coming out today to work on some new designs and "force" me to make her some pieces she wants, LOL. She knows the only way she will get them is to stand behind me while I am on the torch - smart cookie! She also bought Henrietta a new outfit that I am dying to see, lol.
I received an email with a different take on the old "why did the chicken cross the road" and I will share a new one daily with you so stay tuned, they are pretty funny!! They are quotes from famous people (not that they actually said them):
BILL GATES:
I have just released eChicken2007, which will not only cross roads, but
will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your check
book. Internet Explorer is an integral part of the Chicken. This new
platform is much more stable and will never cra...#@&&^(C% .........
reboot.
Another day...another show under our belts. The Puget Sound Bead Fest was great fun and we even sold some beads ;>) I always try to find the best pic of any trip to show you and I think this is it. I am sure you can figure out what the rest of the lettering below the word Tacoma says, LOL. I swear that chicken is drawn to trouble!!
The weather has been so amazing that it was hard to be inside the convention center those 3 days but the view we had out the window was amazing. Us girls got home late Sunday night and first thing Monday I picked up the kitties from their Grandma's. Most of Tuesday was spent in the yard taking care of the rest of the hedge.......looks awesome!! Finally at 6pm I had girlfriends from high school over...gotta love Facebook. All of us girls have stayed in the Valley except Liana...she was visiting from Saudi Arabia. Actually I have spent the last two night entertaining friends from out of town so today I am locking myself in the studio.
Today I will be adding new items to both Ebay and Etsy as I get it unpacked and photographed...hey maybe even fire up the torch tonight as I am so inspired by all the beautiful colours in my yard!
Sad news for our family this week. My cousin Dean passed away yesterday due to cancer. He really was an amazing man and such a family oriented guy. My heart goes out to his wife and four kids, I can only hope to have as such an amazing relationship they did.
I did sit at the torch yesterday (due to necessity) but was not very creative. I made a set for Ebay as I have been off for a bit.
The day before that I worked on more copper mesh hearts and this is one was my favorites. It was very difficult to capture the fabulous look of the silver fumes passing through the mesh. I am hoping to get a few more made before the Puget Sound Bead Festival this weekend. I will be there along with Kerri Fuhr and Stephanie Cannon....so stop by and say "Hi" ............. oh ya, Henrietta will be there also!
I just heard that 150 million hot dogs are consumed in the US today - holy cow! I will try to balance it out by going for sushi today ;>)
Yesterday I bought the Sherry Bellamy tutorial on copper mesh and this is my first try at using it the "Sherry" way, lol. I am going to try a few more hearts today and I will really work on pushing the glass through he copper mesh - not as easy as it sounds.
The studio is 95% moved and set up in the new area. It is so clean and organized I am afraid to work in it, lol. It needs a fair amount more work...like more lighting, art on the walls, the gas fireplace put back but all in all it does look fabulous!
I think we are actually staying in the country this weekend so maybe I will get some yard work done. The weather has cooled off a bit so it should be more civilized!
Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians! Fingers crossed that I will be able to watch some fireworks tonight. I am starting the deconstruction of the studio so I can move it onto the new floors.....which look awesome!
We decided that because the weather was so nice we should turn our 2 day weekend into a 3 dayer. Two days were sat by the pool and relaxing. Managed a few walks and even a game of horseshoes with one of the neighbors. Normally on a long weekend the border line ups would be huge...we waited 10 minutes to go South and 0 minutes coming home....weird but so nice!!
Before I left I made a few more beads and this is one of them. Another Davy Jones's Family Crests. It is hard to see the scrolls in with silver glass behind...really hard to capture that with my camera. Going up on Etsy sometime today.
Well back to the studio clean..........I can see that my procrastinational tendencies are kicking in, ;>)
Well I actually did fire up the torch for a few hours last night and created focals that were totally new for me. 3 up on Etsy today and my fav is the Davy Jones's Family Crest pictured. One of Darren's kidlets was going through my book collection and he left out my family crest/tartan book and thus my inspiration....thanks Hayden! lol. A couple of the beads I made last night were inspired by a great flameworker by the name of Sherry Bellamy. Hopefully I will be able to take in a class with her this year!!
If not I will drive the 20 minutes and bang on her door...she is a member of the Pacific Pyros and a friend, LOL.
The weather is spectacular but I will stay inside and work my butt off today. The rest of the flooring goes in tonight and then the BIG work begins with moving the studio...how did I get so much "stuff"!!! My upper body is dying today after yesterday's workout and tomorrow I am worried about the rest of it as I worked my lower body pretty hard today at the gym. I guess I will just have to sit by the pool and use my new cozies ;>)
I should have new beads up on Monday as we are only taking a 2 day long weekend - Happy Canada Day (early)!
Alright I know this is not my work but I just had to show you what arrived in my mailbox today, lol. I bought these beer cozies off Etsy. Bluerosetta is the name of the creator and she has lots of cool stuff. These little gems are headed down to the trailer for this weekend and will enjoy some sunshine keeping my beer cold while sitting around the pool. Before I found some "items" to put them on I was wearing them on my wrists, lol.
I have two more finished pieces on Etsy today...one more hollow heart pendant and a great little bracelet for Fall.
Today I will be packing orders and maybe....just maybe, firing up my torch. I have been on a cleaning kick and I would hate to stop as I know Friday will create more mess with the remainder of the flooring going in. We are taking off for the weekend again to enjoy some R&R and to work on our tans!
I am stiffening up from today's workout so I had better get moving!!!
* CALIENTE CANE UPDATE * Several colours have been added back in stock: Lime Margarita - Black - Sunset Red - Silver Blue - Black Cherry - Cobalt Lite - 1 Cranberry - 2 Lavender - 2 Moss - 2 Peach and 6 FAT PACKS.
Hey look I can make a "non-creepy" heart, LOL. I had fun mixing blues and fine silver mesh together...I have this one and a hollow Autumn Harvest heart up in my Etsy store today. Looks like I am on a bit of a heart role lately!
Operation "studio clean-sweep" has begun and actually I have a couple more empty boxes but nothing major looks like it has happened yet. The rest of the flooring goes in on Friday night so I get to move my studio, I am guessing it will look much better after that! Not a HUGE fan of renovations but I shall persevere! I'm hard core ;>)
The weather has been spectacular all day so I think I am almost finished for the day....I am going to pour a nice glass of "white" and head for the deck and figure out what the cat's can make me for dinner - yum!
We have actually had a nice start to Summer so far. The sun is shining and a nice warm breeze is flowing through the studio. Half of the new flooring has been installed and it looks fabulous - thanks baby! The rest will be installed this week and one more item gets checked off the "House To Do List".
The Skull and Pirate Heart was just listed in my Etsy store...definately one of my more favourite colour and design combos. The sterling skull has a hinged jaw and he does some great "chomping" action...the silver skull was made by a rockin' chick by the name of Mary McDuck!
Yesterday I took the day off and headed down to the states with the Mama and little Sis to look at a vacation property for sale. I will keep you posted on what happens! I took them to the "cheese" farm and they loaded up...I still have lots left from last weekend.
Got one more movie in late last night - 3:10 to Yuma...I really enjoy a good Western flick now and then and I would recommend this one.
I am going to try and get a few more Ebay auctions up today. Because of the flooring there is "stuff" everywhere and I get kinda stressed out over the HUGE mess so it might take me a bit longer than normal to get things done today.
Friday is here and I am ready for the weekend already! Yesterday was my first day back to the torch and almost back to my regular dis-organized self. The sun did come out a couple of times so I picked some weeds...the Summer has not shown up and so many flowers are not growing...all the tropicals are having a tough go! I guess everywhere is having crazy weather and I really think it will only keep getting weirder as time goes on!
I have listed a few new items on Etsy included this electroformed pirate skull....he is pretty rockin'.
This weekend is being split up between yard work....home renos and hanging out in the States for Father's Day, sitting around the fire & pool re-grouping for the week ahead. It is a lot to cram into a weekend but I never used to take weekends off from the studio, so crammed or not, I am looking forward to it. As a bonus the sun is supposed to be shining all weekend.
Home again...home again.......and oh so much work to do! I have finished downloading all the pics from the show and had a really hard time trying to figure out which one to show. Finally decided on the one with Henrietta and Capt. Phil (our pilot) at the O'Hare airport. Our flight was delayed a couple of hours so by the time we landed, and my head hit the pillow, it was 3am. On our way home we flew over Dallas and they were having one hell of a lightning storm....I counted over 100 strikes in under a minute....something you don't see every day from the air - it was amazing!
The show was wonderful and tiring all at the same time. We had two days of severe tornado warnings and am still in shock at the weather we encountered. I did not venture too from the booth as I was fairly sure I would not come back, lol. I got to reconnect with old friends and meet a few new ones as well. Henrietta was the life of the party on our evenings out on the town and have the pics to prove it ;>). She also enjoyed Chicago as much as I did. We only had a couple of hours there but I can't wait to go back - what a fab city!!!!
Today I am doing laundry, unpacking beads and listing several items on Etsy....it will take place all day long and probably most of tomorrow. I have to pick up the cats tonight from their Grandma's house...it was weird coming home to an empty house!
And I am just adding a pic of Fairlane the name sake of the Dog Blog. If you wanna know more check out the FAQ page....
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Dog Blog: August 15, 2008 
