A Look Out the Window

 I took this pic because Stacey had posted one from her window....palm trees and blue skies in California.  Well this is icicles and grey skies in Cleveland.  And it's been cold.  This is the time of year when one day just blends into the next.

I've been puttering around trying to shed some of the flotsom I've accumulating over the years.  I started with the scrap silver that I've had laying around for years. I now have almost $600 credit at Rio ... NICE!!  I also need to clean out my stash of lampwork beads.

I need to go through my closet too.  I now have pants that don't fit becasue they are too large....rather than being too small.  WOOHOO!!!.  I'm down 35 lbs and still working.  Although it's been hard since it's gotten cold.  All I want is comfort food....and those usually blow the WW points. 

One of these days I have to get back to the metal clay bench.  I've decided not to do any summer shows so I don't have any pending deadlines, but I do have some ideas for new designs that I'd like to start working on.  I at least need to get them down on paper. 

I've also got about 10 books I want to skim through and review.  I need to set my mind to do one a week.  So how about book reveiw Thursday.  Stay tuned and I will review some new books.  The first will be this Thursday (hopefully). 

There's a snag in the trip to Paris....in that they've moved the meeting back to Belgium.  But that may still work out.  Don't know how yet... I might spending three days in Brussels while Lou finishes his meeting...or maybe I'll fly straight to Paris and he can meet me there.  HMMM...what would I do with three days all to myself in either Brussels or Paris :)))  We'll see.

 Brussels

Paris

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I have more items in my etsy shop.  I've been taking photos but had to stop.  One of my lights fell over and crashed.  It was one of those spiral fluorescents...with mercury in it.....which I didn't realize until now.  I picked up the big pieces and vacuumed up the rest....which apparently is the wrong thing to do since it creates mercury vapor.  OH WELL....too late now.  I did do one thing right.  I put all the big pieces in a container and sealed it.  No Lou is blaming his hair loss on the broken light.  It doesn't matter that he started lossing his hair 40 yrs ago.  It's now my fault.

So I ordered up a new bulb and will resume photos when the bulb comes in. 

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Stash from Bead Paradise!!

Some of the stash I picked up yesterday.  So very lickable!!

Even Sophie likes the stash but she's looking at me like...."Keep your hands of MY beads"
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Trip to Paradise!!!

Today a group of us went to Bead Paradise in Oberlin.  Oh that store is dangerous!!!  and wonderful!!!  We had a great time shopping and then went to Weia Teia for lunch.  We had such a great time.

 Katie looking over her stash

 And getting ready to lick her beads!!  They were lickable.

 Francine and Lauren

 Heidi

 Pat, Cathy and Katie

 Case of gemstones...Yum!!

 There's so many beads here.  You can loss you mind...and your wallet.

 Pat looking for beads.

 Cathy...check out that aura

 I spent hours looking in this case and the one below. 

Lots of treasures.

I'll post some pics of my stash tomorrow!!!

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Small Object Photography

I've been updating my Etsy site this past week and photography is a big part of having a shop.  Etsy has some great tutorials and they provide links to other sites that can help with photography.  One of them is Small Object Photography for Artists and Craftmakers.  It's a new site and I'm interested in following Marlo's site to see what tips I can pick up. 

Speaking of Etsy...I've been in 4 Treasurys so far this month.  Must be my month!!!  Many thanks to the curators.

Here are some of the new things in the shop.

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Cool Beads

When we were in Santa Fe we stopped at Glorianna's.  Well...I dragged Lou into the shop.  She's had a bead store there for as long as I've been going out there.  It's one of those places that you want to spend hours going through all the beads they have hanging behind the counters.  But when you have a man in tow you have to focus in and make those purchases fast.  I bought a couple strands of Belgium glass that came from Africa.

These should go good with the bronze.  Well I'm off to the PMC guild meeting.  Haven't seen the girls in a couple months. 

Later.
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This and That

I finally got a look at the pics on Lou's camera from Santa Fe.  There is a nice one of the two of us on the square.  I would have been a great one except I had my eyes closed....like usual. 

I've been floundering lately. I don't know what to do.  It's not like I have nothing to do.  Quite the contrary.  I have a ton of things to do.  But I seem to sit in front of the TV (the first time suck) while surfing on the internet (the second time suck) night after night.  I don't know what I'm looking for or why I just sit here....I am getting a lot of quality time with the cats...LOL.  Three slugs in my oversized chair.  Maybe it's just winter.

I think I need to turn off the TV and step away from the computer....DUH... and schedule tasks at home like I do at work.  That's sounds so regimented for what is my "down" time but I guess I have to give it a try....otherwise nothing is going to get done around here.

On a rather ecstatic note.....I registered for Bead and Button today and got all the classes that I wanted. ...Bezel Setting with Joe Silvera and three Richard Salley classes.  Cris signed up for the same classes so it is going to be a great week!!!!   Class project pics are below.

 

That's at the beginning of June.  I found out tonight that Lou is being sent to a meeting in Paris at the end of June and I'm going!!!!  Some of the others are bringing spouses as well so I won't be the only one.....which is good and bad.  I would like nothing else than to run around Paris by myself doing whatever I want, lingering wherever I want.  I have no problem being along and at times revel in it.....oh who am I kidding...I revel in it most of the time.  But I know a lot of the people going, so it will be fun!!!  And maybe I can sneak some time alone on a winding street.

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Pretty Kitties

They both were good about posing for me this morning. They like to sit in spots were they can look out the windows.  In the summer they are in the windows.  This time of year they stick to me like glue.  Everytime I sit down they both try to get in my lap to stay warm.  Not that I blame them.  If I could curl up in someone's lap and they would scratch me behind the ears....I would!!

I haven't done much of anything today.  Waited for the delivery men to bring the new washer.  We couldn't get a front loader because of the layout of our laundry room.  The top loader we got is a very simple version...none of the bells and whistles that so many of them have and drives the price up. 

Here's a website to check out.... Inner Art.  There is a guide to Ohio artists with links to their websites, blogs, facebook and etsy sites.  You can also find organizations and galleries here.  And there is also a blog that lists events and calls for submission.  You could spend a couple days just following all the links that this site provides. 

Well....I guess I need to do the wash now that I have a washer.
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FORMIDABLE

I don't have much to say.  Busy at work and itching to get back to the studio.  I ran across this picture on the cover of a Nat Geo travel catalog.  Africa's Big Cats by private plane.  14 days for a mere $30,000 per person.  I can't afford any of the trips but I can at least enjoy the photos. 

The one word that comes to mind looking at this photo is ...FORMIDABLE

When is a washing machine just a washing machine....

I've found that the answer is NEVER.  Yesterday our washing machine burnt out.....Happy New Year!!  We knew it was going and had plans to get a new one but it beat us to it.  So I've been researching washers....when did they get so complicated.  I just want a simple, reliable washer. 

I don't want a front loader because of the complaints about mold.  I don't want something with so many options and buttons that it takes a PhD to figure it out.  I just want something that washes clothes for goodness sake.  When did washing machines become so complicated??
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Happy New Year!!

A fresh start for many.  I have no New Year's resolutions this year.  They are so often left behind by February. 

Instead a look back at 2010.

 I've eaten more Jambalaya this year than you could believe... but that was the recipe for 2010.  If you want to try it....go back to January 2010 post and you'll find it.  This year we will try something new.....Julia's Child's Boeuf Bourguignon.  I'll let you know how that goes.

I've struggled with the concepts of originality, authenticity, creativity.  There are so many opinions out there about what these words mean and I certainly have mine.  The most inspiring comes from Micheal DeMeng and a post called The Artistic Timeline.  We should all strive for such generosity of spirit in all aspects of our lives. 

I was fortunate to attend two bead shows this year.  Classes are nice but it's really all about spending time with friends.  In Santa Fe...Cris, Karen, Stacey, and I managed to spend a few evenings in front of the fireplace at La Fonda laughing so much it hurt.  Milwaukee was the same.

I spent the summer reading about African art.  I created what seemed like a ton of tear-aways.  I want to try some copper etchings this year for a deeper cut. I love the look of tear-aways but for some the impression they leave just isn't deep enough for my liking. 

I cleaned my studio more times than I would like....why oh why can't it stay clean...LOL.  Too many of us get really messy when we get creative.  It goes hand in hand.  The left brain organizer in us just shuts down when the creative right side kicks in.  Guess what I'm doing tomorrow.....cleaning the studio!

I joined Weight Watchers in July.  I've lost 32 lbs. and I'm down two sizes.  This is one of the most significant things that I've done this year.  For a long time I didn't think I could lose....even though I knew I had a horrible, horrible diet.  I just had it in my mind that I couldn't lose weight.  But WW changed that.  Every day I'm amazed that I am really doing this.  I no longer hate the mirror and I'm having fun buying clothes again!!!

But the best thing about the year has been spending it with this guy.  After 23 years together we still like to spend time together.  We laugh and act like little kids.  He puts up with my obession with Paris and I don't complain when he goes golfing...LOL. 

It was a good year.

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