Im No Prima Donna

Mele Kalikimaka...

2011-12-14T19:29:00.000-08:00

Means "Merry Christmas" in the Hawaiian language...

Thanksgiving has come and gone. Went to Arizona to visit family, drank too much, smoked too much. Came home, hosted a class with Claudia Trimbur-Pagel and learned tons! She is a great instructor and even though I was gritting my teeth until the very end about having enough peeps for the class, it all worked out in the end.

Isn't it gorgeous? She gave me a necklace very similar to the one in the photo...

Now it's getting so close to Christmas, I have maybe two gifts so far, no Christmas tree and I'm running out of time. Sigh.

Just about 9 weeks or so till we go back to Hawaii... I cannot wait. I've got an urge to get on a plane and go anywhere at this point. I just want to go!

Anyway, I hope you are doing well and celebrating *your* holiday whatever it may be. I will wish you all a Mele Kalikimaka.

Aloha ~Donna

It's done... part deux

2011-11-16T09:17:00.001-08:00

The rest of the photos!

The show floor

Jennifer Wilson at SoftFlex

Mingo of Mingo & Asho... lovely furnace glass beads

Mary Tarara and Aja Vaz

Polly Bettencort

Sharon Peters!

My friend Shelby Ring

Sylvie Lansdowne

And last but not least, my table =)

It's done...

2011-11-14T20:37:00.001-08:00

And apparently it was pretty good for most people... not sure why it was sooo unbearably slow for me. And ::sob:: I didn't sell a single one of my new style beads... I'm a little disheartened. I really really liked them. I suppose I'll live.

Stay tuned though, I will probably list them on my website... just to ease the pain.

I met lots of fun peeps though! For example.. Lori & Kim! Gorgeous and addicting murrini!

JC Herrell... my inspiration for the new design...

Charlotte! My favorite seed bead vendor at Garden of Beadin'

My friend Judy Carlson (jujee beads) with her booth neighbor Noeleke

The beautiful Leah Fairbanks...

I have more pics on the camera! Will post more about the show later! I was really good and didn't hardly spend anything! I usually go full tilt and spend way too much... this time I was good! Well, I did buy some crystals and lucite but I let Jeff pay for that... isn't that nice of me! =)

One working day left...

2011-11-08T21:30:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is crank out the beads day... I have an idea of what I need to do... I just hope I can get it done. Wish me luck.
Here are some new beads I've been making. I totally enamored with them. I hope the buyers love them as much as I do!
If you're in the area, BABE is the Bay Area Bead Extravaganza... I'm one of 256 or so vendors there. My table number is
416. Hope to see you there! BABE!

BABE! In Oakland...

2011-11-03T16:12:00.001-07:00

Six days and counting... for some reason I don't feel so panicked about it. I suppose I have learned that you do what you do and if it's not enough then there's not much you can do except try harder the next time.

I am also just looking forward to leaving town... I used to get so home sick... now I look forward to going off and meeting new peeps and seeing the people that I only get to see away from home. =)

My table number is 416 for those of you showing or shopping... if you're an LE member please let me know... I'd love to meet you!

Oh... just in case you have no idea what I'm talking about... BABE is the Bay Area Bead Extravaganza in Oakland at the Convention Center on November 12 & 13th...

formspring.me

2011-10-30T20:50:00.001-07:00

Ask me questions about anything... http://www.formspring.me/ImNoPrimaDonna

Momma Needs a New Pair of Shoes...

2011-10-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

Well, sorta. I am in lust with this pair of shoes:

So, all I have to do is sell some beads... I'm gonna list beads on my PrimaDonnaBeads.com website tomorrow... They'll be cheaper for you that way... no listing fees and Etsy cut... get it?? So stayed tuned and here's a little peekie peek at what I'm going to list...

2011-10-23T15:56:00.000-07:00

Hola peeps!

So, I wake up this morning, yawn, and turn the laptop on to check my email... and what do I find?
Little ol' me is a featured blogger on Bloggers.com, yup! I opened my email account and see I have a flood of emails congratulating me. Lots of friend requests too. I get to add a new badge to my blog here now... So, thank you Bloggers.com and to all the people who took the time out of their day to send me a note!

I'm working a bead show right now at the Veteran's Memorial Bldg., in Culver City... it ends at 5. But just in case you can't make it... here's my table.

Happy Sunday everybody!!

I know, I know...

2011-10-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

But, I just couldn't bring myself to be older than 12 today.
~Love, me

GeoCaching

2011-10-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

Basically a treasure hunt of sorts... no grand prizes and not many treasures. You need a GPS an an account at GeoCaching.com to find them. Coordinates are loaded into your GPS and you go find the cache, log that you found it, and do it again. If you are the adventurous sort, you will find yourself in places that you never would have found otherwise.

There are other types of things you can do, like what we did on August 5, 2006. I gave a bead to my hubby and told him I wanted it to go to Murano, Italy and then back home to me here in California. It's called a Travel Bug. So, he tagged up my bead and dropped it off to start it on it's way. It took my bead 4 years and 8 months to get to Murano. Italy. It traveled 19667.9 miles before it landed in my house this afternoon. A kind man from Mesa, AZ dropped it into a mailbox and sent it home to me before it could be picked up and sent away even further (most likely) away from home. Lampwork Bead TB (Travel Bug) started it's journey in California before heading to Virginia, Georgia, Italy (several times), Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, France, California, Arizona, and finally back in California. I'm going to start a scrap book for it.

A trip to Molokai...

2011-09-30T00:03:00.000-07:00

...And right off the bat she gets nailed by a wave. You would think I could avoid this by now. Nope, happens almost every time.Look at the bottom of my shorts... soaked, before we even checked into the room.

Anyway, tomorrow (Friday) will be our last full day here, then home on Saturday. I'm glad we have one more day but I also like my home.My dogs and kids and **my** bed. If I can't have the bed from the Four Seasons then I will settle for the one I have at home... dear lord that bed was comfy!Aloha peeps... see you in a couple more days!

Another trip to Hawaii! Or, don't you wish you were here!

2011-09-26T22:36:00.000-07:00

Yay! I had a great show this past weekend in Hawaii with the SoftFlex peeps at the Fall Glass Art and Bead Show... A good nights sleep after drinking nearly a whole bottle of champagne by myself and this morning we ventured off to Kailua for stand up paddle boarding to "flat island" which is just shy of 1 mile round trip... This is me paddling away:

This a photo on the island:

And this is where we came from:

Another bottle of champagne down the hatch and tomorrow morning we are off to Molokai! On Wednesday we are off to Lanai, then back to Oahu on Thursday. I will try to post something between now and then but who knows! Home again, home again on October 1. Sunday is my birthday! I will not tell you how old I am going to be, but just so ya know, I feel like I am 12!

Midway...

2011-08-20T22:07:00.000-07:00

We are midway between our last anniversary trip to Hawaii and the next one where I actually must work... During our last trip we had new portraits done, just the two of us. The last time we did that, they turned out pretty crappy and I don't think we purchased any of them. Anyway, here's a sample of the photographers work:

He really was fantastic.

Right now I'm getting ready for 3 shows and 4 workshops in the next 4 months... Also, my baby sister is getting married, so Vegas! Here I come! One day in, the next day out, then I leave for Hawaii the following day... I may set up a cot in LAX.

Here's a preview of what I'm making for the Hawaii show:

Cherry Blossoms, super cute! Aloha!

It's Monday!

2011-07-18T22:15:00.000-07:00

Today is day 3 in Hawaii. We got here Saturday mid-morning and first thing we did we rush off to a geo-caching event. If you've never heard of geo-caching go here here... it's kinda fun, and if you get into it, you will wind up going places you never knew existed, even in you're own city!

On Sunday, we went to the Ukulele Festival across the street from the condo, so we didn't have to deal with finding a place to park... Yay! We saw a couple of booths set up with the most amazing musical instruments and even one set up with how they are made. Truly amazing and definitely an art in itself.

Today was paddle boarding! OMG! So much fun! Kahana Stream with Wendy our instructor then actually getting to catch some baby waves in the little bay after... I can totally see why surfers surf! I actually caught a little wave while I was out there and it was a total rush! I know, I am a total geek but it really was so much fun!

New Etsy listing and a new camera

2011-07-11T18:23:00.001-07:00

On Saturday I hosted a class with Chiharu Richardson and she taught us how to make pansy beads... but for some bizarre reason I dreamed all night on Saturday about Cherry Blossom beads. Weird. So, Sunday I thought that I would try to make the beads using Effetre Dark Pink Opalino, no go... the pink burned out right away... bummer but no big deal because I have some love pink Gaffer glass, some white and black... sigh, that didn't work either. But wait! I looked up and saw that I also have some Bullseye glass as well! Score! So here they are 3 cute little Cherry Blossom beads just listed on my Etsy =)

Just the first 9 photos are taken with my Nikon D3100... It's going to be awesome to take with me on our trip to Hawaii in just 5 days!

PrimaDonnaBeads' photostream on Flickr.

New camera pics!

Crud!

2011-07-08T18:25:00.000-07:00

I really really planned on posting each Monday or Tuesday, my usual day at home... how 'bout if I just remember to post once a week?? Deal? Deal!

Okay, I'm getting ready for my Hawaii show. But first this... I had an instructor come in a few months ago and she taught how to make hibiscus flower beads. They are so cute, but alas, sculptural. I don't really do sculptural... But I have this lovely Rubino Oro glass. I love it, but a lot of people do not because it kinda goes opaque instead of staying a lovely transparent fuchsia color... I've even made trades to get it back, that's how much I really like it!

Anyway, I decided that a good use for the funky Rubino glass might be to try the sculptural hibiscus flower beads. I have the cute little instruction sheet from the instructor... so here I go. The first couple are a little "off". Boo. After several attempts I think they are getting better... so I get adventurous and try a couple of other colors too! Yay!

These and more will be with at the next Soft Flex Hawaii show:

Did you know that if you clicky clicky on the pic it will open another browser window and you'll get a bigger pic? Just figured that one out myself! =)

Holy Cow!

2011-07-04T13:34:00.000-07:00

After I don't know how long, I've put up 3 listings on Etsy!

You can find them here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrimaDonnaBeads

I spent two days last week making boro "daisies"...
140 of them! So much fun!

The South Coast Botanic Garden and other fun stuff...

2011-06-28T20:38:00.000-07:00

So every 3rd Tuesday the South Coast Botanic Garden has free admission, so the DH comes home from work and we go... It's usually afternoon and you would think it would be so cool and breezy since it's on a tip near the ocean. Ha! Not so... it was hot... okay it was hot *to me*. My guess is it was over 80 degrees but in my defense, it was probably only 75-78 near my house. So well within my range... anyway, we didn't stay long. But long enough for me to snap off a few pics, here's one of my favorites.

I also managed a kiln full of my daisy beads, and a new tea from the Torrance Farmers Market. If you ever get a chance to try plum tea or jujube tea or even mixed together, I highly recommend! They are delish. Oh, mine is from Dave's Gourmet Korean food here in the Los Angeles area.

And an update on my girl Asia. I have found a couple of foods that she just loves... she's packed on a couple of pounds and is back to her usual old lady/puppy self. I am relieved.

Good and Bad...

2011-06-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

In the past week I have watched two sets of the same side of my family deal with two deaths and two funerals. Bad.

I have dealt with a customer who didn't seem to understand that glass is glass, and I am a one man show. Bad.

My dog has decided she no longer wants to eat and I have been trying different dog food, boiling chicken and cooking rice trying in vain to get her to eat. Bad.

The funerals are over and healing can begin. Good.

I am letting the customer go. Good.

I found something my dog will eat, even it I have to hand feed it to her. Good.

Happy Monday. =)

Here's a photo of my picky dog.

No Apologies...

2011-06-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

I won't even apologize for my absence. I have no excuse. I can't even say I've been too busy... 'cause I have had time and have even thought about posting. I just haven't really felt like it.

I am going to try and pull it together, I've done some fun stuff since my last post. I trip to Hawaii (yes, again!), a trip around my own beach cities area where I even took some fantastic photos (imho), and a get together with my girl cousins, aunts and a couple of "nieces" this past weekend which included a trip to Olvera Street and the Original Farmer's Market located here in LA, which I had never been to. I am a California native... Los Angeles to be specific!

So, should it all be lumped into one post? Separate posts? Are you sick of hearing about my trips to Hawaii?? Leave that out, put it in? I don't know.

Long lost friends...

2011-02-01T17:32:00.000-08:00

For the last few years, off and on, I have been kinda sorta looking for my BFF from Jr. High. I thought I missed her, I thought we were good "friends". Real friends, the kind you trust with your deepest secrets... I didn't find her but a few weeks ago (or maybe even months) I found her baby sister, yay!

So, today I had lunch with a girl (woman really, she's all grown up now) for no other reason than because it's been many years and lots of babies since we've last seen each other. I liked her then, she had a good heart and sweet. She looks the same, adorable with a sweet smile, and she is the same, she still has a good heart and sweet. She's done good for herself, and she does good for other people and I'm glad for that.

She posed a question to me as we were walking away (I won't tell you what the question was because it doesn't really matter)... but it made me question the friendship I thought I had with her sister, the one I held so dear for so long, the one that made me seek the person I thought was my friend. One simple question, and all those years that I thought she was my friend and the years I have spent looking for her... what a waste of time. I am sad, a little heart broken. Another brick in the wall.

Fiction or Fact... Fact or Fiction...

2011-01-12T21:52:00.000-08:00

I'm supposed to be writing a "fact or fiction" blog post... but I really don't know what to write about that. So, I thought I'd play a little game instead... Here's what I'm gonna do, I am going to write a statement regarding something about my my life, could be personal, business, who knows... but it will be something about me... You tell me if it's fact or fiction... don't worry if you've never met me before, you have a 50/50 chance of getting each answer correct, right?

The person who gets the most questions will win a little prize I haven't decided what yet but I hope you won't be disappointed. So here we go:

I am owned by 4 Shar Pei dogs
I've been married for almost 25 years
I have 5 or 8 tattoos depending on how you count them
I hate milk
I have a degree in graphic design
I opened my store after only making beads for 18months
I am one chicken away from being a vegetarian
I wish I lived in Hawaii - okay, who doesn't? You can't get this one wrong the answer starts with an "f" :lol:
My hubby did live in Hawaii
I've lived in California my entire life

Okay... go! Please don't forget to leave your email addy so I can contact you if you're the winner!

I'll choose choose the winner... some time on Sunday January 16 and let you know sometime around 2 Pacific time... =) Good luck!!

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-01T18:06:00.000-08:00

See ya 2010... I can't say I'm sorry to see you go... :p

I got to sleep about 1:30am... not my choice, I have assholes for neighbors. But let's not go there today :)

Hubby took me to San Pedro (the edge of Palos Verdes) to go to the tide pools... we've gone every January first for about 4 or 5 years now. I got a huge stash of shells, sea glass, and urchin "shells" this time... don't worry, I didn't take anything that was alive... and we always tread lightly.

An amazing view of Catalina

And a seagull

Lots of sea stars

Inside of this clam shell an itty bitty sea urchin found a home

Look, there were hundreds! And they're purple!!

Mussels and some sort of shorty type seaweed... kinda looked like moss.

I can't wait...

2010-12-26T13:36:00.000-08:00

A fresh New Year... 2011. I feel like I need a fresh start. I want to do so many things but just feel so conflicted. Time to set some priorities... Here's my list:

1. Clean out the extra bedroom that been sitting "empty" for more than a year now. I want to use it as a crafting room, hubby doesn't seem to care about using it and good lord it's totally wasted space. Get outta my way, I'm moving in. By doing this, I will clear off the upstairs desk, make space in my dining room and make more room in my shop. Amazing right?

2. Sort through all my jewelry making, photo stuff, show displays, etc. I want them neatly stored in bins/boxes so I can easily see and get to them, instead of digging through drawers only to find it a couple weeks later in a zip lock at in a paper sack some place completely unexpected.

3. Sort through my dresser and closet. I have way too many clothes.

4. Hire some one to come clean the area rugs, my little carpet cleaner isn't handling the job very well.

5. I would love to hire a crew to come in and clean my house from top to bottom... I mean the "deep clean"... like what they do on those cleaning shows on TV... you know, tops of door frames and stuff you just don't think about cleaning until your mother in law is coming over?

That's it for now... what is on your priority list? I'd love to hear what other people are thinking of doing.

The interwebs is forever...

2010-12-22T21:20:00.000-08:00

I'm a searcher... I play on the internet looking for people from my past just to see if I can find them... sometimes I do and sometimes not. Usually the people I'd like to find the most are the hardest. So I have a subscription to classmates.com to aid me in my endless quest. Classmates has recently added yearbooks to their line up of interesting things... and this is what I found:

This is my senior class picture, 1984

And this is me just a few weeks ago, 2010

I'm still looking for my BFF from junior high... if you see her will you tell her I'm lookin' for her?

A new/old frit blend...

2010-11-19T12:59:00.000-08:00

An on older frit blend with new packaging and a new name...
"Berry-Liscious" formerly known as "Razzle Dazzle"

You can find it here: Berry-Liscious

Get ready Oakland, here comes trouble...

2010-11-11T10:32:00.000-08:00

Okay, not really. In case some of you haven't heard yet, I'm going to do a show. A big show. I believe it will be one of the biggest bead shows I've ever done. 160 bead vendors, not sure how many of them are lampwork artists but I know there are A LOT. Anyway, the show is BABE! or Bay Area Bead Extravaganza! I'm not nervous yet, but I'm sure it's coming. Tomorrow, my hubby and I will be leaving at the @sscrack of dawn to drive the many hours it takes to get from Torrance to Oakland. But, we're driving my Mustang GT... we'll be there in no time! I hope if you're in the area you'll come by... it's at the Oakland Convention Center this Saturday and Sunday.

On another note... Yesterday, a friend came to play in my studio. It's not very often I get someone who just wants to come and bs and just "be". So this was a great treat. Sorry no photos but you're really not thinking about that when your just talking and making glass. Maybe I'll add a photo of the beads I made yesterday... or, maybe not. :)

hilarious...

2010-11-06T11:40:00.000-07:00

It's been months since since I've posted and I apologize. I hope to get back on track and post more stuff.

I'm getting ready for a show in Oakland this next week-end, BABE! or Bay Area Bead Extravaganza! It's a huge show, I think the biggest one I'll have done so far. I'm a little scared and intimidated but I have faith in my husbands belief that I will do well there.

In the meantime I got a new backdrop for my bead photography, and I love it! What do you think?

If you like the beads... you can find them here: patina floral beads

Soooo, hmmmm...

2010-08-17T11:02:00.000-07:00

I was part of an Etsy Street Team, well, I've been part of several. They are a lot of work. Posting and chatting and listing and more chatting. Bumping up threads and promoting not only your own work but other peoples work as well. It can be overwhelming and exhausting. Especially since I have 3 actual websites besides my Etsy store, a physical location where I host classes and do my work, a house to take care of, 4 dogs, 2 kids, and a hubby. Whhhew! But I digress. I have to say, that I never noticed any more activity going to my Etsy store by being part of a "team". I can say that the last team I was on, I experienced a total of zero sales for all the hard work. It's disappointing and can lead to a blown ego. I may have given up too easy, but I'll never know. I gave it a couple of months, and when I felt like I couldn't keep up and couldn't keep doing my part I let them know I had to go.

A couple weeks ago I decided that if I was going to be a serious beadmaker, which was my intent when I opened my brick and mortar store (but what happened there is another post), I had to start doing something about that Etsy store whether I like the idea of paying someone else for my work or not. So, I decided to list 5 items a day, that's $1 per day for listing fees... I can do that. I did for about 7-8 days straight, then I ran out of stuff to list. Whoops!

It doesn't seem to matter! I've just been "sharing" what's already there on Facebook and Twitter! And it's working! I have in the last two weeks done better on my own than I ever did on a team. I am grateful!

So here are my meager tips...
1. Have decent photos! In focus at the very least. I take mine outdoors for the most accurate color.
2. List something every single day, or even every other day... on the days you don't list, "share" things that are already listed in your shop.
3. "Share" new listings on Facebook and Twitter
4. Have lots to choose from, all price levels.
5. Make sure you price to include the listing fee and Etsy and Paypal's "cut", I think it's about 3% of your listing price for both... which means, if you price something at $10.00, Etsy is going to charge .20 for listing and 3% of your $10.00... then Paypal is going to charge you 3% of that same $10.00. So, your share is now $9.20... if that's okay with you, then perfect. If not, you need to charge a bit more so you can get what you want *for your product*.
6. Postage... don't forget that anything over 1/4" is going to be a "large" package and cost about twice as much as something 1/4" or less. So charge adequately for your packaging and your shipping fees. I just use First Class Mail in the US. Orders over $50 get insured.

Just a few notes from me after a just a couple good weeks with Etsy. I am definitely no expert, this is just what I've learnedin the last couple of weeks. I hope it helps :)

ETA: I lost my thought about the "street team" thing... my point was, you don't need to be on an Etsy team to have success. If you have the time and can do your part of being on the team, then go for it. There is great camaraderie in being on a team. It just didn't work *for me*. And please, if you're going to be on a team, do your part, don't let everyone else do the work... it's not fair to the people who are doing their part. It's called a "team" for a reason.

50 days to Hawaii...

2010-08-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

I love it there, that's it. I wanna pack up my studio and my dogs and my kids and move to Hawaii. The kids' prolly don't wanna go, but hey, I gotta offer. 50 more days and we're outta here, albeit only for a week and then we have to come back. Hubby keeps reminding me that it'll only be 5 more months after that, then we get to go back. Yay!

Drive by post...

2010-08-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

Just real quick, I'm am a desperate marketing maniac right now... a goal of 5 listings a day for 30 day on Etsy. I'm working on day 3 so keep checking back for lots of goodies! Also, I joined Blog Frog and would love to see the visitors in Blog Frog widget and I've also "joined" SITS or I am a follower or something. Sometimes you just can't know exactly! Anyway, please go check these things out. I'd also love to be "hearted" or "favorited" on Etsy, I'm almost at 200 hearts now!

Hubby is taking me to the hobby shop... maybe I'll post a photo of what I find there... I'm on a quest! Love ya peeps, have a great Sunday!

2010-07-31T17:41:00.001-07:00

Lauscha Smokey Topaz Pillow Beads
http://ping.fm/vvKE5

...sigh...

2010-07-28T19:49:00.000-07:00

So, it's been more than a month since my last post... I had a show coming up, that I actually was panicking over. Well, there was no reason to panic... turns out it's not in my top 10 best shows. Actually, the show sucked. I should have figured. The promoters photo is in the dictionary when you look up the word disorganized.

I'm desperately searching for something close to home, where people like what I do and don't think I'm some sort of whack job for wanting $25 for 3 beads... It was not my worst show ever, that honor goes to the Pasadena Beads and Design Show where I took a huge hit, then the LA Bead Bazaar.

So, I'm now selling off the all the jewelry on Etsy and my website. Listing something daily so stay tuned...
Here I am on Etsy or you can click the side banner link. And here's my website, Prima Donna Beads.

These are my new favorite thing to make...

BTW, the sucky show was the 2nd Annual Venice Beach Summer Fest, there was no signage anywhere around the area of the show... they didn't even have it listed as one of the events on the Venice Beach website but the other events that were going on down there were listed. The promotor never once came by to find out how things were going, and the lack of organization, and parking was laughable. So, there you go.

3 weeks worth of beads...

2010-06-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

...and these were just the ones I didn't bother to clean till today... why do I do this to myself. I totally know better. I don't how many are there, but it's not an even layer the way this pic makes it look, it's a *pile* of beads. Now to sort and figure out exactly what I had planned at the time I made them, wish me luck! :)

Jacks? I may call them Lories

2010-06-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

What happens when someone with knowledge is so generous to share, and for free?
A tutorial on how to make "Candy Jacks" that what. I may decide to call mine "Lories".

5 "Lories" on a silver chain here

Whhhheeew!

2010-06-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

Taken out! So sorry for neglecting this blog but I was taken out by some wicked back pain. Not sure what I did, but my back was "bothering" me for about a week, then wham! I woke up one morning and couldn't move. The pain was excruciating. It was so bad I made an after hours same day appointment with my docs office. Those of you who know me well enough also know that I truly dislike going to the doctor. So you know it was bad if I actually went.

Jeff drove me over, and it was a good thing too 'cause they gave me a shot of something that was a combo pain killer/anti-inflammatory all rolled into one. I started feeling the effect of this nice little cocktail about 5 minutes later. They had us wait around for about 15 minutes then insisted on taking me down to the car in a wheelchair. We got to the first floor when the nurse asks how I'm feeling and I have to admit to her that I'm feeling a little heavy in the lungs, kinda like when your choking back tears? So, she tells the security guard to go get Jeff and she takes me back upstairs where the check my blood pressure and pulse ox levels. By then I was feeling better and all was good. I was free to go home with my 3 'scripts for pain and anti-inflammatory drugs.

So 3 days spent in bed (mostly) then I had stuff to do... I had to go to the studio to host an open torch session. Thank goodness everybody was so gracious knowing I was in a lot of pain. It was fun, but I hope to do it again some day when I'm not in agony.

On that same day, I actually won a prize! Have I told you that I'm completely and hopelessly addicted to Lori & Kim murrini? Well, I am. It's their one year anniversary and they are so generous they are giving away murrini every single day of June! I won, I won, I won!! I never win anything... Here's what I made with my Lori & Kim birthday murrini.

By the way, you still have time to win to if you go and buy some of their murrini they will put your name "in the hat" all through the month of June! Hurry! Here's there website: www.loriandkim.com and they're on Etsy too www.etsy.com/shop/loriandkim

Tapping into my graphic design skills...

2010-06-04T20:48:00.000-07:00

I need to start freelancing on the side... I have a degree in Graphic Design and I'm good! I just haven't worked a "real" job in 14 years. I have been running a store, and 3 different websites. So it's not that I've been doing nothing, but is all of that resume worthy? How does one incorprate that on a resume? I have no idea.

To see more of my work, it's right here: My Other Art Work Any suggestions??

Nicole Valentine-Rimmer

2010-06-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

Featured Artist: Nicole Valentine-Rimmer

~What is your other craft?

I’ve recently started acrylic painting, I am very much a beginner at it but and enjoying the process.

~How long have you been working in your medium?

Coming up 6 years now. Finishing off two years full time beadmaking.

~What drew you to this medium?

I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was younger, did some work in that field and I really had no talent there. I worked in clay for a while, then started assembling jewelry. I was buying other artist beads and fell in love with glass. I took my first class at Starfish here in Victoria and it did not go well to say the least. I was sure, like fashion design it was not the medium for me. I puttered about on a hot head for a while, then won a private class with Andrea Guarino on ebay. She graciously allowed me to bring another glass friend (Nicole Brown) and it was a blast! I was immediately smitten with glass.

~What is your favorite thing about your art?

I like the reactions you can get with metals. But my favorite thing is clear and encasing. I love the depth and the magnification it gives to everything.

~What's your favorite piece?

The copper capped and cored beads I’ve been working on lately. Sweet Juliet is my current favorite.

~What's the hardest piece you've ever made?

My earrings, they are fiddly with a lot of pegging before soldering. But I really like the way they hang, it disperses the weight directly under your ear lobe, instead of hanging off the front of your ear lobe.

~Who or what inspires you?

Many things, strong women throughout history. But right now it would be my horses. They all had a really rough year last year and they are all thriving, they are happy to see me every morning and always listen to my grumblings with no complaints!

~What's your favorite inspirational saying?

I have a few:

Courage is the only magic worth having.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is. --

~What's one thing you've never done you always wanted to do?

Visit Italy, I’d love to see the history behind the glass.

~Where can people find your work?

My shop is www.NValentineStudio.etsy.com

Thanks Nicole!

Venice Beach Summer Fest

2010-05-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

I don't generally do shows like this, but it's close to home and the booth fee wasn't too bad. Hubby is kinda freaking out, we're not used to doing outdoor shows and he seems to think that getting in and out of there is going to be a disaster... I have faith that the promoter knows what they are doing and it won't be so bad.

Here's a preview of what I'm working on for the show... I think I'll have mostly finished jewelry...

16 wire wrapped daisy pendants... They are fun to make and break me out of my "neutral organic" color scheme. I have lots more to do... earrings, and bracelets and and and... Let the count down begin. :)

Did you know???

2010-05-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

Did you know I have not one but three different websites?? No? Really? Well, I do. Did you know that I own my own brick and mortar store? No? I'm shocked! I don't think I've ever written about any of my websites... Sooo, let's pick one out of the hat.

Oh look! Prima Donna Beads! I make beads and jewelry. When I'm not carting my wares around the country, I do my best to load my art on to this website. It's a pain, I really think people respond better to the work when they can see it person. I also don't like having to measure and describe each and every piece. I do my best but really don't think writing that a bead is 22x22mm is great, and a photo of a bead next to a ruler is even less so.

However, I do like my website and I have made sales from it... I wish I could be a fly on the wall when someone comes across my home page... what is there that makes them stop? Were they looking for me and already knew the web address? Did they happen upon it accidentally? I never know if it's rude to get personal and ask when the order comes through.

I have mostly beads and jewelry there, but I also have some of my other work too... I know how to sew. I think it's a dieing art. I am always surprised when other people are surprised to learn that I know how. Or maybe it' just me that they are surprised about. Hmmmm.

I also know how to draw, I think most people don't know that. My family does. I actually graduated on the Dean's List from the Art Institute with a 4.0 gpa. I have a degree in graphic design... I used it only once to get a job... I wound up in a cubicle in warehouse with no windows. I was sad. They went bankrupt. Oops.

So that's one of my websites... I hope you learned something about me that you didn't know before. Have a great day everybody! I'm late for work!

Lookee what I found...

2010-05-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

My kookie little nut ball Ming, just about 7 or 8 weeks old. She'll be 2 in September.
I sorta forgot I had even posted this little video clip... please pay no attention to my spastic laugh!

Collection, obsession or...

2010-05-20T21:53:00.000-07:00

Or a case of OCD?? About 9 or 10 years ago I had been coveting Fiesta Ware... so when my mother in law asked what I wanted for Christmas I took that opportunity to tell her.

A few weeks later we (Jeff and I) opened a wonderful gift of 8 Fiesta Ware place settings... I was thrilled, hubby was obsessed. And this is his ~~obsession~~ collection:

The original cobalt blue place settings, plus a few extra.

Serving dishes, mugs, tiny little pie plates, itty bitty fruit bowls,

corn cob plates, a coffee cups... there's more!

Baking dishes and butter holders...

Spoon rests (oh yes, there's more than one), utensil holders,

and I use a ramikin under the pepper mill... but wait!

Espresso mugs with a loop handle and the saucers to match...

Oh yes, for each of the little saucers there is a matching cup.

We started with this little corner unit... there are napkins rings,

tiny creamers of all colors, tea pots and coffee pots, pitchers,

salt and pepper shakers, a spaghetti plate, lidded canisters...

Gravy boats, espresso cups with sticky outtie handles,
more coffee cups, serving dishes, pitchers, more serving serving
dishes, an egg plate, cream and sugar bowls with a matching drip
plate and even a Fiesta Ware sign that probably was in a shop at
some point. Oh, but we're not done yet!! These were just the
cabinets that are in the dining room...

Here's yet another cabinet in the living room with vases of all sizes,
even little bud vases... more pitchers, and lidded canisters, candle
holders, and books about what? Fiesta Ware! I think there's a
vintage Bauer pitcher in there too. Imposter.

Oh you thought that was it? Nope... we also have it in miscellaneous
places throughout the house... like:

On top of the secretary desk where I keep my jewelry making supplies.

In the den, not sure why those are sitting there... but there are sugar

packet holder things, and a couple of tumblers and some small

plates and saucers... along with a Fiesta Ware plate clock.

And last but not least:

In the bathroom.

What else do you use to hold soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes?

So, collection? Obsession? Or OCD?

It's not always junk mail...

2010-05-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

So I am on a lot artist type online networking venues looking for that elusive "thing" that eventually propels you into "famous-ness"... I get a lot of emails, most of which are generally "junk mail" (this is different than spam in my world)... So, I wake up this morning and there is an email that may or may not be junk, so I don't bother to open it right away... When I finally did open it I find out it's NOT junk but a congratulations note telling me I am the featured artist on this website.

And they have one of my most favorite bead sets put up on their home page! Yay.

I hope you'll join My Craft Corner too, it's small and intimate but it's growing by leaps... Have a great Monday everybody.

test...

2010-05-15T22:01:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to see if could post from my iTouch... Slow going, but seems to work :)

A Great Week End...

2010-05-10T11:21:00.000-07:00

Saturday started off with an early wake up call, about 8:30am. Or the butt crack of dawn... no? You mean the sun actually comes up earlier than that? Well, for me that was waaaay early. I went to sleep about 9:30 the night before just so I could get up that early. But I digress... Jeff and I ventured over to the Torrance Farmer's Market. Veggies and flowers were on the agenda.

We didn't buy any leeks but they are so interesting I had to take a photo.

And it was probably a really great day to be selling flowers at the market... they were everywhere.

After the market we went over to Johnnie's Pastrami in Culver City... I love the grilled chicken breast sandwich but you absolutely must add a couple of onion rings and some of their hot mustard. Yummm.

Sunday morning was a hike in Palos Verdes...

It was overcast but that was a good thing. Jeff said it would be too hot if the sun was out.

There were wildflowers galore... Glad I don't have allergies to these types of flora.

After a few hours of recuperation time, my son and hubby cooked a Mother's Day dinner... fresh homemade cheese ravioli and pizza... My son is attending Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena. I couldn't be more proud of him. He is so excited and he is doing really well. And if his ravioli is any indicator of his talent, you should be making your reservations now. Here's my awesome kid making fresh pasta:

Mike making pasta :)

Fresh Cheese Ravioli

Yummmm.

The sauce was a cream and sun-dried tomato, and really really good... hubby made the pizza, he's a really good cook too... and it was so awesome to see them in my tiny galley kitchen cooking together. Happy Mother's Day to me. It couldn't have been better.

Here's my FaceBook album in case you're interested in seeing all the photos

She's Baaaack!

2010-05-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

I've been sidelined. I really really wanted to post at least one photo every day and write a couple times a week but things happen and things don't go quite as planned. I was really really sad and twice as scared. But that's all behind me now. I'm still a little skittish, not quite out of the woods yet but I have my creativity back. Here's what I've been working on... whaddya think? I love it, I think I'll keep it or sell it... depending. I dunno.

It's funky and not quite perfect, but I still love it. Lori & Kim murrini are my fav... we should all go buy more!
No, I don't get any freebies for pimpin' their wares, darnit. I just love their murrini... :)

Sterling silver backing and sterling silver rivet (core)... textured one whack at a time with my spiral stamp... some final filing of the edges, some patina and a tumble with some stainless steel shot... voila!

Sundays...

2010-05-02T10:56:00.000-07:00

I like Sundays... I wake up late (r), laze around in bed (usually with a dog or two), take my sweet time getting ready for work in my studio. "My studio", I like that. Oh yeah, then I usually have one or two peeps who come in to rent torch time. It's a short working day, just about 5 hours... but I like it.

Right now I'm on a major cleaning spree, I have so many tools and things for silver smithing that I can't get to because just a couple of days ago there was so much "stuff" on the work bench you couldn't even see the top of the bench. Frustrating, and crazy making. Makes for little inspiration and even less actual jewelry making.

I've decided to bring home all the photography stuff, it's just easier to take photos at home and that's where I usually end up doing it anyway. Now I have the top of an (empty) display case to showcase pretty things... I have lots of other artist's beads that are sitting in plastic bins... really sad! I'm just not sure how to display them and how to put the artists' name near them without it being distracting or eventually so faded by the sun that it looks crappy. Any ideas?? Please share, I'd love to hear suggestions from other people. Oh just keep in mind, I have possibly about 100+ beads... scary. :)

Well, peeps. If you took the time or have ever taken the time to read my rampblings, thanks! Have a great Sunday.

Bad, bad, bad.

2010-04-26T15:49:00.000-07:00

If you let it suck you in you're toast. I almost let it suck me in. I'm climbing back out. I have hope.

I'll (The Mandrel) be around for a couple more months. I have friends. They didn't run away and hide when I cried. They rallied around me and helped me. I am grateful. I can and will be happy and hopeful and productive. I have ideas, and glass, and talent. I can and will do this. I write it out because I need to "say" it where everyone can see it. Or at least where I can see it. :)

Thank you to everyone who expressed concern and gave me ideas, and want to help. I need to have my shop. I want you to need it too.

Peacocks Spacer Beads ~ By Prima Donna Beads

2010-04-13T22:33:00.000-07:00

A new listing on Ebay... I have discovered the wonders of Gaia glass by Double Helix... I think I've had this stuff in my studio for more than a year now... used it for stringer work once or twice and was just slightly less than impressed. Then I saw some beads made by another artist and she told me they were made with Gaia. I never would have guessed, so I tried it. And I liked it. I didn't take the reduction as far as she does though, I kinda like being able to see the original color as well as the creamy blues the reduction flame brings out. The colors remind me of peacock feathers. So that's my story and here ya go:

Sorry...

2010-04-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

Not much to say the last few days... I'm contemplating. It hurts.

I took a class with Josh Mazet over the week end... here's proof::

I was using a huge Black Widow torch made by Carlisle... I got what was basically a "sun burn" on my hand from the heat of the torch...

Here's Josh demo-ing:

He was using a CC... holy moly!

Ecstatic...

2010-04-07T23:09:00.000-07:00

No, not personally... a bead set I named Ecstatic after I made and sold a similar set called Euphoria. They are so pretty and I'm having a bit of trouble capturing how brilliant blue they really are... anyway, here they are, listed on Ebay... again.

These have just a few hours left... so check them out too... they'll go to Etsy next if no one bids on Ebay.

We're off to Vegas tomorrow. Glass Craft Expo is this weekend and I'm taking a marble class with Josh Mazet on Friday. My very first boro and very first marble class... I'm very excited.

Monday...

2010-04-05T20:33:00.000-07:00

Things are rough... I know, things are rough all over. Sigh. It sucks. But I have my dog (s). This is Asia. She's my 10 year old female blue Shar Pei. She'll be 11 in just a few weeks. Her AKC name is "Von Wrinkle's Asia Blue". She doesn't particularly like to let me take her picture, so here's a nice butt shot.

Cute right? Whaaaah? Doesn't everybody like their dogs butt? Okay, here she is pretending to sleep. She's actually just tolerating the fact that I'm taking another picture of her. She usually runs away and I get butt shots.

That's my girl. :)

Hoppy Easter Eve?

2010-04-03T16:10:00.000-07:00

First this:

Then this:

Available on Ebay ...

Golden ~ A Bead Set By Prima Donna Beads

2010-04-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

Like 'em? They're here.

Harold Williams Cooney...

2010-04-01T13:47:00.000-07:00

...Is a phenomenal glass artist... I think you all need to go and look at his auctions. I'm posting a second blog post today because while it's true that the last post was no joke, I needed to do something positive even if it's just to blog about another struggling artist.

I've seen Harold's beads in person, they are fantastic and if I could buy these I would...

But for now I will have to watch them sit on the 'bay and hopefully see them go to a new home... Here's the auction. Bid high and bid often! Good Luck Harold!

Oh and while you're at it, please take a gander at my "for the first time in 4 years" auction... just some spacer beads and nothing as fantastic as what Harold is auctioning off. But hey, we all gotta start somewhere right?

uuuggh...

2010-04-01T09:35:00.000-07:00

Twice in one week? Really? Here's my excuse...
I'm stressed... I mean really really really stressed. I have my studio and I'm not sure how much longer it's going to be around. People have stopped signing up for classes and that how I pay the bills. There, I've said it. I do not feel relief. Now I will cry, then I will suck it up and slap smile on my face and pretend every thing is hunky dory.

Oh, and if you think this is some kind of April Fool's joke... It's not, I wish I could say it was.

Tug O' War

2010-03-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

BFF's - Ming (almost 2) & O'fus (almost 7)

wow...

2010-03-29T14:06:00.000-07:00

I think I'm old. Hosted a 3 day class this week end and I am exhausted now. I really want to go sleep and stay that way till tomorrow.

Sorry no photo today. I just don't have the energy. Zzzzz.

Happy Spring... Tweet Tweet :)

2010-03-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

Leah Fairbanks...

2010-03-26T17:49:00.000-07:00

I own a glass shop called "The Mandrel" where I host classes taught by well known glass bead makers... This month Leah Fairbanks came down from Ashland, Oregon to teach a 3 day class.

We're on day one... this is Leah:

These are Leah beads:

Here's some close up:

Her beads are stunning. Please check them out at www.LeahFairbanks.com or you can see them in person if you happen to be in Vegas this April 9-11 where she'll have booth at the Glass Craft Expo which is held at the South Point Casino.

I'll be there Thursday (which means The Mandrel will be closed on Thursday April 8 and Friday April 9) and I'm taking my very first marble class with Josh Mazet... yay!

And The Winner Is...

2010-03-25T13:20:00.000-07:00

The winner is Amy of Grey Cat Glass!! Whooo hooo...

I had 11 entries, thanks to everyone who played! That's Leah Fairbanks picking the winner...thanks Leah!

I make beads... do you like them??

2010-03-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

Pandora

2010-03-23T11:36:00.000-07:00

Step outside the comfort zone...

2010-03-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

So, maybe you heard or maybe you haven't. I signed up for a marble show a few months ago. I was so confident I would have a wonderful array of contemporary soft glass marbles for people to choose from. But alas, I did not. I had 15 marbles. Yup, count 'em... 15.

I got discouraged when I dropped a couple and the encasing of opal yellow glass actually cracked off from the clear core inside. All that work down the drain. I couldn't figure out what I had done wrong, I had made several other marbles in the exact same way. :(

So, I procrastinated, then there was a class to prepare for, and then suddenly I had a bead show coming up. So I made beads (more procrastination), then I was on vacation in Hawaii with no access to my torch. We got home, and I had exactly one week left before the show. In my state of panic, I decided to not worry about it. "Go with the flow" if you will. No worries, it is what it is... get my drift?

I managed to crank out 6 more marbles to add to the 8 I already had. So I took my pathetic inventory of marbles and added some "round round" beads and some jewelry to my table display. I didn't stress over it. I had a good time and met some new people. No one said, "hey dumb ass, your marble display is pathetic". In fact quite the opposite, I was complimented by a fantastic marble maker, Travis Weber, for stepping outside my comfort zone. Glassy people rock, thanks for letting me be a part of your world!

Sorry. I'm a flake.

2010-03-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

So, I flaked yesterday... I was a vendor at a marble show in Fullerton. These are some of the "round round" beads I took with me. I sold a couple of marbles too... go me! I swiped the above pic from my friend Denise.

So my excuse for not posting yesterday is this... I have some kind of "bronchitis" thing going on, my older son said I sound like a 13 yo boy (voice cracking). After getting up at 6:30 and working all day, then going to see an amazing collection of marbles at Brian Bowden's house, I actually stopped at a grocery store all by myself (I have a "thing" against grocery stores for those of you who don't know me). I got some cold medicine, some throat lozenges and a package of dark chocolate peanut butter cups... then I came home took my medicine and made some soup, then I burnt my tongue on the too hot soup. I was wiped out, I whined to my online friends and went to sleep. So that's my excuse.

And hey, if you wanna, I have a contest going on here.

Beadie Give Away...

2010-03-19T12:01:00.000-07:00

So, I'm sitting here in wonderment at the views my blog has gotten, over 300 in less than 30 days. I don't know if that's good or not in "blog world" but in my world, that means more than 10 people per day have taken the time to take a gander at what little ol' me has to say. I think that's awesome :)

But, I wonder how I can get more people to hit that "Follow" button? Hmmm, maybe a little beadie goodness will entice some peeps to not only "Follow" my blog but also to post a comment...

Watcha think?

Here's the deal... "Follow" my blog AND post a comment and you'll be entered to win one of my focal beads... I have a few dozen focal beads, and because I'm kinda all over the board when it comes to making them, I think they are just too random in the display so I don't sell a lot of them... no buyers? Give 'em away! Yay!

Please make sure you leave an email addy for me to contact you... If you've already hit that "Follow" button but haven't commented, please comment and you'll be entered. If you are already Following and have made a comment, stress no further, you're entered! How easy is that??

I think I'll do this every couple of weeks or so... this contest starts as soon as you're done reading this and ends at Noon on March 25... Maybe I'll have Leah Fairbanks draw the winner... hmmmm. BTW, if it's after March 25 when you read this, stay tuned, I do this again... in the mean time, the above rules are still enforced. If you Follow and leave a comment I will enter you in the next drawing :)

Here's the bead that's up for grabs...

Good Luck!!

I love to make "round round" beads...

2010-03-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

Sarah and I are not friends because I don't like chocolate...

2010-03-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

This is me and Sarah at the Getty Museum last summer... Sarah writes very cool blog posts, I love her writing style... maybe 'cause she writes what she is thinking. I like that. I try to be like Sarah. This is the last blog post I got from her. Her updates come to email addy, another very cool thing. They just show up! Nice.

PS - Sarah told me when we first met that she didn't think we could be friends after I told her that I don't like chocolate... :)

Strawberries...

2010-03-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

The past week...

2010-03-15T20:33:00.000-07:00

1) I went around 1/2 the North side of Oahu and decided I will never ever own a car with a keyless start. They don't work well when they get wet.

2) I went around the other 1/2 of the North side of Oahu, and discovered there are some really cool places most visitors don't know about and probably never will... and I'm not sayin' what.

3) About day 7 of working vacation I start to really miss my stuff.

4) On day 8, I start contemplating how it would be possible to move.

5) On day 9, just before we're actually leaving... I am really really having withdrawals, I need my torch and my stuff and some good doggy kisses. If I can't stay, then I just want to be home, right now.

There is a turtle head poking out about 1/2 way up the photo on the left

side of me and a fisherman out there in the distance right above my head.

Turtle probably looked remarkably similar to this guy:

I went to the So Cal Flamesurfers meeting on Saturday after flying in from Hawaii and getting home about 10:30 on Friday evening. The greetings from dogs and kids combined with the two hour time difference kept me awake till nearly 1am. I was only about a half hour late to the meeting, not bad if I don't say so my myself.

I got to see my friend Kati O'Meara and watched part of her demo in the mobile studio. Her and her beau have a mobile flameworking studio that deserves a blog post all it's own. More about them another time :)

I also bought some Bullseye glass... rut roh... here's my meager stash:

I think I may need more :) I made some spacers and a couple of Flower Power beads for pendants... I can already tell that this itty bitty bit of glass won't be enough.

Can you see it??

2010-03-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

Sunshine Award :)

2010-03-13T17:56:00.000-08:00

Well, I probably don't deserve to be nominated for any bloggy goodness just yet but thank you to Holly of Holly's Folly Bead & Jewelry Blog for nominating me.

Here are the rules, so please pass this award along….
The rules for accepting the Sunshine Award are:
- Put the logo on your blog or within your post.
- Pass the award onto 12 bloggers.
- Link the nominees within your post.
- Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
- Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

I am oh so very green when it comes to blogging and other bloggers, so I am going to take a few days to come up with my 12, here are the first 3...

1. I love Creekhiker (yes, that's Holly's blog too). I love reading about Mabel, Holly's Rottweiler dog.
2. Andrew Thornton, he is just awesome.
3. Sara of Small Stuff, I just enjoy reading her posts.

Mahalo Hawaii...

2010-03-12T15:32:00.000-08:00

I love it here, but I miss my dogs...

Kissing Turtles...

2010-03-11T22:16:00.001-08:00

Fun Things and Pretty Things...

2010-03-10T21:12:00.000-08:00

There is a place over here called the "Dean Conklin Plumeria Grove". We're not related, at least not directly that I know of. But we think it's cool that there is a plumeria that is called the Dean Conklin. Anyway, plumeria's aren't really in season right now, but there are plenty to go around. I think they probably bloom year round. So here's a grove of plumeria trees (not in season mind you).

And here's a couple of beauties close up, I wish you could smell how heavenly they are...

Next, Jeff parks the car and says we just need to run across the highway there to find a cache (check out geocaching.com if you're not familiar with the term) and I'm thinking, we are on the side of a mountain over looking the crashing ocean and a curve is on either side of us and you want me to run across in just flip flops? So we do, because I don't wanna be wussy girly girl, then we climb over a guard rail and hike (climb) down a little ravine. We turn a corner and what the hell? There is a huge hole in the side of the mountain... it's a tunnel and it's dark and kinda creepy... but you walk in a few feet and you can see the light...

This tunnel goes from the mountain side of the highway, under the highway, and out on a cliff that over looks the ocean... I could have stayed there watching the surf all day.

I love it here...

A cruise around the North Shore...

2010-03-09T22:04:00.000-08:00

Behind the line of trees out there in the center of the pic is a man made "pond" outside of where a river empties into the ocean... He'eie Pond. Worms and other good fish food flow down from the mountain and when high tide comes in the ocean fish go there to feed, there is such an abundance of food they just stay. Eventually they are too big to get out. This gives the local people a supply of fresh fish.

Near where we saw the "pond" we found this man He is a canoe builder/repair guy... The canoes he had there are beautiful and the wood silky smooth. This one was originally made from one solid log... it started out 40' feet long but the club that owns it wants it bigger. It's now a patch work of wood and is 45' long.

While we were there we found a new a house:

And Jeff finally got that boat he's been dreaming of:

Heheh, nice right? Just kidding... But what do you think this is?
Do Not Hang Upside Down From The Wave...

Or maybe there was a red flag warning:

And this is why:

Hard to show the magnitude of this... the waves were huge.

One last thing. If the stupid keyless entry fob thingy for your rental car decides to take a shit, this is not a bad place to be when it happens...

This does not suck...

2010-03-08T20:56:00.000-08:00

I survived! The show is over. I managed to keep hold of most of my money... but still got a few things from Green Girl Studios and from ElementZ Designs, they were kind enough to trade with me, yay!! Green Girl Studios make the funkiest cutest pewter cast beads, and Andrew Thornton is too much fun.

Opposite end of the bead scale is ElementZ Designs, owned by Tanya a local artist from the "Big" island...she makes beads made of wood and buffalo horn as well and leather cut outs for use in jewelry.

I also got a very cool bead from Sara Sally LaGrand who was directly across from me (so was Miss Katherine Natalia Wadsworth) and a kumihimo braiding kit from the people who run a local bead store near the Ward Warerhouse, right across the street if I remember correctly :)

Jeff moved us from Waikiki to Kailua while I worked the last few hours of the show yesterday. It's beautiful... Some how, he managed to keep how awesome the little house is a secret from me for an entire year. The ocean is just yards away and you can fall asleep listening to the pounding surf.

This is the view out the slider facing the ocean.

And this a view from the bedroom window.

We have a house cat named Juliette, she belongs to the neighbors but hangs out at the beach rental.

This morning we went for a walk and we saw these...

Yes, that's a sea turtle... no, we weren't at a park or anything. These guys hang out at a place called Turtle Cove. There were probably a dozen or more that we could see. Turtles just swimming around, popping their heads out every now and then. They are friendly and you can get really close. Jeff is trying to get me to go swimming with them... heh, yeah... :) Aloha!

Feel the Rainbow...

2010-03-07T14:54:00.001-08:00

Show Day 2

2010-03-06T12:20:00.000-08:00

We're here!

2010-03-05T17:00:00.000-08:00

This bead set is sold! Mahalo Hawaii!!

So, in the last week, I've fretted about not having enough inventory, so I made more beads, then I found some more Flower Power pendants that I needed to wire up, so I did that. Made some earring, cleaned, sorted, and priced beads that I had piled up. Packed, my show suitcase, unpacked my show suitcase, then re-packed it again. I did laundry, cleaned my house, cleaned up my back yard (read: picked up dog poop), mowed the yard, gave one dog a bath, packed my clothes, went shopping, got a hair cut and flew to Hawaii... then we set up my show table and went and got two new tattoos (photo below), walked 1.5 miles in the pouring rain and this morning I saw a rainbow.

I have plenty of inventory... there was absolutely nothing to worry about. It's about 3pm and I have already made my table fee back plus some. The next two days are icing on the cake. :) Life is good.

hee hee...

2010-03-05T01:04:00.000-08:00

Just the bigger plumeria flowers, the script lettering was done last year.

It's really only 11pm here... I haven't changed the clock on my computer yet.

ALOHA!!

2010-03-04T18:28:00.000-08:00

Tick Tock Tick Tock...

2010-03-03T13:13:00.001-08:00

Suitcases

2010-03-02T09:43:00.001-08:00

3 Days...

2010-03-01T11:12:00.000-08:00

So, I thought I would post on Mondays (to write about the week-end) and again Fridays (to write about the week). This time though, I'm going to write on Monday to write about the week ahead...

Most of you probably know I am a glass bead maker/jewelry maker... and I occasionally travel to places to work a trade show... This coming week-end I am going to hawk my wares at a show in Hawaii... Honolulu at the Ward Warehouse, to be specific.

I have nothing packed, laundry to do, beads to clean, sort and price. I have an appointment to get my hair cut tomorrow at 1. I need to touch up my grey hair and I'd like to get a pedicure and new pair of sandals. I have a special order set of beads in the kiln that need to cleaned and photographed so my customer can see if she likes them... Oh, and my dog needs a bath.

The next time you hear from me, I'll be done with day one of my show... maybe sportin' a couple new tattoos. Well, if that happens you'll probably hear from me before Friday... :) ALOHA!

UPDATE: 7:35pm pacific time...
I got the flip flops (2 pair!) a cute top and a new dress, got the hair color, and made some more beads and Flower Power pendants, but I forgot my customers beads when I left the studio.

My Dog...

2010-02-26T22:04:00.000-08:00

Kuai... she's the one behind the punk ass dog in the foreground. More about her another time. For now, let's reflect on Miss Kuai. She's a pure bred Chinese Shar Pei. She's 9 years old. Her papered AKC name is "Asia Blue's Princess China Kuai". Kuai means "chopstick" in Chinese. Hubby wanted to name her Chopstick... I wasn't keen on that idea, after all, she was supposed to be my dog. I wanted to name her Princess... I was out voted, so we compromised and we call her Kuai.

My girl Asia is the momma to Kuai and I thought Kuai would be my dog. You know... because I live in a house full of men. The girls would stick together. Nope. She adores Jeff. She always has. She has stayed by his side and would have his puppies if she could. She comes to me when he's not around. I'm second choice... Kuai tolerates me. She's a strange dog, I think she doesn't know she's a dog.

And walking up the stairs this evening I looked down at her and she at me with her big brown puppy eyes, it was then I realized, her head is too small for her body.

And I giggled.

I feel...

2010-02-22T18:54:00.000-08:00

...so unproductive. A slug, a sloth, lazy, couch potato, yuck. Sigh.

I've lost "it"... I want to make beads, and I need to make marbles. I have 2 shows in the next 3 1/2 weeks... but, but, but. Sigh.

Someone kick me.

A fresh start...

2010-02-19T20:38:00.000-08:00

A blank canvas, how sweet.

I love the sight of a blank page. Real or cyber. It's clean and uncluttered.

I hope you'll take a few minutes each week to follow along as I build this. I have ideas, inspiration, and goals. So, boring as it looks now... I do plan on adding images and personality.

Please feel free to comment, make a suggestion, or even critique. I can take it... maybe. :)