Hi there! I know it’s been a while since my last update, but as usual, I have been a busy beadie girl! So...what have I been doing? Well, I am making more Buzz, the Space Frog beads for Beads of Courage, who will be selling them soon as commemorative beads from the Atlantis shuttle flight. Along with that I have been working on replenishing my inventory, which (happily) dwindled away after so many shows the last couple of months.

FUN with murrinis! This little murrini fish is a design I am playing with. My next show will be at The Gathering in Rochester, NY, then the San Diego Bead Show show on August 7th & 8th. So if you're in  the neighborhood, stop by a show...or feel free to drop me an email!

What else is going on? Well, I had tickets to U2 but that has been postponed (BUMMER!) for a year! So best wishes to Bono and we’ll see you in 2011! I’ve been hitting the local farmers market recently...the fruit is SO good this time of year! And the sweet corn, yum! And of course, it’s tough to resist a bundle of flowers for $5! Hope the beginning of your summer is going well!

Buzz Has hit orbit! So exciting it brought tears to my eyes!!

www.spaceflightnow.com

Well, technically, not to the moon, but space! I am very excited about my Buzz, the Space Frog heading up into space next friday on the very last Atlantis shuttle flight before it retires. And today, Buzz has hit the local paper, the Daily Breeze! Check out the article HERE!
(photo from the breeze by Brad Graverson)
Beads of Courage is sponsoring this adventure, which includes a total of 17 beads (including Buzz) that weigh exactly 8 ounces and will have the ride of their lives! (?) Read more on their website.

In the meantime, amongst all the “buzz”, I am extremely busy getting ready for the Long Beach SCUBA show this weekend, May 15th & 16th. The show is a couple of weeks early this year, so I am working as fast as I can! This year I will also be featuring glass art from Mazet Studios and Hagstrom Glass. I am very excited about showing (and selling, of course). So all you SCUBA people, I will see you next weekend! And for those of you not able to attend, watch my website the week after, I will be adding lots of goodies to my Etsy page.

Meet “Buzz, the Space Frog”! Buzz will be joining the NASA team and a few other lucky space beads on the Space Shuttle launch next month. This is a fund raiser for Beads of Courage, which is an organization that helps kids deal with cancer. Please read more HERE.

This weekend I will be at Bower’s Museum (Saturday) for the Art of Adorning the Bead show and Sunday, I will be at Los Angeles Bead Society Bead Bazaar. Be sure to drop by if you’re in the area! I have lots of nice shell sets for your summer designs, plus plenty of fun fish and frogs too! I made this new type of SCUBA frog that I am calling “SCUBA Frog meets Food Chain!” Sorry, it sold right away, but I wanted to post a photo, which was taken quickly at my last show...but you get the idea. Next up, in just three weeks is the LONG BEACH SCUBA SHOW. My biggest and best jewelry show of the year! This year I will also be featuring glass art from the Mazet Studios and Hagstrom Art Glass, as well as my 3rd year collaborating with Rickie Voges Designs. As always, I am very much looking forward to the SCUBA show and it’s very early this year. So LOTS to do until then....and hope to see you at one of my shows!

Thanks to everyone I saw and met in Las Vegas! It was a great show and Lisa and I had a blast! Also, thank to all who have been shopping with Etsy! I promise to get more up there next month, after all the shows are done so definitely, check back!
One last note, check out my latest tutorial in The FLOW magazine! An issue dedicated to glass artists inspired by nature!

So many shows, so many beads to make, so little time! But I am doing my best, plus I am trying to keep up with my Etsy page too! Coming up in less than two weeks, it’s the Las Vegas Glass Craft Expo, always a good time! Then I have the Orange County Bead Society show on April 24th and the Los Angeles Bead Society show on April 25th. And if that’s not enough to keep a beader busy, the SCUBA Show 2010 on May 15th & 16th. Jeez, I’m out of breathe just writing about it! Plenty of opportunity, and yes, there will be plenty of beads! For those of you unable to make these shows, I will continue to post new beads on my Etsy page. The collage of reef fish and fish necklace are my new Etsy postings for this weekend. Click HERE to shop now!

My good friend Maryann was down by the Redondo Beach pier last week and took this photo. It amused me too....and I have printed it and plan to attach it to a box next to my “repair” station! (more of a joke, I really don’t have too many mishaps, really. but I thought an “Insert Fish Parts” box was appropriate!)

Dublin, U2, the Emerald Isle, Guiness, Dingle Bay....ahhh the memories! Being St. Patricks Day, I reminisced my trip to Ireland a few years ago. This is me sitting atop a beautiful, lush green hill, over looking the Blaskett Islands. Yes, that 2nd pic was my view! Ireland is breathtakingly beautiful I hope to one day go back. And the Guiness was yummy too! This is a pint from the Guiness factory, they make a shamrock on top of the creamy foam.

Well the bead biz is busy....four shows to prepare for, so the kiln has been staying hot and the torch is cookin! Here are a few goodies that say GREEN! The collage photo below will link you to my Etsy page where you will find two of these beads. I will post more shortly....just wanted to drop in and say cheers to the Irish!

I am loving our winter this year. We have had a lot of rain, which we needed badly. Yesterday was sunny and a little cool, then rain last night and a beautiful sunny day again today! I wish it rained in the summer here. It’s so refreshing!

Now about beads....I still have 5 weeks left before the Las Vegas Glass Craft Expo, but I not only preparing for that show. I have both the OC and the LA Bead Bazaars on the last weekend of April and THEN, it’s SCUBA show time again! The Long Beach SCUA show is early this year, May 15th & 16th. So my mind is spinning (and so are the mandrels!) with ideas!

Everyday I keep saying to myself “self, you really need to put stuff up on etsy!” But then self gets distracted with other projects, or some excuse. But I am determined with in the next week to do this. SO please check back soon for both beads and finished jewelry available. Thanks for checking in!

I am home from a wonderful week in Tucson. And what a busy week I had! First, I was there to do the Best Bead Show which was fun as always. Thursday night, went to a reception for Beads of Courage and delivered a huge box of beads and a check all from the So Cal Flame Surfers. THEN, I am proud to say that I was part the “Silica Sirens” team in the SGAA Flame Off Invitational....and we won FIRST PLACE! Our team included JC Herrell, Kim Fields and myself. Together we created a 3 tiered totem type sculpture titled “Above and Below Tamarindo”, colors and critters inspired by Costa Rica (We have all been there once!). YOU CAN OWN THIS PIECE! Bidding will stay open until February 22nd. BID NOW! It was very exciting to place first in a competition like this among so many other very talented and creative artists. We were very happy!
What’s up next? Well, that would be the GlassCraft Expo in Las Vegas! I am looking forward to that, and even though it seems like it’s far away, April 9th - 11th, time flies....and I have lots to do to replenish my inventory and make new critters! One of the prizes I received from the flame off was variety of Bullseye glass. There are many new colors that I am going to play with....so look forward to new styles AND colors!
My very handsome kitty was extremely tolerant last Christmas as me and my favorite 7 yr. old (soon to be 8!) friend, Maya, made candy canes out of pipe cleaners. At one point Maya made a red heart and placed it on Sebastian, who was sitting patiently next to us on craft night. I am turning this into a new holiday photo for Valentine’s Day. He is my handsome Valentine kitty!

Tags: Tucson, Beads of Courage, frog, fish,

Once again, I am heading into Tucson for the Best Bead Show starting on February 3rd through the 7th. Click on the photo above for venue info and times. I will be in the BIG tent, first booth (5A) as you enter from the parking lot...easy access!! I have been working very hard on making lots of new goodies, so be sure to stop by and check them out! I am sorry I have not added more to my etsy shop, but I am hoping that I will add items when I return from AZ. I know I always say that....

I have two fun tutorials in the new spring issue of Bead Unique. It features a macrame necklace using my etched “beach glass” shells and toggle clasp. For you glass artists, there is also a tutorial on how to make your own glass toggles....they are fun and easy to make! If you need to order the issue/subscription, click HERE for more info! Bead Unique is one of my favorite bead magazines! I will be able to take orders for the shell/toggle sets upon my return from Tucson. These sets are made with a bigger hole size than my regular shells so you are able to pass several strands of cord through them.

Well, well, well....it's now 2010. How did THAT happen! I never even had time to say merry Christmas! Well, it is what it is and here we are, in a new year....ready for a great year full of positive change and FUN! And speaking of FUN, I am heading off to Dallas TX this weekend to teach at the Craft Guild of Dallas for three days of fish and FUN! When I return home, I will be full time on the torch to get ready for the Tucson Best Bead Show. I also have a new tutorial out in the newest Spring issue of Bead Unique magazine. There are actually two tuts, one on how to make a lampworked sea glass toggle, and the other is a macrame necklace with sea glass shells. I will add some photos next week. In the mean time, here is a new Food Chain I made....which is also my work (different color than this one) featured in the latest issue of The Flow Woman's Issue! Wow. It's a good start to the year! I promise to update with photos and links next week!