MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I have been lax about posting lately.
I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas. Try not to over eat too much! Enjoy the company of the loved ones around. And if you do not practice a christian religion, I wish you a very happy, safe and enjoyable day. To everyone, a wonderful 2010!
(I hope to be better about posting in the new year!)

Please be patient with me...

For those of you who are getting some of the stoneware mugs, I should have them ready by the end of next week, or beginning of the following week. I had some problems with the clear glaze on the inside and am expecting the new glaze to arrive soon. I checked with the 'experts' and they are recommending this new-to-me glaze for this clay. I didn't think anyone wanted to have mugs that leak... or maybe you do... (PS - Phyllis, the problem occurred because I didn't want to have to fire twice like I did yours...)
But, as a result of this set-back, I need to make a BUNCH of new mugs to glaze with the new glaze. The decorative glazes on the rim are no problem, so those of you who have specific orders, I can still do those. I know Rick needs his 2 for guessing the Carolina Wolf Spider with her babies, and Matt wants 6 or so for a gift, Janie wants one for her mug collection, and I need to get some more over to the Arts Center in Clemson for their Holiday Show & Sale.
It was so hard for me to literally throw away a dozen mugs and a sugar/creamer set the other day. But I can't sell them or use them, so I just took a real deep breath and dumped the whole tray into the garbage can...
I am working on finishing up some custom bracelets for a customer to give for Christmas, but I am working on the mugs in-between.
Oh, by the way... where in the world did 2009 go?
(I repaired the link to the Arts Center... typo will mess it up any day...)

Hole in The Bead Gang

Last week the Hole in The Bead Gang had their Holiday gathering. It was a nice relaxing afternoon of food, fun and friendship.
One of the activities each year is the surprise gift box. In order to have a turn at opening the box, someone has to roll a 6 on the die. The stipulation is that you must be wearing the work gloves in order to open the box. That person works on it until the next person rolls a 6... The first photo shows Dee working on the outer box, then Phyllis has one of the inner boxes. The last photo shows me with the next to last box (nobody said you cannot use your teeth :~) ). In the end, I was the one to read the note inside the smallest box, so I won some beads. I will post them tomorrow after I take a photo of them.
As always, it was a great gathering of wonderful and talented people.
I hope to post sooner next time... (darn Facebook takes up too much of my computer time...)
Please show thanks for the things in your life and have an enjoyable Thanksgiving day.
I am thankful for my family, my friends, my health and my ability to pursue my creative side.

Nature's Beauty

These photos were both taken on Wednesday, October 7th. The photo with the heron in flight was taken around 8:45 in the morning in Clemson while I was out for my walk. The sunset was taken in Anderson, SC after having had dinner that evening (the photo was taken at about 6:45PM or so) at NY Pizza. The buildings silhouetted are K-Mart & Publix...

And the roses bloom...

These photos are of one of the miniature rose bushes at the house. They are of the same flower... one taken on Thursday morning and the other taken this morning, after all of the rain...
Ahhhh... the beauty of nature!

Bead Challenge Sept. '09

Just a few photos of what a few of the members of the Hole in The Bead Gang bead club created for our September 2009 challenge.

Jo went to the ISGB Gathering in Miami and brought back oodles of beads she received in trade from other bead makers... she told us to pick out one or more and the challenge was to make SOMETHING out of them... whatever we wanted...


The copper and beaded necklace is mine... two different glass artists made the beads, but I loved them together... just add some copper, pearls and Swarovski crystals... voila!

The Cat box was made by Donna... she fell in love with the cat bead and didn't want to make jewelry... so she knit a little pillow, added beads and a ball of yarn...

The black and white bead was one of the ones chosen by Phyllis... she made the kumihimo braid bracelet and embellished with seed beads...




The fish is 'Little Jackie Horner' the fish with Horner's Syndrome... and that was Mom's entry... The starfish bead was one that Terri made into a wonderful necklace that has garnered a lot of compliments this past week...

And the one with the gold kumihimo and chain maille is another of the ones Phyllis designed...
Next month we will see what others may have done with the beads they chose...

A Pendant for Cheryl

One of our customers was in a couple of weeks ago and saw some of the wire wrapped pendants I have done while teaching classes. She didn't want to take the class, she wanted me to wrap it for her.
I know the name of the stone, but it escapes me at the moment. It has gorgeous shades of light teal and lavender. I finished it on Monday and she picked it up yesterday. I was so happy with how it turned out. I know it sounds strange to some, but the stone let me know what it wanted me to do with the wire.


The top photo is of the front of the pendant, and the bottom is the back. I try very hard to make the back as appealing to the eye as the front.