Now that my regular show season is done, I can play, right?

Well yes and no.... I actually have 2 shows in October, and one in November. There is a strong change I'll have another show in November, and I'm considering one in December. So at least, I have 3 shows before Christmas, and possibly 5. So I still need to think about inventory concerns.

And I'm in 2 galleries, and I'm working on a third one, so I need to be aware of inventory for them.

I have an etsy shop which I've basically ignored for several months, and an artfire shop that I've not had anything in for 2-3 months. It would be nice to get those going again.

I want to start updating this blog more than weekly again!

Late October/early November I need to start pushing applications out for next year shows... that involves research, time and money.. and I really want to get new slides made up, and I need at least 2 more strong pieces for that.

Then you have all the normal life stuff getting in the way... work, family (and Kittens!) and house up keep. One big project this year, which I've back burnered for far too long is getting replacement windows.

I love my wonderful, big, filled with oak woodwork 1920's house. I don't love the drafts we get every year, or the scary gas and electric bills I get in the winter. Windows have been on the list for years now, but with the tax rebate for windows ending this year, it seemed a great time to tackle this. We have 37 windows in our house, and the plan is to replace all the first floor ones (20) and the bedroom ones (4) So I've been busy the last few weeks scheduling appointments with window providers and doing research on windows. Today we have picked a company. Hopefully in 4 to 5 weeks we will have highly efficient windows in place and much less money in our pockets. I can't wait to see how less scary the gas bill will be this winter! We are going with Clear Choice. They gave us a heck of a deal, and their windows look really really good, both in quality and in looks. It's been really funny, it seems just about everyone is getting windows replaced right now. At least 2 of my neighbors, and 3 people at work. Out of this group of 6 people, 3 of us went to Clear Choice, so I feel pretty good about my choice. Tomorrow they come out to do the official window measurements and place the actual order. So this is at least 1 project off my list, and one less thing keeping me out of my studio! WOOT!!

Now that I've whined about how busy I am again, I have played with glass this weekend!! I got a load done Sunday night, I have a frit load for tonight, and I'm hoping I'll have enough pieces cut to run another on Friday. I promise pictures soon! I also got my Challenge piece done for Girls Weekend! Yea!!!! That I cannot show you until during or after girl's weekend.. because I can't let Cathie and Sue peek! They have to wait until October 7!

The wrapped pendant on Top is Vintage Japanese glass, and sterling wire. The pic below is Kya the cutie. While I've typed this, Kassanova ( the other kitten) has been sleeping on me. No kittens were harmed in the production of this blog!! ( just annoyed because my body keeps moving and he's trying to sleep! )

I can see the end from here....

Wow! I have Des Moines Downtown Farmer's Market this Sat (7-12pm), and my regular show season is done! I have a few shows sprinkled through the fall and winter, but no more back to back shows for 6-8 weeks at a stretch! The very first thing on my wish list is glass fusing! Just as soon as Jerry (my wonderful and patient hubby) get's the car unloaded Sat afternoon, I close the books on Sat show's and get any commissions done, I'm going to cut glass! I'm hoping to get start getting 2-3 glass runs a week starting on Saturday.

Each glass run in the kiln can take 10 hours, so I usually run them at night. So Sat afternoon will be prepping for a run Sunday night. (Some of the processes in cutting the glass and positioning it to fuse involves drying time, so generally I have to run them the next day. Promise sometime soon to run step by step trough a run!) If I'm working on Cabs, which is what I'm normally working on, I can "cook" up to 12 or so in each run. Now it's not aways that many, but that's about the max I can put in the kiln at one time. To save energy I want the loads as full as possible.
Some of my cabs end up larger, and take up more space... and some are odd shapes that take up more space. (as you can see from the 3 cabs I've wrapped in this blog, many of my cabs are odd shapes. I am in a real triangle mode of late ) I've started to fill in the "blank" spaces with little bits of glass that I can use in later projects. Sort of making my own mini-cabs for projects. So far in playing with glass I've gone for the full fused look, but I've got some ideas simmering for tack fusing ( where you just melt the layers of glass enough to stick together, but not melt all the way ) so my little bits are for that.

My long anticipated Girls Weekend is coming up in 2 weeks, so I need to get ready for that.. including my challenge piece. I have sketches, I have all the materials I need now.. it's just a matter of having time ( if my idea works!)

I've got tons of back log projects, new materials, new toys and I can't wait to have more time to create items !!!!

And of course there is the more mundane items of running a household, doing my normal 9-5 job and being a wife and mom.

I'll never be bored.

A Quickie Post

Trying to get ready for my last 2 day show of the year ( at least that I know of) Here are some recent pendants, and for once I believe all of these are still for sell. First up is another fused glass Pendant wrapped in sterling, and I really think it turned out so well.
This pendant is Crazy Lace Blue Agate, with sterling and a few crystals. You can't really see it in the photo, but the agate has some druzy on it.. yummmm!
Last is a another blue pendant (in sterling) with crystals added. I just realized all 3 are blue in some fashion, good thing that is my favorite color!!

I'll be in Davenport this Weekend at Riverssance I hope to see some of you there!

More Pendants in time for Artapaloolza in Cedar Falls IA!

OK that's stretching that alittle.. these are pics of pendants I've made sometime this summer, not what I've made in the last few weeks. The last few weeks have been crazy busy.. among many items, my Daughter is celebrating a birthday - 14! - and most of this week is cleaning the house and then decorating it for her "luau" themed party. Tomorrow is the big day, and then the crazy really starts: getting up at 3:30-4am to be on the road no later than 5am to get to Artapaloolza by 7am to be set up by 9am. Still it's worth all the effort, Artapaloolza is one of the best shows in this region, and it's such a fun show!! I couldn't make it last year, so I'm very excited we get to go again this year. Seriously if you are in the area, stop by, the show is 9 to 4pm. Be sure to stop by my booth, and say hi!

OK alittle about my pendants, this first one is sterling twisted wire on mystery jasper. The second is again sterling wire, formed into a graceful shaped leaf with more jasper. Last is another version of my wire flowers. I love making these!! Hopefully next week I'll be able to make more pendants... and earrings, and necklaces and pins and .. oh anything that feels good at the time!!