Thursday, October 27, 2011

Save the Date!


She's done it again. Lori at Pretty Things has come up with yet another great idea. She's hosting a Virtual Craft Show on her blog. Seventy people are giving away 70 fabulous prizes. That means 70 fabulous people will win. So mark you calendars. This will be fun!

Yep, I'm giving something away. But I'm not telling you what. You'll just have to wait and see. I love suspense. Don't you?

pssst, etsy shop update tonight starting at 8pm EST

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

New Stuff, An Invitation, and Thank You


There haven't been nearly enough beads on this blog lately. Well, really since we moved to North Carolina there haven't been enough beads. Settling in and all has distracted me.  I've been working away on some new things. Like the little bronze acorn and pine cone. The oak leaf is a re-work of an old design. It's modeled on the pin oak that line the street I live in. They are protected in my street because I live in a historic preservation neighborhood and these pin oaks were part of the original landscape design. Thank goodness! Pin oaks are one of the most beautiful of all the oaks, at least I've always thought so. I'm so happy you can't chop them down willy nilly.


I've been working on setting little gemstones into some of my bronze pieces. A bit fiddly, but I love the sparkle that these add to designs that feel so comfortable and familiar to me.


Since we moved here, I've changed the porcelain that I use. I'm using one by High Water Clay which is in Asheville. It's almost local. Well it's only a couple hours away and it's oh so nice to have an excuse to go to Asheville.  I'm quite smitten with the glaze on these pieces. It's a formerly poopy glaze on the old porcelain. Unfortuntely,  two really spectacular glazes on the old porcelain are now poopy. But I'm working on it.



Now for the invitation. I've thought about this for some time and am just now getting around to doing it. I've opened up a Facebook page to let you all know when I've got new things available. Because I recognize that I am frankly quite dreadful about letting anyone know when things become available. Some of you have even asked if I have an email list or some such thing so that you could know about shop updates. No email list (yet). So here's a link to my Facebook Page, Summers Studio Beads.

There are even some previews of work that's going to be available this week. I'll let you know when I list things in my shop. There's a bunch of stuff ready to go and I like being able to just list it all at once. Sometime this week, at an undisclosed time, I will be listing a bunch of stuff. Undisclosed because not even I know when that will be. I'm still working on getting things ready.



And thank you all for your very generous support regarding my mother's passing. It's been an emotional upheaval but we are all coping in our own ways. I haven't been able to get back to each of you. But please know that I feel deep gratitude to each of you for your warmth and oh, so generous caring.

Friday, October 21, 2011

She was 84




I had things I wanted to say today. But they aren't important now. My mother passed early yesterday morning. She was very ill and in quite a lot of pain from the cancer that had spread everywhere in her body. She hasn't been able to speak for a long time because her brain had betrayed her thoughts. That would have been awful for her. I know how much she dreaded the idea of it. She was a very bright woman and valued learning more than anything I can think of. Reading and puzzles of all kinds were what she did to keep her mind strong. In the end she could do none of those things. It is sweet relief that she no longer suffers.

I won't be able to go up to say a final good bye. There isn't time for the travel it requires. It's a long ways and it's all quite complicated in so many ways. My dear friend had the idea to let a balloon drift upwards and away to mark her passing. I like this idea. I will do this instead and wish her the peace that she did not have in her last months.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Please follow the highlighted route and a bit of awesomeness


That's what Steve-o the garman says when we use him to guide us to destinations not yet travelled. Oh that life could be so simple. Please follow the highlighted route. Yes, I want a garman for life. Or maybe not. Maybe I actually like not having a pre-determined path. Maybe I like making twists and turns, taking off in direction that I didn't anticipate.

Anyways, we headed up to the mountains on Monday for a day trip, dogs in tow.  Steve-o the garman was not on. We were heading for Mount Mitchell State Park and we needed nothing of "please follow ...." we had the Innate Male Sense of Direction on hand to guide us. Well, enough said, really, as I'm sure most folks know that the innate male sense of direction is not, clearly not, infallible.

But all is well that ends well.



It's stunningly beautiful up in the mountains. The mountains feel so ancient. And they are, really. We were lucky enough to be able to get up there in the peak of fall colour. Blazing with oranges, reds, and yellows. Then at the top of Mount Mitchel you are in a spruce forest. The smell is incredible. I wish I could bottle it up and post the smell here on my blog. I love these mountains that roll away in ridges of smoky blues.

It was what I needed. The Blue Funk Fairy has been having an extended holiday in my studio. I tell her to go away, you are not welcome here. But she hasn't been listening. Until now. I think I needed to go away for a day. She apparently does not like not having company. I've actually been quite productive this week. There's a load of bronze pieces in the tumbler right now. There are even some new designs.


I feel some of my work changing. Not all of it. But being surrounded by so much beauty here has me wanting to try new things. Things that are more muted and earth bound. Look at that lichen up there. I can't remember what kind it is. But I find the ruffled edges and the grays and pale green breath taking. Another ancient thing, lichen have been living peacefully with the spruce on Mount Mitchell for millenium. See there really isn't room for you Blue Funk Fairy. There are too many other things competing for my attention.

In a bit of awesomeness, I got to meet Kelley on Sunday. She and her mother were on their way home to Atlanta from Chapel Hill. So it was just good luck that we could meet in Greensboro for coffee. I felt like I had known her forever. So much laughter so much fun. I hope will be able to laugh together again and soon. I wish I could meet all of you as well. So if you are ever in the Triad give me a shout. For that matter if you ever in the mountains give me a shout. Any excuse to get over there :-)

I started this blog post on Monday night and here it is Wednesday already. Where did the time go? I need Steve-o to highlight my route for me. So much is happening right now. My mum's taken a turn for the worse and it could be hours it could be days. Who knows? It's been nearly a year since her cancer returned with metastases in her liver, lungs, and everywhere. She's been very ill for months. I'm not entirely sure how to feel. Maybe numbness is a good thing.

So I think I will just meditate on the circle of life and ancient things.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Winner!



Congratulations! The winner of the bronze branch and aqua birdie is KayzKreationz! Thank you all for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for Torched Fired Enamel Jewelry by Barbara Lewis. Be sure to check out Jen Judd Velasquez post today. She's going to show you how she set up a torch fired enamel studio in her apartment. I can't wait to see this!

Friday, October 14, 2011

Wings of A Dove and Give Away



The last project in Barbara Lewis new book, Torch-Fired Enamel Jewelry uses one of my bronze branches and a bitty porcelain bird. The birds are actually quite special to me. I think most of us have memories of awkward, lonely, or even painful moments in our childhoods. I know I do, mostly of those lonely times where I just didn't seem to fit very well in the world. I started making these birds at a time when I was missing my Nana a lot, even though she's been gone for a very long time. You see, my Nana was always there for me and I was like the little bird with ruffled feathers that she would smooth and make right. I always feel peaceful when I make these birds and it reminds me of those times when my quiet soft spoken Nana had just the right words to make the sun shine in a little girl's world.

I was so pleased when I first saw a photo of how Barbara used the bird in her project, Wings of a Dove. It's a lovely happy piece, full bright cheer and sunshine. But best of all she gave the little bird it's own etched and enameled home.



One of the things I love most about torch-fired enameled pieces is how versatile they are. They combine so well with many other mediums from bronze to porcelain, jewels to pearls. I think the only limit is your imagination. The other thing I love about this technique is how you can either use a commercial component or create your own as a base for the enamel. And then there are the colour options, again only limited by your imagination.

Barbara's book is beautifully illustrated and everything you need to know to get started is there, including 22 projects that take you through her innovative techniques step by step.  I feel quite confident that everything I need to learn this technique is right here in this beautiful book. It is so much more than a project book. It is a spring board for your imagination.



To celebrate Barbara's new book I'm giving away a bronze branch and aqua birdy like those in Wings of a Dove. At the end of the day, 10 pm EST, a winner will be randomly choosen from comments on this blog post.

But there is more!

Here's a list of the other hosts on this virtual book tour:


October 6, Mary Jane Dodd, www.mairedodd.blogspot.com
October 7, Gaea Cannaday, www.gaeabeads.blogspot.com
October 8, Linda Larsen, www.objectsandelements.typepad.com
October 10, Andrew Thornton, www.andrew-thornton.blogspot.com
October 11, Lori Plyler, www.waterstonejewelry.blogspot.com
October 12, Diane Cook, www.rosa-josies.blogspot.com
October 13, Lori Anderson, http://www.prettythingsblog.com
October 14, LeAnn Weih, www.summersstudio.blogspot.com
October 15, Jen Judd Velasquez, www.jenjuddrocks.blogspot.com
October 17, Melissa Meman, www.melissameman.blogspot.com
October 18, Lisa Crone, www.abeadaday.blogspot.com
October 19, Shannon LeVart, www.missficklemediacom.blogspot.com
October 20, Cindy Wimmer, www.sweetbeadstudio.com
October 21, Laura Twiford, www.souvenirsfromlife.blogspot.com
October 22, Erin Prais-Hintz, www.treasures-found.blogspot.com
October 24, Jennifer Cameron, www.glassaddictions.com

October 25, Sharilyn Miller, http://sharilynmiller.blogspot.com/



And there are more prizes!


This is what Barbara has set up for you:

"We'll have prizes throughout the book tour plus a grand prize at the end! The more you spread the excitement, the more chances you have to win some of the goodies our bloggers are giving away!

Leave a comment at your host's blog and become a follower = 1 chance.

Tweet, facebook or blog about the giveaway and leave a comment at this post (the original Virtual Book Tour post)  = 1 additional chance.

While you're at my blog (Barbara's), if you become a follower or say that you're already a follower in your comment = 1 additional chance.

So, you can earn up to three chances per giveaway.  A winner will be selected by 10 p.m. eastern time and be announced the following day. You can check back at my(Barbara's) blog for the name of the winner or at any other of the participating blogs.

To thank you for following along, we will have a BONUS PRIZE at the end of the book tour!  All of the entries will be included in the drawing for a kit containing all the elements of "Floral Cascade," one of the projects in the book! You'll receive everything you need to make the necklace, including the chain, jump rings, clasp, enamel beads, and head pins!




But that's not all!


For a chance to win the Grand Prize - a Torch-Firing Kit (or $110 shopping experience at www.paintingwithfireartwear.com) - please leave a review at Amazon.com by November 24.  Remember, leave an honest review... the book must stand on its own.





Thanks for playing along!

P.S. Unfortunately, we have to restrict the giveaways to U.S. residents.  Winners should contact me with their name and address through my author website:
www.torchfiredenameljewelry.com so that you can receive your prizes!"


Thursday, October 6, 2011

Painting with Fire Book Tour!


   
I am so so pleased to have been asked by Barbara Lewis to be part the virtual tour for her new book. I've got a copy in my hot little hands and  it is a wonderful book,  just chockers full of everything you need to know.  But I'll come back on the 14th and let you know more about it.

Throughout the month, starting today with Mary Jane Dodd, you'll be able to see projects and inspiration from Barbara's  book.   She's lined up some amazing artists, all with unique perspectives. 

Here's the list of hosts for you to follow:



     October 6, Mary Jane Dodd, www.mairedodd.blogspot.com
 
     October 7, Gaea Cannaday, www.gaeabeads.blogspot.com

     October 8, Linda Larsen, www.objectsandelements.typepad.com

     October 10, Andrew Thornton, www.andrew-thornton.blogspot.com

     October 11, Lori Plyler, www.waterstonejewelry.blogspot.com

     October 12, Diane Cook, www.rosa-josies.blogspot.com

     October 13, Lori Anderson, http://www.prettythingsblog.com

     October 14, LeAnn Weih, www.summersstudio.blogspot.com

     October 15, Jen Judd Velasquez, www.jenjuddrocks.blogspot.com

     October 17, Melissa Meman, www.melissameman.blogspot.com

     October 18, Lisa Crone, www.abeadaday.blogspot.com

     October 19, Shannon LeVart, www.missficklemediacom.blogspot.com

     October 20, Cindy Wimmer, www.sweetbeadstudio.com

     October 21, Laura Twiford, www.souvenirsfromlife.blogspot.com

     October 22, Erin Prais-Hintz, www.treasures-found.blogspot.com

     October 24, Jennifer Cameron, www.glassaddictions.com


Did I mention the give aways?  Lots of them throughout the tour and you are in for some real treats. Want to know more? You can find out more details on Barbara's blog here.

And there's even a GRAND PRIZE - a Torch-Firing Kit (or $110 shopping experience at www.paintingwithfireartwear.com) - please leave a review at Amazon.com by November 24.  Remember, leave an honest review... the book must stand on its own.