Lots of earrings

Wow... just finished making about 50 pairs of earrings.. once I get on a roll I can't stop.. As soon as I am half way finished one pair I have the idea for the next pair.  Does that happen to anyone else???  Sometimes it takes me awhile to get the first idea... but then all of a sudden I am off creating..

 Here's a pair that I made out of hammered pennies and a glass leaf.

These ones are hammered copper washers and Swarovski crystals.

Back to work

Just got back from 25 days in the Canary Island of Tenerife, Manchester, (England) and the Island of  Madeira (Portugal). Trying desperately to catch up on sleep as the time difference is 7 hours.  Went on 10 plane rides... definitely don't want to go on any more for a long, long time. Had amazing weather and did about 20,000 steps each day.  Just figured out that my Iphone 5 with the "Lose It!' app. tracks your steps automatically for you...

Tenerife, Canary Island.

We spent our honey moon in Las Palmas, Grand Canary Island 48 years ago !!

Did not find even 1 bead store to go in....so a real holiday although I usually find inspiration along the way...

 

 

Certainly has been awhile since I blogged!!   Summer is winding down and I had been busy getting ready for 'Art Walk' in Lake Country.... which was last weekend. Sure was busy... didn't even have time for lunch and was it ever HOT!!

 I'm doing 5 workshops at the Mental Health Drop in Centre this month..so a busy time..  I sold most of my Art Glass panels on the weekend.. so must make some more...

I am now gearing up to do    Etsy...' Made in Canada Day' on the 27th of September  so have to start producing some pieces... It will be held at the fabulouse  Sandhill Winery  building in downtown Kelowna.. more on that next week.

Lazy Sunday

Another lazy afternoon.... tried to get into my studio to prepare for some workshops at the Mental Health Drop in Centre this week.... think I will do a mosaic sun-catcher

This certainly says summer!!!

with the Seniors as they usually do paintings (I am just a fill-in as the regular teacher is away) but the beach and my stand-up paddle board were calling...(the water is a fine 74 degrees)      oh well there is always Monday to get ready..

Had our first fire of the season this morning... all is well as it was only a grass fire and the fire truck put it out.. probably some careless person thru a cigarette out the window as it was right by the road.

 

Now to get ready for an invite out for dinner.. One of our friends acquired  a big box of  art glass for me... Can certainly use them at the Drop in Centre.

 

Summer time!!

It's been awhile since I last posted.  Been busy doing workshops and making jewellery... My jewellery and art glass is now

 

one of my fav. colour combos

 being sold at 'State of the Art' gallery on Cannery Lane in down town Kelowna..  I also  have some pieces hanging in an installation at.... 

The Alternator Gallery  at the Rotary Centre for the Arts  down town Kelowna... just across the street from  State of the Art.  If you are in Kelowna... go check out both venues...

The Bead Soup Blog Hop

TIME  for the Bead Soup Blog Party Hop  REVEAL!  Let's all give Lori Anderson great big heart felt THANK YOU for the great job as we  all know what she has been going through.

I want to thank my BSBH partner Tina Holden over  at   TINA'S BLOG
     for the fabulous selection of beads, findings and trims she sent me... My all time fav. colours of lime, turquoise and copper with a touch of red introduced for contrast!!  I managed to use all but a few of the beads... just ran out of time.

 

The first piece that I made incorporated the beautiful focal pendant. I made some dangles with the Red coral, new jade, nephnite jade nuggets & chrysoprase buttons, and indian glass (hope I got that right!)

 



the  NECKLACE

the dangles  a closer look

 

hand forged clasp and wire wrapped    ends

 

 

The next piece I designed was a knitted bracelet  ( 28 gauge wire) using the Spotted Jade and the  reproduction  old coin handmade Button clasp, I crocheted a loop to wrap around the button and   I added a square turquoise stone in the middle to nicely balance out the large button

 

hand made button clasp

 

 

 

Here's the 3rd piece I designed: I made  lots  of dangles by flattening the ends of 20 gauge copper wire to make head pins and added the dangles to the chain that Tina sent.

the necklace

a closer look

 

Still had some beads & a bit of chain left so made some ear rings to go with my necklaces.

 I have worn these already and could have sold them.. but I didn't... love them!!

a closer look

 Here's a list of all the  PARTICIPANTS click here   and please visit them! 

 

And that's all folks.. hope you liked them as much as I do and Thanks for dropping by

 



P.S.  this is what I started with

Fused Glass Pendants with Grade 1's

Here's all the 82 fused glass pendants that I did with 72 grade 1 students and 10 teachers...  They picked out all the colours to glue on the black glass blank & I then fused them,  glued on the bail and added the neck cord!! Just in time for Mother's Day.  The little ones were so excited and followed orders pretty well.

 

Now I am just fine tuning my jewelry pieces for the great BEAD SOUP BLOG HOP which has been delayed until next Saturday.  the 10th of May.. Can't wait to show what I have made!!    I seem to be gravitating to a lot of turquoise lately.... guess that's because my birthday is in December and that is my stone.

Bead Soup Blog Party

Excited to show the beady soup that I sent to my bead partner Tina Holden at  go here   and the Soup that she sent me.... she absolutely nailed the colours that I LOVE...  lime  and turquoise together along with some copper findings... I am drawn to copper more  and  more  (I have been using copper pennies  and  washers  to make a variety of copper findings.... hammering is great fun!!)

 Here is the soup I sent Tina..
  I actually sent an extra set of clasps & focals.... just in case the snail mail was not kind to my package!!

 

Here is the soup that Tina sent me... how  delicious is that?? 

Now to get to work and design something fabulous.. I already have a few designs in mind.... I can make a few things with this great Soup!!

Fused glass pendants

Just got back from a fab day at the ski hill....  Been spending a lot of time developing some new ideas for the  hammered penny jewellery I have been making.. will post some pics. of them soon.. Getting ready to do some fused glass pendants with 75 grade 1 students this April (just in time for mothers day)They are so great to work with!!

Just got back from a trip to the Big Island..Hawaii...fabulous weather..Came back to Kelowna to 4 inches of snow on our long drive-way... had to toboggan down on our suitcases... Spent a couple of hours shovelling snow with the husband....

 
 



It's official... I am a participant of the 8th annual Bead Soup Blog Hop.. I have been paired with:

Tina Holden of  BeadComberJewelry  click HERE
to go to Tina's Blog..

Super excited to see what Bead Soup I will receive!!

LOTS of New Art Glass Panels

Lots of new stuff happening here.  I joined a new group down at the Rotary Centre for the ARTS:  called  "My Studio"  will be doing classes out of there as well as my home studio.  I have the wall outside of the studio for the month of Feb... Most of my art glass is hanging there... hop on down to see it!!!  Made about 8 new art glass panels recently.. here are a few:

                

 

 

Lots of workshops  happening also..

Will re-open my Etsy shop in the middle of March... so much is going on at the moment I don't have time... I am hoping to participate in the 8th Bead Soup Blog Hop... check out the link at the top right  page..

My art glass panels are now showing at  STATE of the ART Contemporary  Art Gallery  down on Cannery Row in Kelowna, as well as "My Studio"  in the Rotary  Centre for the Arts... 421 Cawston Avenue  in Kelowna.

 

 

 

Decided to do a big clean up of my studio today.. found this lovely pear sun-catcher hiding in amongst my glass pieces.

My Latest Knit Bracelet

 Here's a sweet little knit cuff bracelet

 Used 29 gauge copper wire, howlite (stone) chips dyed a jade colour and some black and irradized seed beads.  Finally figured out how to do a not so random pattern that actually looks random... It's all in the math!!




Made a hand forged copper clasp  and a chain out of  my hand made jump rings because I could not find a chain the proper  size..

Fun thing to do with Pennies

 Did this project with my Grandkids... ages  11 & 13...A fun thing to do with all those pennies.

You will need pennies (of course)  an anvil (or something flat that is metal) a hammer, some metal letters for stamping (I purchased these at an automotive supply store.. super cheap... 1/8 " in size... extra fine steel wool,  jump rings, copper chain for the necklace... Dremel drill with a 1/16" bit for drilling metal (purchased the bits at the same automotive store.. super cheap)

 Smash the penny with the hammer until very thin..  Stamp with the letters.... initials, etc.  drill hole in top... if the hole is a little rough around the edges use an emery board nail file to smooth out... Make shiny with the steel wool... add the jump ring and chain... voila... a fabulous pendant.                                 

DON'T FORGET TO WEAR SAFETY    GLASSES!!!

Holiday Glass

Back to writing after my computer crashed and my brother-in-law spent 8 hours fixing it!!  Now my cursor jumps all around when I type....  Grrrrr!!!

 

Just about finished fusing all the Christmas trees and pendants for all the

workshops that I have given the past few weeks. ....  Lots of prep work and finishing work to add the bails & neck cords... 

 

One more class this week ... Mosaics at the Mental Health Drop in Centre.... should be fun!!

 

 Christmas presents all done!!    Just some baking to do... made some Blueberry Tarts... ate ALL the blueberry tarts......Oh Well...back to the store for  some more pastry shells...

 

Here's a pic of some of  my knitted wire jewellery!!!  A fabulous new repertoire for me to add to my can do list!!!

 

 

 

You can add any kind of beads, semi-precious stone chips, pearls, etc.

Have started a Bead & Bitch group with my Walking Ladies group!!

 

It has definitely been a long time since I last posted.. a lot of things have happened since then.   My dear Mother passed away rather suddenly at the age of 88..you just know that time will come but are still not prepared for it. She was a very sweet person and is missed greatly... She was also a favorite in the home where she lived...
After Mom's Celebration on Life my husband and I when on a 2 week trip to Russia... Had a fabulous time....St. Petersburg & Moscow were amazing... in between the 2 cities we got to see how the ordinary people live....We are so fortunate here where we have all the necessities at a reasonable cost.