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I'm a Graphics Designer who specializes in creating websites, blogsites, logos, business & postcards. I'm also a Glass & Jewelry Artist in my spare time...
I have neglected my blog for way too long. Life has been crazy busy and I’ve totally forgotten about blogging what with Facebook, Twitter, work, life, friends, etc… There is never enough time in a day! I plan on keeping this up to date more often now that I’ve been torching (making glass beads) and making jewelry again. I’m also holding jewelry classes again so please check out our Erthology website for those. We have some exciting new classes coming like Enameling, Bezeling, Spinner Rings just to name a few.
Well, recently I took a class with Nancy Tobey, the Queen of Boro (in my opinion). It was amazing!! She was so wonderful and an awesome instructor. I learned so much. I know people say that a lot but I really did learn a lot AND I got great color out of myboro glass consistently for the very first time. For those that don’t know, boro glass is pyrex and considered ‘hard’ glass. It’s a lot stiffer glass to work with and I always found it more difficult to get colors but I did get some gorgeous colors in Nancy’s class. As soon as I get the rest of my beads back from the studio where we torched (Indy Flame Art—great studio…BTW!) I’ll post them here for you to see. Here are some from the first day. I will probably never (never say never–right?) totally go to the ‘dark side’ as they say in boroland but I will do lots more playing and experimenting with that glass to expand my repertoire.
Recently, my friend Kathie and I decided to take a road trip to North Carolina. We were taking a glass beadmaking class with Shari Slonski and I didn’t want to fly so we ended up driving the 11 hours. Originally we had planned to do it in two days but decided to drive straight through instead because we were excited to get there. We drove through Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and North Carolina…some beautiful countryside and rolling hills.
We arrived late and checked in at the Quality Inn in Fuquay (pronounced FWA-QWA not FU) Varina. Once we were in our room we quickly gave it the once over and immediately we both decided we needed to check in somewhere else. Our room was disgusting…dead bugs smashed on the back of the bathroom door, perspiration stains on the sheets like they hadn’t been cleaned, dust layers on the floor thick enough so you couldn’t see the carpet—YUCK!! I could go on but you get the picture…
So, for the next 45 minutes we tried to find another hotel in the nearby area that had 2 double beds but they were all sold out due to some conferences in town. We finally lucked out and found a vacancy at an Embassy Suites (owned by Hilton) about 30 minutes away. We didn’t really care about the drive just as long as it was clean. And we lucked out because my husband had racked up some Hilton Honors Points so we ended up getting our 3 night stay for FREE–can you belive it?!?!? That was a huge savings because the room rate was $139 before tax–WOOHOO! We immediately checked out of our reservation but decided to stay the night since we couldn’t get our money back for that night. Needless to say, that I didn’t sleep well in the filth. Next morning we get up early and decided to do some shopping until we could check in at the Embassy Suites.
We found some quilting stores (Kathie creates some amazing quilts) and a knitting store. We both recently started to knit so that was fun looking for neat patterns and luxurious yarns. Of course, we spent way too much but that never stopped us before–lol!! Each night we ate at the restaurant located in the Embassy Suites. It had the best food. I even ate grits for the first time EVAH!!! They were cheddar and garlic grits and I was very surprised that I liked them, I mean LOVED them. I never thought I would like grits but Kathie told me to trust her and try them and she was right. They kind of tasted like risotto to me. I’ll probably never eat them again but those were delicous!
Saturday and Sunday we spent learning Shari Slonskis’ glass beadmaking techniques from Canada. Our class was held at Marilyn Perazas’ nice, quaint studio. There were a total of 6 students and it was so much fun. Shari shared some wonderful tips and tricks with us. We blew shards and made some cool beads, lots of off mandrel pieces and even an arrowhead. I can’t wait for the temperature here to go down so I can play with all the new techniques I learned.
After the class was over, we went back to our hotel and decided to go see the new Harry Potter movie in 3D. It was so cool!! Go see it if you haven’t yet. It’s awesome!!
We checked out of the Embassy Suites the next day and decided to drive straight through again.,,it was an easy drive and the time flew by as we discussed what we learned and reminisced over our trip and shopping excursions. It was a great road trip and I can’t wait until the next one. Kathie and I usually take a trip each year but this year we might even take another one. I had a wonderful time and really enjoy traveling with my good friend.
Ok, so what's up with women driving their men around? I'm not saying it's a bad thing but it seems to be growing exponentially. I just got home from the grocery store and was sitting in the parking lot on the phone for around 10 minutes or so, as I watched about 8 out of every 10 couples the woman was the driver. What's up with that? Are we driving Mr. Daisy now. I'm no exception. For years, when my husband and I go out together he just slides right into the passenger seat…never asks if I want him to drive or can he drive…nope he's just riding along. Once I would just like him to say 'hey, I'll drive today', just once. I would love to be a carefree passenger once in a blue moon!
I'm thinking he's probably assuming I want to drive since I work from home and don't drive all that often but it still would be nice if he asks every now and again. Even when I did work outside the home, I still drove us around on the weekends. And today after seeing all these other woman driving their men around, it got me thinking. When did this start? Why is this happening? Do we just love to drive or do they just want a FREE RIDE…no obligations, no stress, no hassle??
I'd love to hear your comments…
My friend Kathie has been wanting to learn Rigid Heddle Loom Weaving and recently she suggested to me that I might like it as well. When I say recently, I mean like yesterday. So, (being me) when learning something new I had to do some research first and my answer was…of course I want to learn that, it's way cool!! And when I say 'some' research, it always turns into a massive scour the internet–lol!! You can really create some gorgeous things by weaving. Who knew?? Not me, that's for sure!
Anyway, while researching which loom I'd like to buy, I came across this video on YouTube. I thought it would be a great project for fabric woven on a rigid heddle loom since the looms aren't very wide. It looks easy and what a neat gift or housewarming gift idea!
I changed the blog background and made a new logo. I've been playing in Illustrator and thought my logo need re-vamping. It's more femine…more me!
What do you think? Leave me a comment…I'd love to know!
Ever since I finished my year-long photography course I never seem to have make time to take photographs anymore. So, today I decided to whip out one of my cameras and just start taking pictures of my every day life…these are so sweet. I hope to take at least one photograph a day or at least one a week, that's the plan anyway!! This one is of my hubby working away at his computer and of my dear kitty, Chanel.
They were both unsuspecting and hate their photos being taken. Chanel found a nice comfy place on the sofa and I know she's saying…"Mom, enough already with the flash!!". And you can kind of tell what my hubby was thinking… Oh well, they better get used to it because they're likely going to continue to be some of my subject matter in the upcoming pics. 
Happy Mother’s Day to my mom!! Here’s a pic of us when I was about 11 years old. She hated having her picture taken (just like me now) but I’m so glad to have a few to remember her by. She passed away in ’93 and I miss her terribly.
I got an email from a friend the other day…she classified me as “thought-provoking.” (Who knew?!) This got me thinking so I thought I’d share seven things about myself that you probably don’t know.
Seven things about me:
- I am terribly (terribly) shy and don’t like to talk about myself.
- I have lived in 5 states (New Jersey, Connecticut, Missouri, Illinois & Indiana).
- I grew in Connecticut with a creek/stream near our backyard which we ice skated on in the winters (mostly tripping over all the branches sticking up).
- While I love pretty clothes, I’m not fashionable (at all!!) despite my efforts. I’m happiest and most comfortable in sweats/pajama bottoms and tank tops.
- I really enjoy watching old movies. LOVE ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ and anything with Cary Grant in it.
- My first job was at Long John Silvers. Always went home smelling like fried food with grease all over my shoes–YUK!
- I’m an Indiana Licenced Aesthetician & Manicurist (not practicing at this time).
So there you have it. A few things you probably didn’t know about me.
Wanna play along? I’d love to know more about you, too!! Share in the comments.