I was fortunate to be invited to partake in the US Embassy's Marketplace last Friday where I met lots of lovely people. It was a gorgeous spring day in Canberra, with a light breeze and plenty of sun. It was the end of the week and many staff took advantage of the opportunity to stroll with their families down to see us all, some kids even learning a few hip-hop moves while they were there. A very enjoyable day. I was well-prepared, with lots of new pieces of jewellery to show off and happy to make tailored pieces to suit people's requirements. That's the beauty of making things yourself. Note to self: back up to the lampwork studio soon and make more red beads. I sell more pieces of jewellery containing red beads than everything else combined.
Found time in a busy week to roll some glass and try out some new colours. This gives me some useful beads and a few more combinations for new jewellery. Summer Sunset Market in Queanbeyan on Friday 16th March 5pm - 8pm and then I'm having a stall at the Uniting Church Fete at the Wesley Centre on National Circuit in Canberra on Saturday 17th March, 9am - 2pm. I shall get some more pictures up of what sort of things will be available but come along and see for yourself and have a chat.
I've started making new glass beads for new pieces of jewellery; lots of ideas whistling through my head, not enough hours in the day to work on them. There is of course the odd bit of patchwork to do aswell and people to visit. I will try to get into the glass studio as often as I can in the next few weeks so that I have a huge amount of lampworked beads to pick from. There are really popular colours amongst people who buy my jewellery I find, such as black and white, reds, deep green and white, amber and stone. I will keep working on producing the occasional large, gorgeous focal bead which just sets everything else off. I will make friends for my focal beads, using same colour(s) or texture to refer neatly back to the focal. Then pearls, crystals or other natural material beads to complement the ensemble. Can't wait to see what results!
So lovely to have a room with a view, space, sunshine, access to the outdoors. We are both enjoying it a lot. Can do my colour matching in here and can spread out the quilt front to make decisions about border design. Going full tilt now to get it done.
It has been good to step into my glass studio, put on the new leather apron, (which protects my chest and lap from flying hot glass) and choose some glass to use. I tend to work on themes. Mostly recently it has involved red and black and then some more red. Now I'm on the North African/middle Eastern blues and turquoises and the peacock theme. Soon I will pull the plug, as it were, to make more pieces for the upcoming local Summer Sunset Markets in Queanbeyan, Australia. I'll be exhibiting there on the 4th November and the 2nd of December. Come and visit me if you can.
We had quite a lot of rain this winter and early spring so my little courtyard is growing well. Now that the weather has warmed up, all the leaves are looking tired and pale and I will have to do regular watering to keep it lush.
Have to report a very successful few weeks in all things. The builder stepped up and the plasterer has been and gone as a result. Painter soon and then it will be time to fit the carpet and get some electrics going. I am looking forward to sleeping in my new room. Already with all the gaps round the windows filled it feels pleasant to be in.
In the studio, a few pieces have emerged. My favourite would have to be this one, which is going to Canada. How circular life is; it was in Canada that I started to make glass beads. More pieces to make and then lots of well-taken photos are required to put in my shop so that you can see the rest of the colourful glassy loot.
I have pulled the plug now on making glass beads as I need to actually have some finished pieces for the 24th. All spare time when I am not in the garden or at work I am composing colour symphonies - lampworked beads, crystals, semi-precious stones, silver accents and catches.
I had a bit of fun yesterday making lampwork beads. My mental list always includes beads for red, black and white necklaces. Then I am free to do anything else at all. So I try to practise everything. The big disappointment was in trying to flatten the green stuff I inadvertently melted in part of the flower petals on the large purple bead middle right. Grr. Concentrate on where the heat is being applied, green on first and all sorts of other self-admonitions. Son K named some of them Totoro beads so I am now going to have to make a special piece to display them in. I wonder...
I managed one day in the glass studio last week. Not enough I cry, I have new glass rods to melt and mix and have fun with but instead I am moving furniture, books, shelves and stuff. Yes, there is a lot of it. That way when I need something, I have it. After reading (again!) my Corina Tettinger "Passing the Flame" (a wonderful book) on the joy of creating green when you mix aqua and ivory, I had to do it myself. It came out as a dark grey-green and they perfect matched my young friend's eyes. So of course I made a necklace to match. I put that in my Art Fire blog.
This is the result of a bead-making day last July, trying out some organic glass colours that Kerry at Affordable Inspirations sent me. It is always so exciting to try new colours so every time I order I make sure I include whimsical colours, ones that are not just repeats of what I have had before. Sandstone and Spanish Leather in the barrel, then in no particular order, Olive, Mink, Mudslide, Stone Ground, Marmorin and Butternut round the outside. The left end beads were Striking Orange which gives a fabulous red and I found easier to use and strike reliably than Striking Red.
I have always been obsessed with creation and colour. These days I play with glass and fabric as much of the time as I can. The rest is taken up with a little paid architectural work, family and playing with our two cats.