tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11805261952580634542012-01-27T18:06:05.409-06:00Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.comBlogger1921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-69612385159098842292012-01-27T12:10:00.003-06:002012-01-27T12:14:34.152-06:00

Sherri Arrington and Annie Urban have teamed up to form Mainstreet Productions. The experienced event planners' first production is the new Round Rock Market Days. The market days will be the first Saturday of each month, at 221 E. Main St., Round Rock, TX. I'm excited to be a vendor at the first show, March 3, 2012.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-72745314126741495342011-11-01T17:15:00.004-05:002011-11-01T17:29:50.497-05:00

Christmas is less than eight weeks away. (Funny how it sneaks up on me each year!) You can find me and my work at two shows this month: the Austin Craft Riot and the Bastrop Harvest Art Fest. Click each picture to go the the show websites for more info. I look forward to seeing you. :)

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-77559870716882791542011-10-12T12:27:00.004-05:002011-10-12T19:35:06.480-05:00

Galveston's 14th Annual ARToberFEST is this weekend on Postoffice Street and 22nd Street in downtown Galveston. Doesn't that poster make you want to dance?The restored-again historic setting will host art, music, food and fun Saturday from 10 to 6 and Sunday from 10 to 5. Net proceeds will benefit two very worthy causes: AIDS Coalition of Coastal Texas, Inc. and Galveston Island Humane

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-42829817799689733652011-09-17T00:05:00.003-05:002011-09-17T21:00:12.249-05:00

My blog partner for this party was CeCe Cormier, aka The Beading Yogini. She makes wonderful lampwork beads, cool Apoxie Sculpt Clay pieces, awesome macrame jewelry, and more. She sent me this treasure chest of beads and findings for my soup. There is so much goodness here that I love. I could easily have strung or wire-wrapped jewelry using only these goodies. I wanted to go a little further

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com83tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-71876861709339557102011-08-28T19:12:00.007-05:002011-08-29T09:16:37.940-05:00

I ran across this excellent article in the Atlantic via Beth Hempton's Facebook post. Caring for Your Introvert The habits and needs of a little-understood group It is written by Jonathan Rauch, an introvert. He explains that introverts are not the weirdos extroverts think we are. (thank you!) I'm glad to learn that I'm not the only one who thinks of some extroverts as barking and

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-33608228221078207562011-08-24T20:24:00.006-05:002011-08-24T20:41:10.879-05:00

I received quite a bounty of bead soup ingredients from trading partner and yogini CeCe Cormier . She made the focal beads, all the glass lampwork beads, and the glass-tipped head pins. This picture does not do the beads justice. I love all the colors and have a lot of ideas. :) Lori Anderson coordinates the blog party. See the full list of participants at http://

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-89159603516565702052011-08-20T10:00:00.001-05:002011-08-20T10:00:01.298-05:00

The amazing Lori Anderson has rounded up a whopping 362 people for the September 2011 Bead Soup Blog Party. She assigns us swap partners, we send each other a focal bead, clasp and coordinating beads, and the creating begins! My swap partner is CeCe Cormier. She makes lampwork beads, clay beads, micro-macrame jewelry, wire-wrapped jewelry and more! You can see her work on her website and her

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-44786856858581478652011-08-09T14:50:00.006-05:002011-08-09T15:05:14.975-05:00

I'm almost ready for the Austin Bead Society show. In some ways the show is easier than others and in some ways it's harder. It's easier because it's indoors, I only have a 8' table, and it's a very short drive. It's harder because this is the only show where I sell beads, so I spend time packing them up instead of making jewelry. Also, I have room for less jewelry and have to plan

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-73222441064042557812011-07-31T22:39:00.003-05:002011-07-31T22:39:36.263-05:00

The first week of August is usually the hottest week of the year here.  I'll be torch-firing things in the mornings and staying inside as much as possible from noon to sunset.  Pics of newly torched beads in a few days.  Here is a tiny hint of the colors I'm using. I hope you're not too hot or too cold wherever you are.  

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-61219816834473635642011-07-14T23:51:00.002-05:002011-07-14T23:54:09.072-05:00

I'm having a 20% off everything sale in my ArtFire shop to help folks get a good deal and a jump-start on Christmas shopping this year.  The sale started today and ends 7/31/11.  What will you find? quartz, mother of pearl and sterling silver necklace originally $78.00, now $62.40 fine silver and sterling silver necklace originally $149.00, now $119.20 apatite and sterling

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-41952471185694834052011-06-22T19:30:00.006-05:002011-06-22T19:30:01.677-05:00

The last day was Cold Bezels and Hot Enamels with Mary Hettmansperger.  Before you look at what I made in Mary's class, let me say that Mary is an EXCELLENT teacher.  She showed and told us lots of tips and techniques.  She was on her feet the entire class, checking in with everyone who needed help, answering  questions, and looking around to see if anyone had a question or looked confused.  So..

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-54872373725117200972011-06-20T09:00:00.010-05:002011-06-20T09:00:08.102-05:00

Thursday and Friday were my first metal clay classes ever.  :)  Thursday night was the "marketplace preview" where the class students got to have a first look at all the vendors' goodies.  There was a lot to see - about 600 booth spaces worth!  It seemed like a whole extra day had happened between my Thursday class and the Friday class. Maria Martinez' metal clay heart class was Thursday. 

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-79004019019095086952011-06-16T22:11:00.000-05:002011-06-16T22:11:58.464-05:00

This was my first trip to Bead & Button and I am so glad I went!  I learned all sorts of cool things and saw way more cool things.  My buying rule was not to buy anything I could order later.  It worked, mostly!  I did buy one cute little lightweight riveting hammer and some colored copper wire.  Enough about that.  Let's talk about classes!    My first class was "Hard Candy" with Melissa

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-12139650450847770042011-05-11T14:40:00.000-05:002011-05-11T14:40:13.966-05:00

Hardly a day goes by in the Etsy Forum without someone asking "how do I photograph my...?" or "what's wrong with my pictures?"  Unfortunately, "bad" pictures often have a lot of issues that are not addressed clearly in the forum answers. Do not despair!  There is hope!  A while back I posted my #1 photography tip:  use your light tent in full  sun.  When that is not feasible, I use a partly

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-74399685844278033752011-04-26T13:56:00.001-05:002011-04-26T13:58:30.261-05:00

Here are the beads I brought home from this weekend's Intergem show in Austin. I was on the lookout for red coral and happily found some at good prices. Then I saw kyanite, turquoise, faceted onyx, aquamarine and apatite strands I couldn't leave behind. I did pass on the large, chunky rough amber beads I would love to have just for me. I couldn't justify spending that much for a personal

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-56271905838888718382011-04-12T20:21:00.001-05:002011-04-12T20:22:42.940-05:00

It's always a treat and an honor to be included in a treasury collection created by another Etsy seller. This one, however, is one of my absolute favorites. I love every item in here ... dragonfly, flower rings, cute slippers, fun ink drawing, metals... ! (Click on the pic to go to the treasury page on Etsy.)The creator, BizzieLizzie, has lots of adorable purses and pouches. I recommend

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-71099746825776848502011-04-04T13:40:00.000-05:002011-04-04T13:40:35.917-05:00

I've been neglecting this little blog a bit because it's show season in Texas.  I had a good show in Salado and then one in San Antonio.  I met a lot of very nice customers and vendors at both shows!  One of my Salado neighbors was Kimberly.  She creates wonderful encaustic and mixed-media art.  Here's a peek at her Etsy shop.  I'll be in San Antonio this Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-84818165364765899142011-03-04T10:34:00.000-06:002011-03-04T10:34:55.328-06:00

 Consider selling your wares at the Austin Bead Society's (ABS) Annual Jewelry and Bead Bazaar. The show is centrally located at the Palmer Events Center, in the heart of Austin on Barton Springs Rd.  Shoppers will enjoy covered parking.  Vendors have easy load-in via a ramped loading dock and large dollies. This is ABS' second year at Palmer in August, after many years at Murchison Middle

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-61905418184259444232011-02-26T11:33:00.001-06:002011-02-26T11:34:22.527-06:00

Lisa Petrillo of Lucid Moon Studio won the bracelet! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your participation and all the kind comments.Lisa just participated in Lori Anderson's latest Bead Soup Blog Party and today is the "reveal" day! Hop over to Lisa's blog to see what she created with the bead soup chosen by another beader-person. While you're there, take a peek at what blogs Lisa

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-14387974884954967612011-02-18T12:34:00.001-06:002011-02-19T12:15:38.714-06:00

One of my popular twistie bracelets wants to belong to a lucky blog reader! My trusty pliers and hands manipulated sterling silver wire into these twistie beads and figure-eight links. The clasp has is a circle from fine silver wire and a sturdy sterling silver lobster claw. The bracelet is almost 9 inches long. The length can be adjusted. It would be $90 if it were in my shop. Her

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com103tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-74461562510713566112011-02-10T10:31:00.001-06:002011-02-10T10:32:00.730-06:00

This is so funny!

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-69748962767286762122011-02-04T15:01:00.000-06:002011-02-04T15:01:58.022-06:00

Yum!  I really starting liking red suddenly about the time I turned a certain (*cough*) age.  I didn't rush to find a red hat society group though.  (I'm too much of a loner for that.)   I'd always loved its close neighbor, coral.  I wore a coral dress to my Mom's second wedding.  I'd scan that pic, but it involves '80s hair and I just can't do that to you.  A couple of very nice Etsians

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-71504541880642684452011-01-23T10:30:00.000-06:002011-01-23T10:30:10.746-06:00

I love this collection of clear quartz crystals by Four Corners USA on Art Fire.  It's one of my favorite stones.  I have plenty of it in my stash!

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-57009385189353766612011-01-09T22:56:00.001-06:002011-01-09T22:57:27.458-06:00

yes, literally. :) I finally finished and photographed the bracelet I made started in Kim St. Jean's "Scrap Box Bracelet" class at Bead Fest Texas. She is an excellent teacher, so take a class from her if you have a chance.With what I learned in Kim's class and some help from a Fundametals tutorial by Janice Fowler, I went on to rivet a few more things. I like to see a lot of instructions (

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-60358612785395843262010-12-29T17:10:00.002-06:002010-12-29T17:11:57.672-06:00

Fellow Texan Corkycrafts included my blue chalcedony and blue onyx bracelet in her new "Hearts of Blue" treasury.Corky has quite the creative eye for making interesting things with corks. Check out these cute horses.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-16817648374366280912010-12-27T20:15:00.001-06:002010-12-27T20:15:52.806-06:00

Yeah, I know I'm a little slow getting this done. I've been putting it off because part of me hates to put things on sale, another part of me wants to move inventory, and another part wants to say a huge "Thank You!" to my customers. We all reached a compromise: only selected pieces are on sale. So far I have 19 items marked down to 25% off in my Etsy shop. I may add a few more in the next

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-72919200604418456172010-12-25T14:04:00.002-06:002010-12-25T14:04:30.147-06:00

Skip to the 2:22 mark for the Merry Christmas song. 

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-19901344701306936922010-12-15T21:35:00.001-06:002010-12-15T21:36:45.759-06:00

I love looking at the treasuries on Etsy, the nice window-shopping collections any member can create. I was honored to be chosen for two treasuries today.The first treasury is "Winter Shine" by an Etsy seller from Turkey, mycolorfuldreams. I love the golden yellow/mustard brown tones!The second treasury is "With Love From Texas." Etsy seller sophiecls from Ft. Worth, Texas, chose items made by

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-21667055721928529142010-12-12T12:11:00.000-06:002010-12-12T12:11:12.851-06:00

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-2753755217864969032010-11-29T09:30:00.000-06:002010-11-29T09:30:47.081-06:00

Everything in my Etsy shop has been reduced by 20% for my Cyber Monday sale. Happy shopping!

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-34048814927856333772010-11-11T08:23:00.001-06:002010-11-11T08:29:12.229-06:00

Barbara Lewis, torch-fired bead-enameling queen and bead swap queen Lori Anderson teamed up and created a bead swap challenge for all members of Barbara's Painting with Fire Ning group. We each sent someone a group of torch-fired beads and/or pendants. We all then revealed our creations yesterday on the Ning site. That's where the porn is! I just have a little appetizer for you. Here are the

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-72923420601304393002010-11-04T10:01:00.000-05:002010-11-04T10:01:40.050-05:00

I'm over my cold (yay!) and getting ready for the Hill Country Arts & Crafts Fair this weekend.  It's at the Village Center Complex, 2 Texas Dr., Sun City TX.     Come start your holiday shopping by visiting directly with artists and crafters.    Saturday - 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday - 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 2 Texas Drive Sun City TX

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-74064466775194443362010-10-25T20:06:00.002-05:002010-10-25T20:06:35.214-05:00

I don't know what's going on with the missing pics from the previous post.  Oh, well. Speaking of well, I hope to be well tomorrow.  I've had a cold and sore throat since Thursday and I think that is plenty long enough! 

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-57180349153660790852010-10-21T22:59:00.003-05:002010-10-21T23:09:54.517-05:00

My jewelry was featured in three Etsy treasuries last week. (happy dance!)First was "Earthen Roots" by KneeDeepOriginals . It has a great selection of red-orange-brown tones.I love this mountain painting in KneeDeepOriginals' shop.The next treasury was "Fade to Black" by wondrousstrange. I love all the neutrals!WondrousStrange has a lot of cool raku in her shop. I have my eye on this

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-54753848676532797952010-09-13T15:16:00.001-05:002010-09-13T15:17:53.526-05:00

A friend and I trekked down I-35 yesterday to the Texas Metal Arts Festival in Gruene. There was so much wonderful jewelry and found object recycled metal art! What you see above isn't just ordinary soldering. Joel Schwalfenberg is a second generation master goldsmith. He is using a blowtorch to solder a stack of domed discs of three different sizes and with different dapped depths. (That's

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-43902795124224723162010-09-05T15:00:00.000-05:002010-09-05T15:00:10.468-05:00

I get questions about photography every so often.  A picture is worth a thousand words.  Telling someone to use a pop-up light tent in full sun might not be particularly helpful, especially since what I use is officially called "Lite Tent."  So, here is said pop-up light tent, which you can buy here .   I position it so the sunlight is hitting the top and two sides.  This gives a nice back-lit

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-19896019670809906602010-08-29T09:51:00.000-05:002010-08-29T09:51:10.067-05:00

oooh.... This is going to be fun!  Barbara Lewis, torch-fired enamel queen, started the Painting with Fire ning group earlier this year.  Lori Anderson, creator of fun bead swaps, is coordinating a bead swap for the ning group members.  (I participated in her last swap.) If you love torch-fired enamel, check out the ning group .  If you make torch-fired enamel, join in the swap and be

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-67880669710699774852010-08-23T20:55:00.000-05:002010-08-23T20:55:17.114-05:00

  Amy of Copper Diem won these Rings and Things Halloween Beads.  (Amy - I sent you an email a few minutes ago asking for your address.)   CONGRATULATIONS!   I hope you show us on your blog what you make with these beadies.  

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-62007990062636733092010-08-22T23:16:00.000-05:002010-08-22T23:16:25.760-05:00

Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right.  --- Henry Ford (This reminds me to banish the "I can'ts" that pop up now and then.) 

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-4145122347574627332010-08-21T16:33:00.000-05:002010-08-21T16:33:58.283-05:00

Check out the pics of my Rings & Things Halloween bead soup, then leave a comment (on the 8/15/10 post) for a chance at winning them. 

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-49024110497261251952010-08-17T15:59:00.001-05:002010-08-17T16:00:15.566-05:00

If you were an animal, what would you be and why?I took these at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-7269412702048813972010-08-15T22:39:00.003-05:002010-08-18T11:16:26.368-05:00

How cute is this collection? I won this fun set of Halloween beads, charms and casket pendant in Rings and Things' monthly blog partner giveaway. The casket opens, of course, and has a little lock on the side. I'm going to share the fun and give this batch away to one of you. There is a lot of jewelry lurking in among the witch's pointy faces, frowning pumpkins and the too cute owls.You can

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-13452333921679276782010-08-15T14:50:00.002-05:002010-08-15T16:08:10.263-05:00

I am so glad I took a torch-fired enamel class at Thompson Enamel earlier this month. The excellent and super-fun teacher was Paul Roche, who also teaches at the John C. Campbell Folk School. Paul used to be a chef and certainly lived up to his promise to teach enameling "outside the box." We learned a lot of shortcuts. (We definitely didn't wash or sift enamel.) We jumped in and starting

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-81744707093806837232010-08-11T14:49:00.001-05:002010-08-11T14:52:24.972-05:00

I'm finally rested after a whirlwind 11 days of planes, big-city sightseeing in Cincinnati (lions, tigers, bears, flowers, sharks and a kimodo dragon), an awesome 2-day torch-firing class at Thompson Enamel, then the always-fun Austin Bead Society Bazaar. Now I'm editing pictures! For your viewing pleasure today, here are my goodies from the Austin Bead Society show.The abalone pointy ovals, 12

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-21013955457445858412010-08-08T19:27:00.001-05:002010-08-08T19:28:13.789-05:00

The Austin Bead Society show was wonderful. I'll post pics of my loot in a day or two. I also need to post pics soon from the Thompson Enamel torch-fired enameling workshop. (That was a blast and my head is still spinning with ideas!)The bead society ladies did a great job, as usual, of putting on the show and taking good care of the vendors. I sold lots of beads, which made me very happy.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-69009807408238566762010-08-06T19:49:00.000-05:002010-08-06T19:49:39.795-05:00

 My bags are packed... oodles of $1 bargain bead bags!  They are at the Austin Bead Society show at Palmer Events Center waiting for shoppers.  The show will be from 10 to 5 tomorrow and 11 to 5 Sunday.  Palmer Events Center is at 900 Barton Springs Rd. (click here for map).  See you there!

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-78196314037895221182010-07-18T11:04:00.007-05:002010-07-18T11:18:52.276-05:00

It was soooo exciting to walk into Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and see this picture I took enlarged into a poster. I was so blown away that I missed taking pics of some of them!The one above is Lydia Johns making a glass bead and photos of her studio. Thank you Lydia!This is an enlargement of a bead embroidery picture done by Laura Zeiner. See that little frame Laura is holding on

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-44509516262784777502010-07-07T23:39:00.004-05:002010-07-07T23:53:57.240-05:00

Isn't this a fun design with endless possibilities? Grab a copy of the August issue of Bead & Button magazine and head straight to page 47 for the instructions. Congrats to my friend Laura Zeiner for having her wonderful bracelet design published!

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-802903086105417162010-07-01T20:48:00.002-05:002010-07-01T20:51:13.524-05:00

Okay, I have to build a teeny bit of suspense first. Right before I used the random number thing, I thought "wouldn't it be funny if Monica wins because I already know her address." I swear it wasn't rigged. Congrats, Monica! I will mail your soaps tomorrow.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-22731858472878891042010-06-25T10:00:00.001-05:002010-06-25T10:00:07.938-05:00

I'm giving away five bars of soap from Etsy seller GemoriahSpa. They are two-ounce bars of shea butter soap that make your skin feel soooo sooooft. The colors are sparkly and pretty, too! The soap scents are: Beach Breeze, Citrus Vanilla Sugar, Cinnamon Apple, Asian Temptress, and Cucumber Aloe. If you take two (or three) showers a day in summer like I do, you'll appreciate this fun

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-82730432670631349322010-06-24T00:10:00.005-05:002010-06-24T20:34:07.388-05:00

Here is what Jess from Vintaj Natural Brass sent me - several focals and a stash of brass! Yummy! I love wire, metal beads and chain.Where, oh where to start? Bracelets usually come first for me, and it happened again. I added amethyst beads, vintage aqua and purple swirly beads, brass and Czech glass. I just love that Vintaj clasp.The earrings were next.Then I made the necklace (more

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-42175123091178054802010-06-21T09:51:00.004-05:002010-06-21T09:56:44.991-05:00

I redid my bead soup necklace last night. I like the new version much better than the first one. Everything but the center pendant is different. :)Today is day 3 of the bead soup reveals. Check out these blogs for wonderful jewelry:27. Lisa, Alterity28. Dale, Dales' Flights of Fancy29. Melanie, Kookie Designs30. Christine, A Hot Piece of Glass31. Nancy, Beading From the Heart32.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-34115172610815169892010-06-19T10:15:00.003-05:002010-06-19T10:21:53.404-05:00

It's the first day of a week-long results exhibit! Hop over to Lori Anderson's blog for the links to everyone who reveals their creations today. Over 90 people participated, so Lori divided up the list into groups who will post their results each day for a week. I'll post mine on 6/24/10. Check out Lori's blog then check back here on Thursday to see what I did with my bead soup from Jess of

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-63768360837934926822010-06-18T15:45:00.003-05:002010-06-18T15:49:14.137-05:00

Fellow Etsian MemphisGypsy has featured a pair of my earrings in her "Just Peachy" treasury. I love all the peachy-coral colors and flowers in the treasury. Be sure to check out the cool scarves and jewelry in MemphisGypsy's Etsy shop.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-59736700888923534432010-06-14T22:00:00.003-05:002010-06-14T22:14:31.190-05:00

Here's a little bitty preview of one item I made with my bead soup from my blog party partner Jess Italia Lincoln. Lori Anderson organized this fun blog party. A whopping 97 blogs participated! Starting Saturday (the 19th), we'll see what everyone made. A list of the reveal dates and a link to all the blogs are on Lori's blog. Get ready to start blog-hopping! You might want to practice a

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-20400736916460613312010-06-07T17:55:00.004-05:002010-06-07T18:07:41.889-05:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my Bead Soup Blog Party swap partner is Jess Italia Lincoln of Vintaj Natural Brass. She sent me a veritable treasure chest of ocean-themed loot. It has a starfish, sand dollar, seahorse, watery blue lampwork beads and even a sea monster. I hope that's a sea monster towards the bottom right, anyway. Visit Lori Anderson's blog post for a list of all the

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-11791383694785017422010-06-05T13:53:00.003-05:002010-06-05T14:20:26.787-05:00

The Texas Arts and Crafts show in Kerrville was a blast. I met lots of nice folks, had a nice breeze in my booth, and didn't spend too much. I love when outdoor shows have air-conditioned bathrooms and the volunteers bring you cold water! I bought a print of the above artwork from fellow Austinite Jennifer Becker. She does pastels of succulents with beautiful colors and an abstract quality.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-61719948694239791832010-05-18T13:04:00.006-05:002010-05-18T13:32:41.741-05:00

Today is the day for mailing our bead soups to our partners. Well, actually, today is the deadline (but I digress). My swap partner is Jess, the Director of Education of Vintaj Natural Brass Co. I'm so looking forward to getting her package! My humble offering to her is the bead soup above.The lampwork beads are from a booth neighbor at an Austin Bead Society Bazaar years ago. I love their

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-14777226827249770272010-05-16T13:01:00.007-05:002010-05-16T20:12:42.268-05:00

The Renegade Craft Fair was awesome yesterday. There was a large crowd of shoppers and tons of handcrafted goodness. I bought a dress from Madeline Wood (see the "Lillian" dress on her blog), a key chain from Kim Sun Designs and a purse from Viva Zapata! . The purses are inspired by the buses of Buenos Aires. The dress is a tad, um, snug but should be fine when I lose a few pounds (and I

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-38536206393001928292010-05-11T09:21:00.003-05:002010-05-11T09:26:35.280-05:00

Talented Etsy couple Glassnwood from Corpus Christi, TX kindly included my simple butterfly pendant necklace in this treasury. If you have not seen Glassnwood's Etsy shop before, you simply must. He does amazing, award-winning wood carvings and she makes wonderful nature-themed stained glass.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-58969565845818810892010-05-08T12:02:00.007-05:002010-05-08T13:25:31.970-05:00

The San Antonio Starving Artists Art Show was in a beautiful park with large pecan trees. I saw a lot of friends and made some new ones. I love the artwork of Michal. Her website shows her interior paintings only. You'll just have to imagine how awesome her canvases are.I completely forgot that the San Antonio Bead and Ornament Society (SABOS) show was the same weekend. I've become

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-25585326641508239842010-04-30T10:43:00.003-05:002010-04-30T10:59:59.556-05:00

I'll be in the midst of lots of fun folks selling their handcrafted wares in San Antonio this weekend. Stop by and check out the San Antonio Starving Artists Art Show if you can. It's in the SAHA Park at 818 S. Flores, near the SAHA headquarters.The show is sponsored by the Little Church of La Villita. The $3 admission fee goes to support the Church's food program.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-25696686848019061062010-04-26T22:29:00.004-05:002010-04-26T22:45:46.331-05:00

The Georgetown (TX) Red Poppy Festival was a lot of fun this weekend. I want to send a huge *thank you* to all the wonderful folks I met, especially my new customers and my neighboring vendors. Everyone was so nice.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-13450990167395727382010-04-16T19:35:00.004-05:002010-04-16T19:49:23.267-05:00

An article on handling stress and one on being optimistic both hit the front page of Yahoo! today, right after everyone (hopefully) filed tax returns. If you are having trouble in the "don't worry, be happy" department (and who doesn't sometimes?), check these out.I can't find the same stress management article, but here is a good one.http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_TCS.htmHere are

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-27221349382582644502010-04-14T21:59:00.003-05:002010-04-14T22:06:35.725-05:00

I discovered the Ode to Blue blog yesterday when she sent me a convo about featuring my sodalite necklace. It is such a beautiful blog! She creates blue-themed Etsy minis for different shades of blue and different topics, like the "Bluebells and Bonnets" mini above. You must check out her blog. Be forewarned: there is tons of eye candy and you'll find lots of cool Etsy shops and new blogs

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-4375643313180014662010-04-04T20:45:00.015-05:002010-09-05T22:11:51.561-05:00

The Corpus Christi Festival of the Arts was a fun show and the weather was perfect. I had super-nice neighbors Susan Best (click on her name to see her Etsy shop) and Diane the photographer. I'll update with Diane's last name as soon as I figure out what I did with the business cards I gathered at the show. There was a lot going on, including the Italian street painting above by artist

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-50375148543005188832010-03-20T19:13:00.004-05:002010-03-20T19:25:33.501-05:00

How's this for dinner: Northwest Harvest Red Wine and Herbs Pasta Salad, Tuscan Tomato-Basil Bread, and Chocolate Merlot Brownie? You can win one of these mixes by participating in the giveaway at Audrey's Giveaway Blog. The mixes are created by Wine Barrel Gourmet. I wonder if they need any taste-testers. :) The photo above is the Dilly Onion Bread that Audrey made from the mix. I

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-32224116012675048412010-03-19T10:08:00.000-05:002010-03-19T10:09:10.757-05:00

Pondering this. Outdoor show tomorrow, forecast is for high in the low 50's, 70% chance of rain with wind gusts up to 40 mph. My gut says to blow off the show. But, it's SXSW and on S. Congress. Will there be any shoppers? Will my tent survive? Where is my crystal ball?

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-36342064525436271812010-03-16T18:20:00.006-05:002010-03-16T18:30:16.105-05:00

I planted a very small Mexican Plum (Prunus Mexicana) 7 or 8 years ago. I didn't know at the time that they take a good 5 to 7 years to bloom. Parts of the tree died in year 3 and I'm glad it survived a severe trimming. It finally has aged enough and is showing off its first flowers this year. happy dance!

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-76337984338651792162010-03-15T19:41:00.005-05:002010-03-15T19:56:40.585-05:00

I love to look at Craftgawker. The photos rule the page and the site's managers jury the photos for quality. Most of the photos are of items on Etsy and the rest have links to Artfire or other web sites. I've found a lot of cool blogs to follow through Craftgawker.I hopped over a little bit ago when I got an email that my last submission was accepted. I almost drooled when I saw the bracelet

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-41298659831924460372010-03-12T10:38:00.007-06:002010-03-12T10:50:54.381-06:00

With hordes of folks about to descend on Austin for South by Southwest, I got into a Southwestern mood and dug into the turquoise. I love turquoise. I hoard turquoise. The turquoise beads here are from the Hubei province of China. I bought them in 2004. They look like cartoon bird's eggs. These are posted in my Etsy shop; clicking the photos will take you there.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-21730476228135697202010-03-11T18:25:00.006-06:002010-03-11T18:42:20.525-06:00

The wonderful ladies of the Etsy Austin team have secured a new market space on South Congress Ave. for March 20th. We have a great location behind Hey Cupcake and other food trailers (yum!). If you're looking on a map, that's the East side of South Congress between Monroe and Milton. We hope to see a lot of SXSW devotees. :) Oh, yeah, I'll be there with a lot of jewelry. Click the

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-6906594317414925952010-03-10T14:30:00.001-06:002010-03-10T14:32:49.393-06:00

WooHoo! Barbara Lewis, the Queen and generous teacher of torch-fired enameling, has a book in the works! http://tinyurl.com/yj37u34

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-17913734977994422662010-03-05T13:37:00.004-06:002010-03-05T13:40:27.041-06:00

Thanks to NPR, folks who can't make it to Austin for SXSW (or who are in Austin and like to avoid the crowds) can listen to music from 100 of the participating bands. It's not the same as being there, but it's a lot cheaper. I'm off to fire this up now -> http://tinyurl.com/yzxh95b .

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-72205317286956712612010-03-04T12:38:00.010-06:002010-03-04T12:57:14.784-06:00

Just in time for spring gardening and beading, I have re-stocked the red ladybugs and added new colors. These are 9 mm long, only a bit larger than real-life ladybugs. Click the pics to go to the listings in my Etsy bead shop. Is there another ladybug color you'd like?

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-83736550359387431142010-03-03T09:38:00.003-06:002010-03-03T09:47:12.571-06:00

A while back I blogged about Barbara Lewis' enamel bead giveaway. I was one of the four WINNERS! (Sorry for shouting. I don't recall calling myself a winner ever before.)This may well be the first thing I've won in entire my life and it was worth waiting for. So, who thinks they know which color set I picked - dusty pink, dusty blue, or mandarin orange?

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-24618308962609480952010-03-02T12:31:00.002-06:002010-03-02T12:38:12.379-06:00

Happy Texas Independence Day everyone! Yes, today is a state holiday celebrating the creation of the Republic of Texas way back on March 2, 1836. I hope I'm around in 2036 to see the bicentennial celebrations. Get more info about the history of Texas here.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-20510703220351991122010-03-01T09:24:00.003-06:002010-03-01T09:25:37.740-06:00

This post is for people out there who are way more trusting than I am. If you get an email supposedly from PayPal with the subject "Your account has been limited and will be suspended," DON'T believe it and DON'T follow the instructions in it.It is a phishing attempt to get your PayPal information so someone else can take money from your account. Instead, forward the email to spoof@PayPal.com

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-60164541647115117212010-02-26T14:21:00.002-06:002010-02-26T14:32:54.035-06:00

If you sell online and your web page says you ship daily, don't mail a package a week after the order is placed and paid! Good grief! I would think this is common sense.I am appalled at some sellers (large and small) who just ignore the customer after payment. It's very easy to use the PayPal or UPS shipping that automatically sends the buyer an email when the mailing label is created. It

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-73604684174022504002010-02-25T11:26:00.003-06:002010-02-25T11:32:04.052-06:00

Yea! Can you believe it will be March in 4 days? I'm so glad. I hope spring lasts a little longer this year than last year. Here is my loquat shrub. (It is on its way to being a tree someday. It's about 4 feet tall now.)What signs of spring are you seeing?

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-71298642924772433472010-02-23T14:56:00.003-06:002010-02-23T15:10:52.389-06:00

Big, fat, fluffy flakes of snow! Yes, I hear a big yawn from folks in the midwest and the east coast. It's pretty dang exciting to those of us in south central Texas. I usually wear my heavy sweatshirt only 3 or 4 times a year winter; this winter I've been wearing it twice a week.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-751126679229584722010-02-22T00:08:00.004-06:002010-02-22T00:18:39.946-06:00

After a delicious dinner tonight, I sat down at the laptop and thought about creating an Etsy Treasury. I've read about them but never tried to create one. (It's a group of Etsy listings selected by an Etsy member and visible to everyone. The special thing is that folks like to look at them and Etsy staff often selects the front page items from the Treasuries). I knew it involved watching

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-33033004833568699302010-02-19T17:54:00.001-06:002010-02-19T17:55:35.456-06:00

I'm tinkering with my template, so things might look very strange around here for a little while.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-6297492763416682892010-02-19T14:14:00.005-06:002010-02-20T00:50:01.902-06:00

The wonderful Barbara Lewis, guru of torch-fired enamel, is having a giveaway to let folks know about her new blog home. She has three choices of bead sets - dusty blue, dusty rose, and my fave - mandarin orange (above). Click here to go to her blog.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-2496615466829466072010-02-17T11:16:00.002-06:002010-02-17T11:21:27.136-06:00

Fellow Central Texan Debbie of Grievous Angel Designs included me and my friend Laura of Stick Lizard Designs in a new Etsy Treasury called "Sweet Texas Peaches and Cream." Are we ready for spring or what?

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-8805681663548624212010-02-16T20:42:00.002-06:002010-02-16T20:44:56.754-06:00

I hope some of you were able to see tonight's beautiful crescent moon. Click here to see the moon over the Austin skyline (you'll have to scroll down a little).

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-83814559482755180122010-02-14T19:28:00.005-06:002010-02-14T19:41:04.976-06:00

That would be me tooting my own horn for a minute. CorkyCrafts, a fellow Etsy Texan who lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including a pair of my earrings in her "Champagne Bubbles" treasury. If you like wine or grapes, check out her nifty home decor made with corks.Below are some torch-enameled beads and bead caps I made. I'm getting the hang of this, with many thanks to Barbara Lewis.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-53470567048953116702010-02-13T09:29:00.006-06:002010-02-13T09:38:14.028-06:00

Woohoo! My jewelery is in two treasuries. Both of them feature work by the Etsy Texas Crafters team. The purple one is by paper goods creator thepinkdillo (how cute is that name?) and the brown one is by jewelry maker gabeadz .

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-922464223829146232010-02-12T16:22:00.005-06:002010-02-12T16:30:01.792-06:00

I love to look at Craftgawker. The photos are juried, so it is always pretty and inspiring. A few days ago I saw the "Sea of Birds" photo from Etsy seller silviareitsma. Now I've seen plenty of seagulls in my day, but not so many in one place. I kept thinking about the colors and the calmness of the photo. All her photos are equally beautiful. Here is a little Etsy mini of her current

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-6346544925311805802010-02-09T10:58:00.005-06:002010-02-09T11:07:30.378-06:00

Here's a fun and super-fast way to see all the recently listed items on Etsy. You can set a price range and view all of Etsy or just a selected category. Click the screen shot or here to go to http://picclick.com/Etsy/ .

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-77069531373955182952010-02-07T12:18:00.003-06:002010-02-07T12:30:51.651-06:00

From www.ganoksin.com: "Mexico's Cueva de los Cristales (Cave of Crystals) contains some of the world's largest known natural crystalstranslucent beams of gypsum as long as 36 feet (11 meters). How did the crystals reach such superheroic proportions? National Geographic writer Neil Shea and photographer Carsten Peter discuss the extreme working conditions inside Mexico's Cave of Crystals."It

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-35810215720207804212010-02-06T11:56:00.000-06:002010-02-06T11:56:59.135-06:00

Wouldn't you just LOVE to WIN these for FREE?  I'm entering the drawing every way I can.  Here's the scoop.  Leann Weih of Summers Studio is giving away a bowl of her ceramic beads to kick off her First Friday Freebies series.   I love her beads and can't believe we have chances at winning them!  Yes, I'm excited about this!  Click here to enter. 

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-37566866766396807752010-02-04T12:30:00.001-06:002010-02-04T12:30:33.509-06:00

A batch of earrings.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-64839607830758447212010-02-02T14:15:00.000-06:002010-02-02T14:15:09.812-06:00

Barbara Lewis, from whom I bought my torch-fired enamel torch head and pulling station, has set up a Ning group for torch fired enamel enthusiasts.  More info and details are on her blog post today. Here are the results of my first firing session.  I experimented first with some base metal beads that either flaked or melted (not shown in photo). These are four brass beads and two copper washers

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-65886382699419577772010-01-31T21:41:00.002-06:002010-01-31T21:42:19.536-06:00

in my Etsy supply shop http://tinyurl.com/yhrc6ku .

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-19373917540826470602010-01-31T14:20:00.001-06:002010-01-31T14:21:22.830-06:00

If you make jewelry, join the month of earrings challenge started by Vickie Hallmark.  Details are on her blog.  My first entry is a pair of hematite earrings with Hill Tribe silver beads and my balled head pins and ear wires.

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-76788441807594669862010-01-30T20:36:00.000-06:002010-01-30T20:36:45.386-06:00

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-91122055610108388632010-01-28T22:22:00.001-06:002010-01-28T22:23:11.341-06:00

My studio gets a good clearing-out about every other year.  I didn't take "before" shots. That would have been too embarrassing (not to mention somewhat depressing)!  One entire 5' table, two trashbags, and a few small totes of stuff have been removed.  I finally feel I can share my space with you. There are more photos and notes in my Flickr set. Please, do tell me:  how do you keep your

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-24709362326889981002010-01-22T17:05:00.000-06:002010-01-22T17:05:03.318-06:00

I just ran across this wire storage tip from Kelsi's Closet - http://design.kcjewelbox.com/2010/01/12/tool-time-tuesday--store-your-metal.aspx#AddComment . I don't want to steal her photo, so click that link for a look. I already use gallon-size ziplock bags and put them in order by size. But... they are on the floor, so I do a bit of stretching each time I get one. Then I end up with 3 bags

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180526195258063454.post-20477751784096876022010-01-21T17:58:00.001-06:002010-01-21T18:00:25.756-06:00

Carol Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088999136880331083noreply@blogger.com2