Well, the rainy season has set in for the Pacific Northwest. It's been dark, dreary, and damp the last few days and not good for the waning energy level. I'm dreaming of a sunny vacation somewhere warm and tropical.

I've been playing with acrylic paint and other mixed media lately. I just feel the urge to create with bright, happy, in-your-face color and sometimes I can't get that fix with glass. This is a non-representational piece called "Pink Eye". It's not meant to be anything but abstract color and line design. I also used pastels, watercolor crayon, and india ink on birch plywood. 11.5x10" It was lots of fun and I will continue.

Thanks to all who bid on my "Studio Stash" auction and a big thanks to D., the winner. I will be able to replace my very tired oxy machine soon.

Need to raise some cash.......

I have a very expensive piece of studio equipment that is on it's last leg and needs to be replaced soon. I just listed a huge Ebay auction to raise some money to help pay for it. There are 123 beads in this auction. Not seconds or orphans. These are all perfect beads. Imagine what you could do with this buttload of beads...........

I'll be shopping....

New necklaces in my Etsy store!! Need a gift for someone special?

I can't believe it's already time to start thinking about Christmas again. It used to be we could at least get through Halloween and maybe Thanksgiving before we started to see Christmas merchandise everywhere but it's out now in most every store I've been in for the last couple weeks. Don't get me wrong I like Christmas but come on..... I have been thinking about getting started early though. And of course I say that every year. I always have the best intentions it's just that I find choosing gifts sooooo hard. I always feel I could have made a better choice. Well, I'm going to start. Hopefully tomorrow right after I get the oil changed in my car. How exciting...

I hope you all have a great HALLOWEEN!! I wanna see some costumes kids. Come on over, I've got lots of treats!

Dia de los Muertos

I love Mexican folk art. I just can't resist all that color! So in celebration of El Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, or All Souls' Day I've created a OOAK, (one-of-a-kind), glass lampwork sugar scull pendant on a sterling silver bead strand chain. The pendant has a unique glass bail with a loop from which the other beads hang. The very colorful and whimsical sugar scull bead has a twisted pink and salmon headband with a periwinkle flower and she is wearing turquoise earrings, of course. The pendant is strung on a 24" chain and comes signed with my own sterling silver Hippkitty Beads tag. Find it in my Etsy store soon.

We had our first big fall storm last night. We lost power for a short while while the wind howled. The neighborhood looked like a war zone this morning with all the leaves and branches on the ground. Good thing it wasn't trash day or there would be garbage cans all over the neighborhood.

I'm determined to relax today. Maybe watch a movie later. Hope you have a relaxing Saturday also....

Bokomo Commotion

I've been working on a very specially "engineered" necklace this week. I say engineered because it took awhle to figure out the design strategy. A tad bit tricky but I think it turned out fantastic! This is a OOAK, (one-of-a-kind), piece so if you like it snatch it up now because I won't be making another just like this.

The glass lampwork cone pendant, turned upside-down from the way I usually design, is wired from the inside to chain links that fall from an unusual glass pendant bail. This unique, hot orange bail, has a glass loop attached to hold all the beads that form the riotously colored dangles. Bits of sky blue silk cord, strung with colorful seed beads, are tied to the chain links also, here and there, and really add to the sense of fun. The heavier gauge sterling wire that holds the cone pendant and the small orange bottom bead together is hand forged and formed into a lovely little spiral at the end. The pendant hangs from chunky 4mm rolo chain. The necklace has a spring ring closure, is 17 inches in length with 2 inch extender.

This piece was so much fun to create and I hope it brightens your day a bit. You may see "Bokomo Commotion" in my Etsy store soon but just for a short time.

Kanzashi Cuties....

I just added some Kanzashi pins/brooches to my Etsy store. Traditional Japenese fabric folding technique. Originally meant for elaboate hair ornaments, I believe, (think geisha). These are really fun and simple to make and I've added lampwork, either a bead or a cabochon to the center of each for a little extra cuteness. Here's a tutorial if you'd like to learn how to make your own.

My favorite flip flop beads to date.... Available in my Etsy store.

I think fall arrived this morning. Frost on the pumpkin...literally. Yesterday was such brilliant day. I spent the afternoon working in the yard with hubby to get things cleaned up and ready for winter. Raking leaves and pulling up the corn stalks from the vegetable garden. Norm cleaned out the chimney while I made beads in the garage. I heard him pounding on the roof or should I say "felt" him pounding on the roof, since I had my music player's earphones in my ears I didn't hear him hollering at me. He was actually about to fall off the roof because his foot got stuck in the gutter. He managed by himself and was rather annoyed with me, (and rightfully so), when I finally emerged from the garage to see what the commotion was about. Thanks to me he's limping this morning..... I'm such a doofus!