This Christmas season I participated in my first ever online "Secret Santa" game. I was assigned someone that had given no extra information. So I turned into "Stalker Santa" and looked her up online. I googled her name and came up with an interview she had given and finally some extra information so I could make something just for her. So I designed a bead to match her love for Stephen Kings' Dark Tower series and I also sent along some really incredible catnip for her two cats, Roland and Cuthbert, named after two of the characters in the books.

About that catnip... It was sitting in a sealed container, in a bag on top of the television, about 5' off of the floor. Our cat walked into the room an started sniffing the air. She then proceeded to jump up onto the narrow ledge beside the television and climbed up next to the bag with the yummy smell.

I put her back on the floor and gave her a little pinch from her own container :)

Happy Holidays!

A couple more of our spoon bracelets. This one is stamped "eternally yours" inside. I am sure that is the name of the pattern~ How romantic is that?And of course I saved the best for last but that is only my opinion. I will always have a "thing" for seaweed sparkle glass and its tiny bits of inner sparkle~ and the spoons on this one ahh... :)
Things only my camera can see!!! phhh See the bits of hemp fuzz on this bead? I have great vision and didn't notice them with my eyes until after I had taken the picture and loaded it for resizing etc...
The bead is lovely and I am really pleased with how it turned out. The other five pictures I took of it have no fuzz in them :)
Snow, no snow, then some more snow. We went for a walk this morning because it was snowing. I dropped everything, had my girl bundle up quickly and we walked in the falling snow. I try to make the most out of it because you never know how long it will last here. Usually it melts off fairly quickly in a day or two at most. I am not a fan of driving in it and usually just won't period. This morning I drove to the Post Office in a rush and left a package that has to be in the mail in the morning and that was it. Now looking out at the solid colored clouds I wonder if we will have more tonight. It sure looks like it. Another walk is in the making I think :)

Taking a good picture of items you are selling online is soooo important. I still don't quite have it down. Even though I love trying :) Sometimes my backgrounds turn colors other than what they are. A lovely shade of yellow ivory is my least favorite~ blech... So this Sunday I am taking a class in Seattle and hopefully it will make all the difference in the world. I am excited to be included as the class size is very small. I can't wait to see what I can learn!
On making wine stoppers I wish I was more prolific but they take a lot out of me when I make them. After I complete one my left hand will sometimes shake like I have the tremors!!! Not good for making the small detailed beads that I prefer. I have decided that I need to get an armrest of some sort so that I have good support while I am waving that big blob of glass in the flame.
And then there is always the desire for more glass. I have discovered glass that I had previously ignored because I didn't want to have yet another type of glass *rolls eyes* Well it turns out that I really love this glass a LOT. It isn't listed on my suppliers website... I hope they still have some. I am going to have a busy weekend I can tell :)

Here we go again!!! Off to Dewey Beach to play with the Greyhounds~ The standing Greyhound is my newly designed image~
Of course One of them is my favorite :)
A sampling of some of the dichroic Greyhound beads I have made for Dewey. Sue has been turning them into beautiful wearable items. Creating the dichro images is something I really enjoy. This year I created a standing greyhound. Creating an image involves first drawing the picture. Then it is scanned into my computer and e-mailed to my wonderful dichro guy. He then does whatever it is he does (magic?) that puts the image onto glass so I can melt it onto my beads. Each piece is meticulously and carefully formed to the bead it is on. I have to be very attentive during this process or I end up with a distorted image.
*** Greyhounds Reach the Beach 2007 is the event Sue and I will be attending **
It is our 10th year at this event !!
Sue creates beautiful collars for greyhounds as Silk Road Collars http://www.silkroadcollars.com/
** Stop by and say hello:) We will be located at:
The Sand Palace, Room 108
1710 HWY One, Dewey Beach DE 19771
Sand Palace Hours - Friday through Sunday
Friday - 9am to 4pm
Saturday - 8am to 4pm
Sunday - 8am to 12pm
Also The Best Western Gold Leaf
1400 Hwy 1 Dewey Beach DE 19971
Best Western Hours - Wednsday through Sunday
Wednsday 10am to 5pm
Thursday 10am to 6pm
Friday 8am to 7pm
Saturday 8am to 7pm
Sunday 9am to 4pm
See you There!!!

We arrived and the weather was stunning!! So is the beach and then there is that man :) More beauty to the North...
And the morning sun coming up over the hills seen from our room Saturday morning...
All set up and ready to go!!!!
Amazing number of etsy artists! What a talented group :)
Matt and I had a wonderful time in Lincoln City. The people were very welcoming and friendly.
The show went very well and the rain showers they predicted for Saturday... Never made it to the beach!!! We had beautiful sunny weather with just the slightest breeze.
River managed to organize one of the best shows I have ever been too and I can't wait to do it again :)

Going to Lincoln City with me ~ Lovely shades of a rainforest safari~ Pretty topaz lovelies~ A custom request that wasn't exactly what the customer had in mind :)
Custom orders~ I love them as long as I get to have a bit of creative leeway~ Like color options! Choose more than one and it becomes an inspirational experience for me :)
Be specific! If you are after a certain look say so! It is okay, my goal is to make something you will love. Of course if I love them as well it will be easier for me, but I think I love most all of them~ lol...
I have been doing some custom requests lately and the reality is sometimes they work out and sometimes they don't. It is difficult translating a vision from an e-mail, even with pictures. I am learning to ask more questions and really get the specifics nailed down. But still I will make more than one bead set or pendant or whatever if I need to and it is allright, because like I said I happen to love them all and extra inventory is always great for me.
Have no fear! It is certainly okay to ask and never a bother for me.
Now seriously I must get down to the business of show preparation. Lincoln City is looming and I am starting to have a touch of anxiety! I may need to back off the coffee this week so I can stay calm and not get too excited. I'll burn myself out before Friday if my mind keeps racing like this hehehe... I am really looking forward to it. Matt and I will get a mini vacation and meet up with a bunch of other people from Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/index.php
It is going to be a fun time!

Here are the rest~ Of course I just love this navy color! And Some more of this combo my new "old" favorite!
I don't have time to say much today as I am busy with my daughter and niece! My but they do keep me busy. You'd think they would keep each other busy right? huh! lol~ Ah well I am sure they will be too busy for me in time.
Seeya after Frantz!!!!
Except for you Amanda I will see YOU there :)

Beads, its always beads isn't it? These deserved a new picture at the very least. The first pix I took of them were just not right~ This sweet beauty~ hmm do I keep it? Sometimes the camera will pick up detail the naked eye doesn't. That being said most always they are prettier in real life. The dark color here is navy, dark enough to be almost black. I was going for black and the rod I used was extremely dark in color and one of my lightbulbs burned out... well your getting the picture now :) So the experimentals got some friends in this "new" color I accidently mixed. I was surprised when I went out yesterday morning and held the rod up next to the remaining lightbulb to look through it. It isn't even blue~ it is all about layers :)
Green has always had a special place in my heart! More to come in this mix for sure!
Then there are these little delights! They are big-holed ~ 3/16 and layered with silver foil that I decided not to burn off completely. Ahh serious Bliss!
How did my outdoor event for work go? I met "The Crime Dog" Other than that is was a very quiet evening. We had dark threatening rain clouds and some drizzle. Even free food didn't lure the people out. One of the managers, Marlene really made my day! I was scheduled to do the event alone and she put forth an extra effort and came along, good thing, I never would have gotten the canopy up by myself. A Big Thank YOU Marlene!!

So my vacation week is flying by way faster than it should. It is now Thursday and I have two days left. One of which will be spent here : http://www.frantznewsletter.com/August_Bash_07.htm
The other one will be spent preparing to go. I have a list to make ya know?!!!

Bright and Bold~ That is a change for me, of course I love them both even thought they really aren't "my style" I had a fairly productive morning today and I can't wait to see what comes from the kiln later :) I experimented a little and if the results are fabulous I will make my little experimentals some brothers and sisters so they will be sets.
Weather here is cloudy and cool and I am a little concerned as I have an outdoor event for work this evening. I volunteered to represent my employer at our local National Night Out event.
I hope it goes well~

Hey Graphic Artists Type folks who love glass~ This is a contest just for you!!!!

Etsy Glass Artists Business Card Contest Sponsored by the Etsy Glass Artists Street Team The Etsy Glass Artists (EGA) Street Team is sponsoring a business card design contest. The contest, details for which are online at http://contest.etsyglass.com, invites participants to design the official business card for the Team. The grand prize winner will receive artisan glass items valued at $350. Two runners up will each receive a $10 gift certificate to use in any EGA member Etsy shop. Individuals wishing to enter the contest should create a unique business card design that effectively promotes glasswork on Etsy and conveys the mission of EGA. Submissions will be accepted through the website beginning July 5 and must be received by August 15, 2007. Winners will be announced in late August 2007. Etsy Glass Artists is an Etsy.com Street Team comprised of glass fusers, glass blowers, lampworkers and stained glass artisans dedicated to fostering an appreciation for the handmade glass arts. Etsy.com is an online marketplace for buying and selling all things handmade. Complete contest rules and technical specifications can be found at the contest website, http://contest.etsyglass.com.

Yummy yummy colors~ lately I've been wanting to make more big hole beads :)
Terra and dark Ivory what a great combo this turned out to be ~very rustic Some more squeezies! I just love these pretty, pretty, pretty, SMASH! oh yeah :)
More of the big holes

I know you are all dying to see the second installment in "The Mysteries of Glass" series. No worries, I've taken some more pix and will be telling you about some of my favorite tools next~

Just thought I'd throw out a quick little post with some of this weeks beads to tide you all over.

The Warm spice beads are back! A wonderful soft pinky coral medley, probably one of my all-time favorite beadsets. I re-listed them yesterday so if you missed them the first time around here is your second chance. Go get 'em!!

Its my Birthday :) I am spending a nice morning with my hubby. Then we are off to the store to get some goodies as we have a few family members coming over later for an impromptu get together.

The giant Larva beetle thingy is GONE!!! shudder... Matt got rid of it yesterday and I am so glad, it was kind of gross to see it laying in the bottom of the jar waiting to hatch bleh... No guesses on what it was.

May is an out of control busy month for me! We have two major sales at work in May, then there are the birthdays. Matt, his grandmother and my sister all have birthdays in May. So all the getting together to celebrate eats up some time. Time not wasted because my family is so precious to me. I get a little behind with all of you though :) I did manage to get another custom order done this week and some squeeze bead minis that I am absolutely smitten with~ I know I am a total glass nerd/freak I freely and happily admit that. One more cup of coffee and a few more words... Had to grab something for breakfast too. I think I have had a bit too much coffee this morning, half a pot!!! Yikes! just sipping and working lol~

Hope your Day is Glorious!

Kris