Loribeads - Lori Peterson

StrikingColor glass...

2012-01-17T17:05:00.000-08:00

StrikingColor glass rocks my world. :) Brad hand makes every batch of this marvelous glass and I adore it all! It's hard to get so when he has some up for sale, there is a feeding frenzy. http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/studio/StrikingcolorGlass

It never lasts long but when you get some you'll understand why. Zing go the strings of my heart. Kim and I make murrini with most of it. Check it out -

But it also makes amazing beads. Here's a forum thread chock full of beauties:
http://lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114871

And some of mine...

So, anyway, I just wanted to sing the praises of StrikingColor glass and thank Brad for making such an awesome product

We went to the movies!

2012-01-14T12:50:00.000-08:00

Mark and I saw "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" last night. Loved it. We had just watched the BBC series of the same name starring Sir Alec Guinness a month or so ago (we have it on DVD, along with Smiley's People - also fabulous) and so the storyline was pretty fresh in our memories and made it easy to do a direct comparison.

I liked the movie's treatment of the storyline very much. It tied up loose ends better than the BBC series, somehow. The acting of the peripheral characters was FAR superior in the movie, especially for Ricky and Irina. Gary Oldman as George Smiley really held his own against Guinness. At one point, the poker-faced Smiley is showing no emotion other than an almost imperceptable eye-twitch. Fantastic!

We were nearly alone in the theater, with maybe a dozen people in the theater for the late showing. Thankfully, no crying children...I think that was a first. Yay!

What's up, Internet?

2012-01-12T14:54:00.000-08:00

Long time no blog. Yeah, I know.

The holidays are behind me and I am planning the new year - three bead shows, one that involves air travel which will be tricky considering how much we will have to bring with us. I am really looking forward to that one since it will be in Seattle and I've never been there. The three shows are pretty evenly spaced out through the year - March, July and November - so I can fit other fun stuff into the gaps in between. Next month the girls and I are going to Disneyland!!! YAY! I haven't been for something like a decade so I am really looking forward to going.

I am keeping my head above water, barely, as far as murrini and beads go. I am trying to kick it into full gear since we will need a TON of both for the shows and it's always nice to have full Etsy shops, too. :) Trips to Kim's will be more frequent as we gear up for the shows and since we are planning to expand into new product lines.

Now, for something completely different.

What in the hell is wrong with people lately??? There, I've said it. Don't tell me you haven't been thinking it because I know you have. I have been avoiding my normal online haunts because the cranky level has been hitting a fever pitch during the past couple months. Is it because it's winter and everyone has the SAD? Is it the economy? Is it mercury and that retrograde thing? Is it because it's an election year and every time you turn on the TV someone is griping about the other guy and puffing themselves up like ridiculous, middle-aged male peacocks? Whatever it is, it needs to stop. Everyone needs to suck it up and slap on a strained smile and start talking about the weather and how a cold front might be coming in or other such pleasantries, just like my nordic ancestors have done for the past umpteen millenia.

I have spoken, internet. Don't make me come out there.

Picture Berries

2011-10-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

I have new beads up on www.loribeads.etsy.com and they are so much fun! I have to give mighty big props to Amy K at www.flamekeeper.etsy.com/ for the massive amount of inspiration she gave me and for her friendship and support, too.

Effetre Earth

2011-10-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

Have you guys seen this color yet? It's called Effetre Earth and I am in love. I haven't been this excited to see a new (non-silver) glass since I was a newbie. It is a combination of green and blue that looks, to me, like actual lapis. I love it!!! Did I mention that I love it? Yeah...well, I do. :)

Fall is coming!

2011-09-26T15:48:00.000-07:00

Autumn is in the air (at least for the next few hours, according to the weather report) and I am READY for it! I love the crisp breezes and the crunchy leaves underfoot. I miss rain and I miss sweaters. The only sadness I will feel is when I have to put my flip-flops away until spring. I've been making beads that match the upcoming season and it is just delightful to pull the rich hues out of the kiln. I will go back to brights in a few weeks, I'm sure, since I never stray for long but it is nice while it lasts. :)

Murrini

2011-08-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

Took some photos of beads I had hanging around in my bead box. I really love how easy it is to make interesting, intricate beads with nothing more than 'two rods of glass and some murrini' as someone so eloquently put it.

Learning process

2011-07-29T18:17:00.000-07:00

I have been knee deep in orders and murrini this month so I haven't had a lot of time to play at the torch lately. I visited my friend Alex yesterday, though, and what a refreshing break that was! It was great to sit and chat with a friend all day long. No making beads, no packing or shipping, just visiting. Well, she's a beadmaker too so we did talk about beadmaking. She shared her technique with me for making the most gorgeous beads. I couldn't wait to try it...

Hers are way better but I was pretty pleased with my first attempt. Before you get too impressed with mine - go check out her gorgeous beads at eBay and in her Etsy store.

The other bit of learning I did a couple nights ago when I was reading through the latest issue of Soda Lime Times which is all about frit. I was reading, in particular, an article by Val Cox entitled, "Why your frit beads may suck." or something like that. How did she know? LOL. She is an expert on frit, that's how. I would say that I instantly improved my frit beads after reading that article. I mixed up some frit and tried out Val's suggestions.

That's what I like about glass. The more years you work with it, the more you realize there is still so much to learn. It is simultaneously humbling and encouraging. I'm feeling pretty lucky to have such a fun profession and such talented friends to share ideas with. Very lucky, indeed.

Artists Statements and Signature Beads

2011-07-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

Oh you guys and your high-falutin' ways. LOL! I have never been a big fan of artist statements. They are frequently written in the third person, as if some random admirer was doing a short biography of the artist when, most of the time, they are actually written by the artist about themselves. Creepy. There. I've said it. It's creepy. And pretentious. And don't get me started on people who proclaim a certain style of bead their "Signature bead". Honestly, I don't know how people do this with a straight face. You're either known for making a certain kind of bead or you're not. Proclamations don't really make it so. I've heard people say it at bead shows and I've seen it A LOT on websites.

Why do I care? Honestly, I don't really. Other artists can do what they like and I am happy for them to do so. I just have an opinion and I thought I would share it since I don't really have anything else to write about in my blog today. Well, my back aches today and I am hopelessly addicted to deep, rich coffee but how many times can I write about that? Not many. I'd bore myself and you.

I think I would like us all to take ourselves just a little less seriously, especially when it comes to beads. I've seen people rip each other apart in the name of territory, which is funny when you think about the fact that this is BEAD territory. I've seen people claim to be the originator of designs that were most obviously not recently discovered. But, because they made more than 5 of them, they've decided they now own the style and you'd better not step on their turf or there will be hell to pay. I will never, in my life, understand this behavior. I understand lots of people make their living selling their artwork and therefore it's their livelihood they are trying to protect but, really, their energy is wasted on trying to take a protectionist stance. Use the energy to make and sell more beads. One of my favorite phrases is, "Keep your eyes on your own paper."

And those are my thoughts for today...

2011-07-23T23:41:00.000-07:00

Stole this announcement from Donna's blog (http://cgbeads.com/index.htm)

There's a new beadmakers magazine on the market. It's an online publication and you can get check out a free issue. I have read the first issue, holy cow, this is an awesome publication. Diane Woodall has been writing her local ISGB chapters newsletter, and is now she's turned her writing skill to be benefit the entire community.
Soda Lime Times
I've put up some new beads on www.loribeads.etsy.com. Here's a little peek:

StrikingColor

2011-07-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

I have to say that StrikingColor glass just might be my favorite glass ever. It can produce a rainbow of shades with very little effort. I just love using it for making murrini. It's just yummy. We have some StrikingColor murrini available - www.loriandkim.com just in case you don't want to make it yourself.

Something New

2011-07-19T16:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, Kim has been avoiding the whole bead selling business for a long time. She has a website and Etsy store but doesn't have time to keep it up and, really, it's not where she wants to focus her time. Sooooo, guess what?! I'm going to handle the selling part for her. YAY! I think it would be a shame for her beads to not be out in the hands of jewelry designers and bead enthusiasts since they are such gorgeous beads. Her bead styles are, frankly, a jewelry designer's dream. Tasteful, lovely combinations of colors and lots of detail in perfectly formed little works of art.

Here are a few pictures to whet your whistle:

www.loriandkim.com

Secrets Revealed

2011-07-18T12:35:00.000-07:00

Ok, this seems like a good enough place to bare my soul....

Remember those Mavis Beacon typing programs? I do. I spent a lot of the 90's at Fry's Electronics, feeding my inner nerd. Anyway, the software had a picture of a woman on the box. I remember she looked friendly and helpful and could probably improve my typing but I had many reports to run and learned to speed 10-key instead and my free time was spent with a tiny blond haired girl in hopes of keeping her off the pole. Mission accomplished, there, by the way.

Flash forward a decade or so. I'm sitting in my living room with now pink and black haired teenager and husband and a Rosetta Stone commercial comes on. I say something I wish I could take back a hundred times.

"I always liked Rosetta. She looked so friendly and helpful."

I was not aware of Rosetta's ancient Egyptian ancestory, apparently. Bring on the laughter from the peanut gallery. Lots of it.

More than a decade later...I still get gibes and pokes whenever we go by a Rosetta Stone kiosk in the mall or one of those commercials comes on the TV. FML.

Since we're only as sick as our secrets...there's mine. I'm an idiot.

It's hot.

2011-07-08T16:25:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's been pretty darn hot this week. Bleh. I find myself trying to keep busy inside, doing this and that, while my heart is really out at the torch. I have managed to squeak out a little torch time here and there but, for the most part, it was make a bead, take a break, pull some murrini, take a break, and so on and so forth. Lots of breaks and not a huge amount of production happening. Such is life. I am going to Kim's next week (where she lives is even hotter than here) so I will have to buckle down and just suck it up and put on my big girl panties and so on and so forth.

Summer, you've had your fun, now run along and send Autumn in, thankyouverymuch.

I have some beads I need to list...I guess I could do that while the A/C is working its little heart out.

These two photos really illustrate my inner struggle. On the one hand, I love putting faces on stuff. Those are my favorite beads to take out of the kiln. They're fun and bright and make me happy. On the other hand, silver glass makes me swoon. I look at those boring amber and putty colored rods of glass and they just dare me to make something amazing with them. It's always a surprise and usually a good one when I pull those beads out of the kiln.

So, every time I go out to the torch, I have to decide whether I'm going to listen to the child or the grown up. :)

A bead

2011-06-17T23:58:00.000-07:00

Striking color glass rocks my world, once again. I just can't get enough of playing with this glass.

Helios

2011-05-30T23:28:00.000-07:00

I've finally had a chance to try out Helios glass. Oh my, it's just magical! The yellow/green one is encased in Aether, which reacts with the reduction and creates that gorgeous effect. Love!

I have some things to add...

2011-05-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

I did a pretty long diatribe on how to create and maintain an etsy store a while back. I have some addendums to make, mostly about how, if you work it right, you may not even need one!

I've been recently selling beads straight off my facebook page. No fees, other than paypal. Sweet! I just post pictures of the beads and people say "mine" and there you go, Bob's your uncle, they're on their way to a new home. Well, there's a paypal transaction in there somewhere but you get my drift. Yes, there is more back and forth communication needed since it's not quite so automated as Etsy but I kind of like that, actually.

So, give it a try!

In other news, I have more beads to show (already on their way to their new home) and some new murrini, too.

Whoa. Long time, no blog!

2011-05-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been so long since the last installment. What's been happening....hummmm...well, lots of beads have been made and sold and made again and sold again so that's always good news! It's been a pretty busy spring, murrini-wise, too. Kim has been a busy teacher but still manages to out produce me every time, as far as both murrini and beads go! How does she do it? She stays off the darn computer, that's how! LOL! I, alas, cannot. I need to keep connected to my internet peeps. Besides, I'm the one who handles all the shipping, emails, accounting and such. Yeah, she's pretty darn productive, though. I'm always impressed by that. She showed me how to make some really cool beads...wanna see?

Aren't they just divine? What you can't see here is all the wonderful depth they have in person. Sooo cool. I've been making a bunch of them. Squashed they make awesome kidlet bodies, too. Check it out:

Ok, so that's about it on the bead front. The home front has been pretty eventful, too. Puppy got into a pack of gum (we don't know where it came from since we didn't buy it) and it contained xylitol (toxic to dogs) so we had to rush her to the emergency vet on a Sunday night. They induced vomiting and it was constant monitoring and blood tests every 12 hours for the next two days. Fun. Not. She is fine now, thank goodness. We caught her right after she ate the gum and got her stomach emptied within the hour so I think that helped with the outcome. She horked up 5 pieces which was, for her weight, a substantial quantity. All's well that ends well but keep that xylitol away from the pups, peeps!

A Grand Day Out

2011-03-12T21:47:00.000-08:00

Friday, March 11th was a very big day for me. I got up early (for me) and did my packages, ran to the post office and then it was off to meet my friend Linda for lunch. After a nice, long lunch with my recently funemployed friend (yay! more time for me!) I drove home and donned my iTorch t-shirt, grabbed a few moo cards and was off to stand in line at the Apple store in Los Gatos to get the new iPad 2. I drove down the main street in Los Gatos and noted that the line was already quite long even though the store wasn't going to be open until 5pm and it was only 3pm! I almost decided to just order online and wait the 2-3 weeks.
I am so glad I didn't.
I parked the car, walked to the end of the line and thought how appropriate it was that the people directly in front of me had Segways. I mean, nothing says technonerd like a Segway, right? Then, just then, I stopped and stared and stopped breathing properly.
ZOMG.
I think I might be standing behind Steve Wozniak. (co-founder of Apple!!!!!)
I might have said something stupid like "are you who I think you are?"
He responded to my inane mumbling, "I know who I am, who do you think I am?"
"I think you might be Steve Wozniak." I said, without using any discernable oxygen. In fact, I think I might have squeaked it. What a winner I am. Sheesh.
Anyway, he turned out to be a pretty swell guy. Smarter than I can fathom and pretty engaging and witty. I stood behind him for the next three and a half hours. We chatted for quite a while and I am hoping I didn't sound like a complete moron for at least some of it. I met his wife, Janet, too. She was ridiculously smart and funny and kind of sarcastic. I might have liked meeting her even more than Steve, if that's possible.
I also met a handful of people in line and they were AWESOME too! As you can imagine, meeting a Silicon Valley icon was kind of an icebreaker and the usually impenetrable personal space bubbles were immediately disolved and we were instantly bonded for life. :) We started a running commentary on the never ending stream of people wanting to meet and greet with The Woz. And let's admit it, that's fun. There were lots of great, laid back folks who wanted to just take a picture, shake hands and have a quick word. And then there were the not-so-laid-back types. Wow. I'll just sum it up by saying that Steve and Janet are very gracious people who are clearly skilled at dealing with the public.
And yes, I got an iPad 2 and after waiting for that long, I was very grateful that they weren't sold out (which they did soon after I got one.)

That's me (in the green sweatshirt) and Woz is sitting and talking to me. Can you believe it!!!?

Here's a photo of Steve Wozniak and his Segway. He let that kid ride it for as long as he wanted. How awesome is that?

Etsy Store Selling Tips part 2

2011-02-24T21:59:00.000-08:00

If you want to read the whole thing - go here: http://www.loribeads.com/etsyselling.htm

Descriptions / Categories / Tags

     -take a look at similar items for keyword/tag/category help

I know this seems like cheating. But, really, it is the easiest way to make sure you get tags that make sense for your product. Take a look at a few different products before you pick tags, though. Some people use tags inappropriately. Make sure the tags you pick actually make sense for the product you’re selling. If they don’t, someone might report you and your item may be removed.

     -dimensions, materials used, facts
Make sure you give all the pertinent information for the product. It may seem obvious to you that the item you are selling is teeny-tiny because it’s in front of you. When you look at macro photos of the item, it may seem MUCH larger. Let the customer know what to expect so they aren’t surprised when they receive the item. Same goes for materials used. If you used sterling silver, let them know. If you used base metal containing nickel, let them know. Nothing worse than wearing something that gives you an unexpected rash!

     -inspiration and artist stuff

Some artists like to include a story, like how the item was conceived, inspired or stumbled upon during the creative process. Customers like to catch a glimpse of the artist’s soul. Remember, you’re selling yourself as much as you’re selling the item!

Listing Strategies

     -list a few items a day rather than all at once

The default search result for Etsy is newest first so you probably want to be on the first or second page when someone searches for an item like yours. If you list frequently, the chances are better you will be easy to find and be seen by more people. Also, keep in mind that the more items you list, the more items you will sell, generally speaking. If you only have a couple things in your store and never update it, you won’t be as successful a seller as someone who keeps their store fresh and fully stocked with exciting new items.

     -list and promote, list and promote, list and promote
Etsy makes it really easy to promote your items now. One button push and you can publish your item to your Facebook page! Same goes for Twitter, too. You can also send out newsletters to your customer list to let them know when you have new items and sales.

After the sale…

     -feedback
If you want feedback (and you do) you need to leave feedback for your buyers. Thank them for their quick payment or for supporting your art.

     -tracking sales/ customer base/ follow up

Keep a list of customers and get a mailing list going. Make sure you check with them before adding them to the list. No one wants spam. There are a lot of free and paid opt-in mailing list generators you can use that will add a form to your website. Some of those are Bravenet, Constant Comment, Vertical Response.

     -packing and shipping

Pack your items securely so that they will arrive at their destination in one piece. Make sure you include a hand-written thank you on the receipt or even on the back of a business card. You can personalize your packages by adding special touches like gift boxes, pretty tissue paper or whatever makes you happy and furthers your brand image. Get creative! Oh and don’t forget to ship promptly!
Advertising and Promotion

     -paid and targeted

There are tons of advertising opportunities for artists out there but you have to look for them. If you want to pay for advertising you can sign up for Google Adwords or buy an ad in a magazine that targets your audience. I like advertising on forums I actively participate in. It is pretty reasonably priced and super targeted. It pays to do some online research to see where your customers are gathering.
     -Blogs / Facebook / Twitter

A blog or posting to Facebook or Twitter is a great way to talk about your creative process, promote your items and let customers know about your latest creations. If you’re not a good writer, just post photos and links!

Etsy Store Selling Tips

2011-02-23T16:16:00.000-08:00

If you want to read the whole thing - go here: www.loribeads.com/etsyselling.htm

Online Selling – Etsy and Beyond - Lori Peterson   PART 1

Picking a name

Try to pick something that will either identify YOU or what you are selling. “Your Name Designs” is one that I recommend (i.e. Lori Peterson Designs). It covers a broad range of products and services, should your focus change. I chose Loribeads before I really thought about that. Also, think about what website names are available. Chances are if you want something like Lampwork.com or FusedGlass.com it is already taken. Do your research before making a final decision on picking an etsy store name.

Policies & returns

I could load this section up with examples of what not to do. Put enough info in the policies to inform and protect your interests but not so much that it puts buyers off of doing business with you. Keep it simple, straightforward and above all else, shopper-friendly. Don’t gouge customers with shipping charges. If you want to make more money on the product, price it accordingly. Returns policies should reassure customers that you want them to be happy with their purchase. Try to keep that in mind. Occasionally you will get a difficult customer, that’s just the way it is. Try not to let those experiences form your policies. This is my opinion only.

Logos and branding

Pick a look and create a logo, online banners, etc. Etsy is a good place to look if you want someone to create all that for you. Some website hosts will have templates you can use and customize. Branding is so important that unless you are just dabbling in selling, spending time getting this right is really important. Make sure your logo/banner says something about your aesthetic.

Announcements and artist intro

Here’s the place to announce your grand opening! You can also announce sales, coupons, new products and even general chit-chat here. Artist profile is the place for your artist statement, how you came to be an artist, stuff like that. I don’t like to shop at a store when I don’t know their location so be sure to put where you are, too.

Photos, photos, photos
     -lighting and cameras

Honestly, it’s more about the photographer than the camera. Get a decent camera – no need to spend a bundle – most point and shoot cameras are fine for web photos. I sell beads so I made sure the camera I picked had a macro setting.

     -photo tents and lighting

Light diffusion is pretty important, especially when photographing glass. I recommend getting some good, bright lights and a photo cube, sized for the product you intend to sell. Ott lites are a good choice for lighting but other daylight bulbs will work just as well. Most bad photos are bad because there wasn’t enough light.

     -post production
Photoshop, Gimp, Paint Shop Pro, there are many different photo editing programs out there. Some are free, some are really pricey. I have tried them all and trust me when I say that none of them can turn a bad photo into a good one. Pick one that works with your level of photo-editing interest. Photoshop can be a resource hog on a slower computer and is very expensive and has a pretty big learning curve but it is the industry standard for photo editing so if you get stuck and need help, you’re likely to find someone online who will have an answer to your question. The bare minimum you will need from a photo editing software is to be able to resize photos. Out of the camera, they will likely be too big. Etsy has a 1000x1000 pixel recommendation for your shop photos.

NEXT INSTALLMENT - description, catagories, tags, advertising, networking, etc.

More coring to do...

2011-02-17T10:40:00.000-08:00

These are just out of the kiln and ready to be cored. Yikes. That's a lot of coring!

New Murrini Beads

2011-02-14T13:54:00.000-08:00

I will be taking orders for these - $15 for each silver lined bead. Just email me at lorijp@pacbell.net

Gearing up for Valentine's Day

2011-01-11T21:43:00.000-08:00

Yep, making lots of heart beads!

Murrini and Frit

2010-12-31T23:48:00.000-08:00

Got some new stuff going on at http://www.loriandkim.com/! Frits to go with our murrini!!! YAY! We have a couple blends for Valentine's Day and a couple that are just everyday awesomeness. Enjoy!

New Murrini Up and a little note

2010-12-15T21:32:00.000-08:00

Ok, first of all there is new murirni up at http://www.loriandkim.com/ and http://www.loriandkim.etsy.com/ so I would, of course, love it if you checked them out.

Next I just want to thank everyone who has bought or used our murrini. You've made my girl time with Kim possible and so much fun! You all rock and we love each and every one of you. Happy Holidays to everyone! Hugs!
.

Murrini catch up

2010-12-14T22:07:00.000-08:00

I thought I would catch up and add the latest murrini from http://www.loriandkim.com/ here. Enjoy!

Raspberry Beret

Montauk
Playmate

Chrysanthemum

Striking Color #4

More photos

2010-11-20T01:14:00.000-08:00

Been a picture taking fool...

2010-11-17T15:44:00.001-08:00

Striking Color Murrini:
Raggedy Ann murrini:

Holiday Reindeer:

Kim Neely Ether tutorial beads:

Midnight CandyJacks

2010-11-10T21:16:00.000-08:00

I made a set of candyjacks on a black base and I am in love! I think the black base really sets off the bright murrini well. What do you think?
Random thoughts:
We had the most delicious homemade enchiladas tonight. We got the recipe from my friend Kim and Desiree is an expert enchilada maker now. Yum!
I took Puppy to the vet today to get her little toenails trimmed. I really want to paint them bright pink now.
I got another tutorial from Kim Neely. Can't wait to make the beads!!! I was relieved to read that I have all the different glass colors I need to do them.

2010-11-08T16:44:00.000-08:00

First of all, I got a tutorial from Kim Neely and I just love the beads I made following the tutorial! Check them out:
Next, I have some little holiday beads available in my etsy store (www.loribeads.etsy.com )

And finally, here's a picture of Desiree and Si having some quality time...

Wow. Long time no blog.

2010-10-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

My trip to the UK...

Windsor:
Horse: Big Ben:

Feeding vicious swans:

Stonehenge: Bath:

All I could think about:

The End.

More Scary Monsters

2010-09-02T15:10:00.001-07:00

Since I'm grumpy and out of sorts this week I will just leave you with some terrifying monster beads. :) www.loribeads.etsy.com is where they are.

Yay it's Friday!

2010-08-20T15:46:00.001-07:00

I've named this one "Princess Wheel" mostly because I don't know what else to call it. I love the pink, black and white against the sparkly clear glass. I really need to take a better photo of it. I'd rather make beads today, though. :)
This next pendant sold very quickly. I'm not surprised, only because it was nearly snatched away by Miss Desiree the moment she laid eyes on it. She's a pretty good judge of what grown-ups like. I, however, am not. (See scary monsters for proof).

Monsters and Murrini

2010-08-18T23:34:00.000-07:00

First up, a little focal bead featuring Indian Paintbrush murrini. I love this blend for autumnal beads.
Next, I made some scary monsters! I want to make more of these tomorrow. They are so much fun.

Murrini can be found at www.loriandkim.com and beads at www.loribeads.etsy.com.

More Murrini Talk

2010-08-16T09:38:00.001-07:00

Ahhhhh, Spooky! This is a new murrini Kim and I just put up and I love it! It's so much fun and it makes great candy jacks! Did I mention that all the murrini is 15% off until the end of August? We're having a back to school sale. Sweet! Go to www.loriandkim.com and check out the new murrini. Thank you!

Update...

2010-08-12T15:38:00.001-07:00

So many things have been happening! Ok, first of all, new murrini. OMG. I love it...

Oh and there's more so keep your eyes peeled on Aug 15th. PLUS, I went to Kim's earlier this week and we made even more murrini so it will be coming in Sept. We were trying to make as much as possible before she goes back to her math teacher gig.

Speaking of teaching gigs...Kim and I will be teaching at http://www.themandrel.com/ in December!!! We're very excited. I can't wait!!!

And speaking of gigs, Miss Desiree has finally quit her rock climbing job and is working at SuperCuts! She's finally using her cosmetology license!!! She's gone through all kinds of training and she's now out on the floor cutting hair every day! We are very, very excited for her and oh so proud. She loves the ladies she works with, too, so that makes it even nicer. :)

beads and cats

2010-07-11T13:37:00.000-07:00

I show a lot of photos of my pup but here's one of my daughter's cat, Si. He's a massively large ragdoll or birman or something. She found him as a stray when he was about 4 months old. Poor little guy was a mess of tangles and fleas when she found him. She cleaned him up and hid him in her room for a week before we figured out what was going on. LOL! He's a love sponge and we just adore him. I made some more candy jacks. I absolutely love making these things. *love* I made some rosebud murrini on Friday. I have been experimenting on where to put them. So far, they look adorable on cupcake beads!!!

Revisiting Old Friends

2010-07-02T12:59:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I made a whole lot of kidlets. I make one or two for a special request here and there but I used to churn them out in big batches. I don't know why I don't make them all the time. They are quite fun to make and I've made so many that I find them very easy to do, too.
There are some tricky bits to making kidlets, though. I find that I have to make them either early in the day, before coffee, or late in the evening - if I'm not too tired. Making the eyes really requires a steady hand. If the eyes are bad, the kidlet is bad. They need to have well placed, shiny black eyes. Not too big and not melted in. That's very important.
I recently got a Creation Station. How I ever lived without it is beyond me. I am able to stabilize my hands really well while working on the faces. It's great that there are so many people making so many great products for lampworkers to use! It has made kidlet making much easier. So, look for many more batches of kidlets (complete with my other new passion - murrini) coming soon. These went with me to the Arrow Springs Bead Bazaar.

This entry was actually going to be on Watch Me Create but I was reading through my email and found out that WMC is coming to a close. I will miss it. But, now I can focus on my own blog a bit more which is probably a good thing, looking at the recent lack of entries. :)

I’m Lori Peterson and you can find me at loribeads.com, loriandkim.com , loribeads.etsy.com, loriandkim.etsy.com for murrini and I am also blogging here and twittering there.

Mute Monday

2010-06-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

I went to the Arrow Springs Bead Bazaar on Saturday and sold beads and murrini! It was a lot of fun! My Candy Jacks beads were even on the Arrow Springs postcard!!! Well, I didn't end up selling any of the Candy Jacks so they will be in my Etsy store today. I couldn't resist taking a picture of them all en masse, though. mmmmm.

2010-06-21T18:55:00.001-07:00

beads (surprised?)

2010-04-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

Check it out: Free beads from my friend Libby!

http://libbyleu.blogspot.com/

I actually made some beads with one of our new murrini blends (which will be available on May 1st) called Liberty:

Bead of the day 4/20/10

2010-04-20T22:04:00.000-07:00

Clio over opal yellow, reduced and encased in Aether clear with Elektra shards.

Bead of the Day 3/26/10

2010-03-26T11:33:00.001-07:00

I can't wait to feast on some dark chocolate Dove's. Mmmmmmm.

Bead of the day 3/23/10

2010-03-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about making myself a floral necklace....

SJGAA

2010-03-16T10:26:00.001-07:00

I am working at a place called the San Jose Glass Artist Alliance in downtown San Jose. I love it!

www.sjgaa.org (the picture shows some of the gigantic fusing kilns and a mural that Janett painted.

What's been going on...

2010-03-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

Weekend before last, Mark and I went to visit the Computer History Museum and got to see the Babbage Machine. *Geekout* It's quite a contraption, actually. Beautiful in action and design. Very steampunk. Then it was off to Kim's to make more murrini! This isn't the whole batch of murrini that was made but this was about two day's worth, I think. There will be some beautiful blends coming in April. Yummy!
While I was at Kim's, I got my nose pierced! It's very out of character for me but I had been thinking of doing it for quite a while. I think it's pretty and very tiny so you can't even see it until you are REALLY close to me. Finally, I put a couple new things up on the front page (also known as the FREE SHIPPING page) of my website. http://www.loribeads.com/ Hope you are having a great Monday!

Murrini has been made!

2010-03-11T22:00:00.001-08:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

One down...

2010-03-09T23:33:00.001-08:00

We've finished one blend! It is bright and fun. I think tomorrow we will do a silver glass blend.
Now, bed time. Sweet dreams everyone!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

On the road again...

2010-03-09T09:39:00.001-08:00

I am on my way to Kim's! More murrini will be made and new blends will be up on http://www.loriandkim.com/ when I get back this weekend!!! Toodles!!

Daily photo 03/08/10

2010-03-08T13:58:00.000-08:00

I love murrini. That is all.

Fun day

2010-03-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

The beads of the day are taupe and turquoise. Yum. You can find these at my Artfire store www.loribeads.artfire.com .

I spent the afternoon/evening at the http://www.sjgaa.org/ building stuff and making Bullseye glass components to be fused later. It was so much fun! I hope the stuff I made comes out ok. I really like the colors I used so I have high hopes. :)

I will be doing a torchworking demo during http://www.southfirstfridays.com/ so if you are in the San Jose area this Friday, please drop by and see us between 8pm - late. :) I will be making glass bunnies, I think. That's the plan, anyway.

New Murrini up at www.loriandkim.com

2010-03-01T00:45:00.001-08:00

Guacamole COE 104
Gobstopper COE 104
Flirt COE 104

Blue Heron COE 104

We also have SIX new blends in COE 96! Check them out at http://www.loriandkim.com/!

Bead of the Day 2/27/10

2010-02-27T11:12:00.000-08:00

This bead of the day is a stunner. Like, if you swung it around and hit someone in the noggin with it, it would stun them. It's a biggie. :) So pretty, though. I think it would look lovely on a necklace chain with a couple accent beads. It's lined in sterling silver tubing. Sweet!
$45.00 with free shipping anywhere. Email me if you would like it. lorijp (at) pacbell (dot) net

Bead of the Day 2/26/10

2010-02-26T21:03:00.000-08:00

Here's the bead(s) of the day - a pair of rainbow rounds:

Yesterday was totally fun. I got to get my teeth cleaned by my very favorite hygienist in the whole world, Parastu. She's been cleaning my teeth (and being my friend) for over 11 years! She and I had lunch afterward and we had yummy apple cranberry salads. OMG. Yum.

Then I got to teach beadmaking at the Art Glass Center again. I had the best group of students to teach and we all had a fantastic time. I love working there. :)

Bead of the Day 2/24/10

2010-02-24T15:41:00.000-08:00

I think I will be putting this up in my etsy store later tonight. www.loribeads.etsy.com

Bead of the day 2/23/10

2010-02-23T00:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, not so much a bead as murrini. I was editing photos today. Many, many murrini photos. These won't be available for a few more days but here's a sneak peek, anyway.

Bead of the day 2/20/10

2010-02-20T00:22:00.001-08:00

Sammy's already spoken for but I can make more. :)

Kim's here and we are making murrini! We have a few blends pulled and will be doing more tomorrow, too! We're having fun!!!

Bead of the day 2/18/10

2010-02-18T18:47:00.001-08:00

This bunny is available at www.loribeads.etsy.com

Kim comes tomorrow!!!! Murrini will be made! YAY!

Bead of the Day 2/16/10

2010-02-16T15:53:00.000-08:00

This Ekho trio of pandora beads is available at www.loribeads.etsy.com

I took Miss Puppy to the vet today. She is getting her teeth cleaned and a lumpectomy from her hip. I am all distressed, worried and I miss her a whole bunch. I get to call the vet in a few minutes to find out when I can pick her up.

I bought a tutorial last night - http://www.jcherrell.com/Rainbowtutorial.htm - JC has this one on SUPER sale at $10. and I couldn't pass it up. I love rainbows!!

I read a great article (I got the link from Kalera - thanks!) about expectations and how long it takes to really be good at anything. Check it out. Interesting reading, for sure. http://www.johndiesattheend.com/updates/?p=1071

I talked to my mom on the phone today. She's getting settled in her new place and sounds happy. I am so happy for her!

Ok, it is 4pm and time to call the vet!

Bead of the Day

2010-02-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

I've decided to get back into blogging but at times it can be daunting thinking of something to say so I will just post a picture of a bead and if I have something to say, I will and if I don't, I won't. How does that sound?

This bead is one of many bunny beads I made last week. I am in the process of listing them in my Etsy shop : http://www.loribeads.etsy.com/

In other news... Mark and I went to San Francisco again on Saturday and did another walking tour. This one included Lombard street and a MASSIVE hill. OMG. My legs hurt. We had a great time, though, and even managed to have dinner at Max's. Sweet!

We were woken up Sunday morning by Miss Desiree saying there was a message left on Mark's car:

How hilarious is that? Someone "tagged" a bunch of cars in our neighborhood with adorable messages and hearts in bright pink. I love it! It washed right off so no harm was done and we got such a giggle out of it. I guess they were just 'spreading the love'.

A Grand Day Out

2010-01-18T11:22:00.000-08:00

Mark and I love to go to San Francisco. It's such a different city than San Jose. San Jose has a vibrant downtown but it is so much more spread out than San Francisco. We got a gift of "Walking Cards" from my mom and we've decided to use one every month to explore and discover San Francisco. This time we went on a walk through Golden Gate Park. Oh my goodness, it was just wonderful. We took a stroll through the Japanese Tea Garden and took lots of photos. We walked all the way around the lake in GG park and ended up at the end of the park where we had hot chocolate and a scone at Starbucks. Just delightful!

New Murrini, new beads

2009-12-04T16:49:00.000-08:00

Lots of new murrini is available at http://www.loriandkim.com and be sure to check out the *Fun Stuff* category and the brand new *Singles Bar* for all kinds of great new items...

Fire Divas Jewelry Challenge

2009-12-03T12:09:00.000-08:00

The Fire Divas are hosting an Introductory Jewelry Challenge! This challenge will be for jewelry designers who use artisan lampwork in their pieces. The winner of the Challenge will receive a beautiful group of Fire Divas' work. This is a wonderful chance for jewelry designers to show off their talents and get exposure!
Please click on the link below to get all the details & to enter: We love to see how designers use our creations, though for this 1st challenge, ANY artisan lampwwork beads will do as long as they're handmade.
http://firedivas.blogspot.com/2009/11/calling-all-desingers-introductory.html

A few things...

2009-11-20T09:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, first things first. I have to tell you that I am THRILLED that Miss Doxie is blogging again:

http://www.missdoxie.com/
She's back, she's happy, she's got a new beau and a new kitteh and a crew of dachshunds that I have grown to adore. If you haven't read her back catalog of blog entries DO. IT. NOW. Bring a snack and go to the bathroom first because you are going to be there a while, laughing your butt off.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I can get down to the bead related things. Hmmmm. I got nuthin. I made spacer beads to go with the sterling charms Kim and I made. Oh! And I made what I thought was the fugliest bead eveh but when I took it out of the kiln, eh, not so bad. I think I saved it in the 9th inning by plastering murrini all over it. Hey, that could be a new marketing angle...save your fugly beads by plastering murrini all over its hideosity! I wonder if I could figure out a way to encorporate a fun mascot into that... like a penguin!

What I've Been Up To...

2009-11-18T23:48:00.000-08:00

I've been busy lately! Kim and I made some really, really cool bead caps and silver charms last weekend. This is the set of charms...

I've been making beads with the murrini...as usual...

Filling some winter orders...

And preparing for Turkey Day! YAY!

I have some big hole beads in the kiln in preparation for lining them with silver tubing.

Lots of fun stuff going on... www.loriandkim.com

Murrini into beads

2009-11-06T20:49:00.000-08:00

I thought it might be fun to see the murrini and the beads in the same post so you could see what happens to these lovely little glass bits. I love using them. I've been really having a great time and it's hard to put down the murrini and make other kinds of beads!

New beads...

2009-10-20T21:55:00.000-07:00

www.loribeads.etsy.com

Color Play

2009-10-12T21:55:00.000-07:00

http://watchmecreate.com/?p=5228

My blog entry for today is over at Watch Me Create. It's about color!

Soap!

2009-10-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

I have to share a great find with you. I bought some soap from Dana at http://www.abracadabrasoapco.blogspot.com/ and it is completely wonderful. Rich, creamy lather and deliciously scented, this soap has been a BIG hit around here. Even the packaging made me feel like I was getting a gift from myself. I can't wait to order again.

2009-10-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

New beads available at www.loribeads.etsy.com

I have been enjoying the cooler weather around here. The days are warm but not hot and the nights are wonderfully chilly. I love autumn!

Beads and Murrini

2009-10-03T22:12:00.001-07:00

Murrini available in http://www.loriandkim.etsy.com/ and the bead is in my http://www.loribeads.etsy.com/ store.

I really enjoy using the murrini. I am sure people are starting to wonder where all the dogs and kidlets are at this point so let me show you one of the special orders I am working on this week...

More murrini

2009-09-24T00:32:00.000-07:00

www.loriandkim.etsy.com
New murrini! Sample beads are in the kiln now... YAY!

Another awesome weekend with Miss Kim

2009-09-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

I went to Kim's last weekend and we made more murrini! I am so excited about the new ones. Here's the first: Dewdrop at www.loriandkim.etsy.com

And I have some new beads up on www.loribeads.etsy.com too!

More new murrini!

2009-09-17T19:52:00.001-07:00

New murrini at www.loriandkim.etsy.com!

New Murrini - Heirloom and Dragonfly

2009-09-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

http://www.loriandkim.etsy.com

Watch Me Create blog entry

2009-09-02T00:13:00.000-07:00

http://watchmecreate.com/?p=4919
Check out my entry on WMC about Gaffer Chalcedony glass.

Murrini Spotlight on: Blaze of Autumn

2009-08-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of fun playing with this blend of murrini. It looks great on transparents. Next I will try it on opaques. This is a great blend for the upcoming fall season!
www.loriandkim.etsy.com

And the beads are here: www.loribeads.etsy.com

Just for fun: Squirrelizer

2009-08-22T20:40:00.001-07:00

http://www.lutralutra.co.uk/squirrelizer/ where you can squirrelize your own photo...

Fellow Fire Diva...Marcy!

2009-08-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Marcy did another Einstein bead and I have to say that I just ADORE them. I think they are both whimsical and wonderful. This one makes me smile even wider than most, though...

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29634854

Look at that cute little puppy he's holding! OMG, Marcy...you are truly awesome.

Four Seasons of Murrini

2009-08-13T15:34:00.000-07:00

http://www.loriandkim.etsy.com

Where the magic happens...

2009-08-06T16:13:00.001-07:00

I thought you might like to see where Kim and I were making murrini for the past three days straight...

Sometimes we torch in her studio but the past two times we have torched in Loriland. :) I have finally set up two torches, side by side. One GTT Lynx, which I bought a million years ago and never really used, and my tried and true Nortel Minor. We had a great time torching, especially the last day and I am super excited about the new murrini blends. Sadly, I cannot show it to you because we were so tired by the end of the day that Kim just packed it all up to cut at home.

Kim brought her oxy concentrator and the little doohickie that connects it to the hose got lost in the journey so we had to improvise with some plastic tubing, duct tape and some zip ties. It was very MacGyver. In the end, we got it working! YAY!

In other news.... we had a bit of drama this weekend:
Mark heard a dog rustling around in our front yard late at night Saturday night. He went out and saw a lovely golden lab who was very eager to be taken in. Mark put him in the back yard and went to get some water and food and when he went back out to the back yard, our cat followed him out and...mayhem ensued. The cat was freaking out and then the dog started chasing the cat and then the cat climbed the orange tree which is full of horrible spiky thorny things (which I did not know about orange trees until we moved in here). Desiree pulled the cat out of the tree while Mark is freaking out and the dog is barking and freaking out and Puppy is in the house going ballistic and the cat messed Desiree up pretty bad - got her eyelid, bit her hands up - it was bad - sooooo, we took her to urgent care the next day. They put her on antibiotics, gave her hand braces for both thumbs, no stitches for the eye but it looks like she's been beaten up.

And then we checked the cat. He had a big tear in the skin, from a spike, I imagine. No blood, strangely enough, but you could see the muscle underneath the skin and that is wayyyyy more anatomy than I like to be confronted with, thank you very much. So...we ushered the cat off to the vet and he had surgery to get that taken care of.

Yeah, that was just pandemonium. Everyone is on the mend now, thank goodness.

Murrini Spotlight on: Out of Africa

2009-07-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

I've been playing with the Out of Africa murrini that Kim and I made. Who knew it would be one of my favorites? Definitely not my usual bright and happy mix of murrini that I reach for first. I've fallen in love with the designs and patterns that this murrini makes on beads. AND it gave me the perfect excuse to drag out my old jar of Cashmere frit from Val. I don't get much chance to use it but it is just my favorite shade of taupe.
I used the murrini to make a series of small focal beads - all with a distinct African desert/plains feel to them. Take a look at one of them here:

This owl bead has murrini eyes from the Out of Africa murrini blend. Isn't he a cutie?

And, finally, here's a photo of the murrini blend Out of Africa.

Beads available at www.loribeads.etsy.com and murrini at www.loriandkim.etsy.com
Thanks for taking a look!

Playing with murrini

2009-07-23T22:28:00.000-07:00

I spent the day making beads with new LoriandKim murrini!

Watch Me Create blog entry

2009-07-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

My blog entry for today is over at Watch Me Create! Go see if you get a chance! :) Oh, and enjoy your Saturday!!!

Oh my gosh, are those beads?

2009-07-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

I finally made some beads! I've been very busy with the murrini thing for a few weeks now and I've barely made any beads at all in that time and none that didn't have some kind of murrini on them or in them. LOL! Well, that's not changed. These all have murrini. The murrini is just hiding on the back side of the first set.

This week's murrini fun...

2009-07-14T23:46:00.000-07:00

I can't remember the last bead I made! I've been busy as a bee packing and shipping and listing and sorting MURRINI!!! I love these latest two blends. One is very, very Kim:

And this one makes me all giddy inside:

We've completely sold out of Inner Child. Wow! I am amazed at how well our murrini is being received. It makes me so happy!!!
Ok, it's nearly midnight and I need to hit the hay so I can get up tomorrow and do it again. :)
www.loriandkim.etsy.com

Murrini beads

2009-07-10T15:22:00.000-07:00

Here's today's newest murrini blend, Fairy Wings. This is a nice, ethereal mix of murrini that produces such lovely, wispy designs on a bead.

Here's a set of beads I made with the Fairy Wings murrini on black with goldstone.
And, finally, here is a set of beads I made using the Inner Child murrini.

Murrini is available at www.loriandkim.etsy.com and beads are in www.loribeads.etsy.com.

More Murrini Adventures...

2009-07-09T11:25:00.000-07:00

I spent two days at Kim's house again! I got up there a little before noon on Tuesday and we got right to work! We worked all day the next day, as well! I have at least 5 new blends to put up on Etsy and then maybe some grab bags, too. It should be a fun week or two!!! As an added bonus, I had an absolutely wonderful time hanging out with Kim. She's just the best!

A couple weekends ago Kim, Linda and I visited Tom and had a resin pendant party! It was a lot of fun! We all made pendants and here are some that Linda and Kim made:

This one that Kim made is done in sterling and it's all murrini - no background - so you see the shiny silver underneath. Pretty cool!

This pink one was made by our girly girl Linda. It's so pretty!

This one Kim did has *shock* GLITTER! Who knew Kim was a glitter gal?

Murrini is available on www.loriandkim.etsy.com

New stuff

2009-06-26T21:43:00.001-07:00

Made with murrini from www.loriandkim.etsy.com this one is "glamour girl" murrini. Yum.

This is a key bead with murrini over psyche glass. This uses murrini from the garden glow pack.

Another key with murrini (spotting a trend?) this time with Ocean Treasures murrini.

And, finally, a puppy with no murrini at all. :) Look at that face. *smooshy*

New Adventure!

2009-06-22T20:48:00.000-07:00

My friend Kim and I have decided to make murrini! We got together for two solid days of torching and created two different blends of murrini that turned out AWESOME! We're very happy to announce the grand opening of our Etsy store: http://www.loriandkim.etsy.com/

Having a better week

2009-05-19T23:07:00.000-07:00

Feeling a bit better today and determined to make it a GREAT week! I finished up some projects that had been hanging around for a while and finally finished a bead pen for my friend Jackie. I think it turned out so cool! I love the colors...

I also finished up a bracelet for a special order for a fantastic gal. I sure hope she likes it!

And, finally, following the "getting stuff done" theme - here is a big set of beads that I finished yesterday...

What's up with the economy?

2009-05-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

Watch out, here comes a Debbie Downer moment...

I feel like I am making some of the cutest beads I've ever made and yet there are no buyers. It's making me sad and insecure! I wonder if I should go back to selling my beads on eBay or if I should just save up all my beads and do a bead show instead. It's so hard to figure out what to do and I feel like I'm just stuck in this indecisive hole right now.

I am hoping my next blog entry will be made on a more upbeat note.

Getting back into 'normal' mode

2009-05-04T09:53:00.000-07:00

Mom is back home in MN, Mark has started his new job and I find myself with more time to get beads made again. I miss them but I'd better make use of the time, right? I started out slow, doing some little sets I've been meaning to do for a while. The little red and gold set has been simmering in my brain since I spied a long-forgotten book of gold leaf in one of the drawers in my garagio (garage studio).

The flowers I just had to do because I got a bundle of delicious Reichenbach gold violet cane and had to try it out. It is even more delicious on the flowers than it was in rod form. YAY! Very pink, very beautiful.

I'm trying out a large triangle press and just felt compelled to make a slice of watermelon with it since summer is surely on the way, despite all the rain and gray skies we've been having this week.

The bracelet was done for my friend Jackie. I just love it and my have to make one for myself now, too. So sparkly!

Well, now I have to get back to the garagio to do more creating before the A/C guy shows up. And he better show up or I am going to have a complete conniption. He was a no-show last week and never even bothered to call. Grrrrr...

Inspiration is everywhere!

2009-04-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

Check these out:

Happiness, found in the little things

2009-03-26T13:57:00.000-07:00

I have had an outstanding week, really. Desiree and I have jumpstarted her job search again and are going at it with renewed vigor. Mark has started to get some bites on his newly reformulated resume. I have been drawn to the torch in a way I haven't felt for quite a while. All in all, good things are in the air.

One of the reasons I have felt a renewed zest for torching probably has to do with the overwhelmingly positive response to my new bunnies (YAY!) and for that I am truly grateful. I love them but that's never a good guide as to whether or not others will. The response has really bolstered my drive to create. YAY!

The other really great thing about this week is the weather. It is truly spring here. The temps are mild. Sunny but breezy and cool. Just perfect sit-on-the-patio-sipping-your-morning-coffee weather. Days like this make me wish I had a window in front of my torch.

Poofy Clouds

2009-03-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

Here's an entry at Watch Me Create from Lori Greenberg that deals with the subject of cute:

http://watchmecreate.com/?p=3223

Specifically, white poofy clouds. I love the word poofy. Well, that inspired me to create a poofy cloud bead of my own - take a look at the result...

I think that it is a simple, silly bead that gets the poofy cloud concept across pretty well and I think it's pretty cute, too. :)

Beads and Tech

2009-03-10T14:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I have anything much to talk about this week but maybe if I just start writing, something will come...

My APC battery backup/surge protector thingie has been periodically cutting power to my computer and letting out this high-pitched continuous alarm. So, while I am panicking about the work I just lost or whether or not my email will be able to recover from yet another improper shut-down, I also get to wince at the pain inflicted in my earholes. I'm pretty sure that the APC is gasping its last breaths at this point. Ah the joys of technology...

On the other hand, I discovered TWITTER recently! I am following some interesting characters, along with other beadmakers and jewelry designers. One is Dr. Drew Pinski, who I just adore (VH1's Celebrity Rehab is one of my favorite guilty pleasures) and another is Leo Laporte, who hosts tech related shows (I'm a geek!).

I had a funny thing happen the other day... I received an email from someone who left a message about my YouTube video, liked my blog and wanted to add me to their Facebook so I twittered them my ID. It was at that moment that I realized I had gone social networking supernova. Awesome. What a great time we live in.

New Beads

2009-03-03T23:05:00.001-08:00

Watch Me at WMC

2009-02-21T00:51:00.000-08:00

My latest blog entry is at www.watchmecreate.com where I ponder the art of procrastination...