I FOUND THEM.....

I'm in the process of reworking my studio, setting up a 2nd workspace for teaching.... what a job! :o) But as I was clearing things out, I finally came across these.....

My very first electroformed acorns!! (Actually, my very first electroformed anything.) I've been looking for them for a long time now... they were buried deep in the bottom of a box. 

I made these in May 2007. My local ISGB chapter was getting together to make beads for the upcoming ISGB Gathering in Minneapolis.... the hosting chapter provides beads that are tied to each & every goodie bag that is handed out @ the Gathering. We were going to get together @ Julia Lund's studio & she was also going to show us how to electroform, so we were supposed to bring something that could be electroformed. I thought & thought about it & came up w/ these acorns. Not knowing how electroforming worked, I figured I could just make the "nut" & we could electroform the cap on. Julia explained to me how electroforming doesn't actually "stick" to the glass.... it needed to be done in such a way that it caged the nuts, so I needed to bring the electroforming all the way down the curve of the nut until it started to get smaller. Made sense to me. This is what we ended up w/.... baby nuts. :o) 

We rigged up a piece of copper wire to just stick snuggly in the hole (didn't know about epoxy & such!) & Julia electroformed them for me. The stem was pretty thick, so Julia just cut them short. Aren't they cute? I was really excited about them... excited to see this fabulous texture & I knew I wanted to make more!

I bought my electroforming kit just after The Gathering that year.... it took me a while to get started, but once I figured it out, I was off! & the rest is history. 

They've evolved quite a bit, don't you think? :o) 

Here's a picture of a heart that I did that day, too...

Anyway... I'm thrilled to have finally found them. They're such an early part of my lampworking history. I've also found so many beads from my first few years, it's been a treat seeing the progression.

Later...

ONE OF THOSE DAYS....

I've been having one of those days. You know, those days where you're feeling insecure about where you are & where you're going. I don't get it, life is good.

I'm thinking alot about teaching... I'm dying to teach, but I question WHAT I have to offer that all of these fantastic instructors don't? Who am I? Am I different enough that others will want what I'm offering? Am I good enough? I've been told that I'm a fantastic teacher... but...

BUT. Stupid word.

It's been a pity party kind of day. Can't believe I'm writing about it.

I guess it's on my mind because I'm [supposed to be] in the process of getting my studio cleaned up & set up for teaching one on one. I've been talking about doing it for a long while now... it's just time to DO IT!! I get asked often enough if I teach... I'd love to say YES.

Hey! How about a picture of some sweet acorns??? :o)

Time to kick the pity party to the curb & actually do something that's going to move me forward, right?

Just do it....

RECEIVED MY INGREDIENTS....

What a crazy day! My bead soup partner eMailed me this morning, bummed that the package she sent me & was tracking somehow wound up in Ireland! She was hopping mad about it & very apologetic, too... but I assured her that I wasn't worried, it wasn't her fault & that I work well under pressure. :o) So, Lesley was putting together another batch of soup ingredients when I arrived home to find a package from her!! LOL. Seriously. Thank goodness one of my kids was home to sign for it! Anyway, whew. :o)

I was so excited to get this package open, especially since neither of us was expecting it!! This is what I found...

How sweet are those handmade boxes??? I just love them.

Lesley included a nice note that pointed out a few of the ingredients that were handmade, but not by her, including their website & such. I think that was an awesome touch! Check out the beautiful ribbon from www.sowzeredesigns.com and the awesome textile beads from www.etsy.com/shop/cornishpebbles! These textile beads are just yummy... they will be fun to work with. Look @ the rest of the blue ingredients... seed beads, ceramic spacers, leather cording & those fabulous gemstones!

In the 2nd box, I found these treasures. Wood, ceramic, glass, stone beads..... oh so yummy. These are just gorgeous together. FABULOUS, Lesley!!

Here's my 3rd box of ingredients.... all bronze, all incredible! Lesley made the focal & toggle clasp w/ BronzClay & the other clasp w/ bronze wire. What a beautiful focal, Lesley... it's just lovely & no, it's not too large! Just right. :o) TWO handmade clasps... both so unique on their own... nice. Some bronze jump rings & some bronze chain. Oh, this is going to be fun!!!

Here's the whole mix of ingredients together.... don't they make just a lovely soup?? Perfect, Lesley... you did an amazing job, I can't wait to see what fabulous piece(s) I create.

Needless to say, I want to use it all because it all works so well together... it's all a little daunting... doing this soup justice... me, a beadmaker.... but that's what this Bead Soup Blog Party is all about, right?? Knocking us out of our comfort zones, challenging us.

Okay... I'm up for the challenge! It's going to be fun... right?? ;o)

Till then....

BEAD SOUP PARTY IS ON.....

I decided to join in on Lori Anderson's Bead Soup Blog Party again this fall & was partnered up w/ a very talented Lesley Watt of the UK!! Lesley is a jewelry designer who loves to work w/ great lampwork bead artists.... check out a few of her pieces below...

She has a great organic style about her designs that I really enjoy & I'm really hoping that she's going to be completely tickled w/ what I sent for her to work w/!!

Check out her blog: The Gossiping Goddess 
     & her Etsy shop, too.

As for what I've sent..... here's a little tease for you, Lesley.....

..................hope you like it! :o)

And a huge THANK YOU to Lori Anderson for taking on another ever popular Bead Soup Party... over 300 participants this time around... unreal! We all appreciate what you put into the party.... you're an awesome hostess!! Thank you!! ♥

Till next time....