MICHAEL BARLEY...

I took a 2 day class this weekend w/ Michael Barley @ Malcolm Potek's Glass Studio in Minneapolis.

IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!

Not a surprise... I have been told by MANY that if you were going to take just one class, it should be Michael's. They were right. He's a wealth of knowledge... years & years of trial & error & experimentation... & is so generous to share it all. I learned so much... I took LOTS of notes & sat down w/ them tonight to figure out what glass & tools I have on hand & what I need to pick up. I've already place a few orders. :o)

Michael's a sweet, sweet man. Some of us went out to dinner w/ him Saturday night... I was lucky enough to sit by him & got to visit a bit... we were both Air Force brats, so we talked about moving around as kids, etc...

I need to take pictures of my class beads.... but here's a picture of Malcolm, Michael & myself...


Other than a few of Michael's beads, one of my souvenirs from the weekend was a nice speeding ticket! LOL... wondering if I can write it off as a business expense? Darned Minneapolis speed traps. I was only going 15 over the limit... ugh. My only other ticket before was when I was 9 months pregnant w/ Sam... 14 years ago. Oh well... this one won't effect my record or insurance... "excessive acceleration"... nice fine, though...thank you.

Oh yeah... I forgot, I had just finished listening/singing along/crying to Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" when I got stopped, LOL... I'm sure I appeared a little teary-eyed for the officer.

Did you know you can pay your speeding tickets online now? Cool, huh? ;o)

TREASURES 2008...

I did my first solo bead show this past weekend in Des Moines, Iowa. From what I understand, it was a slow show, but I was actually really happy w/ how things went. I sold quite a bit & the response to my booth & my beads was fantastic... really encouraging. I was told by many that I had the best booth there... I don't know about that, LOL, but it was warm (if not a little lopsided, LOL.) & I think inviting. The lady who ran the show told me afterwards that many many people commented to her about me & my beads... that was great to hear.

I can't tell you how many people were just floored by my beads. I don't quite understand it. I mean, I really like them, LOL, but reactions make it seem like mine are quite unusual, which I can't really say they are or aren't. I didn't make it around the show at all to check out the other vendors...

I'm just really happy. I feel like I'm on the right track. It feels really good.

People loved my acorns. :o) I sold most of them.

Anyway... here are some pictures of my table. Working w/ Jennifer Ionta & her wonderfully warm table dressings & displays made me realize that my beads looked REALLY GOOD w/ the nice warm coppery, cream & gold tones....

rather than the stark black & white stuff I had used before.... so she showed me how to make the cute necklace display busts & such. The top tablecloth was a bit wonky, LOL, & is waiting for some nice trim to go around the edge (in from the edge about 1")... but I was really happy w/ the whole thing.

I didn't see that the top cover wasn't laying evenly until I saw the pictures... it is also hanging down too low in the front, tassles are hanging funny, too... LOL. Oh well. Brayden (10) came w/ me (for 3 days!) & helped me set up! He was good... really enjoyed wandering around shopping...it was a gem & lapidary show, too.... so he got some cool stuff.

It's hard to tell in the picture where my stuff ends & the guys beside & behind me begin.

Notice the grid of little 2" square dishes from Pier1... I just love those... think I'm gonna get more. I made the busts..... the trays are collage frames from Kohls... just mounted some fabric over the glass!

Brad built that wood shelf for me... I had him drill holes around the top sides & back, about 3" apart so I could mount the busts & copper wire "things" (to hang chains & earrings & such from) anywhere... so it's pretty versitile...
& the back side of that shelf is open, so I was able to tuck all sorts of stuff behind it, like little zip bags, boxes, calculator, etc...

So... all in all it was a great experience. My beads will be at the Twin Cities Bead Bazaar this coming weekend while I'm @ a class w/ Michael Barley!!!

NEW WEBSITE IS UP....

The new site is up.... check it out & let me know what you think about it. I needed to simplify the whole thing a little bit so I could update it myself. It had been about 10 months since my original site had been updated because I couldn't update the Flash sections, which were mainly images, the most important to keep current... I've changed my style just a tad. ;o)

Till next time...

~ Julie

GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART...

well it's time to go...

I just finished torching, had a grand old time, too! :o) I'm building up stock for a show I'm doing next weekend in Des Moines... Treasures 2008. It'll be my first real show that I've done on my own... scary. (not really) Making lots of hearts & other focals... I just love making "loose" beads, as opposed to making utinsil handles. I love them, too, they're just more intensive since I have to get them the exact right size for a specific utinsil and if it's a set, like the salad servers, the shapes have to match eachother, too... so it just takes more out of me. I get to PLAY when I'm making individual focals, I just love that freedom.

Anyway... it's 2:51 am as I write this. I'm pooped... but thought I'd continue on & post a picture before heading off. Hmmmmmmmmm... which one?

Here you go... a heart, my specialty...
Terranova2 w/ Opal Yellow stringerwork.


Whatcha think about this one?

Don't know why the background ended up being so blue... it's supposed to be black... but I wasn't going to tweak it anymore. Bottom right is just about right-on for the colors.

Till next time...

Goodnight sweetheart, goodnight...

LOOK AT THIS FABULOUS PIECE...

I'm in love...
I can't help it...
Isn't this fabulous??
(click on the image to see an enlarged view)

Of course the base is Opal Yellow (what else is there? LOL!)... & then has my favorite triple threat of Double Helix glasses on it, as well as SIS.

I put it on a hand-forged fine silver interchangable bead holder... & of course has one of Heidi's (JamnGlass) gorgeous hand-dyed silk ribbon.

I just love it. I did 3 of them the other night... will be doing more for the bead show I'm doing next week. Makes me wish I had a lentil press. I think it would be a fabulous design on a lentil. Hmmmmmm... what presses do I have?? :o)

What do you think?

I'll show it off on LE tomorrow... thought I'd bring it to you guys first. Lucky you. ;o)