Friday, August 29, 2008

Tool Gloat

The past year or 2 has been pretty busy with all of my time being spent elsewhere, I thought, but it appears that I've actually gotten quite a bit done in and around and even for the studio. I took my newest grandbaby into the messy studio when she was 2 months old, and I grandly gestured around the room and exclaimed: "One day, this will all be yours!"



She cried.








Anyways,I'm surprised, when I get down to it, that I've purchased 2 major cold-working machines, made a little glass topped table (only 13x13x24), held 2 open studio/house evenings and made some very cool thin unusual cabochons and pendents. It's good to know that I've actually squeezed in some quality time in the studio. I didn't think I had!

Obviously, as you can see from my posts here, I've listed a few times on Etsy ( http://www.stustustudio.etsy.com/ ) and have had some fun creating "treasuries" there. Treasuries are a lot of fun. You're not supposed to promote your own stuff, so find other items to display in a rather unique way to showcase talent, and of course, your own good taste. If not good taste, then wry humor or dry if you wish; conceptual twists on titles or names that are familiar. These are often ways to communicate with the world wide community out there. I've met some interesting people and stumbled across some pretty neat items.


But I digress! back to my original premise, I'm doing STUDIO! I've gotten a new disk grinder after having burned out 2 grinders this year, and it's been nice! I've been making some super thin dichroic cabs that may have faceted sides or are flat. It really brings out the Dichroic shimmer and shine plus it's just not another dichroic blob. Nothing against blobs, I 've had my fair share of them and they remain in favor. It's just that I never wanted to do cold work. It is really cold and it is really work! But I can't help falling in love with the results.


The machine I just ordered is a studio sized wet belt sander (WBS) another one of those cold work machines that will be messy, cold and hard. Sobiet! I've got a couple of 12" platter type of landscapes of Empire MI's South Beach Bluff that are stunning, but I don't like the stands for them. So, they'll be off to the WBS for some finishing detail on the edges and and smoothing up of the back, I hope, then into a treated mold to be slumped into a bowl. Both of these platters are of the same bluff: one view is from the Empire Beach, looking south. The other is the same bluff viewed from the south, say, Otter Creek. If I were to fuse the 2 together, I could, but I don't know how I'd finish it or display it. But it would be cool to have the back looking like another view!
So, bowls they will be!

I've got a few pot melts waiting for a sanding and slumping too.

















TABLE PROJECT:
(Bottom layer layout)



The Table is a wrought iron frame with an opening for your table top. I saw a picture 2 years ago that inspired the Japanese garden style bridge, river, Big tree branching out, green & red leaves, stone walkway. In the following two years, I worked the design out in my head, in between other events, and finally got it clear enough how I was going to do this piece dimensionally. With all of the layers of glass and crushed glass, it's now about 1/2 inch thick and pretty darn cool.


(top layer layout..you know how I love naked trees...)



And here are both layers laid out in papaKiln, with piles of crystal clear frit (crushed glass) piled on high. It took five hours to process and another 10 hours to cool.













I'll get finished photos of the table up here soon!

MOW benefit September by WWWG on ETSY UPDATED

Those Wild, Wise, & Witty Grandmeres on Etsy are celebrating National Grandparents Day on September 7th, and having a benefit for Meals on Wheels (MOW). Participating WWWGers are contributing a portion of their September Etsy proceeds to thier local Meals on Wheels.

I'll dash out there into cyberspace and get a listing of the participants to list here. I'll be right back. Here's a little picture to put a smile on your face until I get back.






See, that was pretty quick! Except for the editing I had to do here. I hope it's all correct! Let me know if there are any errors!

Here's the list of people, shop names and benefits they will send to Meals on Wheels.

Elena -- http://www.elenamary.etsy.com/ -- 10% of sales from Sep.1-30/08
Dayna -- http://www.scottieacres.etsy.com/ -- 10% of all sales for the month of September


Lorri -- http://www.lorrisart.etsy.com/ -- 10% of all sales during the month of September
Jill -- http://www.jillstreasurechest.etsy.com/ -- 10% of all sales to MOW Sept 1-30 2008
Carolyn -- http://www.sagewest.etsy.com/ -- 10% of sales during Sept
Marie -- http://www.designsbymariejulie.etsy.com/ -- free postage on all sales and 20% of one sold item donated
Diane -- http://www.eversodear.etsy.com/ -- 10% off every purchase through Sept. 08 (not including shipping) with the exception of Pink for the Cure as 100% is going to a different charity
Judy -- http://www.fireflyglassdesign.etsy.com/ -- 10% of September sales
Judy N. -- http://www.jnpottery.etsy.com/ -- 10% of all sales in September
Megin Murphy -- http://www.penguinwareboutique.etsy.com/ -- 10% of all sales in the month of September to be donated to MOW
Linda -- http://www.whimsicalpokadot.etsy.com/ -- 10% sales in September
Karen -- http://www.grannyscloset.etsy.com/ -- 10% of all sales completed between Sep 1-30/08
Marilyn Goodman -- http://www.cigarboxbeads.etsy.com/ -- 10% of all sales in September 2008
Marilyn Goodman -- http://www.suchandsort.etsy.com/ -- 10% of all sales in September 2008
Susan -- http://www.kelseyskorner.etsy.com/ -- 10% of the proceeds of my September sales
Teresa -- http://www.bellasgems.etsy.com/ -- I will be donating an item and the sales from that I will donate to mow. I will showcase it in my shop.
Vicki -- http://www.jewelrybyvicki.etsy.com/ -- i will donate 10% of my handcrafted jewelry for the month of september
Duckie or Jan -- http://www.circleinthesand.etsy.com/ -- 10% of all September sales
Melana -- http://www.ozarknana.etsy.com/ -- 10% of all sales through September
Teresa -- http://www.paintpuddles.etsy.com/ -- I will be donating an item and the sales from that I will donate to mow. I will showcase it in my shop.


Cher -- http://www.stustustudio.etsy.com/ -- I will donate 20% of any sale made in my shop during the month of September to Meals on Wheels in honor of my mother who was a recent grateful recipient of MOW after her knee replacements

( I'm trying to donate to 2 locations. One where my mom lives, and the other one where I live. I have lots of friends who partake and they love it. The community center here serves 2-3 times a week and it's a great social occasion for most of the group that attend.)

Ama -- http://www.amaskids.etsy.com/ -- 10% of Sept. sales
Ama -- http://www.amasart.etsy.com/ -- 10% of Sept. sales
Anne -- http://www.ennadoolf.etsy.com/ -- $2 from each dishcloth sold before Sep.30/08
Graciela -- http://www.glyntpottery.etsy.com/ -- 10% of the proceeds of my sales during the month of September
Julie -- http://www.gardenjewels.etsy.com/ -- $2 from each sale Sept.1-30/08 *With the exception of one special chime named "Love is....a Grandmama" this special chime will be 100% donated along with free shipping on this one*
Laura -- http://www.laura4ca.etsy.com/ -- 10% of all sales during Sept. 1 thru 30th 2008
Phyllis -- http://www.ladyncats.etsy.com/ -- Total proceeds of 1 specified item or 10% of all sales whichever is higher.

Just added:

Monas handcrafted gifts & quilts -- http://www.sewinggranny.etsy.com - I will have a section for MOW and 10% of those will go to MOW

THANK YOU ANNE, for revising, updating and making this an all around better list!

SPECIAL ADDITION! READ ALL ABOUT IT HERE

Anne and grandkids "ryash" -- patternsandsuch.etsy.com -- 50 centsfrom each item sold by my grandchildren Ashlee & Ryan (aged 11) will bedonated to our local Meals on Wheels. They will have a separate sectionin the shop for their sales 'ryash creations'

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Let there be LIGHT!


My Pride and joy, my handmade bathroom sink!

My handmade tiles.

My matching faucet

And finaly, my matching drop lamp to bring it all together and SHINE!


TA DA!



Sunday, August 17, 2008

Featured in a treasury on Etsy

: ( Sorry you missed it, but it looked like this and was awesome!


One of my latest tree hugging pendents was chosen for a special treasury by Pam of "Bags and more by Pam" ( http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5343584) on Etsy:









Pam has excellent taste, as you can tell from this item in her store:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10490687

(I'll see if I can get her permission to post the picture of her item here)

Yes! Here's her description for this incredibly teal bag:


Description
This beautiful hand-crocheted 100% acrylic yarn teal bag with its brightly colored lining can be yours!! Take it to the market, to the beach, to school, on the plane, shopping at the mall. It's versatility and practicality are unlimited! The lining is 100% cotton and prewashed and preshrunk, and will prevent your crocheted bag from stretching. The pattern is my original design. This bag measures about 12 inches deep, 14 inches across at the bottom, 12 inches across right below the shoulder strap, which is 28 inches long and 2 inches wide. Machine wash gentle, and dry low or lie flat to dry.



Wow that was fun for so early in the am!

Thanks Pam!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Size does matter, even in Northern Michigan





Well, here is a cool new treasury I've created on Etsy that has a unique twist. They're all 5x7 !
I've even managed to add a little music for your complete northern Michigan enjoyment. Let's see if I can do that here, too. Nah, thats too much like work! Just go here and have a listen to one of my favs this year:



Alas, the treasury has ended, but you've got the idea of how cool it was!