This photo was selected to be featured on the Leelanau Almanac for the week of December 25-31, 2008. How cool! (OK, its cold, not cool, but you get the drift)
Friday, December 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Empire Wintertime....SNOW UPDATE
....Is a good time to be in Empire! For us locals, it's a time to get out the snow shoes or the nordic walking poles and get about one of the most engaging places on our planet.
OK, so some of the locals do flock to the warmer climes, and toast their bones.
THIS JUST IN!! Breaking new flash! As of 12-9-08, we have already received 1/2 of our average winter snowfall.
With the exception of last winter, we usually hope that we at least get a white Christmas. We have returned to Winters of 'yore, where white Thanksgivings were the norm. Global warming is now referred to as "climate change".
Friday, October 24, 2008
Mt Baldy in glass from Esch Rd (otter creek)
Here it is!
A vision in glass 12 inches across, 2 1/2 inches tall and 1/2 inch thick. NFS.
(The 'tongue' shape center right is a reflection from the lamp, nothing else!)
This piece of glass was kiln fired a total of 4 times. Originally, all of the Bullseye glass was crushed into tiny bits. I laid out the buff's' shape on a kiln shelf and fired it, then layered more to build up the depth needed to achieve a dimensional appearance to the bluff. The sand, water & sky were added with layers of crushed glass in different colors until the piece measured about 3/4 of an inch thick. Approximately one third of the volume is reduced during the firing process.
After a final slumping fuse to give it a bowl shape, the finishing sanding with a wet belt sander (See "Tool Gloat" entry below) gave it a smooth edge, and by using increasingly finer belts, a wonderful shine.
I have another bowl that will show this scene from the Empire Beach side of the bluff.
Now, off to clean the studio. a bit.
A vision in glass 12 inches across, 2 1/2 inches tall and 1/2 inch thick. NFS.
(The 'tongue' shape center right is a reflection from the lamp, nothing else!)
This piece of glass was kiln fired a total of 4 times. Originally, all of the Bullseye glass was crushed into tiny bits. I laid out the buff's' shape on a kiln shelf and fired it, then layered more to build up the depth needed to achieve a dimensional appearance to the bluff. The sand, water & sky were added with layers of crushed glass in different colors until the piece measured about 3/4 of an inch thick. Approximately one third of the volume is reduced during the firing process.
After a final slumping fuse to give it a bowl shape, the finishing sanding with a wet belt sander (See "Tool Gloat" entry below) gave it a smooth edge, and by using increasingly finer belts, a wonderful shine.
I have another bowl that will show this scene from the Empire Beach side of the bluff.
Now, off to clean the studio. a bit.
Mt Baldy from lakeside
Fused from crushed glass. Side of bowl shot. (nfs) More info comming in next post.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
8x8x3/8 pate de verre clock
A nice chunk of glass! This 8x8 clock "Pate De Verre" glass clock was made using bits of glass amid a sea of crushed clear glass. Before it was put in the kiln it was about 3/4 of an inch thick. During firing, it softened up, and 'glued' itself together into one smooth cohesive slab of glass, just a little less than 1/2" thick.
Comprised of cobalt blues, aventurine greens, iridized and sparkling clear glass pieces, there is still a translucency to this piece that I have highlighted with the brilliant coloring from the back of a CD. I use only top of the line Bullseye fusible compatible glass for all of my fusing projects, assuring you the best in color and lasting quality.
Created by a Self Representing Artist, making works of art for over 30 years, with 10 years of experience in creating one of a kind original fused creations. All of my works pass safety tests and will withstand many years of enjoyment.
Comprised of cobalt blues, aventurine greens, iridized and sparkling clear glass pieces, there is still a translucency to this piece that I have highlighted with the brilliant coloring from the back of a CD. I use only top of the line Bullseye fusible compatible glass for all of my fusing projects, assuring you the best in color and lasting quality.
Created by a Self Representing Artist, making works of art for over 30 years, with 10 years of experience in creating one of a kind original fused creations. All of my works pass safety tests and will withstand many years of enjoyment.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Location gloat: I live where you vacation
This is undoubtedly my favorite shot of the summer just past. This stunning vision was taken by a flickr friend of mine, Cedarkayak, in August of '08. It was shot from the south bluff of Empire MI, (aka Mt Baldy) overlooking Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Manitou Island. Kind of makes me wish I were there.
Oh wait.
I am.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Treasuries for Meals on Wheels (Click each to enlarge)
Our group of Wild Wise & Witty Grandmothers on Etsy have capture 6 treasuries to highlight our Meals on Wheels Benefit for September, in honor of National Grandparents day which is on September 7th (hint hint to all those grand & great grandkids out there)
Cher
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 ha
ving 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 a
nd 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!
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 ha
ving 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 a
nd 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.
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!
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