Las Vegas 2013 Glass Craft Expo!

Time to get back to beads and glass.

Bullseye color reactions

Even though I can't get on a torch right now I can talk about it. I can post pictures of beads we all like pictures!

In a few more days it will be 2013. Plans have already been made for classes and those classes are filling up. Personally I really hate having to plan out my life 6 month to a year and in some cases I even have 2014 dates booked. BUT it is necessary if you want to teach or take a class. If you want to take one of these you have to get moving and sign up.
My four classes in Vegas - Glass Craft Expo are already filling!
I don't want you to miss out on a class you really wanted to take because it filled up.
Here are the classes and links to more information and how to sign up.

Wednesday April 3rd- HG-WE-61 -SOFT GLASS BLOWN VESSELS AND STOPPERS
Thursday April 4th - HG-TH-61 - TWIST AND SHOUT- LATTICINO BEADS
Friday April 5th - HG-FR-61 - DAY OF THE DEAD BEADS OR HAPPY SKULLS
Saturday April 6th - HG-SA-61 - MYSTERIES OF BULLSEYE GLASS COLOR REACTIONS & THE FLAME


Vessels and Stoppers is so much more than just vessels and stoppers you will learn how to make hollow beads and master some sculptural techniques on your way to the finished product. Everyone should go home with a finished vessel and stopper.

Twist and Shout is a popular class with only one spot left. You learn how to make 3 different kinds of cane. You learn the planning, building the pulling really nice canes that can be used for so many things. We will make beads with the canes but there is so much more they can be incorporated in.


Day of the Dead - two different kinds of skull construction. Cute, fun, kind of silly Happy Skulls and then we get busy with the elaborate realistic "Sugar Skulls". Now you wouldn't think you would be learning floral bead skills in a skull class but wait..... yes raised florals decorate these Sugar Skulls so we will learn a little floral cane building and decoration...and a little lesson on using murinni for eyes.

Mysteries of Bullseye Glass color Reactions.... Hmmm what is that? Well most of us know that some glass colors react with others and that sometimes this is good and sometimes it is a mess. This class is all about who's who in Bullseye glass and what is going on and why. We will talk an little and there will be charts and then we will make some awesome beads. Then there is what I call alchemy mixing silver and copper with the glass to make completely new colors

If any of these classes interest you and you can get to Vegas now is the time to sign up.
I hate to sound coy ( this definition "reluctance to provide information or make a commitment") but due to my duties as Executrix my schedule is going to be crazy in 2013 and who knows when these classes will be offered at my studio.
Well I hope the eye candy was enjoyable.
Sam

White Christmas

Well that was an unexpected gift a White Christmas at least in North Texas

It is melting away much faster than it fell. It was nice while it lasted.

OK so we are still here

Surprise the world did not come to an end today.
I was not holding my breath on that one.

But changes are coming.....................
Personally I am looking forward to 2013. The first six months will be hard work. Trying to run the studio, travel and teach, get some of my own work done and dealing with my cousin's estate.
June 12th 2013 should be the end of the waiting period - probate- and then I should be done with that.

Before my cousin passed I was already looking at a bit of a restructuring of the way I look at the studio as a business. Looking at the priorities of why I started my own studio and what I like and don't like about having a business.
I love being at the torch creating.
I love pushing myself and my students technically and creatively
I love teaching.
I love having a place where my students and friends can come and torch and learn.
So that stays
I do not like having a retail business
I do not enjoy sitting around at the studio just in case someone needs to buy something
I do not like having to be at the studio when I could be productive elsewhere.

DON"T worry I'm not closing the store. I look at the supplies as a necessary evil a convenience for  students and friends but the retail part of the store can not become the tail wagging the dog. It is not like
I sell bread or milk. Glass is not a necessity of life ( I know some of you will argue that) but it is something you can plan to get ahead.

So 2013 will mean six months of trips back and forth to Georgia and the store being closed more.
There will be classes,torch time, Fiery Fridays and National Instructors and glass, frit , tools and jewelry.
We will all have to plan a little more. I promise it will all be good.
Hang in there!
Sam

I'm Back

Yes the Blog has been silent for several months. Life got really busy.

Wesley Fleming came and taught in October. He is AWESOME!

There were lots of shows
ART 281, Uptown Art Stroll, St Thomas and the studio Open House
Teaching classes at the studio on the road and at Southwest School.

Then my cousin passed away and we found ourselves dealing with his estate.

This is going to take a great deal of time and energy. So hang in there.









Classes will resume in January. The exciting and marvelous Sharon Peters will be teaching at Dream Fire Glass in February.
I will be dividing my time between the studio and the work I have to do in Georgia.

Happy Holidays everyone!
Sam

Sundays Class- Vessels

I wish I had pictures of the finished product! But they were still in the kiln when I left WUB.

These are similar to what we were learning.

First we made latticino and reticello and made that into a stopper saving a little more for decorating out vessels.

Like this:














Erika's perfect hollow

 The next step is to practice building our hollows.

 Now making the cane and working on hollows was fun but we needed a little break to blow bubbles of a different kind before we got down to blowing vessels.

Everyone make a couple of vessels and we wrapped up the day with a demo of
"fancier" stoppers

More Classes at WUB

Saturday Morning we got to see the beads everyone made in the Fiesta bead class on Friday. All the beads were gorgeous. We soaked a few in Sparex to remove the fire scale from the turquoise. I use CLR at home but Wired Up Beads teaches metal classes and so there is a pot of "pickle" ready to go. I wish I had the after picture of Babette's bead(front right) it is beautiful turquoise now.




I think Myrt liked the class!

Saturdays class was all about the fish! Well we did throw in a few sea urchins and starfish too but it was all about the fish. There are no bad beads only potential fish and the best thing is you just can't mess up a fish. The things that "ruin" a bead only make a fish .............well fishier

WE had a real treat during lunch not only did we get yummy food but Patti gave us an impromptu lesson on using some of her Wubber tools. I am working on getting her to come and teach at Dream Fire to teach!

Then it was time to get back to "frying fish"

This one doesn't seem to mind his tail being on fire!

Here is the fish I left behind as a thank you to WUB








The day wasn't over yet. The Grapevine Bead Society meeting was at Wired Up beads that night and they ask me to demo. Fishy eye murrini or maybe they were monster eye murrini for next months GBS challenge.

Fiesta Beads at WUB

Friday was Fiesta Bead Class at Wired Up Beads. I had a great bunch of students and we made some awesome beads. Hopefully I'll have some pictures soon!
Ginny H even got to sit down at a torch and have some fun.
More later on the WUB trip.

Road Trip Day One

All I can say is the trip to Dallas was not fun! It was a perilous journey fraught with blinding rain, flooded roads, really scary lighting and engine trouble. The normal drive up 281 is beautiful and easy. It was until I got to Marble Falls. I was planning on getting gas there and as I topped the hill at Round Mountain the sky over Marble Falls was dark and you could see the wall of rain. Darn it pumping gas even in a covered gas station I got really wet from the rain was blowing in the bay. Then there was the lighting it made you wonder how smart it is to be pumping gas when lighting is striking all around you. I called my friend Denise and ask her to pull up the radar and see what I was driving into. A Big red cell on the radar!
About the north side of Burnett the rain was coming down so hard you couldn't see but a few car length in from of me  20 -40 MPH was as fast as you could go. There was no place to pull over and to add to the fun my check engine light came on- GREAT. So I crawled along with the flashers on from Burnett to Lampasas. At that point I was glad there was a Ford dealership in Lampasas because smoke was pouring out of the engine compartment. YEAH- Getting from the car to the dealership door I was soaked. After an hour and a half in the waiting room at the dealership the mechanic came in with a piece of metal and said" you are going to need this when you get the car fixed"
WHAT THE........ a bearing had gone out on a clip in the back of the engine  - clip that opens and closes the intake manifold but I still had one and they were confident I could drive around with one till I get home. The smoke was all the water from the road on the hot engine lovely.
Back on the road.............more really bad rain and storms.........then sunshine then storms.
Finally after passing a few spun out cars in Dallas I made it! Looking like a drowned rat but in one piece

Today is the Fiesta Bead Call as WUB.Wired UP Beads

First week of September

September seed pods

How does the time slip away so fast? For anyone with children the answer is easy. No matter where they are in their lives or how old they are they need you. This time of year is dedicated to getting those kiddo's to school. Most of them are settling into the first week of school and we are all trying to find a routine.
Right now I am actually longing for a routine. A day to day routine when things are planned and executed. What is that saying "man plans and the gods laugh"? Yep they think I am hysterical .

Fall is time to do "The Texas Teaching Tour" It is time to head both North and South Texas to visit some mighty fine studios. I will be in Dallas-Grapevine area /Southlake Texas this next weekend teaching at Wired Up Beads check out their web site to see the classes offered. I am hoping to have a little trunk show at a friends house in Dallas Monday and Tuesday before I head back to San Antonio.

I won't be home long because it will be time to turn the car South and to McAllen where I will be teaching at McAllen Stain Glass .

I will back long enough to teach agroup of Houston Hotties a Dichroic glass Class!

I need to get the camera out and take more pictures. Well that's it for today it is time to get ready for Fiery Friday at the studio.

More Leaves

That's all just some more leaves.

These were made using a tungsten to hot drill the holes.
The creamy look comes from Bullseye glass  special production rods from way back it is called Amber Surprise and I love what it does when mixed with an opaque color. The color looks opaque when it is held against a solid back ground but when you let the light shine through it becomes transparent or translucent.

I used it in some of the leave that were posted yesterday too.

Leaves

I needed an vacation after the ISGB Gathering but .............
What is that saying? No rest for the wicked ... I mean weary.
I hit the ground running after a one day crash and burn. The Fall tutorial for the ISGB Glass Bead was due soon.
Somewhere in between teaching classes and ordering glass and supplies for Dream Fire Studio I got the tutorial done pictures and all.
That is the glamorous life of a small business owner! But I get to do what I love so I guess I'll suffer.
The tutorial is wrapped up and on it's way to the editor. No preview but here is a hint. Just in time for Fall.

Can't wait for Fall and "cooler" weather

The ISGB Gathering Classes and more

Yes I know it is taking me forever to finish up with the trip........
Now that I am back time is limited so I blog when I can.
So when I last blogged we had set up for class

Nicole day one waiting for everyone to arrive

Nicole has most of the class day picturesI was kind of busy with teaching thoses days so I'll post some of them later.
Class went well the students were great and I think they all went home with the knowledge they were looking for. They made some great beads too. Everyone went home with a container full of the different murrini they had made in class and lots of ideas.

The end of day two students cleaning up

Duane was in my class! He had a shirt for BOC Beads of Courage that he was having everyone sign. I am Proud to say I got to be the 1st signature right on his right shoulder. Great idea Duane!

Duane and the "Shirt" before the signatures

The final sweep down of the table

We cleaned up and with that the class was over and I was running to catch the final moments of the ISGB Board meeting.
Thank you Nicole for  all the help and support!

Thursday the Gathering formally begins
I'm ready I shipped the box of 1st timer Beads ahead

Every 1st timer I could find got and indivdual pink flower.

There is the 1st timers meeting, the general meeting and the opening reception. The flamedames and much much more. My pictures are just not so good of Thursday.

Friday was My Presentation: Frozen in Glass
Translating Inspiration into Glass
Everyone said they enjoyed it!







Then it was time to hop on a bus and get to Seattle for the Gallery tour


The Venture show was here

 
























One of the nice things is you get to see friends you only see once a year.

BFFFFFF Annemarie and her Honey

Me, Shruti and Debby



These hugs have to last a year!
















Now get back on that bus!

Almost done Saturday is the Bead Bazaar I had a table.

Just a half table

There was still more the banquet and live auction. A little sleep- more lectures- I mostly worked Sunday packing the Indelible exhibit for Japan
And the end Bead Trading and the closing party

Carlos and Jeri by the smiles I think it was a good trade

A long delayed plane trip back and that is the end!

Back to Seattle and the ISGB Gathering

Monday came too fast and it was time to get back on the road. We headed for Seattle/ Bellevue and the Gathering. You do have to stop and eat so we stopped in Olympia. Walked around a bit and enjoyed the cool air.

Nicole had packed an amazing gourmet lunch from our leftovers. Those were some leftovers!
Salmon cakes,roasted veggies and local cheese on a fresh bagette. We sat on the pier and enjoyed the fresh air and lunch

We arrived at the hotel in Bellevue in time to set up for tomorrows class.

This is a beautiful Hyatt and the staff was wonderful!

One big classroom!

You can barely see the green folders and tools on the table with the torches.

Bullseye donated rod

Everything is set up and ready for tomorrows class.

I headed back to the hotel which was a little bit of a hike. But there was a reward when I got to the room.

I found out my student back in San Antonio arranged for the Bellevue Hyatt to make my stay special!

Thank you Lori and the Bellevue Hyatt management. Best Hyatt Stay yet!

Yes it is all about the food- and fun

Portland Adventure

The next few blog entries will be about the trip and the ISGB Gathering.
On Sunday we went for a hike.

Well more of a walk as there was a 0 elevation but plenty of source material!



Sculptural flowers and encased too



Berries Class

We even saw a couple of  bald eagles. I am really happy with the new camera- Great bead pictures, Macro and the zoom is great!

Some of you know that I do love Bubbles- I believe Life is short so Blow Bubbles when-ever where-ever you can!

Then it was time to get back to the City of Bridges and a wonderful dinner at Jenny's house with more glassy friends.Thank you Jenny!

Thank you Vanessa our wonderful tour guide!

Vanessa and Nicole