Fun in the Torchroom

I have a minute to catch my breath and post some photos.
The beginning bead class this weekend was fantastic! Great students and great fun.
I did forget to stop and take a picture of this class. Darn!
I've been saving a few photos of fun and learning going on here at Dream Fire Glass Studio.



Fiery Friday





Fiery Friday

Very productive Fiery Friday














 Beginning Bead Class


Hot Head Torches to start out!

The fun and learning continues........
Here's what 's happening in February
This coming weekend Saturday February 4th is the Heart Class.
Hollow Beads on Sunday February 5th
Open torch February 8th and 22nd
Fiery Friday February 10th
Bangle Bracelet with hearts February 11th
Torchwork for the Fuser February 12th
Beadmaking 1 is at Southwest School February 18th
Beadmaking 2 is back here at Dream Fire February 19th

Dream Fire Glass Studio will be closed February 25th
So I can help with the SAGAG workshop
Well that's it for today
I will leave you with a few hearts fresh out of the kiln

What's in the Mailbox

I was stalking the mailbox early in January.Well not actually stalking it because it doesn't really go anywhere.
I ordered the Convergence II and III exhibition catalogs and was diligently watching to see if the mail had come each day
Lulu press had printed them and they are were on their way.

I have a piece in each of the catalogs. I know I have mentioned these before but I think they deserve one more look.
The Convergence II catalog has Persephone's Lot a necklace I collaborated with Liza Connell on.
Liza made the beautiful PMC findings and leaves. I did the design work and of course made the beads.

Persephone's Lot just arrived safe and sound from its travels.

In the Convergence III catalog is Gaudi. Now this necklace is something else.

 Peggy Potts and I worked for months on this one. We got together a minimum of once a week and planned and sketched and negotiated the design. I enjoyed the give and take and the process and the end result well it stunned us both.
Peggy did all the fantastic silversmith work. She handmade every silver component from the breastplate to the tiniest bead caps,yes she even made the chain.  I made the beads boy did I make beads. We made our final selections of beads and put Gaudi together.

You may wonder what is Gaudi- who is Gaudi? He was an architect that Peggy and I both admire and the necklace is based on his work, primarily the Basilica of the Sagrada Família

The catalogs arrived and are beautiful. They document our modern bead history and are some great eye candy.I had to have them because not only do I have pieces in them but so do my friends and students.
SALSA President Vicki Munie and her mother Betty have pieces in both catalogs.
Now I'm going to settle in and enjoy everyone's work.

Grand Opening Pictures- Finally!

The Grand Opening was a blast!

Sorry it took so long to get the pictures up but life gets in the way of blogging. The day after the Grand Opening we loaded our cars and headed deep into the piney woods of Texas headed for Stephen F. Austin University .
Our son is now settled into his dorm room, classes have begun and the next stage of his and our lives has begun.

I'm going to start with a few pre-party pictures. In the last post I mentioned finding the right spot to cut the hole in the piñata. Well here we are cutting the opening and stuffing the piñata. .

Nicole donated the piñata and the decorations.
The "Loot" in the pretty little star piñata was good stuff. Burger bucks from My Place Bar and Grille in Bulverde - YUM! Packages of my handmade murrini ,Chocolate candy,Tickets for the prizes and the slap bracelets had stickers for earrings, necklaces, tools and glass! Bullseye glass donated a t-shirt and and apron Pretty good huh?

     We found the flame fringe at Amols the place to find party stuff in San Antonio

I think the flame fringe is really nice. The wind blew some of it away but we are going to keep the section on the sign. I think it’s just right for a flame working studio.

The agenda for the day was FRIENDS-FOOD-FUN-FIRE!
I’m going to let the picture do the talking. Thank you to Alan and Nicole for the pictures!



Louise's Mom brought the party animals

FUN



Waiting to start the pinata




Sam giving the instructions





The 1st good hit




will Jodi finish it off?



FRIENDS



The photographers capturing the Brothers of the Flame



DEMO's

Brothers of the Flame-FIRE-DANCERS

You can see we had a blast.

One last Picture that captured my day.

Drinking a great glass of wine with friends watching the Brothers of the Flame perform right behind my very own studio......what more could you want? Life is good!

2 Days until the Grand Opening!

Wow time is flying.
My last post I had 10 days to get ready. By the time this posts it will really be closer to one day away.
I can guarantee I've been busy.
Just after the holiday break we made some changes in the gallery. Now there is a little bit more jewelry and glass displayed. I've added  few more tools on the wall.
The Bullseye glass order came in yesterday. I measure out the  frit  in 2 oz containers. It is just the right size for beadmakers who want to sample a new color. Those are now labelled and hanging on the wall. The rods are all labeled  and ready to purchase. The labelling of each rod is again a beadmaker thing. Most beadmakers use many different COE's of glass and having each one labeled is a great way to keep them from getting mixed up.
The pinata and its goodies are in the studio waiting for the "stuffing process". If you have never had a pinata before there are things you have to do before it is ready to have the stuffing beat out of it. You have to find just the right spot to cut a tiny opening just big enough for the largest item going in. Now you just can't cut a hole anywhere because you might compromise the structure and the last thing you want is the pinata to burst open on the 1st hit. So I've been studying it and the prizes and I'm not sure yet. I think that can wait until manana.
OK I promised I would post the schedule here. So loosely here it is:

10 am  the doors open and breakfast refreshments will be available
11 am  1st Demo
12 noon we break out the wine and other yummy things
1 pm Demo
2 pm Demo
3 pm Demo
4 pm We go out back and hit the stuffing out of that pretty little pinata
5 pm Demo
5:30 announce the prize winners
6 pm we will be drinking wine and enjoying each others company and wishing that it wasn't over.

Want to know more about the prizes?
This is how it is going to work when you come in the door you will get a ticket. You will right your name and contact information on the ticket. There will be several prizes each one will be in front of a container. You will put your tickets in the container of the prizes you want to win.
The longer you stay the more tickets you get- one every hour
The pinata will also have lots of tickets in it.
Now for those loyal customers who have purchased from me here at the new location.
Don't worry if you can't make it. I have tickets for you based on your purchases and those will go in the container for the $50.00 gift certificate to Dream Fire Glass for any purchase (except visiting instructors)

Can't Wait! Hope to see you there.

Grand Opening in 10 Days

The official, here it is,
Dream Fire Glass Grand Opening is January 14th 2012.
Yes I have been open. Yes I have taught classes, made sales etc. So why a Grand Opening?
 I look at the past few months as getting ready for the Studio, Store and Me to become official, ready to say well we did it it is real.
I wanted to make sure the "bugs were worked out" and settle in.
Most brand new businesses wait a few weeks or months before their grand openings so why not.
Why January 14th? Well it is a Saturday and it is the New Year 2012. Let’s just say I like the date it seemed like a good day for a new beginning.

My main question is what the heck is one supposed to do for a grand opening?
I really don’t know what is the proper thing to do for a grand opening.
When your "store" is your studio it is a little different than a shop in the mall or strip center. I'm not really looking for the walk in traffic. So far the "walk-ins" are not looking for art glass they think I sell auto glass or fireplace glass or want to sell me fresh fruit.
 The customers I want pretty much know exactly what they want before they find me. Word of mouth from my loyal customers brings in new students, beadmaking customers and glass collectors.
My website brings people to me and yes even this blog.
So why a grand opening?
Well to me it is a great big ole birthday party for the Studio.
Who comes to your birthday party? Friends and Family people you care about and care about you.
You are my glass Friends and Family. You are my wonderful students and great customers.  So who better to come and celebrate this little dream come true than you!

What are we going to do?
Well there will be a piñata - it is San Antonio - no the glass will not be in the piñata but there will be prizes.
I picked out some good stuff and there will be several ways to win.
I'm going to have product demonstrations through out the day. If you have ever wonder how to use a particular tool or what does that glass do in the flame this will be enlightening.
There will be snacks and refreshment.
Yes there will even be things you can buy, glass, jewelry, beads, tools and classes you can sign up for.
Mostly we will just hang out, enjoy each others company and rejoice that there is a flameworking playground right here in San Antonio.

If you are reading this blog you are invited.

See ya Saturday January 14th 2012! 

2012

Happy New Year!

I think the very first day of the New Year is a gift.

To me the New Year is shiny and new, full of promise and possibilities.

At our house we eat black-eyed peas, reflect on the last year and plan for this New Year.

2012 will be the year Dream Fire Glass Studio will have lots of firsts and I’m excited about that. The first six months are planned and classes scheduled. The Grand Opening is in 13 days…….. more about that in the next blog.

I will be travelling and teaching more this year starting with Glass Craft Expo in Vegas.

2012 will be a year of change.

My husband and I will become “empty nesters”. I’m excited for my son. He is starting the journey of his life. I’m looking forward to the extra time together with my husband. He may have to come drag me out of the studio though. I’m looking forward to spending lots of time at the torch.

The sun is setting on this first shiny new day of 2012 so I wish you a Happy New Year and I hope it is filled with wonderful things for us all.

Sam

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