3 New Listings, Hot From the Kiln!

After my recent brush with death (ok, so it wasn't that dramatic, but it was closer than I've been in years!), I finally got back to the studio (unsupervised, too!).  You and I do enjoy our glasswork, and I'm sorry for dropping off the map, but you understand, right? :) 

I've been making some neat beads lately, but they're for a project that's still top-secret, so no peeking at those today... But I do have three newbies on the fire block: Spiral Bee, Grey Rhino and Whale Fluke!

Spiral Bee Pendant on ArtFire

Grey Rhino Pendant on ArtFire

Whale Fluke Pendant on ArtFire

Yay for glass time!  Now if I can finish my beads soon, perhaps I'll get to show and tell with those... Otherwise, stay tuned.  Have a great Saturday and final day of March! :)

First September Glass!

Birthday month, woohoo!  OK, so this is a very busy month at the Shepherd residence...
The highlights of this month's journey:

• School started for me again!  My latest foray back into college to finish my BS...  Apparently two Associate degrees don't equal one BS.. O_o  Go figure?
• The new position is finally open at work.  It's been a topic of discussion for over a year, and now it's almost interview time... Nervous about that, as I was on an interview panel a few times in the past year and know how nervous the applicants can be.  Wish me luck when the time comes, ok? :)
• My birthday is coming!  Paul and I love our birthdays, because we celebrate Birthday Week as a concentrated week of a few special meals, maybe a picnic or two, hike, botanic garden trip, etc.  My week = my choice, mwahahahaha!
• Preparation for the Holiday Season - oh yeah, you know we still make glass goodies? :)  I've made some cool new pieces recently shown below.  They are basically my last fit of freedom from last weekend before classes started on Tuesday.  The glass will have to take a backseat to these other more permanent things, but I will cling to some of it to ensure my own sanity. You know how it goes, no hobby, no hope ;)

Well those are the biggest items for me, but that's not to say Paul doesn't have his own task list to struggle with, but this is my blog, so... you know, mostly my stuff.  Below are the beads I made this weekend(and some last weekend I think) and the goodies I made as my last freedom session in the studio. :)

A young man (photographer, I think) asked us if we make anything that's "not cute", and after surveying all my trays and suggesting a few pieces that I thought might be less cute, it was determined that my style just includes "cute."  I'm happy with that, despite recalling being a young girl ages ago that wanted nothing to do with the word. ;)

My beads!!! I really still love beads, and I need to make more that I can use to make myself a bracelet or two.  The one with brownish swirl over black (see that nugget on the right at the end?) was very similar to a set I made for a friend's moving-away present last week too.  Things are changing, and not just the leaves. :)

Happy Earth Day, Easter, and Sunday Show-Off!

I'm a little late, but nonetheless: Happy Earth Day! Also, I'm just on time to say Happy Easter!  We're always celebrating nature and the earth around here, so I didn't feel that I had to show off my little planet earth pendants, but maybe another day :)

A new week, and finally new listings!  I've been pretty busy lately making spring goodies, and have barely had time online.  The big Mother's Day show is coming up next weekend, so I've been working on new designs too, some are firsts for me, and a few are with skills I've had to dust off, but you'll see them after the big show :)  Today's showing off includes new insects and a teal sea turtle:
First, a red and pink butterfly pendant:

Next, here's a cute yellow and black bumblebee pendant:

And for variety... A new teal tiger-striped sea turtle pendant!!:

They are all my babies, so it's hard to say which is my favorite, but you know me: I sure do love sea turtles :P    Have a great weekend, and remember to be kind to your Earth every day (I'm sure you already are!), and Happy Easter!

January's Newest Critters

Yes, I've been remiss in updating you folks of our progress for a few weeks, so below are my latest new creations that are also listed in my ArtFire studio:  First, my newest mint green sea turtle, with my favorite color theme and lovely frit added to his flippers.  Then, a detailed glass cat pendant complete with little pink nose, and finally a new butterfly, since my customers love the butterflies :)

Of course my turtles are probably one of the most fun things to make, but it's good to have the challenge of trying to make a cat that isn't obese (hard to do when your models are pretty chubby!), and a butterfly with antennae that curve just-so.  More updates later, I promise!

Mint Green Implosion Sea Turtle Pendant

Black Cat Glass Pendant

Red/Amber/Cream/Purple Striped Wing Butterfly Pendant

Fire Divas Quarterly Jewelry Challenge: Holidays!

Ok, so many of you may already be aware that this awesome group of talented glassy ladies I belong to hosts a Jewelry Challenge quarterly... but did you know that voting ends tomorrow?  Go vote please!  Here is a link to the entries so you can see what to vote for: Fire Divas Holiday Jewelry Challenge Entries.  Recognize one of those beads?  I'm not saying you have to vote for that one, but please vote for your favorite holiday-inspired piece of jewelry art and help get the voting participation up.  If elected, that bead will... just be gorgeous.  No promises for tax breaks or anything! 

Here is a preview of the entries, but you have to visit the blog for better photos:

Ok, now that you've caught a glimpse of what's up for voting, go vote!  The winner gets to enjoy a shopping spree in the Fire Divas shops, details over in the Fire Divas blog :)  Thanks for voting! (I know you will :P )

Saturday Show-Off for October 23rd, 2010

Happy Saturday! We had a very productive day out in the studio, and while those are cooling off, feast your eyes on these new insects! (I know the spider isn't an insect, but we still lump them in for our purposes!)

Yellow Bumblebee Pendant

Amber-Wing Cobalt Dragonfly Pendant

Red and Black Ladybug Pendant

Goofy Skull Spider Pendant

Thanks for visiting, and I'll see you back here for more glassy updates :)

Remnants of Fruit!

So much of my inspiration comes from nature, that my yard is always a source of interest :)
We had loads of delicious fruit, and luckily some is still around!  I'm fine with fruit on the ground if someone is still eating it...

This bee had a huge appetite!

The great part about grazing insects is that I get to observe them up close while they're distracted...

This threesome stuck around for a group photo, but I can't guarantee they survived after the photo shoot...

And this little guy is still guarding my plums from other would-be assailants

Well, I can't leave you with a spider in mind, so enjoy this photo of a cluster of grapes from our little slope :)  Someday we'll have enough for a glass of wine!

In the meantime, they do make a tasty snack...  Plus I can work on my grape cluster design!

Saturday Showing Off: New Insect Series Additions

Happy Saturday!  My favorite day of the week, it never disappoints.  I'm reading a book currently called "The Art of Time" and I'm learning about the difference between real time and perceived time, where we think a year goes by faster as we age.  It's pretty well written, and as I make my way through it, the book reminds us to live in the present, as it's the only place we really can be.  Embracing that idea, Paul and I are enjoying our weekend, and I've even managed to get some work done photographing my new insects and listing them :)  Here are three new critters to enjoy, and I think a good variety.

Teal & Purple Snail Pendant

Amber Purplish Butterfly Pendant

Cobalt & Gold Twisted Dragonfly Pendant

Once it gets too warm outside today, I'll continue reading my book.  Do I really have time to read about time? We'll see!