It's really July

Time has been just flying by lately. I'm still finding it hard to convince myself I need to spend some time in the studio, but I have done a bit of torching the last few days. Just a bit, mind you, because my mind keeps wandering outside.

Yesterday, I sat down at the torch and drew a blank. Seriously, I just couldn't find the way to start. So I wandered over to Plurk and commented on my state of mind. Rod, from Blockhead Radio said "Sometimes the easiest way over a wall is around it". So I went out and mowed and you know I love being outside. When I came back in, I pulled out the fat glass and made the first imploded flower cab that I've made for quite some time(maybe a year). I could sit and tell you everything that is not quite right, but...I've chosen to say I enjoyed making it and in the end that is why I keep doing it.


If you ever get the chance you should check out Inside Handmade on Blockhead Radio: John Jacobs and Tony Ford from Artfire shares Industry Trends, Behind the Scenes, and One Thing every Thursday at 1:30 p.m. eastern time.

I'm not saying that you should follow every single bit of advice that they offer, but it's quite interesting to get that glimpse into the hows, whys and wheres of Artfire.




And just because...
.

Enjoying the Weather

I have just been enjoying the weather. The humidity is a bit more than we normally have, but that doesn't slow me down.

Jeff came home with big machinery to work on painting the highest peaks of our old farmhouse style home. I got my first lesson on how to get him up and back down so he could do the powerwashing.

Then it was my turn to be the one going up and do the painting. I had my cell phone with me and snapped a couple of pics. Wish I had thought to take my camera up with me, though.

It was interesting to see things from a new perspective. It's just a small part of the yard, and probably the part that I will be working on this summer the most. I have started cutting some glass to make stepping stones, but I really need to set up a cutting table outside. I just can't convince myself to be inside when the sun is shining.

Did I show you this pendant? I love the softness of it. And such a pretty color for the green. I must remember to order more of this color since I only had one rod that came in a sample pack.


The County Fair starts this week. I am going to take a day and wander through all the women's exhibits this year. You just never know where you might find inspiration for a new bead....I might even indulge myself and have a caramel apple.

Why I Spend So Much Time Outside

This is the most beautiful time of year and I love be outside. Now that does make it hard to keep up with the glass and such, but this is the time when my soul is recharging from the long cold winters.

My house is on the other side of the studio.


Oh, and these are the colors I finally chose for the studio paint.



With the new Fusion Studios and the chance to lock in the $12.00 a month for life, there are good reasons to check out Artfire. I won't tell you it's perfect, but I can tell you that they are working hard to create a place to call home for us artists as well as an exciting shopping experience for our customers. I've been seeing exciting things happening with the Fusion Studios. From live streaming to widgets to Etsy minis to Facebook, the studios are becoming so unique. Go visit a few random shops, or if you've worked on your shop let me know in the comments so I can go see what you've done...

New Studio Looks

I have a cool studio to work in, but let's be honest. It started life as a building that did nothing but collect all the junk that didn't have any other place to go. When it became apparent that glass was going to be permanent part of our life, the building began it's transformation and it's still changing. I've gotten the primer on the outside and once the rain stops will be adding the topcoat. I still have a lot of inside work to do as well, but it's getting there.

And along with the glass studio getting a facelift, Artfire is also rolling out the Fusion Studios. I've only begun to scratch the surface with what I can do with my Artfire shop, but I'm having fun so far. I love that I will be able to add a gallery there. You know that I am more into pictures than words so this is exciting for me. And I'm sure that over the next few weeks, my Artfire studio will be undergoing many changes as I explore the possibilities of what I can do to make it a reflection of me.