Happy New Year.....

What a great way to start the New Year.... with a blue moon...

A friend of mine wrote this and I just thought it was great.... (thanks Michou)

Health makes all things possible

Wealth makes all things work

Love makes all things beautiful.

May you have all 3 in 2010 - HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year Everyone.......

Peace

Gaffer Glass

Just a quick note on Gaffer Glass!

I have been testing some of their powders trying to find some new colors to use to replace the Zimmerman powders I had been using. Gaffer has some really wonderful colors and I know that I will be using them on a regular basis. They have some really great pinks and purples as well as many other. I have only just started playing with them.

I still haven't found anything that will react the same way as the Zimmerman Purple Rose Special powder does though. Maybe Gaffer will come out with a purple that will do that for us! So if you have any of the Zimmerman be sure and hang on to it!

I still have some, limited supply, of the Purple Rose for sale in my Etsy as well as some of the Mountain Blue. I have a very, very limited supply of the Blue Mountain left. So if these are colors that you like you may want to get some before they are all gone....

I will keep you updated on my progression with the Gaffer Glass. And by the way........ the Gaffer Girls are awesome and just a joy to work with!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Going back to Turkey!

I am ready to go back to Turkey. This has been one of my favorite places I have been in all of my travels. The people and the sites are just amazing.

I will be teaching at The Glass Furnace, just outside of Istanbul in March.

The following are some photos of my last trip to Turkey from June this year. My friend Nicole and I went to Istanbul and then on to Cappadocia. It is truly a magical place.......

Some of the frescoes found in the churches in Cappadocia. Nicole and I rented a car and just took off all over the place. We would be just out in the countryside and find a dirt rode and go exploring..... we would come along some of these old dwellings and when we entered to our surprise would discover that it had been a church about the year 500. There was no one to tell you you can't go in...... it was amazing.

The rest of these photos are from the Cappadocia area. If you ever get a chance don't pass it up...

Anyone want to come with me in March?? Maybe go to the sea on this trip!

ZIMMERMAN POWDERS NO MORE!!!!!

Here is a statement issued by Zimmerman Glass:

As many of you are already aware, due to the passing of Peter Zimmermann in December 2008, Zimmermann Color Glass will cease production in September of this year after almost 150 years. The Zimmermann family has elected not to sell it's formulas for it's color line to any other glass color producer. We are saddened by the loss of Peter Zimmermann and also the loss of our excellent relationship with everyone at the Zimmermann factory.

This and a few other Zimmerman colors are colors that I have used for years... especially in my off mandrel hearts and stargazer beads. This color, purple rose special, has been one of my favorite powders .... it changes to so many different colors..... starting with yellow and going all the way to purple through the rainbow.

I have a bit of this stashed away and have some available for sale in MY ETSY SHOP. I feel bad that I had been teaching using this color and now it is no longer available. So for those students and those of you that would like to play with some... you may want to get some while there is still some left.....

I also have some Blue Mountain, another of my all time favorites.... I will soon be adding some clay grey as well...

Enjoy it while it lasts!

STILL PLAYING.....

I am still playing with silver and having a blast doing it! Sometime soon I need to get really serious about making some beads for the Tucson Show in February.... but it is hard to change modes.

This is my newest bracelet.. it took me a long, long time to make, I am hoping to make another one similar this week and maybe it will go quicker! We will see! So many ideas swirling around in my head these days! Too bad that the silver and gold prices are so high right now.... I would love to add some gold to my pieces! I would also love to take a few more silversmithing classes! Maybe there will be some to take at Bead and Button this year.... or maybe go and study with Andy Cooperman! Now that would be awesome! I was able to sit in on a class with him a few years ago.... I would love to be able to spend a week one on one with him! Maybe Santa is listening!

lots and lots of texturing going on in this bracelet.....

top view or side view as you are wearing it.....

and finally a few charms I am making for some xmas gifts.... they will be parts of necklaces...

Have a great week!!!

New Cuff Bracelets

Ok not the best photo..... but you will get an idea of what I have been working on this weekend. These are just a few of them. The simple bracelets having sayings stamped on the undersides of them... I have many more ideas I am presently working on.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving .... We had our big party last Sunday and just took it easy over the weekend.... nice and relaxing..

Guess it is getting to that time of the year that I need to start thinking about getting ready for the Tucson show. I am thinking of making some of these bracelets for the show as well... what do you think????

Let me know!

2010 SHOW AND CLASS SCHEDULE

Looks like 2010 is going to be a busy year for me! Anyone care to share in the adventure?

2010 Classes

FEBRUARY 13 AND 14

MIDWEST GLASS EXPERIENCE

Saint Louis, MO

info here

APRIL 28, 29

CREATIVE GLASS

UK

info here

MAY 1, 2

SWITZERLAND

info here

MAY 6, 7

AUSTRIA

info here

JUNE 6, 7, 8

MILWAUKEE

MASTERS CLASS

info here

AUGUST

AUSTRALIA

Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart

info here

SEPTEMBER 24, 25, 26

PORT TOWNSEND

MASTERS CLASS

info here

OCTOBER 2,3

ALASKA

info here

2010 Shows

FEBRUARY 3 - 8

TUCSON, AZ

THE WHOLE BEAD SHOW

info here

JUNE 10 - 13

MILWAUKEE, WI

BEAD AND BUTTON SHOW

info here

BEAD AND BUTTON - MASTERS CLASS 2010

I can finally spill the beads..... I am teaching next years Masters Class for Bead and Button! I am very excited and honored to be teaching this class. Here is a copy of the letter that Marlene sent out today....

Dear Lampworkers,

You are the first to hear the terrific news that Andrea Guarino-Slemmons will be our Master’s Class lampworking instructor for 2010. Andrea has developed a fantastic curriculum for this class bringing to it her outstanding talents as a flameworker, artist, and always pushing the limits on new designs. This three-day session will be chock full of everything you want to learn about lampworking with a master’s master. Andrea has been associated with the Bead&Button Show for close to 10 years. Her association with us has been constant, and she and husband Whit have always lent hand (and heart) to us whenever we needed them to pitch in from everything to setting up classrooms to technical expertise to making the lampworking master classes what they are today. Their help has been invaluable in our growth.

To learn more about this new session, please click this link. http://www.beadandbuttonshow.com/bnbshow/Default.aspx?c=a&id=197

Anyone care to join me!!!!

Wishing Stones

Someone's stash of wishing stones on North Beach.




-- Posted from my iPhone

Maine

Well it has definitely been way too long since my last posting! I was in Maine for almost 2 weeks teaching a few workshops and then just playing for a while. It seems that I just don't have the energy after teaching all day to post to my blog.

I had a wonderful time teaching at Playing with Fire in Rockland, ME. If you ever get a chance to take a workshop there go for it! Very nice folks over there, and wonderful fun loving students.

This is in Camden, just a short drive up the coast from Rockland. As you can see the leaves were turning making for a beautiful back drop.

How about a room with a view?

Of course I couldn't resist taking a photo of a spiral!

This is the house that Jen Geldard and I are planning a bead retreat at ....... anyone interested in attending?

And what would Maine be without Lobstah's!!!!! Yes I had my fair share of them ........

Well I will try and be better about posting on my blog.... I do post very often on facebook.... so for those of you on facebook you may want to check me out there as well.

Great Day

Well today is my 29th birthday ....... again! Here is what greeted me on this day!

My good friends coming down the tree to greet me.....

This peregrine falcon..... probably not here to greet me but maybe snag a pigeon or two!

Mt. Baker in all of its beauty..

One of the bald eagles that hangs out in our tree.....

One of the many deer that pass through our yard.... they love stopping by and eating our apples

And a beautiful ship passing by.

Hope you are all having a wonderful day as well........

Thanks Kathy!

Thank you Kathy D for my early birthday gift! This is so awesome I had to share with you all! Ever make pizza on your outdoor grill before? Well we hadn't and I had never even heard of doing such a thing till Kathy got me this wonderful gift!

First you get this pizza stone for your grill at William-Sonoma.....

And then of course you will need a pizza peel....... thank you Kathy!

Well this is where it got a bit tricky! Trying to make a round pizza! I thought if I just threw it up in the air a few times it would even out.... well this didn't work for me!

I bought the pizza dough at Trader Joe's. It was awesome!

Our first pizza shape is very strange but let me tell you..... it didn't matter! We put canadian bacon, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms and olives on it...

Before going on the grill....

Half way done......

Finished! It tasted delicious! One of the best pizza's I have had!

Give it a try sometime and let me know what you think... and any of you that have already made these and have some tips for us please let us know them!

On another note ... I really have been working and not just cooking! I will post photos in the next few days!

TOMATOES!

A Few years ago my friend Jennifer Geldard was here visiting and she made these tomatoes for us. I had forgotten how to make them so I asked her for the recipe and just thought I would share them with you! They are so yummy! So here is the recipe along with some photos of the ones I roasted today!

Roasted tomato recipe:

Ingredients:

as many tomatoes as u like
olive oil
salt
pepper
whatever spices you like...I use a garlic mix like Mrs. dash cause I'm lazy.
fresh basil - chiffonade ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiffonade)
goat cheese
baguette

I started making this with small plum tomatoes during the off season, but seeing as all those lovely tomatoes are in season now, you want to cut a normal sized tomato into 3 chunks (each about the size of a small plum tomato). You can also use cherry tomatoes, but the tomatoes shrink when you cook them, and you'll have to use a bunch per serving.... but use whatever you have!

Remove the seeds and liquid... I just squeeze them, and scoop it out with my hands.

Toss the tomatoes in the olive oil, salt, pepper and spices

Spread them out in one layer in a roasting pan

Roast for 3 or 4 hours at 250 degrees. You can shorten this by bumping up the temp to 325 or so....it's still good, just not quite as good.I know that sounds vague- it's always different depending on what tomatoes you use. Just keep an eye on them....they should shrink quite a bit in size, and deepen in color and flavor.....mmmmmmmm.

Remove the pan from the oven and move the tomatoes onto a serving plate. Retain any leftover oil and juices.( the slower you roast the tomatoes, the more juices you'll have) Unwrap a hunk of goat cheese and put it next to the tomatoes.... dribble oil and juices over the goat cheese. Sprinkle the basil over the tomatoes.

Slice the baguette and serve with the tomatoes...... one slice of baguette smeared with goat cheese + a tomato or two on top = heaven.

I have found that I really prefer the yellow tomatoes for this...

sliced and seeded......

seasoned and put in the roasting pan....

roasted......

well I almost forgot to take a photo of the finished product..... by the time I did remember they were almost gone!

Thank you Jen for this wonderful recipe! I hope you all enjoy them and let me know what you think!