Back up on eBay!

Well, it took four people to get me back up selling on eBay. Here is an image of my husband (Aaron) working at the computer and my brother (Steven) taking pictures of my beads!! Steven is a professional photographer who came down from NYC with his girlfriend to visit last weekend. It was a huge effort to find all our photography equipment, set up a new area to shoot beads, and update all our eBay information. Hopefully, we'll be able to do this much quicker from now on!

International Flameworking Conference

Here is a group photo of a bunch of beadmakers with Paul Stankard



I gave a presentation on the Past, Present and Future of Glass Beadmaking in the United States




Nancy Tobey gave an amazing demonstration


Here is a close up of the bead


Wheaton Village had a booth


Here I am with my jewelry for sale by Wheaton Village

Yes! I'll be back to sell in Cleveland

Hi Everyone,

I found out this week that I have been accepted into the Chagrin Falls show this year, which will be June 10th and 11th. This will be the ONLY show I'll be doing back in Cleveland. I have also been accepted to several PA shows and will be venturing to NJ and DE for bead shows too. We'll get the website updated soon. Aaron's been really busy with his new job.

no eBay, but picutres!

We were not able to get items up on eBay this week. Aaron's parents came to visit and we had a fun time going to the Philadelphia Flower Show.

As promised here are some images of the move!


First the movers arrived


Jas waited
And Gypsy hid



The three of us left the next day. We were excited at first.


Then we just wanted to relax.


Finally we arrived and Gypsy hid in the bathroom.

We had to sleep on the blow up bed until our stuff arrived.


This is what I've been dealing with ever since!

Progress!

Things are coming together! We now have our phone, internet, washer, dryer and fridge hooked up and running! I've been doing laundry non-stop! I'm also hoping to get some beads up on eBay by Sunday March 12th.

I was able to attend an open torch session this past weekend and met some wonderful beadmakers! Thanks to Christel, Emily, Louise, and Carrie for welcoming me and making me laugh more than I have laughed in a long time:). The following day I went to the Jersey Fire Devils meeting and they were awesome too! I'm feeling better about being in the new area already:).

Argh!

Well, I have the entire studio set up and ready to go and wouldn't you know that I can't find where I packed the mandrels!!! ARGH!! How frustrating. I've been trying to wade through boxes to find them and I finally just gave up for the day. I'll hope to find them tomorrow.

On a brighter note the sun has been out every day here in Philly! I knew it was cloudy in Cleveland, but I didn't know how much I missed the sun!! I have been going out every day in the chilly temps to go for a jog because it is so nice to feel the sun on my face!!

I also found the local glass bead club. They are called the New Jersey Fire Devils...he he I'm sure I'll fit right in:).

We're Alive!!

We survived the move!! The movers arrived to pack last Wednesday and they loaded it all on Thursday and took off. Once I finished cleaning the house I took off for PA with the kitties on Friday. I wasn't sure how we would all survive 7 hours in the car, but we made it! At one point, both kitties were in my lap...I have some great pictures I will share with you as soon as I can. Aaron and I spent the weekend exploring the area and doing all the really fun stuff like opening bank accounts and buying appliances...ugh!

Our stuff was delivered yesterday and of course I unpacked my studio stuff first:). I am going to have a temporary studio in the basement until we can fix up the area above the garage. I'm hoping to finish setting it up so I can make some beads tonight!

We don't have phone or internet service yet so it's going to be a little while still before we can start selling on line again. Right now I am able to use the library computer for 60 minutes every day. That goes by very quickly!

More soon!

Making a Paperweight

Here are some images of me making a paperweight. They are from the class I took with Paul Stankard at the Corning Glass Studio.

This first image is of me picking up the design using a metal cuff with holes in the bottom to let the air out.


The second image is what the top half of the paperweight looks like when it comes out of the cuff.



Next I take a big gather of clear glass and add it for the bottom half of the paper weight. The design I picked up is now sandwiched in between the clear glass.


Next you shape the paperweight.



The finished product (just before I knock it off the glass punty and put it in the kiln)! Along with classmates Ed and Justin.

Moving Forward

Well things are moving forward in all directions! We are set to close on the house I showed you below this Friday the 17th. Aaron is on his way though the blizzard to Philly so he can start work tomorrow. I'm getting our house in Cleveland ready to be put on the market. I am also going to be working the Buyers Market of American Craft (BMAC) show this week, which happens to be in Philly!

BMAC is a wholesale show that offers artists a venue to establish relationships with buyers from all over the country. I have never been to it before, but have heard that it is a fantastic show. I'm not selling my work, but there in my capacity as the VP of Education for the International Society of Glass Beadmakers who organizes the booth.

Future Studio??

Hi Everyone,

So sorry for my silence. We've had so much going on and I have much to tell you! I'm going to post an image of the house we are negotiating for in Philadelphia. It's actually in a town called Abington. It has 3 Bedrooms and 1.5 Baths with a detached 2 car garage. There is a room above the garage that I am planning on turning into my new studio! We'll have to put some work into it (new roof, electrical, heat, paint, and floor) but, I think it will be wonderful to get out of the basement!!

Back from house hunting

Happy New Year everyone!

We made it back home after spending Christmas with Aaron's family and then a few days looking for homes in Philadelphia. We're starting to get over the sticker shock. We are going to have to spend a lot more for less house in Philly.

We're also struggling with whether to live in Philadelphia or in the Suburbs. There is an attraction to living in the bustling city, but it also more difficult! We'll be heading back in about 10 days to look some more (after we start getting our house ready to sell!).

I looked into a studio space to rent instead of keeping my studio in the house and that remains a possibility. It just adds more overhead so I would have to sell more beads!!

OK, we're off to pack:)

Philadelphia here we come!

Over the past several weeks Aaron and I have been traveling the country for interviews and have finally accepted a position in Fort Washington, PA. I interviewed for three faculty positions and received two job offers (in SC, and CA). But, the job Aaron interviewed for was really the best option for us and since we've lived in that area before, I'm confident I'll be able to find a position. So, over the next couple of months we'll be packing and moving! I'll have to pack up my studio, but hope to have it up and running as soon as possible (the studio is the first thing I unpack of course:).

We'll miss all of our friends in Ohio, but hope that we will meet many new ones in PA.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

I'm not ignoring you!!

Hi everyone,

I am sorry that I haven't posted more lately. Lots of things have been going on (all good), but nothing is finalized so I can't quite tell you the specifics. I'll just say that 2006 will bring a move for us out of Ohio. We're excited and overwhelmed at the same time!

We'll be traveling to visit family over the Holidays and looking for houses. I promise I'll post more details as soon as we know!

Happy Holidays!!

Welcome HGTV viewers and Happy Birthday!

Hi Everyone,

The segment on my work aired again on the HGTV show Crafters Coast to Coast and it also happens to be my birthday today! What a nice birthday present. There are lots of exciting things going on in our lives, but I haven't had a chance to update you. I hope to do that after this weekend, which will also be the last show of the year for me! It's in Cleveland at the I-X center I hope you'll come by to say hi!

Katy

Welcome HGTV viewers and Happy Birthday!

Hi Everyone,

The segment on my work aired again on the HGTV show Crafters Coast to Coast and it also happens to be my birthday today! What a nice birthday present. There are lots of exciting things going on in our lives, but I haven't had a chance to update you. I hope to do that after this weekend, which will also be the last show of the year for me! It's in Cleveland at the I-X center I hope you'll come by to say hi!

Katy

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone had a great Turkey day! We were a little overloaded trying to get out of town before the holiday and I just didn't have a chance to wish everyone a happy Thanksgiving.

We headed to IN to visit my grandmother, parents, and sisters. Grammie fell on Monday and bonked her head really hard. She was still pretty shaky when we arrived on Tuesday evening. We ended up having a nice visit, although it was bittersweet because my grandparents would have celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary this Thanksgiving. We had a toast in Grampie's memory.

On a lighter note, I have a show next weekend! I'll be heading to Youngstown, OH on Dec. 2-4 for a holiday show at the Butler Museum of Art. I hope those of you that live nearby can stop by and say hello!

OK, I'll have to write about the mouse poop cookies tomorrow:)

It's a mystery

I just received the letter that my ornament was not selected to be hung on the Governor's tree. That's two years in a row I've been rejected. It sure does sting a little. Oh well, what else can I do but keep plugging along???

12 pound turkey

So we received a flyer from the local chocolate factory and they are selling a 12 pound solid milk chocolate turkey for a mere $75.00!! HOLY COW! Now that's the kind of turkey I want to serve on Thanksgiving!!

SOFA pictures

I took some pictures using my camera phone while I was at the SOFA show in Chicago. The art work was amazing! The Corning Museum of Glass had their traveling hot glass shop set up and I was able to watch people blow glass too! Here are a few of the delights.

Back from Indiana

I forgot to give you warning that I was going to be heading to Indiana last week to see my Grandmother. I made it back home last night. Grammie is doing remarkably well. Her health has stabilized for now and while she would rather be in her own home, she has been making the best of her life in the nursing home.

Her roommate is very nice and they keep each other on their toes. I baked them some cookies and took some chocolate covered pretzels from Malleys (a famous Cleveland chocolate company). Grammie and I would take off for a few hours in the afternoon and either go back to her home or out to visit my mom. Grammie was just happy to 'be away from that place'.

So, this weekend I'm off to the SOFA (Sculptural Objects and Functional Art) show in Chicago. I'm helping out at the ISGB (International Society of Glass Beadmakers) resource table during the show and also going to see one of my college roommates! It should be fun (although, I would rather stay home:)).