Kiln Woes! And Joys!



My Jen-Ken Chilipepper kiln



Last year my oxygen concentrator went on the fritz and had to be shipped all the way across the country to be fixed - fortunately it was under warranty.  This year my kiln has decided to call it quits - not under warranty.  However in talking to the manufacturers, I think it is just needing a new element - and one is now on it's way, and is apparently quite easy to install.  It was so fortunate that the kiln decided to quit after my shows and not before.  This got me thinking about how dependant I am on my equipment, so I have decided to purchase another kiln - a brick lined one this time.  I have always wanted a brick lined kiln, so I could do things such as glass fusing, PMC, and such.  So a new Paragon Bluebird XL is on it's way - yippee!!



My new Paragon Bluebird XL

 Merry Christmas to me, Merry Christmas to me . . . . .la la lala!  LOL!

Studio Tour weekend

Last weekend (actually Thursday to Sunday) we had a self guided artist studio tour in our area.  There were 21 artists participating, along with many of the local restaurants and watering holes.  The only drawback, is that I can't go out on the tour as I am stuck here all weekend!

I had two other artists participating with me in my little studio - Vicki Forkin with her Herb Garden Pottery, and Gail Petrie with her lovely Christmas boxes/centerpieces and ornaments.  We had lots of people come through - over 350!  Our poor gravel driveway looks quite well used.

My part of the studio.

Herb Garden Pottery

That Crafty Lady (Christmas Boxes, etc)

Sorry about the quality of the pictures.

It is back to the torch now, as I have a couple of orders that I have to get ready for the beginning of December.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my US readers.



Thrift Shop Find

I have been wanting a holder/stand for my beadrollers (graphite bead shapers for you non-bead makers) for a long time.  I have been wanting something that would keep them all neat in one place, and wouldn't take up too much space.

I was at a local thrift shop a few weeks ago and saw this old teaspoon rack and figured it would be just the thing - it cost a whole $1.00.  My husband cut out the middle row, reamed out the slots a little bit and hung it up for me.  The bead rollers all fit in sideways, and I can see the names I have printed on the sides, and it is just a few feet from my work table.  It is perfect - I love it!  We couldn't have made something better from scratch.  There is one slot left - I guess I need to purchase another roller now - lol!

Studio Tour Starts Tomorrow

Well, I think I am nearly ready.  I should be - my husband and I have been working on the studio since Sunday.  We have been putting up christmas lights, christmas trees, making a new path, laying bark mulch, re-gravelling the driveway, putting up ropes, signs, ribbons and numbers, and all the other bits and pieces that come up when you do a studio tour.   Also cleaning, sweeping, washing, tidying, putting in tables, decorations, rugs, shelves, music, etc. inside.  I will try and remember to take some pictures of the inside when I go out there tomorrow.
The tour starts tomorrow until Sunday, and opens at 10 am and goes to 5 pm each day.

The first picture was taken from near the corner of the house, and the second picture was taken from the other side of the trees.

Bye for now!

So Very Tired!

I have just finished a three day Christmas Craft fair here in Nanaimo, and I am exhausted.  Spending three days smiling and laughing is just too much for me - LOL.  My sister very kindly volunteered to help me for the full three days - what a great sister!  We laughed so hard sometimes that we ended up crying - I think some of the customers must have wondered what on earth was happening.

I am not at all pleased with my booth this year - I think it is the white necklace stands/busts/boards.  They are great for summer, but I think that in winter I need to get more black ones for display.  I also think I need a softer colour than the black top cloth I have been using for the winter shows - maybe a lovely rust, or perhaps a deep plum - what do you think?  I would love some feedback.  Anyway here is a very poor picture of my booth.  The black backdrop is the promoters choice - I wish they would have silver/gray or something like that.

Right now I think I am going to go and make a cup of tea, and sit and read for a while.  Tomorrow I will be out in the studio again making beads for the studio tour coming on November 18 - 22.

Bye for now.

A calamity - and new beads.

I was busy in my studio yesterday (finally a day without vertigo),and noticed the flame on my torch was kind of strange.  I played around with the settings on the propane regulator and on the concentrator, and nothing seemed to work.  Finally I figured out that the concentrator is not playing nice!  I had to take it to get fixed which is about an hour away, and of course they will not be able to get to it until Tuesday because of our long weekend.  However they were nice enough to let me have a "loaner" for the weekend.  Sure hope they can fix it!

Anyway, here are some new beads that I have cleaned, strung, photographed, and will be listing on Etsy today.

Hope you all have a great weekend, and happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends!

          Sand, Sea & Sky

Scallops and Seaweed

Studio Pictures

I thought you might enjoy seeing a couple of pictures of my studio.  It started out life as a barn for the horses.  However we haven't had horses for a few years, so it's now mostly storage.  My husband converted two of the box stalls into a long shop - 1/2 for me and 1/2 for him - but I seem to be "creeping" over into his half - LOL.

I thought about cleaning up my table before I took the pictures, but then I thought that that just wouldn't be "me" - so here you see it, mess and all!

I LOVE my two big windows, and this past spring I had a robin couple raise a brood of babies right outside my large window - it was great!  I hope it happens again this next spring.

Have a great weekend.