Mermaid beads

I am having a blast making these mermaid beads - they are listed in my Etsy shop.

"I just love my new blue pearl necklace."

"I love wearing pearls in my hair"

"Those darn electric eels play havoc with my hair, always giving me split ends!"

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Etsy sale!

I am having a small sale in my Etsy shop.  I have put the rondelles on for 25% off. As they were already a great price this is an even better deal - and remember free shipping!

25% off in my Etsy shop

25% off in my Etsy shop

25% off in my Etsy shop

25% off in my Etsy shop

25% off in my Etsy shop.

There are lots of others there too!  Have a great weekend everyone!

New beads on old theme.

Three new focal beads in my Under the Boardwalk series.  Two of them will be going on Etsy shortly.

We had a parade!

Yesterday was the start of "Ladysmith Days".  Ladysmith is a small town just south of Nanaimo where I live, and my friend Judy and I decided to do the street market there which was on in conjunction with the parade and all the hoopla surrounding a small town celebration.
Well, we have discovered something very important this year, and not just at this Ladysmith Days market, we also discovered it at the Duncan Days (another town near where I live), and the local Nanaimo Canada Day celebration - and that is that it is not profitable at all to do a market/fair/show that is put on in conjunction with a "family" event.
We found that at all 3 events we were just another form of entertainment, and no one had any intention of parting with their hard earned money, unless of course you were selling either food or drink.   At all three events it wasn't just us, as I asked around to a variety of vendors, and the response was the same all over.
We made a few sales, but nowhere the amount of sales that we normally make at a market - so, lesson learnt!

Anyway I took a few photos of the parade - remember this is a very small town.
I didn't get photos of all the entries, and I missed the first part of the parade, where all the fire engines etc were coming through with their sirens going, because I had my fingers in my ears it was just soooo loud.

Our booth - we changed things around this time, after Judy had 3 of her
 bracelets stolen at the last market.

The local Legion marching band - yes there were more of them.

A flower shop entry.

Island Farms dairy entry.

The float for Island Farms.

Ladysmith Credit Union entry.

Part of The British Car Club entry

An MG Midget - I always wanted on of these!

The A&W float/truck, and this guy had a fantastic voice - and I think
he was actually doing the singing, not pretending to sing to a recording.

I hope everyone had a great weekend.

New Beads and Market pictures!

 Last Saturday my friend Judy and I attended the Duncan Farmer's Market.  This time we were lucky and were placed in the "square".  The market is set up in a large community square, and then down an adjacent street - there really isn't a bad spot in the whole market, it is just that we were lucky enough to have some shade! With temperatures reaching the 30's it was really nice to have that shade.

Our Booth

Another angle of our booth.

One part of the "Square".

Another part of the "Square".

Beautiful flowers.

Yummy - PEAK'S coffee

Looking down the adjacent street.

I took the photos before the market officially opened, but people were already starting to filter in.

We are going to have to change our booth set up so that we can keep any eye on Judy's vintage cutlery bracelets better, as she "lost" (aka stolen, pilfered, theft, took, etc.) three of the bracelets.  These thieves are really are really slick, as I was sure that at least one of us was watching the table the whole time - and it happened at three different times!!  This is the first time we have had trouble like this, but it sure puts a sour taste in your mouth.  Fortunately, she did very well with them anyway.

I have been making more Little Ladies, and making some a little different.  After my class with Melanie Moertel in 2010, I was sitting in the airport waiting for my plane and doodling - trying to get down all the ideas that were racing through my head.  This is one of the ideas, and the picture that I hastily drew that day, and the beads that I finally got around to making from the drawing over 2 years later!

Working drawing of mermaid.

"I think I left my diving goggles on"!! LOL

back side of above bead

A mermaid for my sister!

back side of above bead

Young Lady 

back side of above bead

Well that is enough from me for now.
Hope you are all having a great week!

Here fishie, fishie!

I had fun making these colourful fishes using a tutorial written by Diane Woodall in Soda Lime Times.  I used the basic concept of the tutorial, but added a few of my own colourful touches.
Unfortunately, the one with the caramel lips and tail has a crack in the tail.  I was a little too enthusiastic with my razor tool and left the glass too thin, so it cracked.  I am sure I will be making lots more of these fun focals.

Colourful fish focals.

This 50 mm fish focal is going in my Etsy shop.

Hope you have a great rest of the week!

It's been an "owly" day!

No, not really - but yesterday I made a bunch of owl bead focals - now that was fun!

I'm hoping to have them in my Etsy shop later on today.  Along with a couple of Young Lady beads.

A bunch of the guys hanging around!

Young Lady focal bead with silver hanger.

Young Lady in red focal bead.

Today I made a bunch of fish - or I guess I should say a school of fish beads.  They are in the kiln right now, and I will post them as soon as they are out and cleaned.

Have a great week!

Light at the end of the tunnel!! . and some new beads

Well, I think I am beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel.  My sister and I have the probate papers for my Dad's estate, and the house is sold, to be completed on September 28th.  Now all we have to do is get everything ready for the accountant to do up Dad's final income tax.  However several of the places we need T4's from, don't do them up until February 2013 - so there isn't much we can do with that right now.

I have started some tentative torching lately, and I'm really enjoying it.  I was worried that I wouldn't want to go back to it after all the depression and lack of drive over the last few months.  However, I was cleaning up some papers and came across my notes from Melanie Moertel's class at Red Deer College, Alberta in 2010.  It got me really inspired and I have been playing around with her ladybugs and her little wish fairy beads from my class notes.  The following photos are some of the results of these fun play days.

Ladybug Trio - set 1

Ladybug Trio - set 2

Doris

Olive

Babette

I purchased Melanie's tutorial for making the bail/pendant, and have used it on the last bead - which I am going to keep for myself.

I have lots of orders piled up and hope to get to them soon - thank you to all of you who have been waiting so patiently for me to get back to the torch.

A Couple of New Folk Art Birds

I have a couple of new Folk Art style bird focals.  Sorry, they will not be going into my Etsy shop, but are going to the market with me tomorrow.  However, the dandelion focal will be going into my Etsy.

Folk Art Style Seagull

Folk Art Style Chicken

Dandelion focal

 Have a great Canada Day weekend everyone!

Spring Show Report

On the May Day long weekend (in Canada, May 19, 20 & 21) a friend and I had our usual spot at the Kitty Coleman Art in Bloom craft fair.  The weather was fine on the Saturday, but Sunday and Monday were not the greatest, and as a result not many people came out on those days.  Fortunately, the people that came out on the Saturday were the "serious" ones, and our sales were quite good.  Also, fortunately, I went around on the Saturday and took some photos.

View of our booth from the corner.

Our booth from the front.

Beautiful Rhodos

I love this colour.

Gorgeous deep crimson.

So very feminine - I think these were my favourite.

Lots of ponds scattered throughout.

So pretty.

There were several fountains.

Another fountain - I love the sound of them (although sometimes they make me have to pee - lol)

I hope you have enjoyed my little show.  I meant to get around and take pictures of other booths on the Sunday,  but the weather was not cooperating.

Have a great week.