Obsidian Obsession

Its a warm evening for late September and I am listening to the crickets sing outside my bedroom window along with the distant crys of restless coyotes in the valley below.    Gracie is curled up at the end of my bed and I am enjoying the peace and solitude within the four walls of my humble living quarters.  Today was a Friday for me and the time passed relatively fast considering the slow pace of traffic on the mall where my place of work is.   I've settled in nicely at The Funky Parrot and find it hard to believe that it was only seven months ago that I went back to working for someone else instead of the usual routine of weekend arts and crafts shows that had become my lifestyle.    The time for change had finally pushed me to the edge and I needed a different venue.  I am lucky enough now to still have my custom work and even though its not the same pace, I am able to pursue some other avenues in my jewelry making.  The piece pictured here is a beautiful Mahogany Obsidian cabochon that a friend of mine custom made for me.  I actually wrapped this for one of my regular customers and delighted in the way it finally came out.  I don't work as much in stones as I do glass and the change is always a welcome one for me.

Gracie is looking at me and I know she would rather be sleeping with my folks on their king sized bed tonight.  She'll just have to get use to the new sleeping arrangements for now and accept the change just like I have learned to do.

Labradoite and Moss Glass Beads

Another Custom Set

Vanilla Creme Sighs

 
Its been a while, but I am back and hoping to get more postings up and running. I actually have been inspired by my brother Greg's blog, Red Mesa Cafe and hope if you get a chance you will check it out as well. I am still working on my jewelry and headed in lots of new directions, all of which excite and inspire. Along with my fused glass pieces, I am still wire wrapping, but have taken on beadwork and chain maille as well. Its always the creative mind at work or should I say, creative mind at play. I have also started to sell some of my over stock on Etsy and you can find some of those goodies at http://Glasscreekstudio.etsy.com, so be sure to stop by there on your cyber travels. The last year has been a real transition for me and along with my artwork, I have found the need to start working again. I have a wonderful boss who has also become a close friend and I spend most of my days in a faux tropical setting where I am experimenting with new ideas for jewelry related to sea life and underwater animals. Who would of thought! And I haven't given up my other passion of vintage clothing, jewelry and accessories. My Etsy shop (http://Glasscreestudio.etsy.com) has a wide selection of my collection and I am always on the hunt for more treasures to add to it. As far as my artwork goes, I still feel the joy of creating and there is nothing better than seeing the smiles on my customer's faces when they find that special piece. I am doing a lot more custom work and am lucky to have some dedicated clients who keep me on my toes month after month. To all of them, I am eternally grateful and count my blessings every day.
These days are constantly full of constant challenges and I look forward to a year full of positive changes, new friends, new adventures and lots more jewelry making!

Will this be the last Snow of the Season

I have just finished reading my brother Greg's blog from his Red Mesa Cafe site and am so mindful of the pictures and adventures he holds in his mind. He is planning what sounds like a trip to warmer places and sites unseen. There is excitment in his written word. I sit here looking out my window at a sea of white. Snow has fallen once again and I am hoping it is the last snow of the season. Its a beautiful blanket that gently covers the harshness of late winter and dusts the branches of trees and fences. It won't stay long. The sun is already trying to break through the clouds and there is hope of a brighter day. I am looking around my home of 25 years and thinking of my next move. Like so many other Americans, we have put our house on the market and are hoping for some relief from the slow death of a sagging economy that has taken so much from us. The walls are almost empty and as posessions disappear, that warmth of a cozy place we call home fades into a subtle sadness. The wild horses were grazing along the road yesterday and with them was the newest edition to the group. Spring is close as the herd multiplies. I have never looked forward more to an early spring. I continue to work on my jewelry, but not with such urgency as before and the joy of working with my glass and wire has paled some while I go through a transition in my life. So many doors, so many decisions and the sun is breaking through the clouds as I write this blog.

The Snow is Falling Sideways

Happy New Year! I am sitting at my dining room window watching the snow falling sideways and trying to keep warm as winter really settles in. Its been some time since I blogged, but I thought this would be a good time to update my status and reflect on the past year. As usual, it was another hectic season and I kept busy making lots of jewelry for a show almost every weekend in 2009. With this down economy, there hasn't been much opportunity to come up for air, so I remained home most of the time, working on stock as John traveled the backroads, setting up the shows and selling my wares. California, Oregon, Montana and back to Nevada, one weekend after another. So many familiar faces and friendly greetings and I truley am blessed to have so much support in such tough times. The dark cape of night has now covered the horizon and all I can see now is blackness and again my thoughts are how quickly Christmas came and went. We set up our usual glass kiosk on the local mall and for several weeks brisk business kept our hopes up for a good season. And again, so many return customers and familiar faces. We were pleased. And then there was New Years, 2009 behind us and only desperate hopes for the economy to strengthen and for people to go back to work. John has gone to Arizona, following the road of sunshine and warmth south. I am home, holding down the homestead along with Gracie and the snowfall. I'll be working on stock and looking for new avenues for income. In my 59th year I am hoping for the best.............for everyone.

Back on Track

After being away for so long, I am finally signing in to update everyone. It's fall of 2009 and its been a very busy spring and summer with shows just about every weekend. I have been lucky enough to have had a lot of repeat business on my fused glass and wire art jewelry and I want to thank all of my wonderful customers who have kept me going. I'd like to see more action on my website, but it is still a work in progress and I have been adding new items all summer long. I updated my site on Etsy this past summer and am now selling all vintage items which fuels my other passion. You can find me as a seller under Glasscreekstudio or go to http://Glasscreekstudio.etsy.com if you love vintage like I do. This time of year I always get a yearning for my old costume shop and all the fall activities that lead up to it here in Carson City, Nevada, especially the Ghost Walk in the old historic district. I love the allure of the old haunted houses and stories of ghosts from the past and I especially miss the feeling of fall and the look that the downtown takes on when the leaves start to leave the trees and fall finally settles in for its short visit before winter arrives. I love this time of year when everything takes on a sharper image and the clouds stand stark against a crisp blue sky.
I continue to work at my craft and have started working with semi precious stones and adding beaded necklaces to my line. I have combined some of the fused pieces to these stone necklaces and have added some of these to my website under "Necklaces". I am working on new lines and expanding and fine tuning them with the idea of wholesaling next spring so I can start to slowly phase out as many shows as I have been doing. It would give me a chance to put more creativity into my work.
All in all, I am just taking one day at a time and hoping that the economy comes back soon so all of us can breath a little easier.