Hello Hearts!

So I have a gazillion and three hearts on the website right now... Like this one, and this one, oh and this one... maybe you should go look at them... they're feeling kind of lonely and worried that they aren't going to find a home for Valentine's Day! They have friends too...like this extra hearty heart :)

Maybe it was the Full Moon...

that caused my first baking failure in ages! I am usually the undisputed Queen of Cookies in my neck of the woods, however there was most certainly a cookie malfunction last night. I saw a recipe for mocha cinnamon chocolate chip cookies in the Costco magazine...not my usual go to for recipes but the photo looked a-mazing! (I figured with three sticks of butter they must be phenomenal too) Midway through creaming the butter I realized that the recipe didn't call for egg...how can a cookie recipe have that much butter and no egg I wondered? So I decided that improvisation was in order and added an egg... the first tray out of the oven was still a pancake thin butter fest so I added more flour as well...slightly closer to something resembling a cookie but more like a super rich tart crust pastry. So, lesson learned...stick with the tried and true choc chip recipe but I do think that my next batch will have the twist of the mocha cinnamon flavors...this might become my new "signature" cookie :)Ok, on to the non-edible baked goods...or more accurately fired goods! I was thrilled to receive a box from Bead Trends last week with the February issue. The necklace I submitted was really quite simple but I just love how it turned out so I'm thrilled that it was selected.

Not too much else to show off right now, the kiln is firing away so there will be more to show this week. I managed to sneak a couple of buff stoneware pendants into this load, I haven't done anything in stoneware for months so it will be interesting to see some of my new designs in those shades.

Next task for the day, the washing of the dog...kind of up there with the running of the bulls!

Two posts in a day...

and it's raining in Southern California?? Talk about crazy backwards day! Well I'm really not sure that this should even count as a post since it's going to be ridiculously short and won't even show any beady goods but I couldn't resist a little photo op for my latest fabric related venture...Seriously, aren't they just the cutest things ever? I had extra fabric from my other projects and loved the patterns so much I thought I'd try my hand at some ponytail holders. I tend to do ponytail Fridays...yes, totally so I don't have to get up quite as early and wash my hair- I figure if I pull it back in a cute and coordinated holder it cancels out the unwashedness!
Ok, that's all... and possibly too much information as well! :)

Finally More...

up on the website, including a few new sets of Cup O'Joe Charms and a restocking of several glaze shades that had dwindled down. Lots of new hearts just in time for your Valentine's Day designs... Finally I managed to get around to making my little chop mark stamp. Of course now I have to remember to use it! Probably 75% of my new work has this little agave stamped on the back.

Procrastination is my Middle Name...

but at least I know I'm not the only one out there! I had a reminder email to myself in my inbox since September so I would not forget to send some beads in for Interweave's Beads 2010 issue. I completely missed the boat last year and did not get anything submitted at all and had vowed to send things in this year. With only a few days until the deadline I realized that I needed to send some pendants in, resulting in a mad scramble and cannibalizing of the best items from my most recent firing! (Clearly sending reminder emails to myself is not the most effective strategy) Keep your fingers crossed that something makes it in after that, the negative is that submitted items are not returned so it's a bit of a loss if nothing gets in.I also received an email from Stringing magazine letting me know that someone (??who are you??) had a project using one of my components accepted for the next issue. As a result they contacted me to see if I wanted to get in on the new Artisan Beads advertising section. Several years ago I participated in some group advertising efforts with limited success (of course I thought my pictures were kind of lame which could have been part of the problem!) but this seemed like a good time to try it out again. Although it's definitely an investment, the Artisan Beads section is quite a bit less expensive to advertise in than the usual options.Last but not least I leave you with the most recent sewing project (but probably the last for a while)... a yoga mat bag I made for my mother. Again, the pattern is a wonderful freebie from Amy Butler Designs. The inside is lined with aqua fabric and the sides of the bag have three pockets for a water bottle, etc.

New Year, new...

skill? Hobby? Insanity driving activity?I received a sewing machine from my mom for my birthday last month. I haven't used a sewing machine since home ec one year in high school (not necessarily with an enormous amount of success at that time let me add) but thought it might be a good idea to have one. I'm tall and most of my pants benefit from re-hemming so that I don't sport a less than stylish puddle jumping ankle length, if for nothing else.Here's the problem... (not withstanding the fact that apparently I can not cut or sew in a straight line) I like fabric... no, I REALLY like fabric... I spent an hour in the fabric store selecting (expensive) beautiful designs to make a couple of cute little projects. Now don't start thinking that I'm going to start making clothing (although I threatened the hubster that if he makes one more crack about how me having a sewing machine is the beginning of the end I will start making him shirts...to wear to work...with prints...) but I did discover that Amy Butler's website has a bunch of adorable, free patterns. So I embarked on sewing up some business card holders! The fuchsia holder has the most adorable polkadotted lining. Although everything seems to turn out slightly crooked, I'm really happy with the end results. I need to be patient for an accent bead in the kiln to cool so I can finish off the fuchsia card holder but my Robin's Egg glaze was a perfect match for the terracotta and teal fabric.

So my dilemma is how I can stay away from buying more fabric, especially since I don't have anything else I need to sew right now! There were some lovely throw pillow patterns though...

Happy New Year...

and a look at some lovely completed pieces by others that have been sitting on my computer screen for way too long!
First some pieces by Gunilla that are so warm and toasty looking...She has more on her blog, go check them out!

Next, Marcie of La Bella Joya did a little seed bead magic for me with a couple of my cabs (did you know that anything I do in a pendant or charm I can do in a cab?). I realized that I didn't have any examples of my components used as a cab so I sent Marcie a little package and gave her carte blanche. Here are the results...that she even finished with braided ribbon!
Didn't she choose the perfect seed bead colors to coordinate with the glazes?I've been slow to add items to the website with the holidays (and an unfortunate unanticipated overnight stay in Denver due to massive Canadian airline security delays) so at least here is a preview of what I should be working on adding today (in between spending a ridiculous amount of time playing on our new Wii Fit). These have all been tucked into kiln loads of custom and made to order items so there aren't as many as usual. As always, if something strikes you, feel free to stake your claim in the comments or send me an email!

It's Somebody's Birthday...

Whose birthday is it? Sorry, shameless birthday week self-promotion but a coworker was dancing around singing this to me today (and brainwashing a classroom of children to do the same) and it is now stuck in my head! (The day job does offer a certain level of entertainment value) Oh, you noticed I said "birthday week"... well, yes, I happen to be a fan of a full week of birthday celebration and reveling (previously referenced coworker stated that "it's kind of like Hanukkah" when I told him that the hubster has been giving me little gifts- mostly chocolate- on each day). The official b-day isn't until Sunday so I need to milk the final days of my birthday week for all they're worth!

I have had a wonderful week of good birthday karma... First, a surprise package arrived in the mail, it was the stunning Williams and Sonoma Holiday Entertaining cookbook that I was lucky enough to win on Sarah's blog. Such a lovely and substantial book just filled with beautiful photos and entertaining ideas. I have already bookmarked several things to try out in the near future!Next was another surprise package, the wonderful white box that I have so anticipated in the past but since I didn't have my act together to submit things for a few months, hadn't seen in a while... my Bead Trends January 2010 issues and the return of my Zinnia Fling bracelet and earrings. I'm particularly happy about this set making it into BT as I had sent them off to another magazine under "tentative acceptance" (apparently) where they then languished for several months (yes, months) before being sent back to me with the equivalent of a "It's not you, it's us" Dear John letter. Despite my concern post-rejection that the set really wasn't as great as I had thought it was, I decided that my ego wouldn't be that much more bruised if I received another magazine dissing so I sent it to BT with my fingers crossed. Thank goodness they liked it because in retrospect my ego probably wouldn't have taken another rejection very well!Let me enthusiastically suggest that you take a look at the issue so you can see the pieces in their properly photographed glory (actually thinking about it now it's a miracle they asked to see the pieces from these photos I have!).

Finally, to wrap up my birthday week mail surprises, I received some gorgeous seed bead work from Marcie of La Bella Joya who has been working on samples for me using my designs as cabs. I promise to have photos soon!

Now I leave you with a little eye candy from Joy who put a creative twist on one of my Sari pendants by doing a little artistic inking to highlight the design further. Thanks for sharing, Joy!