Had a Baby, Made some Beads, Got new Buttons!

Well, we went and had ourselves a baby girl. She was born March 14th. A tiny 10 pounds 12 ounces and 21 and a half inches long. I thought her brother was big at 10 pounds 5 ounces, but at least she didn't sit with her head tucked under my rib cage for 9 months.

We haven't been doing alot of sale beads online of late as we're getting inventory together for shows, however we've got a few bead sets listed on Etsy for those who are interested. It's likely that we'll be posting our sale beads there rather than eBay. I'm finding that listing goes quicker there than at eBay, and I just don't have the time I used to!

If you're in the market for buttons (the kind you use to close clothes) I've got a new batch in my button store Brazen Button!

Until we meet again!
Kat

Bad, Bad Girl

Sorry about not posting in awhile. I know I haven't been getting as much done as I'd like these days, but at least I've got a good excuse...

Around about the middle of February we're expecting baby #2. Yeah! Alas this means much less time for all things beady. With Baby #1 getting into everything, like a proper daredevil, Mike and I have to flip a coin over who gets torch time.

The summers here aren't really a good time for bead making, as our studio is located in our very hot garage. I've got plans in motion, however, to get the studio moved inside so we can work year round.

So, I hope to be posting beads to eBay soon, but don't hold me to that until after the weather starts to cool off here in Arizona.

Kat

Something smelly this way comes...

Well, it has turned out to be a very interesting day around here...

I was sitting at the desk, updating the webpage and I hear what seems to be footsteps walking down the hall. I check it out, as everyone else should be asleep at this point even though it's the middle of the day. There was nothing there, to my very great relief!

Alas, what's this? I hear what sounds like the poor cat trapped in the guest/music room. Nope wasn't him, but it smelled like he'd managed to miss the litter box by about a mile. Oh, well... We're putting new carpet in there anyway.

Then, shocker of shockers, it sounds as if the heating ducts are trying to push themselves up through the floors with a great rattle and bang. I almost had to call 9-1-1 to put my heart back into my chest. Instead I get Mike up from his nap and tell him what's going on. He, of course, looks at me like I'm wearing the lastest in back buckling sleeves.

Then there it is. The most horrible smell.

It seems that we're the proud new owners of a skunk. Said skunk has taken up residence beneath the house (oh, why didn't we get a house with a basement???) and apparently delights in scaring the **** out of me.

Days like this I wish I still lived in Scottsdale... *sigh*

Excuse me while I go yell at the owl sitting in the tree outside my window and the coyotes in the distance to shut the heck up so I can go to sleep. Where's a good siren when you need one?

Kat

Pink and Tiny Leopards

I got carried away at the torch this time and made 80 beads. Think I'll actually keep some for myself this time! I'll be putting them up on 2/8/08 around about 6pm eBay time, so if you want them before I put 'em up email me. Here's a photo showing the size next to a US quarter.

I've gotten some new items up in the CafePress store and more coming soon that might be of interest to lampworkers, beaders and jewelery designers. Just a few things I've been playing around with.

With eBay raising their fees again, I'm looking at possibly selling on Justbeads.com and Esty. Something to try out and see how it goes at any rate. I'll let you know when I get something up over those other sites.

Kat

Beady, Baby!

Ok, so I didn't get back before I thought I would. I popped out to play on the torch and lost a few hours that I was going to use for listing beads and getting shipping stuff together. At least I made it back on tonight. It's past the baby's dinner time and poor Mike is dealing with him right now.

Here's the Delite set. I was goofing off with the turq. a lot last week. It's a reactionary glass and I love trying to see what I can get it to do. Not much with this set, but I love the color combo.

Now, I got all kinds of cool things to happen with this! I used Italian glass in Dk. Turquoise and clear, the rest just sorta happened. These you should check out on eBay. I've got larger pics up. I had a lot of fun making these, because I never knew which was going to show up, the shiny copper or the rusty red! Oh, what fun!

Cafe Press Update!

I've managed to get some new items into the Cafepress Store. There are some great new tees available for beaders and lampworkers alike. I'm working on getting more up today and I'll have new beads to be listed later this afternoon.

I'll try to post the beads before I put them up on eBay. I'll be happy to consider offers on them, just email me.

Kat

Super Bowl Sunday

Mike and I both managed to get to the torch, but with the Super Bowl and the baby's first b-day party this weekend I didn't manage to get anything listed. Glad the underdogs won. I always cheer for the underdogs. (Unless the 49er's are playing! Go 9er's!)

Speaking of football... Could someone tell me why Brett Favre (pronounced Farv) can't afford "Hooked on Phonics"? I can't stand it anymore. I think I'll just break down and buy him one and replace the lable with something like "Foniks for Football Players". I guess I've found my football pet peeve for the next few seasons.

Back to beads...

I'll have a set or two up tomorrow for y'all. We'll be offering sets on our site soon, so don't forget to check it out!

Kat

Even more beads available

I had myself a nice run on the torch and managed to get a couple of sets done. I've posted them to eBay for your purchasing pleasure and here's the photo's for your viewing pleasure!

I've been wanting to play with this color combination for awhile now. Reminds me a lot of all those 50's diners, movies and such and what not. All I know for sure is that they were so much fun to make!

I used Italian glass in dark turquiose, black and that evil, evil purple. There's also some reduction frit for giggles.

Kat

More beads!

Here's Mike's new set that I just put up on eBay. Feel free to pop over and take a look at all our auctions.

It's been a rainy type of day here. I can't see Sedona from the living room at all, just a bank of clouds whisping across where Sedona used to be. I'm sure it's still there, unless there was a convergence of UFO's, multiple vortex and whatever else makes the New Agers think Sedona is special beyond the red rocks. Now everyone knows why we don't live there. :0)

I just wish it was a little warmer; my toes feel like tiny ice cubes.

I finally managed to get some time on the torch this week. My little pink ladies are now available on eBay.

Enjoy!

Kat

New Beads on eBay! Again!

I must be setting some kind of personal record! Who knew I could post this much to the blog. Not much going on around here right now, but here's a new set we've got up on eBay tonight.

Mike's been busy having fun and I got to clean the torch last night. HMMMM

I wonder if I'm ever going to get to melt any glass on it now that I've cleaned it???? :0)

Kat

New Beads on eBay

Here's the new beads available today.

Kat

New Beads on eBay

Here's the new set that I just put up for auction. Mike has a lot of fun making these and I want to start making larger sets. It's no fun running out of beads or not having enough for your projects, I know.

I'll be back tomorrow with yet another set Mike made. I'm starting to wonder if all I'll get to do is the web stuff. I miss my torch! Mike gets to have all the fun! :0)

Kat

Ha! Made it back before a week was up!

I managed to get a little time to pop in and give you a scoop.

Mike's heading out to torch as I write this and we'll have his beads up tomorrow! OMG, you say? Yes, I'll probably get back here tomorrow also! Three posts in one week? Yup, that's right, ladies and gentleman, the world has gone whacky when I get time to post more than once a week!

Now if I can only get some torch time myself! I'm thinking about doing something different with our beads. I think I'll start taking photos with them next to a dime or in my hand. There seem to be a lot of lampwork artists out there who do that and I've had more than one request for it. I also thought some of you might like to know exactly how big a bead strand you're getting! If you have an opinion either way, please drop me a line, our email's just a click away on the side over there----->

As many of you know, I like to make very, very, very small beads so small that Mike's look huge compared to mine. But the fact remains that even Mike's beads are small compared to most "standard" size lampwork. I'm just plain itching to try some larger beads and different techniques to offer for sale! Ah well, maybe I'll get a shot at the torch next week! :0)

Kat

No longer Dead... Again!

So we've risen from the grave once again (and hopefully we'll stay that way this time!)

A lot has happened in the last year. I was 8 months pregnant the last time I posted to the blog and now the kiddo's going to be celebrating his 1st birthday. The house is getting better, but remodeling and redecorating isn't for the faint of heart. And it's even harder with a toddler underfoot! ;0)
Mike and I took a hiatus this last year to get some things done around here and to spend time with the baby. But now that we're reaching that 1st birthday, we've started up the glass torch again and you can expect to see lots of beads coming out of the studio!

We have a few sets up on eBay right now and we've started a little line called "Viking Treasures" that are available on http://www.brazenbutton.com/. They're a great gift idea for the knitter or historical re-enactor in your life.

Nothing more than...

Fall colors have finally started to show up around here. I thought we'd go straight to leaves dropping, but luckily there are some great colors to be seen this year; particularly in the Oak Creek Canyon area. Perhaps we'll get over that way with the camera before winter.

Sorry about not posting in the past few weeks. We're trying to get ready for the holidays and the house isn't going along with our plans. Mike took a bit of a tumble and bruised up his wrist and I've been a little ill lately. Not great things when you want nothing more than to play with new ideas at the torch! :0)

The new setup for the torch is working out and it's much, much better than our old setup. I can work whenever I get the urge now without having to go outside or put on 5 layers of clothes. There was nothing I hated more than winter when the studio was outside in the shed and the snow would begin to fall.

We're putting aside much more time lately for bead making so don't forget to check out our eBay auctions!

Kat

Another Year

Mike has finally gotten the studio quasi-setup, at least enough to work in comfort. I celebrated my birthday playing at the torch. :0) YEAH! We've gotten some of the new CIM glass in pinks in that I still can't wait to try out. I'm hoping that they're fabulous, but pink is such a tricky color that you can never tell what it'll do once you flame it.

My little experiment with my auction didn't quite go the way I'd planned. I remembered working in the fashion industry having to work a season or two ahead and thought, perhaps jewelry designers would appreciate the spring set I put up this last week. Maybe I got a little carried away and should go back to the winter colors. :0)

I'm hoping that Mike's up coming days off from his "regular" job afford him time to torch. I think I'll just have to push him into the studio and lock the door until he gets a few sets done. ;0)

Kat

Beads being listed on eBay

Hey all,

Just wanted to drop a quick line here about some bead sets that managed to get packed away during the move. I've got them set to start on Tues., October 17th at 6pm eBay time. Previews can be had on the gallery site and here's a little sample for those interested...

Kat

All's well

There really isn't much going on in the Blue Spider Arts world at the moment. I'm itching to get at my glass and torch, but there are other things that need to come first at the moment.

We've gotten one room finished in the new house, but I can't show pictures. It's the room where I've got my big commission and I agreed that I wouldn't show any part of the progress until after it's been delivered. Which should be sometime in Feb... Artist Susan Holt will be painting a mural in my new room. To see more of her work take a trip over to www.saholtstudios.com.

Mike and I are working on the North studio today. Nothing like taking one room at a time to drive me nuts. I'm itching to get everything into a place of it's own so I can find what I need! My looms are wanting to play, also....

I wonder if I'll ever manage to weave glass someday.... :0)

Kat

Not much going on

Well, the past month has been very busy, but not much to talk about. The north studio is coming along and I picked up some lighting that will be fabulous for it today. The glass works is being transfered to the garage area. The solarium is something we want to be able to use as a room, so out to the garage we go to work. :0)

Mike's been very busy painting one of the bedrooms and hasn't had alot of time to do much else. I've listed a few aceo's on Esty for anyone interested in taking a look. You can search from the front page search box by typing in "BSA". I only sell the original's on the aceo', so you're getting a great deal on collectable original art. I should have a few more up before to much longer, but I hesitate to say exactly when I'll get around to listing it! :0) I've also got a few "art squared" pieces that I should list, but time seems at a premium these days.

With that I need to get back to work...
Kat

Fallen Lampworkers Rise from the Dead

Well, here we are again. It's only been four months or so since I've posted to the blog and I'm a bad, bad girl. There have been so many things going on that lampwork, art and anything else has had to take a backseat to getting our booties in gear. How sad that we've had to take care of all those nasty mundanities that sometimes rise up, grab you by the throat and try to choke you to death.

We're finished with the renovations on the house, so it's time to say goodbye to it. We've purchased another fixer upper because we absolutely must be gluttons for punishment. Actually, it was the south facing sunroom that sold us on it. It's just begging to become the new lampwork studio! And with 5 bedrooms one will magically transform itself into the textile and painting studio! I finally get my dream of having north and south facing studios! YEAH!!! Life is sweet!

I'm working on a pretty important commission right now. Mike's trying to help out when he can. I'm glad that my deadline isn't until Feb 10th. Unfortunately, I can't show you any of it until after it's finished. I can say without a doubt that it will be the most important work I've ever accomplished and I'm excited to be able to show off the finished work. This is something I never thought I'd be able to do.

So, now it's time for me to sign off. But I promise that I'll be back way before another four months is up! Look for photos of the new studios as we get them set up!

Kat