Our trip to the other side of the world

Way back in the 90's we lived in Oakland, CA while my husband was finishing up college at UC Berkeley. We loved living in the Bay Area and every year we plan a trip back to SanFrancisco to energize ourselves. This year I was able to spend some time with friends that I have not seen in a while, we ate lots of yummy food and walked around sight seeing. The city changes all the time and you never run out of things to do.

Downtown SF is full of all kinds of interesting things happening. This is the UC Berkeley Marching Band playing at the Powell St. Station.

It seems like I never really get into the holiday spirit until I see Union Square all decorated with the giant tree and the ice skating ring. 

This year we were lucky enough to see the Drag Queens on Ice show. 

Every year Macy's donates some of their windows to the SF SPCA and they are decorated with a pet friendly holiday scene along with displays containing pets for adoption. 

Check out these two cuties:

The weather was just beautiful while we were there.

The Bay Bridge

And this is what we returned home to:

Giant icicles

Cause I like big disks and I cannot lie....

Yes, lately I am obsessed with making disks, the bigger, the better. The largest one so far is 2.5" across, it's hard to tell the size in the pic, but it took 2 rods of glass and lots of insurance heating.

I have also been experimenting with color combos:

And here is what I have been doing with them:

Winter Wonders show and new work

November 2nd was my birthday and I worked that day! The Glass Act (our local glass bead makers guild) had their Winter Wonders show on the same day, so I got to spend my birthday with some of my glassy friends and some awesome customers.

I also had to opportunity to bring out some new work:

Bead Bonanza

Earlier this month I had a table at the Great Lakes Bead Workers Guild's Bead Bonanza show which is put on twice a year Southfield, MI. This was my second time in the show and I have always had lots of fun there, I get to spend time visiting all my glassy friends, visiting with repeat customers and meeting new ones.

My set up (with wrinkled table cloth)

Some of my Halloween beads

Photo taken by one of the other vendors of me explaining how beads are made to a customer

Some of the new beads I  have been working on.

This show my table was in a different spot and I got to meet new vendors. At the table behind me was Brenda Schweder, she is a nationally recognized teacher and jeweler and has been published more than 100 times in books and magazines, her most recent book is Steel Wire Jewelry published by Lark Books. If you don't have it yet, I strongly recommend it. I bought one from her at the show and I have been experimenting with steel wire and really like it.

Here is her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BrendaSchwederJewelry

And website: http://www.brendaschweder.com/

On November 2, I will be at the Glass Act Winter Wonders bead show which just so happens to be on my birthday!! So I hope you will make it out to see me!

Beads of Courage

Beads of Courage hosted another Bead Challenge in September and although there was not an event in Michigan this year, I participated from a distance. I made beads all day on Sept 14th and donated all the beads. Here are some of my favorites:

If you are a bead maker you can make and donate your beads to a great cause, if you are not an artist, you can still help.

Here is their website: http://www.beadsofcourage.org/

Courage Tiger goes to Italy

Some of you know that one of my favorite charities is Beads of Courage http://www.beadsofcourage.org/
and I regularly donate beads and help out however I can.
Courage Tiger is the Beads of Courage mascot and I took him with us to Italy! We took several pics of him in Florence with beads and will attach those photos with the beads to be donated so that it gives the beads another meaning for children that cannot travel due to their current illness. Here are the photos we took.

Hanging out with friends in Firenze Italy

One of my favorite modes of transportation

Next to Italy's famous flowers

Rubbing the boar's nose will bring you good luck and will ensure you come back to Italy!

One of my ancestors?

The beads that we brought

Wearing beads sitting by the Arno looking at the Ponte Vecchio

I am also honored that I have recently been elected the Team Beads of Courage Regional Coordinator for Michigan. http://www.beadsofcourage.org/pages/teamboc.htm
I am super excited to have another opportunity to help out.

Behind again...

Sorry, I have been slow to post again.... Lots has happened so we will play catch up really fast.

Blueberry picking:

"Most of Michigan’s commercial blueberry production is located in Southwest Michigan where sandy glacial soils and high water tables result in excellent blueberry soils. These soils are moist with soil pHs in the 4.5 to 5.5 range. Over 20 blueberry varieties are grown in Michigan. The Michigan harvest season normally runs from late June through October." Taken from MSU.edu. 

 I have been picking twice at the Dexter Blueberry Farm and have had good luck finding the bigger berries since they are located at the top of the bushes and I luckily I am tall.

Here is what they look like on the bush.

Rows of bushes

My final amount, I think it was about 15 cups worth.

The blueberries were great, but the highlight of the day was seeing these Sandhill Cranes. This is the first time I have seen them this close up. Such graceful birds.

In case you were wondering, I made blueberry cobbler with 1/2 the batch, froze some for pancakes and ate the rest. Yum!

ISGB Gathering Part 4

Here is the last post for the Gathering.

The newest series I did right before the Gathering.

Fun idea for all the wine corks we have that I saw in a window display in Corning.

Forging a leaf at the opening party at Arc and Flame.

After TIG welding with Stephanie Bonniwell and our instructor for the demo.

My half table at the Bazaar.

Ali Vandegrift's presentation

Libby Leuchtman's presentation 

Holly Cooper's presentation