I have been playing with heat control lately and making larger beads. Also trying different faces. This is my latest.

 I just finished taking two classes with Corina Tettinger at Graceful Creations in Gilroy Ca. Sunday the 4th was Frogs and Lizards. Monday was components for Aquarium beads. Corinas aquarium beads are very beautiful and detailed. I finally have stringer control. Took two days to get it, but now I have it. The lizard with the blue spots and hang-over eyes is mine.

The studio is like a little slice of heaven in Gilroy. Lots of flowers and trees, patios and a really nice studio area.

Grace amd Frank are wonderful hosts. Lots of food and drinks to keep us going.  Corina got right down to business and had us pulling stinger and making murrini.  It was like a vacation.

I am currently selling beads on Etsy. My shop name is judeldeebeads. I am easy to find under Geisha beads. http://www.judeldeebeads.etsy.com

Our little Min Pin was limping badly. We found out that her kneecap had slipped off. I guess this is common for this breed. Anyway…can’t let an animal suffer, so we (me and DH Bob) will not be going on vacation this year. But Calliope has a new metal kneecap. She is doing great. She just looked so spaced out.

I just added some more Geisha beads. Be sure to check them out. Also have been experimenting with crows and ravens. I’ll have pictures soon.

I had a two day class with Kerri Fuhr in January. She was a fountain on information for selling beads. She showed how to make her dragonfly bead and how to market yourself. Her info was really helpful. If you have a chance to take a class from her, be sure to do it. Really a nice person and so willing to share what she has experienced. Scarab Glass in Fresno is a great place for classes. They have enabled me to work with some of the top people in Lampworking. www.scarabglass.com

I just had my 65th birthday. I am officially an old lady. I drove up to Sequoia Park and got my lifetime pass. My 91 year old Mom and I drove around Three Rivers, the fall leaves were beautiful. After lunch we arrived in Exeter and headed for Antiques at the Water Tower. Kathy Rowlette has a wonderful shop there, filled with antiques and beautiful Christmas decorations and goodies of all kinds. I could have stayed there all day. I bought a great little reproduction cardboard house. She had a tree filled with them. Lots of birds too. I had to have a crow.
DH Bob had a big bouquet of flowers and a cake sitting on the table when I got home. It was a very nice Birthday and the last that I will admit my age to until I am over 80.

The Central California Bead Society had a great Christmas Party in Fresno. It was the first I had attended and it was very nice. A big potluck dinner and the grab presents. I ended up with a beautiful beaded broach by Arline Lewis.

If anyone is actually reading this…Merry Christmas!

I went to the Bay Area Bead Extravaganza in Oakland on Saturday. What a great show. Lots of talented people and tons of merchandise. Some of our Fresno Lampworkers were showing there. The Central California Bead Society came up on the train. I got a new Toyota RAV4 so I had to try it out. I spent way too much money, but I got some really nice silver bead caps. I also bought an Anne Choi pendant bead. I have wanted one for a long time, now I have it and need to make beads to go with it. I got the one with swallows flying on it. It’s beautiful.

I recently took a class from Trey Cornette at Scarab Glass. They have brought in wonderful lampwork artists. I bought Trey’s brass plate to roll beads, and his brass masher. It really is nice to use.

We only got half the fish pond patched. The controller on my Aim kiln has died. I sent the relay to a company back east to see if they could fix it. In the meantime, I bought a Paragon Bluebird XL bead annealing kiln. I didn’t realize how big it would be. It has two doors and will hold a ton of beads. DH just got it programmed and I need to put a coat of kiln wash on the bottom. Then I can finally get back to beads.

First my kiln quits, then we find a big crack down the middle of the koi pond.

We have blocked off 1/3 of the pond, patched and added a new coating to the cement. 2/3rds to go.

My kiln part came in so now I can make beads, after I make the koi happy.

This is my first day to be on the world wide web. Hope you like my website.

Do I know what I’m doing?

Nope.
But that never stopped me before and it won’t now.

I have to share something that happened last week.

I stepped out on our back patio to find one of my planters was
occupied by a little dove. Should have saved this for Moms Day.