Seriously, have I not posted since September?! I guess I've been a little busy...scattered...ok, I won't bore you with excuses!
The kids went back to school and I became busy. Or just lost focus. Do you ever have those days where you feel busy, but nothing really gets accomplished?!
I taught my first glass classes in October. I started teaching at Suevel Studios in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The owners are great and took over an existing glass shop (formerly Merry Go Round Stained Glass). My classes were fun and I probably learned as much as the students. I was impressed with the beads made and the fused glass pieces. It's fun to watch people create.
I started taking a water color class with Kelly. I've done acrylics...one-stroke...a previous water color class. But I like this one best. Even though my first completed picture--a lovely spring in the meadow scene--required the <gasp!> electric eraser!!!! Aaaaarrrggghhh It was frightening! lol My second almost-completed picture is a fall scene I'm not in love with. It, too, might require the electric eraser. My first almost-completed picture is a winter scene. I missed the class to meet with the dryer guy so it sits in my portfolio waiting for me to finish. It's something the I look at and really like. I should finish it. Now I am working on the 4th piece. Last week we sketched and did the background on a stargazer lily. I really like the background so far. Can't wait to finish it.
Tuesdays I continue bowling. I'm getting slightly better. My teammate Debbie is a great bowling coach and her suggestions always make me bowl better.
I haven't subbed that much this year. Although last Thursday I did sub for the art teacher. And taught first grade art. I was so frazzled by the end of the day! lol Picture me with a hot glue gone and 20 first graders at a time making puffy fish. Incapable of following instructions. Mostly what happened was that while I was hot gluing fish the kids were chasing each other around with their fish. Art class with Mrs. Kline involved a lot of shrieking and yelling.
I did my first craft show selling lampwork beads, fused glass, and jewelry. I did the show because the women running it are from bowling. They saw my stuff and asked me to come. It was a great learning experience. I didn't make any money--I sold some pieces but paid Jermaine to help me and bought a pair of fleece mittens!--but I learned that I love the selling part of it. Loved designing my booth display. I did have two people tell me my prices were too high. One little girl kept coming around, saying she loved my stuff, then mentioned that it was priced to high to sell there. Another lady picked up a pendant, looked at the price, practically threw it down and yelped, "That's expensive." I think it was $22.
After considering what really goes into some of my pieces, I have decided that I need to raise some of my prices. I have some dichroic pendants that started out as a 3-layer slab of glass. Black, scrap dichro, and clear. Fused into a slab. Then cut into cabochons with my ring saw. Then to the grinder to refine even further. Then into the kiln for a fire polish. Back to the grinder to have a channel cut into the sides for wire wrapping. Inside for some sterling silver wire wraps. I guess people have to be educated about what goes into each piece. It's not mass produced in some anonymous factory somewhere but lovingly created in The Studio.
I am jumping back into the water again and doing a second craft show on December 1st. I've chosen to do the Lake Park High School Holiday Craft Fair. I've been lots of times in the past and have been impressed by the attendance and the crafters.
I will be looking for some art shows in the future and am going to try some home parties. Watch your mail...there might be a home party in your future if I can pull it off before Christmas!
I do have pictures. On the other computer. I have pictures from my beadmaking class and pictures of my booth set-up. I've also been making some Christmas beads. I've done quite a few Christmas trees and today attempted some snowmen. The trees are adorable. The snowmen are rather deformed. They reminded me of that Fat Albert character that had the hat pulled over his face. Maybe they'll look better tomorrow morning out of the kiln! lol
