word.............she said

A stranger

2011-01-21T17:33:00.003-07:00

to my own blog? Sure looks that way! And I still haven't found a decent coral. I've moved on with that design but I'm still looking for that soft coral colored glass.

For all my talented friends out there~
I just saw a post from Jen Geldard on Facebook about a metal stamp giveaway that Lori Anderson is having on her site.

Fun, fun stamps! And Lori's site is full of fun beady/jewelry related things so check this out

http://lorianderson.blogspot.com/2011/01/metal-stamp-giveaway.html

It's a good blog even if you are not looking for metal stamps!

~Debi~

A soft coral

2010-04-19T22:01:00.003-06:00

I'm looking for the perfect soft coral to pair with transparent light aqua to match the perfectly divine outfit I just found. I have the aqua beads made and necklace designed, I just can't settle on a coral that doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.

Any ideas?

Check it out - I'm here!

2009-11-08T20:14:00.003-07:00

Let me stand up and dust myself off a bit. Whew - haven't been here in ages. I just got my etsy store re-opened - it was pretty dusty too. But heck, now there are some pretty beads there - or were. That's a good thing! Many thanks to my buyers.

Summer was really hectic for our entire family, more so than ever. Finally, everyone is settled into their groove and I can make beads. Make beads, clean beads, take pictures, edit photos and list beads. It's the editing photo's that chaps my a**. I mean really, I'm not that bad of a photographer - if you are a horse, or a kid. Correcting bead images is not a talent I possess and it shows. But did I tell you that I once had a son who is a photographer? Who edits photo's with just a click and wiggle of the mouse? Well, there must be some kind of look on my face or sound in my voice because said son quickly becomes a figment of my imagination when I'm struggling with bead images. Oh, Seth ~ did you forget about how I took care of you when you had influenza? Or the dinner's I cook, the errands I run? Your mother needs serious help... quickly. And all you have to do is click and wiggle.

Even though Seth has disappeared, my mojo is back! I think it got scared off for a while but hey, we're buddies again. All is well!

I have lots of pretty new glass to play with. My goal, of course, is to run through every pound of it between now and oh, a week from Tuesday! Wouldn't that be grand? It could happen, but most likely won't. I know I make good sized beads but not that good sized. And there are already so many beads piled here and there. There's just not THAT much room.

Toodle - ooo!

Public Service Announcement

2009-09-01T21:30:00.002-06:00

This is a test of my public broadcast system. The purpose is to find out if this shows up on my facebook. If it does how in the heck do I get it off of there?

Avatars

2009-07-14T22:11:00.002-06:00

Well, I told you I have alot to say!

I changed my avatar photo here. I just want to make it clear that my hair isn't green.

Etsy

2009-07-14T21:50:00.003-06:00

I've put all of the items in my etsy store on sale. I'm moving them out to bring in new work. You can find it here: www.dakotasunstudios.etsy.com Please stop by and take a look. If it strikes your fancy, please heart me. I will visit your store and heart you back.

Okay, so people who don't do etsy are shaking their heads right now. Don't worry it's a good thing! Just ask Martha. Or Marther as Joey says. I would just love to talk that for a day. Like Joey, not Martha.

Anyway, I lost my mojo for awhile, or maybe it lost me. Okay, I was just lost. But, I'm back to the torch making fish, goddesses, focals or whatever strikes my fancy. And I'm having fun which is the very best part!

I actually do have more to say so I will try to update more frequently.

Oh, for crap's sake!

2009-05-16T17:59:00.002-06:00

So I'm looking at my followers. It doesn't take long to look, believe me. Anyway, there is a person whose blog I want to follow. At the top it says follow me. So, I click on that. Now I am following my own blog. How pathetic. I can't get rid of myself as a follower.

Do you know what it's like to be following yourself?

Spring sprung somewhere

2009-05-16T17:50:00.002-06:00

I like spring. Around May the temps warm up and the flowers bloom. Something is happening her that's not sitting to well with me. It gets somewhat warm ~ but the ever present wind is cold. I'm cold even with a hoody over my sweatshirt.

Other than spring blooming bulbs growth seems a little behind. The trees aren't flush with leaves and some of them don't even seem to be blooming. I don't think they are going to :-( The peas, lettuce and onions aren't doing a darn thing.

I do have to admit the sun is shining and we aren't have lots of rain. But dang, when I have to sit outside with a hoody and sweats on it's not much fun.

This and that....

2009-03-14T17:41:00.002-06:00

Well, I haven't been here in a while cuz I haven't had much to say. There's been not much beadmaking going on - or not much worthwhile til the last week. But that seems to be changing! I have new beads on etsy so please check them out ~ www.dakotasunstudios.etsy.com

On the most positive side, our weather has been mostly wonderful. We even had a day that got up to 80 a couple of weeks ago, or so. Followed of course by miserable below zero weather this last week. Alas, we are pushing mid-50's today and most of the snow has melted. So, yay for spring! My bulbs are out of the ground and if it stays warm some of them should bloom by Easter.

My thoughts on facebook aren't terribly pleasant right now. The changes they've recently made are making me crazy. I can't figure out how to get my etsy up and it seems like pictures and some posts don't show up. Arrrgh! And help is no help.

I love hunting for eggs/hatchings but that has been down more often than not in the last couple of days. If you haven't tried it, you should. When it's back up.

That's it for now. I've been playing with glass so hopefully some thoughts about that soon!

Uranium yellow

2009-02-05T22:08:00.002-07:00

Just sucks.

That about sums up tonights beadmaking. What would make a sane person drag out uranium yellow when you're tired and don't have a lot of time to make beads?

It was taunting me. I know that now. It teased me into thinking something really cool was going to happen, then it all went to frit ~ or shit. Depends on your perspective. Sure wasn't pretty either way.

Officially, I really don't like uranium yellow. Could you tell?

Uggghhh!

2009-02-05T19:42:00.002-07:00

My feet hurt and I'm tired. I want to make beads - or at least talk about beads. I'm not sure I can keep my eyes open long enough to do either. I've been working in a floral shop for the last couple of weeks and we are getting ready for the big Valentine's Day rush next week.

So, all I'm doing right now is thinking and dreaming about beads. Not roses, silly. And maybe I'll find more garden nymphs in my flame once this is over :-)

Rockin' the Goddess Tut

2009-01-26T21:29:00.003-07:00

Just like many other beadmakers, I've bought tuts. I really like most of them. I love the Goddess Bead Tutorial by Teresa Laliberte'!

She does a stupendous job of teaching how to make these beads and adds in all of the little tidbits that make them special. She does such a nice job that I was able to make a decent, healthy goddess first time out. I'm pretty much addicted to them. They come to life in the flame, each of them unique. Kinda like real people.

So, I've been rockin' the goddess beads - they are taking a bath at the moment. Tomorrow, after their nap, I'll have the girls pose for a few pic's.

Til then....

Better or Worse

2009-01-21T15:59:00.002-07:00

Someone said to me today "I don't know which would be worse - to have Alzheimer's or to get really ill". Having spent the last 48 hours traveling for or with someone with Alzheimer's. I have an opinion, not an answer.

I think it would be far better to have Alzheimer's than become seriously ill. Why? With Alzheimer's I don't think you always know how bad things are. If you are ill - you are painfully aware.

I believe it is terribly painful to be a family member of someone who has Alzheimer's. So, I'm sure they would answer differently. I do know is terribly painful to watch a family member begin to show the signs of Alzheimer's at a fairly early age. And scarey.

A better place

2009-01-19T19:55:00.001-07:00

Sometimes making beads in my studio is just the better place to be.

The week in review

2009-01-18T12:18:00.002-07:00

And what a week it has been!

It's been warm the last few days ~ in the 50's. Which means we are starting our slide into Spring. It won't come fast or easy but we are on the downhill part of Winter. Yay!

My crown popped off while I was eating those yummy cinnamon jelly hearts by Brach's late Friday afternoon. Of course, the dentist is closed and we are flying out of here at 0600 on Monday morning. I jammed it back on there. That worked until I decided to have a Milky Way for breakfast! This time it is glued on so I hope it stays until Wed when I can get to the dentist. Do you think this means I should lay off the candy? But I so love those cinnamon jelly hearts. 'Tis the season you know!

I am starting work this coming Thursday as a floral designer. I'm absolutely thrilled. Being in that environment is going to keep my muse happy, so expect great things in the bead arena!

Tomorrow at 0600 I will head out with our friend Tim to McAllen TX to pick up his mom. She has Alzheimer's and is moving in to a really cool nursing care facility here. Luckily we got our flights arranged so we get there about mid-afternoon. We will head to his mom's and finish getting her stuff packed up. Tuesday mid-morning we will start our journey back home. I'm a bit curious as to how that will go because we will be in-transit for at least 10 hours before we arrive at the nursing home here to get her settled. I'm not sure how all of this flying, changing planes etc is going to work for her. We do have a light sedative ~ hopefully that will keep her from becoming terribly agitated.

Now, I am headed out to the studio to make beads. I need a little peaceful time to myself!

Baby, it's cold outside

2009-01-14T15:31:00.002-07:00

Correcting images, posting beads on etsy - what better way to spend a day when the temps don't get above 0. I've been at my computer most of the day and not once have I seen the weatherbug say anything different than zero. It was 36 around midnight though!

My sister-in-law, Marne shared this today and it's oh so true!

WINTER POEM
It's winter in South Dakota
And the gentle breezes blow
Seventy miles an hour
At thirty-five below.

Oh, how I love South Dakota
When the snow's up to your butt
You take a breath of winter
And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful
So I guess I'll hang around
I could never leave South Dakota
I'm frozen to the friggin' ground!

It's actually really pretty out with the new snow. I'm just glad I'm in ~ not out. It was 50 here yesterday and the wind was gusting up to 70mph. If we even had a slight wind today it would be a blizzard.

Seth's here. He's outside melting glass. Tuxedo Brownies in the oven and it smells heavenly.

I digress.... I was really going to talk about Effetre Yellow Ochre and Vetrofond Wasabi Green. Later, tomorrow.... sometime I will.

When something bugs me ~ I make beads

2009-01-12T09:17:00.004-07:00

Something is bugging me ~ so I spent a lot of time making beads yesterday. It helps. And in return I have some fantastic beads to show for it. So, it's good for me and it's good for you!

Recently I agonized over which size and style of Zoozii's straight-sided lentil press to get for focals. Finally, the decision was made and the large slim SSL press arrived at the end of last week. Then we had company and no opportunity to try it out. But yesterday was the day and I must say it's just perfect!

I asked for and received input from my friends on the lampworketc forum on which press to buy. Someone there almost always has an answer for anything glassy. Someone always has an opinion too ~ which makes it a good thing!

I have a lot of focals from yesterday to clean and photograph. I am pleased with all of them actually.

But, there's still something bugging me........ keep your eyes out for more new beads this week. I have a feeling it's going to be a beading week.

Today is the day

2009-01-11T12:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, I don't know what I want to say..... but, I have to say something. I am determined to get my blog rolling. If I don't just say something it obviously won't get rolling.

Why is it I can always think of a million things to say, but when I decide to do this they always leave my mind? It's not that my thoughts are irrelevant. I think it has more to do with being somewhat of a perfectionist. What if I spell something wrong or my vocabulary sucks?

Or the fact that most blogs I go to look lovely and the blogs are always about cool things. I don't have anything cool to say. I don't know how to make it look lovely.

But I am going to try. Today. I tried.