I have a trunk show happening right now! It is on the Artisan Open Market FB page and has many new earring pairs and bead set listed for auction. The trunk show runs through until May 11th at 6:00 PM PST.
A limelight trunk show
N Valentine Studio has a trunk show on May 9th and 10th on the Artists Limelight FB page. There will be oodles of byzantine and the like bracelets up for auction there. Stop by and check it out for some amazing pieces at reasonable prices.
Creation is Messy Prussian Blue
Today I'm sharing another one of the Creation Is Messy colours. This is the Prussian blue and it is a rich deep navy blue. I did simple beads with this the first time. I find I sometimes need to feel out the glass and colour before I am inspired to add more complexity to it. These are listed for sale in a trunk show I am holding right now on the Glass World Market page. The Prussian Blue was lovely to work with. Some blues tend to pick up too much propane reducing quickly. This blue does not do that. Now I'm thinking of what to pair this with? What colours do you think would be interesting with this one?
Creation Is Messy Colour Sampling
I have been doing some colour testing for Kathy of CIM (Creation is Messy). This is the first of what I hope to be many blog posts about their colours. This is CIM Chartreuse and 104 Parrot Green.
I found the CIM Chartreuse to bit a bit bubbly but even with the bubble in the rod it was not shocky at all, I found it easy to work with. These were made on a cricket torch with propane and two oxygen concentrators Y’d together. The left hand beads are encased in Moretti Super Clear, parrot green on the bottom and chartreuse on the top in this photo. The beads to the right of those have a dot pattern in clear, which did not show at all on the chartreuse. You can see it faintly on the parrot green. To the right of those the beads have been rolled once in silver lake frit. I find it to be one of the most reactive frits, there for a good one to use in colour sampling. The far right hand beads have fine silver wire (32 gauge) wrapped around them.
The Chartreuse is a pretty green very close to Parrot Green but a little more translucent.
Artisan Open Market Trunk Show for April
There is a trunk show on the Artisan Open Market Facebook page I will be doing April 18th and 19th. I will have some new goodies so make sure to join the group so you can bid.
Do you subscribe to You Tube channels?
I find myself subscribing to you tube channels a bit more than I used to. I really do learn by watching as opposed to reading. One you tube channel I’ve started watching regularly is Alexis Giostra (Miss Trenchcoat) her business based you tube videos are really interesting and always informative. Her Empire Building business class is packed full of good solid business information for an online business. The section on branding was one of the best branding classes I’ve taken to date. Her stock photography section is easy to follow and something I will be building my own photos of soon. Have a peek at her you tube channel it’s definitely worth watching. Do you have a favourite you tube channel?
The ISGB Gathering 2017
On March 25th I head out to Las Vegas for the 2017 International Society of Glass Beadmakers annual gathering. There are a few changes this year I am quite excited about, the date has been moved up in the year. I love the spring date I found the summer dates hard to make time for. The location is new it will be in Las Vegas! It is running at the same time as the Glass Craft Expo so we get two conferences at the same time. There will be so much to see and do I am really excited to be going. Add to all that a trip to the grand canyon with a few good friends and you've got one of the best trips. Have you been to the grand canyon, are there any places I must see?
What websites do you visit for inspiration?
Is there a website or blog you go to for inspiration? What draws you there? I visit Marie Forleo’s website at least once a week. I also subscribe to her newsletter. She sends out weekly emails with inspirational video’s, interviews with entrepreneurs and artists and has some very interesting question and answer interviews. One of my favourite quotes of hers is "Everything is figuroutable ". I find I often look at something I want to do or try and think I can't possibly do that. Then I remind myself of Marie's quote, start with the first step and figure it out. This is one of the website’s I enjoy visiting. What are a few you find interesting?
International Glass Open Market Trunk Show
It has been a busy week! I have a trunk show wrapping up on the Artisan Open Market Facebook page and a trunk show starting on the International Glass Open Market Facebook page. The trunk show on the Artisan Open Market Page ends tonight. The trunk show on the International Glass Open Market Page runs from March 8th to March 10th. You will need to be a member to bid so make sure to join and come have a peek at my new pieces.
A trunk show coming up
I have a trunk show starting on March 6th running to the 8th. The show will be hosted on the Artisan Open Market Facebook Page. You will need to me a member of the page to bid so make sure to join and check out some of my new pieces.
What is your dream?
What other mediums do you work in to stay inspired? Do you work in several different mediums?How many mediums is too many?
My dream currently is to try encaustics I love Alicia Tormey's work, she has a fascinating video on her website that immediately had me wanting to try encaustics. The look of snow and frozen ice that they have. The obsession with winter I have is fed by this style of work. Someday I will take one of her classes in Seattle, the thought of melting wax and pigments is very exciting.
What is your dream?
How do you build yourself up?
Over the last few weeks I’ve been making myself some affirmation cards. They were included in one of the lessons in Life Book 2017 from Willowing Arts. An online course I joined, that I am really enjoying.
The affirmation cards have been really enjoyable. I draw one each day, usually after meditating and I keep it with me throughout the day. I find it is filling my confidence well up and often sparks a bit of creativity. I've become a bit addicted to creating them.
What do you do to build yourself up? Do you create or carry anything to build yourself up throughout your day?
Trunk show on the International Open Market FB page
Starting on evening of February 10th and running through until February 12th I'll be having a trunk show on the International Open Market FB Page. It's a solo show and I am fairly excited to be on a new page (for me) and will have lots of new goodies available for purchase. Please stop by and have a peek and make sure to enter the giveaway.
Trunk Show Wraps Up
My trunk show on the Artisan Open Market page wraps up on Wednesday the 8th. Stop by the FB page to check out my new beads and goodies and make sure to enter the giveaway!
Artisan Open Market Trunk Show
I have a trunk show on the Artisan Open Market Page starting on February 6th. I will have some new ring toppers. New earring pairs will be making a debut as well as some headpins. Stop by to check out my new goodies and make sure to enter the giveaway!
Pemberton Snowmobile Clinic Part 2
On the weekend of January 15th my husband and I took a back country snowmobile clinic with Julie Ann Chapman of She Shreds Mountain Adventures. What an amazing day! The weather was fantastic and the vista's are amazing from the mountains. We both learnt a lot of technique and I hope to go back to attend one of Julie Ann's clinics.
We saw an amazing ice cave and got to traverse some truly stunning terrain. The above photo (taken by Julie Ann) shows you just how spectacular the area is.
Pemberton Snowmobile Clinic
Last weekend I had the pleasure of taking a snowmobile clinic with Julie Ann Chapman of She Shreds Mountain Adventures. My husband got it for me for my Christmas present and what a day it was! We could not have asked for better weather, clear and sunny and warmer than it has been in the past few weeks.
I learnt an incredible amount, Julie Ann is a gifted teacher who clearly loves the sport. I'd recommend her to anyone wanting to learn back country snowmobiling.
The above picture is my husband and I learning to Pow Carve (carve through powder) and I absolutely love it! Julie Ann also takes most of her own photographs, a lady with a gifted eye for photos.
Baby its cold outside
We have had colder than normal temperatures lately here in Victoria. So cold the water in my studio froze! I'm thankful to have my little electric fireplace in the studio but find myself yearning for a comfy chair to cozy up in. If I added a good book it would be perfect. I think I will be re working the layout of my studio soon to accommodate that comfy chair. The massive workbench in the middle of the room will go against one wall to allow the space to open up a bit. What could be better than a cup of tea and a fire? Add warm wool socks and I'll be smiling.
Lustrous Spring Boro Bead Mini Tutorial
Lustrous Spring Borosilicate Beads by Nicole Valentine Rimmer
Glass used
Spring Luster Clear Magpie Magic Frit
Make a base bead using Spring Luster, make sure to burn off any haze. Roll that base bead once in Magpie Magic frit and melt the frit in. Reduce the base bead. Encase in clear, heat to HOT, cool, strike gently until colour blooms. Pop it into your kiln to anneal.
Glass Open Market Trunk Show
I have a trunk show running on the Glass Open Market page, lots of earring pairs and sets for sale there. I also have jewelry listed in my FB selling page and can combine shipping between the two events.