Wonder what it means when you like to play with fire?

I have been working on some old favorites and some new things in my studio lately.  I have brought back my first stamped penny charms which are flame painted with a torch.

I am working on a new series of my lampwork fish.

 

                        I am working on sculptural flowers.

I am having so much fun with all of this. 

 I have noticed a common denominator - a torch and fire!  

Hum, wonder what that means?  

Ooey Gooey Goodness

Our family was introduced to Nutella a few years ago and we have fallen in love!  Speadable chocolate! Who could ask for more?  This idea has become very popular of late and now there are many brands out there.  I have not tried any.  I have stayed true to Nutella, so the recipe I am going to share is made with the original!

This is a sandwich that is so much more!  It is even dessert like if you will.   Ooey Gooey Goodness!

You will need: Peanut Butter (crunchy is my personal fav), Nutella, Banana, Two slices of Whole Wheat bread (truly not as good if made with white bread-needs more substance)

Spread a thin layer of Nutella on one slice of bread and top with sliced bananas.  Spread the crunchy peanut butter on the other slice.   Put the two together.  Now you might think that this is fabulous as it is, and it is good but here is where the magic starts!

Spread a bit of butter on the outside of the sandwich and GRILL it !

The grilling transforms this into an amazing sandwich!  It makes it so much more decadent.  In fact, I can't eat an entire one!

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Jewelry Tip #1

I have been making jewelry for several years and thought I would offer some of my tips that I have learned along the way!

Tip #1  Do NOT spray perfume, cologne, or hair products while you are wearing your jewelry, especially, necklaces and earrings.  These aerosol sprays are very corrosive to many materials.  Pearls are especially susceptible.  In addition, they coat the metal and beads leaving them dull and sticky.

Check back next Friday for Tip #2

Lampwork Fish Video

I have been talking about videotaping how a make lampwork beads so people understand what I am talking about.  So, last night corralled my husband into putting the camera on a tripod and filming me.  This is how I make one of my little lampwork fish that live in my aquariums!  Hope you like it.

New Year, New Routine

Today is my first day of my routine for 2013.  Our daughter is back at college, our son is back in high school after Christmas break and I am ready to start my day!  November 1 was my first day for being a full time artist.  The first six weeks were crazy busy, filling orders, making things, etc.  Then Christmas, then New Years, taking down all the Christmas things, enjoying everyone home, now . . . . my new routine!

I am trying to get a schedule set up that will allow me to get all the things I want and need to get done, in a timely way.  Hummmm.  This may take some thinking!
Exercising,
meditating,
cooking more,
eating better,
keeping up with some rental property,
creating new jewelry,
listing on my website & Etsy,
keeping my charms stocked,
making new charms,
making LOTs more aquariums,
making lampwork beads,
teaching knitting classes,
teaching jewelry making classes,
posting on my sometimes forgotten blog,
Maudies Facebook updates,
a little bit of twitter,
driving my soccer playing son to practice,
oh and I guess, cleaning and laundry. (you can tell where that falls on my priority list!

Organizational skills are not my strong point but somehow I seem to get it all done.  So I was going to try using a large calendar this year.  Specify certain days to do certain things.  Actually schedule exercise, time at my torch, paperwork & computer time, etc.  It all sounds good in theory doesn't it!
I really need some structure when I am super busy and since this is a quieter time for me, I am going to take advantage of it and plan out my month!

Wish me luck!

Sunny Florida

This is a group of my latest little fishies!  Several of them will be in a new home soon and they get to live in sunny FLA!   I wish I was there about now!  Cold has never bothered me very much  but this year I am not enjoying it.  Oh well.  At least I know a part of me will be someplace sunny!

My New School!

My new school is really a school of fish!  I am having a great time making my lampwork glass fish and setting them up in their new aquariums with copper kelp. It has only been two months since I started making them, but they have changed quite a bit since my first one that is shown in my previous post.

I started making the fish a little bit differently, adding more detail and making the eyes less "buggy", using really great glass & making them smaller.

The tall skinny aquariums are very popular because they are perfect for a desk or small area.

Then I started getting requests for larger aquariums with tops and sand.

 

My very latest is an aquarium has all the same color combination of fish. I also changed it up so that the kelp is glass instead of copper.  I also made the lid removeable instead of adhering it. It gives an option.   The sand is also not loose also.

Who knows what the next version will be!