Silver Murrini - I am challenged!

Ok - so I am leaving a certain exchange that I am doing on the Lampwork Etc Forum right until the last moment.  My beads need to be sent and postmarked by the 17 September to be sent to California USA.  So I only have a couple more days left to make some successful silver reactive murrini recipes.  

Here are a few beads that I did Monday night a couple might just scrape through as good enough to send.

Also this week the Artisan Beaders of Australia Blog went live - I have been working on the concept for a while now.  Would love you all to visit and follow along.

Blog Catch Up - and a SURPRISE!

Well this is what happens when you don't check your blog for a few days - BLOG CATCH UP!!!

The first thing I see is that my bead soup partner has given me a blog award!! - Woo Hoo I am special!

There are a couple of housekeeping rules that come with this award

1. Post a link to the person who awarded you 

2. Share 7 well-thought out random things about yourself

3. Award to 10 other deserving bloggers and let them know

 My award was given to me by Alicia - All the Pretty Things -and as I said she is my bead soup partner, she is from Canada and is an accomplished Trap Shooter as well as a jewellery designer.

7 Random Things about Me

I have a Bachelor of Science in Australian Environmental Studies

I can drive a Fork Lift

I am related to Lord Tebbit in England ( not sure if that is a good thing)

I have stood on the edge of the Grand Canyon - hoping not to fall off.

I have never touched snow.

I have never owned a Barbie Doll (that is child abuse LOL!)

I love stationary!

I will list the 10 bloggers that I choose at the end of this post.

This week I compiled my first ever Etsy Treasury List - It was compiled for the Artisan Beaders of Australia Page - so pop on over and check it out and even better still leave a comment. We have a lovely selection of artisan lampwork and our up and coming beaders would love the encouragement.

I did manage to get some beading and jewellery making done this week- here are a few pictures - I am working on uploaded them to Etsy this week

The past couple of days here at home have been wonderful, Sunny Queensland Winter Days!  Ella and I planted some flowers, some for her cubby, and we enjoyed the sunshine and then today while I write this post it is pelting down with rain.

Talk Soon - Cheers Tania

10 Bloggers I Award

Creative Arty Facts

Cultiver

I am the Diva

Jenni's Beads

Patty Larkinsmith

Kellie Chrisite

Pendragonfyre Tales

Jane Perala Designs

Something Sublime

Tree Wing Studio

Bead Soup Ingredients on their way to Canada

Well the bead soup has left the building, out of my little home town of Fernvale, Qld Australia off to Burlington, ON Canada.  Off on a little trip to Alicia - All the Pretty Things.

I visited Canada back in 1989 when I was still a university student.  I meet a young boy here in Australia "Kurt" who used to live in Canada and we went for a months holiday to go back and visit some of his old school friends.  It was my first time travelling overseas and it was wonderful,  We mainly hung out in Vancouver and Victoria Island, and I was always commenting on how the people there were very similar to people in Brisbane, happy, easy going folks.

Anyway back to BEAD SOUP - I had a hard decision on what to send Alicia as I have been making quite a few different beads lately,  I have got my mojo back at last!!!!

Now that the package has gone, I have a few things to get up to speed with,  I have to check out my Zentangle challenge for this week as I missed last weeks due to my little holiday with Ella.

I have to put together an outline for my one-on-one classes "Lampwork Bead Making Basics" that I am going to start offering very soon

I have to get some finished items down to L'abundance before they completely run out.

I need to also concentrate on those UFO's that I mentioned a couple of posts ago

And lastly (I am sure I will find something else LOL)  I need to keep working on the new blog for Australia Artisan Beaders.

I think that is enough to worry about this week - Phew! - that is alot!


Cheers Tania

PS - ok in the time is has taken me to rough draft this post - I have just joined another challenge - on the Lampwork Etc Forum.  Yes another one.  Anyway this one is not due to ship out until the 1 Oct - so I will tell you a little more about it later.

PPS - joined another challenge on the Lampwork Forum this morning - Reactive Twisties and also think I signed myself up to look after the challenges on an Australia Forum - haven't announced that yet.

OK TIME TO STOP!!!!!!!!

Bead Soup Party, Birthdays & Addictons

About a year ago I broke my reading glasses (left them in a hot car all day) and I hadn't gotten around to getting them fixed as I was not needing them as much as I usually did. I was going to get the front of the frames replaced, and I think that added to the procrastination of fixing them. This week I decided that with doing my blog and starting the Zentangle that I would have to do something about it. I DID - Gorilla Grip Super Glue - you are my friend - It WORKED! - why didn't I do this a year ago I ask myself - I work in a hardware store - no shortage of glue. So now I have my funky glasses back Yeah!!

This week has also seen me working on my new blog for Artisan Beaders of Australia - so many ideas swimming around, so for once I am really taking my time with the process (so not like me).

Also Miss Ella had her 7th Birthday - she is very happy about being 7. I gave her her first real book, she seems to like reading at the moment so I will be encouraging it as much as I can. We made cupcakes for her class. I made 24 but when I dropped them off to school I was told that there were 25 in the class - so I was hoping that some little boy wouldn't want a girly cupcake, fingers crossed.

Ok before we finish the week lets just add another thing to the list - I am going to be joining in on the Bead Soup Party  (button link on the side) hosted by Lori Anderson at Pretty Things. Will be exciting to see what comes in the mail.

Already addicted to Zentangle - here is one I couple that I completed over the weekend.

Cheers Tania

Inspiration

Over the last couple of weeks I have been trying to locate my own style again.  I love trolling the web and drooling over other artist's works, but sometimes it has you questioning your own level of skill or ability to come up with a fabulous idea.  I went looking for glass tutorials that would expand my skills on a " that's my type of style" basis.  I found some wonderful tutorials, one from Sarah Hornik and other from CCGlassArt.  I have still not tried the murrini tutorial, I am not sure whether it is a fear factor or just knowing that I can not come out of the studio once I start.

This week I completed a custom necklace for a friend that incorporated one of my beads that she like with recycled copper, it was nice to make a completed item for a change.  As per usual I left it right to the last minute to construct it, why do we do this to ourselves?

The weather has started to cool down as well over the last fortnight and my new project with Artisan Beaders of Australia has got my mind running at an incredible speed.  I have so many projects that I want to do, it is finding the time to fit them all in and give them the justice that they deserve.  Between trying to get fit and going to the gym, full time work, my own bead making, my oracle card readings and my Facebook projects I am finding it hard to organise myself.  Oh did I mention that I have four children (one is mine, three are my partner's) living in my house at the moment as well over the school holidays!!!!

I feel I need to lock myself in my room with my ipad and plan a schedule - but the trouble is trying to stick to it when life gets in the way.

So I might just have to pry myself off the computer, and while no one needs to be fed, get started on the plan.  Wish me luck.

Today I also picked my first capsicums from the neglected veggie garden, another thing to add to the plan.

Cheers Tania

Artisan Beaders of Australia

Well it is out there now....  I have had an idea swimming around in my head for quite some time.  Using my social media background I wanted to help promote the things I love the most..... artisan beads.


I wanted to create a place for us Aussie beaders to shine, be loved by the masses and maybe even earn a buck or two doing the things that we love.


I have a book full of ideas, scribbles, inspiration and mostly the drive to help serve this creative community to the best of my ability.


I am not the most patient person and sometimes things for me are a bit like a roller coaster when it comes to ideas,  I do not have all the answers or all the knowledge but I love to research, lurk and explore all I need to know to help me grow.


The journey has now just began and my project is in its infancy, I have big hopes for this venture which will see Australian artisan bead makers proudly on top of the creative world, not just down under. So head on over to stage one of the tour to our new facebook page "Artisan Beaders of Australia" (ABA) for short.

Cheers Tania!