Rickety Old House

Well, here it is all finished. I took this picture before I waxed it. It's leaning in the window so the screen is coming through in the picture. The black patina is like handling shoe polish in the sense that it gets all over and is very messy. Quite a bit different from the previous picture.

Incubating new ideas

Hello,

Well, I didn't realize it had been 2 weeks since I've been here. Sorry about that. I just though I'd share some thoughts with you. For the past year, I've been feeling like I really want to change the direction of my art. I think moving to Phoenix has made me feel like this. I love my glass, but I really love to paint as well. I think part of what has made me feel like this is the fact that I've noticed sales dropping off a bit but also that I don't want to be known as the suncatcher lady.

I know years ago I started making smaller things because in the past, I would start a project and never complete it. With the smaller glass pieces, I could make something that I would complete and make it in a day. It wouldn't take hours to complete and I'd have something to show for my time. Also I woulndn't get impatient waiting for progress to happen. And then it became so easy to do that I just kept doing it and doing it. Then the more popular they became and the more people wanted them I just stayed in this routine of making smaller things.

So how has being in Phoenix changed that? Well, with this wide open space called the desert, people have large houses, bigger walls etc. I've also noticed that there is a lot of earth tones in color out here and also that people don't have a lot of clutter in their homes. Plus, pick up just about any magazine and you'll notice the the minimalist look is very "in". SO there has been this internal struggle for I'd say about a year in me trying to figure out what direction I want to go in with my art.

Did any of you watch the Oprah show with "The Secret"? Well, I've known what the secret was for some time. I've even been to a 3 day seminar with James Ray, one of the featured speakers that is promoting The Secret. During that 3 days, you work up to such a positive state that during one of the demonstrations, I, ME, yes ME, I broke a board in half with my bare hands. Kind of like those karate people do. I can't describe everything you go through to work up to that state but it's a pretty positive mental picture to say the least. Well, I had also purchased one of James Ray's coaching programs and have been relistening to it the past few days now. The jist of the program is to set a goal for yourself and in 21 days, you'll have achieved your goal. Well, I'm not going to say what my goal is, but it's got something to do with figuring out what I've been struggling with for the past year with my art.

So in aligning myself with my goal, here is a picture of something I'm working on. Houses are something that have been really talking to me, that and faces. So here is a very ROUGH layout of a house that I'm foiling the glass for now. This is before the glass has been grinded so nothing fits together very well. I'll post the final pic when I'm finished. The picture that is on top, is it.

If you don't know about the secret, go to www.thesecret.tv and check it out. You won't be sorry.

Magic Wands and Love Spells

We're finally getting back in to the swing of every day life again. There are still moments in the house that make us misty eyed for Spark. But each day is getting easier. I can't believe it's been a week already.

I ended up making a batch of Magic Wands during the week. These are of the very powerful variety of magic and there is a red and pink one 2nd from the left in the back that is specially for casting love spells. There are some for sale on Etsy and some up on eBay as well. I'm trying to keep up a presence on both sites and keeping a balance. In addition to that, I've been doing a local Farmers Market (even though there are no farmers) at DC Ranch in Scottsdale. If anyone is interested in knowing what dates I'll be there, email me and I'll let you know. As of right now I'm scheduled to be there Feb 17 and then in March, 3, 17, 31. There have been a few weekends in January I cancelled so you might want to email me before coming out. I hope you all have a great weekend.

Saying Goodbye

This past week was a very difficult week for my husband and I. We had to say goodbye to our pup, Spark, who was 16 years old. I can't beleive how fast it happened. He just lost his appetite and kept getting weaker and weaker. We think he had a stroke because he was just standing in a daze. He got so weak that his legs would slide out from under him even when he was sitting. The last day he couldn't even hold water down. We knew it was time. So last Tuesday evening, on Jan. 30, we took him to the vet and said goodbye. Little things keep triggering emotions and I never know when they will hit. Goodbye pup, you'll be in our heart forever.