More Implosions & A New Tool...

Hi all, hope you had a great week...mine was mostly lazy, I know you don't hear me say that too often, I always have so much going on, well this past week was pretty calm around here...the big events of our weekend was taking in some much needed sunshine & seeing the movie Kick Ass, which by the way is a great movie but not recommended for all, its violent & serious, unlike its name, even though the main characters are kids, it is not, I repeat, it is NOT a kids movie...

Yes I finally listed all my beads, I do have a couple of more implosions to list yet, that will come later tonight...but most everything is up, a couple of birds nests beads I made sold already today...I listed more of my new Implosion beads too...I just love making them...check it all out in my etsy shop... dont forget until the end of April you get the TRP promotion discount of $10.00 when you purchase 2 or more bead goodies at the same time from my shop, just put TRP in the note to seller & I will send you a refund via paypal...

Here is a group shop of them...all Squeezed with my favortie new masher... save for the large lentil one...

An awesome new Tool from Grace & Frank, this one is called the Squeeze-Me-Right Masher... ok like many of you I have a large pair of BBQ mashers on my bench, I have been using mine for years...however when I first tried Frank's new mashers I was blown away by how easy it was to work with...I now find my old mashers too big & not very comfortable to use...The Squeeze-Me-Right Masher is smaller & easier to use, I find that the actual paddles are the best part about it, the thickness of them gives the tool a property I have yet to see other mashers have, the other ones are all too thin in that area, so you have to mash a few times to get the results you want, with this one there seems more power with less of a push from your hands if that makes sense, its really fast & easy, I figured out its the paddle size & the way the handle works...really its the mind of the Engineer Frank, he kind of gets in to a tool & figures out how it needs to work, then he makes it to do just that...anyway don't take my word for it, try one out for your self...the coolest thing is I have paid anywhere from $125.00 to $40.00 for my mashers (yest I have a few) well this one is only $28.00 and its better made than any other I have had...

The studio is busy this weekend with Carmen & Ron's awesome Rock Carving class...sorry the class is already full, but they will be back again, we just love them...by the way we are taking suggestions for new classes at the studio for next year...

Last week's much talked about Flower implosion bead goes to Gail, please send your address girl...for this week I have a large focal & a friend bead with some Bali Silver spacers...its an aqua tab bead, the first one I mashed with The Squeeze-Me-Right Masher with a ton of stringers & raku dots, some bubble eyes & a matching friend...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

Thanks for stopping by...life is very good, my brother is doing really well after his 3rd surgery in less than a month's time, my advise to you is never ever damage your Achilles Tendon, the road to putting back right can be very scary & dangerous...he is brave & is doing great...

Jelveh
Peace

Tax Day Refund & New Beads...

Hi all, hope you are doing well & like me you did your taxes weeks ago & are just having a nice calm day...if that's not the case, then check out my Tax Day Refund Promotion down below...

We had a really busy weekend once again, look below for photos of all the activity...on Friday we had our very fun  MGT (Monthly Get Together) at Graceful Studios...it was loads of fun...
On Saturday we had a Chain Maille class at the studio with Ed Ferner, he was the best instructor ever...lots of fun was had by all, I made two new bracelets in two different Chain Maille designs...
On Sunday I had one very cool student (Bill) in a Lampworking class, I love teaching one on one & specially to students who learn how to deal with the flow of glass so fast...

We had a ton of people, fun & food at our get together on Friday, not sure why we keep forgetting photos, a big thank you to Ed Ferner for demoing on Friday & a great class on Saturday, also thanks to Garnet & Jamie for the yummy goodies they brought, Jamie came all the way from Sacramento & stopped in Napa to pick up yummy pastries for the meeting...Jamie girl  you & your beads rock...Kim & Sally, Ed Ferner, his lovely daughter & of course April in the photos...

We had such a great time in Ed Ferner's Chain Maille class, he is a great instructor & brought all kinds of tools for us to use, Julie & Cyndi pictured, the tow middle bracelets are mine...Bill & Joan had left by the time we took photos of the bracelets... 

I did make a ton of beads this week, many more than in the photo above, mostly focal beads in a new design I have been working on for some time...I first noticed the potential for using this new detail in my beads in an article by Christina Burkhart in the 2007 Vol 3 issue 4 of The Flow Magazine...the tutorial explains how to make 3D Glass Implosions to use in beads...like many other articles & tutorials that I read daily about working with glass, this one got filed away in my computer brain & my note book for the day that I had a chance to try it out myself at the torch...fast forward to this past year, coming back home to California, opening the studio with Grace, having her as a creative partner has been very good for my focus...so a few weeks ago, as she stood over my torch reading the instructions from this article, I made my 5th ever & 2nd successful off mandrel 3D Implosion...I hope you like the new beads I made with them...they also remind me of the new Alice in Wonderland movie...

I will have most of the beads in the photo above & more not picutred listed in my shop by 2pm California time Friday April 16th...oh yes almost forgot about the Tax Refund Promotion, you get $10.00 off between now & end of April 2010 if you purchase two or more items on the same invoice from my shop...just put a note that you are getting the TRP while checking out or send me an email to make sure you get it...

Last week's yummy bead set & charm goes to Lori of Pretty Things, lucky girl...for this week, I have the red & yellow rose Implosion focal bead for the giveaway, enter to win it by making a comment on this post...Perhaps you can suggest a name for the new line of Implosion beads I am working on these days...

Classes & More Classes at Graceful Studios... I have updated the class list on the right hand side of this page...get ready for a great line up of classes at our studio, Corina Tettinger is back July 3 & 4, Toni Lutman is here on Aug 21, Heather Trimlet is teaching on September 11 & 12 & Pati Walton is coming to teach November 6 & 7 all in 2010...wow nothing like name dropping...I am loving our studio...for more information on these & other classes at our studio you can email me or Grace...

Thanks for stopping by...Life is very good....specially since my brother is recovering well from his hard core surgery & the scare he gave us last week...

Jelveh
Peace

A Week Off & New Beads...

Hi all, hope your Easter holiday was nice...ours was good, as you may have noticed I was gone for a week or so...just needed some rest & relaxation...spent some time with family & friends & made a ton of beads...so to follow is a photo story of my week off & a few comments...you may not know this but not only I share my blog with you, the bead people, but this is also a great way for my family & friends around the world to see what we have been up to...

First off we saw Clash of the Titans, almost as good, campy & funny as the old one, I recommend it specially for those who are in love with Sam Worthington...like me...yes the same yummy guy from Avatar...

Please note I have added the up coming  event & classes at Graceful Studios & my Classes on the right hand side of this blog...for more information send me an email...

Don't forget this Friday 4/9/10 we will have our fun monthly meeting, open torch & glass fusing demo at Graceful Studios...

I did manage to make a bunch of yummy beads, I have listed most of them in my etsy shop, below is a group shot of some of them...

here they are the yummy beads I made this week if I say so myself...a few have been listed the rest will be by end of today...

I hardly ever drink, so imagine my surprise when I found out these yummy Margaritas at the Whole Enchilada in Moss Landing have 4 1/5 shots of alcohol in them, the cute blond is my mom in law & we only had one each, but as you can see even before we finished them we were off the deep end...it was a blast, we went dancing after...

Grace & I had some fun making beads & drinking hot chocolate with peeps this past week at the studio...

I made some goodies for one of my favorite clients...

Lets see the winner of the yummy pearly bead from last week is Julianna C. from Alabama, send me your address girl...for this week I have a set of 4 beads in yummy spring colors with a ceramic metal covered key charm that I got in Turkey last year up for the weekly giveaway...enter to win them by making a comment on this post...

Thanks for stopping by...life is very very good...there is more to tell & there are exciting new classes coming to the studio, more information to follow next week...
Jelveh
Peace