Jelveh Designs Lampwork Glass Beads

2012, Here we Go...

2012-01-05T20:53:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone, hope you had the best of Holidays...we had a blast...since time is such a fleeting thing & short in supply in many of our lives, I thought I would start the new year with a quick blog post/newsletter...

Beads: I have tons of them, been listing them in my etsy shop...photo below of some of them...

New Class: Check out Graceful Studios blog for info on John Rizzi's one day Fish class on Feb 4th.

Your Design, My Beads: Check out this cool ring that my friend Ros made with one of my beads...mark your calendars The 2012 Spring Beauty Contest will start on March 1 2012...

The Flow: My Zentangle beads made it in to the 7th Annul Women in Glass issue of The Flow Magazine.

Bead Giveaway: The last bead giveaway of 2011 goes to Sioux. from CA. The bead on the top of this page is the new giveaway, I love this bead, its organic, yummy & tactile. Measures about 34mm. You can enter to win it by making a comment on this post about your beading habits these days...

Thanks for stopping, life is good...
Jelveh
Peace

Happy December & New Beads....

2011-12-05T21:34:00.000-08:00

Hello all, hope your December is off to a good start...ours has been good so far, on Sat we gave my dad a big happy surprise 75th birthday party, it was so much fun & we saw a great movie called Hugo...it was awesome, great story, well acted, well told & directed...so far December has been good to us...
In Bead News: I made some new beads & other goodies & have listed in my etsy shop...check them out below, click on the one you like & it will take you to that item & my shop...I have 52 items up & there is more coming...

Quote of the week: “Worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose” by Eckhart Tolle

New Tool: Graceful Studios has an awesome new tool called Ripples & Ridges, I have made a few angels & fish with it & its a great tool to use for all your ripples & ridges needs, such as angle wings, fish fins...

Weekly Giveaway: Last week's yummy pair of golden red earrings goes to Designs By Dawn Marie, please send me your address...I will also email you...also the winner of the tree bead Julie T. of Sparks NV, please send your address, I could not fine it...sorry...OK on to this week's giveaway...I have a encased organic flower pot bead with a metallic rim...I love the way it came out, its about 25mm tall...enter to win it by making a comment on this post, maybe about what kind of gifts you will be making by hand or purchasing that are handmade this holiday season...

Thanks for stopping by...life is good...
Jelveh
Peace

Wow, Happy Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T01:12:00.000-08:00

Hi all, I thought 2010 was a fast year, 2011 feels even faster, does this mean life is good...? I am having a good life & that's why the years seem to pass by fast...in any case I am so very thankful for my good life...hope you have a great safe & happy Turkey day & weekend...

New Beads: I had made a ton of Christmas Ornaments & brand new design of rings for our Holiday Boutique at Graceful Studios, which went very nice by the way, our 3rd year was the best year so far, we had a very nice group of artists of all kinds showing their art, lots of local guests visited us & we had a great time, we hope you had a good time too, we shall see you next year...I will be listing on Friday before Noon California time in my etsy shop all kinds of yummy items, from brand new beads to earrings & ornaments. Use the coupon code HOLIDAY20 at checkout for 20% off of your purchase from my shop...

Quote of the week: "Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance." by Echhart Tolle

Bead Giveaway: Last blog giveaway of the yummy Tree bead goes to Julie T of Sparks, NV. For this week I have a gorgeous pair of earrings for you, my lampwork golden red beads with Sterling Silver findings...enter to win them by making a comment on this post...

Thanks so much for stopping by, Life is indeed good...

Jelveh

Peace

Gratitude to our Veterans & New Beads...

2011-11-11T19:19:00.000-08:00

Hi all, hope you are doing well...I wanted to send out a "Thank you so much for your service" to all veterans out there...you are the best...
We are doing well here in Crazy Weather California...one day its warm the next day its wet & cold, wish it would make up its mind. We took our first Bikram Yoga class last weekend, it was fun, I survived the 90 minutes in 105 degree high humidity room, did about 85% of the 26 poses too...so proud, hubby did much better...came home & got sick right on cue, have bronchitis, which my Dr. Thought it was pneumonia at first, but got down graded...doing much better now...Thank goodness for drugs & breathing treatments...

New Beads: got a chance to list some new beads in my shop, more will come on Sat & Sun, including some yummy ornaments...

Quote of the Week: As we Express our Gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." President John F. Kennedy

Holiday Boutique: Visit us during our Christmas Boutique on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, 1:00 pm to 6:00 p.m. at Graceful Studios, lampwork glass bead making demonstrations, open torch time (make a bead yourself), finished jewelry, soaps, quilts, lapidary stones, and other handmade crafts by various artists available for sale! Hourly raffle of gifts. We also have Glass Rods, Firt & bead making tools available for sale. Snacks and drinks served! 10730 Center Ave., Gilroy, CA 95020, Contact Grace for more information & Directions

Bead Giveaway: The yummy pumpkins from the last post go to Jackie G. of the UK. For this week I have the yummy tree bead you sea above, I really like this bead as there is a full moon landscape on the other side, there is a lot of detail in a small space, this bead measures 24mm long x 20mm wide. Enter to win it by making a comment on this post...perhaps you share your Thanksgiving plans...

Thanks so much for stopping by, Life is Good...I love you Java girl (shout out to my sister)...
Jelveh
Peace

Twice in Two Weeks...wow

2011-10-19T23:12:00.000-07:00

Hi all, yes its true....I am actually blogging twice in two weeks, don't get used to it, may just be a fluke...hope you are having a good week. All of a sudden all the leaves got orange & fell off our tree, its obviously finally fall where I am... earlier today there was a crisp wind in the air too...so its official, cold weather is coming...I have to say I like the weather like this...not so hot that we are boiling & not so cold when you have to wear a blanket to leave the house.

This week I had some fun making beads & a few items I don't usually make, like jewelry with my beads, trying to get ready for two shows. But now I am thinking I may just do the 3rd Annual Holiday Boutique at Graceful Customs Studios in Gilroy on November 19th from 12 to 6pm...check out the studios blog for more information contact Grace...or me...

Oh I will also be doing an online craft show at Pretty Things with Lori Anderson...Nov 26th to Dec 3rd

Bead News: I listed some new beads this week as well, you can find them in my shop, photo below...you can get a 10% discount if you add the coupon code Weekday10 at check out...

Quote of the week: "The past has no power over the present moment." by Eckhart Tolle

Bead Giveaway: Last weeks bead goes to Fireborn, please send your address...for this week I have the pair of yummy pumpkins for giveaway...they are almost small enough to be a great pair of earrings, or you can use them in other ways...enter to win them by making a comment on this post...

Thanks so much for stopping by, life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

Happy October & New Beads

2011-10-11T23:52:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone...Hope your October is off to a great start...ours if good so far...

I am back from Turkey & have blogged twice since then, but this is the first newsletter...I made some beads before I went & a few since I have been back, I listed some in my etsy store...some of them in the photo below...

This past weekend we had a very glass weekend, we went to John Rizzi's 2nd Annual Sonoma County Glass Pumpkin Patch all for a great cause too...I along side Mike Hansen, Cynthia Tilker & several other glass people did a demos at the torch, I loved loved watching Mile make a great flower implosion marble with no practical marble making tools & then Cynthia made an off mandrel mouse & put it on a great big pumpkin, I love hanging out with glass people...we had a great time & bought a couple of glass pumpkins & got to meet Chris Johnson of Santa Cruz & Larry Cazes from San Jose...other awesome glass pumpkin people showing at the patch were Nick Lenoff of Monterey & Aleks Barilko. We had a great time & are looking forward to the next one...below are some photos of our trip...

Quote of the week: “The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it.” by Eckhart Tolle.

Bead Giveaway: The hand of Hamza Focal & friends in this past post go to Leslie C. of Canada...for this post I have the blue goldstone focal vertebrate bead above, enter to win it by making a comment on this post...don't forget to check out the last two posts, first what I made with my bead soup & then the details of my class in Turkey this past September...this one is a long read, but I think you will like it...

Thanks so much for stopping by...Life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

My Class at the Glass Furnace, Istanbul Turkey...

2011-10-07T11:20:00.000-07:00

This past September I had the pleasure of teaching at the Glass Furnace in Istanbul Turkey...this is my 7th trip to Turkey in as many years & 5th time teaching at the Glass Furnace & I just love it there...There is nothing like living glass for days at a time in a place that is built as a tribute to all glass arts, from melting to blowing to cold working & kiln casting, the Glass Furnace has it all. I had a great time this year as always...this time the class was for one week, I had a colorful group of great people, some who had torch experience & some with no torch experience all......Below you will find photos and stories of my trip this time around...

The lovely beads of Ayla....I loves me some Ayla...

Due to traffic on a good day the trip from the school which is in the suburbs of Istanbul in to the city can take about one and a half hours...just like any other city of 15 to 22 million people...

along the way you get to see all these lovely scenes that make up Istanbul, from the green country side, to the lovely homes by the sea like any other large metropolitan Mediterranean city...

when ever we drive over this bridge I wonder about all the people who live in these awesome neighborhoods, about their life & adventures living in this lovely setting...

I was going in to town to see my friends Gunay on the left & Gozde on the right, we went shopping (for silver of course) & had dinner at the most yummy Hamdi Reasturant in Sultanahment near the Silver shops & then Gunay took me to her favorite coffee hang out by the sea by Dolmabahce Palace, which is one of my all time favorite areas of Istanbul...sorry no photos of the cafe, there were at least 80 to 100 full tables, it is set out side right on the sea, I mean where we sat, the water could splash on my legs if there was any wind in the air...the air was lovely just like the night, crisp & bright, we sat there enjoying tea & looking at the colorfully lit up bridge over the Bosphorus sea...

I always marvel at how the whole of Istanbul is the coming together of the old and the new...the soul of this city will never lose its history,

because the Turkish people are so in love with life, they are a very well educated people who appropriate the history of their country, its art forms from glass to ceramics to fiber & so many other mediums...They also know that life changes & grows and no where else I have been in the world have I seen the mix of the old & the new so well...

yes even in Turkey large sporting arenas are sponsored by large cell phone companies...we are all alike...

Istanbul is always busy & full of tourists...

Although certain members of the political scene in Turkey are trying to bring back the middle ages when women had little or no rights at all, it is quite obvious that short of a blood bath, such as the one in Iran 33 years ago, Turkey hopefully will never lose its spirit & soul of loving life & being so good at bringing the past & the present together in such a harmonious way...

your everyday Turkish person in Istanbul will think nothing of going to work in their high rises, living in their yummy home along the sea, catch the boat or train or both to go to the Bazaar or visit a Masque, grab a fast meal & pick up their morning coffee from Starbucks while chatting away or texting on the latest smart phone, pretty much what the rest of the people do living anywhere in the modern industrial world...

this is my favorite road in Istanbul...

the coolest thing about Turkey & the Turkish people is that they have all of this & several thousand years of awesome history from the early Christians to the Ottomans, by which to live with their everyday life...

ok enough deep thoughts about Turkey, lets move on to the lovely crazy people who took my class this time around...

from the left Rankoussi (he told me to call him that, but I kept saying Mr. Rankoussi) then me, then Betul, our in house Dentist & glass bead maker, then Nejla, then my lovely Ayla & of course Gozde the best roommate, glass class assistant & friend anyone can ask for...oh the guy taking the picture is Emre the 6th and the ever elusive students who is also the new Educational director of the Glass Furnace, the guy is very talented and in the middle of getting his PHD, yes I said PHD in Glass...he was rather surprised to find out that soft glass was very hard to work with...lol

everyone hard at work...

and there is Emre at the end over there by himself, cursing the glass & wondering why it will not do what he wants it to do...sadly I do not have any photos of his beads as he missed graduation day, but I have to say that his beads were looking pretty yummy by the end...considering the small amount of time he was in class...

the water is so welcoming after the long day of melting glass...

anyone for a game of one on one....the large green chunks of glass are made here at the glass furnace & are used both for landscape art & as supplies for cold work artists like the amazing Vladimir Kline who teach here...

at least one day of week of your class you get to eat outside by the river, but then you can eat here any day of the week, just bring your tray...

everyone loves food, tea & a chat under the trees for a lazy lunch....

& then back to work we go....I love this school & the wonderful people who run it...Thanks so much for inviting me to teach at your school, this trip has become my very own favorite vacation every year, where else can a lover of glass get treated so nice & get to melt glass every day...?

The day after class is over all students set up an exhibit for Graduation & get a certificate & gift for completing the course...

Nejla's Beads...

Betul's Beads...

Ayla's Beads...

Gozde's Beads...

Rankoussi's Beads...

and here are some of the beads I made in class...

and here is the whole gang of 7, we had a great time...thanks everyone...

Much love to my friend & honorary daughter, Gozde who is one of the best kiln casting & ceramic artists around, she was the best friend, assistant & roommate ever...

much love and many thanks to my friend Yilmaz Bay, second from the left, the owner & founder of the Glass Furnace...he is the best lover of glass I know...his daughter the very cool Elif, whom I dont seem to have a photo with is now in charge of all education at the school & is an amazing person...

The Glass Furnace is a very diverse place, they have students & instructors from all over the world who's flag they display with pride, whenever I visit they fly two flags in my honor, the one on the right is the Iranian flag where I was born, the one on the right is of course the American Flag, because I love America & I am an American...

And this you should know...

When I was booking my trip to Turkey this year, I was told by many including the US state department to avoid traveling to Turkey that it may be unsafe, I am not really sure of why they said Turkey would be unsafe...Right here in America, on the 5th of October I was scared to go out of my house, since 20 minutes from my home here in California,an angry man went to work & shot 7 of his co workers & a women in the street that would not give him his car, he killed 3 people & yesterday morning the police killed him...There are unsafe situations anywhere you go...I have never felt anything but safe & happy when I have been in Turkey...hope to see more of you at the Glass Furnace in the following years...
Life is Good....

Jelveh

Peace
more photos of my trip below...

every one's favorite hang out at the school...

Shopping at the spice Bazaar...

Bead Soup Blog Hop...

2011-09-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

Gypsy Soul...

The Archer led her life in whatever direction it wanted to, she pretended not to notice...

She collected her life in bits & pieces, a broken heart, betrayed, forgotten...

She carried her soul in the necklace, at every turn she added to it, a shell, a key to her heart, the buttons that came off of her loved ones clothes...but she always knew, always believed that life is good...once you reached the tree of life, it was always good...

The Gypsy Soul...a necklace with a story that I made with the lovely ceramic beads of Jenny Davies-Reazor and other goodies that she sent along, specially that awesome archer's sterling clasp...I added the chain and a few pieces, the necklace also has a pair of earrings...

Please visit all or as many of the blogs you can below and leave a comment...what a great party...hop along...
These are the partner pairs.

The Hostess, Lori Anderson and her partner, Manuela Wutschke

1. Aimee Wheaton and Barbara York
2. Alice Craddick and Sandra Richardson
3. Alison Sachs and Amy Severino
4. Allison Scott and Cynthia Abner
5. Amanda Cargill Austin and Charlene Sevier
6. Amanda Davie and Patsy Evins
7. Amber Dawn and Kim Ballor
8. Ambra Gostoli and Christine Hansen
9. Amy Freeland and Christine Altmiller
10. Ana Krepel-Novak and Eleanor Snare

11. Andrea Morici and Hope Smitherman
12. Andrea Trank and Jayne Capps
13. Andrea Turini and Charlene Jacka
14. Angela May and Emanda Johnson
15. Anitra Gordy and Elizabeth Owens Dwy
16. Ann Rishell and Debbie Price
17. Ann Sherwood and Lynne Bowland
18. Anna Lear and Barbe Saint John
19. Anna Sabina and Erin Siegel
19. Nan Emmett and Erin Siegel
20. Astrid Boyce and Birgitta Lejonklou

21. B.R. Kuhlman and Deanna Chase
22. Barbara Bechtel and Bryna Lumb
23. Barbara Blaszczyk and DaviniaDesign
24. Barbara Judy and Holly Westfall
25. Barbara Lewis and Cathie Carroll
26. Barrie Edwards and Lyn Foley
27. Becky Fairclough and Jana Tarhala
28. Bella Borgouise and Gillian Lehman
29. Beth and Evie McCord and Erin Prais-Hintz
30. Beth Bricker and Heather Pyle

31. Beth Emery and Cassie Donlen
32. Bobbie Rafferty and Cindy Cima Edwards
33. Candice McGinnis and Sally Anderson
34. Carol Bradley and Cece Cormier
35. Cathy Khoury and Molly Alexander
36. Carol Tannahill and Hilary Frye
37. Carrie Tahquechi and Cris Peacock
38. Cat Pruitt and Cindy Gimbrone
39. Charlene Gary and Doris Stumpf
40. Charlotte Pevny and Kate Gardenghi

41. Cherrie Fickand Cathie Carroll
41. Claire Maunsell and Cherrie Fick
42. Cheryl Roe and Jenny Vidberg
43. Chris White and Norma Turvey
44. Christa Murphy and Kathy Alderfer
45. Christie Murrow and Dana James
46. Christina Miles and Collette Collins
47. Christine Brandel and Elizabeth Woodford
48. Christine Damm and Cynthia Deis
49. Christine Hendrickson and Debbie Goering
50. Christine Stonefield and Dee Wingrove-Smith

51. Cilla Watkins and Johanna Rhodes
52. Cindy Wimmer and Riki Schumacher
53. CJ Baushka and Cory Celaya
54. Courtney Breul and Joanna Matuszczyk
55. Cristi Clothier and Kathleen Robinson Young
56. Cryss Thain and Serena Trent
57. Cynthia Tucker and Kitty Durmaj
58. Dana Johnson Jones and Eva Sherman
59. Davinia Algeri and Janet McDonald
60. Deci Worland and Lara Lutrick

61. Diana Ptaszynski and Kristy Abner
62. Diane Cook and Kerry Bogert
63. Diane Hawkey and Jen Judd Velasquez
64. Dorcas Midkiff and Jill Harris
65. Doris Radlicki and Heather Goldsmith
66. Dot Lewallen and Gaea Cannaday
67. Elisabeth Auld and Jennifer Justman
68. Erin Fickert-Rowland and Geanina Grigore
69. Erin Grant and Julie Jones
70. Eszter Czibulyas and Helena Fritz

71. Fiona Christie and Michelle Heim
72. Gail Zwang and Genea Crivello-Knable
73. Geneva Collins and Jana Haag
74. Gretchen Nation and Heidi Post
75. Heather DeSimone and Karin Slaton
76. Heather Marley and Terry Carter
77. Ingrid McCue and Jennifer Pride
78. Jackie Ryan and Nicole Keller
79. Janna Harttgen and Joanne Tinley
80. Jean Yates and Lori Anderson

81. Jelveh Jaferian and Jenny Davies-Reazor
82. Jenni Connolly and Jennifer Heynen
83. Jennifer Cameron and Kristi Bowman
84. Jennifer Geldard and Lisa Liddy
85. Jennifer VanBenschoten and Kim Hora
86. Jess Italia Lincoln and Lori Greenberg
87. Jill MacKay and Lori Bergmann
88. JJ Jacobs and Karen Tremblay
89. Joyce Becker and Kathy Welsh
90. Judy Glende and Karen Sinkowski

91. Judy Riley and Kelly Morgan
92. JuLee Wolfe and Julie Bean
93. Julianna Cannon and Julianna Kis
94. Julie Nordine and Lesley Watt
95. K. Hutchinson and Shea Zukowski
96. Karen Firnberg and Karyn Bonfiglio
97. Karen Williams and Kimberly Roberts
98. Karen Zanco and Polly Barker
99. Kari Carrigan and Laura Twiford
100. Karin von Hoeren and Laura Blanck

101. Kate Richbourg and Lorelei Eurto
102. Kathleen Lange Klik and Maria Clark
103. Kathy Engstrom and Keri Lee Sereika
104. Kay Thomerson and Loretta Carstensen
105. Kelley Fogle and Laurel Bielec
106. Kelly Ramstack and Sally Anderson
107. Kim Stevens and Tiffany Long
108. Kristi Harrison and Mandy Williamson
109. Kristi Kyle and Lana Kinney
110. Kristina Johansson and Sue Hodgkinson

111. Kym Hunter and Laura Sanger
112. Laura Zeiner and Susan Kennedy
113. Laurel Steven and Mary McGraw
114. Laurie Hanna and Lisa Boucher
115. Lesley Weir and Liz DeLuca
116. Linda Djokic and Tracey Weiser
117. Linda Inhelder and Pam Brisse
118. Linda Landig and Lori Dorrington
119. Linda Murphy and Lisa Hamilton
119. Line Labrecque and Marianne Baxter
120. Lisa Lodge and Monica Johnson

121. Lois Moon and Melissa Muir
122. Lola Surwillo and Therese Frank
123. Lori Bowring Michaud and Marci Brooks
124. Lupe Meter and Norma Agron
125. Maggie Towne and Marge Beebe
126. Malin de Koning and Susie Hibdon
127. Mallory Hoffman and Shirley Moore
128. Marcie Abney and Patty Miller
129. Marcy Lamberson and Melissa Clarke
130. Margot Potter and Suzann Sladcik Wilson

131. Maria Grimes and Wendy Blum
132. Maria Horvath and Melinda Orr
133. Maria Rosa Sharrow and Marie-Noel Voyer-Cramp
134. Marian Hertzog and Melissa Mesara
135. Marianna Boylan and Sandi Lee James
136. Marina Dobrynina and Michaela Pabeschitz
137. Marsha Neal and Miri Agassi
138. Mary Ellen Parker and Melissa Meman
139. Mary Elliott and Tamara Soper
140. Mary Hicks and Laurel Steven

141. Melissa Pynn and Michelle Buettner
142. Michelle Hardy and Niki Meiners
143. Michelle Mach and Moira McEvoy
144. Missy Rappaport and Norma Agron
145. Molly Alexander and Poranna
146. Mylene Hillam and Nicole Rennell
147. Nadezhda Parfyonova and Stacey Curry
148. Nan Emmett and Nancy Peterson
149. Nancy Boylan and Natalie McKenna
150. Natalie Monkivitch and Niky Sayers

151. Natasha Lutes and Pam Ferrari
152. Noemi Baena and Penny Ilagan
153. Pamela Petry and Rebecca Sirevaag
154. Pat Haight and Mary McGraw
155. Patty Gasparino and Vonna Maslanka
156. Penny Neville and Sandi Volpe
157. Pepita Bos and Wendy Chamberlain
158. Raida Disbrow and Rebecca Watkins
159. Rebecca Anderson and Sabrina Staub
160. Regina Santerre and Rose Binoya

161. Rhea Freitag and Tari Kahrs
162. Rochelle Brisson and Sheryl Stephen
163. Sally Russick and Tracy Bell
164. Sandra McGriff and Shay Williams
165. Sandra Wolberg and Sara Hardin
166. Sarah Elder and Salla Small
167. Saskia Kaffenberger and Sharon Gardner
168. Sharon Palac and Shannon Chomanczuk
169. Shay Stone and Suzette Bentley
170. Shiraz Biggie and Tammy Powley

171. Staci Smith and Tracy Stillman
172. Stacie Stamper and Tracy Martin
173. Stefanie Teufel and Vicky Taylor
174. Stephanie Dixon and Stephanie LaRosa
175. Stephanie Haussler and Valerie Norton
176. Suzanne Tate and Terri Wlaschin
177. Sweet Freedom Designs and Tammy Jones
178. Tania Spivey and Tari Sasser
179. Tara Plote and Terry Matuszyk
180. Terri Gauthier and Deana Hager
181. Theresa Fosdick and Tracey Nanstad

Thanks for stopping by, life is good...
Jelveh
Peace

Bead Soup, New Beads...

2011-09-01T23:39:00.000-07:00

Hi all & a happy September to you...just got back from visiting Grandma & Grandpa for their 90th birthdays & 70th wedding anniversary which is on the same day as ours...Drove from California to Montana & back with Mooshi, she did really well & was a hit with the Grandparents. Save for the time that she jumped in a fast moving river after her ball & did it again right after hubby fished her out...this dog has no fear...had a great time with Grandma & Grandpa, they are so cool, the stories they tell. Lets face it they lived through a lot more than most of us, so far they have made it through a few wars & a few recessions & all kinds of fun stuff in between...I asked Grandma, what has been the best times & the worst times so far in their life, she said The Best Times were when were together & The Worst Times were when we were apart...brought tears to my eyes,so sweet & honest...love them...

In BEAD News: I have only made one set of beads since we got back, the rest in the photo I made before we left...Check out my shop on etsy...The Drum Roll Beads in the photo is my new set & I hope you dont mind, I am making them in to a bracelet for myself, I love them so much...I made them with Grace's Disk Shaper... Also you can now purchase my finished Jewelry at a lovely shop in Morgan Hill California called Carta Luna, check out their facebook page for more information...Its a great store, with tons of cool things from their clothing boutique full of timely fashions to their handmade gift cards & gifts, lots to see & enjoy...

Bead Soup News: My very lovely & creative Bead Soup Partner Jenny Davies-Reazor sent me this (photos below) awesome collection of beads & findings including not one but two of her great ceramic focal beads, I am so inspired, I am hoping I can make the design that is swirling around in my head with this collection...I am going to use all of them in one large piece, its a lot of out of the box thinking for me, even theough she does not know me, to send me two focal beads one a tree and the other a face with the word vision, you would think we were best friends, as these are exactly the themes I love & I identify with...thanks so much Jenny...come back on the 17th of September to see what I came up with...Click here to check out Jenny's Blog

A lovely box & note...

An amazing collection of handmade ceramic beads by Jenny, sterling silver, fresh water pearls, mother of pearl, several different kinds of yummy gem stones & even a heart locket, I have decided to use them all in one piece, wish me luck, come back on September 17th to blog hop...Check out Lori of Pretty Things Blog for more information on the Bead Soup...

Bead Giveaway: The yummy focal from the last post goes to Kiersten, please send your address so I can ship the bead to you...for this week I have a yummy set of 3 beads modern shin mixed with organic feel...love this mini set, hope you do too...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

I am getting ready for my trip to Turkey for my workshop...there is one space left let me know if you are interested...Thanks so much for stopping by...Life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

New Beads & Workshop in Turkey...

2011-08-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

Hi all, hope your summer is going well, ours has been very nice so far...not as hot as it usually gets which is kind of cool...

NEW BEADS: I have made a ton of new beads the last few weeks photo above & have been listing them in my etsy shop, including some very yummy disk beads made with a brand new tool from Graceful Customs the above photos shows off some of my new beads...

WORKSHOP in Turkey: I am getting ready for my next class in Turkey at the Glass Furnace, from September 10 to the 17th, six days of Intermediate to advanced glass bead making from 9am to 5pm, for this workshop you stay at the school in the dorms, and see all kinds of other glass work in person, from their stadium seating hot shop to their 18 seat lamp working studio, cold-working, fusing, kiln casting & any other glass technique you can think of, the Glass Furnace is a great glass school run by a very nice group of people who go out of their way to make your stay at their school and in Istanbul great...contact me for more information, there are 2 spaces still open, I have students coming from as far away as India & Australia & all over Turkey, not only I have the best time teaching at the Glass Furnace but I have made life long friendships & met so many nice people from all over the world...below is just a taste of some of the beads I will be teaching in this workshop...

In other news: I am told some of my beads made it in to the new Fire Mountain Gem Catalog...have you seen them? I am so proud as they are for a good cause, to raise money for the fight against breast cancer... I ordered a catalog as soon as I get mine I will post photos...

Silversmith: This last weekend I took an awesome silversmithing class with a the lovely Carmen Martinez, I made a yummy sterling silver ring with a mother of pearl stone, every student walked out with a finished product & most of us had never done any silver work...Contact Grace to get information on Carmen's next class...Here is the link to the blog post about the class...

Quote of the week: Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave. by Indira Gandhi

Bead GIVEAWAY: The yummy fish goes to Katie D. of Northern California, please send me your address...for this week I have one of my yummy golden organic ribbon beads for your beading needs up for the giveaway...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

Thanks so much for stopping by and for all the love, life is good...
Jelveh
Peace

New Beads & Quote of the Week...

2011-07-18T23:15:00.000-07:00

Hi all, hope you are keeping cool in the midst of this summer's heat wave...we are doing well here, life is very good & busy, went to the best party ever for my sisters 40th, she is so cute, does not look a day over 29...we saw the movie Horrible Bosses...it was funny, perhaps even more so for us since hubby & I have both worked for such people in the past & you probably have too, life is full of difficult people...
life is good...I made beads...

I have listed a few sets of beads to my etsy shop below is a photo of the new beads...

Quote of the Week: A feature I had for years on my weekly newsletter, many of you remember I am sure, but for some reason I stopped it, well its back...here is this week's Quote: I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe. By the Dalai Lama

Our Bi Monthly Get Together is this coming Saturday July 23nd from 11am to 5pm at Graceful Customs in Gilroy. click here to read all about the cool happenings, it promises to be a fun day with a lot of artists sharing their great skills...

While you are checking out Graceful Customs stop by their shop and check out this new great tool...I a have been having a ton of fun with it...

Winner of last week's bead is Meredith, please send your address. This time I have a lovely fish bead (if I say so myself) for the blog giveaway...enter to win by making a comment on this post...maybe you can help me out with my photo question, white background or gray rock background?

Thanks so much for stopping by, life is good...its just a bit hotter than usual...
Jelveh
Peace

2011-07-06T10:42:00.000-07:00

Hi all, hope your summer is off to a good start & you had a great holiday weekend...we went to the Russian River for the holiday, although it was really hot hanging out at the water was fun...lots of things have happened since my last post which was in May, some are really good and well some are not so good...

Lets talk beads first, I have managed to make some beads in the past few weeks, and you would be proud of me I have actually listed most of them in my etsy shop below are some photos of the beads...after 10 plus years of making beads, once again I have changed my photos, from white background to gray & rocky background, so please let me know which you like best...the white ones take so long to do...change is good!!! right?

John Rizzi's last class was so much fun at our studio, check out photos of the day & beads here & other stories on Graceful Customs Blog

I have added new class & get together information to the left side of my blog, check it out, try & make it for one of our meetings, I think both the Chain Maille class & possibly silver soldering glass are full, but send Grace an email & get more information.

Keep an eye out for new tools from Graceful Customs as well...

The last blog post bead goes to Sandy "SanSan" from Sacramento, send me your address girl...for this blog post giveaway I have a bubble eye bead with deep see blues & silvered ivory, love this bead, it will make a great pendant...enter to win it by making a comment on this blog post...maybe tell me your thoughts about the new photos...

And here is the rest of the story...After months of doctor appointments, many many different kinds of procedures & drugs, we had our one and only IVF cycle & it did not work...So we move on now, although I have been feeling down about the whole thing, physically, emotionally & getting over all the shots & drugs is very hard too...as I struggle to get back to my daily life, I remember so many other people who struggle in their lives with far worse issues than mine...I remember my parents struggle to bring us to America so we can have a good life & not have to live in oppression. I remember how we had no money & my father a man with a PHD working for 17 years as a card dealer in a card room club for tips, my mother, a master degree holder & teacher working at Kentucky Fried Chicken, so we could have good a life...I remember so many people suffering all over the world with far worse life problems than mine, from the middle east to Japan, from Arizona fires to Floods all over the country and so many many other ills all over the world...So we move on, life is good...I have so many things to be thankful for in my life...Life IS GOOD...
Thanks for stopping by...
thanks for all the emails asking about my whereabouts...
Jelveh
Peace

47 & counting...New Beads too...

2011-05-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

Hi all, What is 47, is it just a number? surely it is not the answer to the meaning of life, if you remember that number is 42...47 = I can count 47 things that I am great full for in my life, heck I can count 4700 things that are positive & good about my life...47 = just about the number pounds I would like to lose...

47 = there is an actual group called The 47 Society no joke...47 = I can give you 47 reasons why you should never ever buy any glasses from any Site For Soar Eyes or their mother company Sterling Vision locations, bad service & so over priced & mean people...send me an email if you need more information

47 = I gave away & tossed at least 47 pieces of clothes, thanks to my mom's help my closet is 47 times more organized than it was...

47 = the number of listings I hope to have in my etsy shop at all times check out the ones I have so far...

47 = is a prime number...

47 has many other meanings but so do other numbers I am sure you can find them all on the web...this last weekend I turned 47 years young...I don't feel older, I don't feel different at all in any way...it is just a number to me...we went to Santa Barbara for a couple of days & had an awesome time...it was a great calm happy birthday...I am sorry that the same can not be said for so many people in Joplin MO and other parts of the south that have storms going through again today...sending lots of prayers & good wishes to them all...

and here are more beads I will be listing...

Graceful Customs has a new cool website where you can purchase all of their cool tools from, Grace is extending her introductory price on the tools for a bit longer so check them out now, as the prices will go back to normal soon...

I have listed the new Classes & the July & September bi-Monthly get together at Graceful Customs Studios on the left side bar of this blog, check them out and contact Grace if you have any questions & want to sign up...

Winner of last blog post's Zentangle bead is aMorita-sa of GA, please send your address...for this blog post I have a yummy marbled blue white water color bead with rain drops & raku spots, this bicone bead is about 36mm long & very lovely if I say so myself...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

Thanks so much for stopping by, Life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

Past Few Weeks & Lots of New Beads...

2011-04-25T22:37:00.000-07:00

Hi all, hope the last few weeks have been good to you & life is good...my life had a whole lot of things going on in it, perhaps below is the best way to explain it all...

Most of the time there was the usual fare...

At times there was a lot of Drama...

Protection from evil was needed more than usual...

Soon there was The Spring class to teach, students were so nice http://gracefulstudios.blogspot.com/

I often wondered about the collage or zentangle that is my life...which seems to be the new name for what we have all being doing and calling doodling for ever and ever... every time I turn around there is a new name for something that has been around by another name for a long time already...

And Just before I got to deep in to my head & got tired of the rain, spring sprung all around me...

And life is sweet & good...

This coming Sat is our bi monthly get together at Graceful Customs from 12 to 5pm, there will be door prizes every hour & bead making demos & bring your goodies/beads & such for show & sale...

John Rizzi is returning to Graceful Customs for another great class on June 18th, contact Grace for more information, John Will be teaching a one day beginning complex murrini class. Students should be intermediate level and have good heat control skills as we will be working off mandrel.John will be teaching at least 2 designs in class first he will teach a blooming flower murrini with detailed stamen center. In the afternoon we will learn how to make a complex rose murrini. several students have already signed up, he is a great teacher with lots of knowledge & talent not to be missed...

The yummy beads from the last blog post go to Lori A. of Pretty Things...for this blog post giveaway I have one of my collage, crazy quilt or Zentangle beads for you, this one is a bicone about 38mm with goldstone & black details & one eye...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

Thanks so much for stopping by...life is good...you can check out a whole lot of my new beads in my etsy shop...

Jelveh

Peace

If I Ran the World...& NEW Beads...

2011-03-16T00:40:00.000-07:00

If I ran the world, there would have never been an earthquake in Japan or anywhere for that matter...how sad the news is out of Japan...my heart aches for all of these people...

If I ran the world everyone's life would be full & happy like mine is, all would have a great partner with cute pets who loved them as much as ours do...

If I ran the world I would wish that all the lampwork instructors who ever came to our studio Graceful Customs in Gilroy to teach would be just as talented, just as nice & just as lovely a human as John Rizzi from John Rizzi Glassworks. He was the best teacher ever,talented, the students loved him, Frank, Grace & I loved him...We all learned a ton about murrinis...Also click here to check out the slide show photo album that Grace made with some the photos from the murrini class with John...

If I ran the world my beads would get listed all on their own in my etsy shop but that is not the case, I had a great time making beads, this week I worked with a lot of silver glass & more spring beads...but I struggle often with listings, I fuss with photos, names & the story of each set, each bead...but at the end I will get them all listed I promise...below is photo of what is coming...speaking of beads, I am teaching a "All About Spring" one day class at Graceful Customs Studios in Gilroy on Sat April 16, Check out the information on the Studio Blog, class is limited to 8 students.Click here to Con tact Grace to sign up...

If I ran the world everyone who made a comment on my last blog post would be a winner, but that is not the case, there is only one set of beads to give away, so it goes to Ginny C. of FL...for this week I have a set of Egg and friends set of beads in the shades of Blue, lavender & Ivory...enter to win the set by making a comment on this blog post...

If I ran the world life would be good for everyone everywhere...thanks for stopping by...life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

New Beads, Doggy Dock Diving & More...

2011-03-01T22:20:00.000-08:00

Hi all, Happy March to you...the sun is finally out today but on Sat we had snow in Gilroy, when we had our bi- monthly meeting at the studio where we hosted Beads of Courage...lots of beads were made for the cause, thanks again to Lena Rhoeds for letting us be involved in this good cause.

Thanks to also all who came to make beads and give their support, Frank, Grace, Lena, Kathy, Sally, Kim, Barbara, Sioux, Joann, hubby, Lani, Pat, Jim, Jennifer & me, hope I am not forgetting anyone, oh yeah Mooshi also came by for a visit...photo above is of some of the beads...

In Bead News: I have a whole bunch of spring fun beads that I am listing in my shop tonight & on Wednesday...photo above is of a few of them...

In Pet News: Mooshi is still very jealous of Ari & Mr. Snuggles...hopefully one day they can all learn to get along...couple of Saturdays ago we took Mooshi Dock Diving with her class mates, all of whom are 40 pounds or larger...she had a blast, she only swam in the water once, not a diver yet, had the water been warm I think she would have jumped. Her photo below was taken by Kelly Frazer, she is very talented, if you need some great photos she is your girl...

For the rest of the time we were there she just waited on the short walk in to the pool for the bigger dogs to jump & bring in the toys...she was so funny & was having fun...

Bead Giveaway: Last week's landscape bead goes to Fireborn of SC, send address please...for this week I have a set of beads in a yummy light coral with some pearl & silver & some murinni from John...enter to win the beads on the first picture above by making a comment on this blog post...

Thanks so much for stopping by...life is good, the sun was out today...
Jelveh
Peace

New Beads & Class News...

2011-02-14T23:41:00.000-08:00

Hi all, life is good here, Tuscon was fun, but not enough to make me want to actually make beads all year long so I can go to this show as a seller, but I had a great time with Grace, we bought a ton of findings, silver and gem stones to have fun with...I met Jeff Barber and saw some old friends and made some new ones too...
Since then the sun has been out, so Mooshi and I have been going to the park everyday...save for today, it actually rained today, surprised us all...but hey it is spring weather after all in these parts...A happy fun birthday to my hubby too...

New Beads: There are new beads in the shop & there will be more, so keep checking back...

Bi Monthly Meeting: Join us at the Studio for our next meeting on Feb 26th, friends of ours from Nor Cal SGB will be here to make beads for Beads of Courage, it promises to be a fun day...

New Class: We are excited to announce a One-Day lampworking class with lampwork artist John Rizzi, at our Studio on Saturday, March 12, 9am to 5pm, supplies and lunch included! Cost is $200. There is very limited space left! John Rizzi will be teaching a one day beginning complex murrini class. Students should be intermediate level and have good heat control skills as we will be working off mandrel.John will be teaching at least 2 designs in class, a basic 3- 4 color flower and a feather murrini in the afternoon. We will also practice different ways of murrini application. The class will focus on creating murrini on steal punties and heat control to get a good consistent pull of your cane. We will use basic tools and learn how to create pattern and design in murrini from the inside out. John has been a lampwork artist for the last 9 years. He creates a variety of sculptural, wearable and decorative art pieces. John has a special interest in the art of murrini making, you can view more of his work at his website http://www.johnrizziglassworks.com Or view many of his murrini designs at his etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/JohnRizziGlassworkss

For more information on this class and others held at our studio in Gilroy, contact Grace by clicking here...

For the last blog post we have two winners, Sioux wins the electronic copy of Hubby's new book

And the cool bead from the last blog goes to Brenda H.For this week I have an awesome & large Landscape bead, over 34mm round...love this one...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

Thanks for stopping by...Life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

New Beads, Tucson & Studio's next Get Together...

2011-01-27T14:47:00.000-08:00

Hello all, hope your year is off to a good start...our life is good, I made some beads, Grace and I are going to Tucson & at our next get together at the studio we will be making beads for Beads of Courage...all of these things are great & I will give you more information on all of it later in this post...However...

The big news this week at our house is that my brilliant husband has published his first book, Jerusalem Syndrome on Amazon.com for kindle readers, pc readers & apple readers...which can be downloaded from Amazon... this is so exciting, Martin wrote this books years ago, when I met him he had just finished it...he shopped it out to a couple of print publishers late Aug 2001, after the tragedy happened on Sept. 11, 2001, one of the more famous publishers send him a hand written note explaining "that although the idea was awesome & original, the post 9/11/01 environment was not the best time for this book, as the story starts with a riot on Christmas eve in Jerusalem...The story is a Sci Fi / Horror Novel that happens in our time, so they call this kind of book Future Science...I am giving away a download of this book to the first person who makes a comment on this post...Shameless plug I know, but he is the love of my life & the book is a great read.

Speaking of being published, one of my Flower Implosion beads made it in to the Flow Magazine's current issue of Women In Glass...

Beads: I have some new beads to share in my etsy shop...below is a preview photo of whats to come & there are even more beads that need to be washed, photographed & listed, so stay tuned...

Studio: Join us on Sat February 26th from 12 to 5pm at our Studio in Gilroy. Bead makers & Glass Artists will be coming over to make beads for Beads of Courage, it promises to be a fun day full of Demos...come over for a visit, this is a pot luck party so bring a goody to munch on if you can...

Tucson: Grace & I are going to hang out with a whole lot of Beady people in Tucson AZ for a few days...it should be a ton of fun...I will have more news & photos of out trip when we come back next week...

Winner: The last beads for the giveaway, the 3 yummy focal beads go to Deci of CA. Please send me your address...This week's bead is a yummy focal with bubble eyes on each side, it is about 36mm long x 22mm wide. Enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

Tools: Don't forget to check out the newest cool tool from Grace & Frank, The Pinch me Tight is an awesome versatile tool that you will love having on your work bench...

Thanks so much for stopping by...life is good, even though the ceiling of our dinning room came down with a bad water leak last Wednesday, now the floor is being replaced too...we are thankful for all the good things in our life...
Jelveh
Peace

New Year, New Beads, New Tool...

2011-01-14T00:26:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone, hope you had a great holiday season & are now looking forward to a great new year like me...life is good, I have no excuses nor any real reasons for not blogging or listing beads for over a month...I am having a great time playing mom to Mooshi, she is such a great dog & we are so happy to have her...I did have a bit of a cold for a few days, but other than that all is good around here...

I made some new beads, listed some & will be listing more in my etsy shop...including a brand new design from me called Charming Grace, since the idea is really Grace's, over the holidays Frank made this new tool that Grace played with it & came up with this cool idea with love love the Pinch Me Right...a very cool hip tool that does a lot of fun things, you need to figure all the cool things that are possible with this tool...

Also with the new year we started our Private Beadmaking Parties at the studio...the group on Monday Jan 10 was so so so nice, there was 8 students in class and for 2 hours I thought them how to make one bead and I have to say they all did such an awesome job, I had a ton of fun with them, they are a very artsy fun group, I look forward to seeing Mary-Lee & her group of glass addicts again at the studio soon...can you tell in the photo below which bead is mine, no one had any experience in glass prior this two hour class/party...

Oh ok now for the winner of the last blog post which was oh my gosh all the way back in December 2010, is Janette from NV. Enter to win the trio of yummy focal beads in the photo above by making a comment on this blog post...

Thanks for stopping by, life is good...
Jelveh
Peace

Holiday Boutique & Beads...

2010-12-07T15:27:00.000-08:00

Hi all, hope you are doing well & have been having fun getting ready for Christmas & Happy Hanukkah too, today is the 7th day...we are doing well...the puppy is doing great, she is so much fun, we are wondering how come we never got a puppy before...
This past Saturday we had our second annual Holiday Boutique at Graceful Studios, it was so much fun, there were lots of people and goodies there to be had...below are some photos...Grace also has a story and photo on her blog...click here to see

I made a few new beads, added them to my etsy shop...will be adding more in the days to come...if you are a returning client, send me an email and I will send you a new coupon code good for 10% off your purchase when you check out...also I added some beads on remake request only, so check them out...

Last week's organic yummy silver red beads go to Elizabeth of Virginia, send your address girl...for this week the giveaway is a focal bead from my Earth From Above series...I love this bead and have been hanging on to it for a while...enter to win it by making a comment on this blog post...

Thanks for stopping by...life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

Happy Thanksgiving New Beads & Coupon...

2010-11-27T13:27:00.000-08:00

Hi all, hope your holiday weekend is going well...we had the best time at our house hosting the family for Turkey dinner, everyone brought a dish and together the meal was very yummy...from the start to finish here is a photo collage of our party, loved the yam yummy I made in the orange cups with marshmellows...

New Beads & Goodies: I added a few items to my etsy store, more ornaments & icicles (all gone now sorry) & more beads & goodies, you can use the discount code NOV2010DISCOUNT to get a 10% holiday discount when you purchase any item from my shop...

The puppy is doing great, here she is telling me, no way it was not me, I did not chew the button off the chair, it was not me, no way no how...she is so cute...we are so happy to have her...

Last week's yummy focal bead goes to Rickie, please send your address girl...this week I have a set of 3 beads for you in the shades of red, & opal golds...very yummy, enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

Thanks for stopping by...life is good & full...
Jelveh
Peace

New Items & Etsy Discount Code...

2010-11-19T20:48:00.000-08:00

Happy Early Thanksgiving everyone...I know I just did an update, but I have time so I decided to do another update and let you know about this new coupon code that etsy is offering the sellers now, so instead of me discounting you after you have paid and sending you a refund via paypal, now I will just send you a coupon code whenever I am having a discount and you use it at checkout to get your discount...its kind of cool, so lets try it out, so only the people on my email list will get the code, so I am sending it to you in a few minutes...
We saw the movie Due Date, it is a great movie & even has a good message...

I added a few more beads, Christmas ornaments & icicles to my etsy shop, check it out & let me know what you think...

Last week's bead giveaway goes to Linda from Aloha Letterpress...send me your address girl...for this week I have the yummy bead above, its a great silver foil lentil focal bead about 24mm...enter to win it by making a comment on this post, just about anything you like, perhaps even a good different recipe for a side dish at the Thanksgiving table...
Thanks for stopping by, life is good...have a great Thanksgiving....
Jelveh
Peace

Silver Glass Beads & Puppy...

2010-11-15T12:06:00.000-08:00

Hi all, hope your November is going well so far, ours is good & busy. We got a new puppy from the shelter, her name is Mooshi Bella & she is a Shih-tzu Jack Russel or something mix, she is a shelter puppy, she is only two months old and she is so much fun & she wears mommy out so fast...good practice if all the baby making efforts payoff...

New Beads: I have new beads posted in my etsy shop, several new sets including some transparent green ruffle disks & some yummy new purple plum silver glass beads...check them out when you get a chance.

New Twisted Grace Icicle: Grace came up with this great idea of using the Jelveh Designs Key Mandrel to make twisted icicle ornaments, I named them Twisted Grace, they are so much fun, I will have a few up for sale in my shop by Tuesday morning...if you have questions about how to make them, send me an email...

Class Photos: A couple of week's ago I had two fun classes, thanks all for attending, here are some photos of the classes...

December Holiday Boutique: Graceful Studios will have its Annual Holiday Boutique on Sat Dec. 4th from 12-6pm, we will have tons of goodies for you to see and enjoy, I will also make some beads & blow some holiday ornaments & Twisted Grace Icicles, see you then...

New Tool: Last but not least, Grace & Frank have a brand new yummy tool for beadmakers, it the Jumbo Roll About Mashers, check them out, they are very cool...I love using this tool...

The winner of the last blog bead is Ginny C. of FL. The current blog giveaway bead is shown above, it is one of my splat beads that actually I believe Ginny helped name this style of bead for me years ago, this one comes in earthy tones of blues & sage, its lovely and large, enter to win it by making a comment on this blog or sending me an email...

Thanks for stopping by...life is good & busy....
Jelveh
Peace

Winners of Beauty Contest Announced...

2010-10-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

Hi all, hope you are doing well & are all ready for this Halloween weekend...As promised today we learn the name of the winners of the Beauty Contest on my blog. Here is a link to the original page of the contest with all the entries... and to see what everyone won...
Here is the email I got from the lovely people at Fire Mountain Gem & Beads today with the Winners list.

Dear Jelveh,

Thank you for having us participate with your contest. On Behalf of the Fire Mountain Gems and Beads Designer Team of the Content Development Group and The Jewelry Making Contest Team; the Winners are below.

1st Place: Mellisa Meman: Copper links Blue and Green Beads

2nd Place: Samantha’s Designs ?: Pink Black and White Swirl beads and Silver charms

3rd Place: Lori Anderson Designs: Silver ,Pearl, Pink and Blue

Sincerely,
Susan Phelps
Marketing Events
Fire Mountain Gems and Beads
541-956-8246
Phelpss@firemtn.com

I have added new beads to my shop and will be back in a few days with the winner of my weekly bead giveaway...
Thanks for stopping by...Life is good...
Jelveh
Peace

Where have I been & New Beads...

2010-10-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

Hi all, again two weeks & no blog post from me...what is up with that? well I have just been busy with other things in life...Thinking about all kinds of things like how smart is the idea of trying to become a mom at this stage in my life...? even though I ask this question of myself often, I am very excited about trying to have a baby, I think hubby & I will be good parents. I know we will try to be anyway...but first we have to get pregnant & have a baby...so we are still a long ways away from parenting...

I did make a ton of beads the last couple of weeks, I just started to list them in my etsy shop, so there are all kinds of new beads. Stop by & take a look...let me know what you think...

You still have a few days to enter the Beauty Contest...I am loving all the goodies so far...you can enter items made with my beads no matter how long ago you got the beads...

I have also been getting ready for my Silver Class & Glass Ornament class this coming weekend...there is 4 spaces in the Silver class & 2 left in the Ornament class, send Grace an email if you are interested...

Melissa M. wins the bead in my last post...enter to win this week's yummy bead by making a comment on this post...

Thanks so much for stopping by...Life is good...
Jelveh
Peace

Photos, New beads & October...??

2010-10-03T21:13:00.000-07:00

Wow its already October...!!! do you wonder where this year has gone, I sure do...the weather does not know its October yet or that is was September last weekend when we had our first ever of many to come I am sure, SBG NOR CAL meeting at the studio...photos below, it was great fun for all, sadly Sharon Peters could not be there, she hurt her ankle & could not go anywhere...
New beauties have been added to the beauty contest, click here to check them out...

I made some fun beads this week & have been listing them in my etsy shop...enjoy...

I have two classes coming up, first one I am teaching a class on all the fun tricks you can do with silver glass & how to do them...this one day class is on Sat 10/23/10, for intermediate students & costs $180.00 it included lunch & all supplies & materials...you can bring your favorite tool if you like...

The second class I am teaching is on 3 different Christmas Ornaments, 2 blown ornaments & one not...this one day class in on Sun 10/24/10, for intermediate students & costs $180.00 it included lunch & all supplies & materials...you can bring your favorite tool if you like...

Last & certainly not least last week's bead set goes to Ginny of Florida...for this week I have a very lovely bead from my Deep Sea Ribbon series, the question is which photo do you like from it best, please make a comment on this post about that or anything you like & you will be entered in a drawing to win the Deep Sea Ribbon bead...

Thanks for stopping by, life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

Beauty Contest & New Beads...

2010-09-25T02:10:00.000-07:00

Hi all...This one is going to be short & sweet, well I hope its sweet...life is good around here but very busy with the Nor Cal SGB September meeting happening at our studio on Sat 25th of September...Grace is recovering from her illness & all is good here...

The Fall 2010 Beauty Contest has started click here to go the page, read the information & enter to win...a few have already entered...Deadline has been extended to 10/21/10...

I have also made some new beads, been listing a few of the sets today, they are yummy...check them out in my etsy shop...check out the photo to see them...

Leslie C. of Canada I believe, wins the Wild Thing Red focal from last week...for this week I have up for grabs a set of 3 matching beads, due to the shape of the focal I think this would make a great bracelet earring set...it has a bit of twisty, a bit of olive greens, reds, ivory & Goldstone...a yummy set for sure...enter by making a comment on this post...

Told you it was going to be fast & sweet...Thanks for stopping by...Life is good for sure, I gave the piggies a bath tonight & everyone is happy, dry & sleeping...

Jelveh
Peace

Beauty Contest Fall 2010

2010-09-21T23:26:00.000-07:00

Hi all, its October 28th and time to announce the winners, congrats to all who participated & the winners, you will be able to enter another contest of mine in the Spring time...for now here is the email that I got this morning from the lovely Susan & Marlynn from Fire Mountain Gem...thanks again everyone...

Dear Jelveh,
Thank you for having us participate with your contest. On Behalf of the Fire Mountain Gems and Beads Designer Team of the Content Development Group and The Jewelry Making Contest Team; the Winners are below.
1st Place: Mellisa Meman: Copper links Blue and Green Beads
2nd Place: Samantha’s Designs ?: Pink Black and White Swirl beads and Silver charms
3rd Place: Lori Anderson Designs: Silver ,Pearl, Pink and Blue
Sincerely,
Susan Phelps
Marketing Events
Fire Mountain Gems and Beads
541-956-8246
Phelpss@firemtn.com

http://www.firemountaingems.com/

Hi all, welcome to the fall 2010 Beauty Contest, where you will get a chance to showcase your beautiful Jewelry and or other Accessory art made with my beads...

Here is the important information:
Winners will be picked by Fire Mountain Gem as usual...

* 1st place winner will get a $100.00 gift certificate to my etsy shop
* 2nd place winner will get a $50.00 gift certificate to my etsy shop
* 3rd place winner will get a $25.00 gift certificate to my etsy shop
Rules:

* The pieces that you enter have to incorporate one or more of my Lampwork Glass Beads in them...
* You can enter up to two items...
* You need to send me a high quality photo of your item...
* Let me know if you like your name or business name on the photo, I will add it...
Deadline:
* The deadline for entering the contest has been extended to 10/21/10...winners will be announced 10/28/10
* As photos are sent in I will add them to this blog post...
Looking forward to seeing all the yummy designs...thanks so much for playing...
Jelveh, Peace...
PS I will add one photo to the top, one to the bottom everyone time there is a new entry...

SGB NOR CAL Meeting & New Beads...

2010-09-15T23:54:00.000-07:00

Hi all, hope you are doing well...things are a bit nutty around here...lets see Grace is in the hospital with her back injury, the good news is she will be home soon & will continue therapy & will be back on her feet in no time...

Hubby & I had our 7th wedding anniversary, we went to Negeen our favorite Persian food restaurant & the funny thing is we got each other the same card...life is good...

Over the weekend, my sister treated mom & I along with her friend & her mom & sister in-law to a two day one night visit to Sonoma, we had a blast, had way too much wine & cheese & stayed at the Sonoma Fairmont Mission Inn & Spa...it was an awesome Girls weekend...one that I hope we repeat again with the same group, they are all so much fun...

I have been making a ton of beads but have been slow about listing and or sending an email out to everyone, finally got a few listed & will be listing more as the days go by...stop by my shop to see them all...36 items listed already...

Society of Glass Beadmakers Northern California, aka SGB Nor Cal is holding their September meeting at our studio on Saturday September 25th, the fun will begin at 1pm and go on till about 6pm...several artists will be on hand to show & tell about their art, they will included Silver Artists, Glass Artists (Sharon Peters & Lori Peterson to name a few) & a Rock Carving Artist among others...it is going to be a pot luck...bring your beads, your art to share, show & sell...need more information send me an email...

Last week's focal Ribbon bead goes to Sioux G. for this week I have a rather large yummy focal bead that goes with two of the sets of beads that I am listing tonight called Wild Thing from an older series of mine, I just love these colors together...enter to win this focal bead by making a comment on this post...

Thanks again for stopping by...life is good, specially now that Grace will be coming home soon...oh more information on the Beauty Contest soon...as you may have guessed the deadline has been extended again...
Jelveh
Peace

Leksi Designs...This Handmade Life: BLOG #75 BLOGMANIA GIVEAWAY! TWEET TWEET

2010-09-15T07:29:00.000-07:00

Leksi Designs...This Handmade Life: BLOG #75 BLOGMANIA GIVEAWAY! TWEET TWEET: "THEME: EVERYTHING 'TWEET TWEET'!!!Follow all of the blogs via the BLOGMANIA LINKY!!GIVEAWAY #1 GOLD SPONSOR! WIN A $450.00 Boutique Graphi..."

OH NO She Hurt her back & New Beads...

2010-08-31T21:20:00.000-07:00

Hi all, hope you are doing well...life is good here, well kind of, Grace hurt her back really bad last weekend after the very successful Toni Lutman class came to an end, Toni was the best teacher ever, the students, Grace, Frank & I feel very honored to have had her here...photo below...

The SAD news is that Grace hurt herself really bad, she has been off of work for a week & she is on her way to an MRI & a Neurologist on Wednesday...Due to this unfortunate accident we have to cancel Heather Trimlett's class next week...rest assured everyone will be refunded & her class will be rescheduled for a later date...we are thinking Spring 2011...Grace did add more firt to the shop, she just wont stop working...

This past week, while Grace was suffering, hubby & I took a few days off, went to Montana to visit the grandparent (hubby's)...we had a great time, they were so much fun to hang out with...from picnics to lovely drives & conversations that went on forever, we enjoyed our time with them & laughed so much...& cried a bit too, specially when Grandma gave hubby this very cool book of all the letters & cards that he & his brother had sent them over the years...Hubby & I went for a long two and half hour float in a tube on the Madison River among other fun times...

Now about some new yummy beads, if I say so myself, I made a couple of weeks ago & have been listing them in my etsy shop today...shipping is still free for all orders over $50.00 until Tuesday the 7th of September...

Last week's delicious bead goes to one of my favorite jewelry designers & new glass artists around, Lori of Pretty Things...for this week, I have one of my Ribbon Beads, the colors are mostly blues & soft greens...yum, to win it make a comment on this post...

Beauty Contest Rules & Dates:
Please send a high resolution photo of your jewelry/art piece entry made with my beads by September 20th...photo should have your names, but I can also add it, so no worries, you can enter two items if you like...winners will be picked by Fire Mountain Gem as usual...
1st place winner will get a $100.00 gift certificate to my etsy shop
2nd place winner will get a $50.00 gift certificate to my etsy shop
3rd place winner will get a $25.00 gift certificate to my etsy shop

Thanks for stopping by, life is good...
Jelveh
Peace

Frit & Toni Lutman...

2010-08-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

Hi all...this one is going to be quick and easy...ok there are so many things to tell you about, first off I love love love giving a bath to our guinea pigs, they are so cool, they just sit there & let you wash them & dry them & clip their nails...we saw The Kids Are Alright, it was a great movie...Other than that I have been busy at the studio with students & frit & making beads, beads will be added later this eve, so when you wake up on Sat & Sun this weekend you will have a choice of a ton of new beads...so check out my etsy shop often to see all the new yummies...

I will be teaching a class today to two sisters from Arizona, who are also here to take Toni Lutman's sold out class on Saturday...I know you wish you could take Toni's class too, we are so excited to have her, sign up for my email list to find out about classes, beads & new tools...

Grace has new yummy COE 96 frits in her etsy shop for sale...yours truly helped out with picking colors & testing...it was very fun for me...I love the new colors which are called. Amazon, Monterrey, Ocean Breeze, Purple Passion, Tropical Sorbet, Victorian Pink & very warm Indian Masala...check them out they are awesome & well priced...

Lets see we had our monthly meeting last Friday at the Studio & there was so much fun to be had, Ed Ferner came with a video of his work that won an award, Jen & Jim brought out the big machines, I learned how to trim & polish my fused pieces, its a long process dont know why all the great fusing artists out there dont charge more for their work...although if I had done it right in the first place I would not have too much polishing to do...we had a few new people at our meeting, and then second...you can see all kinds of photos and stories on our Studio Blog...

Last weeks winner of the yummy set of 3 garden beads is Brenda H. send me your address girl...they yummy bead above is a pillow shape bead silver foil encased in two transparent colors and details in white stringer, I love this bead, been holding on to it for a while and today I decided to let it go...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

Thanks for stopping by...life is very good
Jelveh
Peace

A little of Everthing...& Heather Trimlett...

2010-08-10T19:42:00.000-07:00

Hi all, hope you are doing well...life here is good if not a bit cold for this time of the year...I just wish the weather would make up its mind, be warm when its supposed to be & cold when its supposed to be...

This past week Grace, Frank & I had the pleasure of taking a one day class in enameling with Gloria B. one of the most talented & generous people I have met in a long time, she ...having never done any enameling I had no idea what to expect & I am happy to report it was so much fun...I am looking forward to making more enameled pieces & we will bring one of Gloria's most favorite teachers to do a class next year...life is so good when you get to create...

Speaking of Creating & great teachers, we are happy to announce Heather Trimlet will be here at our studio to teach a class on her very famous Hollow Vessels, Spare Tire beads & if time allows Core Formed vessels, the class is going to be held on September 11 & 12 2010...for more information on the class & to reserve your space send an email to Jelveh or Grace...we are so very excited about this class...photo below is small representation of Heather's awesome glass art...

Grace & I also did some fusing, kind of my first time, I have fused 104 glass before, broken in half beads to be exact, but this time it was honest to goodness coe 90 glass dichro on black & I even added some copper cut outs from my new friend Katie's etsy shop to one of my pieces, now we have to cut and polish them...

About my new beads, like the weather, I too could not decide what kind of bead mood I was in this past week, so I made a little bit of everything...I have started listing them all in my etsy shop & hope to finish by later tonight...in the mean time the photo below is of all the beads coming today...

And last but not least, we have a winner for last week's bead giveaway...Mary, from Mary Me wins the beads for last week, please send your addy girl...and for this week I have the delicious set of spring flower beads above, enter to win them by making a comment on this post...

I almost forgot, dont forget this Friday the 13th of Augest (3pm to 7pm)we will have our monthly meeting at the Studio, there will be lots of fun to be had, from demos to giveways and dont for get the food...

Thanks for stopping by...life is so so good...

Jelveh

Peace

Let's try something NEW....

2010-07-30T18:20:00.000-07:00

Wow over two weeks since I blogged, I could tell you we were on holiday, but that’s not so, I could tell you I was busy with family, well that could be true, I could tell you a whole bunch of reasons for not blogging, but mostly I have to say I was just plain lazy…I was making beads & teaching classes, seeing movies (Must see Inception & Salt, both good)…buying a bunch of new glass related goodies which I will list below…we also attended Grace & Frank’s (my friends & studio partners) daughter’s wedding which was awesome…the whole day was lovely & it felt like there was a lot of love & romance in the air, check out some of the photos on our studio’s blog at www.Gracefulstucoms.blogspot.com Grace used a cool program called Smile Box to do a slide show of the wedding photos which is rather cool...

I have been adding new beads every other day, so there are a lot of new beads to check out in my etsy shop, more to come every day or so…

what I am most excited about this week is using Copper Cut Outs from Katie of Katie Lee Designs in my beads, they are so very cool, I have used copper wire and copper mesh in my beads before, but not cut outs, these are just perfect, I just love the fact that Katie is making these for us to use, the cost is very reasonable too, you get a bag of 25 cut outs perfectly sized for use in beads for use under $3.00, she has a tons of designs…below is a photo of one of my new beads with two of her cut outs…I love them…you will too…

Speaking of new glass goodies, check out the new frit book from our friend Val Cox, called Frit Secrets-Condensed, this is a abbreviated version of the original Frit Secrets by Val Cox, which is the best companion for all frit users & lovers…while you are at it check out her great frit too...

Last new item, not new, but just a reminder that Graceful Studios is now selling the ever popular Squeeze me Right Mashers in the new larger size named Big Brother Mashers, check them out I have one of every masher they make and love them all….also don’t repeat this it’s a secret but a new masher is being developed as we speak…

Now for the winner of last time I had a bead for giveaway goes to Stefanies Sammelsurim from Germany…please send your address…for this week I have the delectable set of 3 beads olive green encased silvered ivory organic beads with a copper cut out leaf on each side…ready for fall or any other time of the year…enter to win this set by making a comment on this post or sending me an email at

A quick reminder that Heather Trimlet & Pati Walton’s classes are coming up fast and I think Pati’s class is full but we are taking names for the our waiting list…need more info check out our blog or send us email Jelveh or Grace…

Thanks for stopping by…life is GOOD…

Jelveh

Peace

Hot hot days of summer....

2010-07-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

Hi all, hope you are having a great summer like we are...our trip to the Russian River was very fun, some photos below, we had a great 4th of July weekend...The river was very nice, but the Red Woods were amazing we took a couple of long hikes in the park...the tall tree canopy made the park a very cool place to be at...the one tree we are standing in front of is 1400 years old and named after the founder of the park... oh we saw the best movie ever so far this summer Despicable Me...you will love it...

since then I have had a couple of students & made a ton of beads most of which have been listed in my etsy shop...a group photo of the beads below...last week's discount still applies to everyone on my email list, if you remember what it was please mention it at checkout in etsy and I will refund your discount via paypal...

Dont forget to join us at the studio on Friday Aug 13th for our monthly meeting, Toni Lutman's class for Aug 21st is all booked now, we still have a few openings for Heather Trimlets class in Sept. & Pati Walton's class in Nov. check out all the info & see all the new tools at Graceful Studios Blog...

Last week's encased flower bead goes to our own Amber...the random picker like her...this week's bead is a yummy bead I made with silver glass...enter to win by making a comment on this blog post...

Thanks for stopping by, Life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

Happy 4th everyone...

2010-07-04T10:25:00.000-07:00

We are having fun as this weekend is the 10th anniversary of our first date...hope you are having a great & safe holiday yourself...the cute guy in the video and in the photo below is Ari, other wise known as Michael Cera Jr. we are hosting him at our house for the next couple of weeks in his own house of course to see if he gets along with Mr. snuggles...if they don't get along I think we will still keep him, just not in the same house with our other boy...click on the second photo to see Ari eating...

and this is a photo that shows how much they like each other so far & the size difference...Ari AKA Michael Cera Jr. is a year older & well eats all the time, he has to keep his figure...

Check out the new beads in my etsy shop....

Thanks for stopping by...Life is good & hope your 4th of July holiday is awesome...

Jelveh

Peace

Mr Snuggles & New Beads...

2010-06-28T23:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, I know its been forever, but there is so much to do & so little time to do it in, its been almost two weeks since I came back from my trip to Turkey & the things of have done a lot of are, spend time with hubby, sleep, be at the studio making beads & getting ready to go on holiday...but the one thing I have done the most is snuggle Mr. Snuggles...the newest member of our family...

You see sadly our beloved Sammy the best hamster ever who came to America with us from England passed away a week before I went to Turkey for my class, he had a stroke at the ripe old age of 3 & died in my hands...we were heartbroken, he had seen us through a lot of good & tough times...needless to say my trip to Turkey & my time there teaching was all overshadowed by the loss of Sammy...he is in hamster heaven now...both hubby & I cried for some time & still do a bit here & there...
However life must go on & so does loving small critters...

Enter Mr. Snuggles...he is a baby Guinea Pig...unlike Sammy, he loves & needs to be held & he is constantly talking...so I guess I am finding out what it may be like to have a baby who needs to be held all the time...I have been looking for a friend for him, I was not able to find another Guinea Pig yet, I am surprised that they did not have him with a friend for sale, as many Guinea Pigs need companions & are sold in pairs...so guess who he is bonded with? he is even jealous of hubby when I pay any attention to him while Mr. Snuggles in on my lap...

In other news, I have new beads, Listed many on my etsy shop, will list more in the coming days...photo below...

Last Friday we had our Monthly Get Together at the Studio check out the photos & the story of the fun had by all....be sure to stop by Grace's etsy shop & check out the much sought after new mashers that Frank has been making, I love love all of them...

On Sunday I had 2 lovely students Wendy & Gloria in my beginning lampworking class, I can tell they are both going to be great bead makers & I am glad to report they are both Glass Addicts already...I have another student Amber coming in on Tuesday...I love my job & getting a chance to meet all these lovely people...

Mel P. wins the yummy vessel from last week...for this week I have a yummy encased dichro background pink flower focal bead...I love the way it came out, its about 20mm long & made in to a pendant with silver I bought in Turkey...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

I am sure there is more that to talk about like two very good movies we saw this past week, Knight & Day, a great fun movie & Grown Ups, another fun movie...

Thanks for stopping by...life is very good...

Jelveh

Peace

Rock Around the Clock....

2010-06-18T12:20:00.000-07:00

Ok well not exactly Rock Around the Clock anymore, more like I have been sleeping since I got back from my trip to Turkey which was a bit like Rock Around the Clock for about 19 days...I had a ton of fun...I had lots of adventures...met great people & in general am pretty happy about my trip...I got a ton of silver to keep to myself as always...I know I always bring silver and goodies back & never really share with you guys...this time I promise to list a few items...I have over spent again...lol...

Hope you are all doing well...& life is good for you...

I know the golf spill is still going on & that is really sad...perhaps that is the only way we learn to change our ways, when we actually see nature damaged beyond repair, hope its not too late to turn a new leaf in the way we treat our planet...

I do have some beads & a real up date will come this next Monday or Tuesday, when I have had time to take photos & such...There are some beads in the shop & I have a set or two of beads that I will try to list today...

in the mean time check out this link on my face book photos for the story & photos about my class & my great students in Istanbul... http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/album.php?aid=83992&id=1142616817&ref=pb

The last bead listed in May on the blog giveaway goes to Stephanie...thanks girl...for this week I have a very nice, very cool, took me forever to make corked vessel made with silver glass up for the giveaway...enter to win it by making a comment on this blog post or go to the facebook link above & make a comment there...

I am to out monthly meeting today, sorry I did not give a longer heads up about it, but its today from 3pm to 7pm at Graceful Studios... by the way if you have not checked it stop by Grace's etsy shop & take a look at the many new mashers they got...I sold all of the ones I took to Turkey with me, my students & my friends love them....

So much for a quick update, thanks for stopping by...life is good...
Jelveh
Peace

Can you Believe what she said...?????

2010-05-22T00:42:00.000-07:00

Hi all, dont you love email marketing? now that I have your attention...I just wanted to say sorry for the silence, been busy getting ready for Turkey & fighting a sinus cold thing...its the weather I tell, its cold one day, sunny one day & wet the next...I am confused, its the end of May already....where is my sunshine...ok enough weather talk, life is good here, lets get to the beads...

I made tons of beads, all kinds of beads, big ones, little ones, fishy ones, flower ones, you name it, I made it, I even made a shirt & a skirt bead...more on them later...I have listed many of them in my etsy shop...some are sample beads I am taking to my class in Turkey...so they will not be listed, not yet anyway...so below is a photo of most of them together...

Beauty Contest...some of you may remember that I used run a beauty contest every few months, where you sent in photos of jewelry or art pieces made with my beads & then I had Fire Mountain Gem vote on the best one, so we are doing it again, this contest will start sometime in mid to late June, I will post photos on to the blog as they start arriving, & it will go until the 15th of Aug...Rules are simple, the piece has to included my glass beads or bead...1st place will get a $100.00 gift cert. to my etsy shop, 2nd place will get a $50.00 gift cert. & 3rd place will get a $25.00 one...please make sure your photos are nice and clear...after all your name will be on them...you can start sending photos in now, but officially the contest will not start until mid June...

New Tools, ok as you know I dont talk about a tool unless I love it...last week I ordered and got in the mail very fast a disk shape bead roller from Donna Fleckner of CGBeadRollers I got the disk one and she kindly sent me a sample one to take to my class in Turkey, which I am giving away to one of my students as a gift in one of the bead challenges that I do in class...now mind you this tool is not new, Donna has been selling these for a few years now, but its new to me...I love love love using these rollers, there is a set that I have listed today that was made entirely with the sample bead roller which Donna gives away monthly to one of her lucky buyers...check it out when you get a chance...

Last week's two small focal beads goes to our own Brenda H. Thanks for palying all...for this week, I have this yummy new focal bead made with some silver glass & my new frit Tempest Rain (which will be available for sale in my shop soon) enter to win this bead by making a comment on this post...

Thanks for stopping by, life is good, my brother is doing well...oh yeah I forgot to mention I turned 46 wow 46, getting awfully close to that 50 mark...hubby got me an Ipad for my birthday, took me to Monterrey to the beach, there is also a message scheduled, he is so very cool...thanks hubby...on the way back, I had to stop by the studio to pick my beads from yesterday & share with Grace yet another new tool I got in the mail yesterday (which I will share next time), I walk in to the studio and all these people say Surprise, Grace had gone stealth & put together a great party with all kinds of Glassy friends & A strawberry short cake "cake". Ice cream, a banana cream pie, candles & champagne, she is so so sweet...I could not ask for better friends & family like these in my life, I am such a lucky girl & all I have to say is I am thankful for all the love in my life...you are all the best... oh yes forgot to mention, very soon, you will see more yummy tools from Graceful Customs...in the next update I will explain more...

Jelveh

Peace

Mother's Day Blues & New Beads...

2010-05-10T01:49:00.000-07:00

Hope you had a great Mother's day...we missed seeing all of our mom's today...for one thing I have been sick since our last adventure this past Mon to Wed to Los Vegas...Hubby had some work to do, I went along for some fun...my sister reminds me that if I listened to her I would not get sick every time I fly...something about airborn....I did call all the mom's however & made plans to make it up to them...
oh yeah trip to sin city was fun, we stayed at the brand new very modern Aria Resort & Hotel with views of the strip...

I did had some fun making some beads before we left, below is the group shot of what I am listing by 7pm Monday night 5/10/10 in my etsy shop...check them out...already listed few of the Tempest Rain beads, the Bird Nest, the Lady Bug, Flower implosion & I forget but there is more...

A few of the beads I made this week have my brand new, possibly someday for sale, yummy frit which I call Tempest Rain...oh what a fun she is...the lucky students in my class in Turkey will all get a bag of this yummy frit among other goodies, don't forget the dates are May 30 to June 12, Glass Furnace...I will be teaching two 5 day classes...each will be filled with a ton of new information & detailed design ideas for making yummy glass beads...I wish I had been able to take this class a few years ago when I was just new at bead making...well enough about how great this class is going to be, see you there...

Speaking of seeing you there, this coming Friday we will have our monthly get together MGT at Graceful Customs, make sure to go past the calander on the blog to see the post about this coming Friday...and yes its true Grace has been practising her bead making, she is doing, I dont know about my being patient however, I can be a real task master when it comes to teaching, but I am fun, or at least I have been told I am fun in class...anyway come join us for some fun at the torch, wire wrapping demo by Jen, fused glass groove maker demo by Grace & I will make a few vessels & blow some shards, you can play on a torch too, bring your art to show, share & sell...drawing for a gift at 6pm or so...oh yeah Frank is working on some yummy new tools too, come see the new Squeeze-Me-Right-Masher in action...it may not be sexy, but it works like a charm, plus sexy cost more money & this tool is functional, clean, small, nice to hold, great to mash with & did I mention at $28.00 its a steal...& yes its not sexy...IMHO.

Last week's yummy pink focal goes to Penny...please send your address, also Nikki, I did not get your addy yet for the week before...for this week the giveaway is made of two beads, I was testing some new colors & frits with older ones...the results are very yummy, the cone is about 25mm long, the tab is about 23mm which I made with my brand new Frit, Tempest Rain...love them both, enter to win them by making a comment on this post...

Well as always I am sure there is more to tell, like how I am going crazy packing & getting ready for my big trip to Turkey...but will catch up later...

Thanks for stopping by...life is good, save for this nasty oil in the gulf business, my heart goes out to the planet & the animals & all the folks who live in the affected areas...I hope you all have a great week...
Jelveh
Peace

Life is good...New Beads...

2010-05-03T03:57:00.000-07:00

Hi all, hope you are doing well...life is good around here too, my brother is recovering well...I am busy & getting ready for my teaching trip to Turkey late May early June...there is a few spaces left in both classes if you are interested..send me an email for more information, also the link to the class is on the right hand side of this blog...

Also do you remember the awesome Bracelet Kelli Burns made with my beads that was entered in Bead Style Magazine well it won the contest, I know I am bad, but I forgot to mention that it had won...so now it is going to be featured in the July issue which will be out in early June...cool beans for Kelli & I...thanks again Kelli for making such a yummy bracelet...

I have some new yummy beads for you in my etsy shop...I have 35 beady items in my shop now...will be adding a few more in the next few days as well...check them out in the photo above...

Last weekend Graceful Studios we held another great class, this time in Rock Carving...I stopped by for a visit & took some photos, sadly I was not able to take the class due to family obligations...but will try next time Ron & Carmen are in town...see Ron & Carmen's work on their site

The feedback is coming in on the best masher I have ever used, everyone loves it...check out this new awesome tool Squeeze-Me-Right-Masher & get yours now, worth every penny & more...

The yummy focal & friend set from last week goes to Nikki, send your address girl...for this week I have the retro pink focal bead above, I love the way it came out...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

There is more to tell, but time is short, need sleep, thanks for stopping by...life is good, save for that big mess of oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico...so sad watching it all happen...we need to care more about our home & what we do to it...
OH stand by for a new contest on the blog...your designs with my beads....

Jelveh
Peace

More Implosions & A New Tool...

2010-04-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-04-16T00:49:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-04-07T13:42:00.000-07:00

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

Persian New Year, Yummy Baklava & Beads...

2010-03-25T22:57:00.000-07:00

Another happy week around here, made even better with sunshine & warm weather...Happy Persian New Year...the first day of the 13 day holiday was a few days ago, as always we had some fun getting together at my parents...I even made my famous Baklava, the recipe in this link is not how I make mine all, mine has no almonds, rose water or saffron, mine has honey, walnuts & a few other secrets...below are some photos of the fun we all had...

Here is my Baklava, on the table with a ton of other goodies & sweets...

Mom's HalfSeen Table for Nowruz, since this not a religious holiday every Persian family has their own book of faith on the table, ours is a great book of poem by Hafez the very famous Persian poet...

Mom made a ton of very yummy food as always...

Parents & hubby...

right to left, Grace, mom, me, & Grace's friend Maria...

Sophia & I...

The kids & I...I just love playing with them...

This past Wednesday I had a great student named Sharon...she is already hooked & she was a natural...

I did make a lot of yummy beads this past week as well, most of them are listed in my etsy shop now...photo shows a few of them...

Ok now we come to the bead giveaway part, last week's two yummy focal beads go to "our favorite Things" please send your address...for this week I have the very cool mohter pearl pinky silver glass encased focal in the top photo...enter to win by making a comment on this post...

Thanks for stopping by, life is good, I am watching Project Wonderful, I love this show...I love seeing how the minds of these creative people works & brings to like their designs....

Jelveh

Peace

New Beads, Rain & Sunshine....

2010-03-17T22:25:00.000-07:00

Not sure what the weather is doing anymore, on Friday when we had our very successful March Get Together at Graceful Studios it rained forever...All kinds of new folks showed up & we shared some food, beads, Jewelry & silver soldering...it was a great mixer...the next meeting is Friday April 9th, my next class is scheduled for Sunday April 11th & don't forget on the weekend of April 24th we are having are great Rock Carving class with Carmen & Ron Martinez from Arizona click here from some information about their last class at our studio...

On Sat when the sun was out for a while, we went to Monterrey for some fun, we saw the very cool Alice in Wonderland with my in-laws & had dinner at the very yummy LALLA Grill...on Sunday I had a class with a very nice student named Jill, she was great at the torch & made some cool beads...

I did manage to make some fun beads this week too...I will be listing them from now until Friday at 12noon California time in my etsy shop...photo below if you like any of them let me know & I will reserve them for you...

This past week's landscape bead giveaway goes to....Joy F. send your address please...ok for this week I have two very yummy beads to share with you, one is a encased flower bead with a Dichro base & the other is an ellipse shape bead which is feathered on both sides...both very yummy, I made them both while demoing on Friday during our March Mixer...enter to win them by making a comment on this post...

I am conducting a color survey on the right side of this blog for the next few days, please stop by & vote...your feedback on colors is always appreciated...

Thanks for stopping by...life is good & not only because our taxes are done with & its still March...
Jelveh
Peace

March Mixer & New Beads?? Maybe...

2010-03-11T01:20:00.000-08:00

Hi all...hope you are warm & dry wherever you are...we had a low key weekend & managed to spend some time on Sunday just being...later Sunday I watched the Oscars..I have to say it was a boring show to some degree & my favorite movie, the best movie of all time Avatar lost...my mom says the Hurt Locker is good, we have to see it yet...but is it better than the best picture ever made? I don't think so...

Ok, about new beads, I have some good ones for you, will try to list a few in the next few days in my etsy shop, which currently has about 20 items in it, I know that is not good, with etsy one has to have 100 or more items at all times to be seen in the crowd, but its hard to keep up with that number all the time...

This Friday we are having our monthly meet & have fun mixer at the studio, the theme this time is Flowers, painted, melted, fused or what have you...I will demonstrate a few bead flower types & Grace is showing us a few silver soldering techniques...please bring your flower items to show & tell...here is more information on Graceful Studios blog...See you at the studio...

Check out our new class that is forming for April, its a Snake Weave & Double Twisted Rope Chain Maille class, I saw their awesome work & I am so taking this class...yummy...

I am teaching a 5 hour glass class this Sunday from 8am to 1pm, let me know if you are interested & need more information...

Mary (fiberone) wins the yummy make a bracelet set from last week...this week I have the very large yummy desert landscape bead above for you...enter to win it by making a comment on this post, perhaps you can tell me what colors you are looking for in beads these days...have a great rest of the week...

Thanks for stopping by...life is good...
Jelveh
Peace

TON O' Beads Thursday...

2010-03-04T01:16:00.000-08:00

Hi all, hope you are all doing well out there...we are doing fine...I am catching up with my rest & seeing family...we spent some time with both sets of our parents in Santa Cruz on the Beach at the Crows Nest...it was a fun day...ok now for a relatively short blog with points of interest...oh yeah lets not forget the weather, its been raining mad here again this week...I guess I am thankful, last year there was a shortage of water in California...

Ton O' Beads Thursday reminded me of when I was a manager for a movie theater chain in San Diego back in the day, we had discount ticket nights at 3 of our theaters so we called them, TightWad Tuesday (I hated that name), Discount Wednesday (that was at my 10 screen theater, classy name I thought) & Thrifty Thursday (not so bad a name I guess) So I decided to have a discount promotion this Thursday, check below for more information...

First of all DONT FORGET, please click here to vote for the yummy Kelli Burns Bracelet to win Bead Style's Magazine Challenge with my Beads...Today is the last day to vote...

I will have a ton of new yummy beads listed in my etsy shop by 1pm Thursday March 4th. You will get a $10.00 Discount when you purchase 2 or more beady items from my shop from today until the end of Monday March 8th California time...BE SURE to mention MARCH Discount in the comment section when you check out & I will refund your discount via Paypal...here are some photos of the beads I am listing...

And yes there is more beads...I had some fun at the torch...let me know if you see any beads you like me to reserve for you...

I also had a short post on the Watch Me Create Blog, check it out....

Last week's yummy bead goes to Ginny of FL...for this week I have what I am calling "I would make myself a bracelet with these if I had the time" Beads...The yummy group of 4 beads, 1 Bali Silver bead & clasp, in the top photo can be all yours, enter to win them by making a comment on this post...

Mark your calendars, next Friday March 12th, we will hold out 3rd Monthly meeting at Graceful Studios...the fun starts at 3pm, there will be a drawing of all the folks who attend for a yummy gift bag full of goodies...I will demo some new yummy beads or anything you like to see me make & I know how to make it...& Grace will be sharing some silversmithing secret with us...want more information on where we are in Gilroy California? send me an email

Thanks for stopping by...Life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

Great Corina Class & Beads...

2010-02-25T13:50:00.000-08:00

Hi all, hope you had a great week so far...this past week was rather busy for us at Graceful Studios...Grace, Frank & I hosted Corina Tettinger & 11 lovely students for Corina's 3 day Floral Class...needless to say it was an amazing success, Corina is still the queen of glass beads...Grace is the best she cooked & hosted the best party ever & I ran around making sure the studio ran well during it all...Frank made tools on demand, it was very very fun for every one...the students did so well, I have never seen so many great beads made one after the other in a class...just awesome...below are some photos of the class...

These are some of Corina's sample beads for her Floral Class...can you say yummmy?

everyone making yummy beads...

some of the yummy beads from the first day...wow just look at all the roses...

Corina doing what she does best...great teacher & artist...

And here are some of the yummy beads made on the 3rd day...

I have more photos of this great class, including group photos, but they are in Grace's camera, so I will save them for another time...on Monday Grace held an excellent Social where folks who were not able to take the class came by the studio to meet with Corina & see the yummy beads that were made...one of the people who showed up is one of my all time favorite bead artists and people in our industry, Toni Lutman of Wildwood Art Glass, below is a photo of some of her yummy work, she will be teaching a one day class at our studio sometime in Aug 2010, contact me for more information on this class...

and in other news the winner of last week's red opal bead pair is Sandy of California, girl send me your address...for this week I have the yummy focal bead above, enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

NEW BEADS from me...I will have new beads listed in my etsy shop by Friday noon California time....

Thanks for stopping by...Life is good...I have mostly rested the last couple of days...

Jelveh

Peace

Spring, Photo Story & Beads...

2010-02-18T10:14:00.000-08:00

OK well since the busy busy life of Jelveh seems to be a regular event anymore...in the interest of time & so you wont get bored reading my stories, I decided to do a photo blog of whats up with me & Jelveh Designs these days...so here it goes...first off this is another exciting weekend at Graceful Studios as our friend & the very talented lampwork artist Corina Tettinger is teaching her very Full to the Rim, all about Flowers class at our studio...we are so very honored to have her here with us, stop by on Monday the 22nd of Feb for our first ever Meet the Artist event, where Corina will be sharing some of her yummy new designs...oh click on photos to make them larger...

Grace & I saw Avatar (my 4th time) & had Sushi girls night out...photo is from our Friday meeting...

Valentines day was great, need I say more...what does it mean when your shoes match your furniture??

We had a great time Friday at the studio, folks came all the day long...brought lots of green spring goodies to show & tell, check out the butterfly Sioux made...last min guest, not pictured, Edward, Sharon's partner won the prize giveaway for the day...he was so sweet he told Sharon she can pick what she wants, she is taking my class this month so she opted for Glass as her gift...

Grace showed us how to make the Viking Weave Bracelet & Jewels pictured on the left had a great time learning it...I think I will try my hand at it one of these days too...Grace used copper for the demo...

I made some yummy beads if I say so myself, there is more than whats in the photo, I will be listing them all today & in the next couple of days in my etsy shop...

Hubby & his aunt share a birthday, the whole family got together at a great party hosted by hubby's parents...the food was awesome, even though I was under the weather we had a great time...

We even got a bit of Gardening in, both our lemon & orange tree have so much fruit this year...there is lots more left, we could not reach it all...

Now to the bead giveaway, last week's yummy Grateful Dead beads go to Mel P. of UK, send your addy girl...for this week a pair of yummy Opal Red beads for you...loving this new frit, will be working with it more this next week...enter to win this pair of beads by making a comment on this post...

Last but not least the next big news, the very talented Lampwork Artist Heather Trimlett is teaching a 2 day class at our studio Sept 11 &12 2010...contact me for more info on this class....

Thanks for stopping by...life is GOOD...

Jelveh...

Peace...

Grateful Dead & New Beads...

2010-02-10T22:39:00.000-08:00

Hi all...hope you had a good week...ours was good & busy...we saw a couple of movies this past weekend, one bad, From Paris With Love, & one OK, Legion...I love all stories about god & angels, I am listening to a book right now called Good Omen, its kind of cool, strange & funny...

I made & listed some yummy beads this week too...you can check them in my etsy shop....

In other news, don't forget this Friday we will our second monthly meeting at Graceful Studios...the get together will start around 2pm & go on till 7pm...the Theme is Green this time, as in dreaming of spring...so wear green, bring a piece of jewelry, bead or art in Green & share...torches will be available if you like to demo one of your goodies...I will do some demos as well, Grace is going to show us how to do a yummy viking weave to make silver bracelet...oh yes there will also be a winner of $25.00 worth of glass, tools or Sterling Silver from my stash...see you at the Studio...

The winner of last week's beads is Lori Anderson of Lori Anderson Designs, send your addy girl...for this week I have the yummy set above...A few times a week I ask hubby what this set looks like or that set looks like when I am stumped while naming beads...His answers sometimes become the name of the beads & sometimes not...when I showed this set of yummy turquoise & some soft reds to him, hubby said they remind him of The Grateful Dead, he said he has no idea why, but the colors & patterns make him think of this band...enter to win them by making a comment on this post...

oh yes don't forget to stop by here & vote for Kelli's Pink & Green Summer Bracelet with my beads... its the last one on the page but the best one for sure...

Thanks for stopping by...life is good...
Jelveh
Peace