June, New Beads, News...

Hello all, how are you doing? how is your summer shaping up? hope all is well with you...things are great around here. Although I have not updated the blog for a month. No worries all is good here, I have been battling & winning against Psoriatic Arthritis. I had to cancel my class in Istanbul & I am sorry to all the students who had already signed up, but I had to take some time to heal. In general life is good. Last month for my birthday we went to Shell Beach for 5 days. Photos below, we had a blast, just enjoying the ocean & relaxing. We live in one of the most gorgeous areas of the world, I love when we take a moment to really enjoy it all...

In Bead News: I have been making some fun beads this past week, I have listed them in my etsy shop. Here is a photo of the new goodies. Use coupon code ETSY15 for a 15% discount on your next purchase from my shop.

In Studio News: We had an awesome time at our last open house. Grace was so sweet, she got me a cake for my birthday & gave me all kinds of cool gifts, handmade by her, a gorgeous new apron with my name on it & several bags & some metal punches. She is the best Creative Partner anyone would want. Photos below. There are a couple of places open for Joy Raskin's class in late June. I am taking one of the one day classes. Contact Grace for more information on Joy's class, Carmen's Soldering class, Ed's next chain maille class, Holly Cooper's class in Sept. & intro or advanced lampworking classes with me. Don't forget to check out the new Graceful Customs tools.

Giveaways: Last months bead goes to Lorraine, send me your address girl. For this post I have the yummy set up top. enter to win it by making a comment on this blog post. Perhaps you can tell me what colors of beads you are in to these days & how your summer is going...

Thanks so much for stopping by & for all the kind emails you sent to see how I was doing. I have a great attitude about this whole illness (temporary inconvenience) teaches me to take care of myself more. I have been taking more naps & reading more & enjoying the summer movies like my new favorite Prometheus. 

Life is good

Jelveh

Peace

2012, Here we Go...

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

New Beads & Class News...

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

Fun House CD...

Sorry all, I did have a few beads I was going to list, I am still listing 3 new items today, all together I had 8, but 5 have already sold, before I got a chance to tell you about them...however you can still enter to win the bead above...

to enter to win this very yummy focal bead, make a comment here on the blog, tell me what you are doing today or this week that has to do with glass beads or jewelry making in general...one entry per person please, winner will be picked by Monday afternoon 11/24/08 California time...I will send an email out to all about this weeks giveaway...

Thanks for all the love & stopping by...PS I love Pink's new CD and the song So What? she is so cool...life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

New beads & one to win...

Hi all, wow has this been a great week or what...we have a new president elect & life seems full of hope...and that is always a good thing...

I have some new beads for you listed in my Etsy Shop

& the bead to the left is this week's giveaway this is a large encased in the middle bicone bead, about 35mm along the hole, I love how it came out, the colors are better in person, some Raku purples, greens...

To enter to win this bead, leave a comment on this post with your favorite jewelry commponant or fixing as it were...the Contest will end by Monday afternoon England time...Jelveh...Peace

Its Bead time...

Hi all, hope you are doing well...life is good here...I finally have some beads listed in my shop, click on the photos of the beads on the right to see more...

PS I almost forgot, if you purchase 2 or more items you get a $5.00 discount. promotion runs between now & the election. About the bead photo above, this one is the giveaway bead for this week, its rather lovely if I say so myself...

OK. please answer this question on this blog, you can enter only one guess, hubby will pick a winner out of the correct entries by Sat am California time.

Question: In which decade of the 20th century did BathTub Gin got its name?

Thanks for stopping by & playing the game.

Jelveh

Peace

October is all about PINK...

Hi all, we are back...Boston was amazing, Katie is an awesome person, she gave me yummy cookies and gloves she made herself...I was so spoiled...on my last day there I got my toes & hair done. I got a bit of pink hair as you can see in the photo, it was all for Breast Cancer Awareness, so it went to a good cause. On Tuesday my mom is having a tiny bit of something removed from one of her boobs, she is fine, it is just an outpatient thing, her mamo came back with something in it, but its all good, caught plenty early enough to be bad. This is a lesson to all of us to get tested & make sure to do self exams every month...

Sadly in England they don't think you need a mammogram as early as you do in the states, I have had mine done by my sister every year. Here in England the NHS DR. said to me, oh you don't need one until you are 50. So I guess we all have to be our own advocates.

BEADS, where are they? what are they? oh yeah I make them...I should have some new beads sometime this week...for sure, as I miss the torch very much...

I know the economy is scary, but go out and spend a little bit, don't break the bank (well someone broke them already)but stay positive, don't let the press spook you, know that all is good right here, right now...the other stuff will pass...

Thanks for stopping by...

Jelveh

Peace

Beads & trip photos...

Hi all, how are you doing? how is your September coming along...? ours is great...Listen up this one is long & has a ton of info in it, including photos of our travels this past month & new beads to win on the blog...time goes so fast when you are having so much fun...save for the Tooth issue which I had to have pulled here in England last week...life has been really nice here...even the weather has been sunny which is not usual of Oxford this time of the year at all...

Mom & dad just got back from Spain, they spent a few days in Barcelona they had a great time & saw a great Opera Flamenco while there... http://www.operaflamenco.com/index.html

Here are some photos of this month's trips so far, we will be going to Paris this weekend & next month hubby & I are going to Boston for a week, for his work... if you want to see the photos larger & read the captions click here http://picasaweb.google.com/jelvehdesigns/MomDadTrip# other wise see the slide show...

So on with the beads, the lovely Mexican Fiesta beads above are up for grabs, lets do it like we did last week, tell me what shapes & number of beads you like best by way of commenting on this post...only one comment per person, all entries will be put in a drawing for the Mexican Fiesta beads in the photo...drawing will be held on Friday same as last week...you have until 3pm Friday California time to enter...

I also made some beads & listed them on etsy...to see the yummy click here www.jelvehdesigns.etsy.com

Thanks for stopping by & looking & my photos & reading the blog...

Jelveh

Peace

Back for a day or two...

Hi all, our time in Turkey was awesome...I can not describe in words to you how it felt to see & spent time with my aunt & her gorgeous daughter...it was amazing, we cried, we laughed, we talked for hours...we visited all kinds of cool places & mostly spent time together...as the days passed I realized how much of my life somehow has been lost to me...these people, my family, I should have known & never knew...at times the sadness overwhelms the happy feelings I collected while on this trip, I miss them so much already...it seems too private an issue for me to talk about more here...just go love your family & friends as much as you can...life is too short not to...our time in Turkey was certainly too short...looking forward to seeing my aunt & her daughter (my new adopted daughter) again soon...

I may not share more photos of the trip, for now here are some photos of a night we all went to dinner with some of my friends that I have in Turkey, these lovely people were in my class this past June, save for Pinar who introduced me to the school that I now teach at regularly...I made a special glass bead project to share with my friends...here are some photos of it...in one photo you can see us all in the bathroom sharing & in another Gunay, Burcu & Ayse are already wearing their beads...we had a great time...I miss them already too...

Went to London & saw the Eye on Sat...Going to Stone Henge with mom & dad on Monday while hubby works...then we are off to Spain at the end of the week...more later...perhaps even a few new beads on Wednesday...keep an eye out...

thanks for stopping by...

Jelveh

Peace

Off on Vacation....

Hi all, my parents are here, and they are jet lagged, can you tell from the photo...? we are taking some time off to go on vacation with them...so there will be no new beads listed for about a week or so, then I will have some beads...for now if you buy any of the items listed in the shop, they will not ship until after the 12Th of September...

First up, a visit to Turkey to meet with some of my Glass friends & my aunt is coming from Iran to see us there, I have not seen her for 30 years, this is going to be a great trip...I will update with photos & story as time goes on...

Thanks for all the love...

Jelveh

Peace,

Things go Missing...

Hi all, today has been an odd day...I woke up & got an appointment for a minor checkup & all went down hill from there...I should have been back in time to wash the beads, take photos of them, list them, update the blog & send out the email to all... by the way the above is the group photo of the beads.

But that did not happen, so first Time went Missing...then there was no sun, then the photos took forever, since the Sun had gone Missing...then after I got it all together, after I had to drag out the lights and the cube, I sat down, got the photos up loaded to the lap top & started to write up the information...one of the beads went Missing, I have found it since, but now I can not find the other item that I need to write up my descriptions.

GAME TIME... Guess which item I am Missing now & win the lovely bead set you see above, These are so yummy...you will love them. Rules, one Guess per person, and one item per guess. Answers here on the blog only, first person who guesses correctly wins the beads...the blues in this set are all silver glass Picasso...yum.

Thanks for stopping by & by the way the item that went missing is still gone, I can not find it anywhere I have looked all over this house...

Jelveh

Peace

What is today...?

Hi all, we are back, I have been so tired, I don't even know what day it is... we came back a couple of days ago from Edinburgh in Scotland where we enjoyed a bit of the Fringe Festival, from Music to Comedy, from Theater to the Book Festival & everything in between, this town rocks for a whole month...click here to see some of what goes on at the Edinburgh Festival...there is a link below to our photos from the trip...

We saw one of Martin's favorite writers Will Self, he was amazing. We also saw 2 great Comedians, Shazia Mirza & the ever so funny Mark Watson, I don't think I have laughed this much & for this long forever...

Here are some photos of our Trip...we loved the castle, the city as a whole is so alive, with its rich history & all the people who bring so much art & talent to the city during the festival...we were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people & the wasting of so much paper used to print information for the hundreds of shows at the many venues that you can visit...

There is so much more to talk about today...I saw my "President" Hillary give one of the best speeches I have heard this year on why we are all democrats & we should stick together...I cried when I watched, I think Mr. Obama will be our next President & I think he will be a good president for America, but I think we missed a great opportunity as a people to elect a person of great intellect & strength to be our next President...Hillary is such a class act...maybe in 2012?

Where are the Beads...? I will list some yummy beads for your after 4pm on Thursday...I will send an email letting you know when they are up...& yes there will be a chance to win some yummy beads on the blog... We are so excited my parents will be here next week, they are staying for a whole month, we are going to Turkey with them in about 12 days to see my aunt who is coming from Iran to see us, it will be the first time I have seen her in 30 years...& we have a big dinner planned in Istanbul with my Turkish friends & fellow glass addicts...so much going on...more on this later...

Thanks for stopping by...

Jelveh

Peace

Relax Day...

Hi all...how is your Wednesday going so far...mine is slow & lazy, I have spent days unpacking & putting things away, we are almost done with it all...I will be making some beads today, but that is just about it, maybe list 3 sets of beads & a focal...the photo above is just for eye candy, this bead sold many moons ago...

My parents will be here in less than 2 weeks, & this weekend we are going to the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland...which should be loads of fun...the Festival runs for a whole month...I will have photos & story next week...

Have a great Wednesday...there may be beads later today...no one ever knows, I do need to list more, as I am down to 5 items in my shop...thanks for the love all...life is good.

Jelveh

Peace

Where are the BEADS??

Hi all, well I listed some beads & they sold before I got a chance to let everyone know they were there...thanks for the love, as I said a few times before I love listing beads as I go, more than a set time for listing beads...so once a week I will send out an email telling you whats up & the rest of the time you need to check etsy or my blog for updates...

Not sure if this is fair to all, but this is best for me right now... so the photo above is of some beads I am listing in the next few days & there is more in the kiln...send me an email if you want me to save you one of the sets in the photo...I will send out an email with the game to win the beads in the last post, on Friday AM my time...

Thanks for stopping by... Jelveh

Peace

Beads, are there new Beads?

Hi all, I was hoping to have new beads listed sometime today...but having a hard time with photos...so maybe on Thursday...maybe later tonight...all I know is the sun came and went...and the camera was having issues even in the photo cube...the photo below is of the bead giveaway for this week...still have to come up with a game...for now you can look at them... Thanks for stopping by... Jelveh Peace

Camden Market...

Over the weekend, Hubby & I went to London to visit the famed Camden Market. It was raining pretty hard, but we had a blast, it is perhaps the best Bazaar I have seen anywhere, although you will not find the same kind of items as you would in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, you would find just about anything you want, I am not even sure what more we could have found, it goes on & on, in & out of buildings, side street, & under ground & right off the street...its not really just a market as it feels like a market town...amazing...

click here to see a few photos of our day...it was hard to get the camera to focus & most sellers did not want photos of their shops taken, some of the outer stores did sell a lot of things not hand made, but there was just as impressive as a collection of Vintage, Antiques & of course Handmade Art...I even met a very nice glass artist who is from Turkey, she will be taking my advanced class in April in Istanbul at Glass Furnace... Hope yours was good too...Thanks for stopping by

Jelveh

Peace