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

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...

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...

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jelveh
Peace

Tax Day Refund & New Beads...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jelveh
Peace

A Week Off & New Beads...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Persian New Year, Yummy Baklava & Beads...

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....

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...

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...

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