My Beads in Bead Style Magazine...

Hi all, hope your weekend is going great, mine is!!! A very talented client of mine Kelli Burns of The Hole Bead Shoppe entered a yummy bracelet that she made (photo above) with some of my Pink Summer Garden beads in the Glass Challenge in the current issue of Bead Style Magazine. it is the March 2010  issue which says Fun & Easy Resin on it..the Bracelet made it to the top six...
You can click here to vote for this awesome bracelet to be the winner of this challenge, the winner of the challenge (hopefully Kelli's Bracelet with my beads) will be featured in the July issue of Bead Style Magazine...
I did buy a few of the mags...for gift you know...lol

Did I mention it already? PLEASE PLEASE go vote for this yummy Bracelet here...
Thanks for stopping by...Life is good, there was so much sunshine today...we were giddy like kids at the dog park playing with other peoples dogs...we may even adopt one...
Jelveh
Peace

New Beads & Rain...???

Hi all, hope your weather & days have more sunshine in them than our weather has had...This Rain stuff is getting really old...the big storms have left, or so they say, every day I wake up thinking we have moved to a cold forest like area, there is dense fog & rain...its not like me to complain two weeks in a row, but hey a girl on fertility drugs can getaway with a few cranky moments...lol...
I think we got spoiled with the sunshine in Mexico over the holidays...although we managed to get a bit of sunshine both Saturday & Sunday we went to the park & had a bit of picnic, our favorite thing to do...that was nice...oh & we saw the Book of Eli...the movie left me unsatisfied...wait for it on DVD, although I must say the color of the film was amazing, a few times I remember thinking I wish the rest of the movie (like plot, acting, editing) was this good...
I had Lani & Pat my new favorite studio mates in for classes this past week, they say they are having a ton of fun learning how to make encased flowers & hearts...they are much fun to hang out with...
I made some yummy beads this week too, trying a new frit that is so awesome, I listed a set of the last night with another new set in my etsy shop, it sold this morning, before I got a chance to get this post up...will make more today...photo of the new beads & buttons below the rest of which will be listed in my shop by later today...if you see anything in the photo that you want & it not listed let me know & I will list it just for you...

I also got a whole lot of shipping done this week, so if you had won beads in the past few weeks, your beads are in the mail...thanks for all the fun...speaking of bead giveaways, last weeks yummy bead goes to Melissa M. Please send your address...This week's bead is a yummy bicone focal I made with that new frit I was telling you about...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

In other news, as you may remember last week I told about a new tool The Hold Me Tight Rod Holder, made by Frank the in house amazing engineer, who is half of the Graceful Customs, Grace's hubby, my friends & creative studio partners...well the tool has sold over a 100 already, it is such a needed & cool tool, by the way I am not getting any royalties for telling you about the tool, its just that it really is the best rod holder I have ever had...when you get a chance go check it out here & if you already have gotten yours, let me know what you think of it...

Thanks for stopping by...life is good & much less busy this week...
Jelveh
Peace

New Beads & SO MUCH RAin...

Ok, I know its winter & we are meant to have rain, but lets face it, its been over 20 years since we have had these kinds of storms, day in & day out its been raining here, today there was 75mile an hour winds & even a tornado warning right in my town, the hail was so huge & went on for so long I thought the sky light was going to break...maybe one more big storm on Thursday & then we are done for a while, I hope...

In Bead News...I have listed a few yummy sets & new focal beads in my etsy shop...

In other news, over the weekend I went to Arrow Springs for the January NOR CAL ISGB meeting & a glass buy for the studio, my friends Garnet & Corina Tettinger went with me, Corina was in town visiting Grace & I for a few days...we had so much fun, the photo below is Corina, Sharon Peters, me & Corina's cute dog Bonsai...

On Sunday we had a great wire wrapping class with Jennifer Le at Graceful Studios, I missed the morning part, but showed up for the second part where we wire wrapped some rings, below is a photo of our fun...3 of the rings in the finished picture below are made with my beads, which one of them do you think I made?

I am also very happy to introduce you to the first of (I hope, I hope) many awesome tools from Graceful Studios, this one is an awesome short rod holder, the best one of its kind I have ever used...The Hold Me Tight Rod Holder is so strong & so great to use, & with some glass costing one hundred dollars a pound or more who wants to lose even an inch of it... You know me well enough to know I would not back a tool unless I loved it & I just love love this tool click here to check it all out & purchase one...

Last week's bead goes to Jane who likes to email me her entry...Send your address Jane...he yummy bead above is this week's bead giveaway...she is so very yummy & about 18mm along the hole...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

Thanks for stopping by & reading this log post...life is good & very busy...I did not even tell you that in the past week we have had dinner with my in-laws 3 times, went to see Avatar for the second time, had a big party for my parent 47th wedding anniversary or that I had several fertility related Dr's appointments...

Jelveh

Peace

Featured on Christine Marie Studios blog...

Happy Sunday all...

I was asked by a very nice person & talented artist to do an interview on her blog...here is the link to Christine Mari Studio's blog...check it out when you get a chance...this is my first interview on a blog, it was really fun & kind of a good reminder of why I love doing what I do...like everyone one I know I need to make a living to pay my bills, I really love making glass beads & making a living doing what I love is a dream come true & I am greatful for it & so many other good happenings in my life...Anyway hope you enjoy the read...



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

Week of Quakes...& New Beads...

Some how the two topics don't go together well...but this whole week there has been several Earthquakes where I live in California & then a very large 6.5 quake just day before yesterday in Northern California in Humboldt County which was a rather large quake, but nothing that happened here even compares to this major catastrophe in Haiti, a country that is already & always so poor & in need...So in retrospect to all that is going on in the world & the large loss of life that I am sure we will hear about, it seems kind of trivial to me to tell you all the cool stories of my life this past week...so lets all of us pray & wish the best that can be for the people of Haiti at their time of need... I read there was already web schemers trying to get folks to donate money for Haiti, so be careful who you donate to, the American Red Cross is always a safe place to donate...

I do have new beads, lots of yummy ones, I will be listing them in my etsy shop from now till Thursday morning....here is a photo of what is coming...there might even be more that what is in the photo...

This past Friday we had our first monthly meeting at Graceful Studios, the theme was hearts, we met some new people & fun was had by all, Grace showed us her new Silver torch & how to use the flex shaft for carving & sanding, I made heart beads & much food was had by all, Jennifer our wire wrapping queen also fixed a broken silver ring of mine using Grace's new Silver torch...photo below of some of the fun...

On Sunday I had two very yummy students Loni & Pat, they are so so nice...I also tested one of the new colors of Double Helix while making a fish for them...photo below...

Meredith wins the yummy bead from last week, please send your address...enter to win the focal bead on the top of this page by making a comment on this post...

Thanks for stopping by, I am grateful that my Life is good, it is not good for so many others in the world...
Jelveh
Peace

The Mouth of The Well of the Itza....

The Mouth of The Well of the Itza....Better known as Chichen Itza, we went to Cancun Mexico for the holidays, we had one of those awesome all inclusive vacations we had heard about & never thought we would take...it turns out I love laying on a beach reading a book & taking in the sun...The snorkeling in the middle of the ocean was awesome, swimming with the dolphins was amazing and we also went to the ruins of Chichen Itza...

although the ruins themselves & the history of them is pretty cool, the drive to the site & the tour were not the best, I recommend going on your own with a book, you will see more of it that way...below are some photos of our trip...mostly we just relaxed in the sun & ate too much food...2 days before we left I finally went to the DR. after feeling ill for some time, turns out I had Bronchitis & an ear infection of all things...so I was in the sun & on meds, but I still had a great time & got a tan...

I have a new blog post about my Ribbon Beads on Watch Me Create, check out & leave a comment, let me know what you think...

I do have some yummy beads for you which I will be listing them in my etsy shop by 9pm California time tonight (Wed 1/6/10)

Don't forget to join us at Graceful Studio this Friday for our first get together, we are still trying to come with a cool name for our event that will take place the second Friday of every Month...

Ok now to the fun part of our program, there are 4 winners, each of you will get one set of 5 beads, you get to choose the colors & I will do the rest...Lee, Sue (the one who commented on the last post), Brenda & Ginny are the winner's of a set of 5 beads each...send your requests in ladies...

For this week's giveaway I have the yummy bead above, first one I made when we got back from vacation...enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

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

Jelveh

Peace

Happy New Year...

Happy New Year...

Guess where in the world we are? we had a great holiday, it was awesome, we swam with Dolphins, we snorkeled & we got a whole lot of sun at the beach...life is good...hope you had a nice & safe New Years too...

Our Christmas Boutique at Graceful Studios was awesome...we met so many lovely people...it was a great success, read more about it at Graceful Studios blog & see the few photos we remembered to take...

There will be bead winners & new beads on Wednesday Jan 6th 2010...

On Friday the 8th of Jan 2010 from 2pm to 7pm we will have our first monthly get together at Graceful Studios, this months theme is Hearts, remember to bring any handmade heart items for show & tell & maybe sell...it can be jewelery, glass, metal or any other handmade craft as long as it is heart related...there will be a drawing for $25.00 Glass Giveaway...see you at the studio at 10730 Center Ave in Gilroy California, click here to email me if you need more info... remember we will have our get together 2nd Friday of every month...

My next Glass Bead Making Class is on Sunday Jan 10, 2010 from 8am to 1pm there are 2 spaces left. I will teach lampworking classes on the second Sunday of every month, for more information on this you email me...

One last yummy news, my friend & fellow Lampwork Artist Anne Ricketts of AMR Glass Works has made a great tutorial on how to make Glass Shank Buttons by using Jelveh Designs Key Mandrel...click on her links & check it out...she is awesome & so it the tutorial, you can bet there will be some Shank Buttons for sale soon in my etsy shop...thanks again Anne...

Thanks for stopping by, life is good...

Jelveh

Peace

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays & Happy New Year...

Hi all, hope you are having a great holiday season so far & are all ready for Christmas & an awesome Happy New Year...you may have noticed I have not blogged, added beads, updated facebook, twitter, flicker or any other means of communication for over 2 weeks now...Thanks for all of your concerned & whats up with you? emails & messages...

All is good & life is good in the world of Jelveh...I was just taking some time off from being out there so much...I think we all need to do that from time to time...unplug as it were...so back to our regularly scheduled program we go...lets see I have been rather busy making a ton of beads for fun, for special orders, for gifts & for our big Christmas Boutique at Graceful Studios which is this Sunday from 10-5...Grace also thought Garnet & I how to make soap, we made a ton of yummy gourmet soaps for the Boutique with Grace & for gifts...I tried & spend some time with family & friends too which is always nice...below are some photos of these adventures...oh yeah we got some NEW TO US furniture for the living room dinning room finally too...so yes busy busy here...

The cutest little girl, my niece is 3 years old on this week, she had a Shrek party & was dressed as princess Fiona for her special day...

Here is the cutest guy on our new couch, so yummy, both the couch & my hubby...

& here is a shot of the soap making party we had...so much fun, want to do this again soon...

OK the Winner of the yummy bead from two weeks ago is FiberOne of SC...please please send your address...in fact anyone who has won a bead in the past few weeks, please send your address, as I have some yummy beads just waiting for their new homes...OK for this past two weeks & the next two weeks, I am giving away 1 set of 5 beads, your choice of colors to 4 people...enter to win a set of beads by making a comment on this post...

Also in the spirit of the giving season, every purchase from my shop until the end of Jan, 2010 will get a 10% discount via paypal after payment has been made...Anything purchased after Dec 20th will not be shipped until after Jan 5th, 2010...wow 2010...how time flies when you are having fun...New Beads & goodies will be listed in my etsy shop soon, you just have to keep checking...

Thanks for stopping by, have a safe & fun Holiday season...Life is Good...

Jelveh

Peace

Leftovers & More...

Hi all, hope you had a great Turkey day...ours was was very nice...having 4 days off was really good, we did just about nothing...went for long walks, did a bit of yoga at home, did a bit of shopping & that's about it...oh yeah ate a whole lot of yummy leftovers, what about you?

this past weekend I managed to list a ton of beads as promised...I will have a couple of new yummy sets, focal beads & leftover sets by Thursday 2pm California time in my etsy shop...

On Wednesday last week I had a quick, as in short intro class to bead making with the nice people in the photo below...Sharon, Lisa & Kevin...Lisa was a natural, Sharon's beads looked really good for a beginner & Kevin did great too...he is also a boro artist, although we had very little boro glass at the studio, he did come back on Sat for about an hour & showed a bit of boro, the second picture is the swan he made for us...he is going to come back to our studio to teach a 2 day intro to off mandrel boro class sometime around spring vacation 2010, I will keep you posted of the dates...

Graceful Studios News: We have added a calendar of events to our blog upcoming dates of note are my lampworking class on Sunday the 6th from 9am to 2pm, & the Christmas Boutique on Sunday December 20th from 10am to 4pm...see you at the studio...

Last week's two yummy focal beads go to Amy, send your addy girl...for this week I have very special bead, I love love this apple core bead with a modified harlequin design...I was going to list it in my shop, then I realized I did not have a yummy bead for the giveaway, so now you can enter to win it by making a comment on this post...

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

Jelveh

Peace

Happy Thanksgiving...

Hi all, hope you are all ready for Turkey day & you remembered to get the sugar for the cranberry sauce unlike me...so now we are making the stuffing & cranberry sauce tonight...This Thanksgiving I am so very thankful for everyone & everything in my life, specially my yummy hubby, all of my family & friends, Life is good...

I have an appointment this morning, then at 1pm I am teaching a 2 hour class to 4 students at the studio...then after than I am cooking...so that is the plan...

I ask myself where is the time to add new beads, I have them I promise, I have a couple of pairs of earrings too & a few pendants...I have added a few items to the shop already & I will add the rest of the goodies to my etsy shop between now & Sunday night I am sure...

Last week's yummy bead goes to acptuser, please send your address...for this week I have 2 yummy focal beads for your beading pleasure, one person will win both of them, enter to win them by making a comment on this post about anything you like or what you are thankful for...

over the weekend we had a Rock Carving Class at the Studio, it was a great 3 day class & lots of fun was had by all, I took a couple of photos when I stopped by on Sat after my yoga class... Well I am off to my appointment then to teach & then to cook & then to add more goodies to the shop...

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

Jelveh

Peace