August is Just Give month in my Etsy!

August is "JUST GIVE" month on the LEST Street team. Some of my items are marked with a percentage of the proceeds going to the Island Equine Rescue. They have Just Give in the title, if you look in the item description it'll tell you how much of that particular sales goes to the rescue.

http://www.islandequinerescue.com/

Mission: To rescue and recover young, usable horses that can be placed in loving homes. They also help senior horses find happy retirements.

Joan, the lovely denim goddess is one of my "Just Give" items. I'll be adding new items daily!!!

August LEST Artist of the Month

My Featured LEST artist for the month of August is Inferno Glass Beads. Here's a little bit of an interview with Rachel.

How long have you been working with glass?
I have been working with glass for about 5 years. However, it is a part-time pleasure for me right now, so I still consider myself rather "young" to the art.

What is your favorite thing about working with glass?
I love how certain glasses react in ways you can't always control. It's the biggest excitement and the biggest frustration for me that you never quite know what you will get out of the kiln the next morning.

What's your favorite piece? (maybe a link to the piece if it's in your etsy)
My favorites change as I make more beads! I think my current favorite is a bracelet I made from some tiger-style beads I made a while ago. One day they just asked me to make them into a bracelet, and it turned out beautiful!

What's the hardest piece you've ever made? (Again a link if it's in your etsy)
I don't know that I have a single piece...I've definitely had a lot of failures, and had beads come out of the kiln that looked nothing like what I had envisioned. But I've also made my best "discoveries" this way. The only time I feel that glass is hard to work with is when I get a creative block and nothing appeals to my muse!

Who do you admire in the glass world?
I love Theresa Laliberte's sculptural beads, and Patty Lakinsmith's focals. I also love how Andrea Guarino can make soft glass look like stone and boro.

What's your favorite inspirational saying?
When I feel like life is getting a little harried, I chant to myself, "This too shall pass." It reminds me that time never stands still!

What's one thing you've never done you always wanted to do?
Travel to Italy! In my glass life, I would like to take a class on working with metals and enamels to help move my skills ahead.

Busy Weekend

Mud Flats are a new earring pair in my Etsy, odd name i know but the colors really do remind me of mud flats!

I did a joint show this weekend here in Metchosin with a friend, Jim Jenkins. A fantastic local wildlife photographer. We had alot of fun, alot of laughs and had pretty steady traffic. I also got to check out the space for a Metchosin Artist Co Op that starting up and BOY am I excited!! It's a great space with lots of room for growth. There are four artists working in the space right now and they'd like displays from other local artists. I am putting together a jewelry display and may demo at their grand opening!

Interesting Info

Rachel a fellow beadmaker has some interesting info on her blog about the difference between mass produced lampwork beads and artisan made beads. It's really worth a read!

A couple new capped/cored beads this week, both in my Etsy. I am really loving the look of these!

Flaming Hot

I've have been so busy I forgot about the Flaming Hot blog group! Their blog topic is You can have any talent, ability or lifestyle you wish. What would you be?

That's a toughie! I pretty much have my fantasy talent, at least I think I have talent? I love glass, can't think of a better thing to do! Maybe I'd love to be a glass blower, I am always entranced watching them work. I have a Chihuly DVD I watch over and over!

In the Night Kitchen

My Edaphic capped bead was featured on "In the Night Kitchen" blog! Have a peek it's a great blog!

How does your garden grow?

Very well thank you! With all the sun and steady watering my garden is HUGE!

Sidewalk Flowers

I spent this weekend at the Puget Sound Bead festival with Kristi of Brokaw Beads. While the show itself was a bit slow we had a fantastic time! Lots of laughing and fun!

We stopped on the way home at the Tacoma "Bridge of Glass" that had alot of Chihuly work, WELL worth seeing. I was so amazed at all the glass I got a neck cramp from looking up for so long!

On our walk back to the hotel one night we saw these little flowers growing out of the sidewalk all perky and happy, we just had to take a picture!

I've spent the whole week madly making beads for the PugetSound Bead Festival. The Metchosin Farmers Market is sunday and I hope to get into the garden in the afternoon.

Lots of new beads in my Etsy!