tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228186382024-03-13T03:24:41.821-07:00Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack GlassShirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.comBlogger160125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-86251694423589970732010-11-19T13:31:00.000-08:002010-11-19T13:33:04.461-08:00They're Here!Wow -- I was taken by surprise this morning. Holy smokes! The Best Little Bead Box(es) showed up on my doorstep while I was indulging in my morning coffee. And my day is full - I've had too much work to do on my tech job to dive into those boxes. But this evening... oh, this evening is going to be glorious! Stay tuned for a first-hand account of what's making its wayShirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-46158360674887331702010-11-18T16:00:00.000-08:002010-11-19T13:32:55.729-08:00Hiatus is Over!Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. I took a much-needed break from the blogosphere, but I'm back - happy and, hopefully healthy!
What a busy summer I had, making stuff for my Etsy shops, selling at shows, teaching classes, working and travelling for my high-tech job, and taking care of my declining mom who has Alzheimer's. Phew!
I signed up for the Bead Journal Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-38755828884388566262010-07-23T12:12:00.000-07:002010-07-23T12:12:22.945-07:00Getting Ready for RochesterWow, I can't believe that I'm leaving for Rochester, NY in 3 days. I also can't believe that time has slipped by so quickly... AGAIN ... You'd think that after all this experience with that time thing, I'd be used to it by now.
The International Society of Glass Beadmakers is having their annual conference, called "The Gathering", in Rochester this year, which is why I'll be on a plane at 6 Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-51983241229483171982010-07-16T12:48:00.000-07:002010-07-16T12:48:09.553-07:00Sending Out a PleaToday, I'm asking all of you to please help the Beads Of Courage program. This is a program that I've been supporting for several years - what it does to help out kids with serious illnesses is just wonderful! You can read about Beads of Courage HERE.
Beads of Courage is in the running to receive $25,000 of funding from the PepsiCo corporation. You know, that company that makesShirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-50273432677690448122010-07-15T15:08:00.000-07:002010-07-15T15:08:48.966-07:00An Adorable Giveaway!Do you like giveaways? I've been lucky a couple of times with blog giveaways, and I just found out today that bird on wire is having one! From now through July 25 at 5:00 p.m., leave a comment on that giveaway thread, and you will be entered in a drawing for the cutest little needle-felted barn owl this side of paradise!
These days, I've been really taken with birds. I have aShirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-87935119670088404862010-06-29T16:05:00.000-07:002010-06-29T16:05:57.592-07:00A New Vessel, a Bit of Bead & ButtonWow, I've been so busy in my tech job that the time has just flown away! I haven't been on the torch since I came back from Milwaukee, but I have had a bit of time to work out in the wet lab. In fact, I've completed a new vessel. No "official" pix yet, just a few shots from my camera to give you an idea of what I've done.
I built this vessel to go with that wonderful raku bead Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-67092054799076522422010-06-16T22:18:00.000-07:002010-06-16T22:18:40.723-07:00Home Again, Home Again...Well, I'm back from Milwaukee - still a bit worn out from my trip. Wow, I had such a lovely time at the Bead & Button Show! It was absolutely wonderful to meet some of my fellow artists whose work I include in my own work, as well as connect with friends I only see once a year in Milwaukee.
I had the pleasure of meeting Carol Dean Sharpe of Sand Fibers, whose work I admire Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-36993384300490465352010-06-07T16:59:00.000-07:002010-06-07T16:59:41.468-07:00Packing, Packing... Heading For Booth 1221Well, this is it. I'm leaving in the morning for Milwaukee - another year at the Bead & Button Show. I am really looking forward to getting away for awhile, looking forward to seeing old friends, meeting new folks, putting faces and voices with many of my cyber-friends - this show is always such a pleasure for me!
If you are planning on being at the show, please stop by and see Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-50688259493081892162010-06-03T23:23:00.000-07:002010-06-03T23:23:46.251-07:00A Few New FloralsThis has been a very trying week for me. My 86-year-old mom, who lives with us and has Alzheimer's, is really sliding downhill. It breaks my heart to see this. She was always a very spunky lady, but she's just not with the program anymore. She can still understand some of the things that we say to her, and she still recognizes us, but she's in a rather confused state most Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-71287198763397516682010-05-23T12:00:00.000-07:002010-05-23T12:03:19.987-07:00Birdsong...I've just finished another vessel - now that it's almost summer, I figured that I'd better get a spring project under way. Awhile ago, I purchased these wonderful little clay bird beads from Heather Powers of Humble Beads. I knew that I would use them on some of my vessels, but I really didn't have anything specific in mind. This vessel was not planned ahead of time - it evolved as I Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-55412649738378143942010-05-15T12:16:00.000-07:002010-05-15T12:16:00.921-07:00My Latest PiecesI have a growing stash of clay beads, buttons, and cabochons - because I just love them! I've been ruminating on what to do with them, and the ideas keep coming. I finally had a bit of "free time" (precious these days), and I spent that time out in the wet lab and then in the bead lab. Here are my latest pieces, both of which were made specifically for the button and Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-19696947147313289102010-05-06T14:57:00.000-07:002010-05-06T14:57:00.925-07:00Still No StarSo once again, I made a vessel for the star button that was supposed to go on my tall blue vessel but didn't. After trying that combo, I absolutely knew the right colors for that star! This time I made a smaller vessel so the star wouldn't get lost. Lo and behold, that darn star STILL doesn't work! And it was my bad, not the fault of the star. I mean gee whiz, I LOVEShirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-8734308151013574282010-05-05T11:37:00.000-07:002010-05-11T00:07:07.031-07:00Nothing To Bead For April...I'm doing the happy dance because I finished beading my Bead Journal Project "page" for March - yay! But that poses a dilemma - I have not made a vessel yet for April - or for May. With so much work going on in my tech world and my Bead & Button Show prep, I have had much time to even think about what those vessels should be. I do have a few very vague ideas floating Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-75084134678807363362010-05-04T14:54:00.000-07:002010-05-04T14:54:11.801-07:00Where's My Alter Ego?As the Bead & Button Show approaches, and my deadlines in the high-tech world keep right up with it, I'm trying to figure out how I can split myself in two. It would be marvelous if I could send my alter ego out to the glass lab, armed with my list of beads that I MUST make, those that I SHOULD make, and those that would be nice to have. Then when I do get a chance to spend some Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-74501037386178632342010-04-28T11:22:00.000-07:002010-04-28T11:23:16.459-07:00Nothing Like a Pro Photo...I now have REAL photos of my first two Bead Journal Project vessels as well as the latest vessel that I completed. And what a difference it makes! I have about a half-hour's work left to do on the March vessel, and I will hand it over to my hubby for another professional photo.
First, here's my latest completed project. The pattern that I beaded on it looks almost like an Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-17589695593627540362010-04-18T21:58:00.000-07:002010-04-18T21:58:15.034-07:00Where Has Shirley Been?Wow - way too long since I've blogged! But I've been really tied up with my tech job lately, so much work to be done in such a short period of time.
So this weekend I've taken a few breaths and a few breaks. I actually spent a good amount of time on the torch yesterday. I'll show you the fruits of my labor a little later in this post. But first, I want to show you my Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-8349097978235912302010-04-05T12:51:00.000-07:002010-04-05T12:53:42.858-07:00Some Unexpected ColorJust a quickie update today - not only have I been beading the reverse side of my February BJP vessel, I've also been working on the tall vessel that I originally made for my Lisa Peters star button. Since the star color doesn't work with these vessel colors, I will be using a different Lisa Peters button on it. And that calls for a completely different beading treatment on the vesselShirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-35057976598690844442010-04-04T17:09:00.000-07:002010-04-04T17:09:35.839-07:00Finally - a Torch Day!I'm back from another biz trip down to Los Angeles, and wow - I sure was tired when I got home Friday night! We spent 3 days doing "think tank" sessions on software requirements and design. I'm starting to think that I'm getting too old for that stuff!
I hadn't been able to spend much time making stuff prior to my trip, and yesterday I decided that I desperately needed a torch day. Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-81831913353148100622010-03-25T11:49:00.000-07:002010-03-25T11:49:02.160-07:00February BJP - Side 1 is Done!Wow, I put so much beading onto this vessel that now it won't stand up! So rather than call it finished, all I can say is that side 1 is complete.
I didn't want to bead the other side, but it looks as though I will have to. I didn't realize how heavy these little seedy beads could be - I guess there's quite a mass of them on my vessel. But that's OK - it's been a very Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-57802304623344962382010-03-21T12:38:00.000-07:002010-03-21T12:39:05.874-07:00I'm usually quite good with color - sometimes I even amaze myself with my color memory. There have been times when I've had to buy some yarn, fabric, or beads to match the color of something that I had at home. In my mind, I conjured up the color of that something, and was able to purchase exactly the right color that I was looking for. Ah, but then there are those occasions Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-52405304389665778202010-03-17T15:45:00.000-07:002010-03-17T15:45:48.870-07:00Building A Tree, Planning New ProjectsMore progress on the February vessel - the tree is starting to fill out. I'll spend more time on it tonight for sure, I'm really ready to see this one complete!
I've also got a few more projects in my head and hopefully I can get to at least one of them before next week. First up will be a vessel in which I will incorporate a button by Lisa Peters Art. Here's the button...
Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-85078707371716508832010-03-14T15:21:00.000-07:002010-03-14T15:21:47.397-07:00More Journal ProgressI've been doing a bit more beading on my BJP February and March vessels. Here's a quick look at how I've started beading the tree on February. These trees have a gray-brownish sort of bark, so I've chosen to have this side look a bit sunny. As I move toward the right, the branches will get darker. I'll also be putting more "blossoms" in the tree as I progress. I'm Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-51541255835321914182010-03-10T14:31:00.000-08:002010-03-10T15:45:48.629-08:00Allowing Myself Time to BeadThings have been a bit hectic this week. My tech job is heating up, I've got a bunch of stuff that's overdue, we have a house guest coming tonight, etc. etc. But I'm finding solace in the evening when I sit down in the family room, a.k.a. the "bead lab", and work on my BJP projects. I've been beading my February tree scene and I also started beading around the cabochon for the Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-57657711557390156822010-03-07T15:48:00.000-08:002010-03-07T16:00:57.228-08:00Another Day In the Wet LabI had so much fun "painting" my February vessel yesterday that I spent today in the wet lab as well. March's vessel will once again be different. This Bead Journal Project has been really good for me - I get to experiment with new techniques in both fiber and beading. Before I talk about my inspiration for March, I'm going to show you the teeny tiny vessel that February has Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22818638.post-48820652576130572492010-03-06T17:48:00.000-08:002010-03-06T17:48:08.376-08:00February BJP ProgressI was nose-to-the-grindstone this week, working at my tech job. And when I spend an entire week without creating something new, I get really antsy. Well, I took care of THAT today! After spending last Sunday at the knitting show immersed in all that fiber, I had to work on my latest vessel. It was like therapy - and I got my February Bead Journal Project "page" all laid Shirley Cook - Jumping Jack Glasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08026220287892386166noreply@blogger.com7