drawing board

Weddings appear to be growing in popularity for glass commissions. I've done wedding favours, centerpieces, wedding party gifts and of course, gifts for the bride and groom themselves.

I recieved my first wedding commission for 2011 the other day - 180 wedding stoppers with a very open concept on design (basically anything organic with their wedding colours encorporated in it) here are some concept sketchs of the possible final items. The bottom two on the left are my current top picks but i can't determine their final merrit until I actually try out some samplers.

bound together

Day 5's handmade - iphoto assisted photo album. It's dead easy. Drag and drop into templates. Click to buy... and it arrives at your door step in 5 days flat. London photos on flickr.

acorn

Wee production evening at the shop.
Starting to get back into the swing of things...
Everyday handmade item for January 4th - the acorn

step 1. draft your notes/design (note the trivial pursuit.. i play while i work)

step 2 - make your pendant

step 3 - anneal your pendant

step 4 - string your pendant

In truth, the last photo wasn't taken today but the others were true production items from the evening. 4 days down. 361 days to go.

adventures with rocky raccoon

January 3rd. Woke up on the top bunky with this little guy excited for play. Today's handmade - a few shots from my ventures with sir rocky boy. More photos on flickr

old roads tunes

I feel as though I'm being attacked by all sides... seems the excitement for the New Year has led to an entire night without sleep. My very off and dozy behaviour is causing day 2 of my 365 day challenge already a tough hurdle. BUT WE MADE IT!!!

Todays handmade... its computer made but selected by myself - a cd mix (aw how cute)

I can only list them here (whats the best site to use to create a sharable cd mix online? please assist)

the... 'we be going to the cottage' driving mix.

1- australia - shins
2-ticket to ride - beatles
3-dawn-brian jonestown massacre
4-rockey raccoon - beatles
5-sinnerman - nina simone
6-sweet judy blue eyes - crosby stills nash & young
7-wild world - cat stevens
8-shambala 3 - three dog night
9-fujimama mama - wanda jackson
10-sampson - regina spektor
11-lets stay together - al green
12-take a walk on the wild side - lou reed
13-right as rain - adele
14-me and julio down by the schoolyard - simon & garfunkle
15-the way we get by - spoon
16-love - brian jonestown massacre
17-sympathy for the devil - stones.

there we go. enjoy, there are definitely a few classics in there.
And off we go! chez le cottage! yayay!
post again late tomorrow night when we've returned :)

new year. new project.

Every new year I love to prescribe myself a new project. There are the years where the resolution/project list is a bit too ambitious, but i tweek and try to perscribe myself something within my means... the biggest rule is - it must stay interesting.

This particular New Year, without question, is a special one. This is the first year of my new business, a business I've been planning to do since I went into the field of glassblowing nine years ago. And though I definitely don't want another distraction from the goal of the studio, I would love something daily to keep the journaling interesting and to share for the blog and everyone who might be inclined to follow.

Sooo... what have I set for myself as a challenge?

Everyday Handmade - 2011
I challenge myself to make one creative thing daily, every day in 2011.

There are NO restrictions on what I make I just have to make it, document it and get it up on this site for people to follow and *nudge* join in if they too are inspired to take the challenge (in whatever fashion they choose).

So my friends here we go. I wish you all a very joyous 2011.

15 seconds of Kel and Andee cleaning shop. (I needed to brush up on my final cut skills)

to be young

Recorded Saturday night, A wee tribute for Bern

To Be Young - Sing a Long from chris parker on Vimeo.

hope in hell

Life is short... short and sweet and oh so wonderful.

This song was written for a dear friend who passed away 4 years ago. Im very happy to have heard it today. Written by Jamie Smith, recorded with a lot of great people. It may have made me weep at my desk, but its tune is appropriate for the day. The air is thick and overlayed with a tinge of gloom. There are a lot of hearts missing a lot of people today... Bern, Jesse, Calen, heres thinking of you.

The adventures of beans and rice

The simplicity of this button makes it one of my favourite items... and its not even fully my item, I share wearing it with Brian.

May this little memento always remind me of two things:

1- I love my partner dearly

2- I must keep it close to remind me to lighten up and get out for spin. Lifes only as hard as you make it... and smile for god sakes.

smile and the world smiles with you, cry and you cry alone.