Lucky Me - Shopping the GL&W Show in Asheville

Have I dropped from heaven and having a good month, or what!!!

I love bead shows, art shows, bead shops, fossils, and on and on.  Back in Michigan there was the GL&W show and it was held near Detroit.  Over the years its dealers dwindled.  It was a shell of its former self and I wondered if the only way to get to see another great wholesale show was to attend the annual in Tuscon, AZ.  Something I'm sure I will never be able to afford.  By the time you paid for plane ticket and hotel - although I have a friend close by I could stay with - you could say a total goodbye to any funds to spend.  And then I'd still be paying off that plane ticket for awhile.

Anyway, I digress.  So we moved here to NC from Michigan.  I love the area - one set of children are fairly close by (although I miss the others) and low and behold...  There isn't only one wholesale show nearby - - - there are THREE.   And two sets a bi-yearly.  The ones in Franklin are by far the biggest but the ones in Spruce Pine are larger than the old one in Michigan.  The Asheville one is only the GL&W Show but considering the other two were early in the year, I'll take it.  

You're not supposed to take any photos in these shows so I snuck these.  I'm not quite sure what it is people were doing with the photos they took that made them ban them.  But, since I have no ulterior motives I hope no one will be too upset.

Attending these is entirely too much fun.  After we parked, in a parking garage instead of on the street somewhere, we found we were at the back of the Civic Center.  Around the center we went - - up the darn hill.  Really?  Does any place I need or want to be around here (Asheville) have to be a low incline?  Some how I figure it's heaven's way of forcing me to exercise.  Around we go and then - whammo, so not done yet - - - another block to the front of the Center and there are photocopied signs plastered in each and every door in the building.  OH TELL ME IT ISN'T SO!  Yup, the entrance is moved.  We must have had this really befuddled and pitiful look on our faces.  A sweet guard came to the door and said, "Oh my, I bet you walked around this building - Come on with me....I've an elevator and can take you right down to the show floor!"  Whew, and thank you southern hospitality.  

We still had to walk up a hill and back to the parking garage but the reprieve provided by that sweet lady certainly made my day. 

Lucky Me - A byline in the Bead Release ...

For years I've thought there must be some way I could help with the ISGB.  I've always loved that group.   But to be honest, although I can be a firecracker on-line or in an email - I'm a total introvert so it's not like running for office is a good idea and I'll admit it.  I will never forget the first Gathering I attended.  I believe the first one I went to was the first one they had in Louisville, Kentucky.  So many people...so many really really nice people.  I learned a lot and there wasn't anyone who wouldn't answer questions or help out with tips to move my lampworking forward.  I was in awe.  I think I still am.

When I saw Jeri and Shermo at Hot Times Jeri asked if I might consider helping out with the Bead Release.  Well sure, I'd be delighted.  Actually, I'd be rabbit hopping happy to do it....but gheeze Sharon, try and be a little cool - will ya!!!  She put me in touch with Kris Schaible and we exchanged some emails.  I worked up a few articles with Kris's encouragement.  I'm kind of a fill in writer - where the subject fits in and all the moons aligns(which means in Sharon language that I haven't written in Klingon or something).

And whoo hoo - the first one was accepted and published in the Release.  Kris said she heard good feedback on the article so that's wonderful.  It's encouraging.  I'll take it!

The article was about collaborating with another artist on a show piece.  I've seen so many great collaborations.  I've written a second article branching out from the first one.  Off and on for years I've teamed with teaching partner and taught at Beadfest when its been convenient for the two of us. Fingers crossed that it too will be well received.

Feeling very grateful!!

And hey, if you've never heard of the ISGB here you go.  Click HERE.

Lucky Me - Hot Times

This is going to be a short series of posts called "Lucky Me".  It's been a busy couple of months which is why I haven't posted much....excuses, excuses!

I had been wanting to attend Hot Time in Mountains for quite a few years.  This year was especially sweet for me as it was a class that  Mary Lockwood was teaching.  I've admired her work for a very long time. Unfortunately by the time I inquired it was sold out.  Then there was an opening but I knew I wasn't the first to ask about a slot so I just let it pass.  Then, tah dah - Jeri called me from Hot Times and told me they had a seat if I'd like come and spend the second day there.

Well heck yeah I would.  It was great.  A Touch of Glass is such an interesting old building.  An old firehouse.  It is full to the brim with just the greatest batch of goodies.  I so love searching in every nook and cranny of wonderful places like that.  Oh gosh, and that was besides the fantastic class.

These are photos shots from this great mini-conference.  I know the Spring Hot Times is full but they are taking people for the wait list so just google Hot Times and get yourself signed up!!

Jeri Warhaftig doing a demo

The old fire pole in A Touch of Glass (Asheville)

Dragon by Mary Lockwood.

Fun stuff guys!!

Yeah, I know.  Some times it looks like I've given up lampworking for other art forms.  No so, but right now I am working on an awful lot of things to go with it.  

Have a great evening!

Stamping...

Wow, I've been so busy.   Everything around here has just been a hopping.  I'll fill you in the next couple of posts.  Here is a follow-up about the Navajo stamps.  They are so much fun and stamp so beautiful.

I've found that the best way to align them is to mark both the metal and the stamp.  On the metal I drew concentric circles with a cross hair.  On the stamps I marked the top center and bottom center. It's easy to get stamps rolled in the wrong direction so I find it a lot easier to do it this way.

Here's are some photographs of the progression -

This is the log I've set up to stamp on.  I was so lucky to gt this one.  I'd been looking for one but had wanted it to be only about a foot tall and really wide.  One day when we were cruising down by the River Arts District in Asheville we ran into a county tree service cutting down some trees in one of the lots.  They were simply huge - and just what I was looking for.   The guys were so very nice and not only helped me and hubby pick one out but one young hunky guy carried it to the car for us. SCORE!  I tried to get him to accept a tip so he and the guys could get a pop or something but he refused.  What a nice young man.  Nice people are just EVERYWHERE!

That's all for now.  I will try and be more consistent with posting....honest!  

Hugs to All,  Sharon