Fused Glass and a Flame Heart Wall Sconce

Well, I finally got to see it. Had to get up at 6:30 in the morning but it was worth it. I was on Craft Lab this morning with Jennifer Perkins, the most fabulous hostess, and we were making a couple of fused glass wall sconces. Sure I could have used a bit of make-up but otherwise I was quite pleased with how it turned out. The episode first aired last year on DIY and wouldn't you know I had just accidentally cancelled DIY from my cable TV line up. I could see my name in the description but couldn't watch the show. So this time I saw it and it was on HGTV. Whoo hoo!
Here's a picture of one of the lamps we worked on. I love it! It's design is based on a metal clay pendant I made. Check it out below.


I'm teaching metal clay at Hands on 3rd soon. Check out their web site for the schedule...
www.hands-on3rd.com. There's a basic class coming up in June...

New stuff is being posted on etsy all the time so check out my beadbrains store for my handmade glass beads and jewelry and my pixie industries store for Lea Anne Hartman's amazing silver and shibuichi pendants, clasps, charms and beads. Now go make something!!

Vegan Cupcake Recipe

I just got done posting my vegan cupcake recipe on the blog Haute Whimsey so I figured I should post it here too. Since I make little glass cupcakes all of the time it seemed only appropriate to post an actual recipe I use...so here goes.

So I'm lactose intolerant or lactartded as a friend of mine says. I do love cupcakes though!
So I found a really great recipe for vegan Boston Cream Pie...the cake part is awesome! And here it is. Give it a try. I've been told by milk consumers that these guys are amazing. Let me know what you think. Oh and the frosting recipe is based on Sprinkles Cupcakes cream cheese frosting. It's good enough for frosting shots!!

Vegan Cupcake Recipe
Use organic ingredients whenever possible!

Dry Ingredients
2 C all purpose flour
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
½ t salt

Wet Ingredients
1 ¼ C sugar
½ C oil (I prefer walnut or olive)
½ C soy yogurt
2 t vanilla extract
1 ¼” soymilk


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. In a separate bowl add sugar and oil and mix well. I like to do this by hand with a wisk. Next add yogurt and vanilla and mix well. Finally add in the soy milk and again mix well.

Gradually add in the flour mixture about 1/3 C at a time making sure it’s not lumpy. Continue adding in the flour mixture until it’s all included. Make sure the batter is well mixed. There should be no lumps.

Prepare the cupcake pan with paper liners. This recipe yields over 12 cupcakes so I like to make a small extra cake on the side. That way if I have to give away the cupcakes I still have a bit of cake for myself. Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. I have found 28 minutes to be perfect in my oven but some oven temperatures vary so always test for doneness with a toothpick or small knife. It should come out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick vegan margarine
8 0z. Tofutti cream cheese or some other vegan cream cheese
3 ½ C powdered sugar

Allow the margarine and cream cheese to soften to room temperature. Mix with hand electric mixer to a smooth consistency. Gradually add the powdered sugar a cup a time. Mix thoroughly but try not to over mix. Chill before frosting the cupcakes.

Enjoy!!

Upcoming Good Times

Howdy Crafty People!!
It's been way too long since my last posting and I will try so much harder to write more stuff more often. I've got classes coming up that everyone should know about. First is a two evening glass bead making class at Home Ec at Reform School in Silverlake on Sunset Blvd. Check out their web site @ http://www.homeecshop.com/. It's Friday and Saturday night, May 22-23. It should be a really good time. We'll make stringer (which is used to decorate your beads and allows you to get to know hot glass before you try to make a bead) and then an assortment of cute little beads. When you're done with the two evenings you'll definitely have enough beads to make a bracelet and totally impress your friends.

Next up I'll be teaching at a new spot in the mid-Wilshire area of LA. It's a cool new store/studio called Hands on 3rd. It's on 3rd near La Cienega. Check out their web site @ http://www.handson3rd.com/. I'm teaching an assortment of classes there...macramé...precious metal clay...and a cool rhinestone class known as "Bring it and Bling it". We'll be starting with macramé on May 29th and then again on June 4th and we'll be making the Donut Necklace that was first seen on DIY Jewelry Making. There's a basic PMC class on June 11th as well another June 26th. "Bring it and Bling it" is on June 12th and there's a mother daughter version on June 14th. Another more advanced, two part PMC class will be July 1st and 8th. This will include making your own molds using the photo emulsion plate techninique I did on CraftLab, another DIY TV show. You'll use your own artwork that will be drawn onto a piece of transparency material and expose it via UV light onto a light sensitive photo emulsion plate. It's pretty cool. We'll then make PMC pendants with those plates. Lots of fun ahead! Also, I'll be artist in residence at Hands on 3rd for the month of August. I'll keep everyone posted on that and when I'm there you can come on down and see what I'm up to.

I've also got another glass bead making class at Lighthouse Stained Glass in Hollywood, June 13th. That's a 5 hour class and is always a good time. Lots of beads will be made.

And check out all of the cool charms and pendants and beads and clasps I've got posted on pixieindustries.etsy.com by Lea Anne Hartman. Don't forget to also go to beadbrains.etsy.com and pick up some cute handmade glass beads by me...my web site has all the class information listed as well as links and other good stuff.

I must not forget to mention my upcoming book signings scheduled in the month of June. First there's June 6th at the San Gabriel Bead Co. They're having one of their big sales that weekend so bargains will be abundent!! On June 20th I'll be at Tall Mouse Crafts in Laguna Niguel doing another book signing. Whoo hoo! It should be a good time!! The following weekend I'll be back at Tall Mouse for the OC Handmade Brigade's craft show. Hope to see you all at any of these fabulous events. Now isn't it time for you to go make something?!