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?!

Fabulous new goodies!!

Howdy!
I'm so excited. I've gotten my first batch of the most fantastic silver and shibuichi around!! What is shibuichi you ask? It's a copper and silver alloy that artist extraodinaire, Lea Anne Hartman makes sing. I've received pendants and beads and clasps and charms that are to die for!! You must go to http://www.pixieindustries.etsy.com to check them out. I'll be listing more...right now there's a large dragonfly and some skulls and a winged elf-girl and...her work is so beautiful!! Please check it out.

I also have some new venues for teaching which is very exciting. I'll be teaching in Silverlake, at Reform School, on Sunset. They have great classes through there crafty side, Home Ec. We'll be setting dates soon. We're looking at a two evening Glass Bead Making class and possibly some PMC classes. I'll keep you posted on that. Check them out here...http://www.reformschoolrules.com/blog.html.

Then there's the new place opening on 3rd St. in the mid-Wilshire area called Hands on 3rd. It's so cool. They offer alot of different classes. I'll be teaching macramé and PMC and a cool rhinestone class. I'll post the dates in the next couple of days. Their grand opening celebration is May 1st. Be there or be square...check them out at http://www.hands-on3rd.com/. I'm also going to be their artist in residence in August. Whoo hoo!

One other place that I already teach glass bead making, Lighthouse Stained Glass in Hollywood, at is adding PMC to the schedule and yours truly will be teaching it. I'll keep you posted on the dates...I am teaching bead making there June 13th.

On a kind of sad note...I've been informed that all classes at the San Gabriel Bead Co are cancelled until further notice. As soon as I know more I'll pass the info along. I hope it gets figured out soon.

So check out all the goodies I've written about...especially Lea Anne's new beads...and then go make something!!

Baby Squirrel

Have you ever found a baby squirrel that was recently orphaned by it's mom? We did the other day...what a cutie! About 5 weeks old according to the pictures and information I found on line. Did I say how cute this little guy was? My uber studdly cat Earl discovered this little fella first and had a bit of an obsession. Not good. We kept Gordon inside the first night...yes, he got a name...and were going to find somewhere to take him the following day. But we saw mom and decided to reunite if possible. So Gordon was left at the base of the tree, where he had been first discovered and I spent a good portion of the day keeping the cats in...of course Earl managed an escape and had to be bribed inside with some sliced chicken...sucker! Hours later I check to see where Gordon is and lo and behold I can't find him. Yay! His mom got him. Upon closer inspection I find the little bugger and a chase insues. He's pretty frisky. He gets away and I hope that all will be well. Silly me. The next day, after a full day at the Silverlake Arts Crafts and Vintage shin dig I come home to find Gordon being used as a toy by none other than Earl with Vinnie and Peachie watching. Is he suffering...that's Vinnie thinking that. I shoo the cats away and get them inside for lock down. When I go to get Gordon he's super scared and manages to scratch me. He runs and hides...but about 45 minutes later I hear him crying. He's gone around the house and is hanging out under a chair. Egad...after reading up on what to do I put gloves on and gather him up in a box with a sheet in it...a towel isn't reccommended since their claws can get stuck. Releaved, Gordon curls up in a ball and goes to sleep. We get some Pedialyte and a dropper container and get him some fluids. He liked that. Another night indoors...what are we to do? The next day (yesterday, Easter Sunday) I did a bit of online research and found a place out in Calabasas that takes baby squirrels. Did I mention how cute this guy is? They'd take him that day. Away I go! And I have to say...if I were a baby squirrel in need of rescue I'd want to go to this place. It's beautiful! Good place to rehab baby squirrels. It's the California Wildlife Center and it's awesome. Gordon has a great chance to have an amzing life out near Malibu. So save a baby squirrel...now back to crafts!

Beads...beads...beads...can you say de-stash?

I make beads...but I used to buy a lot of beads. So I've started a de-stash on pixieindustries.etsy.com as a way to cut down on the clutter and free up some beads and buttons for the rest of the world. There are vintage glass buttons...semi-precious beads...silver charms...all kinds of goodies. Check it out...

I should be seeing some things from Lea Anne Hartman soon. I can't wait to open the box. I know I'll make some jewelry and I know I'll sell some of the pieces on pixieindustries.etsy.com shop. I'll keep you posted on their arrival. We're going to be working on a few of my designs too. There's going to be an update to my bead ring...it was recently seen with me on DIY Jewelry Making. You know they air that show at 4:00am EST. The next episode I'm in should be on soon. It's the recycling show where I make glass beads with an olive oil bottle.

Did everyone indulge in an hour of darkness onSaturday for Earth Hour? We found it rather refreshing and actually kept the lights out for almost 2 hours. Talking to each other rather than mindlessly watching TV or sitting in front of the computer. It should be a regular thing.

Is anyone else out there a bit bored with Facebook? I know I am...but I'll probably log in anyway at some point...I guess my feelings are about it as a time suck...shouldn't we all be making stuff? Goodies and crafts and stuff to give as gifts or indulge ourselves with? I think so...I'm going to go make something...what are you going to make?

My book is in stock at Amazon.com

Well, I've gotten great news!! My book, Mod Knots is in stock at amazon.com. Yippee skippee!! It's started shipping to those of you that were kind enough to pre-order it. Let the shameless self promotion begin!

I'm starting the shameless self promo tour tomorrow with the spring meeting of the So Cal Flame Surfers at Glass Obsessions. Let's let the crazy bead makers see it first. And so the book signing shin digs begin!!

If you want a taste of macramé go on over to DIY's web site @ http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/shows_djmk/0,2044,DIY_16161,00.html and check the jewelry making section. There's a video of my macramé on there you can watch. That's how all of this started...let's get knotty!

Spring has arrived and with that will come better weather and many graft adventures. I'll be starting Saturday and Sunday Crafternoons with Cathi and friends really soon. Announcements of dates and projects will be posted really soon. Now, I must go make stuff...and so should you!

Happy Spring!!

New Etsy Store Open

It's official! I have another etsy store. pixieindustries.etsy.com. There's only a couple of things up, but more are in the works. This will be what I like to think of as a craft general store. There will be vintage goodies, like what's up now, some West German intaglio glass pendants. They're super cool. And there will be more posted. There will also be other beads and craft supplies as well as some lovely metal beads and pendants and findings by Lea Anne Hartman. She does the most beautiful work in sterling silver and shibuichi, an alloy of copper and silver. T-shirts are coming too. I've got my screen printing set-up just about worked out...whatever that means. I think it's going to be a fun online store. And of course, if you still want my handmade glass beads and jewelry they'll be at beadbrains.etsy.com.

What's up with macramé? I've scheduled my first book signing shin dig at the San Gabriel Bead Company in Arcadia. June 6th. Be there or be square...knot that is. Bad pun. I've got a macramé class there this coming Wednesday...come join us. There's still time to sign up.

I've been wandering the web and have added a few blogs to my blog list. Check them out. And come visit me on facebook sometime. Be my friend...

I was seen on DIY Jewerly Making the other day making my ring bead. 4am eastern time is when the show airs. WTF? I suppose anytime is better than no time. There's been a good buzz about my ring findings and there are more updated versions to come now that I'm working with Lea Anne. I'll keep you all posted...now I must go make something. What about you? Don't you need to go make something too? Yes you do!

What are we going to make today?

Everyday brings the challenge of what am I making today. Sometimes I have a list that someone else has given me but alot of the time I need to be the one making the list. So what are the priorities of the day? How do you decide what to make? Something to think about...

I've been doing macramé a lot lately...I've got that book coming out in May. I'm working on the traditional hippie staples, the plant hanger and the trusty owl wall hanging. I'll post the step outs and resulting photos soon! They will also be miniaturized for jewelry. Pretty cool stuff...

There are always new beads being posted on my etsy store and I'm starting up pixieindustries.etsy.com to sell supplies and vintage beads and stuff and gorgeous silver and shibuichi metal beads and findings by Lea Anne Hartman. As soon as I get the first box of goodies from her I'll post pictures. Her work is fabulous!!

I've got a bunch of my jewelry in an eco-fashion show this Saturday evening. I'll post pictures as soon as I have them. Quite a few of the pieces are from my macramé book. Fashion macramé!!

I've got a macramé class March 18th at the San Gabriel Bead Co. in Arcadia. The twisted beaded bracelet. It's quite nice. I'll be booking more classes both in macramé and glass bead making so check here or my web site www.beadbrains.com for new info. Also, as soon as the weather warms up a bit I'm going to be starting Sunday Crafternoon at Cathi's. There will be bead making, wire wrapping, macramé, screen printing, glass fusing and so much more...

Now make your list, and go make something!!