Happy Fourth of July!!

Hi Everyone!!

Hope you're all having a happy 4th. I'm looking forward to fireworks, bbq, pool time...maybe not in that order. So it's been a strange week with the deaths of superstars and then Billy Mays too. Michael has been the toughest to comprehend. I wasn't surprised but I didn't think it would happen so soon. I thought he had a little more time. It's so sad. But we must remember how amazing he was! And try to keep that smile on your face. Making stuff brings that back. Making goodies and jewelry and other fun things makes me smile.

So I cleaned up my torch space so I can create more stuff. Stefanie's visit really brought my attention to what a pig sty (spelling?) my torch area had become. I was working on terra cotta tiles since they are fireproof. But the dust factor and glass bits were just too much. I had recently picked up some galvanized sheet metal to use when I'm out demoing or teaching and thought that would make a great surface. Easy to keep clean...the bits don't fall between the tiles any more. Check it out.

It's so clean and tidy!! I love it. Soon there will be new beads!! Yay!! And the glass bits that I leaned up go into my glass bit box to be taken over to my friend Leigh Adams' studio. She works with homeless and low income people teaching mosaic and glass fusing. The bits will be made into beautiful art pieces that they will then sell. It's a great group...Piece by Piece is the name. Makes sense. And they make beautiful art. So everyone wins by me cleaning up.

I'm going to start making super jumbo beads for a macramé project I've got coming up. I'll be Artist in Residence at Hands on 3rd for the month of August. So I'm doing up the window with macramé and glass beads. What else could I do? I'm inspired by The Ace Hotel in Palm Springs and their fabulous windows.

This is one of the windows.

And this was one of the others. I love this place!

So I'm getting myself some cotton rope and maybe a bit of hemp and creating something inspired by these windows. My take on jumbo macramé. Now I must go make beads in my clean and tidy work space...and now you should go make something too! Happy 4th of July!!

Playing with Stefanie and PMC

Last week my crafty buddy Stefanie Girard came by my studio to play with PMC (Precious Metal Clay). She had a few projects she wanted to give a try and since I've done my share of PMC projects, working in my studio seemed like a good idea.

I have a kiln to fire the pieces as well as the tools to work it and polish it up. Stefanie came prepared...she had the book she was reviewing, Jewelry Arts Workshop: Pure Silver Metal Clay Beads by Linda Kaye-Moses, three types of PMC (paste, syringe and clay), a sack of tools and a bunch of ideas. She made herself familiar with the materials, encountering some clay issues which she conquerred successfully. Dry clay, wet clay...she managed just fine. She made some really cool pendants utilizing molds she'd made, cookie cutters and rubber stamps. Check out some of the adventures...

After firing her projects we got out some power tools and polished up the finished goods. Shiny metal is good!

She took her new skills and fabulous pendants off to her studio to finish them off and make them into jewelry. All was well...

This makes for a great segway into announcing an upcoming class I have with PMC at Hands on 3rd next week. We'll make pendants or charms and use a torch to fire them. The power tools will come out for some polishing and by the end of the evening everyone will have a cool solid silver trinket they made themselves. You can also find a PMC project in my book, Mod Knots...

So check out Stefanie's blog at http://craftside.typepad.com/ or her other blogs...sweater surgery @ http://sweatersurgery.blogspot.com/ or http://recycledcrafts.craftgossip.com/.

Now go make something!!

Demoing on Friday and a craft show on Saturday

What a fun filled, busy weekend I just had...parties and a book signing and an art opening. Loads of fun. So this week I'm back to work (like I stopped). I just wanted to give the heads up on a couple of things coming up soon. Friday night, June 26th, I'll be over at Reform School for their Open House. I'm bringing my torch and lighting my fire...gonna make some beads. Come on down. They're over in Silver Lake on Sunset. Check out their web site for more info on their location...http://www.homeecshop.com/blog/events/.

Then on Saturday, June 27th, I'll be back to Tall Mouse Crafts in Laguna Niguel for the Handmade Brigade craft show. Come out my OC friends and my LA friends. Pick up some yummy handmade glass beads and jewelry and other fun stuff! Here's that info...

So I hope to see you this weekend...and don't forget to check for new items in my etsy store...www.beadbrains.etsy.com or check www.pixieindustries.etsy.com. There's always new stuff being posted so go look. You might actually find something you can't live without. Now go make something!!

Time Flies

Howdy Crafty Types!!

Time sure does fly if you're not careful. I can't believe how much time has passed since my last post. I've been busy and that's a good thing. And summer starts this weekend!!! Here's this weekends list of activities...

Book signing tomorrow at Tall Mouse Crafts in Laguna Niguel from 2-4pm. 

But before I go there I'm stopping off at The Mandrel in Redondo Beach to say hi to my bead making buddies for the local quarterly meeting. And I'll probably pick up some glass too. 

Tomorrow night is the first party of the season at my honey Jack's store, Future Music. A good time will be had by all. My new favorite band, Random Patterns is playing at about 11pm. Stop by if you can...5112 York Blvd., Highland Park, CA 90042.

Sunday starts with cupcake baking...then I'll be taking those yummy vegan cupcakes to the art opening  for the show Glassifications. It's at the Howeeduzzit Gallery in Alhambra. Gorgeous glass in this show. It's an honor to be in it. 

After the opening it's a bit of fun (like all I've listed isn't fun) out at Mar Vista Park in West LA for the annual Summer Solstice Softball Game and BBQ. I'll be seeing some faces I haven't in a very long time. Should be very interesting...

Now next Saturday, June 27th I'm back at Tall Mouse for the Handmade Brigade Craft Show. Come on down and get some cupcakes (glass) and other beads as well as jewelry and I'll have more books. Check the flier above for more info.

Next Friday night June 26th, from 7-10, I'll be demoing at Reform School in Silver Lake at their Open House. See how the magic happens at the torch and then sign up for my class in July. Should be super fun.

My next post will have some great pictures from the fabulous macramé that decorated the best hotel in Palm Springs, The Ace Hotel. I stayed there for a couple of days last week to get away and work on the jewelry that's in the glass show. There was macramé in the lobby and restaurant and let me tell you I lost my mind. I've got to get the pictures off of my iphone and then I'll post them. Very inspiring!! Now I must make stuff and shouldn't you too...go make something...no really...go now and make something! And Happy Summer!!!

Book Signing & Class

I've got a class tomorrow. I know it's short notice to mention it but it's not the first time I've mentioned it...so it's a macramé class...donut necklace. It's pretty cool. Here's a note Hands on 3rd made.
Cute ad. So if you're interested it starts at 6:00pm tomorrow. If you can't make it...bummer. But that doesn't mean you can't learn how to make the necklace. There's a video on DIY's web site from the DIY Jewelry Making where I first made this necklace...check it out here http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/crafts.

On Saturday, June 6th, from 10:00am - 6:00pm I'll be at the San Gabriel Bead Company for a book signing for my new book, Mod Knots.


I'll also be bringing my beads for a bit of a trunk show. Whoo hoo! So if you need some cupcakes or beads for your donut necklace come on down. It's at 325 East Live Oak, Arcadia, CA 91006...626.447.7753. They're having a bead sale that weekend! 20% off all beads (except mine but my prices will be about 20% lower than retail in the store). Come on down! There will be some make and take projects...beads...books...macramé!

There are more good times ahead so check back and I'll tell you about them...now go make something!!

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!!