We are really hustling to make as much stuff as physically possible for Tucson. It's fun, we have three of our friends helping us to cast, grind, organize and polish the goods. Tim, from Fire Glass, Steve Gornic hailing from Tridelphia and Thomas (T.J) have all been a blessing, staying up all hours to help. We are so lucky to have art school alumni as buddies!
I've enjoyed making elaborate salads for dinner every night (pear, spinach,mixed greens, bacon, dried cranberries, blueberries,almonds,pistachios,croutons and loads of blue cheese dressing) we've been trying to 'eat healthy'. I guess Pasta Carbonara doesn't qualify (bacon,eggs and parmesan)! I made a traditional filipino dish for dinner called Chicken Adobo, a savory garlic and soy sauce concoction my mama used to make (which is the BEST way to prepare chicken,hands down!). Pretty much 30 minute meals since we began busting it for the big shows. I can't wait to relax!
Andrew and I have been planning a relaxing after-show party in Tucson, luckily Andrew is a genius and everything is coming together. I just have to make invites and plan a menu, no sweat! So, this year we've started the earliest and have the most help - and I am still freaking out, which is what I do every year. I'm freakin' out right now, worried about my pmc amulets (I love them-pmc caps on crystal clear hollow beads filled with treasures and a tiny drawing) I should have some finished versions tommorow.
Here are a couple pics of Azalea, one in her new hilltribe dress, shipped to her
from Thailand - a gift from Sheila. She is still in Burma, heading to India with a side trip to Japan. I'm going to ask her to get me gold bangles in India. The other is her playing with her windmill doll house and the doll I made for her, named Kiki - after the girl in the movie 'Kiki's Delivery Service' - a fav of my baby girl. I love the name Kiki, I told Greg we should name our second baby Kiki ( also because I love the wonderful artist Kiki Smith) or Gabriel (for my grandfather, who was a medicine man). But, I have to get knocked up before I start naming nuts, as the saying goes. Maybe next year. Or the year after that. Well, I'm off to change a diaper.

Hi!
Working like crazy, preppin' for Tucson. I can't wait, and I dread going. I've never been away from Azalea for more than a few days. I hope I don't crack. That girl is my shooting star!

I've had a couple requests to see pics of my dolls, so here are a couple. They are made from paper clay, polymer, wire, acrylic paint, and natural fibers.

A customer sent a pic of Steven Tyler wearing one of our beads (hot lips) in his hair! Greg has the pic on his blog www.gregogden.blogspot.com Another celebrity sighting! If you spot one of our beads on a star let us know or take picture (I'm sure they would love that, it instills a feeling of being important) and we will send you free beads! I must admit I like seeing our stuff all over the place, it makes all the slaving feel less like slaving and more like working really hard.

Jeremiah (long time buddy and fabulous artist)has a new blog, and it is loads of fun http://smallandround.vox.com/ check it out and see what you think.

I'm on the look out for a good blood orange marmalade recipe. I had one from Martha but I can't find it and its not on her site. If you have one and wish to bring a little happiness to my life, let me know. Speaking blood, i found a flower I love, love, love! A blood lily! Or Scadoxus Multiflorus, to be accurate. See them on this site www.easytogrowbulbs.com and love them too.

Working non-stop for the ginormous Tucson Show. If you've never been, it's flippin' amazing! Overwhelming is an understatement. I've gone every year for ten years and I have never seen all of the shows going on. The entire town is taken over by gem and mineral (and bead!) dealers from around the world, lasting nearly a month. We will be at The Best Bead Show (www.crystalmyths.com) and also at The Manning House Mansion or The To Bead True Blue Show (www.tobeadtrueblue.com) The dates are between jan. 31 -feb.4 (check websites for details).

I'm tired, my hands ache and my eyes burn - and I still have hours of work to do! Yikes! Waxes are a pain in the ass to clean up for casting. We use dark red jewelers wax to make our shibuichi pieces- I will show a pic of how many I just finished, I was like a little machine! All worth it though. I love going out west, meeting my buddies and shopping for sparklies!

I have to get back to repairing waxes. These better cast right or I will yell till I pop!
This is a pic of our newest pieces, soon to be available! Frick, the amazing 30 lb. big-boned beast of a cat, and his nemesis, Azalea Belle in b+w.

Hello! Just rolled in from a fun trip to Florida. We did the Fort Lauderdale show hosted by Jane's Bead Mercantile and had an amazing time. To start, the hotel was flippin' awesome, we felt like rock stars! Priceline got us the Hyatt for $80 a night! An i-pod dock, a bidae(a sort of strange low sink for washing private zones - its a european thing) and a waterfall pool (which we enjoyed most of the night) along with a full spa added to our happiness. I love Priceline. The show was a great success, we saw many of our long-time customers (really old friends by now) and I enjoyed shopping with my favorite vendors. If you get a chance to go to a Bead Mercantile Show, be sure to look at Scarlett Fire for really exotic bead choices and NaBoRow for good prices and unique silver from Thailand. I got some inspiring goods.

Greg surprised me with a few comments suggesting Florida wouldn't be a bad place to live (as we splashed around an outdoor pool at night in winter) and I agreed. I have to say I like it more everytime we go, which is good, 'cause I went through an anti-Florida stage (I'm from Orlando). So now I want to move, especially since I came home to snow covering everything. I've never been to the Carribean, but I think it would suit us. Or New Zealand. Basically warm and on a coast, and has to be beautiful.

Yesterday we walked ourselves into exhaustion at Disney World. I hadn't been in close to 10 years so it seemed really updated and exciting. We went on the Pirates ride, Flying Carpet, Haunted Mansion, Small World, Buzz Lightyear, lunch at the Cosmic Cafe and took the train around the park. Whew! What a fun day! Azalea nearly lost her mind with happiness!

I have a lot of sample necklaces from 2006 and I think I want to do a giveaway, or contest. I would appreciate any ideas for a fun game to win samples. How about to start, the person that suggests the contest/game/etc. that we use gets a necklace! So comment to win.

Thank you to everyone that stopped by to visit us in Fort Lauderdale! We appreciate your support!

Hello! Lots of work getting done around here! I've been working on making bezels for either resin or polymer, which are pretty neat. I know they will be useful to all of the miniature painters and collage artists looking for ways to make their art wearable. I'll post pics as soon as I find the camara card.

For those patient souls waiting for your fairies, know that I am re-sculpting them so we can get some clean casts (the original mold broke right after we put her up on the web), I worked all day on her tiny face- she will be done in two shakes of a lambs tail! Promise!

I found a doll artist that I just LOVE. They are strange, creepy and utterly charming, I almost don't want to give the site away until I get my doll, www.strangedolls.net . Not cute, so prepare yourself. Seeing the artists creations instilled an intense desire to shirk my duties and make dolls, a past time I enjoy more than leather carving or felting, but not more fun than testing new brands of chocolate. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it (doll making, that is).

It seems my last post caused a stink! The phrase 'plotting revenge' although said in jest, has upset the balance. I'm actually nice, so revenge would be more along the lines of keeping the truffles, rather than parting with them (which is, come to think of it, horribly cruel). I'm also a firm believer in things existing in a circular sort of way...you know, what comes around goes around...etc,etc.

Well, I'm off to work late into the night. I found a quote that I'm going to use on my next piece, one that I think is resoundingly beautiful:

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul"
-Emily Dickinson