What a beautiful fall day out. It may not be sunny but it feels and looks like fall is here.

Today I am working on piece for the Metamorphosis Show at Del Ray Artisans for October. I think I am just submitting one piece this time, usually I enter as many as the Call For will take. Changing things up a little. Also working on patterns for the next show at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria in October. these shows will keep me busy and out of trouble.

I also need to restock from the craft fairs I have done in September. I have one in October, one in November and 3 in December. Better get cracking..... Do you know of any good shows out there I should be considering for next year?

Also need to load pieces in my online store. It has been up for two weeks and I have one sad lonely piece in it. So sad and such a procrastinator! Anybody have a couple of hours to spare?

Anyone out there know trees well? My Elm trees have this crazy stuff draining from where branches died. I think it is some fungus like slime fungus and that the trees need to come down. Hate to cut them as they are wonderful cover. If you know what it is and how to handle please email me. Thanks.

This week has flown by! I have learned so much is it not funny. Long story short- I changed my website over to Weebly from Yahoo and ended up loosing my website ans email for two days! It was very traumatic. Can you imagine no email for two days? Ok maybe when you are on vacation but just during a regular work week? I am recovered and I think my family has only minor damage from me loosing it. It was not pretty at all. I either spoke or chatted with MelbourneIT and Lycos (domain registrar) and Yahoo and Weebly (website hosts) for three days. If only I could add them to my contacts list I would probably double my email list! No seriously, I did learn a lot about  myself and how easily I get upset when things not in my control happen. Note to self: stop, step back and relax... it will work out if you are patient and calm. Oh one bad thing, I did loose all my blog posts from 2010-2014, very sad. Lots of good stories lost. By chance did anyone copy them? If so please email them to me and I will send you a present.

So all week I have been getting ready for two shows this weekend. Saturday is The Art Market at Del Ray Artisans in Alexandria. Sunday is Old Town Manassas Art Exhibit at the Harris Pavilion, hosted by Art Beat Gallery. It will be a full weekend for sure. I am looking forward to it. On Saturday I have help setting up as Berto is coming with me. It will be good for him to see what is involved with this part of my life. He is very supportive and this will show him yet another aspect of art as a career. If you are out and about please stop by and visit. Not too early to think about holiday gifts you know!

My classes for the fall are filling up. If you are thinking of taking a stained glass class I have openings in my Monday morning and Wednesday evening classes starting next week at the Workhouse Arts Center. Or if Saturday morning is more your speed for stained glass then Fairfax Parks and Rec had a class for you, starting September 27. And if jewelry making is what you want to learn then Fairfax Parks and Rec has a class starting next week or at the Center for the Arts in October. And last be not least is Kumihimo September 27 in Manassas at the Center for the Arts. Shameless promotion! I also have classes at my Studio that can be scheduled to fit your schedule.

So I know I will be having an arty weekend. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that maybe our paths will cross, till then remember to keep art in your heart.

Today is going to be a busy day. I have tasks I moved from Sunday and Monday on my to do list along with the Tuesday items! How did I fall behind? Not a real question because I know the answer... I procrastinated and did not accomplish what I needed to the last two days. Ugh! 

So today I am lighting a fire under myself and knocking out the list come hell or high water. What does that saying truly mean? Whatever, to me it means I will not go to bed until the tasks are done or set in motion. What is big on the list? Loading photos on website is probably the biggest. I never did get to transfer my email folders from Yahoo to Gmail but was able to get them to Outlook, at least I can go back and have them available. What I really need to do is read through and purge the folders so that it does not suck all that space and memory.

Last week I had a Play Day with some friends and we made molds out of silicone caulking and corn starch. It is amazing how this works. We only made a few molds. Note to self: clear caulking smells really strong and makes my eyes water and throat constrict. I will return unopened tubes for white caulk supposedly less smelly. In October I will be teaching a Mold Making class and need to find the best way to make flexible molds. I love research and development! It was a fun day.

I visited Community Forklift in Hyattsville MD looking for travertine tile and a bathroom vanity but did not find either. I did get louver doors for booth display for the sconces. Now I need to get cracking on production so the display is full. Bathroom remodel starts today. The old white subway tile is coming down and travertine is going up and replacing white vanity with dark wood vanity. This is my upstairs bathroom, previously white subway tile and porcelain floor tiles, now all travertine. I love it. 

It is Wednesday and that means it is WACKY Wednesday! One of my favorite days of the week. Years ago I taught a stained glass class on Wednesday nights and when the class ended the students and I kept meeting and working. We tagged it Wacky Wednesday. A small, intimate group, we had great time. The Security Guard even joined us some nights. Those were some fun nights.

In keeping with that feeling I have started Wacky Wednesdays at my home studio. Right now it is just me and the studio dogs and cat but we are having fun! OK.... I am having fun. Right now I am in the process of designing the patterns for the line of sconces I am producing. 

I recently received the awards below of Best of 2014 Springfield and Woodbridge for Jewelry Repair. Pretty cool, huh?  I believe it a company that just picks names for ads and makes this awards for the artist to buy and put in their studio. I can dream! Wacky!

So after years of a sad website I decided it was time to get a "big girl" website. I spoke with friends and other artists and felt this was the route to go. I tried to shed the "old" and make it all new but some things had to transfer over. Some things just had to stay. I must admit I am still learning through trial and error so please be patient.


This site also has a store so now I need to load all my pieces that are for sale on here. Baby steps with a few at a time so that I don't get overwhelmed and walk away from that huge task. I bet I could challenge myself to a set number each week, I was thinking 5 a day but am worried that I might talk myself out of a day and then have twice as much to do the next day. Can you see a pattern here?

This morning I had a OT appointment. Looks like my right wrist is getting stronger, still some pain but not like it was 2 years ago. This has been a very long road, and there is still work to be done. My elbow has not progressed as much, only one year there. I dream of pain free days. My work has improved also, does not look like a shaky old lady cut out the glass anymore. I am keeping a positive attitude on this improvement. Note to all: when you get injured at work make sure you are doing the proper steps for your company and not using your own medical care. I ended up loosing  Workman's Comp because I was not told the proper procedure. So much for being honest.

Our newest studio mate, Gordon is adjusting well. He has not stepped on glass yet but he did knock over a stack of clear texture glass that was laid out. Bad dog! He will learn just as Nanook and Wesley did. After 2 1/2 weeks we are all learning how to deal with a 4 month old puppy and he is learning how to fit in with a 9 year old dog and 4 year old cat that thinks he is a dog. 

What is on your workbench today? I have a candle cover that needs a bottom and two wall sconces in the works.