Glass? What is that?

My whole life seems to be about glass, yet I have been so distant from it lately.
Life is always crazy around me. I get involved in so much stuff I barely have time to breath sometimes. I am hosting a SWARM on Saturday. A SWARM is a bunch of ladies that get together and Crafts/scrapbook/talk/ laugh/ and learn. It is called a SWARM because it is usually filled with a bunch of Cricuts (dies cutting machines) that are chirping aways. Anyway, I host these 4 to 5 times a year and this just happens to be the weekend. At the time this was planned I wasn't buying a new house, moving and dealing with packing. I will survive. I actually love these SWARMS. I have meet some of my best friends through them.
I have been so busy that I haven't touch my torch or any form of glass in almost 2 months. I am dreading packing all my glass. Hundreds of pounds of glass rods, sheet glass and then all the tools, kilns and sandblasting equipment. Goodness, what was I thinking agreeing to move? I will not have as big of an area to have my studio at the moment. We will be building a studio in about a year that will be exactly what I want. Hopefully!!!
I have been getting a couple orders lately that I have to have done by the end of February. I am just waiting for their okay to proceed. However it is actually sandblasting granite so I still won't be playing with glass. I love sandblasting, however, I hate sandblasting memorial markers. I do because otherwise people can not afford them. Their are a few schools that call me and I will do them for their dedication ceremony. They typically plant a tree and have the marker in front of the tree. Very nice gesture, but sad.
Well, back to my crazy busy life. Have a great day.

Looks like we got a new house

Well, they have accepted our offer and now we wait for the closing assuming that nothing goes wrong with the appraisal or the inspections. We are hoping to close on Feb 29, 2012. Even though the house is beautiful inside we are going to paint it prior to moving in. To many white walls for me. Gotta have my color. I will post picture once it is a done deal. Don't want to jinx it. I am going to start packing up my studio supplies this week and see what I can get rid off. Yikes, it is just scary in there. So much glass. Guess that is a good thing though. I also have to go through my other crafting supplies. Now that is just crazy scary. I feel like a hoarder when I see everything I have. Can't wait to get everything clean and organized.
Disney World was awesome with my niece and nephew by the way. It is completely different with kids. I road Rocking Roller coaster 3 times and Tower of terror 3 times. Expedition Everest 2 times and a bunch of other stuff. Watched the Wishes fireworks from the beach at the Polynesian and then in the park another night. Whole trip was a blast.

Crazy busy days as usual

I guess I could say my life is always crazy. Right now we are in the process of trying to buy a new house, take my niece and nephew to Disney World, and pack and organize all my glass shop supplies. Boy do I have a lot of glass to move. I will be working from our new home garage until we build a shop for all my glass working. Which as many of you know I currently work from my garage as it is so no big change except for the new house garage is a bit smaller.
I'm trying to find a couple shows to do this spring. I will continue to take orders and continue my business as usual. So this change won't really effect anything.
Once they okay the offer and stuff I'll post pictures of our new home. I am so excited.
I look forward to getting to design and build my own workshop and one that overlooks the lake would be awesome!!!

Great day for me.

I sandblasted a wine bottle for a friend and she ordered a bunch. YAY!!! I love sandblasting and guess it will always be my first love as far as glass.
I still get a thrill every time I sandblast something. It has been a long road. 32 years and counting. I use to sandblast anything glass, not I am a little more particular. I just love altering something so plain and simple and making it something creative.
I am gonna be busy for a few days but that is fine. It is great to get to do what I love.

Wow, it has been a year!!!

So it has been over a year since I was all gung ho and got everything all set up for my business. Well, life went a bit crazy and I am just now getting back to getting this stuff going.
I spent the day working on some beads for a special order.
A friend of mine suggested I get back to posting on my blog so here I go.
Please keep checking back, I'll try to keep it current with some pictures as well.

We are up and running

I spend most of my days right now working on Business stuff. I have got my website almost finished but we are online. I have an Artfire account and an etsy account and also an ebay account.

www.artfire.com under Texasartangel
www.etsy.com under Texasartangel
www.ebay.com user Id Texasartangel

my website is www.texasartangel.com

So I have been doing something. I melt several bottles a day and am working on getting ready for a couple shows.

Let me know what you think.

Lori

Some of my items for sale

This is one of my recycled Champagine bottle cheese or fruit trays. I sell these for $15.00 it is green in color.

Send me an email if you are interested in one.






These are my tea lights. They are glass and hold a small tea light. I sell them for $5.00 each.


Send me an email if you are interested in one.

other colors available.

Melting some glass

I have been trying for a couple days to make some beads, but my mojo was missing. So I decided to melt some glass doing a fusing project. I'd love to show you pictures but the kiln is still running so all I have is my quick sneek peek photo. I know it doesn't look like much, but hopefully they turn out pretty cool.

I mainly did these to do a test run on Little Bit my smaller kiln that I bought in Mississippi last month.

Tomorrow is my Hotties meeting and I won't get to melt anything but bottles tomorrow night. But that's okay, As long as I melt something I'm happy.

I've gotta get my Cricut out and make some calling cards for an upcoming Cricut Circle event on the 23rd. Busy, Busy!!!

Here is one of the latest Recycled Bottles

This is my favorite bottle I have melted so far. Love it. Love recycling and making something useful and artsy.

As you can tell it is large. Just wanted to post a picture tonight. Got a batch of bottles in there now. Wait till tomorrow.

Been playing with my new Kilns

That's right I ended up with 2 new kilns. Last time I posted I was waiting for Big Momma to get here. Well she made it finally and I love her. Then on a fluke a lady in Mississippi posted that she was selling a kiln and giving away some fusible glass. Well, free glass. I'm all over that. It just so happened that we were going to Mississippi that next week. Well, I got the glass. Amazing glass, sorted by coe and everything. Lots of Dicro in there as well. But when I saw the kiln, I was excited. looked like it was brand new and I got it for less than 1/2 price. I am very excited to say I now have 4 kilns. One I will be (hopefully turning into a vitrograph kiln) and then my bead kiln and the two fusing kilns.



Okay, so I try and try to post something, but m,y goal for this month is to post a project everyday. It may be one of my recycled bottle cheese trays or a bead of another project, but I will try to keep up with this.



My upcoming shows are

October 9, 2010 SWAP and SELL at Spring Arts Guild

November 6, 2010 Vintage Park off of 249 and Louetta

November 20, 2010 Private Show and Sell in Austin

December 4, 2010 Open House





Some recent beads I have made.

It is almost here!!

Well, Thursday seems like forever away now. That is the day I get to go pick up my New Kiln. I can hardly wait. I will be able to make my own stuff in my own big kiln. I already have a few orders waiting for my kiln. It is a Paragon Kiln that I ordered from Bob at www.hotglasshouston.com if you need any glass supplies, kiln, advice on glass. Go talk to Bob. He is my go to guy in Houston. I'd live up there if my husband would let me . Glass all day every day. Life is good.
I will have a 19 by 19 inch shelf to work my magic on. My head is spinning with ideas now. I'll never get to sleep.
I've been working on projects for the SWARM and some stuff for the Hotties lately. Have made a few beads. Guess I should take some pictures.
I just wanted to check in and let you know what was going on.

Hope you are having a great week.
Happy creating
Lori

All about frineds

Well, I have been busy blasting tiles and trying to catch up from the Gathering.

I had lunch today with one of my best friends. She is my crash buddy. We were in a car wreck almost 6 years ago (the end of this month actually) We barely knew each other then, but over the last 6 years we have become alot closer. She is an inspiration to me with all my work. She thinks I can do anything so, I hate to disappoint her, so I try.

I am the current President of The Houston Society of Glass Beadmakers (the Hotties) here in Houston. I talked with her today about running for another term. She is so sweet, she says I'm doing a great job (trust me, she'd tell ya if ya weren't.) So with my husbands approval tomorrow I will most likely run for a second term in office. It is alot of work, but very rewarding as far as the friendships, knowledge and inspiration. Ever in Houston, stop by one of our meetings.

So, my birthday is coming up in 19 days. I'll be 44 years old. Kinda feel cheated. I told everyone for months I was 44, oops I'm not I'm 43. Oh well, age is only a number. I like the number 44 this year.

I'm getting a new kiln. I am so excited!!!! Buying it at Hot Glass Houston her in Houston. If you haven't checked it out. Head on over, tell Bob that I sent ya.

http://www.hotglasshouston.com/

Well, guess I better get to gettin and get some stuff done around here.

Have a fantastic day and an awesome week.

Craft on!

Lor

I didn't fall off the face of the earth...

I just entered another Galaxy.



To the Left: Me and Peggy Got my first ever trade bead from her. A little rabbit

This is Jackie and me. She is like the sweetest thing ever.

This is Martha and Mike Frantz with her winnings.

The Tall Girls Club. Martha, Me, Heather and Kristy. These ladies are awesome. Ever notice how tall women tend to flock together?

These are the Houston Hotties: Martha, me, Lisa and Michelle and Bonnie. Check out the blingage!!!

Seriously, I have been horrible about keeping up my blog. Fortunately or unfortunately I have been busy selling stuff, so I have been blasting and lamp working. I also just got back from my trip to Rochester, New York for the Gathering. It was fabulous. I got burned and fell and hurt my knee and toe. Was not a huge fan of my teacher, but the rest was AWESOME. The Houston Hotties took the place by storm. With our blinged out shirts and our flame bags. I got to rub elbows with some fantastic artist. Milon Townsend was probably the highlight of my whole trip. He is an amazing artist and a great guy. I went on a tour of his studio and got to watch him make the phenomenal paperweight with a frog on top. His wife cook some wonderful food. She is sooooooo sweet. They have a 3 month old puppy (and you know I can't resist puppies) I will never forget that day. Then that evening he came to open torch and demo'd his new torch "Mini Milon" Well, you know I had to buy one. Wowzers it was great. He made a lady curled up in a ball and attached it to a hand the Rob had made. It was so exciting.

I meet some fabulous people, Heather, Jackie, Kristy, Kim, Cynthia and Dan, Barry, Ross, Cody, Doug, Craig, Peggy, Wes, Cedi and so many more. Don't be hurt if I didn't list your name, I just am old and tired and couldn't remember everyone off the top of my head right now.

The bead exchange was scary at first but everyone loved my tiles and my beads. I traded for some fantastic pieces. I even traded for tiles to be mailed later (which go out Monday)

Martha and I shared a room and really had a good time. We laughed so much. She was one of the lucky big winners. She won the CIM glass from Frantz art Glass. She was so happy. I'd have loved to have won it, but was so glad if I didn't she did.

I really think this is something every lamp work artist should experience (without the burn, or fall) It is a whole new world and one you should be a part of.

I will do my best to post more. Thanks for looking!

Happy torching.

Lori

I'M BACK

Been a crazy month. I've gotten a few beads made, but not nearly as many as I would like. Getting ready for an open house tomorrow. Should be fun. Took a class at Hot Glass Houston last month and taking another this month. Glass classes of course. Tee Hee!!! I have 44 days until the Gathering in New York. Gotta get those beads a cranking. Want to be able to trade for the wonderful beads of other great artist.
As always keep crafting and talk soon.
Lori

Sandblasting

These were all blasted for a Military ball. Hope they bring them lots of money. Each one was hand cut and then sandblasted.

We Won, We Won

We won first place in Free Speech with our Art Car. I can tell you we got some pretty excited girls here. (and Brad) Lauire text me tonight to tell me we got first place for the Peace Mobile. Woo Hoo!! How awesome is that?

Unimog Decorating

So, a friend calls and says my husband entered his Unimog in the Art Car Parade. I'm thinking, cool, then she says will you help me decorate it? Sure! What are friends for right? Well it got decorated today, well partly. There is still some work to do, but here is what our Peace Mobile looks like. It is a Unimog, turned hippie chickie. We cut out all of the vinyl today with the help of my trusty Cricut expression and my Gypsy. We started around 9 am and ended around 5:30pm. We took a lunch break and ran and got some pretty decent Mexican food. But we worked all day. We had a blast. Even Coby, Laurie's dog tried to help. Brad and Laurie's mother were also there. We laughed and joked and talked all day, but we got some serious work done. I won"t be in the Parade, but I'll be watching to see what happens. Hope they run it on TV. Peace and Love !

Lori

Busy, busy

So no pictures to post today, but I have been busy. Working on a few projects. Got a lot of sandblasting to do this week. Making beads and some chain maille. Hoping to get a good day in with some fusing as well.
Decided it was time to organize my days to accomplish more. Worked very well today, let's see how it holds up this week.
Wish me luck

Today's creations

Here is what I did today. It is a shaggy loop bracelet and earring set done in sterling silver square wire with a swivel lobster claw clasp and silver ear wires. There are a total of 144 jump rings. This set is for a customer, but you can have one made for you. Just send me an email texasartangel@gmail.com we can discuss sizes etc.. I love doing Chain Maille, I find it relaxing. I'm going to working on one new project a day 5 days a week. Getting ready for an open house and this makes it a little easier. I figure instead of staying up all night the days before the event, if I do them a little at a time, I'll have quite a little inventory ready for the sale.

I've been trying to get everything set up for ebay and etsy. It is taking longer than I had expected. But I will get it going soon.

Hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Celtic Cage Chain Maille Earrings

Today, a friend and I spent half the day trying to figure out this pattern. We had to make jump rings and then make a few adjustments. Once we got it going it went fine. First pair took us 2 1/2 hours. Goodness, now that we got it figured out, it shouldn't take that long. I wasn't able to get a good picture of the pair but I did get a good single one. So you will have to imagine a pair. Hope you enjoy them.

Lori