Wednesday, April 25, 2012

A Short Break in Service

I may disappear for a few days

I'm packing up my supplies

and my inventory

Locking up

Closing up

Getting ready to travel

Over water

by road

Going to fly away

looking forward to getting back to my northern studio

where I can make bangles

and plant a garden

Oh, and I got a haircut today

With a new stylist.

See you all soon!
XOXO Kim



Wednesday, April 18, 2012

You've Got Nail!

A present from my wayfaring scavengelist husband.
He's always on the lookout.
I have him pretty dialed in as to what I need in the rust department.
some of these pieces are 100 plus years old.

Now I have a good supply to lampwork onto.
Question is do I bring back to Alaska now.

The top piece looks like it's ready to become a necklace already

This guy really knows how to please a gal!
He found it all at an old copper mining town


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

What I've Been Missing~ Collage and Mail Art

I've been on a very rewarding roll since I returned from our winter India trip.
Lot's of energy and inspiration and a new group of creative designers that I've met through the blogs.
I've kind of missed messing with paper though and since I'm winding up my glass studio in the next week in preparation for the move back north I promised myself some glue time.

I've been saving envelopes for this purpose

I've been hoarding all manner of papers~ saving the best vintage stuff for some real pieces of art  later on down the line.




I would like to extend a sale to all of you wonderful followers and friends that visit my blog.
I'll have an Esty Sale for my new *Criffles* for 20% off till Friday, April 20  
and the first one to order will get them delivered in the envelope above.
Coupon code is   CRIFFMONKEY

Then I'll probably have to take a bit of hiatus in beadmaking until I get settled in up north.
I've got a show within the first week 6 hours from our place down in Anchorage
The Alaska Bead & Gem Show


"Dosnails"
But lately this is what I also have been up to.
They flashed through the shop so fast you may have missed them.
don't worry I'll be making more today

"Studnik"

"Zen Scissor"
hasn't been posted yet.
still attached to it myself.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Introducing *Criffles*

*Criffles*

Crusty riffles, a new crusty take on my whorls but now in muted colors (although this scan is making them look less than muted) and reduction frit with the soda finish. 
Maybe I haven't explained to you how I crustificate my beads. As I'm torching I roll the beads in plain old baking soda several times in between torching. then the bubbling happens and leaves a hard spongy powdery and aged looking surface. My work table ends up looking like a scene out of Scarface

They got big holes

Thinking of doing a transparent run today on this theme today.
I've got less than two weeks to wrap this operation up before we fly back to Alaska.
Then the shows start...and the Farmer's Market and back to the Garaj Mahal studio
with lots of space and less distractions.

another feeler gap gauge piece. 
I think it looks like a rams horn


and a shiny one.

Oh, and good news I just discovered another drawer full of twisty rusty wire, Yay!

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Nails, Wires Necklaces and Hexes

I was almost finished with this necklace when I realized it didn't have any of my lampwork in it. 
This happens every once in awhile.
It does have some big chunky Thai silver beads
and some fabulous ceramic raku beads with plenty of sheen.
Lava beads and abalone shell and enameled copper.



And wire wrapping with oxidized silver field wire.
I was curious about this "silver field wire" that I got at the gem show in Tucson.
It was cheaper and still looked good to me.
Someone behind me in line remarked about the misspelling.
I still didn't get it.
Finally... duh, I got it! Silver filled wire.
I still bought it.


Kim tries her hand at wire wrapping
hahahahahaha!
I kind of like it in a messy kind of way.
I do NOT know what I'm doing!
Ocean jasper focal
Thai silver croissant squiggles.
I have loads of these squiggles back in Alaska to sell.
Let me know if you're interested.
Lava beads, some lampwork and stones.


You know what? I'm running out of twisty wire, whatimgonnado?
A limited run I guess. I do have lots of rusty nails, some waiting for me in Alaska.
People have been contacting me, they have some.

So I thought I'd post this on Etsy before I put it up here and zip it's gone

and this one too...sorry 

This one is coming up

And new crusty  big hole soft hexes.
Look at the ephemera alek gave me!
We did a bit of a swapperoo

Crusty wasabi big hole soft hexes

Still playing with the ridge-y press.
I kind of like it but have to watch the ends so I don't leave them too sharp.