My How Time Flies!

Apparently it has been almost a month since my last blog post! Shame! I was really trying to do so much better about being consistent with posting... ah.. such is life! The big news this week, is my kiln has decided to take a vacation.. I am waiting for a part, which I am told (fingers, toes and any other parts that will cross, crossed) will likely fix the problem and be easy to install. I am fairly handy, so hopefully this won't be beyond my capabilities! In the mean time... NO BEADS... Can I just go on record to say how much that sucks!

I have been working diligently on making more jewelry. I have a lot more listings in my Juniper Gems shop. I have lots more things to list with many more in the works!

On Monday my little girl will be turning 17! We are having a birthday party for her this weekend and I am currently praying that all 20 of the 16-17 year old's she invited DON'T come! I do like her friends..and yes, we did let her invite that many, but partly because in past years such a small number actually ended up coming to the party, that I figured  push the number a little higher and and hopefully she'll have a satisfying turn out...Nothing is worse than your kid sad that nobody is coming to their party!

Hopefully my kiln will be back operating by the beginning of next week. I have a feeling I am REALLY going to need an outlet after this weekend.. either that or a whole lot of wine! I have several new things on the bead front planned, but I am going to keep them a surprise for now...Not a big departure for me, but something new just the same!

There are still plenty of nice things in my bead shop.. hopefully I will have some new offerings sometime next week! Spring break comes early here in Texas.. the kids are out the week after next I think.....I guess I will have to find some entertaining things to do. At least it's warm now! Thanks for stopping by!

He Came.. He Went...

But that's just fine with me because he left what I had been waiting for.. My new kiln! The "Man in Brown" Aka, The UPS driver did come yesterday and deliver my package without a scratch on it! I opened that box up, read the instruction, Yes, some people do that, and then went out and made the necessary adjustments so the cord would reach the plug in and I could still conveniently reach the door with little effort. It only took a little finessing to get things the way I wanted them and I had things all set up.

The kiln comes with several pre-programed annealing schedules, but I wanted to input a custom schedule that would accommodate my use of both Effetre and Bullseye glass. This was easier said than done since I am not exactly a whiz at this type of gizmos. It usually takes me a dozen or so tries before I get the damn thing figured out, but once I do get it down, I usually have a pretty good understanding of it since I have done it every possible wrong way and now have a fairly clear grasp on the right way.

I ran it through the program last night just to test it out and see if it ramped through all the steps correctly and it appears to have come through with flying colors! I am planning on getting out there later tonight make some beads and actually anneal them IN MY KILN!!! Yes, I find this thrilling! It has been a long road to get here! This is no cheap art form! I still have several significant things to do that will cost a bundle, but for now I have a workable studio. At least until the temperatures here in Texas start creeping back up and my garage becomes a sauna!

Waiting forThe Man...

Nope, Not Santa yet, I am waiting for the "Man In Brown", Every girls boyfriend that brings her gifts, the UPS Man. I am supposed to get my kiln today and can't wait! I just love it when the UPS Man or the Fed Ex Guy arrives at my door. Even if you know you've ordered something, it still like a gift has arrived and it's so much fun to open your box and unpack all of your goodies! It sad someday's when he drives right by without even so much as a wave... Hey, I thought we had a good thing going? Why are you being so distant? Then comes that ring of the doorbell and knock, they always do both, if their any good! And once again my hope in the Man in Brown has been renewed. I have to say though, that Fed Ex guy has been pretty frequent as well lately, I wonder if Mr. Brown will get jealous?

I have a bunch of new glass coming in the next week or so, as well as some new presses. I have several jars of frit I have yet to get a chance to play with and several new tutorials that I am dying to try out. I have finally found most of the unusual and unique glass and such that the tutorials call for, so hopefully I can get to working on those soon.

It'll be nice to see Santa later this week, but for now... I am waiting for Mr. Brown!

I Bought A Kiln!!!

Yes, I bought a kiln and am currently doing quite the little happy dance! This finally brings it all together! After months of torching, taking classes, buying more equipment, tools, supplies and getting things re-set up after a considerable move, I can finally make and anneal my beads! Being that is is the middle of the holiday season, I won't be killing myself to try and make beads and get them listed in my Etsy shop until after the first of the year and all of my holiday festivities are over, decorations are packed away for another year long hibernation and I have regained what sanity I still posses. I'm sure there isn't too much sanity left, but I have always though crazy people had the most fun anyway! I mean if you are too nuts to care, I'd say there is great freedom in that!

I will post some photos here when I get that far and likely on my other blog, Juniper Gems, as well. Thank you to all who have placed a heart in my empty Principessa Glass shop! It means a lot to have so much support in advance! I still have a lot of inventory in my Juniper Gems shop if you are looking for Holiday gifts still. I ship everything from that shop via USPS Priority mail, so as long as you buy before or on December 21st (early in the day) You should have no trouble getting and on time delivery. Just remember, I do my best to get things out the door in 24 hours or less, after that it's up to the postal service to do their job!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!