Boro! Boro! Boro!

Ok, it's not as catchy as the movie title, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" but if you've only been playing with soft glass and then finally take the plunge into boro, it's definitely as exciting as the movie!
Boro is stiffer than soft glass, takes longer to work (at least on my torch it does) and reacts differently. I find it somewhat unpredictable and I have trouble getting consistent results but it's so much fun to experiment!
I've started using boro frit and I've got some more on order that should arrive tomorrow. New glass-how exciting!
Here's a pair of boro beads made using some frit. These are very soft colors but also very eye-catching, with swirls of golds and pinks encased in clear. I listed them today in my Etsy shop. I'm hoping to make some more like them this weekend. Hope you like them!

Editing Bead Photos

I'm not sure why, but my Photoshop Elements program is so slow that it makes me want to pull my hair out! It takes 2 minutes, yep, 2 minutes, just to load a photo so I can edit it. Drives me crazy. Anyway, I took some photos and added a few listings to my Etsy shop today. More to list tomorrow, if I can stand to wait 2 minutes every time I load a photo.

Here's some sneak peeks of some earring pairs that I'll be listing next:

Treasury!

My friend Maggie of BeadTowne featured me in her Etsy Treasury on this historic inauguration day. Titled "Change we Can Believe in," Maggie included several members of the newly formed Wet Canvas Street Team, Wetsy, in her Treasury. I'm honored that she chose my Copper Ice bracelet for her Treasury and it's such a delight to share the page with such talented jewelry artists. Thanks Maggie!

Maggie's an incredible lampwork artist and I've admired her beads for years. She makes glass disks, faux beach glass and very realistic-looking chocolates. Her shell beads are a special delight. Definitely worth checking out Maggie's Etsy shop!

Here's a picture of one of her currently listed shell beads:

Gem Faire

Armed with a get-in-free card, a wee bit of cash in hand, a debit card and a desire to add more beads to my stash, I headed over the hill to the Gem Faire location. Yowsers, what a sight! Vendors galore. Gemstones and beads and crystals, oh my!

Several hours later, with significantly less cash in hand, I headed home with my haul. Visions of necklaces and bracelets danced before my eyes and I can hardly wait to play with some of my new goodies.

99 Things

There's a thing going around the blogging world where you go through a list of 99 things, indicating the ones you’ve done, the ones you haven’t done and never ever want to do, and the ones you haven’t done but would like to do. So, without further ado, here's my list, with:

* Things I’ve done in bold.
* Things I haven’t done but would like to do in italics.
* Things I haven’t done and never, ever want to do in plain text.

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band — or musical.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitchhiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a Marathon.
28. Ridden a Gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business.
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Gotten flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma.
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt.
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit.(But only as the attorney for one of the parties, never as a litigant)
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.

Only One Word Answers Allowed!

Kind of hard but thought-provoking and fun. Answer the questions with only one word.

Where is your mobile phone? Purse
Where is your significant other? Bed
Your hair colour? Dishwater
Your mother? Dead
Your father? Dead
Your favourite thing? Music
Your dream last night? Forgotten
Your dream goal? Huh?
The room you're in? Messy
Your hobby? Beads
Your fear? Pain
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here
Where were you last night? Home
What you're not? Fit
One of your wish-list items? iPhone
Where you grew up? Portland
The last thing you did? Game
What are you wearing? Jeans
Your TV? Off
Your pets? Funny
Your computer? Slow
Your mood? Anxious
Missing someone? Yes
Your car? Red
Something you're not wearing? Shoes
Favourite shop? Bead
Your summer? Short
Love someone? Deeply
Your favourite colour? Purple
When is the last time you laughed? Tonight
When is the last time you cried? Forgotten

Tag - I'm "It!"

My friend Barrie, "tagged" me in her blog, Barrie's Jewelry World, to tell you all seven random things about myself. Barrie's list was quite fun - she was such a rebel when she was younger and definitely had some interesting jobs! I, on the other hand, am totally boring and conventional. But since I've been tagged, I'll play along and try to come up with seven random things that you probably don't know about me.

1) Although I've lived in Oregon for most of my adult life, I was born in the South to parents who were from the South and I still consider myself a Southerner. I miss the South - the fabulous food, the friendly people, the more neighborly way of life, the basic values. If my husband wasn't an Oregonian with all of his family in the area, I'd live below the Mason-Dixon line in a heartbeat!

2) I used to practice law and was a halfway decent attorney. I passed the Oregon State Bar in 1990 and practiced law until late 1996. My caseload was emotionally draining - family law, criminal law and juvenile law. I closed my practice in 1996 and took a job as a picture framer. I still do framing and absolutely love it.

3) I'm a music fanatic. I hate TV and will almost always have music playing. Most any kind, but usually 70-80's rock, old time country, gospel and folk music. If it's by the Eagles, I love it. If it's by Gordon Lightfoot, I love it. If it's country from the 60's, I love it. And traditional gospel is probably my favorite of them all. Nothing beats "Amazing Grace" or "How Great Thou Art!"

4) I love to read and will read almost anything. The classified ads in the local Scappoose newspaper, the sides of cereal boxes, books, CD jackets, receipts, etc. Doesn't matter what it is, I like to read it.

5) I once tried out for "Jeopardy" but didn't get very far. Answering those questions when you're playing along at home is easy, but doing it when you're time pressured and competing with other trivia buffs is alot harder!

6) I'm socially inept. Put me in front of a classroom or a group full of people to give a talk or lecture and I'm not the least bit nervous. Put me in a social setting and expect me to make small talk, I freeze up faster than snow on Mt. Everest. I get so uncomfortable that I almost get physically ill. Maybe it's because I used to be painfully shy, or maybe it's because I don't see the point of small talk, but I'd really rather do almost anything else than try to be social at a party.

7) I love to dance. I'm not good at it but it's fun and I enjoy the heck out of it. My favorite song to dance to is "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by the Temptations. Or "Higher Love" by Steve Winwood. Just can't keep still when I hear those!

Okay, so my secrets are out. I'm a music-loving, former legal beagle, Southerner who can't make it onto Jeopardy and would rather listen to old gospel music and dance to The Temptations than go to a party! So now, I get to tag some other unsuspecting bloggers. Let's see, who will it be...

Rita
Julie
Maggie