a couple of links...

several months ago, when I was still taking the time to also maintain the news update over on my glass website, I posted a link to this awesome house site. I'm posting a link to the house site on this blog because, well, I want to!  I just love some of the houses that are on the front page of the site today.  I visit this site often, and daydream of future modern home....one of these days.....

and one more link for you.  Since I brought up my Clo Glassworks business above... I sell my signature "Melting Heart" pendant to a local gift shop.  And the local newspaper, Indystar, recently went around to local gift shop to select items for their gift-giving guide for the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday.  and apparently, my little Melting Heart necklaces caught her eye, and are included in the suggestion list....and a picture of one of my hearts is on the home page of the newspaper's website.  Look down below the main article...that row of thumbnail pix.....the third picture is a heart...that's mine!  click on it, and you'll be shown a little photo gallery of gift ideas.

What I find a little funny is that I haven't had a chance to make hearts, let alone take more stock to this gift shop, in MONTHS!  The Crown business has become the equivalent of about 2 full-time jobs.  Just not enough time in the day to also getting to make glass beads and pendants!  And I'd rather be busy than bored, so no complaints out of me....but I do find it ironic that my little hearts get noticed locally right at the time that I have 0 time to make more!

Happy Wednesday!

Milos Crowns!

The Milos-silver crowns are in demand right now---I just got done making 3 sets, and thought it might be fun to show those crowns in progress. 

I've already got the crowns constructed and coated with "liquid silver"

I airbrush on the silver finish and allow it to dry. 





 Then, I spray on a sealant, to prevent tarnish

Once the sealant dries, I just need to attach connecting ribbons onto each set, photograph each set and email them to their rightful owners and ship them off...One set is staying in the US, one set is going to Canada (and they're getting married in Cyrpus!), and the 3rd set is going to the UK.



And it seems like, along with the Milos crowns...all metal crowns are in demand at the moment, so here's the mess that I call my silver-smithing table at the moment.  I have about 5 different crown sets in progress on that table.  Plus that whole pile on the floor!  Looks like I'll need to clean/organize the weekend, huh?

And my garage is still cold, so yes, that's a space heater.  I've been listening to a lot of Stevie Wonder while working, too...so the crowns have a nice jazzy aura!

ok, back to work!

Upcoming travel

Hi Everyone...Just wanted to let you know that I will be out of town starting Wednesday Feb 17 until late in the day Saturday Feb 20. Since I will be out of town, nothing will be shipped during that time, so please plan accordingly!!

I will be back to work on Monday Feb 22...and it will be business as usual until Josh and I leave for England at the end of May (more details to follow about that 6 month trip).

Fun new phone

So now that I have all my phone numbers resolved, I'm finally receiving all of the new hardware to along with the new phone plans  So the work number 301-237-5858 stays the same, but Josh found me a great set of 3 cordless phones (refurbished).  So I can walk around as I speak with customers.  I can set a phone down anywhere, but still be close to another one, since there are 3 handsets.  Perfect for me! and in case one handset breaks, or gets covered with paint, glue, solder, and who knows what else, well, i have a couple of back-ups. 

And I Just got in my new cell phone for my new, personal cell line (this is a new thing for me..to have work life and personal life separated via phone.  very exciting).  Again, I purchased a refurbished cell phone.  But it's so cool: It obviously came from someone in India, as the calendar is set with all the many Indian holidays and festivals.  And it came pre-loaded with some really awesome bollywood-type ring tones!!  :)  It really doesn't take much to amuse me these days...just fun music, apparently.......

Oh, and the phones arrived with UK chargers as well as US chargers, which is awesome, since well need those UK ones in a few months.  So feeling happy that we have that part of our lives resolved. 

My dad has been staying with us the last several days.  He's had many dr appointments over here in Indy, so we convinced him to stay with us in between appointments.  So I've been having fun with my dad...but also not getting a whole lot of work done.  he's leaving this afternoon, so I'll get back to work soon, I promise.

Phone Issues Resolved!!

Feel free to call away--I now have a working phone again! (but still, no calls during the overnight, please).

I always had problems with my previous cell phone carrier, and went through so many models of cell phones thinking the phone itself was the problem. After this latest round of problems, it was the last straw and we switched carriers altogether. We went to T-mobile and signed up for their @home hot spot service. It's a wireless router that allows us to plug in a standard phone. I was able to transport my 301-237-5858 number to that line...and so now suddenly my work phone line is a VOIP phone line, rather than a cell phone. What this means is that I have better International calling capabilities...and MUCH more reliable service (My cell phone wouldn't always ring for incoming calls)

And now, I get to have a cell phone that is for my own personal use, not business, AND it is a local number to Indianapolis (317) not my old stomping grounds of Maryland (301). And my new cell phone is an "unlocked" cell phone, which will allow me to use it when we go to England this Spring (previous carrier did not support unlocked cell phones).

I am already SO pleased with the customer service (not to mention the pricing)with T-Mobile. Yay!