Back on eBay!

I'm finally listing beads again on eBay! Check out my listings here! Here's one of the sets that will be ending this coming week. It's a set of 42 total etched beads; a lot of different size disks and triangles in 7 different colors. I see a multitude of design options here!

Have a great weekend! It's beautiful here in Kansas this evening sitting on the deck.

Debbi

Lampwork fish anyone?

I have never been into making too many scuptural beads; figured it was too hard and thought it would take a lot of time. Well, I decided it was time to delve into it. So I've been working on trying to make a few lampwork fish. I watched a video on MySpace and added my own touches, but here's one of my early ones. Tell me what you think!


Now back to getting ready for my bead show next weekend!

Calypso

I'm heading down to the studio, but before I do I wanted to share a picture of my canary, Calypso. He has a beautiful song that I hear first thing in the morning and throughout the day, if I'm upstairs! I bought him a new cage over the weekend, and he's got much more room to fly and move around. Calypso is a cross between an intensive red factor and a bronze red factor, bred by a breeder in Virginia. I'm sharing this because I went to the quilt fabric store yesterday hoping to find some nice, colorful fabric to hang on the back side of his new cage to brighten up his corner of the room even more. He looks so tiny in his new big cage! Anyway, walking into that fabric store I was in heaven for color and design inspiration for my glass art beads! Wow! I could have spent the day there just oohing and awing at all the colors and designs. I've spent part of the morning working on a mock-up of a new mixed-media piece, listening to Calypso's song. Now it's time to head to the studio to make my lampwork beads and play with color and glass, while my new inspiration and creative muse is with me! I'll post a new pic, maybe a video of him and his song in his new cage after I get the fabric up!

Have a great one!

bead-tique.com to dlhomola.com

My new web site is now online! I'm still doing some work on it, but for the most part it's there. All visitors to my old site, www.bead-tique.com will automatically be directed to my new site, www.dlhomola.com. If you have seen my old site and feel something is missing from the new one, please let me know. The new one has a little more versatility and links to eBay, Etsy, this blog, among other things. Let me know what you think!

Working on my artists statement for my new web site. Let me know what you think:

"I am inspired to create my art by everything around me, always aware of color, light, feelings and sounds. I primarily work with glass rods making glass beads and am exploring using my handmade glass beads with metals.
When I create my art I lose myself in the comingling of the colors of glass being melted in the flame as I watch the flame dance. I am so in tune to my hands being so careful to place each addition to the piece where it feels to me it should be placed. I cannot help but wonder who will be called by this piece as I was called to create it, to want to hold it, touch it, examine it closely. My hope is that the person or persons viewing my creations get lost in their own thoughts of what I was thinking when I created it, how was it made, how long did it take? All of the pieces of art I create are made to be touched."

Does it make sense? Do I need to say more, say less? What do you think?

All is Good...Now

What started out as my printer all of a sudden deciding not to print, became a 4-day challenge to make sure I could get everything working again without giving up. And what does this have to do with my lampwork art? If my mind is blocked with something else, I can't be creative, don't even want to step into the studio. Here's a brief (kind of) synopsis (maybe you can relate to parts) of what occurred:

Day One:
Printer quit working. Turned printer off. Turned printer on. Turned printer off, rebooted the main computer. Turned printer on. Printer doesn't work. Turned printer off. Turned printer on. Looked for software to reinstall printer drivers. Dropped box of software from top shelf of closet. Picked up all scattered software. Looked through box, 3 times, not just once. Can't find printer software. Looked in closet again. Pulled books out of shelves and cleared off floor of closet to find software. Didn't find software. Looked through CDs in desk for software. No printer software. Looked through CDs in desk for software again. No printer software. Have printer, no software, can't reload driver. Have to buy new printer. My time is worth more than cost of new printer. End of day one.

Day Two:
Go buy new printer. Store doesn't have one I want, has to call other stores to reserve one for me. Find printer in third store called. They're holding printer. Pick up printer from store about half hour from home. Will open box tomorrow and simply install new printer.

Day Three:
After 4 calls for tech support to install new Dish controller box for TV, get that working by noon. Open box with new printer. Nice printer. This will be easy. Get everything out of box. Open instruction book. All pictures and arrows, not too bad. Have to decide if I have a wireless LAN or wired LAN. One computer is wired to the router, one is wireless. Is that wired or wireless? Go through instructions. Put install CD in CD drive of main computer. CD drive in main computer doesn't work. Put CD in and take out 4 or 5 times. CD drive doesn't work. CD gets stuck. Have to pry the door open. Maybe I need to just check connections of CD drive. Take screws off of cover. Take cover off of computer. Wow, look at all the dust! Get vacuum out, vacuum and clean inside of computer. Check connections. Try CD again. CD drive doesn't work. Go downstairs to get old computer. Take CD drive out of there to put in Dell. Take screws off of cover of old computer. Take cover off of old computer. Check connections on main computer. Check connections on old computer. They look the same. Disconnect old computer CD drive. Unscrew and take out of old computer. This will be great. Just replace CD drive in main computer with old computer CD drive. It will fit, but can't get CD drive out of main computer. It's a Dell and they don't want you to! Decide I can just connect the CD drive on the outside of the computer until I get the software loaded. Where is the connection ribbon wire thingie? My puppy is chewing on it. Can't use that one! Have to use one in old computer. It's longer anyway. Connect ribbon wire thingie. This is going to work. Nope, computer doesn't recognize the CD drive. Put old computer back together. Put main computer back together. I'm tired and very, very frustrated. I have a new printer, I have software for new printer, but can't install new printer. Husband suggests just load printer on laptop. Will try that tomorrow. End of day three.

Day Four:
Have morning coffee. Walk the dogs. Check email on laptop. Go into office at 10:30 and stare at new printer and main computer. I'm not going to let them win. Load software into laptop. Follow instructions. Software is loading. After all loaded get message, needing network key. Network key? Where is the network key, or where is the last network key I have for my network? Find network key, about 64 characters long. Put in box. Doesn't fit in box. Try again. Ok, wrong network key. Try to install again. Still needs network key. I know I wrote it down somewhere, but it's not where it's supposed to be. Dog probably chewed it up, too! I'm in tears, but not giving up. Husband leaves for his blues band practice (http://www.knockkneedsally.com) . Good for him. Call ISP. Wait for agent. Can't understand agent. Ask her to slow down and speak in English. Spend 15 minutes with her. Go through processes she tells me to. She says not their problem and I need to call router manufacturer tech support. I call router manufacturer tech support. While on hold I decide to climb up in the closet and get the router box. Open router box. There's software for router with password and network key and passphrase on it. What is it doing in there? Stay on line because this may not work. Tech guy comes on line. Can't understand him. Ask him to slow down and speak plainly. Go through processes for finding network key for router. Makes changes as instructed. Now main computer locks up. Now laptop doesn't have connection. Reboot modem. Reboot router. Main computer still not working. Plug router directly into laptop. Still not working. After 20 minutes tech tells me he can't help me. I need to call ISP and get modem replaced. What?!? Call ISP. On hold for 10 minutes. Tech comes on line. Go through processes. Reboot router. Reset modem. Router is plugged into laptop. After 20 minutes get connection to laptop. Yeah. Tell tech not to hang up until I check main computer is able to connect. Plug router into main computer. Reboot main computer. Wait 5 minutes for computer to boot up. No connection on main computer. Tech sends me up to level 1 tech support. Spent 15 minutes with level 1 support. Still have no connection on main computer. He says can't help you, have a nice day. Remember, I still haven't gotten my new printer installed...anywhere. I take deep breath. Say I am in control and this will work. It's 3:00, husband is still at band practice. Start over and install new network. Match network on laptop and main computer. Back online on both computers. Read tech troubleshooting for printer. In tiny print on the 4th page I read it says this machine doesn't work with WPA networks, just WEP. What the heck is that? Check router setup page on computer. I set network to WEP. Remember router guy had me type in a new network key. I load printer software into laptop. Software is loading. Choose network for printer to work on. Type in new network key. Printer is communicating with laptop. It's 3:42 p.m. I laugh and cry. It's working! Print my first page. Yeah! Call my friend. Tell her my story. We laugh. 4:30 husband comes home from his blues band practice.(http://www.knockkneedsally.com) Husband asks if printer is hooked up? I say yes. He asks what I did to get it to work. I say you don't need do know, it's a good thing you were at band practice. DL Homola does not give up! All is good.

Before I forget, the bead I posted in my last post is only 1 1/2 inches long and about 3/4 inches wide. So, yes, those dots are tiny.

The rest of today I'm going to be in the studio, because I'd really rather be in the studio!

Back creating in the studio!

I've been a little tied up with all the planning and cleaning out of my office and studio last week. I've also been busy getting ready for my first meeting as President of the Olathe Visual Artists group this Thursday night.

However, I finally found the urge to step back into the studio and create a few things last week. Here is one of the beads I made that has, count them, 240 dots! Well, 120 of them are under the transparent ones on top. I sat there for 2 hours very determined to make a larger bead with a lot of precision and many, many very tiny dots. And yes, I used the colors that I tend to gravitate to. Why is that?

Some of you may have come to my blog as a link from my web site that is totally messed up right now. I've just started this blog a few weeks ago, so am starting to get into the groove of adding things online. I have finally given up the control of having to "do it all" and am having someone else put everything together online for me to get more organized and free up more time to do what I love--creating in the studio. Bear with me...great things are on the way.

Until next time, have a great one!

Affirmations

In the previous post I talked briefly about the online class with Alyson Stanfield which I am really enjoying and learning a lot about myself and my art business. The other day we were asked to write and design some affirmation cards to help us with our vision. Acknowledging that I need to spend more time in my studio being creative, here is one of mine that I'd like to share:

As those of you who know me as a glass bead artist know my talent doesn't lie in drawing, but I was able to draw a butterfly--yeah--scan it and print some out on cards so I could color them in. And no, I don't have any of the nice paints or pencils, so I used my stash of used crayons. I have to say, though, I did have fun and spent a good 2-3 hours writing and coloring them. It was real fun to play on purpose!

With that said, I need to get some space cleared out of my mind and my studio so I can open up and get the creative juices flowing again. As mentioned in my last post, I'm already drawing up some ideas that I can't wait to get into the studio and work on. I'm getting more anxious every day.

I have also gotten back on eBay and Etsy with a few things, trying to clear out some of my beads and things that are taking up space in my studio, including my first torch! I'm finally letting go of it, knowing that I don't really need 2 to get things done. Plus, it makes space for more glass, right? The other thing I need to do is update my web site, which needs to be done pronto!

I hope to be done with the clearing and organizing by the end of the week and back on the torch creating some new pieces by the end of the week.

Until next time...

Fear of what?

A year ago, almost to the day, I signed up for a blog and never even typed a word into it or posted anything. I was afraid. I was afraid to share my thoughts, my art, and that I would sound stupid. But wow, I have been doing a lot of reading and research in the last few weeks and realizing I was ignorant for not jumping in with both feet and exploring the "uncomfortable", or stepping outside my comfort zone. I was going to post for a few weeks before I published this, but I just need to jump. So here goes...

I started a wonderful online class by Alyson Stanfield to help me focus on my art business a few days ago, and boy have my eyes been opened up. They're not wide open yet, but I know they will be by the end of this journey. You see, one thing I have realized already is that I have been trying to force myself to have a passion for something I don't have a passion for. And that passion is jewelry. Yes, I started out making jewelry, but then discovered the art of making glass beads. I was passionate about making glass beads when I started 7 years ago, because I was able to truly create something from inside me where my fire was burning to create.

About 3 years ago I thought, "why don't I create jewelry with my beads like others are, and make more money and share my art with more people?". And I did ok, not fantastic. I started losing the desire to make beads out of my need to create and started making them as a need to make something else that more people would buy. I could make jewelry, and do more shows, and make more money. Well, yeah, I could do more shows, and I did. I got into a few juried shows, but I realized at the end of last year I fit somewhere between the craft shows and the juried art shows. I also finally realized that I really didn't enjoy making jewelry that much. It became more of a production for me and not creation. My bead designs started to jump all over the place with no real style of my own. My creativity was buried in the desire to make what other people were making and not in my desire to create something where my passion was (lie, laid, whatever the word should be).

I have a passion to create beads and work in the flame of my torch with hot molten glass. My vision is already becoming more clear on how I can and need to focus my artwork on my beads. I know what my strongest talents are in my bead designs; funny thing is, I don't even have many or any of those on my web site. I have a lot of work to do, but I will be more focused and enjoy it more because I will be "creating" and "playing" again and not working to create something I don't even like.

In the meantime, I also have to make some money, so I will be selling my beads online as in the past to the people who enjoy making jewelry with my beads. At the same time I will be working on artwork that focuses on my glass art beads. I've already been writing out some ideas.

Until next time...keep your fires burning!
Debbi