Thank you!

Thank you to all of my customers, both previous and new, who stopped by my booth at the Bead Blast 2010 this past weekend in Overland Park. I appreciated all of the wonderful comments and had a great weekend at the show. There is nothing that motivates and inspires me more to keep creating my handmade lampwork beads.

I am looking so forward to taking my tiny pieces of art to the Bead Renaissance Show in Dallas later in the month.

Until next time - smiles, Debbi

Bead Challenge Results

The results are in for the Fire Divas April Bead Challenge. Thank you to everyone who voted!

The Fire Divas quarterly Jewelry Challenge is currently underway, so make sure you go vote for your favorite there, too!

Studio time! - until next time, smiles - Debbi

Spring Showers Bead

This is the bead I made for the April Showers bead challenge for the Fire Divas group.

The other set I listed is the one below that I gave a sneak peek of in my blog the other day, made with Double Helix Kronos, one of my favorite silver glasses.

Trying to keep up with photographing and listing a few new items on Etsy while frantically working on making beads for my shows coming up in May. I probably won't be listing many more until after the shows are over.

BTW, Tuxie, our cocker spaniel who had knee surgery is healing well. She still can't go for walks yet, but is starting to get onry again so we know she's feeling better!



I will be at the Bead Blast in Kansas City the first weekend in May, then a jewelry show in Belton, MO the next weekend, and headed to Dallas the last weekend in May.

I will get all of this up on my calendar by the end of the week.

Have a great week and until next time -
smiles, Debbi

New on Etsy and Sneek Peek!

Just listed a few new sets of beads on Etsy, but one of them sold so fast I didn't even get to the blog fast enough! Here's the one that sold:

And here's a link to one other that I just listed and here's a sneek peek of something I'm working on like the top pic, a design on the inside and the outside:


Gotta go, but until later - smiles, Debbi

Fire Divas April Bead Challenge

I entered the Fire Divas bead challenge for this month! Can you guess which one is mine? If you do, you'll receive a 15% discount on your next set of beads or jewelry purchased from me on either my Etsy or ArtFire shop. The winner is announced in a week. I will be posting some new beads on Etsy and ArtFire tonight!

This month's Fire Divas Bead Challenge theme is April Showers! Take a close look below at the entries, and when you've finally decided on your favorite, vote for it on the right side of the Fire Divas' Blog. Polls will be open for a week, and then the winner will be announced!

Entry 1:

Entry 2:

Entry 3:

Entry 4:

Entry 5:

Entry 6:


Entry 7:

Entry 8:

Thanks for voting, and thanks to all the Divas who entered the April Showers Monthly Bead Challenge!

Have a great week!
Until next time - smiles - Debbi

Focus, focus, focus

I have struggled most of the week with my focus on making beads. I have the time, the tools, but I can't sit for long before I start to lose focus and go all directions and finally give up after an hour at the torch. So today I actually looked up on the web "foods to eat for focus" - didn't help. I've heard it all before and I don't have avocados, don't like blueberries and don't like fish! Better start, I guess.

Then, since I didn't want to spend the time to go to the store and knowing it would take a long time for any food to help right away I thought surely there are some brain games out there to help train my brain to focus better. I found this really cool site with a lot of brain games for training your brain to focus, work on your memory and many other things.

I have to tell you, after working on some of the games for about 30 minutes, my brain actually hurts and feels like it's been exercising. I think it would help to get a little more physical exercise, too...

No new beads to show until I get my focus back! Yikes, I have 2 bead shows in May!

Until next time - smiles, Debbi

Another rainy spring day here but it's sunshine in my bead world! A wonderful new customer and friend came to my studio Saturday and couldn't resist several of my sets listed on Etsy, as well as some of my focals! She will be a wonderful addition to the jewelry designer world, as she already makes some fantastic pieces. It really helps inspire and motivate me to have such wonderful customers and friends.

Easter Sunday was a beautiful sunny and wonderful day with shared with family.

Now that I'm inspired again, I am heading to the torch as my day will be cut short with another visit to the vet this afternoon with our youngest cocker spaniel, Tuxedo. She had knee surgery about 5 weeks ago, but seems to have had a setback, so wish us luck this afternoon! I think she was just feeling too confident and overdid it. The positive things about her recovery is that she lost an extra 8 pounds she was carrying and she doesn't push Oreo around!

So no new beads to show today, but check back tomorrow for an update on Tuxedo and new beads I'm working on.

Just a quick post

Just a quick post to update everybody with my new bead sets I mentioned I would be listing today on my Etsy Shop. Here are a few pics:


Enjoy! Until next time - smiles, Debbi

Fortunate and thankful

Something that I realized today as I was making beads at the torch is that I am really fortunate to have so many people I can turn to for answers to questions that may come up while running my business. Even though I have been a homebased business owner for the last 17 years almost, I will always have questions and need help with some aspects. In my realm there are people with expertise in marketing research, marketing, sales, shipping/logistics, design, art, photography, nursing and my background in administrative services doesn't hurt. Most of these people are in the immediate family or close friends so they aren't far away for any questions I might have. So even though I wear all of the hats in my business, I am very thankful and appreciative for any and all support, guidance and whatever else I might receive from them. For instance I got a little tidbit of marketing info this morning that was gladly accepted. Enough on that...

Here is a glimpse of some of what I will be listing on Etsy tomorrow!

















Enjoy the day and until next time, smiles - Debbi

New Beads on Etsy today!

Just when I think I have things figured out, I find out Firefox doesn't like me to load and look at pictures on my blog, so until I fix that problem I go back to IE to try it and voila! It works like a charm. Guess I'll be using both for different things for awhile. In the meantime...

I had a hard time deciding what this spacer color was, other than light brown in this new set I listed this morning on my Etsy shop. The glass color only had a number on it and was one I had in my wall of glass that looked like it would blend well with the pink, like some of the items I have seen for this spring's fashions.

Another one I listed this morning is more animal prints, of which there can never be too many.


Check out my other beads available on Etsy when you have a chance!

'Til later - smiles, Debbi

Starting all over

I feel like I'm starting all over again with my new torch I got last week! Well, not quite but almost! I had a nice little Firebird torch from Wale Apparatus which started giving me problems. So I purchased a new Bobcat from GTT. Now I'm learning to melt glass all over again albeit faster and hotter! Hopefully by the end of the day today I'll get the hang of it, find the sweet spot and have that "aha" moment. Maybe I'll have pics of new work I did yesterday by the end of the day.


I also joined a great group of other lampworkers on Facebook, Fire Divas. Check out the blog with the link on the right. So I'm also trying to learn more about posting in Facebook, ArtFire, blogs, etc. So bear with me as I do more learning. Never too old, right?


Till later - have a great one, smiles - Debbi

Ok, now back to Etsy...

Well, as I mentioned in July, I went back to eBay, for awhile anyway...found out there that I really have to accept a lower price for my beads than I was willing to accept. Then I got busy with shows, life, etc. and didn't keep up.

So now I'm going back to Etsy for selling my beads, and Artfire for selling some of my jewelry. I've learned that consistency is the key, but we'll see how consistent I can be now. At my age I've found it takes a lot of time and effort to train myself to be consistent in anything!

Does anybody else ever wonder like I do why a person can feel so much busier and incapable of completing tasks now than when there were children at home, working full-time, and accomplished more?

Until another day-hopefully before 6 months pass this time...Keep it fun - Debbi

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...