A Few New Things

I've put a few new things up on the glass beads website and on Artfire.

I found this set of black and white Sweet Treats in my teaching stash!

and I finally made something pink for Breast Cancer Awareness. The Fire Divas are having a promo in October and many of the Divas are donating proceeds to various charities.

Here is the pink dichroic heart I made:

Staycation

My sister is visiting here for the first time in years. Her birthday is approaching and we will be out seeing the sites. Orders are still shipping but... I won't be blogging for a week or so...

Sis at Laguna Beach, circa 2003

Giving It Away

I joined one of "those" websites this week. You know the type... they promise to get your name and your shop "out there." While I do like the concept of socializing online with artists from other mediums... let's face it - the glassy peeps I prefer hang out with really have no need to BUY beads. I hoped this might present other selling opportunities.

Eye of the Tiger - offers protection to the bearer!

But I quickly realized I had made a mistake. I imported this blog there - which I really gave little thought to. Until, I got an email that one of my blogs was featured on their site. I clicked the link and found MY words, MY work slathered with google ads with NO reference back to THIS site.

Um, excuse me but if anyone is going to slather MY works, beads and jewelry with google ads... it's going to be ME! As an artist, I work SO hard for every PENNY I make, and for this site to come in and take that away with NO link back... SUCKS! My words and images are for ME to make a living, not some other person!

I do feel very strongly about this. When I first started blogging over on Creekhiker, within a few months a website was stealing my content. I was so ticked off, every blog post started with this paragraph:
 BITACLE.ORG steals content. JESUS GLEZ is a THIEF. If you are reading this post on BITACLE.ORG, you are supporting theft of intellectual property. This post was written and copyrighted by CREEKHIKER, who has not given consent for material to be reproduced. Please visit CREEKHIKER to enjoy this content LEGALLY.
If you want to know why this message is in every post, read this post.

Bitacle is now out of business. As a writer and an artist... all I have to offer is the intellectual property that spills out of MY brain. And since I'm not making much of a living, I sell ad space on my blogs. For someone to steal that... is WRONG! But in this case, I gave that right away... and just as quickly took it back!

Don't give your words away. Don't loan your images unless YOU get something real and tangible in return. Learn from my mistake!

Fan Drive Winners Announced!

My fan drive is over! ... but YOU can still be my fan! I usually have a special offer for my fans about once a week!

Congrats to my two winners. (Yes, TWO - I added another prize at the last minute!)

Cheryl K. F. won my gift cert and Victoria T will get to choose her favorite glass bead necklace from the two below:

And... don't forget, I give away a $50 gift cert every month to one of my faithful voters. These sites help other customers find me and it's helps with those search engine thingys too! And I SO appreciate YOUR help in getting my glass beads out THERE, this is my way of rewarding the folks who take a moment and help me out!  ;-D

A Small Favor or Two...

Yes, this is a rare Sunday post but... my sister is coming Wednesday and I intend to have some serious play time including... going to see Dancing with the Stars LIVE next week for my sister's birthday!!! It will be a night to remember!!! So... I may be a bit scarce while she's here. But I do have lots of beady news to share this week before she gets here... so please check in  to see some glass bead goodness!

But today, I have two favors to ask.

1) One of my hiking buddies has a picture entered in the Fury Tails contest. And since she's not a "famous" dog blogger and since I took the picture of her amazing heart shaped bottom, I would love it if you would vote for her. Ruby is #26.

2) If you haven't checked out the Fire Divas Jewelry Challenge... OH! Please do! The eye candy is amazing! I seriously love every entry!!! And if you could take a second to vote on the right side of their blog... that would be awesome!!!

Still Creating...

...just NOT glass beads!

These are the cookies for last week's rubber stamped cookie class...cooling on my counter. I'm baking again this morning for this Saturday's class.

And since I'm having "torch withdrawals," I'm praying I get to fire up the old girl today!

My fan drive goes on... $25 gift cert drawing once I hit 200 fans! I'm so close!!!

And... don't forget, I give away a $50 gift cert every month to one of my faithful voters. These sites help other customers find me and it's helps with those search engine thingys too! ;-D

Fan Drive

Miss me??? I missed all of you! I got a lot done while on break and will be taking another shortly just for fun when my sister visits!

But in the meantime... I've been hovering just below 200 fans for a bit and I'm having a fan drive. I will be giving away a gift certificate for my glass beads and lampwork jewelry to celebrate my 200th fan. All FANS are eligible to win!

So...won't you be my fan??? I would LOVE it if you would!

On Hiatus

I'm taking a break from the old bead bloggie for a week or so. My mom is visiting... a full day earlier than I thought and I'm in frantic-get-the-house-ready mode along with major-teaching-prep mode at the same time. And I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Thanks as always for stopping by and I'll see you on the flip side, if not sooner!

Holly

Not So Secret Sale - TODAY ONLY!

Rare Friday post! I desperately want a new tutorial and my paypal account is my glass bead fund. I "almost" have enough to cover my purchase so... I'm having a sale! Two actually!

This starfish set is on sale today only for $22.

But that's not all. I'm offering 20% off EVERYTHING in my glass beads shop TODAY only. Findings, tools... anything! BUT, you must check out using PAYPAL. Discount refunded via paypal.

I've been busy uploading TONS o multi-layered tiger beads... lots to choose from. Thanks, as always, for l@@king!!!

Fired Divas - Glass Beads for a Cure

It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month! During all of October, the lampwork glass bead promotions team I'm part of - the Fire Divas - are doing our part in trying to raise awareness and money for this worthy cause.

Keep your eyes open Monday-Friday as  our Glass Bead of the Day will be featuring lots of pink beads - our way of reminding you to think pink during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Viking Knit w/ Pink Batik Bead by EmaKaye

The Fire Divas  listed below have chosen to donate portions of our bead and jewelry sales to help out.. Each shop has discounts noted since some of us may have taken a step further and are donating a percentage from ALL sales.

With your help, we can raise awareness and funds through lampwork beads!

*Note.. previous Bead of the Day discounts will not apply unless otherwise noted in shop announcements or listings.

Pink Playthings / HollysFollyGlass

HollysFollyGlass - 20% to Susan G Komen for the Cure http://hollysfolly.com/  and http://www.artfire.com/users/HollysFollyGlass


UglyDucklingBeads - 25% to Susan G Komen Race for the Cure http://www.etsy.com/shop/UglyDucklingBeads

JanelDudleyBeads - All proceeds of pink beads to Susan G Komen Race for the Cure http://www.etsy.com/shop/JanelDudleyBeads

AshlynDesign - 20% to Susan G Komen Race for the Cure for any pink bead sales http://www.artfire.com/users/AshlynDesign

ahouston - 25% will be donated to Susan G Komen Race for the Cure for any pink bead sales and goddess beads (everything in the "PINK" section of my shop) http://www.etsy.com/shop/ahouston

spawnofflame - Everything in PINK section of Artfire shop. 25% to Living Beyond Breast Cancer http://spawnofflame.artfire.com/

IcarusBeads - From Artfire Shop - 20 % to Susan G Komen Race for the Cure http://www.artfire.com/users/IcarusBeads

Lutrick  20% of all ArtFire sales to National Breast Cancer Foundation http://www.artfire.com/users/Lutrick

EmaKaye - Any pink beads in the Etsy shop -  20 % to Susan G Komen Race for the Cure http://emakaye.etsy.com/

We will link to this post from a logo on the right for you to refer back to during the month. Thank you for helping us fight this disease!

Pink Leopard by Ashlyn Design

Young Glassblower Leading the Charge Against Breast Cancer

One of the things I adore about working with glass is all the interesting people you meet. This week, I met, via Facebook,  a very fascinating young man... and let me stress the YOUNG part. Theoren Hanks is a very talented glassblower and let me impress you even more by telling you he's 10!

It takes someone really special and wise beyond his years to realize he can't wait another decade to get his hands on a blowing pipe! And thank goodness Theoren found teachers willing to work with him. His glass work is stunning!

But it doesn't stop there. Theoren is also very passionate about breast cancer and has made a series of pink pumpkins and pink hearts to raise money for the cause. You can read more about it on his newly-pink-for-the-occaision website.

Head on over and read about this talented guy, watch his videos and help him raise money for breast cancer!  I hope I get to take a class from him someday!

All photos in this post are the property of Theoren Hanks; used by permission.

Jewelry Challenge - Get Those Entries In!!

The Fire Divas Holiday Jewelry Challenge is drawing to a close. If you are a Diva fan and make jewelry with our beads, I urge you to enter the contest! There are some fabulous prizes to be won!! But you MUST your entry in by 10/15!

For More Info on the Fire Divas Holiday Jewelry Challenge Click HERE!

So Much Prettier In Person

I hear this phrase from my customers all the time! "Your glass beads are so much prettier in person!" While I admit, I'm so happy that my customers are pleased... I don't know what else to do about that!

Short of pulling my hair out (I have so much... it probably would make no difference!) or buying a very pricey camera in the hopes it would improve... I'm at a loss!


Anyone care to share their photog tips????