I'm still here, though it's been so long since I've posted that a few people have emailed to ask if I'm allright.
It's been a busy spring! We had to have a new roof...to the tune of over 12 grand!!! AKKK!!!
It should never leak even in the worst conditions, one of the problems of living right on the water! The weather can be wild, especially when the wind kicks up.
So there goes my budget. Oh well. More incentive to sell off my out of control bead stash!  I used to rush to get pictures and put beads up for sale as soon as they were out of the kiln, but I've been dreading the time away from the torch that the photography and computer end of the business takes. So now I have overflowing trays and drawers full of finished beads!

I've been making blown beads for the past couple months. They started out round, like big hollow marbles, and evolved into hollow sea shells. Don't ask how that happened, I'm not sure myself. It's one of those magical things that happen when I have plenty of quiet time to torch and "listen" to the glass.
I've also been making beach glass beads since I want to make myself something fun to wear this summer. I picture a bracelet and necklace with lots of  tiny "beach glass" dangles on a base of silver chain, or maybe some of those silver curved tube beads....or I may even try something with copper since it should get a nice patina in the salty air. I've found that my silver is tarnishing at an alarming rate and, after doing some research I think it's the sulpher in the air near the ocean.