Upcoming Event

Next weekend, Saturday November 13, I will be a vendor at a cool local event sponsored by Vancouver Green Drinks. The first Annual Check' em off, Green Holiday Gift Event will be a holiday version of the Recycled Arts Festival. The bazaar of locally made, recycled, reused gifts will be at Marshall Community Center, 1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd. in Vancouver, 12-5pm. 


Check out this blog for more information about  this event. 
http://reusing.blogspot.com/p/green-your-holiday.html

September 12th Belmont Street Fair

On September 12th I was a vendor at the Belmont Street Fair in Portland. It was a gorgeous, sunny Sunday after a week of rain. I had a great spot right on Belmont near the Tao of Tea. It was such a great time. I sold a lot of things and talked with lots of friendly people. I was even witness to several wedddings perfromed at the Mobile Chapel of Love, that temporarily set up in front of my booth.  I look forward to taking part in more street fairs next summer!

September North Bank Artists Gallery Show

This bracelet featured in the North Bank show has one red dot strategically placed in the black and white design of the bead. 

This is a neclace featuring some of my largest lampwork beads, it was also in the "White and Black" show. 

The texture of these beads is an interesting feature of this bracelet.

My work was selected into the annual juried show at the North Bank Artists Gallery in Vancouver. The theme was White and Black. I created three pieces, the first two were selected to be featured in the gallery during September. It was fun to play with the design aspect of the beads. With all of the work I have been doing with beer and wine glass, I miss the fun I can have with design details.


It was exciting to visit the show opening on Friday, September 3rd and see my work among the other pieces selected to be part of the show. 

New: Wine Leaf Beads

Leaves from a shiraz bottle on small, sterling hoops.

After the Recycled Arts Festival last month, I have been enjoying some time away from the torch. I am excited however about a new tool, a "leaf masher"!  I have been making leaves from wine and beer glass and am having fun experimenting with how the masher shapes the leaves. Like in nature, each leaf is looking quite different, so pairing leaves up for earrings is a challenge. I also got a new shipment of beads and findings, so I will be trying out some new designs this weekend at the Overlook Village Festival on Killingsworth, on Saturday in Portland. 

What a weekend!

    The Clark County Recycled Arts Festival was such a great time. The weather was incredible and the people were so friendly. Organizers estimate 15,000 people attended. I had a great time explaining how I have been making beads from old bottles.  

    In addition to seeing amazing creations by the vendors, there was excellent entertainment on stage, craft activities for kids and education about recycling throughout the event. It was great to hear people commenting on the signs that were posted around the sidewalks which gave interesting facts about recycling. I think many people walked away with great items purchased from vendors, and also an appreciation of little things we can do each day to conserve resources and protect the environment. As a person who was born and raised in Clark County, I was proud that such a great event takes place here.

    I sold many pairs of earrings, some that will travel as far as both Boston and Toronto.  This was my first outdoor event in over 2 years. It was so much fun...I am looking forward to my next event. 

A look at my display and bottles (including the cats)  that will become future beads.

This is my display of large hole bead sets. 

Check out this blog!

At the Recycled Arts Festival a lady asked me how I made my beads and took some pictures of my work. She then told me about her blog and plans to include me and my work in her blog post about the event. 




Check out the post about the Recycled Arts Festival...my work is featured as "Lesson Number 8" that blogger Kaitlin Smith learned at the event: Wine bottles recycled into jewelry can be way more interesting than gemstones.




Thanks Kaitlin! Here is a link to Southwest Washington Zest: Celebrating People, Places and the Good Life in SW Washington State. www.southwestwashingtonzest.com

New Pieces for this Weekend

This bracelet features 33 beads made from beer and wine bottle glass with some clear beads made from a salsa jar. In between the handmade beads are brown irridescent brown beads that really accent the colors of the upcycled glass. 

The necklace was made with vintage, black, cut glass beads, brown irridescent beads and five large hand-torched beads from beer and wine bottle glass.