Journal

2/1/11

Hellooooo:

Anybody there?  Yep, it's me.  Been out of the loop for quite some time, but I'm back.  So much has happened the last couple of years it would take a book to tell you, but suffice to say, the skinny is I'M MARRIED to a wonderful guy who is a computer nerd, uh, I mean programmer, and he has so graciously offered to take my pictures and help me with my website, sooo, things should be happening soon.  I'm making beads again and jewelry too and loving every minute of it.  I've also changed jobs and now only work 3 days a week so I have even more time for beading.  Life is good.  Right now I'm trying to get some retail places set up and once that's done I'll start putting things up for sale here. 

Here's a picture of the happy couple: 

We just celebrated our one year anniversary this January and I couldn't be happier, I found the one!

Nanette & George (plus four dogs and three cats)

06/13/09

Hi Everyone:

I can't believe it's been three years since I updated this site.  So many things have happened and for the past year I haven't been making beads.  My husband passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 2008 and to say my life has been turned upside down is an understatement.  Nothing is the same anymore.  I haven't given up my love of beading or jewelry making, but it has certainly taken a back seat to everything else that needs to be done.  And with five dogs to take care of by myself, I don't have the freedom to travel to shows anymore. 

Everything on my site has already been sold and it will be quite some time before I get anything else posted. 

I'm trying to get myself organized so I can get back to beadmaking, but it will take some time.  Thanks for your patience.

Nanette

09/21/06

New Cell Phone Charms!!  Click Here!

New Ribbon Necklaces!!  Click Here!

09/11/06

I'm back!  Sorry for the long absence, I've been really working hard getting ready for my very first bead show (all done with that) and in November I'm going to have a space at a local function selling only jewelry.  Well, I believe I have a handle on all that, the bead show is over and I'm feeling good about my preparations for the Boutique so back to Ebay and my website.  So, keep tuned, updates and auctions are on the way!

Nanette

3/7/06

Well, I always have good intentions, just never enough time.  My goal has been to keep a presence on Ebay and I have been managing that, but that's about it.  It's already 11 pm Tuesday of Bike Week and I haven't done anything yet to my website.  Poo.  I've got to get my tax stuff ready for my tax man and I've got a couple of fix-it jobs here at the house to take care of, so I'm going to try my hardest to get this site in better shape.  I really do have a lot of pictures I can load and tons of jewelry I've made, just need to price it and get it on this site.  Wish me luck.

Nanette

Oh, here's a picture of Princess Cocoa 'helping' me work on my laptop. That's her big brother Buster next to her. 

And here I woke her up.  Poor Princess.

2/16/06

St. Patrick's Day is coming and I've been in a green mood.  Look for a couple of new auctions I'm listing tomorrow that are just too too green.  I've also finally cleaned up my silversmithing area and also have a silver capped green sparkle focal I'll be listing too.  I really enjoy working with silver and incorporating it into designs using my beads.  I've also figured out some shortcuts that will really save me a lot of time and allow me to make more silver cored beads.  I also have a ton of ideas in my head and can't wait to try them out.  So keep tuned in, and see what I've got coming up. 

Also, my honey is going to Bike Week at Daytona, Florida shortly and I will be all by my lonesome for a whole week and I plan on making some major changes to my website.  I will finally load pictures in my galleries and will list more jewelry for sale.  I also want to make a catalog so that you can order beads individually, such as the chocolates above.  You will be able to choose the color and type of design on each candy.  I also want to include some basic styles that you can order in various colors so you can make up your own sets.  Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions. 

Thanks for looking and I hope to hear from you. 

Nanette

2/8/06

Well, I'm back!!  Been really busy, but I have been listing on Ebay so if you get a chance check them out.  We're still smitten with our little Princess and she's a hit at my meetings.  Pretty soon I've got to get her used to traveling in a carrier so I can take her more places. 

I have started a line of doggie collars using my lampwork beads and Swarovski crystals. I've got them in a little pet boutique in Lodi.  It's a really cute store and they have a lot of unique items.  Here's a link to them if you want to look.  http://www.kingdom4paws.com/Cart/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=25

I'll try and update more later this week and post some pics of my little Princess. 

Nanette

12/29/05

Well, I'm back online.  My server closed down for the holidays so I wasn't able to contact anyone to help me get this fixed, but they're back and so am I. 

Did you all have a good Christmas?  I did, but I have to say that I'm glad it's over.  The only beads I made were for gifts so I've got to get busy so I can list something.

If you are part of the Lampwork community you are aware of all the issues with eBay, Austin Hamilton and his ilk.  A lot of lampworkers are moving to JustBeads because the people there really listen to the artists and do not allow deceptive listing.  So as soon as I get caught up, I'll start listing on JustBeads to see how that works out.  When I first started making jewelry I purchased a lot of supplies from sellers on JustBeads and I really liked my experiences there. 

After my class with Kim I've started making focal beads and I'm having a great time doing it; I'll start listing some soon.  Most of my focals are skinny tubes and bicones so, in my opinion, they are easier to design with.  I've also got the jewelry making bug paying me a visit so I should have some new things on my site soon, just have to photo and price it.  And I also bought a lap grinder and rolling mill so new things are in the works.  I do so wish there were more hours in the day or at the least, I didn't have to sleep. 

And last, but certainly not least, my little Cocoa is a joy, such a sweet little puppy and absolutely fearless.  Also a local pet store has asked me to develop a line of dog jewelry collars for them to carry and now I'm on the lookout for a cute name to call it.  Got any suggestions? 

And here she is: 

11/25/05

SHE'S HERE!!!

Here she is in her new bed, isn't she just a doll?       And here she is getting all settled in on Daddy's lap.

I can already tell she likes to be held, she cries when you put her down, and she just dozes off in Daddy's lap, in fact that's where she is right now.  Later I'll try and get some movies of her, but for now I'll let her sleep.  More pictures to follow. 

11/24/05

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

   I'm going to my sister's for Turkey dinner for the first time in years, yee haw!!  A nice relaxing day.  I do like spending time with my in-laws, but sometimes it can be overwhelming and with Kevin not doing so well from his knee operation, it would have been too much for him to be around all those people, kids and commotion. 

   Sorry I haven't updated lately, I've been a busy girl, took another class, Kim Osibin's vines and flowers.  And, I did good, if I do say so myself.  I had a good time with Kim, we had a great group of students and Kim is a most excellent teacher and one of the nicest people I've had the pleasure to meet.  I'll get some pictures taken of my class beads and post them here this weekend.  No classes now for a while until Jennifer Geldards.  Ooooh, that one will be really good too.  Kim had us work with enamels a little and I was always afraid of them before, but now I'm ready to dig in.  I'm ordering my ventilation hood next week and then I'll be good to go.  I'll even be able to fume.  The possibilities.....  Of course, I had to tell Kevin that he's just going to have to get used to the fact that my studio/office is always going to look crappy, and he will just have to deal.  hehe 

   And I made it through my silver core bead class.  Whew!  Actually, everybody was really nice to me and I had a good time; I do like to help people.  A lot of the students had excellent results so I believe I will be doing it again, maybe sometime in January 2006. 

   This is going to be one heck of a good weekend, I get my new little baby COCOA tomorrow!!!  I will definitely post pictures of my new little princess.  For all you that don't know, she's a little Chocolate brown with white spots Chihuahua, a little sister for Buster.  Her full name will be Princess Cocoa Chanel.  I'm also going to get rid of the Wedding page and change it to pet jewelry.  Cocoa will have her own line of necklaces and I will offer the option of either a lobster clasp or a magnetic clasp (for safety reasons) on each one.  I would also like to add a catalog page so that things like the chocolates pictured above can be ordered individually and in the colors and designs you prefer.  I will also include other sets and individual beads for customers that have specific needs.  So much to do, so little time.  Isn't that always the case?  Well, I must run and get myself ready (all my cooking is done) to partake of a little gobble.  I love turkey, gravy and smashed potatoes, don't you? 

Nanette

P.S.  For your information, there is no such thing as a calorie on Thanksgiving or Christmas day.  And I intend to make myself miserable by eating too much and then crashing on the couch for Survivor.  Can't get any better than that!

P.P.S.  To make it easier for people to find my auctions on Ebay I've changed my seller id to: nanettemariebeads  Hope it makes it easier for you.  But, you can always access my auctions through my auction page here. 

 

10/30/05

Well I learned more than one thing at Brad's class.  In fact I think I learned more at his class than any other.  He was so nice, when I told him that, he said it was because I was better.  It was a lot of fun and I met some really cool people too, one was furry.  And her name was Zoe.  She was such a good girl, you didn't even know she was there until her mama took her out of her crate to hold her. 

I still haven't received my beads from the last day, but unfortunately I think some are missing according to the poor woman at Arrow Springs that had to sort them and mail them out.  Oh well, she did say we all got one of Brad's beads.  Cool. 

I'm putting up a couple of auctions tomorrow, the sunflowers (never did make the scarecrows, but made some round beads in the same colors), the pink ones like I mentioned, both sets and a purple set I made last week.  Today I made a couple of different sets, tiger lentils with gold leaf, don't know how those will look and another pink set of lentils.  Sometimes you have an idea that sounds so good, but then the next day when you open the kiln.... all you have is caca.  Yes, that's what I said, caca.  So, we'll have to see what comes out of the kiln tomorrow morning.  Oh yeah, I also did some really tiny lentils of black with gold foil and clear encasing, a little something for the dressy occasions. 

Hey, isn't this cool?  Kevin was working in the yard and Mr. Praying Mantis was sitting on one of the benches on the patio just watching him.  While I was taking his picture his little triangular head was following me around, so strange to realize that a bug is actually aware of you and really looks at you, bizarre. 

TTFN

Nanette

P.S.  Just discovered this program has spell check.  Didn't realize I had made so many typos.  Darn, I hate that. 

10/18/05

Okay, I'm keeping my promise, here's my weekly update.  Again, I had good luck with my auctions this week, all three sold.  I had a very good week at the torch and workbench and have a set with a silver cored focal.  Unfortunately, I took pictures of the bead strand in the morning and didn't get the focal pic taken until the afternoon and the light was not the best.  The focal looks a little washed out because it really does look exactly like the beads.  I just love the colors on these "Autumn Leaves."  And, Oh, My, God!!  I love the chocolates and flowers.  I made the chocolates originally to make a dog collar for my new little baby.  I think I might call her "Cocoa Chanel" since she's a pretty chocolate color, but the darn beads turned out too cute not to sell, and I'm finally using what Marilyn Peraza taught me when she came to my house to torch.  Marilyn makes these gorgeous three dimensional roses and she taught me how and also said I could make them and sell them.  Now, isn't that generous?  Well, she was just too nice for me to go and make the same thing, so I changed it up a bit and made open flowers.  As you will see from my auctions, I was on a pink kick this week, used up every color of pink Bullseye makes. 

Next weekend I'll be taking a class from Brad Pearson so I won't have that much time to torch, but I am ahead of the game and already have two sets for next weeks' auctions and am working on one set today.  One set is pink.  No, really, I did say I was stuck on pink, didn't I?  hehe  And it has a silver capped focal that is to die for.  I really like it; sometimes it's so hard not to keep them all.  And in the Thanksgiving spirit I'm making sunflowers.  I learned a new technique in the Loren Stump demonstration I attended (now that man is a MASTER and a hoot too, we all just stared with our jaws dropped all day) and used it on the sunflowers.  I think I'm going to try and make scarecrow heads with the lentil shape next week.  I just can't bring myself to make turkeys!  Okay, that's it for now.  I'll fill you in next Tuesday and let you know how my class went.  I love taking classes, I always learn one thing that makes a major difference in my skill level.  Whoohooo!!

Nanette

10/10/05

Wow, I didn't realize it had been this long since I updated my website, been just a little busy, but I know, that's no excuse.  I resolve to be better and try and update at least every week.  A lot has happened this last month, I joined a new group of lampworkers from the Sacramento area (and what a wonderful bunch of people they are), I've agreed to give a class on silver cored beads and, drum roll please....... I decided to get another baby.  hehe  A furry little DOG baby.  She's so precious but won't be old enough to come home until around December 1st.  A little Christmas present for myself.  She's a Chihuahua, chocolate brown with little bits of white.  So very cute.  I had to do some serious whining to my husband, "well, since you have TWO tattoos and a motorcycle, I can get another dog!"  My husband is still shaking his head; he can't believe it.  Oh well, I tell everyone that if you added up all the weights up of my puppies it still wouldn't equal the weight of say a Golden Retriever or Rotweiler, so it's all relative.

I've been torching as much as I can and had three auctions on eBay last week that all sold. WooHoo!  I'll be putting up three more right now and have about three more hopefully by the end of the week.  One that will have a silver pendant to go with the beads.  I'm really enjoying working with silver and crafting pendants to go with my beads.  The one I'm making this week is going to be a little different and will use some of the scrapbooking supplies I amassed prior to discovering lampwork.  Gotta do something with all that cr*p! 

I'm taking classes this month with Brad Pearson at Arrowsprings.  He's a master at shape and precise placement of dots.  You would be amazed at how far a dot can take you.  Then next month I'll be taking Kim Osibin's class on flower and leaf canes.  Kim is an awesome teacher, I took her organics class earlier this year, and she tells you everything she knows, that girl doesn't hold a thing back. 

I've also got to get moving on my Christmas cards for this year; I have all my supplies, I just need to start sewing and painting.  So as you can see, between the class I have agreed to give, the classes I'm taking, my new baby in December and the call of the torch, my schedule is really full, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

TTFN

Nanette

P.S.  Isn't this gorgeous? 

 

All the jewelry and lampwork beads on this site are handcrafted by me using only the finest quality materials and a variety of soft glass, Effetre, Bullseye, Czech, and Lausha. All jewelry is made with Sterling silver unless otherwise noted. Many pieces are limited editions due to the availability of the beads. Custom orders are welcome. If you need a different size or would like to see different beads on a piece, just ask (nmfisher@pacbell.net)

— Nanette

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