3/15: Yay, I've got 100 -lbs of Crystal Clear K-100 leaded clear cane (yummy-melts-like-butter-96coe-brilliant clear) coming my way. sold out, sorry! It should be here next week. I need 20-lbs for myself, but can part with the remainder. It's coming in 5-ft lengths, so I'll need to cut and clean it. I'll update here when it arrives with a likely listing date.
Some frit beads I made this week. I'm concentrating on just rounds this week with a limited color range, while trying to get the same size and proportion. That's harder than it seems. What this little strand doesn't show are the many, many cousin beads that didn't make it into the photo, as they are each sorted according to their own unique plumbness or narrowness, in their own yummy roundness.
Ok, new blends in the store, check it out! www.valcoxfrit.com BEA'S BONNET & PRINCE OF TIDES
I've been busy making beads, trying to get back in practice. Turns out it's not like riding a bicycle at all, my hands completely forgot how the glass works. It's been great getting back to it, soon I hope my beads will be as I expect and see in my head.
hey, I finally found a use for the left over 25-lb bag of Celedon frit I ordered 4 years ago in the wrong size. Mandrel holders in a vase, lol!
I've got two new blends I'm excited about: "Bea's Bonnet" and "Prince of Tides". I'll be adding them to my sister site: www.valcoxfrit.com on Friday. That's the day which marks the one year anniversary of that site, which my sister has been running so smoothly, and nearly 5 years in the glass frit color business, I can't believe it's been that long!
This past year felt like a gift in many ways. It was a full year of working with a concentrated effort on the frit book--now at the editor--yay. It was also a time to dedicate fully to the family when our teens needed me most. Those urgencies are behind me and I am so looking forward to getting back to the torch. I've been warming up these last few days--and I'm a little nervous. I'm hoping I haven't forgot what I once knew and longing to build on what I've gained in ideas and insights this last year, to see how it might translate into glass.
I'll be updating on the valcoxfrit site, so be sure to pop over there by the end of the week to find new colors and photos.
Top left to right: Deborah Gibson; aqua powder. Bottom left to right: Val Cox; Deborah Gibson
I had the best visit with Toni Lutman. She brought her beads with her, the latest tie-dye series. I carefully selected a few I wanted to buy, nothing so fancy she would miss, but just enough to satisfy. It's was all I could do to keep from putting each and everyone of them in my mouth, they are luscious. I resisted. I selected my three and she said they were a gift. I could have had anything I wanted. Oh I am so lucky, I picked three very special ones that will stay together as a trio!
My good friends Andrea Mazzenga and Parissa Heshmati made some sample beads for me
Andrea Mazzenga
Parissa Heshmati
Andrea Mazzenga
Parissa Heshmati
Andrea Mazzenga
Parissa Heshmati
Wednesday: Yay, the baby ducklings rescue on Canal Street made the local paper. I love this town!
In case you can't read it, it says, "On Sunday, July 15th Deputy Chief Bubba Schlosser answered a chief's page at 12:30pm. He was told there were some baby ducklings caught in a storm drain on Canal Street. He and chief engineer Adam Keister responded with Engine 0 and were successful in retrieving the ducklings and returning them to thier mother. this incident ended at 1:05pm"
Monday, the baby ducks are safe. I made a bee-line for the cottage this morning to check it out. I was so glad to see the ducklings were no longer in the drain, and that the seal of the grate had been broken. Yay, volunteer firemen willing to help little ducks on a Sunday afternoon!
Sunday, we had a great time at the movies last night. '1408' was surprisingly good. More a psychological thriller than a spook movie. It had twists and turns along the way which didn't reveal a predictable ending, it was fun! After the movie I wasn't quite ready to go home, the sun was still out, and it was a cool summer evening. I was bemoaning a bit that I wished we had other things to do. Fred, always the trooper, was open to suggestions, so when I said (at 7:00pm) that I just wish we could go on a picnic sometime, he said, 'well let's do it now'. What fun, we went to KFC of all places, I haven't eaten food like that in years, but we did it. Then we went to the cottage, laided out a blanket on the lawn, had our dinner, talked and talked, watched the ducks until the sun went down, it was wonderful!
Storm drain stranded baby ducks
This morning we drove back over to the cottage (the studio cottage is not at the house, rather a mile from home, in the center of our village). Our new neighbor Pamela came over to tell me some baby ducks fell down a canal storm drain. The mother hen was near, but the grate was too heavy to move, and the hen couldn't get to her chicks. Camera in hand, I walked next door and sure enough the cutest 7 little ducks. The police came. We take ducks very seriously, mind you, in Yardley, hehe! He couldn't get to them, but while my camera battery died before I could get the final photos, as we were going home, I could see the fire dept had arrived and the baby ducklings would be saved. Not the best photos as I'm shooting through a grate in the dark, but close enough. Aren't they the cutest? I hope the rest of your weekend is good!
Saturday 7/15: The little baby ducks are growing up. As you can see from this little one, they are starting to go through the gray fluffy awkward stage! In the second photo, you can see this fella getting smart by going under the necks of my big boys to find the stray corn!
This funny girl was bathing and doesn't realize how silly she looks with a feather stuck to her beak!
Friday, oh the baby ducks were back at the studio. They are so darn cute. I'll sort throught the photos and upload some tonight before I go to bed! Thanks for stopping by! Val
Sunday, A lazy weekend at home. I've been working on the frit book, all coming along. Enjoying the weather outside a bit, still not warm enough (for me) to swim, but getting a little closer every day. I took some photos around the house and yard this weekend, which follow.
Tuesday: More duck photos, these little guys are just too cute. I was delighted today when I arrived at the studio, and there were the 2 baby ducklings, along with the hen, nudging for a space on my porch, among the big boys! I can see in even a day how they've grown. I promise this blog won't turn into a duckling site, I just had to show these while they are tiny and sweet...they grow so fast. Toddler ducks now, in a week, they will be gangly teens!
