Handmade Lampwork Beads

By Ayako Hattori a Japanese artist

Geisha Beads.

Rajahla is another lampwork bead artist that I really love.

Aren't they cute?

You may see them in their home environment here:

www.beadwonders.com

Glass Bead Artists That Inspire

These Berry Beads are hand made by J.C. Herrel
This bead with it's flowers is by Kristen Frantzen Orr


And this little round bead is called Brocade Byzantine by Larry Scott




This is a Ivory and violet lentil shaped glass bead. Made by Ellen Black.
Ellen Black has a web site with links to some of my favorite glass bead artists. Look her up if you want to see different artists and their beads.

http://www.ellenblack.com/

This beautiful water garden bead is made by Ayako Hattori. She is my inspiration!

Ayako is a very talented up-and-coming Japanese artist who lives in Nagoya City, Japan, and is making BEAUTIFUL marbles using Japanese satake glass, a very soft glass that quickly turns to a gooey honey-like consistency with much lower heat than other glass. The detail that Ayako and her Japanese counterparts can achieve with this soft glass is nothing short of remarkable!

All these beads are lampwork beads, that means each bead is made by melting glass by a torch individually. Dion and I actually took a class and learned how to make lampwork beads, we of course are still in kindergarten, but these artists are definitely an influence to us.

A few things

This was made for an evening beach wedding.













a close up of the ear dangles

the bracelet.

CATASTROPHE!!!

Soooo...I was busy this Saturday! Friday night I packed an ez-up cover, all my jewelry, cash box, price list, extra project to work on, tables, cloths, chairs. Saturday morning Dion and I headed to San Diego where I had rented a booth to sell my wares. We left a little late (Will I ever out grow of this bad habit?) But we still arrived at our spot in time. I went to sign us in.----But I left my lights on and the key too. When I came back to the car, it would not start! Of course I was parked in a temporary spot, just to sign in. The car had to be moved. So I tried again to start the engine. IT was a CATASTROPHE!!!! The car alarm started going off!!! It was loud, obnoxious and embarrassing! We could not get it to go off. Why? Because I did not have my clicker with me it was at home. (Don't Ask) Anyway, it finally stopped by itself. I waited a bit, and then tried again, after all the car had to move, it was in the way. WWWEEEEEEE WEEEEEEE!!!! What a horrible loud noise! My head was throbbing as I lifted the hood to see what if anything I could do. Of course I know nothing about car alarms. Some irritated, but kind men came over to help us. They tried everything, to no avail. EEEEP EEEEp EEEP!!!! Finally, they disconnected the battery and pushed my car to the side of the road. I believe at this point there was clapping and cheering for these men, from all the other booths. We were all relieved that the shreeking car had stopped blaring and was now silent. Of course, Dion and I could do nothing to start the car. My nerves were so jangled all I could do was call Dennis and ask him if one of our self sacrificing children would kindly bring my car alarm clicker to me. Maybe then I could start my car. Dion suggested that since we were there, signed in, spot assigned, he would begin setting up. But I just couldn't bring myself to do anything more. My shot nerves needed to rest, not artistically present myself and my jewelry. So I said, "ARE YOU OUT Of YOUR Mind????" In reality, I didn't say those words. I actually said something like my body is hurting all over from these jangled nerves, I cannot move or present anything in the manner I need to." So we waited in the car with our reading material for our rescuers to come. About an hour and a half later, DALE and SHEENA our Heroes!!! came with the Mighty Clicker, turned off the alarm system and the car started right up as if nothing had ever happened. There was fifteen to twenty minutes before set up time was over. Dale and Sheena offered to help set up my booth and get me settled in. But I turned down their kind offer and suggested we go eat brunch. Which we did!

We headed to Encinitas on the coast to a little Hawaian hole in the wall. It was good! We had Kalua pig and rice!! Dale and Sheena like this kind of food. Dion enjoyed it too! Of course we had a shaved ice! I was hoping they might have African Ice, but no it was Hawaian. Anyway, we walked around this beach town looking in the stores, bazaar, and then drove on down the road to a beach we all love and got our feet wet and ocean air in our lungs! It was just what I needed to calm me down. Good Kids, good food, good air, good times. So, as the saying goes: Alls well that ends well!

This is the last post specifically for family and friends, as I am going to be using this blog for DLinda Annor. Family and friends can find me at my new blogspot:

http://sweetoldersister.blogspot.com/

"For every species of...sea creature is to be tamed and has been tamed by mankind" James 3:7

So now you know some of the sea creatures that I would like to swim with and learn from. Of course there are many more I am curious about. Those who have jobs or have time to spend near or on the ocean learn many things about these creatures. (Psalms 107:23, 24). When we look at and contemplate all the sea life, we can see the intelligent design behind their marvelous qualities. Yes! Let us echo the sentiments at Revelation 4:11,

"You are worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created."

And now here are some other creatures I enjoy swimming with Right Now!

Put on your oxygen and grab a Fin!

"It is the only creature who loves man for his own sake," wrote the Greek essayist Plutarch. He was referring to my number one pick of Ocean creatures to swim with! The Dolphin.


According to The World Book Encyclopeia, "many scientists believe that dolphins are among the most intelligent animals, along with chimps and dogs." Just as Plutarch noted, dolphins are not drawn to humans just to be fed. Just the opposite, it seems that many of them simply enjoy our company. " Though the dolphin may not need man," notes the book Mysteries of the Deep. "he is curious and quite possibly gets as much pleasure from watching our antic as we do his."


During our summer of surf and when camping along the coast near Santa Barbara, we have witnessed the Dolphins surfing the waves like this picture shows. It is breathtaking!!!! If dolphins are around when you are swimming in the ocean it is not unusual for them to come just out of reach to check you out!!! They really are a very friendly species. They are extremely playful.


To see under water more accurately, dolphins use an echolocation, or sonar, system which operates on a frequency similar to that of an ultrasound scan. The dolphins send out clicks, and the "pictures" they receive enable them to locate food and other objects of interest --including us! Dolphins communicate with one another using high-pitched whistles--transmitted at frequencies ten times higher and four and a half times faster than human speech. Rather than using a language as we know it, dolphins seem to create 'sound pictures'

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMCf7SNUb-Q


Little girls and dolphins I couldn't resist:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YedGn_ZD5dw
youtube.com/watch?v=Jsct3wNPPJc

This video is for Krista:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCAUleX5h8A&feature=related

Put on your snorkle, let's go deeper

The summer of surf (when my children were home) we went to the beach nearly everyday. I learned to surf and I enjoyed it very much!!! The boys of course wanted to catch as many waves as possible. I too wanted to catch a wave, but what I really enjoyed was relaxing just past the wave break on my surf board, just taking in the rays (sun, not sting) and looking down into the deep clear dark water beneath me. The kelp grows in a forest out there and that is where I saw the big gold fish called Garibaldi!

Garibaldi are found in the cooler temperate waters as opposed to tropical reefs. Their habitats range from the shallow subtidal regions down to depths of approximately 100 feet. They occupy shallow rocky reefs near where the intertidal and subtidal zones meet. Here they swim in and around the kelp forests that are prevalent in this habitat. These kelp forests are a critical habitat element as they provide potential protection from predators, are a source of food for them, and are important for reproductive success.
For having fun with Garibaldi with your under water camera see this website!!!

http://www.cadivingnews.com/underwater/id/garibaldi/print.html

video.aol.com/video-detail/garabaldi-in-laguna/136475716

Let's wade out into the sea

What do we have here? JELLYFISH!!! Be careful!

No bones. No brains. But what a sting! The sting of some "jellies", can be deadly. Others are harmless to humans. They look like blobs when washed up on the beach. But in the water jellies are graceful. They range in size from about 1 inch to 200 feet long.

Jelly fish are not fish at all. They are invertebrates, relatives of corals and sea anemones. A jelly has no head, brain, heart, eyes, nor ears. It has no bones. But that's no problem! To capture prey for food, jellies have a net of tentacles that contain poisonous, stinging cells. When the tentacles brush against prey (or a person's leg), thousands of tiny stinging cells explode, launching barbed stingers, and poison into the victim. Where there's water -from icy polar seas to tropical Pacific shores-- there are jellies. Scientists estimate there may be 2,000 species of jellyfish.
DON'T GET STUNG!
A jellyfish fires its poison whenever its tentacles brush against an object. In humans the poison usually causes a sharp, burning sensation that may last from minutes to hours.
If you get stung: Wash the wound with vinegar or rubbing alcohol. Or sprinkle meat tenderizer or put a baking soda and water paste on the sting. Don't rinse with water, which could release more poison.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCVADKwqwnc&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTXinF8ZVCo

Let's get our Feet Wet in the coral reefs!

Ok, so we've looked in the tide pool, now let's really get our feet wet in the sea grass and coral reefs, this is where we will find SEAHORSES!!!
There are 32 species of seahorses, mainly found in shallow tropical and temperate waters around the world. They prefer to live in sheltered areas such as sea grass beds, coral reefs, and mangroves. They can be very small (1 inch) or large (1 foot)
Although seahorses are fish, they do not have scales, instead they have a thin skin stretched over a series of bony plates arranged in rings throughout their bodies. Seahorses swim upright rather than horizontal. Each seahorse has a coronet on their head, which is distinct to each one, much like a finger print. Because they are poor swimmers, they are most likely to be found resting in seagrasses or coral reefs with their tails wound around a stationary object. They have long snouts, which they use to suck up food, like small shrimp, tiny fish and plankton. Their eyes can move independantly of each other like a chameleon.
When two seahorses discover a mutual interest at the beginning of breeding season, they court for several days. During this time they change color, swim side by side holding tails or grip the same strand of seagrass with their tails and wheel around in unison in what is known as their "pre-dawn dance". They eventually engage in their "true courtship dance" lasting about 8 hours, during which the male pumps water through the egg pouch on his trunk which expands and opens to display appealing emptiness. When the females eggs are mature , she and her mate let go of any anchors and snout to snout, drift upward out of the seagrass, often spiraling as they rise. The female deposits her eggs as the male fertilizes them. The male carries their eggs two to four weeks. Then small fry are spouted out and on their own.





www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3XJF-uY8SQ

Let's start by dancing with the Stars!

I love starfish! Sometimes you can find them in tidepools. I can spend days in delight just looking in tidepools! Dalton and I were out kayaking one summer with freinds when we saw starfish on the bottom of the ocean floor. We dove down, down, down. It was deeper than it looked, the water was murky. Everytime Dalton dove down the starfish would move, faster than you would think. We could not catch them.

Facts about starfish: They are not fish. They are echinoderm, closely related to sea urchins and sand dollars.
There are about 2,000 species of Sea Stars living in all the world's oceans, from tropical to cold. Five arm varietes are the most common, but some species have 10, 20 and even 40 arms. Sea Stars are famous for their ability to regenerate limbs, and in some cases entire bodies. They are purely marine animals, you will never find them in fresh water. Averge life span in the wild: up to 35 years.

Did you know? Sea Stars have no brains or blood. Their nervous system is spread through their arms and their "blood" is actually sea water. (National Geographic)

Now shall we dance with the stars?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-kpRZNUuMs&feature=related

Visiting Dallas and Lilly

Wake up sleepy heads!

See my sister's pretty dress? I picked it out myself!Bonding

At Peace with the Animals. Is it possible?

I would like you to meet these interesting people. Have you seen or heard of them?

Please check out these websites because a picture is worth a thousand words. You may have to cut and paste. Look at youtube first.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv4Sia94Cu8
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25797678/ - 59k -


This reminded me of the Bible prophecy at Isaiah 11:6-9.

Do you look forward to this prophesy being fullfilled? I can hardly wait!

Playing the game.

My age.

Place I would like to travel

Favorite place to vacation

Favorite object

Favorite food

Favorite animal

Favorite color

Where I was born

Where I live

Past Pet

Best friend's nickname

Screen name

First name

Middle Name

Last Name

First Job

Grandma's name

What I am doing right now