Morning

One step forward two steps back. no strike that reverse that!

(which reminds me, Its time for Wonka! and OZ and Nightmare before Christmas! Petewy for football, :) bring on the Technicolor puppets and munchkins and oompa loompas!

What is your favorite holiday movie?

Yesterday I watched Arsenic and Old Lace, I have loved that silly movie since I was knee high to a grass hopper! " I'm not a Brewster! I'm the son of a Sea Cook!! chargeeeeeeeeeee!"

Lets talk glass :)

I recently ordered a big pallet of Bullseye glass, which is made here in the USA, and I have to say, OMG!! I love it!!!

Its is tad bit slower to melt, perfect for sculptural, and stringer work.The colors are to die for, pinks purples, the black is nice and BLACK, not purply like in the 104 series of black, There is this color called Neo Shift lavender, it comes in a opaque and a translucent, It is such a trip in my studio lighting and sunlight its a lovely shade of lavender, in my Kitchen and bathroom lighting, its a soft shade of blue! outside its actually different colors in the full sun or shade,

I put them into the kiln to anneal and it was a pretty lavender, I carried it to the kitchen to clean and suddenly it was blue, I was like! dude! OH no! this is not the color I wanted! turns out it was even better!!!

These pictures are not adjusted in photo shop it really is the colors they picked up in different lighting..LOVEEEEEEEEEEE <3

I mentioned Stringer work?

Some new designs I'm working on and stocking up on, for the Nov 5th Art hop at WMGS, These are made on the Pandora size mandrels, so they fit perfectly on a cord ribbon or pandora type necklace, I make them using kickstand type leaves so they hang perfectly and dont flip over. Now If I could find my neck to take pictures of how great they lay :)

But Laurie? what about your pansies? violets etc? are the bullseye colors vibrant enough for that? you ask??? OMGGGGGGGGGGG!

Enough showing off, for today :) I want to spend a minute or three, thanking all my very good friends, be it cyber world friends to real friends, for the sentiments they shared with me going through the loss of my brother, I'm not better yet, I'm still completely heart broken, day by day, tear by tear, but your words and sharing your feelings with me have kept me from totally breaking down. I know life is a gift, a challenge, a trial. With friends and family we get by :)

Thank you so very much!

xo Laurie

Sad

So, I opened this blog with the total intent to update on a regular basis,.. Life Happens, This month I can honestly say has been the ultimate saddest month of my life, My little brother passed away Sept 8th.
I tend to be a fairly private person in my internet groups, I avoid religion, politics depressing type thoughts etc, and try to just focus on the beauty of the glass art and the gifts life has blessed us with.
I also tend to be a hermit, I really love private time, I love Mondays! because Steve goes to work, and its just me my dogs, and my thoughts.
I try really hard to keep a positive attitude, and totally believe in positive affirmation, I update my Facebook with lots of fun jokes and quips, and to be entirely honest its not just to spread the fun to others, it helps me stay positive to laugh.
This month has been the biggest challenge to me,
I know its part of life to lose our loved ones, My family is nearly extinct. This one has really hit me hard.
Mikey, was born when I was 10, and I can remember the day Mom and Dad brought him home, what an amazing little package! way better than any doll. Minnie mom in me took over, I taught him how to walk,I taught him how to talk, I babysat him and my other brother Jimmy during the summers, and after school.
My family was not big on displays of affection, we never felt unloved, but there wasn't hugging, kissing and the sort. With Mikey he was always snuggling, hugging, kissing. (here is one for the shrinks out there) I was scared to sleep alone, I would sneak into my parents bed after they had fallen asleep, then when Mikey was born I would let him sleep with me, of course telling him I was protecting him (Ha)
I had two other brothers, one five years older than me, one five years younger than me, of course the older one thought I was a pain in the ass, trying to tag along, the younger one I thought was a pain in the ass :) (love you Jimmy) but Mikey, thought I was cool,
Being the only girl with three brothers, it was really hard to feel cool, I generally felt like an alien.We all joked and teased each other for sure, You have to be pretty tough, witty and sarcastic to make it in my family :)
I sit here writing this, thinking there is no way I'm going to post it,
I am such a self analyzer, I'm going to analyze myself into a padded room someday. :)
I don't have what ifs, or should have thoughts about this, I know it cant be changed, I'm not angry, I'm not seeking any kind of justice, I am simply heart broken, I am going to miss him for the rest of my life.
As maternal as I felt over him, I hurt for our mother, what an amazing person, Yet I know she appears a lot stronger than she is. I Love you ma.
I had a friend ask this weekend what happened she had picked up pieces off my Facebook posts, but said I was cryptic, (surprise) I was trying so hard to not let this bring me down, or effect my friends and business.
That is totally not how I want to word that. I think sharing our personal life with our professional artistic lives helps paint a picture of who we are, what our art means to us, etc. but I still have walls, and self imposed rules, in the world of "Networking".
For those that I confided in, I want to send a huge thanks, for all the kind words, and support,
Its weird how when tragedy strikes your family, you feel like you're the only one in the entire world suffering.
Then life smacks you upside the head.
Life is truly a gift, and I have to move forward, and I have to cherish it.
Mike, I Love you.