Latest Auctions

2 new auctions up tonight....

Tagged?

Hmm, I got tagged this week, apparently. My online friend Kaye Husko tagged me to play a game. Apparently I have to tag 5 bloggers, and then answer some questions. Apparently its called a meme. At first I wasn't sure whether to do it - I always delete those chain emails that go around. But its nice that someone wants to know more about me - it does give me something to chat about.... I'm not sure I have 5 people who blog, that haven't already been tagged, but I'll try and think of a few. I figure at worst I'm giving their site a plug, huh? And I wont be upset if they don't want to 'play' - like I said, I nearly didn't. OK, some people to tag.... OK, first, one of the few blogs I read regularly. JC Herrell - awesome glass artist, who I am hopefully going to get to meet when I go to the US next month. Her blog is thought provoking and also highlights her fantastic glass art. Well worth a look. Hmm, next, I'm going to try and tag a colleague of mine - but I'm going to ask first, so no link yet..... I'm going to add other names as I think of them, and just go on with the Meme now.... 1. “What were you doing 10 years ago?” 10 years ago I was working as a Portrait Photographer for a large chain. I was stressed out of my brain, and working 40 hours a week, with no tea and lunch breaks. Unfortunately it was another 2 years before I realised how ill it was making me and got out. Luckily, however, I was (and still am) very happily married which makes up for a lot! 2. “What were you doing 1 year ago?” Much the same as now. Working at YVeLC, loving my job, married, making lots of beads (although no as regularly as now), selling jewellery, playing SCA and performing in Musical Theatre. A concert - 'About Time - we made you laugh' with SLAMS was on the agenda a year ago I think. 3. “Five snacks you enjoy:” Guacamole and cornchips, popcorn, crumpets and honey, donuts, can I think of anything almost healthy.... rice crackers? 4. "Five songs to which you know all the lyrics” Like I saw someone else post, it would be easier to list5 song I didn't know. I have been singing for as long as I remember, and I don't really enjoy music till I learn the lyrics. I can sing through the entire album of 'Once More with Feeling' from the musical Buffy episode.... is that sad? 5. “Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:” TRAVEL! - The travel bug has bitten me and Id love to be able to do the world trip again, but slowly - see the details, the local flavour, not just the big sites. Buy a new house, in a different location. I love our house, but I never did get that spa...and the parking on my road is a nightmare. Get a horse - fulfil the girlhood dream and ride regularly again. Hire a personal trainer - maybe if I pay someone exorbitant amounts of money they can kick me into shape, LOL Stock up on dream tools and equipment for Jason's and my hobbies - latest odd lot glasses, new kiln, scuba gear and workshop tools for Jason 6. “Five bad habits:” Being a terrible housekeeper, being too honest, biting my nails, procrastinating, staying up too late. 7. "Five things you like doing:" Spending time with Jason, making beads, performing in Musical Theatre, cooking, reading. 8. "Five things you would never wear again:" Coloured Mascara, high heel stiletto's with tiny skinny heels, overalls, and if you discount the 'again'... Bikini, Bo Derek plaits. 9. “Five favorite toys:” My Nikon digital SLR, my Piranha torch, My Laptop, any board games, our foozball (sp?) table. Well, guess thats it, whew.... Ok, I'll try and think of some bloggers to tag....

Al Gore video

If you havent seen 'An Incovenient Truth' yet, then I strongly suggest renting the DVD, but here is a great shorter video of Al Gore presenting at a TED conference. Al Gore: 15 ways to avert a climate crisis

May Crown

ok, here are some photos as promised. I have a couple of hundred photos from this event, but I dont like to posts peoples photos online without permission, so.... (the fighters dont count - they are fairly well hidden under those helmets :) ) So, first to set the scene - a shot of the beautiful site. Politachropolis did a wonderful job of setting up the site - it looked fantastic Then there was a bit of a warmup melee....

And here is a few shots of Jason fighting (he's the one in black).

We couldnt have asked for better weather (I actually got sunburnt!) and it was a great day. Yummy feast that night too.....

More Beads!

I still havent had a chance to get those SCA photos organised - I will try and do that this week. In the meantime, I have 3 new auctions up....

Busy week.

Jason and I drove up to Canberra on friday night for a major SCA even - May Crown. Jason didnt fight in crown, but I do have some good pics of him in the Rose tourney, so I'll post some of them later in the week, when I have downloaded then from the camera. I have 2 new auctions up on Just Beads this week. For the moment at least, I have given up on ebay. The relist fees are a killer. I went to an amazing seminar yesterday, with a US educator named Marco Torres. He has done some amazing work with the latino students at his school in LA. You can watch some of the the films the students have made at SFETT.com .

Making Some Changes...

I've been correcting some bad eating habits this week. I'm making sure I eat breakfast everyday, and I'm taking lunch to work. My worst habit was buying junk for lunch.

Im drinking 2 & 1/2 litres of water a day, and thats all I've been drinking for the last 4 days.

So far so good - I've even knocked back chocolate this week! :)

On the bead front, I've had 4 of my auctions sell - the rest are up as relists. Here is one I havent posted here yet....

Good News!

I has some great news about my USA trip this week. I have been awarded a scholarship from the ISGB (International Society of Glass Beadmakers) to attend the gathering, which is their annual conference. I was going anyway, but now I get free registration, 1 nights accommodation and some cash towards airfare. In exchange, I will do 10 hours of volunteer work, which should be a great way to meet people. I have had 2 auctions sell this week and 2 not. I am trying out Just Beads, so I don't think I will re-list the ones that didn't sell on eBay - Ill swap them over to JB instead and see how they go. I am very pleased about the 2 sales, but they both when to my lovely friend Lisa, who I will be staying with in July - I hope I can break into the wider market also. So, the new auctions ..... click the pics to see the auction.

Bead Auctions Up!

As you probably know, I make glass beads. As I'm on holidays, I have been getting organised, and being diligent at the torch this week. I have rounded up all the sets I have ready to sell, finally taken some decent photos and am listing lots of auctions in the next week or so. I have 3 up already, and I want to try and keep someting up constantly, so I have to work to get some more sets ready to go... Anyway, these are the sets I have up at the moment. Click the pics to go to the auctions...

Sad news

Well, its been a tough few days here - a lousy start to my holidays. Mystic, the youngest of our 2 dogs, has been very sick and passed away yesterday morning. He was diagnosed with Pneumonia last week, then when he seemed to get worse and we were preparing for the worst, a specialist said that he had a partially paralysed larynx. While permanent, that problem was supposed to be much less severe - the vet wasn't worried at all. But the poor little fella wouldn't let himself sleep all weekend - I think his breathing was harder when he lay down, so he wouldn't let himself.... Yesterday morning he suddenly collapsed and died almost straight away - we couldn't get to the vet in time. So, despite him being sick for several days, it was still a big shock. As all our friends know, we think of the dogs like our kids, so its been a distressing few days. I really miss the little guy. :(