Cherry Tree- I Miss You.

Here are a few photos of my cherry tree in Atlanta.

I've been in sub zero temperatures and snow a foot deep.

.....'Nuff said.

Use That Forgotten Frit

Are you like me and have a bunch of single color frits hanging around?  And not sure what exactly to do with them?

Well, in my quest to clean out my space a bit more, I'm using that extra frit- but instead as stringer.

If you haven't made stringer from frit before, it's pretty easy.

I start with a clear rod, or a transparent that is similar in color to my frit.  I just heat up the very end.

Because I store my frit in glass jars, I take the shortcut and dunk my warm end (the glass of course) into the jar and get a few chunks, then I repeat.  I melt those most of the way down, and while I'm doing it, I make sure that I don't melt it back onto the original rod.

I continue until I get a good sized gather, heat it up and pull it out into a stringer.  Be aware that it might come out a bit uneven. That's okay.  It also might feel a little stiffer than your 104 glass.  It's probably a different coe, so be careful how you use it.

I use this stringer for surface decoration - my lavender seashell with magenta frit is just one example.  This extends your color palate and can make your beads stand out.  Hope you try it.  It's worth the extra effort and you slowly find uses for that unused frit.

Need Your Comments on My Assemblage, Please.

Hi everyone,
I'm writing from chilly Wyoming as I visit my relatives. Talk about windy here!

The Glass Olympics with the theme of Spring is going on right now and I need your comments for my glass assemblage. It helps in the judging.
Just click here to leave a quick one, please.

Meanwhile, I'll be back to make more posts. They may be a little erratic, because my schedule is packed. Got to visit EVERYONE you know! And if you didn't know, I'm still uploading new beads daily in my StudioMarcy Etsy shop. And while I'm away, all shipping is FREE. Until I return on the 10th.

Catch you soon- hopefully tomorrow!

Greetings from Wonderful Wyoming

Sing along with me, "home, home on the range.  where the deer and the antelope play".  Well I've seen lots of antelope and not a single deer.  But I did see a herd of bison.  Yep, you read it right.

If you haven't heard, I'm out in the Rockies, visiting my family in Wyoming.  

Here's my newest little great niece who I have been enjoying immensely- she's a sweetie and just took her first multiple steps today and I was here to see it.  How exciting.

Her mom, my niece, and I have been chatting about glass.  She does really fun fusing work and it's so nice for each of us to have someone who understands us.

I will be posting almost daily, but if I miss one, please forgive me.  My days are packed with catching up, discussing beads, the economy and especially hearing about family members who aren't present.  Bet it's the same in most families.

I'll be back tomorrow for sure.  And I'll get some glass and inspiration blogs in too.  Have a nice weekend and see you soon.

Etsy Selling Tips for Beadmakers

I'm happy to share my Etsy selling tips. And I get asked often, so I thought I'd write down some basics that I recently shared with one of my friends who was asking about them.

I think Etsy is a lower priced venue, for sales. That's why I keep my beads so simple on it. A few higher priced ones sell, but the smaller ones do so much better. It's chock full of jewelry makers who list on there.

A lot of Etsy success stories include listing new items daily. It brings your pieces to the forefront of the lists and be careful to tag them correctly. I list daily and do custom work. Both work well for me. Your photography is as important as the art you do. If it's not good, no one will notice your work.

Remember that the Etsy audience is broad and goes towards the younger than the older side. Find your niche and stick with it. You'll be more successful. I personally think that beadmakers who offer too many styles have a hard time showing their identity to repeat shoppers.

Also there are a ton of very talented beadmakers on Etsy- you have to work hard to stand out. I blog (as seen right here) go on the forums, have joined some Etsy Street Teams and keep my name out there if possible. It's a lot of work for me, but it's my only selling venue.

If you are just consider selling on Etsy, be aware that whatever name you use when signing up, will be your Etsy url address. So be careful. I've seen some shop owners name their shop one thing and have a different address. I know a lot of buyers convert to sellers, and that's the reason, but being aware upfront can help.

I've also seen some wonderful collaborations result from connections on Etsy. Be open to the possibilities. All these creative folks can work well together to create more new items.

If you have Etsy selling tips, please add them in here. I'd love for us to share with others. I enjoy Etsy. It's been good to me and I'm thankful for having them.

Have You Seen This Glass Artist?

This is one of Karli Hall's glass sculptures. from her Gathering Series.

Karli likes to base many of her blown sculptural forms on elements of nature.  When viewing her work, you'll see pieces that evoke pods and seeds as well as underwater creatures.

Stop by Karli's site and read more about her.  And thanks to Lana Chu for posting on facebook about her.

No Kidding- Seriously Add Yourself to Your Listings

Happy April Fool's Day. I know, not everyone celebrates it. So that's my public service for today. I'm reminding you to be on your toes.

And I thought I'd mention another selling tip.... adding a little of your personality to your listings.

I can only tell you what works for me, and what I like. But I love knowing a little bit about the person selling the item, especially if the item seems to have a little of the person in it.

Sounds more complicated than it is. Someone selling a tile pendant with a small square of wrapping paper decoupaged onto it is different than that same tile pendant with a small square of someone's original photography. The latter tells me a little of who that person/artist is. (and I do enjoy both items, but I'm trying to illustrate what I'm saying).

You can do this by mentioning that a certain component is a favorite color or shape, or your inspiration for that piece. It doesn't need to be private matters, or too much.

Perhaps you choose to include a photo of yourself at work in your studio, so they can imagine you making their piece that they want to buy.

And sometimes you're just a goofball and have "photobooth" on your Apple computer that takes pictures of you at your desk, but can add a funny background, or you just happen to have the fake mustache and eyeglasses set. (Aw come on, don't you keep one around? I can't be the only one.)

So maybe you nix the silly photos, because you create more serious art. But do consider including small "pieces" of you, so your customers feel like they know you. I have made wonderful connections and even some of my customers have turned into good friends. No fooling.