joepetersglass

While at the LARAC show in Saratoga a few years ago, I met a glass artist Joe Peters from MA, his work was mostly sculptural but he did have some pendants available. When you see his work you think that you are looking at something from under the sea, it's very intricate and evokes a feeling of otherworldliness. We struck up a business deal, I set some of his cabochons in silver and he paid me with cabochons.
This photo is of a batch that I sent last month and I just sent another batch this week. He has a local show this weekend, please check out his website http://www.joepetersglass.com to see some of his fascinating work.
Today I'm concentrating on getting ready for the AAG Artisan Exhibition tomorrow at Gallery 812 in Lowville. I have a new set of daisy jewelry to showcase and started a crazy S hook set yesterday, that never lasts long on my table. If time allows, I'll set some more stones today too! We have guests coming to our rental cabin today and then a couple of campers to set up in our campground later, so I'm 'on call' all day today.

Daisy Cuff

Here is my rendition of an idea that came across my workbench recently. A customer had cut a picture out of a catalog of a similar bracelet and left it on her husband's dresser, no doubt hoping he would get the hint, HINT. I make a daisy pendant and earrings but had not tried the cuff, I wasn't sure how to make it sturdy enough to hold up to use. So yesterday when the husband brought the picture to me, I worked on the idea and came up with a couple of bracelets that I'm confident will hold up. The other cuff has a copper center which I prefer and think that my customer will also. Can't wait to see their reaction.

Finished Product

The finished product...I had to make one of these miniature packs to fulfill an order and I didn't have any others so I made 4 altogether. I need to add one to the Gallery 812 display, I sold one to a great shop in Saranac Lake called Eco Living and I have one left for my display. Guess I'll be making more soon.

Weaving is one of my great pleasures, somehow it just feels right to weave, it's an obsession. One of the most fun things that I do is weave a design into a cuff bracelet, I don't want to stop once I get started on a pattern. Last spring I made a batch of 4 or 5 cuffs and wove up all but one, I started the design on the last one and intended to take it with me to craft shows so that customers could see the process. However I could not stop myself from weaving it to the end, definitely OCD.

Adirondack Pack Baskets

Last week I wove a few pack basket pendants and took a picture of my bench to show you some of my supplies and tools. I have the base for a pack all laid out in the center and the weavers are coiled to the left. I use pure silver wire for most of the basket as it is more malleable than sterling.

In front is a pack basket partially woven and the two in the back are woven to the top and awaiting the rim row and finishing. It doesn't take too long to weave but the setting up and finishing up are very time consuming and I have to use my magnifying light for most everything.

Gearing up for a trip to Lake Placid and Saranac Thursday to try and sell to a couple of galleries there. Moon Tree Design on Main St. in Lake Placid is the absolute best gallery/shop in town, I'm honored that the owner is willing to look at my jewelry. If you get to Placid, Moon Tree Design carries the most interesting and unique products, stop by and give yourself a treat.

Mike and I are going to Lake Placid for the weekend with some friends, our first vacation since 2007. I love Lake Placid and am usually working when I pass through there so I don't get to look around for more than an hour or two. Can't wait to breathe the air and walk around Mirror Lake, it feels like home when I get there.

Crazy S Hooks and Aventurine

Several years ago, while making some S hook earrings, I cut the pieces too long and ended up make the crazy S hook instead. It's one of my little designs. Whenever I make a piece with the crazy S hooks it's sold almost immediately. I like to use it with bead wraps, it's a nice spacer and is a good length. In this photo I've wrapped aventurine beads with sterling wire and linked them together with a few double cable rings and the crazy S hooks. I have one S hook as the pendant and finished off the back of the necklace with twisted link chain. One of my favorite customers bought this in Canton at the Middle School show last month, I love it when my babies go to a good home and I might be able to see them again.

Mother's Day

This lovely mother-daughter dragon fly pendant was ordered by one of my customers for a very good friend of mine, I hope she likes it! I had a great time making this, not my usual style but it's always good to branch out and try something different. The larger dragon fly is about 1-3/4" wide and is set with a garnet ( mother's birth stone )and the smaller one measures 1" wide and has a moonstone ( daughter's birth stone ).

This is an example of what I call a 'miscellaneous' bracelet. At any given time, my bench has several pieces from various projects strewn about, some are leftovers or ideas that didn't work out for the intended purpose. So once in awhile I put these pieces together with a few bezel set stones, in this case, dichroic glass. These bracelets are all one of a kind and so much fun to make! I occasionally make a necklace also.

I have lots more photos to upload here when I get time, I've got some great aventurine bead wrap jewelry that I made that I would love to show you next.

Bill, a friend of ours that stays at our campground has been telling me about facebook and has convinced me to join up. I'm enjoying it very much and still trying to figure out how to do everything there. It is truly a time eater though ..... Bill put our cabin and campground information up on his facebook and has sent several campers in our direction. Memorial weekend is going to be a busy one for us here and I've had a few calls for dates in July also. Thanks Bill!