Day 1 - Moore Girls - more stuff!

It was a great first day!  We draped white sheer glitter net everywhere to cover the back "walls"

Then we started loading the shelves.  We still have much to do, but for 1 day - we already have over 600 items in our little space!

One of the services we offer will be preserving  and restoring handmade doilies, dresser scarves, linens and more.  So I was wondering why our grandma's had so many doilies everywhere and here's what I learned:

• they hide the dust
• someone spent hours making them
• they can cover a spot or blemish on furniture
• they can preserve surfaces
• can be used as shelf liners
• act as a barrier between food and a surface
• prevent sliding
• can be wrapped around food to keep it warm
• provide a decorative touch

and my own reason:

• because they remind us of Grandma Moore!  So we have loads of linens in our little space.

The wire dressforms are a perfect way to display the jewelry we've made:

Colleen is making these wonderful glass totems.  For serving candy, snacks....or just to look pretty.  Aren't they gorgeous?

We have a ways to go to get the showcase full, but I do think we have a pretty good start!  See that gekko?  Colleen made that out of art clay silver!

And are you ready for this?  I've made 120 cards this summer!  I had no idea there were that many!

Several hand-painted silk scarves and we will be adding more in the new future.  What colors/designs would you like to see?

In the lower left hand corner is an antique bedside commode - it even has a porcelain chamber pot!

We had such a fun day putting this together.....and tomorrow, even more stuff is going into our space.  I just love the look we have and the direction we are going in - a venue to showcase our art and make it available to others to purchase.  Just so much fun!!!

Private Playday with Peg Harper

Have I ever told you the story about Peg Harper?  I was up at the Bead Lounge in Longmont a few years ago (2?  3?) and came across a set of beads that were adorned with polymer clay.  I absolutely fell in love with the beads and when I looked at the price tag, I nearly passed out!!!  They were ONLY $15.  On the tiny little tag, it had the name "Peg Harper".

I walked around the store forever looking at everything else....carrying that strand of 6 beads in my hand. The whole time I kept wondering to myself, "how can this woman sell these beads this cheap?"  They were amazing.  I kept looking at the beads and thinking, "I have to say something to the store owner."

So when I went to pay for the beads, I told the cashier, "Whoever this Peg Harper is, will you please tell her that her beads are way underpriced???"  She very politely smiled at me and shook her head yes and that was the end of it.

A few months later, Linda Peterson was here for a week of friendly plastic play.  She wanted to go to the polymer clay guild.  I scrunched up my nose as we all know I just do not like polymer clay.  But I went.  After all, I was Linda's hostess for the week, I couldn't really refuse to take her there, could I?  LOL!!!

Linda's friend, Donna Kato, showed up and of course, we decided to go out to lunch.  Some other members of the guild wanted to join us.  All I really wanted to do was get back to my studio with Linda and play with friendly plastic.  But we went to lunch.  Everyone introduced themselves at the table and you know how that goes....you barely listen to someone's name as you assume you will never see these people again.

But in the back of my mind.....a name kept repeating itself.  Someone had said "Peg Harper".  As I sat there trying to recall why I "knew" that name, I looked across the table at this woman and said, "Did you say your name was Peg Harper?"  She said, "yes".  I said, "Do you have some beads at a bead store up in Longmont?"  (I literally could not even remember the name of the store!)  She said, "yes".  I looked right at her and proclaimed, "your beads are way underpriced!!"

The rest of the day is a blur in my memory, but I did join the polymer clay guild that year because I wanted to know more about this woman named Peg Harper!!!  The friendship has blossomed, the journey has been amazing and we have become great art pals and more.  Peg joined my little Basement Babes group and while she can't make it every month, she, her husband, Kerry and I do manage to get out to dinner together every once in awhile.

And yesterday, Peg came over for a whole day of playing in my studio.  Oh!!!  There is absolutely nothing like Peg being in my studio.  There's laughter, chatter.....her constant determination to convince me I will one day love polymer clay....my constant denial that I will ever give in to it.....

and then she showed me her latest projects.  Oh my goodness!  I may yet turn to polymer clay!  The ideas were running wild in my head.  So much so that I think I quit talking!  hahahaha!!!

Peg is going to teach this at our June Basement Babes date.  I cannot wait!!!

In the meantime, Peg had found tiny little stars of david and we spent the whole day making pendants using her blended polymer clay backgrounds.  I think they all came out wonderful!!!

this one has glitter on the clay and I added some art clay silver punched pieces I had already fired and polished

Each of these is covered with resin, so it looks just like they are embedded in glass.

Of course, Peg did all the resin....if you want to learn how, check out her classes at the Bead Lounge in Longmont CO

And she has a playday every Tuesday at the Bead Lounge.  Sigh.  I have so avoided polymer clay.  But I think I'm going to have to take Tuesdays off my calendar as I will be occupied at the Bead Lounge!

 I liked this one:  the joy of wearing no shoes!!!

 you can barely see the tiny star of david above the word hope.  It is 1/16".  Most of these bezels are just 1/2" wide.   They are really small, dainty pendants

 Maybe my favorite....it looks just like dichroic glass!

 This one is perfection!

I'm keeping this one for me!  LOL!

 I love this caned background - with just a touch of glitter on it

 This is a big one - about 2" long.  The only large one we did.

 Are you ready for this?  The background is aluminum foil!  Isn't that Peg just amazing?

 And here you go - a Friendly Plastic background!

 Polymer clay opals background - looks just like an opal stone

Can you believe that we made all those in a single day?  Yes, they are all for sale - $10 each!  But you can't have the one I said is mine!  LOLOL!!!


Peg has since raised her prices, has put her beads and jewelry in more and more stores, is doing trunk shows and is thriving in our little Colorado world of art!  Yeah Peg!!!

What Peg doesn't know is that I still have that first strand of beads I bought.  They have become my muse.  I still take them out and hold them in my hand and look at them and wonder how on earth she ever could let them go for such a cheap price.  Nor does she know that right after we first met, I went back to the Bead Lounge and bought another strand of her beads.  I have never used them either.  Just another set that I pull out and look at whenever I need to be inspired!

Peg Harper.  Polymer clay artist extraordinaire!  Thank you for being the blessing that you are in my life!!!

And if any of you want her beads....email me.  I'm Peg's biggest fan!!!





Be sure to check out these links:
My Etsy Store
My ebay auctions

Sold! Crop in Style bead tote for sale

Continuing to downsize - here's a Crop In Style bead or jewelry tote in near mint shape.  Wheeled with extendable handle.  Black.  Perfect for taking your bead, jewelry or other projects on the go.  I actually used this for my art clay silver materials including tools, sand papers, dremel bits, etc.  Love that it's on wheels and I didn't have to carry everything to shows and conventions!

It comes with 5 plastic bins - these have divider compartments inside each.  Then there's a 6th bin on the bottom that's double thickness - can get larger tools/jars inside this one.  There's room over on the right for another bin, or all kinds of larger items.

There's a pocket inside the front flap and it includes a beading tray - with lots of room for more stuff in there.

Only asking $50, plus shipping and I'll ship it the cheapest way possible.  If interested, let me know!

Now, I promise to get back to art real soon! This week is end of the year filing, sorting and organizing.  I'd much rather play!!!

May you have a blessed Shavout

Shavout - the Feast of Weeks. Began at sunset last evening. The day G-d gave the Torah on Mt Sinai. 50 days after the Exodus. 1 of 3 High Holy days when all Jews are supposed to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

While I'm not Jewish, I do believe it's important to know what the Jews believe. It's probably more Biblically accurate than any church out there today. And that begs the question....what do you believe?

I am in the process of writing down what I believe - putting it into a book that I can print out and give to my children. Pentacost is the Greek word for 50th day. It was 50 days after Passover. In the Old Testament, it was Shavout. In the New Testament it is Pentacost. So, of course, NOT 50 days after Easter.....but 50 days after Passover. Amazing how our calendar has life so utterly confused. But how clear the Hebrew calendar remains in the year 5770.

There are no Biblical mandates to be followed today. But Hebrew traditons offer the following things to do:

Read the book of Ruth. Eat dairy products, drink milk. Decorate your home with greenery (because Mt Sinai suddenly blossomed with flowers in anticipation ofthe giving of the Torah). Recite the Akdamut which in essence says to never stop learing the Torah - when on finishes, one must start anew again.

So I needed to go online and find a translation of the Akdamut. I had never read it before.

Before I begin to read his Words (The Ten Commandments),

I will ask Permission,

Of the One Whose Might is such that -

Even if all the heavens were parchment,

And all the reeds pens,

And all the oceans ink,

And all people were scribes,

It would be impossible to record

the Greatness of the Creator,

Who Created the World with a soft utterance,

And with a single letter, the letter "heh,"

The lightest of the letters.

And Angels of Heaven of all kinds,

All full of fear and terror of their Master,

Have permission to praise him only at set times,

Some once in seven years, Others once and no more,

How beloved is Israel!

For the Holy One leaves the Angels on High,

To take the People of Israel as His lot -

And they make Him their King,

And declare, "Holy! Holy! Holy!"

Twice a day, Morning and Evening -

And all His Desire is that His Chosen People

Will study His Torah and pray to Him,

For they are inscribed in His Tefillin

"Who is like Your People, Israel,

One nation in the World!"

Thus it is the will of the Holy One,

That I speak in praise of Israel,

And though all the nations come and ask,

Who can it Be, for Whom you give up your lives,

O most beautiful of the nations?

But come with us,

And we'll satisfy all your desires!

And Israel responds with wisdom,

Only a bit of the truth do they reveal,

What is your greatness, say they to the nations,

Compared to the reward that He has in store for us!

And when He sheds upon us His great light,

While you go, then are destroyed in darkness!

Yerushalayim will be rebuilt!

The Exiles will return,

The Gates of Gan Eden will Re-Open,

And all their Brilliance will be Revealed to us -

We will enter those Gates and take Pleasure,

In the Radiance of the Divine Presence,

Whom we will point to, and say -

Here is our G-d, in Whom we hoped,

He will save us!

And each righteous one under his canopy will sit,

In the Sukkah made from the skin of Leviathan,

And in the future

He will make a dance for the righteous ones,

And a banquet in Paradise,

From that Great Fish and the Wild Ox ,

And from the Wine preserved from the Creation -

Happy are those who believe and hope and

Never abandon their faith forever!

Now you my listeners,

When you hear your praise in this song,

Be strong in your faith!

And you will merit to sit in the company

Of the holy and righteous ones

In the World-to-Come!

If you've listened well to my words,

Which were uttered in holy majesty -

Great is our G-d!

The First and the Last!

Happy are we, for He loved us,

And gave us His Torah.

Written in the 11th century. I find it truly amazing. Study the Torah. Never stop learning. When you finish, start all over. Praise Him. All the He desires is that His chosen peopls study His Torah and pray to Him.

May you come to believe - in order that you may be inscribed in His Tefillin.

May you never stop believing.

More silver in glass

We really put out the glass this past weekend and I wanted to share some more pieces that have .999 fine silver (Art Clay Silver) fused between layers of glass. This is a gorgeous pendant that Rhonda made:

These are tiny little diecuts using a Spellbinders die:

Now, while this one does have a few air bubbles in it...who will see them from a distance?

I have a new circle glass cutter that really helps!

And is this just too cute? A wedding cake! I already know a bride-to-be who's getting this one!

Unique, one-of-a kind gifts. If you see one that you want, just let me now! I'll see if Ronda wants to sell hers! (I can hear her telling me "no way" already! LOL!) So I guess you'll have to fly in and take the class as well!

Glass and silver

Rhonda flew in from California this weekend to learn how to fuse silver inside of glass. I think she had a bit of fun!!! I know I did!



"they" said it couldn't be done. "they" said that silver stains glass, that you can't put silver inside of it. And take a look....the silver is under a top layer of clear glass, over a bottom layer of dichroic glass....

I've used a Spellbinders die on this piece of silver, and the silver gets fired first, then a second firing is done to fuse the silver inside the glass.

This one has to be my favorite piece. Hardly any bubbles. No silver stain. TWO pices of silver layered together, just adorable!

Those were sizzix diecuts and below is another Spellbinders die. A perfect piece! I'm using ACS Paper type metal clay to do this with.

So if you want to come learn how to do this fantastic technique, just email me and we'll set up a class. I think Rhonda would tell you that while you learn a ton.....you also have a whole lot of fun!!!

And what wonderful pendants for someone special!

Be sure to tell "them" that it CAN be done!!! LOL!!!

Party lag

....it has to be something similar to "jet lag"? Where a few days after you travel somewhere you just can't function? I think I'm going through "party lag" today! Linda and I were up til 2 am and then the phone rang at 7:30 am and I just cannot function yet today!

So instead of editing photos and writing yet another story.....I read what Liz Welch wrote about the weekend and I do believe it sums up the whole event in such a wonderful way!

Grab your coffee and click the link below and have fun reading all about our fabulous weekend of play!!!

Rarelizzzie's Blog

You can order the cutters that Liz talks about here:

Rare Bird Ltd

The one she used is "Arabesque"

Art for sale!!!

First....I just want to thank all of you who have asked me where you can buy my jewelry ! I finally have my own "store" - and we'll just have to see if it works or I trash the whole thing!

Click here:

Jen's Jewelry Art for sale

Published pieces may have a slightly higher price.

If you want specific measurement, just email me.

I will try to update as soon as an item is sold, but there may be times when a piece you want is already gone!

If you don't do paypal, I take checks and cash! If you have problems with the paypal buttons, just let me know.

And here's a slideshow just for fun!!!

Finally - enamel done right!

The best piece yet! Using transluscent enamels. I made the kimono using junk clay - scrap and broken unfired pieces that I reconsituted and then put in a mold that I made from a rubber stamp.



Quick, easy, fun.....perfect for a quick class!

enameling on silver and copper

Well.....not everything in life is a huge success. Her lips came out black, not red. The pupils of her eyes slid. But I like what it did for the hair problem. Now to see if I can "fix" the errors!

So, on the copper, we painted scalex where we didn't put enamels. Since this was our first attempt - I have way more scalex than enamel.


and we didn't bother to counterenamel any of this. But what a glorious surprise when we took the copper out of the kiln. Don't know if you can see, but the scalex peeled rigtht off and left the most wonderful pink/peach pearlized surface you can imagine - absolutely gorgeous!

Maybe this one shows it better:

I learned that I like transluscent enamels on pieces - not real fond of opaque, but can see their uses as well.

Rhonda took the time to completely enamel an embossed, diecut piece of copper and it turned out wonderful!

So tomorrow, I'll share more successes and failures. I am now completely convinced that you can read all the books you want, take all the classes you want, re-read all your notes....and the best way to learn something is still to just do it!

I'm happy to report that a fun time was had by all! And I think we all learned something "new" while spending a day playing in our jammies!!!