The New year has not started off perfect  but I am working hard at making the best of things. New Years day I broke my  ankle and was told  I could stand for more than   2-3  hours a day.  I  like to  be busy and sitting still  is  my version of being a in living hell.

January forth  another doctor told me  that  I was going to  need to give up coffee. So,  instead of multiple cups a day I have limited myself to one  cup every other day which seems to not be good enough.

So instead of  tossing wonderful  smelling beans in the trash …. I spent 6 hours gluing them to an old mirror.  I love  the wonderful smell of coffee.

Coho Computer invited me to turn the shop into a gallery for the Issaquah Wine Walks so thought it would be fun to make something special for the wall.

Materials: mirror with frame, clear water proof silicon, caulk gun, and corks of course.

Put the mirror on a flat surface, if you are using a table you care about put something under it like old paper bags so that if a cork falls off while you are working you won’t end up with Silicon on your table like I did.

You don’t want to try to do too many corks at once take your time and let them dry! I did one row half way around and then took a break allowing the silicon time to dry.

The  2nd photo is of a  clock I  made a year or so ago for a fundraising auction.

Have fun!

 I remember my guitar, It was red and always out of tune. I used to visit a friend and sit and strum his guitar so for my  11 birthday he bought me one as a gift.I didn’t  get the hang of playing so, I gave it to a neighbor boy who made amazing music. He used to invite me over to  hang out and listen to him play.! It was amazing how wonderful  he could make it sound! A few years ago I was driving home late one night and I  saw a broken guitar in the neighbors trash can.  I  pulled over and pulled it out of the trash and brought it home. I have finally brought it back to life.

The guitar was my first love. I had forgotten how much I loved to listen to someone play. I am lucky as my youngest child plays guitar so I often get serenaded for hours and hours in the evening.

This  guitar is now ready to go off to live with someone new! $ 325.00

I just received a couple photos from one of my collectors . The custom light  on the left is in the  corner of their  dining room and the custom bird is decked out for the holidays and greets guests on the front porch! I love  seeing  photos of my work outside the workshop!

This little bird raised  $$$ for the ,  Way back Inn  which is a place that gives homeless families a place to stay. I  hope he is happy in his new home.

Yesterday I was in my daughters room looking for a part of a Halloween costume  and I  spotted a garbage bag on the  floor. In the  bag I found three pairs of expensive shoes that I had purchased for  homecoming and prom, as well as an  expensive Prada bag and a few other girly items that I had given as holiday gifts a few years ago.

When she got home from work I  told her I found her trash and was happy to reclaim the  unwanted items. She was fine with this and I was  moving on to a new topic when my other child said , “yeah I gave my  bag away a couple years ago to someone  who really cared about purses.”  Emotions set in and I  started crying, I  went upstairs and tried to be reasonable.  I am  not about material things and my children have told me I am impossible to  buy gifts for. Personally I  prefer gifts that require the giver to spend time with me.  Why then was I crying about some unwanted handbags?

Both the  kids came up to  talk to me as they did not like seeing me upset. Over the past year both my daughters  have  also shared that they  do not see themselves as  girls so I have been slowly  preparing to  help them with whatever transition comes .  So why was I feeling so  emotional?  I  gave them  gifts that I thought they would like, I  thought I knew my  children, I was so clueless to who they were and who they wanted to be, so I cried.

I am not sure how many years ago I gave them Prada bags and it doesn’t really matter.The youngest  leaned over and gave me a hug and said , “its  okay mom  we are  much closer now”  I cried because I was only  seeing them as I wanted to  see them and not as they were met to be.

It has been a  busy few  weeks. I am working on a couple commissioned pieces , which I have found is not my strong suit. As long as people are not in a rush its okay  but I really don’t do my best work on a schedule.  Having a new shop pet has not made working any more fun!  Stickers likes people and doesn’t mind noise. I usually  leave my door open and he just comes on in! I  now have a true understanding about the old saying,  don’t let the  camel put his nose in the tent!  IN this photo the dear thing was  trying to eat my young guests shirt.

The gallery is shaping up , we had two good sales early in the month which is a  good sign. In the below photo we were trying to  decide where to put the  second  bench. My  friend Brad was helping me hold a piece of lumber and my  business partner Zal  decided to have a seat!

So many  emotions the past few weeks!  I made a little piece for our gallery neighbor who  went out of business after having been at the  design center for twenty  plus years. She gave me all kinds of things and  just before packing up she gave me some  bamboo that had been given to her as a gift from a friend who passed away in December. She was in tears when she gave it to me. She said she had been meaning to do something with it but never did and she wanted it to  go to a good home.  I  decided to  make something for her as a  souvenir It has that  design center rock and bamboo theme .  It made her cry more.

While out visiting one of our  GC artists I met a really cool artist who makes native Salish

art . I have a few sample’s of his work at the gallery.    You can  check out  his website  by clicking on the photo.  These are  24 x 24  rolled copper , some have  black  nickel or silver  coatings or a cool baked  Japanese pine needle  finish.  For a limited  time these can me snatched up for $720 instead of the  usually $1400 as the artist told me he can’t eat them.

One of my  best  buddies has been in they ICU  for a couple weeks.  Its hard to see friends and  loved ones in pain. Tonight the hospital is sending her to a new room outside the ICU. I am  sure  going to sleep better tonight! I am  looking forward to  having a party on the 5th floor!

Tomorrow  September 19, is our  3rd  thursday art walk , our theme is  faces and limbs,  our artist Anette Lusher will be giving a talk at 7 PM on her installation  called, Caged.  In  case you have not been to the gallery we are in suite 262  in the  Seattle Design Center.

It’s hard to believe that its been 7 months since partnering with Zalman on the gallery at the Seattle Design Center! I am still not ready to get back to welding full time but I am having fun bringing more new artists to the gallery! This month’s reception features over 20 artists!

In hanging the new  show,  Faces and Limbs we had pieces  being  purchased before we could get them on the walls! The gallery will be open this Saturday, September 14th from 6-9 as part of the Georgetown  Art Attack. Our official receptions are on 3rd Thursdays, from 6-10 PM.

Here is a sneak peek of some of what you will see in September!

I  look forward to seeing you at the  gallery!