Suburban Girl Studio

Big Bead Update!

Just updated the Etsy Bead Shop with lots of new goodies.  Here's a little peek...

 Stoneware Leaf Imprint Pendant

 
Porcelain Flower Pendant

 
Stoneware Seashells!

 
Tiny Stoneware Swirls

 
And lots more!

Rings & Things Haul

I just got back from the Rings & Things show in East Hanover and boy is my wallet empty!  I actually got there a little before they opened but I told them I was coming in anyway!

 
A few minutes later the place was really hopping...

 
I bought lots of new goodies including rose quartz, coral, citrine, prehnite and peruvian opal.

 
I was also gifted a Russ troll bead!  Thank you!

 
More beads: pyrite, labradorite, lava and black agate.  Some of the black agates have drusies.

 
Also glass beads, a cup burr, necklace cords and copper gears.

 
Oh look, Russ Troll made friends with Dexter...

 
Thanks for coming to my area again Rings & Things.  NJ loves you!

And on a totally unrelated note, I'll be having an Etsy Bead Shop update tomorrow afternoon!

Fresh from the kiln!

Just picked up a big batch of stoneware and porcelain beads from the art park yesterday.  As soon as the weather clears up I'll start photographing several of these pieces for the Etsy bead shop.

 
Loving these brown stoneware leaf imprints...

 

There are some flowers and shells hiding in that pile...

 
Now I just need these storms to move out of here!  Rain, rain go away!

Utah Ring: Mission Complete

It took me three hours last night to finish this ring and I'm happy with the end result.

 
There was so much firescale on the band that I had to keep polishing and polishing and polishing.

 
I'm really looking forward to my trip in the fall so I can show the rock shop owners what I did with their work.

 
I hope they like it!

Utah Ring In Progress

Last fall when I was visiting my parents in Utah, I took a trip to some of the rock shops in Springdale and picked up a fantastic septarian nodule cabochon.  A few weeks ago I decided it would make a great chunky ring. 

 
The ring is created out of sterling silver and brass since the ever fluctuating price of silver is enough to make me want to pull my hair out.

 
All that's left to do is some sanding, polishing and setting the stone.  I can't wait to wear this back out to Utah in the fall and show the shop owners the finished piece!

Mini Mountain Getaway

Yesterday I returned from a weekend getaway with my husband's family.  We stayed at the stunning Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY.  It was as if this place was made to be photographed.  Just look at some of the views...

 
This was the view from our room. 

 
This might be my favorite photo.

 
Then the fog rolled in on Saturday which made for the following beautiful pics...

 
 
 
It was a beautiful place and a nice little getaway from my regular suburban life.  Tomorrow it's back to beads though!

Bead Table Wednesday

 
It's hotter than the inside of my kiln out there but that didn't stop me from going out earlier and doing my laundry.  While I was there I hid in the basement and started working on some raku beads. 

 
Plenty of summery beads!

 

I'm hoping to do my first raku firing with the new kiln in the next few weeks!

Now go check out the BTW Flickr Group!

More New Bead Goodies!

A few more beads have been added to the Etsy bead shop!  Here's just a little peek...

Stoneware beachy charms...

 
A flashy raku fossil bead!

 
A pretty crackle-finish raku rose charm!

 

Bead Table Wednesday

 
I have returned to BTW!  Last night I went to the ceramics studio at the art park and picked up a small test batch of stoneware beads and two tiny pieces of pottery.  Please ignore the disaster in the background.

 
I love the little scrap clay mini dishes.  I have to price them and wrap them up for the fall shows.

 
Then I have to sort through these stoneware beads.  There are some good ones and some "Ack! What Happened?" pieces in there.  I can already spot one or two good ones that will end up on Etsy.

 
Don't forget to check out the Bead Table Wednesday Flickr Group to see what everyone else is working on!