Sunday, October 24, 2010

WELCOME Let The BOC Bloggers Open Studio Tour Begin

Maple trees that  line our long driveway from the road.  These are very old, maybe 150 years old.  Every year they turn the most gorgeous shades of red, yellow,  orange and green.  I grew up in the Southwest and we never had a Fall.  But we always had sunshine. 
Welcome to the 2nd Annual Beads-of-Clay Bloggers Fall Open Studio Blog Tour. 
I am so pleased that you have come to visit  today. 

oops I am a bit camera shy

a little bit about my studio and what I am doing in it.


I have been making ceramic beads for quite awhile now.  I began making them because I was looking for beads that had large enough holes to string onto the cord I was using then to make macrame necklaces.

This is a picture of two of my first  ceramic pendants.

 I didn't know much about ceramics back then, circa 1998 but had some wonderful friends and instructors along the way.  A little later I had the Beads-of-Clay Yahoo group to help me along.  That was about  the time the group was getting started and everyone was trying to figure out how we could get ceramic beads to be accepted into the artisan bead community.  Marsha Neal Minutella,( MarshaNealStudio LLC) the organizer of today's event, was one of the trail blazers and early founding members of the group.  She has always been generous with her fabulous ability to think and organize and in sharing her creative ideas.  Thank You Marsha for making this happen today.



       I love making beads and pendants because I love color, shapes, texture and natural forms from plants and nature.  And I love the surprise each time I open the kiln.


AT 2:00 PM EST today, I hope you will leave a comment to participate in my first Giveaway, this Maple Seed Wings  Pendant.   And then hop on over to the other Ceramic Bead Artists who are participating today.  You can get there easily by going back to the BOC blog and clicking their name under their thumbnail picture.  You will be instantly transported to their blog.

Come back at 3:00PM to have a look inside my studio and leave a comment to win my  2nd Giveaway which includes one of my toggle clasps and a $25.00 gift certificate to my Etsy Store, and yes, you can use it during my 40% off sale today. Thanks so much for visiting.
And after the second drawing I will share a wonderful recipe straight from the old world for Apfelkuchen and show you pictures of a traditional fall activity we do around here.
Have a great time and lots of luck winning a Giveaway.

33 comments:

  1. Mary - this is such a great idea - an online tour. Your beads are lovely

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  2. Hi Anuntie Annie, So glad you have come on the tour. I will put you name in the hat for the drawing.

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  3. Mary - I have recently found your lovely ceramic work. It's a delight to find out a bit more about you and how your work has progressed since you began. I'll be heading over to your etsy shop for sure today. Thanks for the giveaways too!

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  4. I purchased you raku beads some time ago, and oooooh how I love them! I also bought one of your toggle clasps and made a bracelet that a clothing store I sell to couldn't get over! Your work is amazing!! I am glad I get to see this tour!

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  5. Your work is so inspiring Mary - beads and jewelry alike! It's great to work with someone like you on all of this… Couldn't do it without your lead! THANK YOU!!!

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  6. Hi Mary - love your work! As a matter of fact, I've already shopped this morning. Thanks for the opportunity!
    Colleen

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  7. love this event! i won a beautiful piece of yours last year - and i still have it... there are certain pieces i find hard to part with!

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  8. Hi Rosylyn thanks for the great comments. So glad you have come along.

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  9. Hi Sharon thanks so much for letting me know how well the toggle was received. How cool!!

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  10. Hi Marie, so glad you are on the tour. I know what you mean about using certain pieces and parting with them. Thanks so for feeling that way about them.

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  11. Hi Marsha,
    Thanks so much for coming by and looking around. Such great support you have given me over the years. it has meant and still means so much.

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  12. Hi Colleen, How great you are on the tour and shopping too. Hope you can visit all of us. Your support is so appreciated.

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  13. Nice to "meet" you Mary!I love reading about the artisans,who they are and what they are about...
    Smiles
    ~Sharon~

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  14. Hello Mary! Thank you for the tour. I LOVE your pendants and toggles. Heading over to Etsy now to check out your latest! Keep up the great work!

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  15. Love that pendant you have shown, I love to watch those "winged" seeds fall from the sky, reminds me of spring.

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  16. It's fun to look back at where we started in ceramics! I have some buttons some where from 1993 that are probably more useful as paper weights.

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  17. You have come a long way baby! I love the earthiness and ethereal quality of what you make. What a treat to learn more about you!
    Thank you for sharing!
    Enjoy the day.
    Erin

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  18. Hi Sandra, so glad you could come today. thanks for the kind words about my work. Hope you find something very tempting in my Etsy store today.

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  19. Hi MoonRae--Sharon thanks for the visit and kind words. so nice to hear them from you. have a great time and lots of luck on the giveaways.

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  20. Hi Erin, you made me break out laughing. you are so right. I have come a long way. So glad you could come today. Happy Anniversary.

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  21. Hi LeAnn, You made me laugh. I know what you mean about early work. I have some pretty funny looking beads here somewhere.

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  22. your work is beautiful! Hope I win something!
    Erin S

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  23. I just love your nature inspired pendants and toggles. The colors are so beautiful!

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  24. This is beautiful! Thanks for the opportunity!
    Colleen

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  25. Hi Erin,
    How great that you stopped by and thank you for the great support.

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  26. Thanks for stopping by Raida and for such nice support. I do love color.

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  27. That is so pretty! love it!

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  28. copper diem thanks so much for stopping by. Great to hear from you .

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  29. I am enjoying the studio tours.
    Thanks Mary!

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  30. Beautiful, Colorful Post - and you know I Love all your work! :)

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  31. What a wonderful giveaway....

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  32. Wow - what a great tour. Thxs for sharing:-)

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