Time outside

Keeping active means staying creative

I've been so busy lately!  I've been working hard in the studio to meet demands of the upcoming Fall and Winter season so a family holiday in Norway came just at the right time and even if I did bring some work with me I've still managed to spend time with the family and take time for myself.  When in Norway it's important to take advantage of good weather so I like to take my exercise outside.  Just spending time focusing on myself and my health while being surrounded by nature helps to awaken my creative energies.  I truly do believe that the best way to break a loss of creativity is to get out and exert yourself physically.  So during the mild summer and Autumn  days get out of the studio, office, house and get your heart-rate elevated and your muscles warm with some all important movement.  

Take care,

Delana 

I'm still here...

Stars through the forest canopy bowl
Originally uploaded by Delana Loevbak

.....but having a bit of a break after the Open Door event! Thanks to all who came out! Your support and interest keep me going. See you all next week.

Chaos in the diningroom!

Chaos in the diningroom!

When folks come to my open door events they always find the house tidy and the studio very orderly. I can tell you that it is a far cry from the mad chaos that ensues two weeks before the event. The family doesn't get proper dinners, you can't see the dining room table for beads, chain, wire and tools, and the studio should be declared a hazard area. And today I have had to keep my cool and not panic. Ah well, tomorrow sees the start of the open door with a private preview for people on my mailing list. Once it starts I just sit back and enjoy the party.

I've uploaded some new photos (including those above) to my flickr 

Bold, Bright, Beautiful slideshow

Let the Good Times Roll.....

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Originally uploaded by Delana Loevbak

.....but save the wine!

Oh I do like making beads for these wine stoppers. I found them not long ago and, like the pens, it is possible to remove the bead and add another bead/s or to use the bead on some other item...like a pen ;-)...I am very impressed with the quality of them also.

One last thing....as days draw closer to the open door I am finding little time for taking photos, uploading photos, making blog posts etc. I'll be a bit low key until next week. Enjoy the next few 'Delana free' days. ;-)

If you do want to know what I'm up to you can find me on the By Delana Facebook page as I'll probably get the odd chance to check in there.

Delana

Key Rings and 'Thinking Outside Of The Box'

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Originally uploaded by Delana Loevbak

I have a few of these keyrings on offer for the upcoming open door. I have put some rather nice beads on them and I hope they will appeal to folks. Once the open door is over I plan on sitting down at the torch with some glass in colours that will work well in my home. I'll make some key rings for my downstairs WC (bathroom) and my back door. These doors usually have the keys in them on a daily basis and I find having a keyring more appealing to the eye than the bare key stuck in the door. So my point is....think special keyring like: Guest house key, WC, back door etc. They may even make great a great decoration for your purse....hmmm!

Delana

As Promised...

I did mention that I would be giving a bit more information about the photo in yesterday's post.  The photo was a close up of a selection of some of the pens and letter openers shown above.  I think these items would be suitable as gifts for weddings, Mother's day, Father's day or a First Communion.  The great thing about these pens and letter openers is that you can unscrew the top and  put the beads on a choker or bangle.  You can switch the order of the beads or you can even put other beads on the pen.  I have a selection of chokers, bangles, etc. that suit the beads.  I think this flexibility will appeal to a broad group of people and it shows how versatile my beads can be.  Thank you to everyone on my email list who have responded to my invitation to the open door.  Your support and interest in my work keep me inspired!  Honestly....it's nice if people buy when they come to the open doors but that's not the most important issue for me.  I just enjoy seeing the same people coming back again and again....and bringing their friends.  Thanks again!!!

New post coming soon.....

Delana

Bold! Bright!! Beautiful!!!

I have put a lot of time and energy into a new collection entitled ‘Bold, Bright, Beautiful’ and I would like to invite you to my upcoming Open Door 21, 22 April, 2012. As usual it is in my home. The hours are 14.00 – 18.00 both days and demonstrations are at 15.00 and 17.00. On my website you will find more information and be able to view a slideshow of some pieces that will be available.
When I decided to have another open door I asked myself a few questions about what I wanted my work to project and why I should expect people to continue to come to visit me and my studio. I want my work to make people happy. I want my work to reflect the colors and energies of Spring & Summer and I want to show you the different directions that my work has taken. I’m happy to say that I have managed to create an exciting collection that I am very proud of.

So…what’s new? Wine stoppers, pens, letter openers, and bracelets. All of these make great gifts for Mother’s day, Father’s day, First Communions, Graduations, Weddings and it’s never too early to think about Christmas ;-) (For my U.K. friends, I do realize that U.K. ‘Mothering Sunday has passed…sorry! There is always next year!)

What is familiar? Remember those shiny pendants on satin cords? Well, I’ve made more and I’m offering them all at a great price. I’m also reducing the price of some of my pendants and beads from previous collections.

I do hope to see you sometime during the weekend. For those of you interested in classes I am planning on offering some workshops soon.

I plan on making more blog posts leading up to this event so please check in regularly.  In tomorrow's post I'll tell you a bit more about what's in the photograph above....

Best,

Delana

I'm not worthy.....yet

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Originally uploaded by Delana Loevbak
Ah! The workshop with Lucio was....well....just absolutely wonderful....and eye opening! I am busy attempting the techniques he presented to us during the workshop but the one thing I came away with was a high regard not only for the execution of the craft but with the high quality of the final piece. Since taking the workshop I have been toiling in the studio to do justice to the forms that Lucio shared with us but it will be many hours and a great deal of glass before I feel comfortable sharing my meager pieces with the world outside my studio. On the other hand…I am saving my practice pieces and may even make an exhibition of the evolution involved in the creative learning process….meanwhile, I am gearing up for my open door in April….so check back to see what unfolds.


YouTube link of Lucio’s masterpiece

Higher Education

For some time now I have wanted to take a class with Lucio Bubacco. I thought I'd have to travel to Italy but, thanks to Miriam Steger of Facet Design I only have to drive 1 1/2 hours to the Netherlands to enjoy three days of his company and instruction. There is an added bonus....I get to meet up with other lampworkers. Some of my fellow workshop attendees are known friends of mine and others will be new acquaintances! This is the wonderful world of beadmakers! I have already packed my camera and I will have photos available on Flickr. Of course...as these things go...I will be riding on a high but exhausted by Sunday evening so do understand and have patience if the photos are not uploaded before Tuesday.

Spring has sprung...well almost.

Delana Loevbak

Back in the studio again and producing beads with lots of color and these little cuties. Question is...what to do with them. Suggestions.....??

Of course I've listed them on Etsy but I don't mind keeping them for myself. That's one of the joys of making things....you don't have to put a price on your creations if you don't want to.

Special Market in Woluwe St. Lambert



Sorry but links and photos have been disabled by the market organizers....

 

I am very excited about this market!!!  The thing that impresses me so about it is that the items on offer seem to be, not only high in quality, but different from the other markets I tend to participate in at this time of year.  I've had a look at the floor layout sent to the vendors and I see stands selling:  Japanese tea and tea leaves; Australian Bush flower essences, accessories from Copenhagen and Milan, Owa beer (got to try that!!).  There are also handmade clothes for children and adults, pewter tableware (I've got some of this myself and I must say it IS lovely!!), wine charms and more....plus I'll be there with my beads ;-).  The organizers are working VERY hard to make this a wonderful experience for one and all so please do drop by this Saturday for a little look.  I like to chat so please don't hesitate to stop by my table and say hi.  I enjoy sharing information about my work even if people don't buy from me so don't be shy....we're all there to enjoy ourselves and have a good time.

Visit the market Blog for more information.

Delana

Early Christmas Cheer!!!

Well Well Well!!  It is that time of year once again!  I will say, once again, that I will be doing my best to keep this blog up to date and (hopefuly) interesting as the Holiday Season fast approaches.  I think short but sweet will do for now since I need to be busy in the studio this coming week.  For now I'd like to make sure you are all aware of an upcoming Christmas Market. 

This weekend I will be happily participating in the 46th Annual AWCB Holiday Bazaar.  This bazaar is a HUGE two day event and hosts vendors from all over Europe.  You can find out more information by visiting The AWCB website 

If you would like a rare look at photos of my recent efforts in my studio visit my Flickr  photostream.

Wishing everybody a great week ahead!

Delana

'The Line-up'

Things have been coming together slowly in the studio! I’m please but trying not to get too excited about it since I believe high expectations occasionally stifle the creative process. Sometimes creating something (anything) comes from sticking with what you know and what you feel comfortable with. As mentioned in earlier postings, I’m a bit homesick at the moment so beach themed beads are what I keep coming up with even though my mind may start out elsewhere when I first sit down to the torch. The beads in the line-up above are my latest pieces and even the one ‘garden’ bead would remind me of sea-grass on the Florida pan-handle beaches. Each of these beads were supposed to be sets when I picked the glass colors and lit the torch but you see what came of ‘planning’ That’s the lovely thing about working in the flame…..sometimes the glass just decides for you! ;-D

Etsy etc.

I've been making a real attempt to keep my online shop up to date and active.  I find that, while I really like having an online shop, it can be time consuming to keep it going.  I guess I feel that the time I spend taking photos, editing photos, coming up with descriptive details, setting prices, and networking is time not spent in the studio creating.  But.....I REALLY like Etsy! I love the look and ambiance of the whole site and the community feeling and the way it is constantly being updated to make it easier to post and get to know other shop owners.  And it makes sense to invest some time in my little shop.  I’m not doing a lot of markets right now so listing some of my works on Etsy means that they get to be seen.  Instead of putting them away for markets this fall I’m giving ‘the right person’ a chance to find one of my beads.  With this frame of mind I'm organizing my week into days focused in the studio and days spent tending to the on-line shop and also making a concentrated effort to keep my stock at home well stored, and the studio kept neat and tidy.  One ‘goal’ for me was to get involved in some teams and I’m very happy that I have been accepted into the warm group that is The Etsy European Street Team.    Another goal is to make a treasury and share it with others so with that in mind I’m going to leave you here and make my first Etsy Treasury.  Thanks for reading….oh and more beads are on the way….I’m planning on making a new post later today or tomorrow.

Keep it Simple!

Sigh....things just haven't been going well at the torch lately but the other day a thought struck me. Am I getting too focused on the production side of things? Am I expecting too much from myself by trying to make complicated designs? I promised myself several months ago that I was going to slow down this year. The plan was to focus on making beads etc. for the pure joy of it and not for the business side of things. Ok, I don't have to put food on the table with this but I do need to cover my 'costs' and if you like to take as many workshops as I do you will know that costs can be pretty high. (Plus I have a real love for tools and gadgets and this doesn't help to keep money in my account.) So....yesterday I decided to sit down at the torch and work with two colors and make a simple bead. I pulled a fairly thin stringer of intense black and grabbed a rod of ivory glass and lit the torch. As a result a couple of nice focals came out of the kiln this morning and I'm happy so maybe this is the end of the dry spell. The photo above is of the best bead from yesterday's session. More photos of some beads from last week can be seen on my flickr account.

Back from a break...(another break)

Ah...having a Finnish Spitz is time consuming and tiring! Don’t get one of these dogs unless you have a great deal of time to spend on training them. Anyway…..I’ve been itching to get back in the studio lately but again…time and energy are not things I have in surplus these days so I have a plan….. Step one: Take care of all the commissioned work that I’ve been putting off. Step two: Start restocking the Etsy on-line shop. Step three: Get my act together and make an inventory of all my glass, beads, findings, finished works etc. Step four: Get the Facebook page and blog going again. Step five: Try to balance my time and energy better. Progress so far: Steps one, two and four are well underway. Step three….ummm…..I’m still procrastinating (sigh) Step five, hmmm…I’ll probably be working on this for the rest of my existence. Wish me luck and don’t give up on the blog. I do want to keep it going so check in from time to time and you might be rewarded with a new post.

Flame-On 2010

Click here to see more photos on Flickr

I've been very quiet lately! That's uncharacteristic of me I know! But do believe me when I say I have been very busy! A new puppy is like having a baby so I have been torching when Amigo sleeps. I’m busy right now finishing things up for the Flame-On next weekend. I’m actually getting a bit nervous about this event and I sometimes wonder, ‘Why, oh why did I decide to display and sell my beads there again this year?!’ Like most creative people I am my own worst critic and I can have scary thoughts that maybe my work isn’t up to scratch so to speak. When these thoughts and doubts creep into my head I have to remind myself of a few things.

One: I will always find something to wrong if I look hard enough.

Two: Would I ever really consider myself ‘good enough’?

Three: I had a blast last year and everyone was so nice.

Four: It is not about sales! Yes I said it!

The main reason I want a table is so I can meet people. If I go alone or with a couple of friends and I’m milling about I might make a few new acquaintances but if I have a table there people will approach me and they’ll talk to me…..and…..well…..that’s what it’s all about really! A few years back I was so envious of lampworkers in other parts of the world. They had forums, gatherings, a good selection of suppliers, in short, they had a lampwork community. I felt frustrated and alone….these days, thanks to certain folks, (and I hope you know who you are) lampworkers in the Benelux have a growing community! HURRAY!!

So if you are coming to the Flame-On please stop by my table and say hi!

Sorry that I have no bead news for the moment….summer holidays and all that…..but I just wanted to share some exciting family news.

I am just bouncing off the walls!!!! Soon we will have our newest family member home!!!! The puppies are now almost 4 weeks old and are starting to develop their very own little personalities! I get regular updates and photos from the breeder and almost feel a part of the process although the only things I have been able to do so far is shop and mend the fence. Erik and I went out and spent money on a kennel, toys, treats, a little collar and a lead. Yesterday we dug up 4 broken fence posts! I’m telling you it was true manual work! This is the only ‘training’ I have done since our return from Norway and it really feels good to get out and use my ‘muscles’.

We will bring our little ‘Amigo’ home 25 August! We have planned a family trip up and will stop for a couple of days in Windsor and London then spend a couple of days in Carmarthenshire Wales. Although we have neighbors looking after the house while we are gone I have booked our cat ‘Miss Marple’ a.k.a. Pookie in a five start cat hotel. I think it best we get Amigo home and let him settle in for a day before Pooks meets him. I know she will not be best pleased about our newest family member. She is calm after spending a few days in the cat hotel so I hope this will help her to have a more positive outlook on the whole puppy business. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

More puppy photos on my Flickr account.

Delana

A New Family Member

 The summer holidays are upon us and all should be quiet on the Blog for the next couple of months while I wind down and enjoy some family time and travels.  I just thought I'd wish everyone a wonderful summer and post the latest news:

I have exciting news for those of you who have been following the puppy saga! The puppies arrived a day early on 2 July. Three boys and one girl were delivered by C-section. Mom and pups are doing well! Needless to say our family is very excited now and we just can’t wait until we can see our newest family member and finally bring him home! We hope to travel together to Wales to visit the breeder and meet mom and the puppies sometime in early August. We would like to combine this trip with a stop over in London to see the sights and have a small family holiday together. And, if we can make this early trip, we will choose one of the males then. Of course the breeder may have a puppy she suggests we take and if we can’t make it for an early visit we will trust her recommendation. Since most Finnish Spitz look alike the main consideration for us is temperament and all of these puppies should be of sound body and temperament since they come from very good stock. We have pretty much decided on the name. We will call him Amigo. And I am over the moon since this will be my companion and sidekick not to mention my in-studio mascot! We should be able to bring Amigo home the last weekend in August so watch this space for more photos and news about the newest member of our family.

Just incase you were interested I am enclosing a photo of mom and a link to the website with a photo of dad at http://www.kunniakas-finnish-spitz.co.uk/dogpage.php?dog_ID=1.

You can visit the website of Mom's kennel at http://www.finnishspitzonline.com/

Happy Summer Holidays to you all!!!

Delana

Finished Bracelets!!

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Originally uploaded by Delana Loevbak

I have finally finished the bracelets I mentioned in my last post and have new photos on Flickr. I am so very happy with these beads and just over the moon that my client likes them and appreciates their worth. On the down side, I had planned to keep the bracelet she didn’t choose for myself but since she took both of them I guess I’ll just go without until I can get down in the studio and make another one for me.