Peraza Bead & Jewelry
Glass Art Studio
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February 2012 1st I can't believe how time is flying by. It's already February in the year of 2012! WOW! Anyway - I've been creating some bridal pieces and Valentine's Jewelry for my local market. Still working on the final touches to some of the pieces, so as soon as everything is complete I'll take and share the pictures. You may have noticed, I closed my ArtFire shop today and joined a new shop called Artful Explorer. I'll be listing finished pieces there in the very near future, so check it out when you get a minute or two.
January 2012 27th There's changes headed my way. I'm joining up with a local friend to start a Personal Jewelry Service in the Wake County area. We'll also be selling some supplies via the site and on Etsy. Keep a look out for the changes... coming soon. I made more roses today - but they are in the kiln. Here's a couple I made yesterday.
25th Been busy making new beads and creating jewelry pieces. Here's a couple of the new beads going up on Etsy today:
Then... it's off to the torch to work up some more antique rose beads. 14th I was invited to assist with a new site, "Things Crafty"... check it out at http://www.thingscrafty.com it's going to quickly become a favorite site. 7th Valentine's Day is coming quickly... I have several hearts available (mostly on ebay & etsy)...get them while they last! Crosses... yes, they are going to be a big part of fashion for 2012, and I have the first batch ready for purchase! If you don't see them listed yet, please be patient, I'm working on it and should have them all up by the end of Monday... with more to come! If you just can't wait, send me an email and I'll be happy to give you pricing, etc. These will make great Easter treasures too! Click photo to see current selection
1st Happy New Year! I'll be adding the basic classes back to the group class schedule by the end of January. Please check back often as the site is updated. December 2011 23rd We wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and a very happy and prosperous New Year! It's hard to believe that Christmas is just 3 days away. Been busy with end of the year things, getting the shoppe closed up and adding more classes to the 2012 schedule, making beads and now selling on ebay and etsy again. Watch for more classes, more beads and more jewelry creations for 2012! November 2011 22nd Just added a new Lydia Muell class for 2012! Please note that other changes have been made to the class schedule. Click here for up to date info. 18th Please note that Sara Sally LaGrand's class has moved from January to June 2012. 8th Now available - 2 1/2" pieces of my hand-pulled rose murrini! That's right, if you don't have the time or simply don't want to bother making the murrini yourself, you can now order pieces of my rose murrini for use in your beads! Click here for more info. 4th I just updated all of my jewelry design pages with prices and add to cart buttons for your holiday shopping. Please check back often as I continue to add more finished jewelry pieces. All of my jewelry designs are at low prices for the 2011 Holiday Season. Say you saw my mini blog post about prices when you place your order, and I'll refund you 10% of your total jewelry order (not including shipping charges). Also got on the torch to make some more rose murrini in different colors. I have a new rose murrini that I absolutely love! ... and, inside the murrini, in the middle of the rose, there's a special surprise sparkle of dichroic glass. It's not readily noticeable, until you put the finished bead in different lighting and move it around a bit. Every now and then the light hits some of the dichro and "wow!" I'll have pictures of beads in the next few days. (Soon as I am able to get on the torch again and make some). October 2011 31st Just out of the kiln... still more pictures to take, but here's a peek at a couple of my newest beads
I should have most of my newest beads up on ebay this evening and over the next few days. 29th New beads up on ebay... and more to come. Just pulled these from the kiln...
The Butterfly murrini is by Ryan Turner. Each line of photo's is of one bead. The bottom line (or bead) has three of Ryan's butterfly murrini's and three of my rose murrini's. I left the bead in an "unfinished" state on purpose - it has a faceted - watery look to it - really cool and extremely unique! 13th I have closed my little shop inside the Shoppes on Main as of today. If you purchased a Groupon Coupon, please feel free to contact me via the contact form. Your unexpired coupon is still good, and you will be able use it for items I am selling right here on the net. 12th I've been on a roll with the beads since Vonna visited... she was my huge inspiration! Thanks JV!!! Remember, if you don't see it on Etsy or Ebay, but it's on my site under "beads for sale", then most likely it is still available. Just ask! Here's a few new beads:
8th Getting excited about the upcoming class with Lydia Muell. It's happening on the 22 and 23rd of this month and 6 seats are full! There's still room for 1 more person to share the torch with Lydia. Let me know if you are interested. Here's a couple beads I just got out of the kiln:
First bead is a free form focal and the other three are all European style bead charms - all made with my hand-pulled rose murrini and all with bullseye glass. I may core the 3 bead charms - but until I do, they are available as they are. The holes are 4.5mm. You can see more information under the beads for sale page, then click on "focals." They are not priced yet, so if you are interested, let me know and I'll give you the price(s). September 2011 26th Been working on sculptured roses and other beads lately. Just had JV here for a week and we had a blast on the torch! here's a few of the beads I made:
and here's a necklace that Vonna put together with some of my beads:
I'll be back on the torch tomorrow (hopefully)! Most of my new beads are up on Ebay. There's a link below (in the post from the 15th) if you want to take a look. Here's a final bead set I did. I just love this one - - it's done in a metallic gold that has some sapphire blue tint to it in some spots. This too is on the bay.
15th Lydia's class is full except for a 7th student who can share Lydia's torch with her. This is considered a "full" spot... so if you want in, just go to the class schedule, click on Lydia's class info and sign up! Well, Irene is long gone, and we made it through okay. I've been busy with classes, making new and custom bead and jewelry orders, and started listing on Ebay again! Yep - make sure you check out the ebay auctions I'm listing cause I'm starting them at the lowest prices ever! click here to go to my ebay auctions to see what's up! August 2011 25th Irene is heading our way... Raleigh is not that far from the coast and we expect to see some damage from Irene... that said, there is a possibility that we will be without power and, therefore, without the net, so if you do not hear from me over the weekend, you'll understand why. Holly Cooper's class is expected to go forward as scheduled. If that should change, I will try to get on the net to let you know. Keep safe... see you all soon! 19th As I told you, I did get back on the torch and this is one of the beads I made. I have already turned it into a pendant, and it is available for purchase. This is a one of a kind piece...
measuring 1 5/8" across and 2 1/4" from top of bail to bottom. The bead is a thin flat backed lentil made from effetre and numerous silver glasses as well as some dichro (which you can see sparkling through). The scroll work, as well as the frog is a raised design, and there is a CZ in the center of the bead for added bling. The beads surrounding the lampwork bead between the scrolls of tarnish resistant wire are all swarovski crystals. This piece was inspired by my past works as well as the works of Lydia Muell and Corina Tettinger, The wire work was inspired by Perri Jackson. This piece looks incredible on a thick omega chain. You can purchase this piece for only $78.00 plus s&h. Drop me a line if you have to own it - or want it for a special friend.
14th
Watch for my new beads...
11th Master artist, Claudia Pagel, may be coming to NC in 2012! We are working with her and another studio to get her here. I should know something pretty soon. Keep checking back, or get on the mail list so you don't miss out on anything! 2nd MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!! Friday, August 5, 2011, the shoppe will be open until 9:00 p.m. I will be offering discounts on many items in the shoppe, including my loose beads. (Not valid with any other coupons or special offers - i.e. groupon coupons). Speaking of groupon coupons, if you have one and you need to use it, Friday night is the perfect time to come by! I'll be there most of the afternoon and evening. Take advantage of some of the other sales going on throughout the Shoppes on Main while you are there. Pick up some great gift items for the upcoming 2011 holiday season! See you there! July, 2011 25th I don't know if I mentioned this before or not, but if you took one of the first couple classes at the studio, you might have bumped elbows with your neighbor once or twice. Since that time, we have moved the torches to give you more room to be as creative as you like during your workshops here at Peraza Studio. So, if you haven't been here since the very beginning, come join us again, I think you'll like what we've done! 22nd Please check the new classes now listed on the class schedule page. Lydia Muell is coming back in October (by popular demand) and there is now a new payment option on this and other new classes coming up. Up to $100.00 off the class fee if you bring your own materials and lunch! Since most of you already have the glass you will be working with, I figured this is a no-brainer! It helps me to be able to offer more classes and helps you to be able to attend your favorites at a more affordable price. The classes currently being offered with the price break already have the option listed on the class info page. Other classes that will have this option will be updated by the end of July. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me. 18th Just recovering from the 2 day workshop with Shari Slonski - it was great! Shari showed us how to make several of her most popular beads (those she has tutorials on) including the arrow head, the broken heart, and several others. She taught several techniques which will come in very handy for many other bead styles. Thank you Shari for coming all this way to share your knowledge! 11th A few more frog beads and things... and, something really new! Rings. I've been trying to figure out the best way to do this for a little while now. Here's a sneak peek at what I've come up with so far. Still a little tweaking to do, but almost there!
Personally I love the rings... , but there's a minor tweak that needs to occur. Oh, almost forgot... and a fish
8th Been a pretty busy month so far. I have several new beads and jewelry pieces listed on the bead and jewelry pages. I did a few more arrow heads, a bead set, a pair of earrings and a couple pendants.
The earrings:
The Arrow head beads:
The Bead Set:
The pendants:
All of these new beads and jewelry pieces will be available here on my site and at the shoppe. 4th Just finished a special order memory vessel (sold) and a perfume bottle which will be for sale at the shoppe. the Memory Vessel:
the Perfume Bottle:
3rd We wish you all a Happy 4th of July! Corina's class was a huge success! Corina is one of the best teachers out there today - her skill is incredible and she is tons of fun! I'm hoping she will make another trip to the east coast in the future (though I know the thought of traveling cross-country makes her cringe)... There's so many people here that could learn from her, and I hope she will come back! (Some pics are posted in the recent class photos page - link at bottom of class schedule). Since Corina's class on Frogs & Lizards, I was inspired to make a couple frog beads myself - though I must confess, most of my frogs are made in the style I always made them, with the exception of 1 which I made similar to what Corina teaches.
I also made some arrow head beads. Something that one of my local customers has been asking for. I was inspired by some of the real arrow heads that I found on google, as well as Shari Slonski's arrow heads (she has a tutorial on them). I used a portion of Shari's design on my arrow head beads - and I hope she doesn't mind. Shari will be teaching here this month by the way - I believe there is still 1 seat open if you want to get in on this. Here's the arrow head beads (pendants) I made:
I really like these because they can be worn by either male or female! What a great gift idea. June, 2011 Groupon Coupon Info: 5th We recently ran a Goupon coupon advertisement which many of you purchased. Please note that the numbers on the top-right corner of the coupon is not a phone number. There is no phone number directly to my shoppe. Please also note that I am not at the shoppe every day, nor do I keep all of my glass beads there, so if you have a coupon for my shoppe from Groupon, and you would like to use it towards the purchase of beads or jewelry, please contact me via email, and provide your phone number so I can contact you to schedule a date and time to meet you at the shoppe. Thank you! May, 2011 24th Just posted a few new classes... Marbles (soft glass) in September, Rose Murrini classes; and I listed the people I am working with now for 2012. Check them out - it's going to be a fantastic year! Kim Field's class was incredible! We had a full house and everyone was absolutely wonderful and extremely talented. It was such a pleasure to see so much talent in one place. 17th Back from Fresno - we had such a great time! All the participants at the workshop were incredible and extremely talented. Our hosts, Susanne & Brad at Scarab Glass Works were tremendous, and I couldn't have asked for more! I knew that I would not be able to take photos while teaching, so I did not bring my camera - - but I'm relying on some of the attendees to send me some pictures so I can post them here for all to see - so I'll be back to add to this post. With my return home, I am now getting geared up for Kim Fields workshop this coming weekend. It's a full class, and I can't wait to see her creating and teaching her bird beads as well as meeting everyone that will be attending. We're going to have a great time! 10th Getting ready for my trip to Fresno to teach at Scarab Glass. I'm really excited to meet everyone, and to teach the rose murrini to everyone that signed up. We're going to have a great time, and we'll create some fantastic murrini and gorgeous beads! That said, if you send me an email or order something from my site, odds are the email will not be responded to as quickly as usual, and any orders will not be sent until I return home after the 16th. Then... shortly after my return, Kim Fields will be here to teach her Birds in Flight class. That's going to be incredible and I can't wait! April, 2011 29th Just in time for Mother's Day...(see jewelry for sale for complete description)
13th A few new keys and beads... (most of these are available at the Carolina Bead Company in Fuquay Varina). If you see one you have to own.. just drop me a line and if it is still available, I'll pull it for you!
4th My beads can now be purchased at the Carolina Bead Company located in historic downtown Varina, located at 514 E Broad Street. Join us at the Spring Bling event at ArtSource Fine Art Gallery located at the North Hills Mall throughout April , 2011. click here for more info. A few new beads (and things)... Please note that lampworked keys are now on their own page!
1st I'm not going to play any pranks today - as tempted as I am... but I do want to share what I've been up to. I have been struggling lately, so I'm checking out some other "ideas" that have been bouncing around in my head. Something new for me (kinda) - blooming bling. I'm just crazy about the sparkle, and man oh man... do these sparkle! (though for some reason I can't get all the "bling" in the photos... :( ) First up is a skeleton key with a silver lined spacer:
a heart focal with a silver lined spacer; and
a ring.
There's more that I haven't taken pictures of - slightly different than these (a little more detail for the flowers). I'll post them soon. Oh - here's a couple flowers I did a few days ago using the same technique for the center of the sculptured flowers as I did for the beads above. They too sparkle like crazy!
Finally, here's a picture of a necklace I made using some of these new flowers with bling, matching spacers, Czech beads, sterling silver, and over 5cts of mystic topaz. This piece will be available for sale at the Art Source Fine Art Gallery in Raleigh.
March 2011 14th Just had a wonderful visit with Marcy Lamberson & Wendy Puckett. They both visited with me at my new studio this past weekend, we spent Saturday & Sunday on the torch. It was a fantastic time! I'm changing up my beads slightly - - still playing with roses (probably always will) and scroll work, but I have a new, fresh vision of the Victorian style I want to portray in my beads. Here's a couple examples (some of the first) of the direction I'm moving:
You will see variations of this style, and more detail as I expand on this new vision in my beads. I'm also working on something completely different, but it has so much bling that I have to try to perfect it...
It's crackle glass - and boy of boy does it sparkle!!! I've been working on this for a couple months now, and it's really looking good. Oh - and in case you didn't notice, I'm putting sterling silver, copper or brass core in these beads! February 2011 18th You may have noticed on my home page that there is a new link to a Galleries page. I'm very proud to have some of my gallery quality jewelry designs at a very prominent gallery in Raleigh, NC. Please visit the new page and make sure you visit the gallery and browse the items being sold there too! 9th The heart below is a bead I was testing my glass with. I have diamond clear that I put away because I was having problems with it - but as time went by, I couldn't remember which was the diamond clear. Well, I think I found it. The diamond clear itself held up nicely, but the core bead that was encased cracked. I had the bead red hot and quite molten before putting it in the kiln. This is the problem I had before - and it didn't matter what I did... it always cracked the core bead. If I did the same encasing with super clear, it would not have cracked. I don't know why this happens only with the diamond clear. So, for now on, only light surface encasing with diamond clear!
Finally, this bead is the one I made during Lydia's class. I just wanted to get a better picture.
7th Our first guest teacher, Lydia Muell's, class was a huge success. We learned so much from her about using the reactive silver glasses. Pictures of the class as well as some beads are posted and updated. Check them out, then sign up for her class in April - you don't want to miss out! 5th Lydia's class is underway and today, the first day, was a huge success! We had a great time, and Lydia shared so much information with us. There's photos of day 1 of the class posted - you can access the pics by clicking on the class schedule page, then click on view photos of this and previous classes link just under the class information for Lydia's class. More photo's to come... January 2011 26th A seat just opened up in Corina's 2 day class. This is going to be an amazing class - you won't want to miss it! Still taking deposits for Marcy Lamberson in March. It's the perfect time to create spring critters and other fun designs. Kim Fields class also has a few openings. The techniques Kim teaches can be used in so many applications. If you want to expand your skills for creating detail in your beads, this is the one to get in on. 20th NEW - Lori Peterson & Kimberly Lynn now teaching on the East Coast... and they're coming to North Carolina first! Join us for a special murrini class with these two artists. Learn to create your own intricate murrini and then how to apply your murrini in your beads. Let your imagination run wild! See class schedule for more information and to reserve your space today! Still have a couple seats in Lydia's Feb class... Coming in September 2011, Holly Cooper Coming in December 2011, Melanie Moertel 19th Classes are filling up - Corina's classes filled up so quickly that we added an additional day. YES, you can get in on the fun on June 27th for the Frogs & Lizards class. Class is limited to 6 students - so get on board quick, while the seats are open! 15th This new year has started off with a bang! Lampwork classes are scheduled throughout the year, the studio is up and running and I've been able to make some new jewelry designs as well. With Valentines around the corner, I have focused on making items with romance in mind. Here's a couple of my latest items which you can find on the site for sale or at my Shoppe in Fuquay.
4th The first of my beads for 2011 - getting ready for the Romance of Valentine's Day! Here's a couple sets and a reactive glass focal to get things going. All of these are listed right here on my site on the appropriate "beads for sale pages". If you have any questions or would like to purchase any of these beads (before I am able to get the "add to cart" buttons up), please drop me a line and I'll be happy to help. Watch for more beads... now that I have my studio up and running, I'm hoping to bring more and more of my work to you.
3rd With the Holidays now behind us, it's time to get busy for the new year. I have been able to get on my torch already this year, and plan on getting new beads and jewelry designs made in time for Valentines Day. Please check my site often as well as my Etsy & Artfire Stores as I will be posting new items as they are made. You can also visit my store in historic Downtown Fuquay-Varina. Don't forget to sign up early for the new classes, as they seem to be filling up pretty quickly! There's still room in Lydia's classes in February and April as well as Marcy Lamberson and Brad Pearson's classes this spring. Corina's classes in June are full - but I'm taking a wait list in the event someone can't make it. 1st HAPPY NEW YEAR! December 2010 21st How quickly time goes by these days. Only a few days before Christmas. I'll have my son and daughter with me for the first time in a few years. The studio is looking good - got the kiln in and have it set up and ready to go. I'm still waiting for a couple minor items to arrive - but for the most part everything is in place. Corina's 2 day class has only 1 opening left... Lydia's February class still has some spots open, as does Marcy Lamberson's & Brad Pearson's classes. Don't wait til the last minute... sign up now to ensure your spot in the class! 14th Less than 2 weeks away from Christmas I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season! 4th Corina's 1 day class is now full and only a couple spots in the 2 day class. All other classes still have room. 1st Only 1 more seat left in Corina's 1 day class and a few left in the 2 day class. All other classes have room still - Sign up now - don't miss out! November 2010 31st Wow - Christmas is right around the corner! It's hard to believe that another year has already come and gone. It has been a trying year, to say the least, but as always, we manage to make it through. Thank you to all who helped support my art throughout the past year - it is very much appreciated! 24th All classes have been updated to provide full details as well as some changes to pricing in the beginner classes. My personal class prices have also changed slightly to give those of you who will need to stay in a hotel a little more financial flexibility to take the Rose Murrini and/or the Sculptured Rose classes without having to "break the bank." You could always camp out in my living room too and really save! 17th I sent out emails this morning regarding the classes. There are a few updates already (mostly fee related for the beginner classes). If you requested to be placed on the email list, but have not received anything, please re-send your request via the website contact form. 16th We have the hood back and things are moving along. New studio sized kiln is on the way and most of the other supplies. We're still looking to be ready by the end of this month. Many classes are scheduled, dates confirmed, etc. Pricing on the beginner classes has been adjusted to help new lampworkers get a good start. Please re-check both the single and 2 day beginner classes listed in the class schedule for more information. Guest teachers lined up include Lydia Muell, Marcy Lamberson, Brad Pearson, Shari Slonski, Corina Tettinger, and Kim Fields. Great classes you won't want to miss! 8th I'm back from Florida and supposed to pick up the hood tomorrow. That will be put in place and the final touches of trim painting will be done. I'm waiting for class info & pics from the guest teachers so I can list them here on the site. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll be able to put up a full schedule. Please check back - I'm telling ya... you won't want to miss out on any of the classes we're scheduling! There's several teachers who are very well known, but have not taught in this area due to "lack of studios," and there's going to be a couple artists who are sought after throughout the world to teach, but for one reason or another they have not taught anywhere else. Classes will be fun and informative; and because they are smaller than most classes, you will get to spend much more time and get much more attention than usual from these classes. October 2010 27th Floor is done, table is in place and tile has been applied, grouting of the table tiles today then we're bringing in the ventilation hood. We'll have to make some adjustments on that and do a couple tests. After the table is completely finished, we'll get the holes drilled to mount the torches in place. A small cabinet will be made outdoors to house the oxy and propane tanks and the lines will be ran into the studio. Everything is coming along nicely and I already have an incredible line-up of guest teachers confirmed for 2011... more to come on that. All I can say is that you don't want to miss these artists, so if you're not on the mail list, take a few minutes to get on now so you don't miss out as seating for all classes will be limited and I know they will fill up very quickly.
22nd The floor is just about complete, the painting is also done (only trim left to do), the table has been built and we're moving along with the completion of the studio in sight. Although set classes have not yet been set, you can still schedule a class for two for beginner, intermediate and advanced techniques. See my class schedule page for more information. 15th Please note that I will be away from the shop, and the internet, Oct 31st thru Nov 8th, 2010, and I will not be able to ship anything during that time period. I will be able to check emails every couple days, so if you have questions, feel free to send an email, and I will respond as soon as I am able. Thanks! 12th Check out the class schedule. I have started putting up some information on certain classes. For more information or to schedule your class, feel free to contact me. 11th Just updated my jewelry pages here on the site. I'm trying to get many of the items I offer for sale in my shoppe put up on my website too. Please be patient as I continue to add and update. Keeping up with everything takes a lot of time, and with everything that I have going on right now, it will take longer than average. So please check back often. Thanks! 8th Update - the studio is still in the works. Due to unforeseen circumstances the flooring is taking a bit longer than expected. I'm hoping to have the floor completely done by the end of next week. As soon as the floor is in, and I have a better idea of the amount of time it will take to complete everything else, I will start scheduling classes. If you are waiting for a class, please be patient, or feel free to contact me about private classes. 1st Mark your calendars... October 29th Fuquay Varina downtown Trick or Treat from 2-5 pm. Come in and see me for a treat (or maybe even a trick!) ; October 30th - Day in Downtown Festival from 10a.m. - 5p.m. also featuring the annual chili cookoff. Come visit me during these two events and get up to 25% off select items. You must mention that you saw this here on my site to get your discount. November 6th - Holiday Fashion Show starts at 2:00 p.m. at the Shoppes on Main; November 18th - Business after hours from 5:30 - 7p.m. December 2nd - Tree Lighting from 6-9p.m. & sleigh rides... more to come for the Holidays! September 2010 22nd - Carpeting is out and we're getting the floor ready for the tile... won't be long now! I'm hoping to have a class schedule posted within the next couple weeks. Please check back often so you get signed up for the class you want! If you are not on my mail list, take a minute to join now so you will know as soon as the schedule is posted. NOTE: I'll be out of the shoppe on Saturday, October 9th. You are still welcome to come shop - - someone from the mini mall is always there to help you with your purchases. The newest additions to the Old World Santa Limited Edition Series should be on display this coming weekend. Collectors: Each Santa is signed, dated and numbered, and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity showing a photo of the Santa your are purchasing. This series will have less than 100 pieces. 18th - The newest addition to my items for the Holidays are here... Hand-crafted Papier Mache Old World Santa's:
and a bracelet as well as a pendant with copper findings:
(sorry these 2 pics can not be enlarged). Electrical work is complete! Getting that old rug up and putting down the tile is the next step which should be underway within the next week. Quick update... first off, I'm back at the shoppes on Friday & Saturday afternoons (for now). This Monday the electrician will begin updating the electric in my house to make sure there is enough juice for the studio. Once that is done, we'll begin taking up the carpet in preparation for the ceramic tile that will cover the floor. After that it's just a matter of getting all the tools and equipment in place and I'll be able to start teaching small group classes. I'm hoping to have everything ready for the end of October/beginning of November. Please check back here often as the classes are going to be up on the schedule soon. August 2010 Update - I will be at the shoppe on Friday the 27th, but will not be there on the 28th. Unfortunately, I will not be able to make myself available on that date either - so if you planned on coming by this weekend, please come by on Friday. I'll be there until 6:00 p.m. The plans for the teaching studio are being worked on, and I'm hoping to be ready for the first class this fall! I'll keep you all posted here and on facebook ("like" us at: Peraza Bead & Jewelry Glass Art Studio). I may be away on the weekend of August 27 and 28th but will make myself available throughout the week if anyone needs me at the shoppe. Just contact me and I'll arrange to meet you there. I will be away from the shop on Saturday, August 14, 2010, for a private showing. Many of my items will be removed from the shop on Friday afternoon and all unsold items will be returned to the shop on Monday August 16th. If you need assistance at my shop during the week, please contact me and I'll arrange to meet you there. Thanks! July 2010 I will be updating my site as I have sold numerous items but have not had a chance to remove them yet. Please be sure to check with me for availability before clicking on the "add to cart" buttons. Thanks! I had a wonderful visit from my dear friend Diane and her family. I'm only sorry that I did not get to spend as much time with them as I had hoped to. Thanks for coming to North Carolina Di & Joe! June 2010 18th - I finally have my large sign completed and placed over the corner shelves in my little shop. The sign acts as a door for the shelves inside. I'll be working on another smaller sign to hang from the ceiling to make it easy for folks to see when they come in. Here's what it looks like now. (You can click the two side view pictures to enlarge and get a better look).
17th - Just got finished with a 2 day private class with a wonderful gal from Hawaii. We had a great time and my hubby and I got a chance to spend some "fun" time with her and her husband, who travelled with her. Now back to work... I'll be making more keys and key jewelry designs as well as finishing up a custom order for a special lady. I'm also getting things ready for my grand opening event at the new shop. I'll be sending out email invitations with special savings for only those on my mail list. So if you're not on it already, take a few minutes and join. Now... off the to the torch! The latest key... I'll have this one up for sale soon - please check back.
May 2010 May 27th - With the opening on my shop in the Shoppes on Main in Fuquay Varina, I thought it fitting to start a small newsletter to keep you posted on events and specials. So I've added a "join mail" form for you to fill out if you would like me to keep you up to date on what's happening. Just click on the link on the left, fill out the form, then click "submit." May 20th - A few new pieces - a couple will be at the shop tomorrow with me.
This next key was made at the request of someone, so it is spoken for. Not exactly my style (well, my style, but on the "dark" side of it - I think you know what I mean) - anyway, there is also a matching heart focal.
May 19th - MARK YOUR CALENDARS for Saturday, June 5, 2010, "7th Annual Celebration of the Arts" in historic downtown Fuquay-Varina. Be sure to come into the Shoppes on Main mini mall to check out the artwork from local schools including: Ballentine Elementary, Herbert Atkins Elementary, Fuquay-Varina Middle, Holly Ridge Middle, Holly Springs Elementary and Lincoln Heights Elementary. The artwork will be on display within the main hall of the Shoppes on Main for the entire week of Sat, May 29, 2010 through Sat, June 5, 2010. You - the public will be invited to vote on "Best of Show" for a cash award to be given to the art department of the winning school. Help support your local schools' art programs - come in and vote! You'll also want to check out the artwork and other offerings of the 30+ shops within the Shoppes on Main while you are there (including my shop- of course). For more information on the Celebration of the Arts - click here. On another note - here are the 2 keys (shown in the May 15th post) now made into jewelry designs along with a skeleton key steampunk brooch.
May 15th - The past few days I've been working on something a little different (in between running around, taking care of my mother, my sister, my hubby, my kitties, and my businesses, and helping my daughter move). So - only a few of them available now, but something I'm going to continue making - I have so many ideas for using these...
The first 2 are already made into jewelry pieces, the 2nd two I just pulled from the kiln last night, but they too will become wearable pieces. Today - I'm off to the shoppe for the continuation of my steampunk exhibit. Oh, that reminds me, here's a new steampunk piece:
May 11th - The latest pics from the shop showing the Steampunk Motorcycle display. Still have a little more work to do to make it totally "me".
May 6th - Getting ready to head up to the shop to put up my Steampunk Display. I'll have my steampunk motorcycle on display through this month if you want to check it out. Pictures don't do this justice... the intricacy of this piece, which is made up of 99% watch parts and movements, is incredible. Please don't ask how I did it... sometimes I look at it and ponder that same question myself! I'll also have most of my steampunk jewelry designs on display and for sale. These make some of the most unique gifts... and with Mother's Day around the corner, it's the perfect timing for this event. My handmade glass beads and other jewelry items will also be on display and ready to pack up for someone special.
Now... for the next event. I'm planning something really special, but I'm not quite ready to share yet. I have to speak with a good friend of mine before I set this up. So make sure you check back regularly, as I'll post it here first! May 1st - I did it - - I opened up my little shop. Here's some pictures of the shop on opening day:
I'm offering my finished jewelry designs and loose lampwork beads for those of you who prefer to create your own designs. In the next month or so I will begin offering up some gorgeous loose stones too! I may even put a couple pieces of fine jewelry pieces in too (for those of you who like traditional fine jewelry designs). Check me out at 212 S Main Street in historic downtown Fuquay Varina, inside the Shoppes on Main. April 2010 April 26th - Starting Saturday, May 1, 2010, you will be able to find me, Peraza Bead & Jewelry Glass Art Studio, at the Shoppes on Main Mini Mall, located at 212 S Main Street, in downtown Fuquay Varina. April 25th - Although we got a little wet... I had a great show at Spring Daze with my show partner, Diane Norman of Luna Cat Jewels. Here's a couple pictures of our tent (while the sun was shining):
April 19th - I just added numerous items to my beads for sale. Check out the new vessels, focals, toggles, small sculpture and other beads I put up. They don't have all the details yet, but if you see something you want, just drop me a line and I'll hook you up! April 18th - The classes at Rocio's studio were awesome. I not only got to share some of my techniques and designs with the students, but I met some really incredible and super talented artists. Rocio and Ron are wonderful hosts! We had a fantastic time! Now I'm getting ready for the only show I do on an annual basis... Spring Daze in Cary, NC. If you're in the area, please stop by. Info on my booth, etc is located on the show page here. Hope to see you there. April 7th and American Idol just came on. Getting my bags packed up and ready to head to Florida early in the morning for the class at Rocio & Ron's studio in Cocoa Beach. Real excited to be teaching and looking forward to meeting some new glassies... See you all there! Oh - I'm not sure if I'll have internet where I'm staying, so if I don't respond to an email right away - - that's probably why. Please be patient - I'll get back to you as quickly as possible. April 2nd already! My how time flies. In case you haven't noticed, I just added a new page to the site for miscellaneous products. You can access it from the home page or click here. I put some Vegan friendly lip balm along with the famous TopZoff ring style bottle openers up for sale. The rings are so cool and make a perfect gift for father's day - or perfect for a little "just because" gift for the summer-time. They're really comfy too! Also put a couple pics of the persian kittens mom still has available. The 2 adult cats I had listed earlier are already in their new homes. Getting ready for the rose murrini and sculptured rose classes in Cocoa Beach, Florida next week. I'm looking forward to meeting Ron & Rocio and all the students who will be attending the classes. March 2010 21st. Today is my dh's birthday. Not sure what I'm going to do for him yet, but I'm thinking a favorite dinner would be nice. I already got him some motorcycle stuff for his special day. Aside from getting that together, I'm going to get on the torch for a couple hours today. It's been a hectic month, but things are finally starting to calm down a bit and we're all getting settled in. There are still 2 persian kittens left for sale, and now there is a litter of ragdolls which will be available in May. They are adorable! Alas... this will be the last of the litters as my mother has come to terms with the fact that she just can't continue with the cattery as she once did. She'll keep a couple of her cats for pets, but all the rest will be going to new homes. If you, or someone you know is interested in Persians or Ragdolls (adults or kittens), please pass this on. I'm hoping that my next post will be that of what I love... beads & jewelry! Stay tuned! February 2010 28th - Okay - I promised to share photos of a couple items I worked on while in Florida in my very spare time. Here's a necklace I made with one of my all time favorite beads; a bracelet made with brown as the base; and a ring made with a gorgeous vintage Austrian crystal bead for the center. I'll be putting more photos of these items and a couple others (which are a secret for now as they will be a series) on the jewelry pages and/or on the various venues I sell on... check back for updates.
26th - Back in NC again - this time with a family double the size it was just a month ago. My mother and sister are now living with me. We got here this past Monday and we're still working on getting settled in. Finally got their room set up (for the most part). We were able to find good homes for all of her persians before leaving Florida, with the exception of 2 kittens from the most recent litter. There's a cream color and a red. You can see them on her website if you are interested - they are adorable! She will ship to just about anywhere in the U.S. That's about it for now... just really busy getting things in order. Here it is, February 13th already, and I'm still in Florida getting things ready for the move of my mother and sister to my home in NC. We are supposed to leave here on the 20th or 21st. It's been a long couple weeks and I'm really anxious to get home - not to mention, I need to get back to my own business - - making beads, jewelry, etc. Although I have made a couple small pieces while here-- and I did make a piece with one of my favorite beads, I'm limited to what I can do with the small amount of tools and materials I brought with me. I'll be back to share them soon. We are selling off all of her persian cats. We have 2 adults that are for sale - here's a picture of each:
She also has 3 persian kittens and 1 ragdoll kitten for sale. You can see all of her cats/kittens for sale at www.RujamCattery.com. January 2010 With February knocking on the door, life (in general) brings some challenges for me. I'm currently in Florida with my mother who recently had a stroke. I'll be packing her house up and moving her to my home in NC within the next couple weeks. So, if you order something from my site or any of my auction venues, please be patient as it may take a few days for me to respond to you. Most of my lampwork beads and jewelry designs are at my studio, so I would not be able to ship anything like that until I return home in a couple weeks. You can still order them if you don't mind the wait. The pdf tutorials can be ordered anytime as I can provide you with the password(s) via email. Thanks for checking in! With the start of this new year, I have been asked to visit fine studios around the US to teach my Rose Murrini and Rose Garden beads as well as the Sculptured Rose beads, dainty rose beads, rose buds and more. For confirmed lampwork classes and other "special" designer classes, please see the Class Schedule. Here's another bracelet and earring set done with my standard cord:
January 19, 2010. I just finished making a piece that is "micro" macrame in the truest sense of the word. The string I used on this piece is about the thickness of sewing thread. It took me a couple days to make and, with that said, I probably will never make another using that thread size again. This piece is currently on my wrist and will most likely stay there. :) This one is made with gold plated seed beads (15's), akoya pearls, fancy shaped glass seed beads, swarovski crystals and semi-precious gemstones. I personally love the delicate and very feminine feel to this piece of jewelry. I will attempt to make another piece with the standard micro-macrame cord in time for Valentines Day as this would make the most perfect, romantic jewelry gift.
It's now January 2, 2010, and I'm still updating my site - adding items to sell in the upcoming year. I will also be adding items to Etsy, Artfire & 1000 Markets, so please check my current auctions for more eye candy! December 2009 30th - Only one more day to go this year. I finally got back on the torch for a few hours. I made the first of what will probably be many of the Goddess of Willendorf. Here's a quick picture of two I made into pendants:
26th - So here it is already after Christmas (the day after to be exact). Time has flown by this past year. As you can see, I am revamping the site - trying to make room for items I will have for sale in 2010, and make it a little easier to navigate. I'll have my beads and jewelry designs for sale right here on the site, so check back if you are looking for something special. November 2009 Wow- how time flies! Been super busy lately with life in general. I did get a chance to create some new beaded beads and a necklace. Since I could not get on the torch, I decided to create a few new items with beads. All of my Jewelry Designs and Lampwork Beads will be listed on my site for sale in early 2010. Until then, here's a peek...
October 2009 October 29 - I'm selling off all my "other" craft books and stuff. Check out my ebay auctions for crochet books/magazines, painting books, drawing books and so much more! There's more coming, so if you don't see anything you like, check back - I have so many assorted arts & crafts that I collected over the years. Some of you may know that I have injured myself to the point that I am confined to my bed for a while. Not to go into too much detail, my knee is healing and it looks like the infection that set in is clearing up. So fingers crossed, and prayers welcome, that I will be released at my next dr's visit and he won't have to do any surgery. Anyway, with all this time on my hands - and not being able to access my main computer to do the things I really need to be doing... I decided to make some more jewelry and start working on a silk ribbon embroidery piece I'm doing for Kim Fields. So please check out my jewelry gallery to see my latest micro-macrame pieces. September 2009 It has just been brought to my attention that I have been targeted, among many other lampwork artists, as a fraud. Apparently the person behind this fraud site is mad because she allegedly purchased beads from artists then sold them as her own and ultimately was caught. The allegations were brought to the art community's attention and addressed by several artists. It is my understanding that she was removed from selling other artists beads as her own from numerous sites. She has now added me to the hundreds of artists she is attacking and has accused me of being a tax fraud & evader - let me assure you that this is not the case, first off, I do not run a manufacturing company. I'm an artist, and this is my artistic outlet and hobby. In addition, I have only been in NC for a short time, and prior to moving to NC I was totally in compliance with my former State's laws. I am currently licensed in NC and have fulfilled my obligations under NC law to operate my business. The individual does not have her facts right, and randomly picks artists who are members of the Self-Representing-Artists (SRA) group. I was told that she was either removed from the membership or denied membership since she was selling other artists' beads as her own - claiming that she made them herself. That my friends is Fraud! Anyway, if you have any questions for me regarding this matter, please feel free to ask. A fund has been established to help the many artists who have fallen victim to these slanderous allegations. Please see http://www.piercesdesigns.com/pages/AGLF.htm for more information or to make a donation. I just finished a micro-macrame piece I have been working on since the end of August. Not continuously - but off and on as time allowed. Here's a couple pictures (sorry - they are not the best photos and do not show the gorgeous colors of the stones and lampwork)...
This piece is made with almost 14cts of genuine amethyst (2 stones) wrapped in swarovski crystals. The amethyst does not have a back to them, allowing the light to shine through and reflect off the facets. The gold beads are 14k, and the clasp is a 14k gold clasp with a safety latch. The focal of the piece is one of my Rose Murrini mini garden beads with a flat back (made specifically for this piece) surrounded by genuine flourite, and topped with more sparkling swarovski crystals. The bottom of the piece has about 30 strands dappled with 14k gf beads and swarovski crytals for added sparkle and interest. August 2009 So much going on now. Just had a nice visit from Vonna of "Just Vonna," and Liz Long of "Lampwork.com." We had a great time making beads and sharing techniques, etc. Still haven't tried the idea I had last month, and I'm not sure that I will at this point. Too many ideas in the ole head... and only 2 hands and one torch to try them all with! July 2009 Wow, how time flies! I've been really busy with so many things here lately, and I'll be going to the gathering in Miami next week. I will be gone from the 20th through the 29th. I'm hoping to get really busy making new bead designs when I get home. I've had so many requests for different things, including some of my older floral designs and toggles which I will start doing again. I've also had some requests for tea rose beads that will fit on a pandora/troll bracelet - so needless to say, I will try to make some of those when I return home. Oh, and I have another idea which was inspired by Ashton Jewels and which I'll also try when I return home. So please bookmark my site (or this little blog) so you can check to see when I have the new beads made. Hope to see some of you at the gathering! June 2009 I've been really busy lately with not only my glass, but now I have been asked to teach a couple wire-wrapping classes as well as a class on creating steampunk designs at a couple local shops. Needless to say, I said yes. :) I've also got my hands full with the fine jewelry and antiques company I help with from time to time (www.PalmBeachFineJewelryandAntiques.com). I went to Florida and spent a couple days going through and organizing the inventory in the vault. I also took some photos of some very incredible antiques - check out the site. One is a Baccarat Vase which is totally amazing! May 2009 The 8th - I got on the torch early this morning - Just got these out of the kiln and cleaned up. Enjoy - Rose Bleu and Tea Rose Series
I have new lampwork jewelry designs and steampunk jewelry designs listed on 1000 Markets.com. Visit my shop at www.peraza.1000markets.com. Here's a sample of my new work:
Remember to visit all the artists and designers in the three Markets I am active in on 1000 Markets Artbead Divine Jewelry (ADJ) Steampunk Style (SS) Charming
April 2009 I'm featured on a private blog at: http://handmadechic.blogspot.com/ I'm really excited about this - it's a very short and to the point feature - - but that's not it, there a lot of other information on the blog - so you may want to check it out for yourself. March 2009 I just opened a "twitter" account - you can now follow me at: http://twitter.com/Marilyn_Peraza Twitter.com is the latest application on the net and there is so much going on there... it's certainly a spot to watch! February 2009 4) February 28th. I completed shooting a video of the making of the rose murini, but, I'm having problems getting my video onto my computer for editing, voice over, etc. Problem is, my camera is an older version and my computer is much newer. They don't work well together! So that said, I'm going to shoot snap shots of the murini and create the pdf as I originally planned on doing. 3) Now that I have the bullseye colors figured out a bit more, and I am able to produce a nice rose murini with the glass, and after numerous requests, I'm going to start preparing a tutorial on making the rose murini in such a way to make the roses look more realistic and natural. I'm also going to do a tutorial on using the murini in a bead so you know exactly how to get it right. There's much more to making a full, natural looking rose than just having murini. You need to know how to use it properly to get the right effect. With that said... I'm off to the torch with camera man at my side to start shooting for these tutorials. Check back to see where I'm at on this project. Once it is ready and available, it will be posted on the Online Catalog page of my site, and probably on Etsy as well.
2) My latest designs are a
revisit to the rose murini I once did back in 2005.
1) There is a particular style in jewelry that I have admired for quite some time. But over time, the idea of it got pushed to the back burner, and was, quite honestly, forgotten. Just recently, a friend of mine came to pick up the beads she had made the day before. She brought her husband with her, who happened to mention a style of jewelry that my pieces reminded him of. He told me the name of the style (which I was totally unaware of) is Steam Punk. I never heard it called that, so I began my search on google to find out more about Steam Punk. As it turns out, Steam Punk is exactly what I had seen in the past. This is the style I just never got around to. It's very much Victoriana influence, with a techno-fantasy theme. Here's the Wikipedia definition of Steam Punk found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk: Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles or analog computers; these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or with a presumption of functionality. Steampunk is often associated with cyberpunk and shares a similar fanbase and theme of rebellion, but developed as a separate movement (though both have considerable influence on each other). Apart from time period and level of technological development, the main difference between cyberpunk and steampunk is that steampunk settings usually tend to be less obviously dystopian than cyberpunk, or lack dystopian elements entirely. Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded by individual craftpersons into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style, and a number of visual and musical artists have been described as steampunk. With all of that said, I have made my first simple Steam Punk piece. Here's a photo:
I intend to do more pieces in this style, and I will incorporate my lampwork beads into each piece. The piece in the photo has a small spacer bead which has the colors of the piece in it and compliments the metals perfectly.
December 2008 Sculptured Rose Tips & Tricks - If you already purchased the dvd or pdf of the Sculptured Rose Tutorial, check out the new tips and tricks page for variations of the rose and other helpful information. Also, please note that I will be working exclusively with Bullseye glass from now on. I fell in love with Bullseye glass several years ago and wanted to make the total change over back then. I thought I would "use" up all of my 104 glass, but as more and more special glass became available, I found myself stocking up. I would use the 104 glasses for a while, but always went back to Bullseye. This New Year, I decided to make the change and sold all of my 104 soft glass as well as my boro glass. Why I am telling you this you may ask? Well, many of the beads I have made in the past were with the 104 glass. Bullseye's pallet is slightly different than effetre and lauscha and most of the other soft glasses, so I won't be able to re-create certain beads as I once did. November 2008 Check out Palm Beach Fine Jewelry & Antiques. They have designer sized genuine, AAA top quality stones for your wire wrapping, or setting needs. Visit the site at: www.PalmBeachFineJewelryandAntiques.com. Oh, and the company is right here in the good ole USA!
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Chocolate candy piece and matching spacers
Photo of the 8 foot long work table in the new
studio. Still a lot to do, but moving along at a steady
pace. I'm still hoping to be up and running before the end of
this year.
This set is listed on the
Steampunk Bracelet
Lampwork Necklace
Since I'm obviously focusing on Victoriana, how perfect is the rose
for my designs? This time it's been a bit challenging for me
since I switched over to exclusively bullseye glass. I'm
finding it hard to make the petals stand out since most of the
opaque colors are on the translucent side. After three-four
days of working on the murini to get it to the point where I'm happy
with it, I finally succeeded. Please check the bead gallery
for a look at what I have done. I'm also planning on
doing more of them, but with a very Victorian look. I've done
some research on Victorian glass art, particularly floral designs,
and I'm working up a few sketches for my next beads. I hope
you enjoy my new work!
P-15
