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My Blog
12 Sep 2016 - Yes, I am not a very faithful blogger. We have moved yet again...this time for good. We moved to Northern Colorado Springs and found our permanent house. We are located several miles east of Monument. The bead studio is all set up, thanks to help from my friend, Maria. She and I attended the 2016 Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee after a 3 year hiatus. I am teaching jewelry classes at the USAFA Arts and Crafts Center. (Check out the Vet Schedule for dates and times.) I joined the Colorado Creative Co-op. I work with 5 fabulous artists who have a passion for their art. Everything in the shop is hand made. Come on by if you are in Old Colorado City, at 2531 1/2 Colorado Ave. The website is www.coloradocreativeco-op.comUnfortunately, in my 8 year absence, the Glass Artists of the Pike's Peak Region (GAPPR) disbanded. The good news is the Southern Colorado Bead Society (SCBS) is alive and well. I was a founding member, #6, when it was founded in 2007. I now am its Secretary.
5 May 2013 -
11 Aug - I've finally gotten my contract with Pope Arts and Crafts, so classes begin on Monday. Check out the vet schedule for all classes. I will be teaching the Edge! jewelry classes every Thursday at 5pm in September. More shows are on the horizon - those will be on the vet schedule too.
14 May - Just finished the first day of a two day show in Atlanta, the Buckhead Spring Arts and Craft Festival. It was a great day...great weather....great visitors. Big bonus, I got to see my cousin, my aunt and my other cousin's wife and children. I'm really looking forward to day 2. Also, I just received word that I will be showing at the Arts on the Plaza show at Northgate Mall in Durham on June 4th. Good day!
10 Mar - New pictures are up on the site. Most of the pieces are available right now.
2 Mar 2011 - Still not much progress on getting classes started; hopefully by mid-April, we'll be up and running. I have taught a few individual classes here at the house. If you or a group of friends are interested in learning to bead, please contact me. On the bright side, I'll be posting new pictures of pieces I have on hand to the website in a few days. Also, my space in Wrought'n Apples is getting a long awaited facelift and new inventory. And, my work can still be found at the wonderful Pollitt Selection Gallery. I am busy making a lot of new pieces for spring and the upcoming holidays. If you have a custom order wish, let me know.
12 Jan 2011 -Ah, the new year. I am in the midst of trying to get jewelry classes up and running at both Michaels on Skibo Road and at the Pope AFB arts and crafts center. The process is moving, but slowly. Pollitt Selection has several new pieces and Wrought'n Apples is due for a face lift. I've got some great pieces which I am sending out for photography, so look for new images on the webpage. Until then, stay warm and keep checking back.
23 Oct - I have a new venue for my jewelry, the fabulous Pollitt Selection Gallery in Westwood Shopping Center in Fayetteville. Patti Pollitt's boutique is my favorite store of all time and I feel honored to have my work in her shop. Stop by and take a look around. Patti has the greatest OOAK items...perfect gifts for a friend or for yourself.
29 Sep - Well, I've gotten two more examples of my logo...2 black kittens named Furball and Princess. They are pound cats, brother and sister from the same litter; and I couldn't split them up. Although Mike and Bob were the original mascots, they have passed the baton to these little cho-cho kitty cats.
26 Sep - Made it to Fort Bragg and have finally settled in. I did my first show in NC this past weekend, but it got rained out on Sunday. Not a very auspicious beginning. My next show is scheduled for Nov 19 - 21 November at Fort Bragg...the YuleMart run by the Fort Bragg Spouses Club. Come get your Christmas shopping done before the last minute. Hope to see you there! P.S. More pictures for the website coming soon.
19 May 2010 - We will be leaving Germany on the 24th of July and PCSing to Fort Bragg, NC. (As a dog returns to its vomit, so shall we to Fort Bragg;) So, if you want any last minute jewelry advice, classes, items for the Heart and Home store, please let me know. I know I owe a few pieces to people...please contact me to put a fire under my bum. I am attempting to do one last show in Kaiserslauten and should know this week if I will be accepted. After that, all the finished pieces are headed for the Wrought'n Apples store in Parker, Colorado. I will be spending a couple of weeks in CO at the end of July, so my display at Wrought'n Apples will have a complete makeover.
6 March 2010 - Whew! What a month February was. Crazy! I arrived in Tucson with no problem on the last day of January. I was able to make it to the Whole Bead Show and the JOGS show and my 2 day soldering class with Rio Grande. Then wham-o...I got strep pneumonia. I spent two weeks in the hospital, thereby missing the entire Tucson show and my plane ride back to Germany. After getting out of the hospital, I was able to partially make up for lost time by visiting ABC Imports in Tucson, the Tubuc Bead Shop, and a lampworker named Tennessa from a Beaded Gift. (Check out her website on my favorite links.) I did miss the bead swap, however you can see some wonderful finished jewelry at the website below. Well,now I am back in Germany teaching classes and doing the spring bazaars. Hope to see you at one of them.
22 Jan 2010 -Well the bead swap is up and running. The beads have made to to their respective partners and now the jewelry artists are doing their mojo. The unveiling of the pieces will be on 10 Feb. You can see all the "before" shots, i.e. the loose beads, on Flikr at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1290276@N25/
I personally have not started my project, but I received some great beads and have some ideas swirling in my head. Tune in to Flikr on the 10th and prepare to be amazed.
I will be leaving for Tucson at the end of the month and CANNOT WAIT! I will be catching up with some of my favorite lampworkers and discovering new ones. If there is anything specific you'd like me to look for/buy, send me an e-mail. Have a great year, Everyone!
14 Oct - I just returned from the Heidelberg 2009 Holiday Bazaar, where I had a great time. Thank you to all of you who came out to see me there and especially to those who loved and purchased my work. Thank you also to my friends, Maria and Sydney, for all their help. I couldn't have continued to update my display with new pieces without them. The Graf Bazaar starts in 2 days, and I will have plenty of new items for you to look at...the last of the Halloween jewelry, and the beginning pieces from the holiday collection. Hope to see you there. Check the vet schedule for dates and times.
30 Sep - There are a few photos from the gallery show in . I had a blast! It felt like Lou Ann, Lynn and I worked together in the same studio to create the pieces, that is how well matched they were. Thank you to all my SCBS members for attending and making purchases. And thank you to all who came by to see the show. I really appreciate it.
It is finally here...the gallery show at Commonwheel. "Flights of Fancy" opens on Friday, July 10th, 2009 at 5pm. Hope to see you there. Check out the poster under the vet schedule.
9 June - Get psyched for a ring class in two weeks. I've never taught this class and may even need to teach myself!!! Rings are difficult. There are so many cool designs, but as always, size matters. You know what I am saying, gals. We'll keep our fingers crossed for a successful class.
24 May - Things are looking up in the bead universe here in Germany. The bead corner is up and selling well at Heart and Home. And, we are beginning a new beading group, which will meet once a week. If you haven't signed up at the craft store, but want to be a member of the beading group, contact me directly. And, the Graf library will have an exhibit in the month of June about beading to stimulate interest in the art. What could be better? Please contact me with any requests or questions.
29 Apr - The bead section of Heart and Home is almost ready; it probably will be in place on Friday, May 1st. They've gotten in some neat Fire Mountain Gem and Rio Grande beading supplies. There are 6 trays, approx. 90 different types, of fun FMG beads, too. Come by the Arts and Crafts store and see what catches your fancy. Be sure to check my events page for the latest on classes and shows.
26 Feb 2009- Long time missing on the blog. I am back in Germany and have lots of new beads and ideas. I am scrambling to get into some of the local craft shows. I am also teaching a lot of classes at the Grafenwoehr Arts and Crafts Center. In the center, I am working with Barb, the manager, to build up a bead corner. Right now there are Swarovksi crystals, bead boards, tools, and Beadalon wire. Hopefully in the future, there will be sterling silver and gold filled findings and beads. We are slowly getting there; every week brings more items.
19 Dec - OK, so no one won the free jewelry. I will try again for the 3,000th customer. Thanks to those of you who did respond to see if you were #2K. You were so close, but we hadn't made it to 2,000 yet. Bad timing is all I can say. Keep checking back for the next lucky draw. It may be a big one next time....the jewelry of your choice, no matter what the cost.
15 Dec - Waiting for an e-mail from a winner.
9 Dec - 1977
8 Dec - #1956, very soon!
7 Dec - Just finished 2 shows this weekend. Thanks to the ASCC in Ansbach and to Sonja in Kirchentumbach. I had a blast. Quick contest update...the number of visitors is upt to 1,936. We are getting closer to 2,000. Keep those e-mails coming!!
2 Dec - My website had the most visitors ever last month, November 2008. The site is coming up on its 2,000th visitor soon, (probably this month following the stats.) In honor of the 2,000th visitor, I will be giving away a super prize to the one who e-mails me and thinks they are #2,000. If it looks like you are, you win! E-mail me at juliecollins@hotmail.com and put "Visitor #2,000?" as the subject line. (Hint: today there have been 1,836 unique visitors.) Good luck to all. Check back often...you never know, you may win the prize!
28 Nov - I will have my last shows of the year this upcoming weekend. (Check the vet schedule.) I've pulled out every piece of lampwork and have made it into something. Just in this week, canape sets, new pens and heart keychains...all beadable. If you are search of the last minute X-mas one of a kind gifts, stop on by Manitou Springs in CO, Ansbach and Kirchentumbach, Germany. You won't be sorry you did. Tschuess!
5 Nov - I am on my way to Heidelberg tomorrow for the big 4 day festival...my first 4 dayer. How the lampworkers last for a week in a show at Tucson, I don't know. I am exhausted thinking about it. I'm getting a little closer to teaching at the Graf Arts and Crafts Center, just waiting for the contract to be approved. I will tell all after the show in Heidelberg this weekend. If you are in the area, stop on by. I have a lot of new pieces. Hope to see you!
29 Sep - Had my first show for the Germans at a little brewery named the Heberbrau on Sunday. The show included the mayor of Kirchentumbach who made lawn recyclyed sculptures, the mayor of Graf's wife who made lace creations, a Dutch portrait artist, a wood worker, a German watercolorist and some German potters. What a troupe! Sonja, the owner of the brewery, was so kind and such a supporter of the "arts." We had a great time. I put up a lot of the new Azad photographs. Unfortunately, many of the pieces are already in collections or are slated for shows. If you see something that really catches your fancy, please let me know, and I can recreate/fashion something like it for you. As the Bavarians say, Tschuess for now!
12 Sep - Whew! I am finally in Germany getting settled into the new house. Our furniture will be here next week, (fingers crossed.) I plan to put up a bunch of new items which Azad took photos of before I left the US. Be looking for those soon.
14 Aug - My days in the States are dwindling and I am trying to stock up on as many beading supplies as I can. I visited Kiki Beads here in Fort Collins and picked up some fabulous lampwork. The last class at the USAFA went very well; thanks to all my students. Thank you also to the staff at the Arts and Crafts center; you guys are great. Chris is changing command in Grafenwoehr today, (it's probably already happened.) The whirlwind begins. I just can't wait to get my studio up and organized. I've already applied to 2 four day shows in Germany - Heidelberg and Ramstein. I've never done a 4 day show. Sounds pretty exhausting, but fun.
22 July - Well, no one wanted free jewelry for being #1000. Maybe we will try again at 1500 visitors. We are in the process of packing up our furniture for our move to Germany. The kids and I will leave the States on the 2nd of September after the Commonwheel Labor Day festival. I have one more big class at the USAFA Arts and Crafts..."Christmas in July." For 3 hours you get to make all the jewelry you are able to...jewelry for everyone on your list. Here to sign up, there are only 3 slots left.
9 July - I will have two more shows left in Colorado before going to Germany...Evergreen and the CW festival. (Check show dates.) In anticipation of having my 1000th visitor, we are up to 995, I will be giving away free jewelry to those of you who e-mail me to tell me you are #1000. (I think I will be able to narrow it down, but there may be 2-3 of you receiving free pieces.) Anyway, just e-mail me thru the site and say you are #1000 and you'll get something great. =^.^=
12 June - It has been a fast a furious pace on making jewelry and stocking Commonwheel Co-op and Wrought'n Apples. I have 3 more definite shows coming up in the next two months. For the Strawberry Days Festival in Glenwood Springs, I will be sharing a booth with Jeunko Major who makes the coolest shrimp-like eco-systems. You can see her work at www.bloominbee.com. I met her and got to know her when I bought an eco-system and we kept running into each other at fairs. We have even done some joint projects using the beads and crystals in and on the eco-systems. Very cool! Come see it if you can. Check the calendar for other shows.
18 April - Just finished packing up for the show at the Adams County Fairgrounds tomorrow. There will be over 200 artists, all with handmade crafts. The show benefits the Adams County Historical Society and Museum. Hope to see you there!
7 April - Sorry my website was down for a couple of days. My domain expired and I didn't know. Luckily, I was able to get the same one back! I attended my first Commonwheel Co-op member meeting. It was great to meet all the artists. My jewelry is now in place at the Co-op; come to Manitou Springs and see the great shop. I will be at Smoky Hill High School in Aurora this Saturday. Stop by my booth in the Atrium and see me if you are in the area. I have some new pictures to post thanks to Buffy Mormon from Wrought'n Apples. =^.^=
24 Mar - I've been accepted into the Commonwheel Co-op in Manitou Springs. Woo-hoo!!! For those of you not familiar with Manitou Springs, it is a funky artist town on the way to the Cog Railroad/Pike's Peak. I submitted my photos of my work, then got a call back to bring in pieces. The jury met last Tuesday and voila...I am in. And to top it all off, if you look at the CCS Fine Arts and Crafts postcard, one of my pieces in on the front. A published artist. HA!
13 Mar - I just finished a two night PMC (Precious Metal Clay) class with a terrific teacher, Melissa Marath Wagner of Fire Dog Studios. Boy, can she make some beautiful pieces. Three other great artists took part...shouts out to Laura, Cathy and Molly. It was great fun. I am gearing up for this weekend's Liberty HS Craft Fair and I am filling up a lot of my April weekends too. An exciting note from the stats department, on Mar 4th the site had 51 visitors! A record. Don't ask me why on that date so many popped up. But, it has got me to thinking about starting a bi-monthly prize giveaway of certain pieces. Sure it won't be the $90 necklace, but it could be earrings, pen, plant stake. (I just started making beaded plant stakes, but don't have any pictures yet. A great hostess gift idea!) I also now have 4 canape knife and fork sets on hand, another great housewarming gift. Oh well, need to finish up a few pieces and get packed up. If you are in the area, drop by to see me at Liberty High School, COS, booth #1.
4 Mar - I bought some fabulous new beads at Tucson and I was able to see a lot of my SRAs. (Self Representing Artists.) My great artists Maureen - from Pumpkin Hill beads - was there. Margaret from Neomythica was there. Penny Michelle, who does phenomenal bead critters was back. I also met some new SRAs too. Jeffrey Rogers is a stupendous artist with great boro beads. He was very patient with me on the last day at the last hourof the show. Thanks Jeff! You can find his website on my Cat's PJ page. For now, I have lots of new items, all of which aren't on the site. If you have a color or idea of something, don't hesitate to contact me.
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