Getting Closer

We went to another opera on Saturday. It was La Boheme by Puccini. Sort of a sad story – most operas are. It was nice, but with my memory I hardly remember the story now, and a week from now I’ll have completly forgotten it. Still, I enjoy going. Next season there are going to be 10 live broadcasts, and I’m sure we’ll go to all of them too.

I took a couple of landscape beads into church and showed them around. I was a big hit. Karolyn, the pastor’s wife, suggested that we might could do a collaberation. I don’t think I responded well to the suggestion, but on further thought it sounds like it might be a good thing to do. I’ve always been the type to want to work by myself, but this could be an opportunity for growth and I like growth. David (the pastor) said Karolyn is good at wire work, so maybe I could learn a thing or two about jewelry making.

Sunday afternoon a man my mother works with came by and took the cabinets and counter top that were in the basement, so they are out of the house. Tonight we are supposed to work on getting the table cut down. I’m not sure how the table is going to get altered. My mother has told me a couple of times, but I just got confused. I guess I’ll figure it out when it happens. Tomorrow I have to go to Lowe’s and get a whole bunch of stuff – paint, wood, etc.

And, my hood just came! Also, my bussiness cards arrived in the mail today. So things are moving along. Hopefully I’ll be set up in my studio in a couple more weeks. I’m looking forward to it.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Happy Easter!

Friday, my mother and I went to Your Dekalb Farmers Market in the Atlanta area. Since we were headed that way already, I suggested a stop by Beads By Design and Flame Tree Glass. We got off to a bit of a late start since we had a leisurely morning. By the time we got through at the Farmers Market is was 8:30 PM (eastern time).

At Beads By Design we picked out chain, a clasp, and accent beads for the Satake swirl beads I made. We had a lot of fun. The woman who waited on us was very helpful and knowledgeable about making jewelry. In the past I have felt a little odd in that shop, almost like I was being an imposition, but this time I didn’t feel that way. The woman who helped us also convinced me to go to the wire wrapping class on April 12th. I figure that it would be easier to take a class than try and figure it out for myself, and since I plan on moving in to finished jewelry at some point, the skill will stand me in good stead. I’m excited about the class and making the necklace for my mother – I spent a good deal of money on supplies, but it will be worth it if my mother enjoys wearing the finished project.

We went to Flame Tree Glass next. I wanted a little bit of green and brown glass, and give my mother a chance to talk to the people there about a new torch, oxygen concentrators, and studio setup. We were there for a while waiting on Lance to finish his class. But, after talking to him we settled on a torch to buy – looks like I will be getting a Lynx. The theory behind this choice is that the bigger torch will allow me to grow in the future, but at the same time would run on one oxygen concentrator. I think that was a productive use of time. Now, we just have to figure out where to put the studio, what we are going to do about the hood and ventilation, and where to put the oxygen concentrator. Setting this up is not going to be easy or simple.

The last stop we made before the Farmers Market was The Vitamin Shoppe. My mother has been feeding me vitamins, and in her quest to figure out why I suddenly started being more active around the end of January has decided that supplements have had a big influence. She has been loading me up on fish oil and now, ginkgo biloba. Both are supposed to help with negative symptoms of schizophrenia. I figure they can’t really hurt and might be beneficial – my mother found a couple of reliable sources that indicate these supplements are beneficial. My mother also has been feeding us blueberries every day. I don’t pay much attention to the food and nutrition info she’s always spouting, as long as it tastes allright I’ll eat it. That was one of the pros in moving back in with her – the food would be better.

 Yesterday we went to another opera – Tristan und Isolde by Wagner. It was a long opera – it started at 11:30 AM and got finished around 4:45 PM. I fell asleep during the second act, but what I saw of it was wonderful. I’ve been wondering what kind of music to listen to while I’m at the torch, and I’ve wondered if I might not like to try opera. Naxos has a web radio service that has an opera channel. I might have to spring for the service and try it out.

Well, I finally got to spend some time at the torch today. I only spent two hours at the torch, and made eight beads. I don’t know if I will get a chance to torch tomorrow or not. I’m getting a little behind on my log file, so I might have to spend time doing that. We’ve been very busy this weekend what with all our running around. I’m looking forward to Tuesday when I can spend more time at the torch.

Satake Transparents

Well, this wasn’t the greatest week for bead making. Monday I only got an hour in because I had to go to the Doctor in Birmingham and run some errands for my mother. Thursday I went to Atlanta – Flame Tree Glass in Roswell, and dinner and a movie with a friend. Actually, it was take-out and a movie on demand, but still good stuff. Friday, I had some time to work, but it was Satake day.

Satake is softer than Effetre, which means that it melts at a lower temperature. It also doesn’t hold its shape as well. When I tried to make a square bead, it turned round again almost immediately when I returned it to the flame to polish it. The spiral shaped beads held their shape a little bit better. I have to say that I enjoyed working with the Satake though.

I think I may have promised my mother a necklace made of the Satake transparent spiral shaped beads. Now I just have to figure out how to make a necklace. I’ve never made a necklace before. Earrings sure, but not a necklace. It will be especially difficult because I have to order my materials online because there are no good beading/jewelry supply stores around here. Oh well, I’ll figure something out.

We went to Birmingham today to see the Metropolitan Opera production of Peter Grimes – live in HD. No local theaters are broadcasting it. We’ve been to most of the operas since they started broadcasting the operas in movie theaters. My mother is a bit of an opera fan, and I’ve been accompanying her. Being exposed to the opera has been quite enjoyable, but I don’t think I love it as much as my mother does.