Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Where can you find PickleBerries Glass in December?

There are a several places!

Seasonal Boutiques and Shows:

Artisan Holiday Boutique
5619 Manitou Road (next to Hazellewood Grill)
Excelsior, MN, 55331
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Excelsior-MN/Artisan-Holiday-Boutique/136821069693936

Friday, November 19 - January 1
Tues - Thurs: 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

Fri - Sat: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sun: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
New Years Eve: 10am - 5pm
New Years Day (last day): 10am - 5pm

Shops and Galleries:

The LindenTree
4404 Beard Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55410
Wed-Fri 10:30-5:30
Sat 10:30-4:00
Sun 12-4

Moustique Boutique
111 Main St East
Hinkley, MN 55037
(612) 741-4977

The Art Pig
255 Millard Ave
Cokato, MN 55321
(763) 443-2562

Anne & Friends
Wayzata Bay Center
819 East Lake Street
Wayzata, MN 55391
(612) 382-8774

Wordless Wednesday

Thanksgiving And Loss

This has been a hard year, wait hard doesn't begin to define our year. I think my Daughter summed it up pretty well a couple of weeks ago when she angrily spouted, "I thought 13 would be my lucky year! It hasn't been! It's been the worst year EVER!" Dramatic, not really, you see I had just told her that her Great Grandfather, my Gramps, passed that morning at 10:23. This was October 29th just prior to her favorite holiday, Halloween. How ironic that this year the kid chose to be Queen Mab, who is sometimes seen in literature as the Queen of Darkness. It's been dark alright. The loss of my Gramps was made even more difficult for us to bear because it came on the tails of loosing his favorite pie baker, my Mom. Gramps was in his 90's, my Mom only 67. After having been told just a few weeks earlier that she was cancer free, a second sarcoma was found the day after Mother's Day. My Mom fought bravely to overcome that second sarcoma, but she lost the battle to cancer in June. Is that the end of our yearly losses, of course not. Things happen in 3's don't they!? A week ago today my Husband came home and announced that he just been laid off. Scared doesn't begin to describe having to go through unemployed with the Hubs for the third time in seven years.

So where am I at today, on a day of thanksgiving, after such a tumultuous last five months? I am at peace. The wonderful things that have been happening have been sadly overshadowed by all the pain, but they are there and I'm embracing them. In October my Brother tied the knot with an incredible Woman. It was a wonderful celebration with family, old friends and new friends. In addition to an awesome Sister In Law, I've been blessed with two darling Nieces close to my Daughter's age and an adorable baby Nephew who's still not too busy to snuggle. I scored! My glass has been keeping me extremely busy and all that work has begun to become fruitful. I'm excited that we've only begun this year's holiday season! Funerals and visitations are hard and painful, but they're also a place where people reconnect. I'm grateful for the friends and family that I was able to reconnect with in these last months. Though jobless is a nightmare, so is a job that was constantly stressful. The hubs is choosing to create opportunities for himself in the job world and I applaud his efforts. This will turn into a job that he is energized by, not drained by! My Princess is growing into a brilliant, talented, beautiful teen who I'm very excited to watch become her own person. She's become a driven student, actor, singer and pie baker who is just bursting with potential. The kid may have chosen to be Queen Mab "a fairy of darkness" for Halloween, but Mab was also said to be a fairy who brings dreams to people. We're going to continue our journey with that version of Queen Mab close to us. Let the dreams begin!

Wordless Wednesday

Stuffing!

Years ago when I began making Thanksgiving Dinner at our house I decided to do my own version of my Mom/Grandma's stuffing, basically because I couldn't stick my hand into a turkey without gagging. I also did not want one more thing fighting for oven space, hence crock pot utilization! It's now the go-to stuffing recipe on both my and my Husband's side of the family. :)

Crock Pot Stuffing
1 box of Chicken Stove Top mix
1 bag of stuffing bread cubes, seasoned or unseasoned your choice
1 1/2c raisins
2T dry onion flakes
2 cans of Swanson low sodium chicken broth

* Make the Stove Top as directed on the box
* In a VERY large bowl stir the Stove Top into all of the other ingredients and mix well
* Gently scoop ingredients into your crock pot and cook on low for 1-2 hours
* Stir in small amounts of water if it seems to be drying out
* Serve, but don't worry if you're bowl isn't as cool as our CORN BOWL

“Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Swanson Broth.”

Where can you find PickleBerries Glass in November?

Well there are a few places!

Seasonal Boutiques and Shows:

Heart and Home Boutique In The Country Barn
6730 County Road 10 North, Waconia, MN
http://www.heartandhomeboutique.com/heartHome.shtm
Nov 14, 18, 19, 20 & 21
Barn Hours:
Thursdays 9:00am - 6:00 pm
Fridays 9:00am - 6:00 pm
Saturdays 9:00am - 5:00 pm
Sunday 12:00pm - 6:00 pm

Chickadee Boutique
207 St. Marie, Shoreview MN 55126
http://www.chickadeeboutique.com/chickabout.html
open now: Thurs 9-8, Fri & Sat 9-5
Sun 10/3, 11/7, & 12/5 from 10-5

Artisan Holiday Boutique
5619 Manitou Road (next to Hazellewood Grill), Excelsior, MN, 55331
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Excelsior-MN/Artisan-Holiday-Boutique/136821069693936

Friday, November 19 - December 19

Tues - Thurs: 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
Fri - Sat: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Sun: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Crafty Pancakes at FAIR
http://sites.google.com/a/wmep.k12.mn.us/wmep-k12-mn-us-fair-c/
FAIR School Crystal (My daughter's school, awesome place!)

3915 Adair Ave N, Crystal, MN 55422
November 20 from 8:30-2:00
Arts & Crafts Sale 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
All you can eat pancakes 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., $5
All you can eat pancakes, 2 sausages, and choice of milk, juice, coffee or tea. Children under 3 eat free.

Shops and Galleries:

Moustique Boutique
111 Main St East
Hinkley, MN 55037
(612) 741-4977

The Art Pig
255 Millard Ave
Cokato, MN 55321
(763) 443-2562

Anne & Friends
Wayzata Bay Center
819 East Lake Street
Wayzata, MN 55391
(612) 382-8774

I'm out and about!

This Sunday afternoon you'll find me out in Waconia, MN at the Heart and Home seasonal boutique. The boutique is in a gorgeous refurbished, heated barn with ethereal vaulted ceilings. Not only can you find my millefiori at Heart and Home, but a selection of my dichro and regular fused glass too! These pictures are just a sampling of the choices that you'll find for gifting a loved one or yourself.

http://www.heartandhomeboutique.com/heartHome.shtm
In The Country Barn 6730 County Road 10 North Waconia, MN
Winter Dates: Oct 28 - Nov 21
Barn Hours:
Thursdays 9:00am - 6:00 pm
Fridays 9:00am - 6:00 pm
Saturdays 9:00am - 5:00 pm
Sunday 12:00pm - 6:00 pm

What's new?!

Bracelets, bobby pins and cuff links, oh my! It's been a busy seasonal boutique and show season so it's been a struggle to get things listed online, but the first bracelet is listed!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Artfire!

Well 1000 Markets is no more. I'm saddened and disappointed. It was a beautiful site and easy to use, but they were purchased by Bonanza and closed at the end of September. Rather than move to Bonanza, I opted to re-open my Artfire store. You'll find the same pieces as are on Etsy at this point, BUT customers have the option of paying through Amazon Payments or Paypal. It was important to me to have something besides Paypal for those who would like an alternative. I also love the fact that people can now, thanks to Artfire, purchase my glass right on my PickleBerries Facebook page. Pop over and have a peek!

A Fairy Ring For Wordless Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday

PickleBerries in the Handmade Market at The Creative Connection Event

Are you in Minneapolis, MN? Stop by the downtown Hyatt and visit the Handmade Market at The Creative Connection Event! I'll be there though Saturday, 9/18.

Wordless Wednesday

Whew!

I'm working like a lunatic on all the inventory that I need to begin delivering on 9/1. I can't believe that the Summer is nearly over and the Princess goes back to school in two weeks. Unfortunately this Summer one of the galleries that carried my glass closed so that the artist could focus on her work, but how exciting that I've added three more galleries to the list that carry PickleBerries glass! I'll be taking part in three seasonal boutiques here in Minnesota that begin in September and of course my glass is also in a few more that don't begin until October and November. I don't do many shows, but I'm thrilled to be a part of a carefully chosen few. Mid-September will find me hanging out for four days at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Minneapolis, MN for The Creative Connection's Handmade Market. Mid-December will find me back at one of my favorite shows, The Minnesota Women's Art Festival. I may, or may not, add more shows, we'll see how things progress! You're welcome to pop over to my website to see where PickleBerries glass can be found.

Wordless Wednesday, in memory of my Mom who loved roses

Wordless Wednesday

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Opening March 15th!

You'll be able to find PickleBerries glass at the Northwoods Boutique in Edina Minnesota this spring! It's a beautiful temporary boutique found at 6364 John Harris Drive in the Braemar Golf Course Clubhouse. Admission is free and the hours are as follows...

Weekdays - 10AM to 8PM
Sat. - 9AM to 5PM
Sun. -10AM to 5PM
Last Sun.- Mar. 28 - 10AM to 2PM

A Story

Once upon a time there was a quiet, skinny little girl with big eyes and long, straight, mousy, brown hair. She had a frail, wizened grandma who collected treasures of old. These antiquities were kept in a tall, ornately carved cabinet with a glass door and curved glass sides. The treasures were always visible for all to gaze upon. Every time the little girl would visit her gram she would spend some time gazing at the wonders inside of the cabinet. Each item was special and her gram would spin stories about many. The child's favorite were the glass spheres that fit perfectly on the palm of an adults hand. Each of these unique works held captured within their depths, minute flower filled universes exploding with color. They were exquisite works of art made for no other reason than to weigh down the loose papers of ones life. How extraordinary! The little girl grew up, as little girls do, and her gram passed on during that growing up. The millefiori paperweights were tucked in with the rest of the memories of gram only to be reborn when the little girl, now grown with her own quiet, skinny little girl with big eyes and long, straight, bright red hair, decided it was now time. Time to make intricate little universes of her own out of tiny, vibrant glass flowers. These creations would not be relegated to a glass cabinet though, these creations would be to wear and enjoy. They would adorn hair, ear lobes and yes, chests too. Hence the gestation and birth of PickleBerries, where all lived happily ever after.
The End.

Wordless Wednesday...

Custom Pieces

When a customer commissions pieces in specific colors I like to give them a range of prices and sizes if the don't have a specific price point in mind. Each piece of millefiori is unique so I firmly believe that choices are important.

Wordless Wednesday...

Well I should be working on taxes but...

BUT... I want to move my work space to a different area in the dungeon, aka basement. I want the space that is closest to the window. I've vacillated between my current location and this corner from the time I set up my work space. The lack of lighting had me heading for the middle of the basement where I am now, but I hate the overhead fluorescent that I've been relying on. The corner spot that I'd like to move to is also loaded with "stuff" and boxes on shelves. (Important stuff like my 1970 something Barbie camper!) The move involves going through loads of minutia packed in boxes, most of which belongs to the hubs. Which leads me to my next problem, getting the hubs to actually go through those boxes is about as easy as herding cats. Hmm, I think I'll go work on my taxes!

Wordless Wednesday...

Commission!

Now that the holidays are over I can show off the commission that I was asked to create and fuse. It was for a 13 year old, to match her bedroom decor.

Wordless Wednesday...