I am Slowing Down... Really.

Ready to start the day? Who am I asking, you or me? Breakfast of diet coke, a donut and a slice of cold pepperoni pizza and I'm ready for anything. Last night finally got in the proposal for 1000 steel and glass pieces due the first of May for a corporate gift program and now I don't know whether I hope our proposal is accepted or I hope it's not. 1000 pieces due at the same time we're running the hotshop portion of the Johnathan Schmuck glass roll-up workshop for Glass Inspirations. (Have I said Whee yet?)

Tonight is the first night of our six-week glass survey glass in the studio and I am jazzed for it. Of course I've spent the past 24 hours tweaking the content of the class to the point that I've added a second project and another hands-on technique learned--it's going to be a full night every night. Whee! (Now I said it.) Tonight's class will be about the many varieties of sheet glass for kilnforming from straight transparent or opal colors to streakies, chopstix, irids, confetti, streamer, and how to combine and layer them for different effects. But that's not enough so we're also going to make our own art glass from streamers, frit, confetti and powders on a clear base. I think I'll bring drinks and snacks as I plan on working this class hard.

This Friday I also host my first kilnforming date night. We've had several glassblowing date nights, but this couple want to learn about kilnforming glass. One week back from the Buyer's Market, starting on orders from the show, and teaching too! It's never boring.

The elements on the glass furnace gave up the ghost while I was in Philly and yesterday we got a new set ordered from the man who made the furnace over 10 years ago, Sonny Cresswell. He and Lee had a long technical chat and he gave Lee several pointers about rebuilding the furnace. The new elements should arrive the end of this week and we'll be back up for classes by the middle of next week (Lee is amazing).

For the past couple of years Don Drum and I have been flirting with the idea of doing some collaborative glass and cast pewter pieces and castings of his sculptures in glass. Both he and his work are incredible and I am very excited about this opportunity. Yesterday he sent me out some molds to play around with and I'm looking forward to creating both fused and cast work with him this year. Might even have something for production to take to the summer BMAC. A girl can dream!

V is coming today to put last year's books to bed and pay bills (including the ginormous Bullseye glass bill--just in time as I need to start putting together another order), and Todd and Dee are coming down Friday... Got to make some peacock and ocean glass for Todd before then--oh yes and a lot of large shards for him to use in the wire people for orders next week. At least I got the key rings ordered for him yesterday. (Paperwork, supply management, finances--oh the glamorous life of an artist!)

Finally, got to finish clay slumping molds this week for a sconce commission, and get the rest of the Siyeh Studio orders in the new POS storefront (point of sale, not the other, more common usage for POS). And then there's creating the Siyeh Glass POS storefront so I can use it to generate orders and receipts for supplies, classes, etc. Oh My. What day is it again? Am I dreaming or awake yet? Better get moving...