New Pendants Listed

Today is voting day in my area, I went and voted before I headed in to work today. This is my daughters first year to be able to vote and she was so excited. We sat down yesterday and went over all the issues on our particular ballot. I am so glad that she realizes that her vote DOES matter!

What does this have to do with pendants? Absolutely nothing lol. I listed four different kinds of pendants in the past couple of weeks, some lampwork pendants, a fused glass pendant,an Ohio Flint pendant, (which would make a perfect man's gift for Christmas by the way), and a couple of pretty pink quartz pendants. I will do a post on Ohio Flint here very soon, its only found in one part of the world and one area of Ohio.
Here's some pictures of some of the most recent pendants listings. If you see one you like, you can go take my poll on facebook and get 25% off of one too!

Poll On Earring Types

I would greatly appreciate any one willing to give some input via a poll on my facebook page. As a gift for taking the time to answer I am offering a 25% off coupon to my Artfire jewelry shop. Please leave me a comment here that you answered the poll and you can use coupon code facebookpoll for your discount.

I Would Vote For This!

I would vote for this in a heart beat! Please feel free to copy and paste!

Warren Buffett, "I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just ...pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all
sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election. The 26th
amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months
& 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in
1971...before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to
the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the
land...all because of public pressure.

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of
twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do
likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the
message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office
and receives no pay when they are out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All
funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security
system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system,
and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for
any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans
do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay
will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the
same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American
people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12.
The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen
made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor,
not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours
should serve their term's), then go home and back to work.

If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take
three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is
time.

THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!! If you agree with the above, pass it on.

Happy Fat Cat

This is our other cat. He is a wee bit bigger than Dragon, although he is only a couple of weeks older. He doesn't go outside, he prefers the luxury of rolling around on the carpet versus rolling around on the cement lol!

Happy Cat

Dragon, enjoying the heated cement around the fire pit. No fire in there, he's just enjoying the warmth left in the tiles from the sun!

Some Of My Favorite Glass

I just wanted to give a quick shout out to one of my favorite glass suppliers.

Devardi glass has a huge range of yummy colors to work with, along with a long list of other goodies like presses, all different kinds of mandrel sizes and some fun cab mandrels.

Loads of frit in single colors (which I really like because, I like to mix my own but I don't always want to MAKE my own if you know what I mean!).

They also carry dichro strips and a bunch of other specialty glass with some silver, gold and copper frit, oh, and silver foil, and, and, and just a lot of good stuff lol!

They have a great rod warmer which is extremely helpful in keeping glass from shattering when introducing it to the flame (especially in the winter when I am torching in my basement with the window open!). I use mine year round though and pre warm all of my glass, there are some persnickity colors out there in all the brands of glass out there.
Pixie Dust --->

They also have a ton of great videos on their site to help out those of you
who are just starting or for those of you who just want to find out more about this glass. They are also great for just picking up some general knowledge about lampworking.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention how good their prices are! And they have some of the best customer service I have ever come across.

So, if you have any interest at all in lampworking or just want to try out some cool stuff drop by their website and check it out. You can also come chat with those of us who really like this glass HERE at these forums

Brandywine Falls or Another Road Trip

As some of you may have figured out my husband and I like to go to the park and hike and check things out. We haven't done much this summer between the heat and high humidity (hiking in 100 degree weather isn't really my cup of tea!) and a busy work schedule, we haven't had much of a chance to get out and about.

This particular trip we went to Brandywine Falls. Pretty cool waterfall and a bit of interesting history. And the steps provided a nice little work out lol. Then of course there is this bit of advice to keep in mind while wandering up and down the trails and the steps!

The top of the falls don't look like much, my first reaction was pretty ho hum to be honest lol. I was questioning whether it was worth the effort to go on this particular hike. But being a good sport (and really needing the exercise lol) onward we went.

The side view was a bit more promising. Now it was starting to look a bit more like a waterfall!

Once we actually rounded the corner and went down the stairs you can see that it is actually quite a nice waterfall! Much more powerful than I would have believed looking at the seemingly tiny stream at the top of the rock!

Work in Progress

Just a quickie post to show you a work in progress. Its kind of evolving as I go, so I am not entirely sure what the finished piece is going to look like! Its already quite different than I imagined it when I started. This is the centerpiece for a necklace, and my first attempt at this type of bead work. I am having a great deal of fun with it and its turning out rather well for a prototype lol!

New Beads Listed

Just a quick post to show you some of the new beads I have posted recently. First up is a pretty cobalt blue flower Big Hole Bead. The silver bead cap really is a nice shiny silver and not partly gold lol, the photo simply would not co operate.



Next up are some pretty violet purple and white dot beads.








This is a pretty set of Frog Green, Turquoise Blue and Cherry Red










And last but certainly not least, Siren's Sunset, a spectacularly hot pink and orange focal bead and one of my personal favorites!








If you are interested in any of these or simply want to browse around the glass shop simply click on one of the pictures and you will be taken directly there.

Handmade Sterling Silver And Amethyst Purple Faceted Hydro Quartz Earrings

I saw this stunning pair of bright, sparkly amethyst purple, faceted teardrops and just had to have them! They are big, bright, and sparkle like crazy. Wrapped in sterling silver this pair of earrings would be a staple in any wardrobe. Hydro quartz is a man made glass, so even though these look super expensive, they are quite affordable! Just click on the picture to get to the listing!

Fire Divas Team Treasury Giveaway!

This month, the Divas are breaking out all the stops and creating a fabulous treasure trove of beads to be featured in the Fire Divas first ever Etsy Team Treasury Giveaway!

Most of you are probably familiar with Etsy's Treasuries, which are collections of items illustrating a special theme chosen by individual curators. Well, the Fire Divas are doing something a little extra special! Not only are we creating a Treasury featuring many of the Fire Divas showing off their renditions of a "Bead Jeweled" theme, but we are giving them all away to four—yes we said, FOUR!—very lucky winners! All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a comment on our Treasury HERE and "heart" or add all the featured shops in it as a favorite.

Only one comment/person, please! Winners will be chosen at random on August 21, 2011.

The best way you can show your love and support for the Divas is to make sure that you and everyone you know stops by to view this amazing Treasury! Please also take a few moments to spread the news by posting a link to Facebook or your blog, tweet it, StumbleUpon, or any other social media you prefer to use.

And in the style of those infamous infomercials…"WAIT! There's more!!"

Since some of our team members don't have their own Etsy shops, we're also offering a separate Blog Giveaway here to one lucky blog reader, who will win a wonderful bead from Patrice of Shepherd Creations!

(photo coming soon!)

To enter our Blog Giveaway (separate from our Etsy Treasury Giveaway!):
Please leave a comment on the Fire Divas Blog post HERE and one winner will be chosen at random at the same time we pick the other four Treasury winners.

They say that a person's greatest treasure is their friends—and you, our fans—are some of our greatest treasures too! Thank you very much for your support from all of us here on the Fire Divas team!!

Jimmy Buffet Concert

So this is going to be one of those posts that have nothing to do with business at all.

My husband is a huge Jimmy Buffet fan, and was really excited when he heard that he was going to be at Blossom this year. We have gone to lots of great concerts at Blossom over the years, its a huge, bowl shaped out door concert area about 20 minute from where we live. The beverages are a wee bit expensive but I am sure that is par for the course no matter what the venue.

Anyway, I had hoped to buy him tickets for our 23rd wedding anniversary which happened to be 10 days before the concert. (yes, we got married in July, imagine, heavy silk wedding dress, 105 degrees, and no air in the church lol, we couldn't get to the reception fast enough!) Then I found out how much the tickets were ($100 a ticket). Needless to say, this is NOT in our budget, so I figured my husband, who really doesn't ask for much, was doomed to miss Jimmy Buffet.

Sooo, my MIL knows how much her son likes Jimmy Buffet and came to me and said, "If I buy tickets for your anniversary gift will you go with him?" (she knows me all too well, I would rather stay home and make beads lol). I like Jimmy Buffet, I just don't like him at $100 a ticket lol. So of course, I was not going to take away my husbands only chance of seeing Jimmy Buffet live.

Tuesday evening rolls around, the concert starts at 8 and its smoking hot lol! The place is packed to the gills, totally sold out with barely two feet of grass in site anywhere. We had a blast anyway and my husband was a happy camper! It was a good concert and very mellow, you know how each concert has a certain feel to it depending on who's playing and what kind of music it is? This one was very relaxing, no violence, to nastiness. And the music was fine.

Monthly Fire Divas Challenge Please Vote!

It's time for the Fire Divas Monthly Themed Challenge! For the month of July the theme of this challenge will be "Tide Pool." The entries must have something to do with the ocean and it's changing tides. Look below to see these beautiful catches!



Please vote for your favorite entry on the right side of the Fire Divas blog and leave a comment there to be entered to win a $20 gift certificate from Patrice at Shepherd Creations! Please include your email address with your comment so that we are able to contact you about your prize.



***You can find the poll to the right and at the top of the page***

My Review of Sagaform Pot Holder

Originally submitted at Sierra Trading Post

Closeouts . Kitchen-complementing patterns and durable, washable cotton twill make Sagaform's pot holder the perfect, hands-saving kitchen companion. Dimensions: 11x8" Fabric: Cotton Care: Machine wash, hang dry Made in India

Sagaform Pot Holder

Attractive AND Sturdy

By SilverRiver from Ohio on 7/15/2011

 

5out of 5

Pros: Attractive Design, Well made, Sturdy, Durable, Thick

Best Uses: Kitchen, BBQ, Outdoors

Describe Yourself: Budget Shopper

Great pot holders, nice and thick, no chance of burning my hands with these. And they are big enough that I can get a good grip on a large dish. They are also big enough to put a large pot on top of on the table and thick enough, I know it won't leave any heat marks on the wood.

(legalese)

Christmas in July!

Its time for the annual Christmas in July sale in my Artfire shop! Use coupon code
CHRISTMASINJULY and receive 20% off your entire purchase (not including shipping of course). This is a great opportunity to get started on some early Christmas shopping or to stock up on gifts for the rest of the year. Click on the link above or click on one of he pictures. Have fun shopping!

Please Vote for Us!

Christmas in July Sale!

I will be having a Christmas in July sale in my jewelry shop on Artfire. The sale will run from July 1st to July 30th. I will have a coupon code up here on my blog and also in my shop on Artfire. The sale will be 20% off every item in the shop. Simply use the coupon code CHRISTMASINJULY during checkout and the 20% will be taken off automatically. Please note that this sale starts on July 1st. It does include the sale section in my shop also, so you can find some really good deals!

More Info on the Fire Diva's March Appreciation Sale

The Fire Divas wish to show our heartfelt thanks to you, our customer, for your continued patronage and enthusiastic support of us. Many of you have become our good friends ;-). It is customers like you who are largely responsible for making us the best that we can be. The consistent feedback and support we get from you has helped us scale new heights in improving the quality of our products.

Lutrick              ~              Icarus Beads              ~              Fire and Sand              ~              Ema K Designs

But we don't want to just talk about our appreciation—we want to show you in a more concrete way! Beginning this Friday, March 25 - April 2, 2011, we're having a Special Customer Appreciation Week—just for you! You will find sales ranging from 15 to 20% off our normal prices, and other special offers. The list of participating Fire Divas can be found below with specific coupon codes and sale details for either their Etsy and/or Artfire shops.   

Susan Lambert           ~           Ugly Duckling Beads            ~            Ashlyn Design            ~            Spawn of Flame

Ashlyn Design ~ 15% off Lori's ArtFire shop and a gift with every purchase. Coupon Code: DIVATHANKS. **Please note that Lori's shop will be on "vacation mode" on April 2nd, so she will have to end her personal sale on Friday, April 1st. All other team members will have their items on sale through April 2nd.

Holly's Folly Glass ~ 15% off her Etsy shop and 20% off her website. Coupon Code: DIVATHANKS

SusanLambert ~ Specially marked spacer bead sets for $10 including shipping in her Etsy shop.

Lutrick ~ 20% off Lara's Etsy and ArtFire shops. Coupon Code: DIVATHANKS

Icarus Beads ~ 20% off Judith's Etsy shop.  Coupon Code: DIVATHANKS

Ema K Designs ~ 20% off her Etsy and ArtFire shops.

Spawn of Flame ~ 15% off Rosemarie's Etsy and ArtFire shops. Coupon Code DIVATHANKSSPRING11

Fire and Sand ~ 20% off Karen's Etsy and ArtFire shops. Coupon Code: DIVATHANKS

Sun Door Beads ~ 20% off Michelle's Etsy and ArtFire shops. Coupon Code: DIVATHANKS

Ugly Duckling Beads ~ 20% off Kathleen's Etsy shop. Coupon Code: DIVATHANKS

Rivers Edge Glass ~ 15% off Barb's Etsy and ArtFire shops. Coupon Code: DIVATHANKS

Uvanomos            ~            Holly's Folly Glass            ~            Rivers Edge Glass            ~            Sun Door Beads

Babs Beads and Design ~ 15% off Susanne's ArtFire shop.

Shepherd Creations ~ 20% off Patrice's ArtFire shop. Coupon Code: DIVATHANKS

Uvanomos ~ 15% off Lluvia's Etsy shop. Coupon Code: DIVATHANKS

Amy Hall ~ Free shipping in her Etsy shop. Coupon Code: DIVATHANKS

Silver River Glass ~  10% off Sonja's Artfire shop. Coupon Code: DIVATHANKYOU

We're so happy to have served you in the past and will continue to provide you with the best in handmade artisan lampwork beads. We look forward to your continuing support, please keep in touch with us via your "comments" and your "likes" on this page, and don't forget to share us with all your friends! *Ü*