Well this past week has been busy. I cut the clear glass for the hummingbirds just to find out it is from two different lots, one grey and one blue. The grey looks dirty next to the blue so I had to order more clear glass. It came in Friday so I will cut the replacement pieces today. The rest is ground and ready to wrap. While waiting I soldered the two Victorian panels, just need to frame them. Mary, Martha and Diana came to help Mary start soldering her iris panel, it looks great and we have so much fun, lots of laughing, a really great group of ladies. Mary came Thursday afternoon to solder some more.

Michelle went back to Tampa, her visit was way too short, they always are. I miss having her around. It was a good visit. Patrick went to Florida with his father to visit that side of his family. Meagan has been working all week, inventory and price changes.

During NRA work I submitted for and got approved for CEUs for our TeleSeminar with Lynnae Ruttledge, Commissioner of RSA, that we are having in August. Normal workday stuff, address changes, website updates, fielding calls.

Class at Star’s went well. There were three students and all finished great pieces. Wish I could offer open workshops at Lorton, will need to check into that. I think many people would come if it were available. Dropped stuff off at Artful Gifts. Peggy is such a hoot. They are having a Dog Wash July 18 to raise money for HART. If I were in town Nanook would be going.

Finally get a place for the Arlington Jewelry class since TJ is under construction so class is back on. The 45 minutes I spent with the class June 28, the class is going to be fun. Here were ladies who signed up for class, showed up and waited 45 minutes in the heat to see if we could get in the school or find another place and were patient for almost two weeks while I called and emailed to get something set up. We did lose one person. I will have a special project for them.

Well it seems the rain stopped, it is still very dark out,, maybe more rain on the schedule for the day. Patrick went to the pool to cheer on his team. We thought he would not be here for this week and last week but his father’s plans changed so he has been home both days, so much for making plans then changing them only to find out you didn’t have to. Grr!

Tonight is Art Walk at Lorton…. 6 to 9pm. All studios and Galleries are open and Featured Artists on display. Food in every building, following the Ice Cream Social earlier in the day! If you can you should really come to Art Walk 2nd Saturday of the month. Next month the featured artists in Building 9 will be …… Kim Joy and Carol Hamilton! Yes I will be one of the featured artists!

I need to get going out to Lorton and get working. Have a beautiful day and keep art in your heart.

I started cutting the hummingbirds for the sidelights. I needed to order the background glass because I re-sized the pattern to fit the measurements the clients gave me. I also ordered the mirrors and marbles for marblescopes.

Jewelry Basics was supposed to start Monday night…. the schoolwas closed and no one told us and there was no place to hold the class. I called Arlington and tried to reschedule and find a new place but I am still waiting 5 days later to see when and where.

I started my new exercise program… push mowing the acre of yard. Yes I sweated like no tomorrow. I did get the weed eater going and trimmed. It was hot but it felt good to get it done. I probably will break it up and do it over a couple of days so it will not be as hard.

I reorganized the home studio. It looks good. I have a couple of piles to take to the shed. I still use it for jewelry and other art projects. I do miss having the glass here though I do get more done when I go out to Lorton. It is real work time, no distractions like housework, laundry, movies.

The bathroom sink is finally fixed and the drain is draining. Yea! It took forever but it is done. The mailbox is also fixed so the mailman will not have a cow anymore and will deliver the mail.

So this weekend I will be finishing cutting hummingbirds. Friends are coming to Lorton tomorrow to see my studio. Bonnie is coming over too. Patrick is home tonight thru Sunday am, he is at his father’s for the month of July, it sucks. I hate that he is gone for a whole month which he will be going to Florida to visit his father’s family so they can all meet the girlfriend, one week he will be at Scout Camp, then over a week in Colorado Springs and Raton for Philmont.

I have all day Sunday and Monday to work on the hummingbirds, I should be able to knock out a boat load of the work. I love going to work in my studio, maybe it will help me be more disciplined.

Studio time has been great. I have the two Service Stars done. The hummingbird sidelights are in process. I love my studio at Lorton. I have two other panels cut and wrapped and ready to solder. I am working with Helen to get together a marketing plan and see if we can drum up traffic at the Gallery.

 My father was a great father, he taught us how to work on cars, how to garden, fish, hunt, how to make maple syrup and so many other things. I remember Christmases we would toboggan to get a tree and then Christmas mornings my Dad would have a fire going in the fireplace and the living room was loaded with gifts, many handmade by Dad. He was very proud of his daughters. He gave us the opportunity to travel to Europe with him on jobs when we were young. I wish I could have gone with him as an adult.

I cherish notes that my Dad sent me when I was little and the pieces that he made. I will always hold my father in my heart.

It was Stained Glass class at Fairfax County Adult Ed., one of the students finished her project. Three are soldering and two are wrapping. I will need to check and see if we can stay late next week or extend another week so that everyone can wrap up their projects. I do like this class. It was fun to hear them talking about their next project.

I spent a little time in the Studio at Lorton. Brought home the two cut panels to wrap and laid out glass for hummingbirds, need to pick up some glass this week. Visited with Helen.

Looking into StudioGlassFirst project in Studio

At stained glass class Wednesday night we had Diversity Chocolates, shades of white to black chocolate and flavored with ginger, tahini, coffee beans, hazelnut and chili/cumin. Caliente (chili/cumin) was my favorite followed by Java (coffee beans).  This class is amazing, each week food shows up, homemade jerky, chocolate cake, pizza, chips and dip.

At one class the came saw broke and the next week Martha brought it back patched up, Chris had put two brackets on to control/fix previous repair of arm and a washer to keep blade in place to keep from eating through flanges and saw blade. Thank you Martha and Chris. Then there is  Diana, she is our class pet, we all love her. She is always looking out for the classmates. She found the really good grozing pliers and now everyone has a pair, she bought me a fume trap so I will stay around longer for my kids. Thank you Diana for being the class guardian angel.

Lawnmower repair man said mower repair would be about $700 and things might start braking after tha initial repair. So what I am I to do…. repair for $700 or purchase new for $900? Both rip at my heart, hate to spend that money, would rather spend it on something  exciting like a vacation. My push mower is getting repaired so maybe I have a new exercise program!

I thought Arlington Adult Ed canceled class for this session but at 3:30 I got the call class was on. Luckily I had planned and packed ahead. There were four students in class with five enrolled. We made the double strand pewter Stained glass pendant necklace and the nugget/bugle necklace. Good class and great group of students.

More photos of Studio: