I love my GlassHaven peeps — we’ve had a very lively political discussion ongoing this week, but everyone is keeping it very civilized in its liveliness!!!

I’ve been doing the “Best of the Week” posts here, (and cross-posting them to the GlassHaven) since TGH started. I’ve tried to include every lampworker-authored blog that I could find in my Google Reader feeds, so that I could make BotW as encompassing as possible. Currently that’s 93 feeds (plus my own blog), assuming I counted right.

Make that 92 feeds. I deleted one today because I could no longer stomach reading it . It’s a blog that has gone heavily political this summer and fall, with a very strong bias toward the political Left. What this blogger says isn’t why I deleted the subscription, though — it’s HOW they say it. Their writing is nasty and rarely refers to the Republican ticket by anything other than slurs (not to mention poorly supported with logic or fact — they are a big fan of the ad hominem argument). It’s a shame, because any valid points they might raise are obscured by the tone of their voice.

The final straw was today when they referred to John McCain as “McNasty” (which they have done before), and then “McF***” (only they wrote it out — I can’t even to quote them). I find that unbelievably, utterly lacking in anything resembling class.

Oh, I absolutely believe in First Amendment freedom of speech, and I will defend this person’s right to write whatever they wish, however they wish.

I just refuse to read it.

It’s a veritable plethora of bloggy goodness out there this week!!!

• At the new Glass Arts blog on CraftGossip.com, Lori Greenberg finds two bead artists inspired by American Gothic.
• Seraphim Flameworks tests out the latest Double Helix odd lots and test batches.
• Karolen’s still learning about Pandora as she tries restriking some unstruck beads in the kiln.
• Karolen didn’t spend ALL her time at the torch this week, though — she found a useful new tool for Etsy sellers on the Web.
• Can you make a living as a lampworker? Deanna Chase does it.
• That Marcy Lamberson is a busy, busy person! First she finds the perfect tool to help with the glassy details on your beads.
• Then she coaches Fiona in making a blackbird and a penguin at the torch.
• For the week’s Major Eye Candy, Hannah Rosner knocks our collective socks off with her latest necklaces using not just lampwork, but a plethora of seed beads and crystals as well.

Here’s your latest “Best of” list from the Lampworking Blogosphere!!

Some COLORFUL posts this time:

• Dogmaw’s been experimenting with Glass Alchemy’s Jamboree lately.
• Karolen’s playing with Double Helix’s new Pandora.
• Kandice finds plenty to love in new and old Creation is Messy colors.

We have two artist interviews:

• Lori Greenberg chats with Jill Symons, and
• Melissa Lee speaks with Sarah Moran.

In the miscellaneous category:

• Lisa Liddy compares her current studio and her ideal studio at Collective Creatives.
• Lori Greenberg’s bead designs continue to evolve at Watch Me Create.
• Luann Udell identifies her legacy in the midst of cleaning her attic.
• Finally an anonymous Etsy Bitch Auxiliary member shares a different perspective on Etsy’s “Quit Your Day Job” series.

Warning:  Most of the time I stay out of political discussions. I’m not a fan of the current government of this country; actually I’m not a fan of a whole lot of government involvement in society at all.  Yet I’ve been following the current presidential election with more interest than in any past election, and I don’t like most of what I see out there.

I’ve been particularly dismayed recently at the recent postings on one fellow lampworker’s blog, which shall remain nameless here.  I don’t know this individual personally and the chances are slim that we will ever meet face to face (which may well be a Very Good Thing).

Read the rest of this post

Thanks to the holiday weekend, I forgot to post this last night. After all, TODAY is what felt like Sunday!

• Laura Sparling lets go of her control freak tendencies over at Watch Me Create.
• Also at Watch Me Create, Kerry Bogert shows off her studio re-do.
• I find out the hard way about letting flammable crud accumulate under my workbench. Eeek!!
• Rachel looks for inspiration in art, nature, and color, and shares her tips for having a successful show. Her fourth tip is especially worth paying attention to!
• Lori Greenberg desperately hunts for one more bead and finds everything but.
• Jelveh shares some eye candy along with her thoughts on copying.
• When Nina Bagley can’t find the lampwork beads she needs for one of her pieces, she calls on her sister Ellen to save the day.