Things are still a little slow in the blogosphere, so another Best of the Fortnight (ending 5/4/2008):

• At Watch Me Create, Kerry Bogart describes how she found a host of new possibilities from beads she already had in front of her.
• In response to a recent Flaming Hot! topic, Amy Kuczewski describes a week in the life of a typical lampworker.
• Also at Watch Me Create, Linda Morrison blogs about the trials and joys of working with recycled glass.
• Still watching our fellow artists create, Terri Lovins shows her creation process with a start-to-finish description of making a necklace.
• Need a creativity boost? Head over to Lifedev for their list of seventeen obscure creativity-sparking websites.
• Kim Miles points out a not-so-obvious advantage of a lousy economy for artists.
• Popping back to Watch Me Create one more time, Kerry also shares why tool testing is a great spur to new creativity.

Hey, people out there, let’s get to writing as well as melting!

Here they are — the best posts from the world of lampworkers’ blogs for the week ending 3/16/2008!

• Lori Greenberg has just set up The Glass Directory, a free directory of all things glassworking-related. List yourself in it; use it as you plan your next trip and add on some glassy goodness!
• Does one’s Muse keep to a regular schedule? Deborah Gregory isn’t sure, but she’s trying to work one out with hers.
• It’s always fascinating to hear about someone’s journey to glass. This week Suzanne Tate shares hers with Collective Creatives.
• This week’s Flaming Hot! asks lampworkers to blog about bead photography. Susan Sheehan and Amy Kuzcewski have plenty to say on the subject.
• Last, but far from least, we can’t melt glass without sustenance! Try these cinnamon spice muffins to fuel your next glass-melting session. Nom nom nom!!!

Once again, the best lampworking blogs of the week, for the week ending March 9, 2008:

• Etsy’s The Storque newsletter brings us ideas for doing a craft show withougtbreaking the bank.
• “Bead porn” has to be special to make Best of the week — Amy Kuzcewski’s Khaos set and quark set are definitely something drool-worthy!
• Kim Miles mulls over how things are different lately.
• The Flaming Hot! topic of the week was discounts — to offer or not to offer. Lori Greenberg discusses how she handles wholesale pricing while Lyn Foley describes how offering a one-time discount can come back to haunt you.
• Cindy Gimbrone shares some tips on working with Effetre/Vetrofond transparent yellow.
• Lori Greenberg gives us a tutorial on one way to make odd-shaped beads.
• We’ve all had “one of those” beadmaking days. Judith Johnston describes hers.
• Deborah Gregory writes up some concrete ideas for dealing with a creative slump.

Ran a bit late posting this because I’ve been mostly out of pocket the past five days, but here you are, for your reading pleasure!

Best lampwork blog postings for the week ending 2/24/2008:

• Amy the Flamekeeper puts the old saying of “location, location, location” into a proper context for the Internet.
• Lori Greenberg (aka BeadNerd) provides her perspective on self-promotion.
• Luann Udell adds to her list of “interesting” customers with your “new best friend”.
• Hooray!! ColorAddiction is back, as Kandice Seeber, the Queen of Pink, tests the new CIM Cranberry Pink.
• Art Bead Scene interviews Timothy Adam, designer of killer punk metal beads and jewelry. His stuff would look wonderful in combination with the right lampworked beads, IMO.
• For those times when glass just doesn’t do it and you MUST HAVE CHOCOLATE, Jami Hamilton shares a “chocolate eclipse” cookie recipe from epicurious.com.
• If you don’t have a light tent and don’t want to pay the big bucks for one, visit the Digital Photography School’s inexpensive light tent instructions and save your money for glass!

Time for another Flaming Hot! Blog It!

You fall asleep and think you are dreaming. But really, you have just traveled through time forward 5 years. What does your glass world look like? Blog it!

Hmmm.  Well, I think it looks, ah, full of glass…

Seriously, now.

Honestly, I’m not sure how different the studio, at least, looks from today.  More glass, perhaps.  I hope I’ll have decided by then whether I’m giving up the Bullseye or the COE104, since I already do mostly boro and two soft glass COEs is probably unnecessary.  There’s always the possibility that I’ll have a bit bigger torch by then, too.  Though since I’m leery of going with tanked oxygen, it wouldn’t be a whole lot bigger.

Outside the studio, though, I can see a successful little business on the side, making a modest profit every year with online sales and the handful of shows I do, and a nice collection of happy customers that are always glad to see me at those shows.  They eagerly inspect my new lampwork and purchase the perfect treasures for their creations.  Every time I have something new and different for them, as well as old favorites.  My style continually evolves, but is always my own.

Most of all, though, I still have my wonderful glass world friends :-).