Hager Studios News

Omigosh! Kathy Petersen and I just found out that our collaboration for Convergence II was accepted into this 2010 exhibit. Whoohoo! We are so excited and thrilled. Our submission is The Queen of the Faeries. It is based on an imaginary character--an Irish queen of the little people who wears a fuchsia and silver necklace to the ball. The necklace is very beautiful, I think. Kathy did a stupendous job with my beads and the jury must have agreed. I'll be sure to make a replica to bring to my shows so that you can see it in person.

Can you believe it? All of the snow is gone! Omigosh. We can actually see the grass. So I made these little spring flower buttons. Well, not today. Today, I had some other things that I had to take care of. but earlier this week. Tomorrow, I am going to start making beads to fill my blue tray. I can't wait. I think that I will make a raised flower this time, on a blue background. It will be another pretty little harbinger of spring, I think.

Next Sunday, I will be at the Bead Bonanza at the Civic Center in Southfield, Michigan. I'll have lots of new spring beads so be sure to stop by!

If you receive my monthly newsletter, you know that I am getting ready for the Spring Bead Bonanza in Southfield, Michigan. I am a bead machine, I think. Of course, after I make the beads and anneal them properly, I have to remove them from the mandrels, clean the bead release out each and every hole, wash them up, put them on the plastic holders, tag them with price and inventory numbers, add them into my inventory sheet, and put them into their trays. Omigosh. It's not that those things are difficult to do, it's just so time-consuming.

Anyway, this bead is a new shape that I've just added to the repertory. Such fun! The flower shapes remind me of spring cherry blossoms. Hope you like it, too.

I am still working to get ready for my first March show. It's a beautiful day, the sun is shining, but the snow is still blanketing the backyard with more expected this weekend. It must be February in Michigan! So am I heading downstairs to my studio to make some spring beads. Won't be able to see the sunshine there, but I'll keep it in my imagination as I go play with fire!

I made these cute little thistle beads for Susan Schwartzenberger at Stony Creek Bead and Gallery. She used them in her beach scene embroidery last fall and needed some more, so I made about a dozen and sent them out to her this week. The ones pictured are the original design. I have since improved them so that they are "sturdier" but they still are very attractive, I think.

It's still snowing here in Michigan. Big gentle flakes with not much drifiting and blowing, thank goodness. But my boy, Robert, the king of dogs, is battling arthritis pain today despite taking his medicine every day. I wish I could make it better but the cold damp Michigan weather just doesn't help. From the sad expression on his face, I know that he doesn't understand. He is laying at my feet while I blog. Hopefully, tomorrow things will be a little better for him.

Speaking of tomorrow, it will be Valentine's Day, so happy Valentine's Day, all!

It's February and we're digging out from yesterday's snow storm. This is a view of our backyard. The small two-rail fence encloses our vegetable garden. Several weeks ago, I thought that Spring couldn't be far behind (well, I could see the grass!) and I was already looking at seed catalogues. Well, not today! As you can see the white stuff is back although I must admit,  it is beautiful. Never-the-less, I think that I will stay inside today and make some beads .

I really love this new bead which I included in this month's newsletter. It reminds me of a tiny glass terrarium with layers of flowers growing inside. I hope that you love it as much as I do .

I've been making these pretty heart tabs for February. Hopefully, later today, I'll get some of them loaded on to the web site for sale. I really liked the way this lavender tab heart bead turned out. Even though it photgraphed light blue, lavender always shifts depending on the light in which it is shone. But it looks great regardless of the light! I'm heading down to the studio to make more beads today. Even though the day is a gray, drizzly day here in Michigan, I can see some of the green grass where the snow has melted, showing just a hint of spring to come. I am hoping that the flowers on my hearts will be a hint of spring, too. What fun!

I've been making hearts for St. Valentine's Day. Ann and Anita from Bonita Bead Boutique in Maumee, Ohio, asked me to make lots of hearts for their Festival of Hearts, so here is a pretty heart tab that I just made. I am thinking that it would look great as a pendant with a pair of matching etched earrings, of course. Just hang it on a ribbon or silver chain and you are ready to go. Oooo-la-la!

Jeesh. It's January already! I've been busy getting my events scheduled for 2010. I am still in the process but since I didn't start until a little over a week ago, I've definitely made progress. Hopefully, if you are in the area of one of my shows, you will be sure to stop by and see what I have been doing. I must admit that I haven't done much in the studio lately, but since Valentine's Day is about a month away, I put up one of my heart beads just for looks!