debbisimon.com

2012 - A fresh start!!!

2012-01-04T20:48:00.000-08:00

I am taking a hard look at what lies ahead for me in 2012, as I am sure everyone else is doing, including my goals both personal and work related. Looking at how I can balance both my personal and professional life...hopefully a little better! Regrouping and reorganizing so that I can be more efficient and more creative...as I recently found out there is no magic drug or formula for that...like anything it will require hard work, dedication and discipline. It is a new year, I am ready...bring it on.

I have made progress...I have cleaned out the studio, enlisted the help of my ipad to try some new sketchbook task apps and made my list of goals. First on the list is to blog more and update facebook and twitter more often. It is only the 3rd and I am getting to the blog and once I post this it will push to my face book and twitter account...so I am covered, for at least today.

I also thought it a good time to post and update everyone on my teaching schedule so far for 2012. My schedule is filling up with some of my favorite places to teach like Bead Fest and a few new shows I am excited to be part of Create Your Style - Tucson, Jewelry Tools - Tucson Electric Park and Art Unraveled. See class schedule to the right and check back for additions through the year.

A few of my other goals are to paint more (I promise to post work as it is progressing through it's stages), do more mixed media work (both larger works and new jewelry pieces) in encaustic, resin, epoxy and metal clays and take my work to a new level.

As I do all of this I hope to be better at keeping my blog, face book and twitter up-to-date so that you can follow me on my 2012 journey. Wishing everyone all the best and success in 2012!!!!!

Bead Fest Texas

2011-10-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

I just returned from Bead Fest Texas. It was a great event and all the students were very active in their local Jewelry and Bead groups. I was amazed how advanced and dedicated everyone was. I had two students all the way from Costa Rica. It is always fun to see where people come from to attend. All my students were great and I learned a lot and enjoyed the energy in my classes. I look forward to going back next year.

Apoxie Demo Post

2011-07-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

Fire Mountain newsletter post about all the great demo's at the Bead&Button Show, including my Apoxie demos. It was a lot of fun.

FREE 40-minute online class!

2011-07-12T19:18:00.000-07:00

Learn the basics of filling bezels with two-part resin. From mixing to adding inclusions, this class covers it all. Instructor Debbi Simon takes the mystery out of the process and shares many tips and tricks to make working with resin simple and fun. Get started with this popular technique today!

My Top TEN resin Tips

2011-07-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

1. To ensure curing success make sure you have a drop or two extra hardener in batch.
2. Remember TOO much extra hardener your piece will yellow (there is a delicate balance).
3. Baby wipes are the best studio wipe to have on hand.
4. Parchment makes a nice non-stick surface to cure resined paper.
5. Mold everything you come across (two-part silicone putty)
6. Color - if you thought of it...try it! (remember, if liquid color add extra hardener if powder just mix in.)
7. Layer objects and art in multiple pours for extra depth.
8. Look in the kids toy box....so many treasures to mold and cast.
9. Pearl Ex mica powders create great effects.
10. To learn more of my tips link to http://www.beaducation.com/vids/detail/99 and download my FREE Bezel, Bezel resin class. 40 minutes of tips and techniques for free...it's easy.

Taught wonderful classes in Madison

2011-03-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was able to teach a few classes at the Madison Art Glass and Bead Show www.beadshowmadison.com/...what a great weekend. Not only was able to teach for the first time me CREATE YOUR STYLE - SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Pave' class I was able to teach for the first time a joint class with Brenda Schweder. Both were awesome. Not only does Chris Mode put on a great show she is great to work with. Hopefully, I will be able to post soon some class photo's. In the mean time Jess from Vintaj posted a few http://vintaj.com/wpblog/ and as always she and her family is always great to see.

Upcoming Classes in March

2011-02-19T20:11:00.000-08:00

I have had a busy week and finalizing my plans for Bead Fest Santa Fe. I am excited to be teaching one of my new classes Cold Casting with Resin and Bronze Powder.

Cold Casting with Bronze Powder and Resin: Students will learn to make molds and cold cast with bronze powder/resin. Much like metal clay the bronze, in powder state, is added to a binder. In cold casting the binder is resin. All though the casted piece will not be sinister by a kiln, the resin becomes its binder, and the final piece looks and feels much like traditional metal.

As soon as I get back I will be getting ready to teach at the Art Glass and Bead Show in Madison, March 26 and 27th, 2011. I will be teaching a variety of classes including the above Cold Casting Class and another new class Pave'.

Create the look of Pave’ with CREATE YOUR STYLE - SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS and two-part epoxy clay. Epoxy Clay can be molded, colored and adorned with Swarovski Elements to emulate the look of pave. With the range of bezels and channel settings on the market now is a great time to add this technique to your mix to enhance and customize all your jewelry pieces.

I will also be teaching a joint class I am excited to share with Brenda Schweder, author of Steel Wire Jewelry (just released through Lark Books). Brenda will be sharing some of her secrets to creating wire forms out of steel wire that we will then be finishing and filling with resin. Make sure to join us both for Arrested Flight Butterfly.

debbisimon.com: Tucson

2011-02-11T16:10:00.000-08:00

debbisimon.com: Tucson: "It is another late night creating. I have been playing a lot with new techniques, preparing new class proposals and getting some new pieces ..."

Another test...this time thru email.

2011-01-29T23:28:00.001-08:00

2011-01-29T23:25:00.001-08:00

Testing blogging from my phone.

Tucson

2011-01-29T23:12:00.000-08:00

It is another late night creating. I have been playing a lot with new techniques, preparing new class proposals and getting some new pieces ready for Tucson. I leave for Tucson on Monday for the 8th year in a row and always very excited to see all the great new things, see everyone and catch up on the latest trends. I have been lucky that I have been able to experience Tucson...but spoiled to have access to it yearly. As I am packing up and finalizing and checking things off my list I thought it was a great time to check in and blog. I will for sure be tweeting and sending posts through tweeter and facebook, keep a watch during the week to get a peek at all the great finds I come across. Including the people, parties and events.

As an Ambassador for SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS I get a sneak peek at all their new trends including new colors and products they preview and release every year in Tucson. Wednesday morning 10:30 - 11:30 I will be demoing a pave technique and on Friday, as the ending highlight to a great week, I get to attend their very sparkly party. It is always the highlight. I will keep you posted.

Artbeads.com giving away $10 gift certificates!

2010-12-20T07:05:00.000-08:00

Thought I would share this. Artbeads is trying to give away 10,000 $10 gift certificates. To claim yours go to this link....feel free to pass on to your friends and family...

Success!!!

2010-10-24T13:49:00.001-07:00

Now I can finally do some designing...what my intention was all weekend.

Test Again

2010-10-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

Hopefully my last...not trying to annoy anyone! But, this has been two days of work and I feel like I have only taken baby steps. Now for the test will tweetfeed post this blog on facebook and twitter...Let's hope so!!!!

Testing Again!!!! OMG

2010-10-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

The baby ducks have been relocated and doing well.

Test

2010-10-23T10:46:00.000-07:00

2010-02-28T11:29:00.001-08:00

This weekend was great for cleansing the soul and being creative. I have been working hard on a few new encaustic paintings I am very excited about and will be able to share after a few finishing touches. I was also able to try a new restaurant I have wanted to try. The atmosphere and company was great including a nice glass of wine…also good for cleansing the soul.

It was also a great weekend of catching up on art projects and business. For those interested I am teaching resin three weekends in March and still have a few spots open in Santa Fe and Madison. See my class schedule below. Be that as it may I have a lot to get ready for the classes. Ordering supplies, new samples and some new bezel molds I am introducing to the classes. My students will be able to order these first…look for them soon on my website. I am also in the process of putting together a resin workbook available soon. So, yes I have been busy.

I am so looking forward to Santa Fe, a place I haven’t been to before and hear it is a great artist community. The warm weather will be a pleasant diversion from Wisconsin’s end of winter drab…. that seems to linger on. Yes, I still have my Christmas tree up. The $20 bill I set out for both kids wasn’t enough to entice them to take it down. So I am $40 richer and will tackle it this week. It is bad when $20 isn’t enticing…oh well. Look for some new images this week…

2010-02-14T12:10:00.000-08:00

Every year as I am taking down the remnants of the holidays and feeling the winter blah's I start looking forward to Tucson. (My daughter has again made the request that we leave up the tree till I get back from Tucson…and I oblige). For all of us who embark on this pilgrimage once a year in February, we have a hard time explaining to others what Tucson, in February, is like. In short for anyone into rocks, gems, minerals, fossils and of course beads it is a one stop shopping paradise consisting of about 35 to 50 shows encompassing the whole city. You can find every kind of bead and in between, new trends and old favorites, great quality and not so great and I can go on and on. Tent after tent filled with wonders from all over the world. And, if we are lucky great weather! (Remember I am coming from Wisconsin so it doesn't take much to impress me.)

But it is more than that; it is acquaintances that have become friends through the years. All come with the same goal of fueling their passion with new products, ideas and warm weather. I can't explain the wonderful energy this city has. I came back not only with new stuff but great ideas to add to my ever growing list of all those visions I want to create. I also come back with the hope that I wont let life get in the way this year and I will be diligent in the studio, writing on my blog and getting that list of proposals out.

This year some of my highlights included the Ambassador meeting for Create Your Style with CRYSTALLIZED – Swarovski Elements. This group of incredibly talented designers are so inspiring to be around. We had a great time getting to know each other even better and sharing ideas. There was the Create Your Style with CRYSTALLIZED – Swarovski Elements party...always a highlight. With a signature drink and lots of bling. But, best of all is my "Tucson Family" as Helen coined it. Being able to explore with Helen and Brenda, each of our tastes very different, we are able to see the best Tucson has to offer through each others eyes. We do have a few favorites we go back to but always looking for the new “fav”.

Now that I am back...it is my time to focus again on me, with the promise to write on my blog, keep in touch with everyone, create more, teach more, yell at the kids less and be good to me including eating better, exercise more, aligning things in my life that need realigning...and, for those that know me, give up the soda! Till next week

List of Classes in 2010:

Racine, WI – Loose Bead Society Bead Retreat

March 13th, 2010 --

- Classes in Resin

Santa Fe, NM Bead Fest Santa Fe

March 18th – 21st, 2010

http://www.beadfest.com/beadfest/santafe.cfm

-Classes in Resin

Madison, WI – Art Glass and Bead Show

March 27th and 28th, 2010

www.beadshowmadison.com

-Classes in Resin

Muscoda, WI – Valley Ridge Art Studio

July 31st – August 1st, 2010

http://www.valleyridgeartstudio.com/Default.asp

- 2 Day Workshop in Encaustic

Philadelphia, PA – Bead Fest Philly

August 18th – 22nd, 2010

http://www.beadfest.com/beadfest/philadelphia.cfm

-Classes in Resin

2009-07-18T10:06:00.000-07:00

This has been a long time coming and huge thing off my to do list. While I am stumbling around with the nuances of my new blog I thought I would post my first official posting...as a test. And, also because I know Jim is out there checking up on my progress and I wouldn't want to disappoint him. So welcome to debbisimon.blogspot.com...Enjoy!