~Something About Mary~

👀

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 03:34:00 +0000

Long time...no see.

Productive week!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 19:09:00 +0000

Nothing like taking a break because when you come back afterwards everything works better.

Here are some of this week's dragons. They are all listed in my Etsy shop.

Thanks for checking in with me. I've been having a busy and good time at the torch and hope it shows.
Mary

11 years? What?

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 17:12:00 +0000

Coming up on my 11 year glass melting anniversary! I can't even believe it!

When I first started offering my beads for sale most of what I made was encased florals. When I tried to branch out into other things buyers rejected the idea. I think at the time certain beadmakers were sought for certain things and when you tried to step out of that the buyers didn't go for it. (I'm talking strictly eBay here...that was the it place for online lampworkers at the time.) This kinda made me feel bossed around and one day I flat out quit making encased florals. I didn't make any more florals until the other things started to sell. Once I didn't feel like a one-trick pony anymore I started making florals again. Yes, I am the queen of cutting my nose off to spite my face.

That little attack of rebellion cost me a lot of money because I wouldn't make what the buyers wanted. It wasn't because I didn't like my customers. I loved my customers. But this isn't a factory type mentality. You have to want to make what you are making or it's crap. I was so flippin' sick of flower beads I can't even express how much I hated making them. LOL

After 11 years of experience nothing has changed, not really. Buyers still want certain things from certain people (I do this, too.) And I still hate having to make what I don't want to make just to earn a living. So I've taken a bit of a creative break and spent the last week just having a ROYAL BLAST. I've made sets, which I hardly ever do, picked up new tools, made some finished pieces. Played around with ideas that basically let me get out of the car I've been driving for over 2 years and stretch my legs! I didn't make a single dragon, either. Well...I made one yesterday but it was the last thing in my week of rebellion. LOL

Here are some pictures of what I've been having fun with. Now I can go back to work and not feel so trapped. There is another very positive thing I learned this past week. I am extremely grateful that I am ABLE to make so many different types of things. It opens a lot of avenues for me in sculptural work. Having the technical skills that I have keeps my options unlimited. It's possible to have killer stringer control, but not be able to encase. Or do sculptural but not be able to make a perfectly round bead with nice holes. If there is anything that my rebellion has given to me, it is a diverse set of skills. I'll take it! :-)

There's more but I'm hogging up enough bandwidth. ;-) Yay for creative vacations!
~~Mary

Jellyfish aquarium focals in my Etsy shop!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 17:32:00 +0000

https://www.etsy.com/listing/181761083/handmade-lampwork-jellyfish-aquarium?

Was fun to find this today! Good job!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 22:32:00 +0000

Кулонная бусина лэмпворк `Дракон`: Автором техники изготовления таких драконов является американский мастер лэмпворка Mary Lockwood. Спасибо ей за то, что она делится своими умениями! Все мои драконы созданы в открытом пламени горелки, отожжены в печи для прочности.

Great job on the dragon beads! And thank you for mentioning me in your listing. Take care and have fun!

Mary

New Glass.

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Sun, 02 Mar 2014 01:07:00 +0000

Business-wise I had a great day today.

I sold almost all the beads I listed, got the dichro tutorial finished and the newsletter sent out. The workbench is clean and I could go back to work right now.

Here are some pictures of the beads I listed on Etsy today. They are all sold, but here are the pix.

This is just a regular old style floral focal but I used two new colors I'd never tried before. The base is Alley Cat and the flowers are dark turquoise alabaster which wasn't as hard to work with as people told me. ;-)

There were 3 dragons:

That last one was my favorite....a new color for me- Alley Cat that I warmed up with some raku powder.

Last but not least was the 4th whale in the new series:

Feels good to be so productive!
Have a great weekend!
Mary

International Flameworkers and Customers...I love ya!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Fri, 28 Feb 2014 16:55:00 +0000

Hi!

I've been doing a lot of 'behind the scenes' internet work lately. Mostly involves web traffic statistics like what countries link to my website the most, what geographic area is reading my blog, etc.

Not to say that I was surprised really, but I was happy to see how many people who visit my internet locations that are from lands far away. I've always loved my international customers, but never realized how many international flameworkers check out my site and blog. At least I'm assuming you are flameworkers. I can't tell who you are or anything...just that there are a whole lot of Dutch people click tutorial links. :-)

So I've added a couple things to the blog that hopefully will make it more enjoyable for all of you!

First, I've installed Google Translate to this blog. There is a little button over there in the right navigation menu. Just click that and use the drop down menu to translate this blog into any language you want.

Second, I've enabled the Russian transliteration alphabet on this blog. From what I understand, it will allow the special keyboard characters for the Russian language to correctly display on these pages. Hopefully it works! I tried it out and it looks Russian to me. LOL

I've posted this on my Facebook page before, but never shared it on my blog so I will now. I keep a big world map on my office wall above the desk. I pin the map wherever I have a customer that has purchased anything from me. I love looking at that map and seeing all the places in the world that either have pieces of my glass or a fellow flameworker reading my tutorials. Thank YOU to all of you! I hope the translate button helps!

Have a great day!
Mary

Etsy...you're killing me.

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 18:01:00 +0000

The fact of the matter is that when Etsy switched the search there from recently listed to relevancy my shop took a nosedive. Even after doing everything I could figure out with tags/titles/sections/announcement/about me etc. I researched what to do and I did it.

It did make a difference, but did not change the reality that my shop views and item views are way lower than they were before the change. I was listing new stuff every day so recently listed really worked for me. Because I didn't list a large amount of items, the ones I did have sold very quickly. This is good, yeah....except for that you never get into search relevancy that way.

If this test goes live and has the same affect on Google search that the last change had on Etsy search then it is BAD.

Before the last round of big ideas Etsy implemented I would get 50-60 views per item per day in my shop on my popular pieces during busy months. Even after months and months of doing the only things I knew how to do to fix it I now only get about 10 views a day on my items.

UNLESS I post direct links on Facebook, Twitter, my website and/or my blog. Then my views skyrocket.

That tells me that all Etsy is doing for my money right now is acting as a shopping cart and an image host. AND getting me higher in Google.

As soon as they no longer get me higher in Google...they will have outlived their usefulness. (Just like I have outlived my usefulness to them.)

If I have to push traffic to my Etsy shop instead of Etsy bringing the traffic to me then what the heck am I paying them for? I can just as easily push traffic somewhere else and pay a lot less. I already have a website, all I need to do is install a shopping cart.

If I paid $200/month for a fully functioning shopping cart with all the bells and whistles, it would still be less than I'm paying Etsy to host images and checkout purchases that I made happen myself.

For all those people out there saying 'You're gonna quit over a BANNER?' No. It's not about the freaking banners. For all those saying, 'Goodbye...don't let the door hit you on the way out'...thanks a lot. You are the shops that Etsy is optimizing for. Of course you like the changes. Go hire someone to make your $3 earrings and list them 100 at a time. Good for you!

Long time no see...

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 16:41:00 +0000

It's official. I suck at blogging. I think it's probably because I'm essentially blogging every day via Facebook. And Twitter. And my site. And Forums. Too much Mary all over the internet already. LOL

But, I should still probably do better than I actually do here. So here is a check in. :-) I'll try to keep it to stuff I haven't already posted elsewhere.

First, after over 10 years of resistance I'm finally becoming an ISGB member. I had my reasons and truth be told I'm still dragging my feet a bit but the dangling carrot called 'The Gathering' is becoming too much to resist. I want to go. It's that simple. I want to go and I have to be an ISGB member to get there, so that's it. Plus, my glassy friends are mostly members and they have enjoyed it. Anyway, I'm doing it. That's that.

Second, I updated my website today. I like it much better. It's not as hoity toity but I do think it looks more dynamic. I'm not hoity toity anyway so no sense in putting on airs. The serene sky blue with the black outlines and spotlights was artsy but this hot orange suits me better. ;-) It is what it is. Keepin' it real. www.marylockwood.com

Third, at the torch a few days ago I decided to revisit some designs that I haven't made in a LONG time. Like years. After the last 2.5 years of making dragons and really big sculptural beads that are constantly threatening to commit thermal suicide the whole time they are being made those old designs felt SO EASY. It was a joy to sit there and make frogs and little birds. I used to think they were SO HARD. I'd think about my torch time and try to decide how many frogs I thought I could handle that day. I'm pretty sure I could make about 20 of them now and be so relieved. LOL I felt like I was on vacation. Perspective I guess.

Fourth, the newsletter. I took a too-long hiatus from the newsletter but in a way that's a good thing. How much interesting can I possibly do? A break gives me time to actually have something new to say and offer. So, if you happen to read this blog (does anybody read this blog LOL), and you aren't already a subscriber, you might want to do that because a new issue is coming out within the next couple days. Just go to my website and click the newsletter tab in the menu. It's easy and fast. The free tutorial this time in on dichro.

Ok, that's enough for today!
Thank you for hanging with me.
Mary

Newsletter Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 04:55:00 +0000

The February issue of my newsletter will be sent out Monday!

If you want to make sure to get your copy, you can subscribe using the form below.

Thank you!

Dragons!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 17:43:00 +0000

Finally!

There be dragons!

Click them to see more details or to purchase!
Thanks for looking!
Mary

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 17:25:00 +0000

2013 is coming right along!

I didn't make any resolutions, because I never do, but I am very happy with the way things are going.

Site is done, store is done, I'm working on tutorials for the Soda Lime Times right now. If you don't subscribe already, I highly recommend it. There is a really cool surface effect issue coming out and not long after that a whole issue dedicated to encasing. I'm proud to be a part of both of those issues. Here is a link to Soda Lime Times:

Also, for anyone who doesn't know, I do publish a newsletter. It contains updates about the site, new developments at the torch (if I come out with something new...you'll be the first to know), tips for lampworkers and buyers, along with exclusive discount codes for my shop and free tutorials. I don't send a copy out until it is worth your while, so don't worry about me spamming your email inbox. I do plenty of that on Twitter and Facebook. LOL Here is a form to sign up for my mailing list/newsletter:

Thanks for checking in with the blog today! I'm off to the torch to melt some glass!
~~Mary

New Year, New Everything!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 05:43:00 +0000

It has been a while!!!

Welcome, 2013!

I read somewhere that you should do something that scares you every single day. This sentiment has lots of various translations amounting to, 'Take Risks'.

So, I've decided this is the year for taking risks, for doing scary things, for sticking my neck out. I play it safe too much. I'm getting stodgy and bored.

I started in the business area of my life. Totally revamped my website, opened a new secure storefront that costs more than I want it to. Basically did a 180 degree turn style-wise with my site. I have to admit, my old style was rather stale. The new site is crisp, clean and easy to use. I hope it makes a difference for my customers.

Had to learn some new html coding, had to front some capital into it, had to take some risks and face some challenges, but it stretched me and I hope it pays off in the long run.

Here is a link to my brand new website with fancy shmancy (well it doesn't look fancy, but it works shmancy) storefront. www.marylockwood.com

The next risk--my hair. I'm not ready to cut it short, short, but I think I'm ready to sacrifice some length to get a better shape and a healthier style. Maybe a snazzier color. I'll be surfing pinterest and hair blogs for the next few days trying to find my next scary thing!

Well, that's it for now! Just wanted to check in and keep this blog alive. Thanks for reading!

~~Mary

In my etsy shop today!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 12:04:00 +0000

Removing riveted tubing bead cores

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:54:00 +0000

So I'm getting into the cored beads pretty heavy. I'm a late bloomer. Anyway, I'm not exactly a master at it yet so I end up with a few good beads that have sucky cores that I'd like to give another go. Unfortunately, removing those cores is HARD and you can hurt yourself and the bead. (I stabbed myself with the wire cutters I was trying to gouge it out with.)

This morning I figured out a way to get the core out much more easily. Still a fiddly process, but easier.

So you have a bead that you ripped the core or it flared crooked or whatever. Here's my most recent victim:

I use a jeweler's saw to cut my tubing because the little wrap around tubing cutters taper down the cut and I don't like it. The saw gives a nice flush cut that is easier to polish and makes both sides the same. I also use this saw for cutting jump rings. I take silver wire and coil it into a spring around a dowel. Slip the coil onto the saw blade and cut the whole coil at once.

Light bulb moment.

If you thread the slop cored bead onto the saw blade...

...and tighten it up...

..you can saw through the core in 2 or 3 places (I sawed through 3 spots--if it were a clock face it would have been noon, four and eight).

This weakens the core so that you can easily pry it up and pull it out.

Rosemarie Hanus, a fellow lampworker you probably know, brought up a great point. Try very hard not to cut into your glass bead. You don't want to score the bead and weaken it or it could break in half.

You can try to hold the bead still and saw through it, but it was much easier for me to hold the saw still and move the bead up and down the blade.

Hope this helps someone else.
~~Mary

Applying hair thin stringer...

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:44:00 +0000

...when you're no good at applying hair thin stringer. LOL

OK, so I'm not great at the teeny tiny stringer that seems to be all the rage right now. I adore the look of it, but if you don't do it well it isn't worth it. This is definitely a skill we should all strive toward, right? Yeah. It is...but how about those of us that have shaky hands or bad eyesight or bad fine motor control? LOL

If you stick to geometrics and straight lines it is easy to get the hair thin stringer but you have to plan ahead!!

This is kinda off the cuff so I don't have pictures. Hopefully my explaining and language skills are such that you will get the drift anyway. If I fail miserably I'll come back with pictures. LOL

What you need:
white school glue
a heat-proof, smooth surface (I use a steel lid from a jar--it has to be completely smooth with no ridges and non-porous)
stringers in whatever colors you want, pulled as thinly as you want
a geometric design thought out in your head (think like a starburst or a zigzag to start out)

1- draw your design on paper TO SCALE...remember it has to fit on the face of your glass bead so keep it small and simple for this first time out.
2- take nippers (I use my wire flush cutters for these superfine stringers because regular glass nippers don't close tightly enough to cut them) and cut your stringers in segments that are the same length as the line segments in your drawing.
3- lay out your pieces of stringer over your drawn design to test fit them and ensure they fit together correctly.
4- take a small drop of elmers glue on your fingertip and smear it uniformly and thinly on your smooth, heat-proof surface.
5- pick up your pieces of cut stringer and arrange them in the glue in the same way and pattern as they are in your drawn design.
6- use tweezers to fine-tune the design. work quickly before the glue dries. Once your satisfied you can set this aside and the glue will continue to dry.
7- begin making your base bead---a tab shaped or flat-faced bead is best while you learn how to do the pick-up
8- Once you have your base bead well-shaped, you will want to heat the flat area where you want to apply your stringer design until it is glowing and soft. It has to be hot enough to pick up all that stringer from the glue.
9- don't worry about the glue. It will vaporize when your hot glass touches it. Press the hot molten face of your base bead completely and thoroughly down onto your stringer design being sure to firmly attach all the bits of stringer especially at each cut end of the stringer pieces.
10- introduce the stringer design far out in the flame to gently soften it then use your marver to press it deeper into the face of the bead.
11- gently melt in your stringer design until smooth.
12- you can choose to put small dots at the end of each stringer or leave them plain if they look nice and sharp. Proceed with finishing your bead as desired.
13- practice makes perfect! Before long you'll be able to do pickups even on curved beads, and you'll be bending your stringers when you pull them to get curved lines. Play around with it and have fun.
14- also thought I'd mention that you might want to try drawing your design with sharpie marker on a piece of aluminum foil, then spreading the glue right over the design and putting your stringer pieces in the glue on that. Then you can pick up the stringer design right from the layout without having to draw it on paper for the test fit. I haven't tried it like that, but I will next time!

New Beads!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 02:31:00 +0000

Been torching like a crazed glass maniac the last few weeks. I just can't get enough. I haven't felt this motivated since I very first started lampworking almost 7 years ago! In the beginning I would see bead patterns all around me. In fabrics, in the sky, on cars and billboards. I kept a little notebook in my pocket to jot down ideas. I would fall asleep at night thinking about what I'd make the next day. I would DREAM about making beads while I slept. I would wake up with amibition to make those dreams real.

I'm back to carrying a notebook in my pocket and it feels GOOD.

All at once I have the solutions to all the glassy frustrations that plagued me last year. I was looking for realism in my mushroom beads and they went from this:

To This:

Quite the leap, I think.

And it wasn't just the mushrooms- my jellyfish have improved as well, but it was a more subtle change. More of a refinement actually. I have my passion back and I hope it shows. I feel like it does:

Thanks for checking in on my blog. It is nice to have something to write about again.
Have a great week!
~~Mary

Etsy Holiday Pledge!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 03:07:00 +0000

Etsy has begun a program called Holiday Bootcamp. Each week it is supposed to help us get our shops ready for the rush. Here is my pledge:

I, Mary Lockwood, pledge to participate in the Etsy Success Holiday Boot Camp to the best of my abilities. I vow to check in every week, do my homework and support my fellow Holiday Boot Campers. I will read the weekly newsletters and blog posts, check in on the weekly forum thread, read the weekly blog post, check off the checklists and salute the mascot. I promise to share what I've learned with those who need it, support my fellow Etsy indiepreneurs and, most of all, have a positive and persistent attitude. I understand that together we can spread the word about our handmade and vintage goods, making this holiday season a more unique and meaningful one to gift givers and give-ees everywhere!

You wanna join in with me? Here's the link:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/etsy-success-holiday-boot-camp-getting-started-10576/?utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=the+Holiday+Boot+Camp+Pledge&utm_content=etsy_success_092310_a&utm_campaign=etsy_success_092310_a

Walk in the Woods with Riley

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 17:49:00 +0000

Escaped yesterday, into the woods with my dog. Click to see 'em bigger.

Was a lovely time.
Made some beads yesterday too.

Thanks for visiting my blog, have a great day!
~~Mary

Cougar

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 06:01:00 +0000

Cougar
Originally uploaded by notdotcalm

My newest endeavor...fancy little purses! This one is on etsy!

Birthdays and Marathons...well, half marathons. And a fairy dog.

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 02:45:00 +0000

Claire has done it. She turned 7 and had two parties to prove it. She wanted this huge castle cake that cost $40 (that wasn't happening- I haven't been working) but I found the kit for sale online to make it myself for $18. I made her a carousel cake for her actual birthday this past Friday, and I made her the castle cake for her family party today. Here are pictures of my big girl and her cakes.

And here are two more pictures of just the cakes because I'm kinda happy with how they turned out. ;-)

Been a while since I had any new Riley pictures, so here is my oldest daughter, Faith, with Riley wearing a pair of Tinkerbell fairy wings. As you can see...he was kinda diggin' it. Silly dog. Don't mind the dead plant in the background- I forced tulips in that pot and haven't transplanted them outside yet.

Here is another Riley shot...he was working the camera at the birthday party. That's Jacob on the left and my hubby, Gary, under the dog. Gary is the one running the half marathon this coming weekend. That's 13 some odd miles. We always joke that I only run if something big is chasing me...but even if a bear was chasing me I'd never make 13 miles. I'd lay down on the ground around the 1/4 mile mark and just yell, 'Eat me!'

Thanks for checking in with me. Was a good week, posting pictures is fun.
Kirk out.

Happy March!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:00:00 +0000

The snow has stopped, the sun is shining and spring is on its way.

Noticed the geese making their way travels back this way, saw some beginning to nest down by the lake this morning. Will be keeping my eyes peeled for my first robin.

Life goes on.

~~Mary

Peacocks

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:17:00 +0000

Well, had a great night at the torch last night. Kinda stuck to a peacock theme, at least in color.

Neck is still killing me so I don't know if I'll be working today or not, but here is what came from the kiln this morning, I'll have some of them on etsy sometime today:

Thanks for visiting my blog!
~~Mary

Going to be featured on this really cool blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:10:00 +0000

I have a piece on etsy that I really love that I thought maybe nobody else cared for. I was wrong- turns out it's all hip and darkly beautiful! My Ekho in a Bone bead is being featured here tomorrow:

Cool!! I added this blog to my blog list so I can follow it.

TM- if you read this---Thank you!!!
~~Mary

A real pain in the neck...literally!

noreply@blogger.com (Mary Lockwood Glass Art) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:36:00 +0000

I'm serious- this really hurts! Right at the base of my skull is a big 'knot' and ouch. I'm on excedrin back/muscle pills and ice. Sometimes this happens, but never quite this bad...not sure what I did to it, but ouch. I hope it gets better

I hope my husband gets me something sparkly for valentine's day. Usually I don't care much about these types of holidays- valentines, sweetest day, etc...but for some unexplainable reason I'm just sucked in by all the commercials this year. I want sparkly stuff and flowers and a big box of candy. Why? Am I finally turning girlie after all these years? LOL Oh well- with no precedent set for me caring at all about Valentine's day, it is doubtful I'll get anything sparkly, but that doesn't stop me from wanting it.

I didn't torch over the weekend. It was the Super Bowl dontcha know. Trust me- I wish I had been torching. Someone asked me who I was rooting for and I said, 'The spareribs and the nachos.' LOL I didn't care who won- my team wasn't in it this year, but I love parties. We had spareribs, sloppy joes, supreme nachos, turkey subs, cheesecake, lime jello surprise, baked beans, a football shaped cheese ball, rootbeer floats and sweet potato french fries. It was just us and my parents so I didn't even have to clean. LOL For the record, I am glad the Saints took it- they had it comin'. ;-)

I did sneak a few hours at the flame Friday night after everybody went to bed and I made some brand new jellyfish that I've been talking about. I'm not ready to show them yet, but I'm excited about them. I can't show them because I'm working on getting them smaller. Right now they are the size of New Guinea..

Have a great day...I kept my two youngest home from school today. I love having 'em here.
~~Mary