Server OK, for the time being ... (+ other updates)

Since the time I wrote the last post the server stayed up. A big thank you to our IT guys.

The EHCC Aloha Sunday was a good bit of fun, and while I mostly sold plants I sold a reasonably good amount. Nice neighbors too, and you may find some of my broken lampwork in Carol's pottery in the future (Carol sells her pottery at the Hilo Farmer's Market on a regular basis, and I'm happy to give her a plug here. I like both her and her pottery.).
The next Aloha Sunday will be on March 8, and I'm hoping and planning to be there then too (makai side of the EHCC, second booth from Kalakaua, next to Carol).

Updates on the subject of lampwork: I am waiting for my kiln, a few pounds of glass rods, some frit, and Hilo Propane's (happy to put in a plug here too, we have known the Palermos for a long time) order of connectors to come in so that I can connect a propane tank to my torch rather than continue to work off of small bottles. I need to find a cheap or free piece of metal about 3ft by 6ft to allow me to torch when it's raining (doesn't have to be in too good a shape, but I'd like it free), but I have my didymium glasses now (and they fit over my reading glasses too) so that I can torch after dark without fearing for my eyesight. And I got my larger size mandrel (and a few more smaller ones) in the same order (and some stringer, but for me for now I ordered the wrong COE. The color is perfect for me though).

The following paragraph doesn't have to do with beads:
It is still clove seed season but getting to the end of it. If you're interested in clove seeds, email me now rather than later. And this late in the season I will replace some or all for free if they arrive all brown and yucky (whatever goes for yucky for clove seeds. They ought to be pale green to darker green, possibly pink, but not brown.) - Shipping and Ag. inspection are a consideration, so I may not be able to replace them completely free, but I won't charge for the seeds a second time. I know this has nothing to do with beads, but it's been keeping me rather busy.

Back to beads. I can still get some Swarovski colors in 4mm bicones and 6 mm cubes (I'm not willing to expand on anything else for the time being in spite of that I do have some 3mm and 5mm bicones already) at last years prices. Please let me know if you need any of those, they might just be in the offer I got or extend my order to the level I'm comfortable with placing it (Heidi, if you happen to read this, please send me email).

Sorry this is a blog post without pictures again, but I haven't had time to take any, let alone make anything new other than a few new and different color eyelash scrunchies. The one bead I made last weekend broke as I took it off the mandrel - not too surprising to me, as I ran out of gas on the torch the second I have it vaguely round (and it wasn't even supposed to stay round). You may find the remains of it in Carol's pottery at some point.