Obama Rally

photo by Maya

Just got back from Armory Park in downtown Tucson. It was a rally for Obama support as well as to get people registered to vote. There were speakers, and 3 bands playing. It was great. I picked up a couple of bumper stickers, as well as some pins. I went there with Maya and her friends. We walked to the park from my house. It was about a mile and 1/2. Today was so beautiful outside, that it felt wonderful just to see and be seen. I had owen with me. Owen is .... Daves dog. He is very cute, and if I was looking, I would have had my pick of dates tonight. So many single people with small children came up to me to play and pet Owen. WoW.... what a magnet.

steel and glass

I am donating a piece of jewelry to the Sonoran Glass Art Acadamy. They are having their Annual Glass Art Auction and Wearable Art Show on Friday, October 17. I can not make it out that eve. since I will be in NYC at the Soft Flex show, but I am sure this Auction will be a blast.

This piece is lampworked glass on steel. The steel is hand forged. The small colorful elements between the main elements are enameled copper beads.

Issues with the robbery from an earlier post. My right eye is still weird. All red and a little bit out of focus. My eyeglasses were smashed, so I will have to get another pair.

Also, yard work!!!!. The days are cooling off, so the yard is calling, or should I say screaming!

Robbery

Robbery Sat. Sept. 20, 2008

This afternoon, my daughter and I came home. My daughter (Maya) noticed a couple (in their 30's) on the porch, so we thought we would wait about 10 minutes before going home to let them go on down the street (we get solicitors all the time). We did not see them after 10 minutes, and we assumed they went away, I also checked the street looking for them, could not see them anywhere. We walked over to the house. I picked up some garbage from the front yard (a plastic juice bottle). The front door was locked, Maya unlocked it, and we went inside. Maya headed towards her room, and saw people in my bedroom putting items in bags. She ran over to me and said very quietly, “Mom, there in here”. I yelled at them to get out, they ran out the back door, that they had cut through. I chased them out the house and I caught up to the woman in the street in front of our house, where I grabbed her and tried to hold on to her. She was much heavier than I, but I held on to her for about 2 minutes or more. The man meanwhile kept tugging at her trying to pull her away from me, but I wouldn’t let go. He left for a second, then came back with mace and sprayed me point blank in my right eye and face. I started screaming, and as my grip loosened, he pulled her away. She ran for a plastic bag that she was caring but somehow I grabbed the bag and threw it to Maya and yelled for Maya to take it in the house. The woman and man then turned and ran down 5th street towards Euclid.

The burglers broke into our locked house by cutting their way through our security door from the back yard.

During the scuffle, Maya called the cops. They came in about 6 - 10 minutes. I think they were there a bit earlier, because they were driving around the neighborhood looking for the robbers before they came to the house.

It is 5:30 AM now, my face and eye still burns. My nerves are shot, and I am tired, but I won’t sleep until the morning. People are going to work. I think I will watch the sun rise today.

Bra Burning

A friend of mine is having a breast reduction today. Yesterday she had a bra burning party. I couldn't make the party, but I had a small ceremony in my studio to celebrate her decision.



"I will now and forever have a plastic melted mess on my flameworking bench... always to remember this historic event"

My cooler died in my studio today. Good thing summer is almost over. I am in Denver till monday, so probably no blogs until then.

Keep your torches lit and bras burning.

-Bronwen

Marbles

Well, I am hooked. I made a marble the day before the isgb gathering. I wanted to do something new and special for the gathering to show off. Well, I did make a marble, not the super one I was intending. This one broke off the punty 3 times (once almost in the water bowl). The last time, it broke off, fell to the wooden floor, and rolled....and rolled. flames were coming up behind it, burning the oil off the the hard wood, as well as the dust.. the marble finally settled, burning a nice spot in the floor. I finally was able to scoop it up into the marble mold and toss it into the kiln. The next day, I pulled it out of the kiln, and it wasn't too bad, but then again, not too pretty. I showed it to Jennifer Wilson and she told me I should enter the 'World Flame Off" in Tucson Sept 5,6 and 7. I did...... ....... ....... I was so nervous. I practiced 7 more times, each one a little bit better. I was learning every step of the way. I still have a lot to learn, and a lot of practice needs to happen. My day for the flame off was Sat. at 10:00 am. I was sitting low into the torch, my eyes were focused, I forgot to drink water, but it didn't matter.... i was one with the glass... If I drank water, I would crack. I did not drop the marble (much to Dougies dismay), and I put it in the kiln with about 30 sec. of time left.

When I get a picture of this marble I will post it, but in the mean time, above is an image of my very first marble .

Oh, and the 'WORLD FLAME OFF'... I won 1st. place in the soft glass marble category. I am so was hooked on marbles.