New Work!

After the ACC show we drove south to visit friends. We were planning on only staying one day but were having so much fun we decided to stay an extra day. The first day we went to the beach in Santa Cruz. I didn't believe it was actually going to be hot enough for me to want to go swimming so I left my bathing suit behind. That turned out to be a mistake because it was really hot.

First we got to see a sea lion being rescued. He was starving and weak but it was still neat to see him so close up, and know that the marine rescue people were going to help nurse him back to health and then release him. The boys had SO much fun playing in the ocean all day. There were even dolphins swimming back and forth and jumping out of the water pretty close to shore. It was pretty magical.

Of course the next day, I thought it would be nice again and really wanted to go play in the ocean. But no, the weather did not cooperate. We were hoping the fog would burn off later in the day but it didn't. It was only about 60 degrees out and the only people on the beach were wearing sweaters. The only people in the ocean were in wet suits, but we decided to jump in anyway. We were having so much fun playing in the water and body surfing that we didn't realize how cold we were until an hour later when I noticed our oldest son was shivering. That's when we decided to go and drove all the way back from Carmel to Santa Cruz with the heat on full blast.

We were planning on just going on one ride at the boardwalk, the huge old wooden roller coaster. It just happened to be dollar night so we stayed until they closed.



After the longest day of driving that included a detour to the Yo-Yo museum in Chico, and a detour to Yreka to drop Robbie off so he could go visit his dad and brothers, the boys and I pulled into our driveway at midnight.

It is so nice to be home! I've been in the studio making beads and getting ready for Art in the High Desert. In the last year I've gone to Chicago, San Francisco, Lake Oswego, Tacoma and Seattle 3 times to participate in shows, so it is very nice to be able to participate in a show right down the street. I kinda feel like I'm still on vacation. Now if I could just find a way to stay home in the studio and have my work go directly to the people who want them......

It seems like I just got back from Bellevue....oh wait, I did. I've just been back for a week and now it's almost time to pack up and head to San Francisco for the American Craft Council Show at Fort Mason. I've managed to be really focused and get some good bead making days in, which feels really good. So if you are in the Bay Area come visit me in booth #515. The show runs Aug. 12-14th. Hope to see you there!

This summer is just zooming by! Last month we celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary! Yes, I know I don't look old enough to have been married for that long, and I'm almost not! We were married when I was 17 and he was 18. We celebrated by laying in the grass in the park and then going out for Pho. Afterwards we met up with the boys & grandparents to launch model rockets.

Then I went to Lake Oswego. Here is a shot of my booth. We were so lucky to have such beautiful weather! You never know what you will get with outdoor shows!

Next it was time for the Puget Sound Bead Festival in Tacoma. Each time I go to Tacoma I like it more and more. Downtown is such an eclectic mix of old and new buildings. This is the view from the Convention Center. I love that you can see Mt. Rainier, the Museum of Glass (two of my favorite places), along with the Tacoma Dome and Union Station all from one spot.
Here are a few happy customers :)



After the show we spent a few days in Port Townsend visiting friends and family and celebrating my 31st birthday. We got home last night and I'm already busy getting ready for the Northwest Crossing Saturday Market, which is tomorrow and the Bellevue Arts Museum Arts Fair at the end of this month.

This is one of my newest pieces, and I am really happy with how it turned out. The idea for this necklace came to me one day while I was driving down the street. I had to pull over and sketch it out on a scrap of paper before I forgot, or got distracted by another idea. It's always satisfying to get a complete idea and be able to go make it and have it turn out pretty much how I imagined it. I just happened to have the perfect chain already too. The chain is long so you can put it over your head without a clasp. You can wear it with the glass and circles in the center or off to one side. Having options is so much fun.

These are my newest rings. The one on the left and the blue one second from the right were made using cabochons made by my husband Robbie. They are SO pretty. The colors are amazing. They change and shimmer depending on how the light hits them and have little silver flecks that remind me of tiny stars.

This weekend I'm heading to Lake Oswego for the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts. I'm looking forward to it and hoping for great weather! I'll be in booth G-7. If you are in the Portland area come by and say hello!

In Love

I have fallen completely in love with metalsmithing! It opens up so many creative possibilities for me. I'm already full of ideas.

I'm very happy to say that I am now scheduling beginning lampwork bead making classes for spring and summer! You can see the dates that are available on my website. Just scroll down to the bottom half of the page and use the arrows to go to the months of April-August. If you would like to schedule your class send me an e-mail at Larissa@LarissaSpafford.com or call me at (541)318-4757!

After RAGS at the beginning of March I will be back in the Seattle area for the Spring Best of the Northwest. The image above is the postcard for the show. Recognize the necklace?