Neat Suncatchers

I have several new neat suncatchers. These sit on a windowsill and look beautiful. I especially enjoy the early morning and late afternoon, when the sun is low in the sky and filters through the glass. I've made this large one with mixed media, and a large one and a medium one with my beach glass inspired glass. Great gift! For more information, or to buy, Click here.

Here is the medium size one, with my beach glass inspired glass:

To view or purchase this one, Click here.

Finally, we have early snow this year. It's pretty and nice for hiking, but tough for working, as I do almost all my work outside. Cold! Here is a picture taken this morning through one of our new skylights~

Roof is done, Back to work

I needed to help the roofers put a new roof on our home. For over a week, things were too busy here to do much other work. But it is finally done, and I'm back!

At last I had time to put together a few large works. Above, a natural Pacific beach stone freestanding double wind chime. Below, a natural Pacific driftwood double wind chime. Both are suited to year round outdoor use, or consider using them indoors as kinetic art.

For more information, or to make an offer, for the stone Click here, for the driftwood, Click here.

Web Site Update ~ At Last!

Due to high demand, I just never had the time to update my website. A shame, since it is really best for me if people buy from my own website, instead of eBay or some of the other sites.

At last, I have taken the time to update the site. And I cut it way, way down. I now feature only wind chimes. A nice selection! And for those who read my blog, a special deal! Buy two, and pick a third for equal or less value and receive it for free!* You can email through this blog, or through my website, if you have questions. By the way, you also save some dollars with combined shipping for several items. With the holiday season coming up fast, and shipping taking longer from Canada, act now. Three for the price of two? What more can you ask for?

So check out my new, simplified, improved website by clicking here. Thank you!

*offer valid from November 9 through December 12, 2007

Oooops!

Click on the picture to see a larger picture.

The new giant chime natural beach stone wind chime. Sometimes, you just have to go back to the drawing board. See below for the previous version. For more information or to buy this wind chime, click here.

I started thinking that maybe it was not such a great idea to hang five very heavy chimes from glass. Then I woke up yesterday morning, and I was sure it was not a good idea. Back to the drawing board. It's really the chimes and the beach stone that should be the focus here, and the purplish glass detracted from that. Also, what could look nicer than beautiful red cedar? In the end, all is for the best. I like the new version better than the old.

Pride

Giant true verdigris copper wind chime with a natural Pacific beach stone top. 61 inches long, with chimes cut from 1 and 1/4 inch diameter copper. Sold, but you can read more about this or find other beautiful works by Clicking here.

Fairly often, someone emails asking if I can make something a little different. These are frequently people who have looked closely at my work, and like what they see, but want certain colors, or a certain size.

Recently someone wanted one of my wind chimes, but very large. As it happened, I had such a wind chime down at the bottom of my driveway as part of an address sign. It had been there for several years, and the copper had aged beautifully to an old penny color. I brought it in, took a few pictures, and also took some pictures of it hooked onto a large piece of driftwood I had. While the person who had written was making up their mind, someone else bought it.

That was a good thing, as it turned out the first fellow actually really wanted the chime to be verdigris. Also, that the old penny chime sold so quickly showed me that I should work more with these large chimes~ that there is a market for them.

I invested in a couple of lengths of this (Very) expensive large diameter copper, and got to work. It's always a pleasure working for someone who wants something amazing, but who does not know exactly what, as I appreciate a free hand when it comes to design. And I was not worried that he would not like what I put together, because I knew someone else would, and it would sell. As it turned out, he loved what I put together, and so I'll pack it today, and ship it tomorrow.

I'm exceptionally proud of how over the years I have developed the skills to be able to take an abstract idea ('I want a really large wind chime, maybe with something interesting on top'), and turn it into a concrete finished object of beauty. The longer I do this work, the more I like it.

Big Boy

Click on the image to see a larger picture.

Huge handcrafted copper wind chime with a beach stone clapper. The five heavy chimes are cut from one and a quarter inch diameter copper; the longest one is 32 inches. The chimes are suspended from beautiful glass. All copper connections. Great sound! For more information or to buy, Click here.

I enjoy making large works. Although they take a lot of time, and the materials are expensive, and shipping is a headache, it's worth it. It's satisfying to create something that makes a bold statement, that stands out. When people see my smaller works, they tend to say something like 'How pretty' or 'neat' but when they see something like this gigantic set of chimes, they are more likely to say 'Wow!'

I plan to make several works with these chimes. Perhaps one with a big rounded beach stone on top, and one with a big slab of driftwood.

Driftwood

Natural Pacific driftwood~ naturally beautiful. The beach stone clapper produces sweet music against these heavy copper chimes. For more information, or to buy, Click here.

The other day I posted a driftwood wind chime (see below) and it sold within hours. So here is a different one.

The first wind chime sold off a site called Etsy. If you have never explored this arts and crafts site, it is well worth having a look. My own corner of Etsy can be found by clicking here.

Etsy seems to be increasingly popular for both artists and art collectors. It is the only site I have found (and I have tried many), outside of Ebay and my own website, with much action as far as sales. It is also a very user friendly site, both for browsing and for listing things for sale.

Natural Driftwood, Natural Beauty

A rugged piece of Pacific driftwood (this guy has had a life!) with an impressive set of handcrafted extra large copper wind chimes. The beach stone clapper produces sweet music against these huge chimes. Natural driftwood, natural beauty. For more information, or to buy this, Click here.

Destiny? One of my earliest childhood memories is from a family vacation to a northern lake in Wisconsin. There I found what to me was something extremely beautiful and valuable: a piece of driftwood. I took it back home and treasured it deeply.

When we moved to Vancouver Canada, that piece of wood came with me. I well remember frequently polishing it. How I loved that wood! It was so smooth, the grain was so interesting.

A little later, there was a radio show in Vancouver where people could phone in and offer whatever for sale (obviously way, way before the internet!). People would phone and describe their washing machine or their chair, and others could get in touch to buy the item. Well, I phoned and offered my driftwood for sale ($5.00). It seems to me the guy running the show had quite a chuckle.

But here I am, 40 years later, selling driftwood. Destiny?

Slow Learner

Talk about pretty wind chimes! Beach glass inspired with copper chimes, a beach stone clapper, and tung nut oiled red cedar. For more information, or to bid, Click Here.

After getting burnt on last week's auction (see below), you'd think I would have learned a lesson and tossed in the towel on these listings starting at .99 cents. Nope.

This week I started two auctions at .99 cents! Looking for pain, I guess.

The fact is, this is pretty much the slowest time of the year for me, just before the holiday rush (which I sure hope is coming soon!). But the bills keep coming in. Poor pup had a little run in with some poison, and that vet bill needs paying. And the family for some strange reason still wants to eat, even when things are not selling well. So I persist with the .99 cent listings, and cross my fingers that this time things will go better.

Why not grab the chance to get a bit of a bargain? Especially since almost certainly in a month or so, things will be flying out the door for way more money. If past years are anything to go by, soon the bidding and buying will go nuts. Can't wait!

A Steal?

Huh~ I had a neat little flash thing here showing a listing from eBay, but the auction ended a long time ago, and the player showed... nothing. So I decided to revise and show the neat little earrings I make and give to customers. Whenever anybody orders anything at all, I always include a free set as a little thank you gift. Sometimes the emails I get lead me to believe the customer is as excited to receive the earrings as the windchime!

Only a little more than a day to go, and such a low price? Looks bad for me. Good for some lucky bidder. Oh well, things can change in a day. I hope so. (things did change~ I got an okay price~-- updated March 1, 2008)

Freestanding Beach Stone Double Art Wind Chime

Freestanding beach stone double copper chimes~ beach glass inspired. I love this. It has all the elements I like, from a smooth, rounded natural beach stone, to the intertwined copper support. For more information, or to buy it, click here.

It's Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend. We are doing a traditional feast, and inviting friends and neighbors. One of my favorite holidays~ all the fun of being with friends, and none of the stress of gift giving. It's going to be great!

Prices to Increase!

I just love smooth, rounded, natural Pacific beach stones~ so I use them as often as I can. This is a triple stone wind chime, with heavy copper chimes. There is also a beach stone clapper that produces a sweet sound against the copper. Heavy copper goes right through each stone, so very strong! This is an ideal wind chime for all season, all weather use. To learn more, or to buy it, click here.

Woke up and faced reality this morning. Sad. With about a 37% drop in the value of the US dollar next to the Canadian dollar, and with a 300% increase in copper prices (not to mention all those other increasing expenses), I realized that regretfully I have to raise my prices.

I already get too many emails from nice people wishing they could afford my work. So this is unpleasant. But I need to feed the dog, and the family, and that means raising prices.

I just wrote to those on my mailing list letting them know this, and giving them about a week's notice. Maybe some want to do some early holiday shopping, before the big increase. I guess I will have to raise most prices about 20%~ split the difference.

The drop in the dollar also means that I need to increase my shipping. I am currently loosing about 5-10 dollars way to often. Wish I did not have to do this, but it is reality.

Double sided reverese painted wind chimes

Detail images of the top sections of two of my latest series of double sided painted wind chimes. The colorful designs are reverse painted on thick glass, and all the color is well sealed on the inside of the glass~ weatherproof!

I love these, and always think it's almost like two wind chimes for the price of one! Each has a fine handcrafted set of copper chimes with a beach stone clapper~ great sound!

For more information, or to purchase, click here.

Cool Wind Chime

I love this wind chime~ the most recent addition to my shop. I'm nuts about beach stones, so adding one into the mix is something that I like very much. Actually, there are two beach stones, since I always make a beach stone clapper, which sounds great against the copper chimes. For more information, or to buy this wind chime, click here.

Why I Hate (hated) My iPod

I love to read non-fiction books about all sorts of things. Recently I read one entitled ‘The Perfect Thing : How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness’ by Steven Levy. An interesting book, and it convinced me I had to get one of these things. So I did.

Sure enough: I loved my Nano... for a week. Then I hated it. Here’s why.

I haven’t been a fan of music since my teen years. I would sooner always hear a radio show or, preferable, sweet silence. Sweet silence isn’t really silence, since I have thoughts running through my mind. At some point after my teen years I realized that music interferes with that process. But I was willing, even eager, to give music another chance.

Also, the iPod book mentioned these things called podcast, and they sounded right up my alley. I guess the theory is that anyone can be a radio host, right, and so all these people make all these shows, and they are available for free. Sounded interesting, since I like talk, and I don’t have much chance to listen to the radio or television talk shows. Well, let me tell you right off that while maybe ‘anyone can make a show’, unless you enjoy a couple of morons droning on and on about nothing, most of these homemade ‘shows’ are worth considerably less than you pay for them (they are free, by the way).

So I decided to try music again. I loaded my iPod with a whole bunch of songs, set it to shuffle, and let the beat go on.

I thought this was pretty cool~ for about a week. Then it started to happen.

Then it started to happen a lot.

The ‘tunes’ would intrude on my thoughts, even without the contraption. On my daily one hour hikes I would leave the machine at home, but instead of a wonderful, peaceful moment in the forest where my own thoughts could sort through my head, some stupid refrain from some stupid song would start playing over and over in my mind. Oh yeah, baby, heading down that long and lonesome highway! There was no way to turn this noise off.

Before long, these song snippets were constantly intruding on my thoughts. Annoying! My own thoughts and ideas may be none to brilliant; but they are my thoughts, and important to me. With this line or that of some song playing on a loop in my mind, I was being robbed of my own thoughts.

I wonder how many other people have found this, and how many are bothered by it. My guess is that many people experience this, but that since they have always been listening to music, they just assume it’s normal. Believe me, if you frequently have some song snippet playing through your mind, I think you are missing out on something of real value: your own thoughts.

I was so happy to give my iPod away (aside from a little guilt-- feeling a bit like I was giving a bag of smack to some innocent kid!). It took over a month, but finally I am free of all those stupid lyrics trespassing on my thoughts. Once again, when I go on a hike, when I am working, when I am living, I am free of that noise in my head. Well, almost free. Once in a while, one of those lyrics still pops by to annoy me-- to remind me how nice it is to no longer have that stupid iPod with all its noise.

You may believe that music adds a lot to your life, and you are more than welcome to believe that. I believe it is like a drug, numbing one’s brain, interfering with thoughts that might be important to think about-- thoughts that might be more important than the sound of some guy droning on. A catchy tune? I’d sooner catch a cold.

Eye-Popping Exchange Rate

Most of my sales go to the USA, and even my Canadian and international buyers tend to pay in US dollars. In the past, that has been really great.

Not so long ago, for $1000 US I would get around $1600 Canadian. So it was a real sweet deal.

Yesterday for the very first time, I got less in Canadian dollars than I exchanged. Oh, how I miss the good ol' days! Combine that blow with the 300% plus increase in copper prices, and it looks like before long I will yet again have to raise my prices. Either that, or stop eating. Ouch.

Strange Days on eBay

After so many years I still can't figure out eBay auctions. Like this one. Usually, this wind chime would go for somewhere between $130 - $180 dollars, but here it is, well into the auction, and only at $31. What's with that?

On the other hand, most often I have only around 10 'Watchers' (people who use the eBay system to bookmark an auction), but for this one there are currently 46. So either all those folks are watching to have a good laugh when I get burnt, and the auction closes at a very low price, or maybe things will get interesting towards the end. I hope for the latter.

Cool things to spruce up your home and yard for summer!

Ready to add something really special to your home or yard this summer? Look at all these neat things I have made!

Time to Play?

When it's busy, like now, I can easily take over 400 pictures a week. There is only a small window each day where the light is right, in the late afternoon. That means waiting, watching, and then taking as many pictures as possible, hoping to catch the right look. And the 'right look' does not include a large golden retriever!

But unless I remember to invite Yukon inside before starting, invariably he will stand right there, ball ready, clearly saying: 'Hey, how about a game of fetch?" Good idea Yukon, but bad timing. Aside from the half hour or so I have of good light, I'm always pleased to be reminded that it should not all be work, work, work~ life's short so don't forget to play. I could go on and on about this, but I have to go out and toss a few balls for the dog.

Showing the Details

Click on the image see it better, and read the text.

Recently a happy customer wrote that she was amazed at the work and attention to detail that went into my wind chimes. Before receiving it she knew it was a nice looking chime, but had no idea of the care I put into it:

' I really think in this "fast food, get it right now, instant gratification" society we live in, most people have NO IDEA of the time and effort you put into your designs... ...I think if people had a "black and white" idea of how even the smallest of details on your wind chimes receives careful consideration and thought, that they would quickly realize that they can't
afford to NOT have one of your pieces! '

I think she is right, and put together the picture above with some details of what I do. It's not the whole picture, but it provides a glimpse of the care I take, both in design and construction.