October 6, 2009 I have not done this for some time and I should do it more often…Blog that is, so check back once in a while. This December will be six years since I touched my first rod of glass, fused my first pendant and soldered my first silver bail. Many things have changed in those six years. The price of an ounce of silver has gone from $6.00 to $17.00. We have elected a new President (Thank God). The economy has crashed…..My single constant has been my passion for glass, that has not changed, it is still my primary thought pattern through out my day and into my sleep. Some of my best ideas come to me when I am taking a relaxing shower or lying in bed trying to go to sleep. When I first started playing with glass my primary fascination was wanting to make marbles. I quickly learned that you don’t just melt a glob of glass and Bingo you have a perfect sphere. It took me three years of practice and a few hundred failures to produce something I was proud enough to ask money for. I will say this, that I am self taught when it comes to making my marbles. The only classes I have taken were for making beads on a mandrel. I got most of my technique from a book by Drew Fritts called “ Torchworked Marbles” Excellent book. My love affair with “Dichroic Glass” continues and grows. I have even stated that I probably will never make a marble that does not have some dichroic in it. Who knows.....that may change, but my love of dichro won’t. I just can’t seem to live without the sparkle that it produces. Over the length of these six years I have sold my work to wonderful people and friends through out Europe, China, Australia, Canada and virtually every state in the USA. South America and Africa must not have the internet yet.....LOL Although I have done a few trunk shows my primary outlet has been Ebay. Ebay has had its ups and downs during that time, some good , some bad, but all along it has allowed me to make a living doing what I love.....melt glass and sell it to my appreciating fans.....YOU. Thanks! If you would like to see me make a marble go to YouTube and search for me under my alias "GeometricJewels" How to make a Vortex Marble.