New Items for the Holidays!

I've already added many new items and have a few more to go.  Lanterns, candle holders, jewelry, suncatchers, and more!  I've been a busy little elf.  I still have a great selection of ornaments available.  Please email or convo 3 days in advance if you need duplicates or custom colors.  "Like" my page on Facebook to receive a Free Shipping code!  Happy shopping!

Redesigned Website

http://www.wishartglass.com/

I've finally redesigned my website and am thrilled with the results!  The index page has a gorgeous slide show.  Overall, the look is much cleaner, more professional, and showcases my work better.  I'm still tweaking some of the links and working on the wholesale page.  Please let me know if you encounter any problems or have any suggestions.  Thanks!  -Anne

Etsy Finds and ComFest!

I have been busily preparing for ComFest.  The 3 day music and art festival starts on Friday in Columbus' Goodale Park and continues through Sunday evening.  On Monday I had an idea for a new necklace design, so I made it.  Because I have so much free time...HA!  I don't know what I was thinking.  Sometimes I just have to act on my creative urges.  I made 5 of the necklaces in different colors.  They are beautiful - - sleek and modern, just my style.  I'm so glad I made them.  If there are any left, I'll list them in my Etsy shop when I return.  My truck is PACKED.  I downsized from a Titan to a Jeep.  This is easily the most efficient packing I have ever done.  Not an inch wasted!

In the midst of packing today, I checked my email to find that my Amethyst Lantern was featured in the Etsy Finds!  Cool!   (Thanks, Christine!)  My Happy Dance was cut short when I realized that I really need to put my shop in Vacation Mode for this festival.  It's too busy for me.  Hmmm, dilemma...  I'll ride the increased views until tomorrow, then put it in Vacation Mode before I leave.

The lantern will be available at ComFest!  Hope to see you there!

Homeschooling

I never thought I would end up here. The situation at my son's school worsened. His self esteem had hit an all time low. He ran out of the school building crying and was caught in the parking lot. My husband and I decided that for his safety and mental health we needed to remove him from school.

This happened right before Spring Break. We took a lovely vacation to Arizona, where my sister and parents have bought a vacation home together. It was very relaxing. It also gave me time to organize my homeschooling plan. I had already considered it as an option, so I had an online curriculum chosen. I gave Nathan a few tests to determine at which levels we should start.

We are just over a week into homeschooling. It has been an eye-opener. My son could have gone 3 times as fast in his reading/phonics, but he requires remedial attention in math. News to me. We started on the First Grade Level for every subject. At this rate, he will finish the First Grade Language Arts this summer. We went back to Kindergarten Level Math. He'll finish that this coming week. Then we'll continue with First Grade work, going at a much slower pace than the other subjects. We're wrapping up a few items that he hasn't learned (from us) in 1st and 2nd Grade Science, then in the Fall, we'll start 3rd Grade Science. I LOVE that I can tailor this to his needs and strengths. At school, they were learning about Living vs. Non-Living things, but he wants to start Chemistry! Also, he gets to do Science and Art every day instead of once a week.

It is an incredible amount of work to set up the lesson plans each day, but I'm finding my groove. We're having tons of fun! Nathan is so much more relaxed. We try to make it to the playground each day at 3pm. His interaction with other children is much better. I think he's not drained and as a result he can enjoy their company.

Blog Feature

I was very pleased to get an email from Carisu, a young writer, who featured me on her blog "Carisu Reads." Please check it out!

Muses Magazine Feature

I am incredibly honored to have my Moon and Stars Suncatcher featured in the March 14 issue of Muses Magazine! Enjoy the feature and please spend some time browsing the fabulous art, design, and fashion in this stunning online magazine!

That Old Werewolf Story

Today my 5 year old was playing with models of the Earth and the Moon on strings. He swung them around quickly and said, "This is what happened when the Moon broke out of orbit!" My husband asked him, "What do you think would happen if there were no moon?" My son thought for a moment then answered, "There would be no tides. They would have to get rid of that old werewolf story, and it would be darker at night."

I just loved that.

Twice Exceptional

As some of you may know, in December my son received a provisional dual diagnosis of gifted/PDD-nos. Children who are gifted and learning disabled are often referred to as Twice Exceptional. I've found many wonderful parents and professionals while searching for "Twice Exceptional" or "#2E" on Twitter. Last night I saw a post that disturbed me:

"What's up with "Sid the Science Kid"? Is this show abt those "Twice
Exceptional" kids? Cuz smthng is not right abt the kids in that
show." (sic)

We love Sid. The kids are creative and diverse. It is disturbing to me that my son will have to deal with the idea that "something is not right" with him. He's fine, thank you. In fact, he would be great if we weren't trying to pound his square peg self into the round hole of public school. I've never understood why people like to flaunt their ignorance. My initial response was to fire back with either a nasty rebuttal or a high road educational response. I don't like to act too quickly, though, so I took a moment and looked at the poster's website. It was dedicated to his 4 year old daughter who died recently of cancer. Now I understand his interest in Sid the Science Kid. I let it slide and counted my blessings.

Helping Hearts

I have contributed one of my Sun Suncatchers to a shop set up to help a fellow Etsian who has suffered a terrible loss. Please visit the Helping Hearts shop on Big Cartel to either shop or donate an item. You may read more about the situation and shop HERE.

The helping Hearts shop is now closed. I hope it was able to provide the needed aid.

Etsy Finds!

I was so pleased to find that my Amethyst Lantern had been featured in today's Etsy Finds! The theme was "The Color Purple" and it showcased lots of fabulous finds in various shades of purple. Amethyst is February's birthstone. Thank you, Christine!

Artizen Valentine Feature

My Swirly Heart Suncatcher was featured in Artizen Magazine's Valentine Collection. Artizen is a wonderful online magazine that features the best in Handmade. Please visit and sign up for your free subscription to Artizen!

Etsy Project Embrace Interview

Want to know a little bit about me? I'm the featured team member on the Ety Project Embrace blog! Please visit and leave a comment!

Valentine Hearts Are Ready!

I have 10 styles of fused glass Heart Suncatchers ready to ship! I brought back the most popular designs from last year and added some new ones, including the Heart Burst pictued above. I hope you like them!

Only 2 Hearts are left, but you can order them (allow 3-5 days to make) from my Sold Items! Just contact me through the desired listing

Clickable Treasuries!

I have just changed the way that I add treasuries to my blog. If you'll notice in the left column, they are a bit larger and are completely clickable! If you click on the title, you will go to the treasury. If you click on the curator's name, you will go to his or her shop. If you click on an individual item, you will be taken to that item's sale page. Amazing! This format was made possible by the ever inventive folks at CraftCult, home of the highly addictive Heart-o-matic. You can grab your own treasury widget at www.craftcult.com. Have fun!