Christmas Tree finished ....

These were pictures I had taken earlier in the process. This shows glass pieces that I would still add to the tree. The beads in the background were added to the tree for decoration. The bottom of the tree (or stand) was a large green antique goblet. I built the Christmas tree up from this base.

These pieces of green glass used to be a a big green bowl. I liked the lines through the glass. This tree was made of two large tall green vases (which were broken) and two big green bowls purchased from Green's Corner, my favorite antique store in Shawnee, Oklahoma. I had also broke a cream colored porcelain cup. It had gold accents on it and looked Christmassy!!!

Christmas Tree forming...

After the darker green was foiled and soldered in, I cut small diamond shapes of the lime green and added those in, so that there were different shades of green throughout the tree. I got this far last week before I left for Pennsylvania. The basic foundation of the shape had been done. I still needed more green for the branches...I attached them in places where it balanced the tree shape out more equally. I apolgize - I see that this picture is posted twice.

The more you look, the more you see.

You can arrange the gifts underneath in any way you would like. These pictures show different angles of the Christmas tree. It would be fun - to keep creating more glass Christmas boxes and have them piled up around the bottom. This will be a wonderful piece to take out each year for the holidays. You know we have our favorites!!!

The final design. I still need to add the Christmas lights which will be up inside the tree. I will be adding a picture of that later.

Christmas Tree - with gifts!!!

I just love it...I really enjoyed creating this piece for my customer.
I took the jewelry wire and threaded glass beads on it, curled the wire and let it cascade down three sides of the Christmas tree.

This show the top of the Christmas tree. A wine bottle was broke and I took the tip of the bottle and used it for the top of the tree. A string of colored lights will be pulled up into the Christmas tree from underneath. I have not done this as the colored lights are the very last touch.

These are glass gift boxes that I created for my Christmas tree. I tried to make them look like actual gifts. After I cut the sections, fluxed, foiled and soldered each one. I took jewelry wire and threaded glass beads onto the wire then curled it around to resemble package bows.

I tried to make different size and shapes...as you know...all gifts are different and unique. I wasn't too crazy about the blue box with the "v" design....so I added a strong of crystals from a vintage jewelry bracelet. You may note the change when I add a picture to my blog of the tree lit!! So come back and visit!!!

A porcelin doll I bought at the thrift store today...

Look at these photos...she is interesting isn't she?

I utilized a doll similar to her in my glass work. I took the arms and the head and built a stand, then cut a dress pattern from out of the glass, which I then soldered onto her (body or stand).

I entered that piece in a show and it was sold that night.

I may have to think of some way to reincarnate her or maybe I will just buy her a little dress to wear and she can be a regular dolly for awhile.

Taking a Break from Art...to visit...

My mom and my daughter visiting together. Three generations together in my home - mom, me, and my beautiful daughter, Jessica Ryan Day.

No matter how passionate we are with life, it is important to slow down and take the time to visit with those that we love. This past month my parents drove from Northern California to visit with me for the month of October.

They helped me maintain my property while I made trips to Washington DC and to Chicago, Illinois. We laughed, and hugged and talked about lots of things. They are very special to me, so I hope you don't mind my short tribute to my parents on my art blog.

After all, where would I be with my parents? I'd like to believe that my creativity came from both of them. My Grandfather on my Dad's side was a welder. He had lots of ingenuity and created most of his own welding tools. My Dad carries that ingenuity into his "fly-tying". He has tied "flies" for himself and other men and women who love to fish for several years. He is always creating new lures to trick and catch any type of fish in any type of pond or river. He knows whatever they like, whatever conditions.

My Grandmother on my Mom's side was an oil painter. Then my Mom became an oil painter. She is artistic and precise. She likes realism. We discovered we are both inspired by bright colors of the west, like reds, orange, and fuchsia colors.

These next few entries document my time spent with them. Enjoy.

12) Visit with Parents - Don't Hurry; but Be Quick !

This is what my parents wrote. My Dad shared this quote one evening while we were playing Mexican Train. I liked it and asked him to write it on the bus where I would see it everyday.
It reminds me to think about what it is I am doing....not to hurry, but be quick....a big difference between the two.

Thank you for visiting me Mom and Dad!!!

11) Visit with Parents - Over the bridge...

While my parents came for their visit, they helped to construct a new road. It now has lots more gravel and two curving places where little bridges were built. My Dad did a good job getting around everything.

10) Visit with Parents - My Mom being interviewed....

This video picked up wind sound - so it is sometimes difficult to hear my mom talk. She and I were just chilling out in my front yard. Feeling the wind blow and leaves fall, as my Dad worked to pull their trailer out. My Mom spent her career in Education as a Elementary School Teacher and Drill Team Advisor. She is an avid cross-sticher, loves all animals. My Dad also spent his career in Education as a Elementary School Principal and successful basketball coach. He is passionate about two things, fly-fishing and basketball.

8) Visit with Parents - pulling the trailor out...

I took a short video of my Dad pulling his big mobile house out from the soft ground. The have spent their lives traveling all over the United States. This is what we did as a family together, this is how we made most of our memories. They like to seek out new adventures. They had planned to leave around noon, but as soon as my Dad started breaking down his camp....he got into the "mind-set" of "lets keep the ball rolling". They had a 2000 plus mile trip ahead of them. Some day I will be traveling just like they have - even when I am their age...what "Hero's" they are to me.

7) Visit with Parents - taking pictures before they left.

They parked on the east side of my house and stayed a month...they were ready to make the trip back home. They left this last week so that they would not travel into any harsh winter weather as they headed West to where they live in Northern, California.

A close-up shot after they signed the bus.
This was most likely their last trip to Oklahoma where they grew up. They truly got to experience what my life is like "first hand". I will miss my neighbors.

6) Visit with Parents - Signing the Bus

Jim showed up to say goodbye. He helped my dad get the trailer through my new bridge in my new road!!!

As you might already know I have had visitors from the last five or six years sign my bus. I couldn't have my parents leave without their signature.

My Dad, Coach K.F. Farrar, nick-name "Tex".......he signed the very front with one of my favorite new quotes from John Wooden.

Mom adding a few touches.

5) Visit with Parents - chilling with mom in the front yard...

Moxy wants to run and play....she is not posing but watching every move Hide was making...

I love this pictures of me and my mom...two beautiful women..,.I have learned so much from her. She is the mother of five children. I know I frustrated her so many times as a kid. She was firm with me when she needed to. Her background is painting with oils as her Mother did. She has worked with water color also and recently worked with acrylics (right out of the tube) to mix the colors for my window frame. She is the total package...the glue/corner stone to our family and my Dad loves her so much...we all do!!

Just hugging and loving on my mom. In a few moments they would be leaving Oklahoma. I am so grateful for their visit, but when they leave, I don't know when I will see them again.

Carroll Jean Bodkin and Jennifer Lynn Farrar October 25th, 2009.

4) VIsit with Parents where Dogs reign supreme....

This is my mom with Moxy and Hide. At first they weren't too sure of each other and Hide was also meeting my Mom ...after some time, they became comfortable with my Mom and my Mom became comfortable with them.

Moxy always wanted to go where Hide went...

Hide is such a good dog. She is about ten or eleven years old now and still succussfully runs off any animals that should not be close. She is very loving too.

I had to take a few new shots of my studio. In the fall, it looks cool with the leaves changing and the colors painted on the bus. I still spend quite a bit of time in the bus where I mainly cut out the ideas and have space to work and create large pieces of glass art.

3) Visit with Parents - Help from Everyone...

This picture was also posted previously in my blog. After the pieces were hung we all went to eat at St. Benedict's Market in Shawnee, Oklahoma. I highly recommend eating there.

I couldn't have completed the commission without the help of the people in the photo. Jim, my boyfriend helped to guide me through the packaging, delivering and hanging of the two windows. My Mom and Dad were there to provide ideas - feedback - and support.


All of us played Mexican Train. A favorite game of my parents. We all got a chance at winning except Jim. Sorry Jim...it might take awhile to get your engine running...I have a feeling you will come from behind and actually beat me sometime....

I realized when I played with my folks that they were really competitive. Competitive with each other especially. They had a lot of fun with this and I did too. I won a few games in a row...and I don't think my Dad liked that too much...so he and I engaged in some healthy competition.

If I had to speculate who the overall winner was for the month of October...it would be close between my Mom and Dad.

2) Visit with Parents - we all became a team...completing a glass commission...

I showed her pictures of the home where the two glass windows would hang. She studied the interior of the home, the color of the wood rafters, while considering the colors seen in my actual work. She came up with a perfect color.

She kept saying," what if this " or "what if that" and I said Mother..."YOU CAN DO IT" YOU HAVE TO, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN MIX PAINT COLORS .......and you know what...she did. She came up with a beautiful and perfect match.

She continued to help me by painting the frame while I worked out in my school bus on the other window. Soon- my Mother and I ended up painting the second frame together. It was "CRUNCH TIME" and my mom "came through"!

If you scroll down to see "older posts" you can see how PERFECT in color my Mother had matched the copper in the design and the wood in the customer's home.

My Dad often came in and sat down with us - looking through the phone book for telephone numbers, or gathering information he needed to complete the tasks he was going to accomplish at my house while he was there.
While he was there he sealed my house for the winter, staked my sycamore tree, helped guide the men who gave me a new drive to my property while I was out of state, he gave me ideas on how to winterize my mower, and how to pull the ivy out from the siding of my home. He bought me a burn barrel and helped to burn debris and trash and bought a new dog house for my outdoor dog. He is a little tough on the outside, but has one of the biggest hearts on the inside.

Moxy - my Mom's pure bred little DIVA - oops...did I say that? Well she is the cutest little pure-bred Schnauzer dog I have ever met. She does get the "star" treatment but she is still so loving and so cute like the "little girl dog" she is. The only time she got excited and maybe a little frustrated was when she wanted to go run and play with my big outdoor dog, "Hide", also a girl.

My mom was wise in that as much as she wanted Moxy to play freely - Moxy would want to run everywhere that Hide did, which is all over and MORE of my ten acres of woods. If they ever got separated - would Moxy know the way home????