The new MBA is here!

1. It was delivered by DHL at 4.20 pm yesterday (Nov. 3, 2010)
2. Arrived 1-day earlier that estimated.
3. Confirmed that the ACPP was already registered and will end by Oct 31, 2013.
4. Today is the process of transferring my relevant data. Its quite tedious since my previous MBP is 500GB and the new MBA is only 256 GB. Thus, I have to be selective which will be in the MBA whereas the rest should be in the external HDD.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Lentil Beads Are Making An Appearance...

Last week a friend - LeAnn of Summers Studio - posted a tutorial and link from the Beads-Of-Clay Blog to a post she had done on her own blog about making Lentil beads...

Something inside me stirred and I HAD to get into the studio to revisit the ideas of making lentils...



This pic above is just taken this morning after my first kiln unloading...



Above you see the "making stage". This is the putting the two halves together part...



Oops - a step before - this is all the halves (textured circles that have been domed) setting up on drywall... Then I "clay glued" the halves together.



This picture above is after the first firing (the bisque firing)...



Two different layers of colorant & glaze have been applied to these (will hopefully look similar to the blue, black & white one pictured)...



Then into the glaze firing (@ 2232 F)... Each piece suspended and then weighted down to prevent excessive sagging of the wire as the special high temperature wire heats up...



After a 24 hour period of heating up, then cooling down, the kiln is ready to be unloaded and pieces looked over.



These pieces look much better out of the kiln - which is a breath of fresh air! The textures are on both sides - some the same, some different...



I just love that puddling blue... I'm a bit obsessed with it at the moment...



And here is a side shot of the piece. They were all textured along the seam where the two halves were joined for a more finished look. I also really like the way the lines make a vertical path for your eyes to follow as you turn the piece over...



Then these were left as domed cabochons (no hole). I am picturing these with oxidized silver...

Wish I could instantly be an awesome metalsmith right now. But I have friends that are and will one day brush up on my metal skills once again...

One step at a time...

Lots of other cabs being glazed this week to be sent off into three directions - 2 private requesters that are LONG overdue and to Darlene of D7 Studio for the upcoming Marlborough, MA bead show in a week and a half.

I guess I should put some up on Etsy too... Early next week!

-- Pictures Taken With & Posted From My iPhone

Lentil Beads Are Making An Appearance...

Last week a friend - LeAnn of Summers Studio - posted a tutorial and link from the Beads-Of-Clay Blog to a post she had done on her own blog about making Lentil beads...

Something inside me stirred and I HAD to get into the studio to revisit the ideas of making lentils...



This pic above is just taken this morning after my first kiln unloading...



Above you see the "making stage". This is the putting the two halves together part...



Oops - a step before - this is all the halves (textured circles that have been domed) setting up on drywall... Then I "clay glued" the halves together.



This picture above is after the first firing (the bisque firing)...



Two different layers of colorant & glaze have been applied to these (will hopefully look similar to the blue, black & white one pictured)...



Then into the glaze firing (@ 2232 F)... Each piece suspended and then weighted down to prevent excessive sagging of the wire as the special high temperature wire heats up...



After a 24 hour period of heating up, then cooling down, the kiln is ready to be unloaded and pieces looked over.



These pieces look much better out of the kiln - which is a breath of fresh air! The textures are on both sides - some the same, some different...



I just love that puddling blue... I'm a bit obsessed with it at the moment...



And here is a side shot of the piece. They were all textured along the seam where the two halves were joined for a more finished look. I also really like the way the lines make a vertical path for your eyes to follow as you turn the piece over...



Then these were left as domed cabochons (no hole). I am picturing these with oxidized silver...

Wish I could instantly be an awesome metalsmith right now. But I have friends that are and will one day brush up on my metal skills once again...

One step at a time...

Lots of other cabs being glazed this week to be sent off into three directions - 2 private requesters that are LONG overdue and to Darlene of D7 Studio for the upcoming Marlborough, MA bead show in a week and a half.

I guess I should put some up on Etsy too... Early next week!

-- Pictures Taken With & Posted From My iPhone

Apple Macbook Air Late 2010 - "Now in Malaysia" Status

Date		Time		Location Service Area		Checkpoint Details
Nov 03, 2010		07:40		Szb - SZB		Clearance processing complete - Szb - SZB
Nov 03, 2010		02:09		Hhp - HHP		Clearance processing complete - Hhp - HHP
Nov 02, 2010		18:29		Pvg - PVG		Clearance processing complete - Pvg - PVG
Nov 02, 2010		14:23		Pvg - PVG		Clearance delay - Pvg - PVG
Nov 01, 2010		22:03		Sha - SHA		Departed from facility - Sha - SHA
Nov 01, 2010		22:02		Sha - SHA		Processed - Sha - SHA
Nov 01, 2010		20:14		Sha - SHA		Shipment picked up - Sha - SHA

Expecting by 9.30am to reach KUL...

UPDATE:

Nov 03, 2010

09:16

Kul - KUL

Arrived at sort facility - Kul - KUL

You can follow me on Twitter to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Apple.

Apple Macbook Air Late 2010 - "Shipped" Status

1. Finally the status changed yesterday to "shipped".
2. Now I have a tracking number to track the goods from DHL website.
3. I also received email of the shipment status notification.

DateTimeLocation Service AreaCheckpoint Details

---

Nov 01, 2010 22:03 Sha - SHA Departed from facility - Sha - SHA
Nov 01, 2010 22:02 Sha - SHA Processed - Sha - SHA
Nov 01, 2010 20:14 Sha - SHA Shipment picked up - Sha - SHA


You can follow me on Twitter to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Apple.

Apple Macbook Air Late 2010 - "Prepared for Shipment" Status

1. At last the New Late 2010 MBA which I ordered on Oct. 22, have changed the status from "Not Yet Shipped" to "Prepared for Shipment" this morning.
2. The long wait which started with Apple asking for my Credit Card Statement copy for proof of address which I have sent to their email idproof@asia.apple.com and also via fax.
3. I was about to cancel my order when I double checked with Apple and they apologize for overlook my email. That was on Oct. 28. and Apple have sent a new delivery date.
4. It's like 4 days (Nov.1-Oct.28) for the status to change (including Sat. and Sunday).
5. Now, its time for me to wait for their next email regarding the shipping of the MBA!

You can follow me on Twitter to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Apple.

[HOW-TO]: Print to an HP Deskjet 2050 all-in-one printer via Time Capsule

Here's how I managed to get my HP Deskjet 2050 all-in-one printer working wirelessly when connected to a Time Capsule. First, you need download the open-source Linux drivers for HP printers from this page. Make sure you download the hpijs package, but also download the Foomatic-RIP and ESP Ghostscript packages from that same page. 

Install the Footmatic and Ghostscript packages, then restart your Mac. You will not be prompted to restart, but it is necessary before you can install the hpijs package. After the restart, install the hpijs package, and restart again. Now go to System Preferences » Print and Fax » Add Printer (click the '+' sign). 

In the Add Printer window, select IP at the top of the window, and use the following settings:

• PROTOCOL: HP JetDirect-Socket
• ADDRESS: Obtain and enter the IP of the Time Capsule: 192.168.1.100, or whatever it actually is.
• QUEUE: leave blank
• NAME: HP Deskjet 2050
• LOCATION: Put whatever you'd like here.
• PRINT USING: HP Deskjet 2050 (the driver you installed)

Finally, click Add to add the new printer. Essentially, you've tricked the HP printer into thinking the Time Capsule is an HP JetDirect Print Server by setting it up this way. This should work for other similar printers that are supported by the Linux drivers.