Making Beads - Reasons Not Excuses

I still enjoy it.  Love it.  Have fun with it.  Want to do it.  Need to do it. 
I guess it's always going to be in me or a part of me in some way, shape or form.  Even though I can't be at my torch every day because of weather or just plain ole life happening in other ways - it's there.  I tried to get away from it years ago.  Sold everything I had.  That lasted about 2 years.  Had to come back.  Been back now for a while - on and off.  Can't do a lot of things I used to be able to do.  I no longer have steady hands.  I can no longer sit at the torch for hours on end.  My body doesn't allow me to torch when it's 30 degrees outside even though my fun spot is inside.  Still have to open a window to bring in fresh air and that sure can't happen in winter or when it's 90 degrees outside !  lol !  So many factors that want to interrupt or disrupt my torching time.  So, I go with the flow as it were.  lol !  Lately, even though it's the middle of winter and suppose to be at least in the 40's where we live, it's actually been in the 70's !  So I've been at the torch as often as possible.   Yes, making beads - melting glass - lampwork - torching - flameworking -  whatever one chooses to call it - will be in my heart and probably my soul for a long time to come !

As for not being able to do what I used to be able to do at my torch:  So many issues but here goes.  Shakiness.  Yep.  This is my main culprit.  I was lucky for many years though.  I use to be very shaky as a kid and up thru my young adult ages.  Somewhere along it eased up for a while.  Was able to do those minute details in beads.  Then somewhere along the way it came back.  Not nerves just shakiness when doing anything that requires details.  I keep trying things and once in a while I get lucky but usually not so much.  So because of that I no longer make those beads that require tiny eyes or anything that is tiny detail wise.  Straight lines are the worse so far.  sigh. Oh well, I keep trying.  

Sitting at the torch endlessly.  Can't do it.  Haven't been able to do it for a long time.  My muscles become extremely tight and hard to move if I do sit endlessly.  I've actually gotten up from my chair bent over I sat too long !  Can't do that any more.  So my torch sessions are no more than a total of 2 hours at each session and I get up at least 2 or 3 times during each hour.  It gets painful !  lol !  Age does that I guess or at least maybe lack of exercise ?  Maybe both.  Even sitting at the computer or watching tv too long will hurt. 

Weather - Well, no control over that so what can one say ?  lol !  You REALLY have to go with the flow here.  lol ! 

Ok so now that that's all out - I have been at the torch lately.  One day I thought I had run out of oxygen but turned out I had enough to make 11 beads !  lol !  The photo below is that result:

 

These flowers were made prior to running out of oxygen.  I absolutely LOVE how they all turned out.  They are all headpins.

 

 

Just finished up the ones below 2 days ago.  I LOVE this mix of glass and silver.  Two layers of glass and 2 layers of fine silver ! 

 

 

Thanks so much for coming by.  Please come back again sometime.

 

 

 

 

     

Letting Go

Sometimes it's hard to let things go.  I don't know why, it just is.  This isn't one of those times.  I actually made this decision quite a while ago.  I actually quit making jewelry a very long time ago but for some reason just hung on to all the "stuff" to make jewelry.   I guess as a "just in case" sort of thing.  No, I'm not going back to it.  I've had my fill of it. 

I find I much prefer making the parts that go into making jewelry pieces rather than the putting together the jewelry itself.  Of course I'm referring to making glass beads and other fun parts yet to be discovered or tried.  More discoveries are coming as I have enough supplies to try my hand at copper or other metal enameling, precious metal clay, metal etching and more just waiting to be put to good use.  Or at least trying to put it all to good use.  lol !  

So yes, I am letting go of all those jewelry making supplies that I have collected over many years.  And there sure is a BUNCH of it !  lol !  All of it is going on my All My Beads Facebook page in an album all by themselves.  I found out that you DON'T have to be on FB to see what I have but if you want to buy anything you see, you'll have to figure out a way to get in touch with me to purchase anything.  There are several ways as of right now:  You can reach me at my Etsy shop and send me a message there.  Just click on the link or one of the photo's to the right of this post and it will take you there.  Or you can message me right here.  Your message will NOT show up to the public, only to me so please include your email address so I can respond. Or of course you can join Facebook.  It's not a big deal to do that.  If you do, just be sure to come over and visit my All My Beads Page and LIKE it.  I'll post some links at the end of this post. 

Here are some photo's of just a few things available on my Facebook page.  I do have Swarovski crystals that will be listed very last.  Might be a long time from now.  lol !  In the meantime:

                      Karen Hilltribe Handcarved Leaf Pendants - 2 Available.

                   
           

                                             Hematite Square Flat Beads Rainbow

 

10-0 Toho Seed beads

 

Silver Plate & 14k Gold Plate Rhodium Magnetic Clasps for leather and Kumihimo pieces.

 

This is what it should look like when you click on my Facebook Destash Album if you are NOT on Facebook.  In this format, you can only look at what I have listed.  If you wish to purchase anything, you will have to join facebook, message me here or message me at my Etsy shop.  Links are just below this photo.    

 

 

 

 

LINKS:

 

My Facebook Page   https://www.facebook.com/AllMyBeads/

 

My Jewelry Supplies Destash Page JEWELRY SUPPLIES DESTASH ALBUM

 

Thanks much for coming by !  Hopefully next time, I'll be able to post photo's of BEADS !  :) 

 

 

 

 

   

Links and More

Not much in beadie things to show cause I haven't been able to torch this past week.  :(  Life can just get in the way sometimes.  It happens and we all do the best we can. 

I decided to post some links to some really cool pages/websites that I've come to know recently, are brand new pages or have been around for a while that I visit often.  Some are quite helpful, others are just for fun while others can be dangerous.  Dangerous because money is spent at these places.  lol !  No matter they're all places I enjoy, relax to or again just spend money at.  So let's get started.  And in no particular order except for my pages.  It is my blog page afterall.  lol ! 

ALL MY BEADS FACEBOOK PAGE

MY FB JEWELRY SUPPLIES DESTASH ALBUM

MY PINTEREST

LAMPWORK BULK BUY FB GROUP

GLASS BEADS DAILY

LAMPWORK ETC.

http://www.sodalimetimes.com/

http://www.web2pdfconvert.com/

http://www.beadsofcourage.org/

http://www.pogo.com/

AMAZING GLASS ART

DESIGN SEEDS - COLOR ! 

http://www.commentsyard.com/

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/eagle-cam

Thanks for coming by.  Please come back again soon. 

Need More Glass ?

Did not realize it's been that long since I posted last.  Geesh.  Where does the time go ?  I know, it just goes and there's no stopping it.  Sometimes I wish I could.  Don't we all ? 

So the last post I showed all those leaves I made.  I made more after that too.  Finally figured out what colors I wanted to use for that special project.  Had to order more glass.  Sigh.  That's usually the way it goes.  I really didn't want to but needed 2 more colors I didn't have.  Problem with needing only 2 more colors, when we, meaning glass melters, beadmakers, lampworkers only NEED 2 colors, it doesn't stop at just the 2 colors when we order.  Oh no.  We find "excuses" to "need" this other color or that other color.  lol !  And ooooohhhhhh I've never seen that color before !  lol !  Never fails.  Plus, if you're gonna order glass anyway, might as well make it worth the cost of shipping.  Oh wait, this place offers FREE shipping !  lol !  Can't use that excuse for ordering more glass.  It's a matter of justification in the end.  Sometimes it can be - sometimes not so much.  lol !  Justified that is.  Still, in the end, if you do need that certain color for a certain project, it's a must have so gotta do it sort of thing.  The only other thing I can think of is if you live near a glass distributor or dealer.  Then MAYBE you can go in and get just what you need.  That said, I live no where near one of those places so I can't know what I would do.  lol !  I do admit though that getting those boxes with all that glass in it !  It's like a kid at Christmas at my house.  lol !  For me anyway.  It's always fun getting those boxes.  :) 

I was able to torch just a bit the last couple of weeks.  We had a cold spell there for a while.  But it's been warming up this past week.  Spring is just around the corner which means POLLEN and NO torching at all. sigh.  At least not until the nasty yellow stuff disappears.  So I have made a few things here and there however some of it was just experimenting.  As I mentioned, more leaves but did get a couple others things done.  I'm making at least one bead per session for BOC again.  Need to keep this up as they are in need of beads.  If every beadmaker would make just one bead for BOC every torch session it sure would help.  Anyway, I've added a few photo's below of a few things that I made so enjoy the eye candy.  :) 
 
This first photo is another in the line I call Ancient Artifacts I LOVE playing with.  Want to add more beads to this set. 

This little dollie bead set will go to BOC.  I haven't made a doll bead in ages.  Can you tell ?  lol !  I think some little girl might like her though.

 

Of course more bell flowers.  The difference here - they are made on .999 fine silver wire !  Yep.  Those are really shiny wires too !  :)  All of the others were made on German silver wire which is NOT pure silver.  These wires are .999 pure silver. 

 

That's all for now friends.  Thanks so much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon. 

 

Please come by my Facebook pages for a visit.  I show all of my beads and projects there. 

 

ALL MY BEADS Facebook

Keeping Up and Torch Time

Time to update here since it's been almost 2 weeks.  Why is it that with every good intention of keeping updated here that inevitably something gets in the way ?  lol !  Such is the way things go I guess.  At least there are the good intentions.  :) 

I did have quite a bit of torch time in these almost 2 weeks with a specific project in mind for several of those torch sessions.  Oh I did make some other beadies as well but the bulk of my time spent there was making glass leaves headpins/beads.  Yep, leaves and LOTS of them with more to come.  I think I need more anyway.  I really should start the project so I know exactly how many I need.  lol !  Again, the thought of good intentions.  Still, as you can see in the photo just below, there are LOTS of leaves in many colors. I need to decide which color(s) to go with AND - to etch or not to etch.  Hmmmmmm...............If I etch, the green leaves in this photo will not etch for some reason.  Some colors just won't.  Maybe if I tumble etch them ?  At any rate, I have made MORE leaves already (not pictured here) to bring the total up to about 80.  Once I decide what color(s) then I can move forward. 

As for other beadies made this past week, take a look below.   I so enjoy making beads with this technique.  Sometimes I just don't know how they will turn out in the end.  I love being surprised when I take beads out of the kiln.  :)  I did learn the original technique from a tutorial I purchased however I have changed it up a bit to make it my own and I love the outcome.   They're just fun to make. 

 

Another bead type I enjoy making is the one below.  No special name for it.  They're tube focal beads with a special no longer manufactured glass frit that is very reactive.  Fun to make and the outcome is always quite pleasing.  This one is etched.   

 

 

There are more beads from the past week but those are for another time.  No matter the time of year or the mood I'm in, being at the torch to make these glass beadies always, always makes me happy.  :)  In fact, even though it's only about 30 degrees this morning with it staying rather chilly all day, I'm going to be at the torch in about an hour.  lol !   So, I am outta here !  :)

 

Thanks so much for coming by.  Come back again soon. 

Come visit my Facebook page at:

 

ALL MY BEADS FACEBOOK PAGE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter Beads

I really don't know what that means !  lol !  I just needed a "title" for this posting and couldn't think of anything real clever.  So because it's winter and I am still making beads, why not Winter Beads ? 

I really don't have any "winter" beads per say to show, just beads, bellflowers and such.  Probably mainly bellflowers and "such" since that's what I've been making lately.  I did receive a new press last week and made one bead with it but won't show it until I'm a bit more familiar with working the press.  It's a bit of a tough one so will take more practice. 

I also received a new tool to use when making the bellflowers & other headpins.  I ordered and received it along with the latest size bellflower press I purchased.  The tool is the wire holder you use when making bellflowers or whatever sort of headpin using a wire.  It's the Carlo Dona slider wire holder and may I say I LOVE IT !  Yes, it's a bit costly and yes there are MANY other ways to hold the wire that's cheaper or can be made at home but believe me when I say, this handy dandy tool is the best !  I've used all of the methods I just mentioned including what was probably easiest for most (pin vise) but this way, is a thousand times better and SO VERY EASY !  Here's a photo of the tool and it can be purchased thru the only Carlo Dona distributor in the US - Spiral Arts If you make these pretty little headpins on ANY kind, I highly recommend this tool.  Photo below.  I borrowed the photo from Spiral Arts website and enlarged it so it's a little bit blurry.

 

Since receiving this new wire holder and the newest size (to me) bellflower press, I've been making bellflowers and lots of them (see photos below).  Also some more leaves and what I'm calling "do-dads" or little extra's to go along with some bellflower groupings I've been putting together.  I got some new leaf presses some time ago and am finally giving them a go too.  Anyway, photo's below of some of the bellflowers and etc. I've made this past week.  The newest size press is 16mm with 6 points and that's what most of the flowers are.  It's a really nice size.  The two groupings shown in the other photo's below have several size bellflowers in them.  I LOVE making these pretty little flowers.  :)  The last 2 photo's below show the sizes of the bellflower presses I have.

 

This grouping of flowers and so on are only a part of what I made.  There are a bunch more.  lol ! 

This pretty grouping of bellflowers, leaves and etc is made with corals, pinks and peach.

 
This grouping is made with Cranberry or gold pink and pinks with leaves and do-dads.

 

These two photo's are the sizes of the bellflower presses I have.  Yep, I have 4 of them and they are ALL the original Carlo Dona presses.  These are the presses that have been made for a very long time by the original designers family in Italy.  These presses make THE BEST flowers out there.  There are other so called bellflower presses out there but the quality just does not compare by any standard. 

 

 

I have a couple sets of beads I made as well but will keep those for another time.  I have so many of these bellflowers that I need to either sell them or make something with them.  :) 

My Facebook page -   ALL MY BEADS

Thanks much for coming by.  Come back again sometime.  :)





 

Ok so Belated Happy New Year !

With the start of a new year (now in progress) alot of us wish to start anew with fresh ideas, a clean slate as it were.  Or if in the middle of a project or venture to finish it up and THEN start fresh.  Either way can be exhilarating and bring a whole new outlook to your world.  Nope, not in either place.   lol !  I'm not being pessimistic or anything, I'm just not in that place and who said I had to be ?  :)  When you think about it, that's ALOT of pressure on someone actually.  I mean, What if you just don't have any new idea's or maybe you don't want any new idea's ?  lol !  What if what you are working on or dealing with is exactly where you want to be ?  :)  It would seem to me with all sorts of media telling us we need to start a new year with a new outlook and that if we aren't in that mindset or position, we are just not "right" or something.  lol !   Well, I'm ok for now as I am.  Playing with fun stuff at the torch and working on getting my steady hands back.  I know what I need to do alright without anyone telling me how I should be or feel.  lol !  Hey, I've started the New Year right where I want and need to start it.  :)  So as far as I'm concerned, do what you feel you need - not what the media says you need and enjoy !  THAT'S where I'm at.  Happy New Year everyone !  

So with that, here's what I've been doing when I can.  I'm at the torch of course.  lol !  So far I've not been able to torch every day.  Seems there is ALWAYS something that needs to be done first.  Still when I can I'm there.  Still keeping it simple, still making beads I enjoy making. 

Want some eye candy ?  Ok here's a few beadies I've done over the past week.  Had fun making them too.  Simple is the key word.  :)  My hands have been giving me so much trouble lately, simple is the only way at the moment.  That's ok though cause I think these beads are pretty cool.  :)  

  

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for coming by.  I hope you make it back sometime. 

Please check out my Facebook Page at:

ALL MY BEADS

 

Where you will find my beads, silk cords and some jewelry for purchase or just to look at.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving and Beads

Ok, so there's really no connection between Thanksgiving and Beads in reality however, that said, I must say I am thankful that I found this wonderful craft/art of making glass beads.  sigh.  It was a long time coming and I just can't give it up. 

I am the first to admit, I am no artist.  There are folks out there that are so creative and artistic in this medium that I just cannot compare.  That's ok though.  I knew long ago when I started I was no artist.  Never tried to be.  I just enjoy being mesmerized by melting glass.  What a joy ! 


So what does constitute being an artist ?  Is it the ability to create new and unique objects/items ?  Here is the definition of an artist, according to Merriam-Webster dictionary: 
a person who creates art :
 a person who is skilled at drawing, painting, etc.
: a skilled performer

: a person who is very good at something

 

I am none of the above !  lol ! 

 

It says nothing about creating "new and unique".  I KNOW for a fact there are bead artists that will disagree quite loudly.  lol ! 

 

Definition of craft according to Merriam-Webster:

 an activity that involves making something in a skillful way by using your hands

: a job or activity that requires special skill

crafts : objects made by skillful use of the hands

 

That's where I'm at.  A crafter and I love it.  :) 

 

Since I have no artistic qualities (hehehe) I make simple, uncomplicated beads right now.  I did the complicated stuff in the past.  When I had more energy.  lol !  When I was more ambitious I guess.  I'm at that point in my life where, easy is more fun.  Oh don't get me wrong, I still have PASSION about this craft.  I can't get enough.  I LOVE the choice of colors, the different glasses, the frits, the tools, etc, etc.  lol !   I think about it often when I'm not at the torch & get excited.  I have dreams about it.  lol !  All that passion stuff, I still feel.  I just prefer taking the easy way whenever possible.  Why not ?  And those days when I feel extra rambunctious, I dig in to the tutorials and go for it.  lol !  I have LOTS of tuts I've never even tried due to the complicated steps.  They're fun to read and look at the pictures though.  :) 

 

Since my last post, which seems ages ago, I have FINALLY just gotten back on the torch in the last 2 days and it feels soooooooooooo good !  I've made simple fritted beads pictured below, more bellflowers which are still in the kiln and a few experimental beads which I won't show.  They aren't worth the time to photograph.  lol !  The second set below is a "re-do" of beads I made previously.  Too big of a set so downsized and made 2 sets.  This one with a focal. 

 

So enjoy the eye candy for this post and come back again soon.  Time for Thanksgiving dinner is drawing near.  Cracker Barrel has a really good turkey dinner !  lol !  Thanks for stopping in and I hope you and yours had a great Thanksgiving day !   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since My Last Post...............................

It's been a long few weeks with no torching and still I can't breath out of my nose.  Feeling better, just can't breath.  Ugh.  Since no beads were made, I have no brand new photo's to post - except a few of beads I "re-did".  Photo's below. 

Since my last post, the time fell back and it took everyone a week to fall forward !  lol !  Time for that tired tradition to end.  No need for it to change at all anymore. Leave it at Spring Forward.  More sunlight in the day means healthier people. 

Since my last post, I noticed not as many folks have stopped in here.  I am guessing that has to do with my removing old, outdated posts about Kumihimo.  Can't help it.  That "art" has moved far ahead of where I was when I made those posts.  So, bye bye. 

Since my last post, I got a couple new "toys" to play with.  I did try one out last week and LOVE it.  Can't wait to use it more.  It's a masher that mashes absolutely perfectly  parallel compared to any other masher out there.  Pricey but worth every dime.  Second toy is a press or mold that came from Germany.  Can't wait to use it either.  

Since my last post, I I've cleaned up/out my bead stash.  It was a long time coming.  BOC got a nice box full of almost 300 beads and a nice person overseas got a nice boxfull of beadies !  :)   

Since my last post, the weather is changing dramatically however not like it should be.  Instead of getting cooler and STAYING cooler, we are getting temps in the 70's !  For pete's sake, it's NOVEMBER !  The leaves are covering the ground and still falling and it's still in the 70's !  Very little color in the leaves I'm guessing because we had very little rain all summer.  Yet, we have been getting TONS of rain the past 2 months.  Go figure.  

Since my last post, I've cleaned up my desk, my torching area and my silk cords are better organized.  

Since my last post, I've added OPB's (other peoples beads) for sale on my Facebook page.  Destash Beads For Sale  I've had these beads for MANY years, never used any of them so they need to find new homes.  Send me a message over there if interested in any of them. 

Promised eye candy photo's.  Enjoy ! 

Thanks much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon.


 

Cool - Crisp - Autumn Air = Making Beads !

Indeed it does !  Equal making beads that is.  This is the time of year when I can and do make beads ALOT.  At the torch most every single morning.  I love the fall weather leading into winter.  Winter is THE BEST time of year for me.  If only I could live in a snowy area, I'd be in heaven !  lol !  The colors of fall are what inspire me.  When I went to bed last night, all I could think about was making fall color beads.  And that color palette is more wide open than people might think. 

Fall and winter color palette's are truly wonderful with so many deep, rich and vibrant colors to choose from.  Think of the changing of leaves on trees in the fall.  Rich oranges, bright yellows and reds, soft and mutted browns and tans and green in just about any shade you can imagine.  Even purples are considered fall and winter colors.  There is a website that's pretty much indispensable for color combinations.  Here's the link  http://design-seeds.com/  and as you can tell it's called Design Seeds.  You can get inspiration in your email daily if you choose.  I was doing that for a long time until I took a break from making beads.  I'm starting it up again as there are times I do need that inspiration.  I am one of those people that I can try to make the same color combinations and sometimes I do however I have found that when I do, I get very bored and most of the time the beads just aren't the same.  I am no good at "production" work.  Anyway, fall and winter colors are the prettiest in my book.  I feel "at home" when making them.  Don't get me wrong, I love bright colors too.  Oh and of course blues and reds..........oh brother, I admit, I pretty much love all colors BUT fall and winter colors truly are my favorites.  

So onto some eye candy.  I have been busy at the torch lately but did manage to remove myself from that torch for a few mornings last week.  Life gets in the way of torching mojo sometimes.  lol !  The days I did torch were mostly test beads.  Trying different color combos and playing with my new toys too.  :)   I did get a few sets done along the line. 

         This first set I love !  Made on one of my new toys called the Baroque bead shaper.  LOVE !  This set has 3 graduated sizes of the baroque shape with donut spacers.  The color is actually 2 fairly new glass colors and each rod is a mix of two colors.  A good size set to be sure.  This is available on my Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/AllMyBeads

This set is quite organic.  With chocolate brown, silver, ivory and turquoise all swished, swirled and twisted about so it has no set pattern . I like that. :)  Sorry but this one is not available but I can make more !  This one I wouldn't mind redoing at all.  This sort of  technique is always fun to do.  You can contact me on my Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/AllMyBeads if interested. 

Yes, I'm pushing my Facebook page.  It seems to be the way these days.  So come on over and check it out. 

I am having a sale in my Etsy shop.  EVERYTHING expect the hand dyed silk cords is on sale for 15% off !  Come on over and do some shopping !  The link to my shop is on the right.

Time to start my day.  Thanks so much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon !

Cleaning Things Up & Flowers

Yeah, it was time to do a little "updating" to my blog.  Deleted some things and updated others.  It was time.  Still a bit more to do but that's for another time when I actually have some time.  lol ! 

It's torching weather at last.  It's about time !  This was one of the hottest summers I remember since moving to Georgia.  Little rain too but we're getting it now. 

With the great cool weather I am back to torching as often as I can.  Usually in the mornings, early.  The best time of day for me.  I get a lot accomplished then.  I do try to limit myself to no more than 2 hours tops but sometimes I will end up in the middle of something or want to test out just one more color combination.  :)  I've been into making sets these days which is something I never really did liked to do.  Different time- different year.  lol !  Back when I first started making beads, it was sculpting.  Hardly anything but sculpting.  LOVED it.  I still do actually but my hands do not.  I don't remember the last time I actually sculpted anything really.  I really never did "production" work.  Never wanted to so never did.  Sets were an on and off thing.  Made them here and there.  Got into making LONG beads for a long time.  Still love to do that when I can.  So many things you can do with a long bead.  :)  So sets it is for now which is fun and of course can be very frustrating.  lol !  

Since I've had a little time with my new "toys" I have been playing with one in particular, the baroque bead roller.  I enjoy that shape of bead.  Fun to play with.  I don't have any new beads of that shape photographed yet but they're on the way.  I've also been making more bellflowers.  I got some brand new glass and ooooooo are they gorgeous !  Those flowers are in the kiln cooling now.  In the meantime, I managed to "conquer" Rubino !  That is one glass color I used to have fits over !  Hard to work with but finally got it figured out.  Second photo, gorgeous blue and the last photo is pinks and purples.  Some opaque, some transparent and one translucent.  Nice.  Bellflowers are such fun to make.  Having the proper tool is very important.  I use nothing but the best which is the Carlo Dona bellflower press.  A work of art in itself.  There isn't another bellflower press on the market that compares to the quality of the Carlo Dona tools.  They come in a variety of sizes and flower points.  I have and use the 12mm 6 point - 14mm 6 point and the 20mm 8 point which is what the flowers below are.  I will be getting another press when available in the 16mm 6 point size. 

So did I only make bellflowers this past week ?  Nope but again, I need to take photo's of everything.  It's not that I didn't want to get that all done, I just haven't had time.  lol !  Such is the way sometimes.  :) 
 
                           Stunning cranberry color in these flowers. 

 
These flowers are done in a wonderful shade of transparent  brilliant dark blue.  Gorgeous ! 

 

This set of flowers are in purples and pinks.  Quite lovely really. 

 

It's time to sign off for now.  Thanks very much for coming by.  Please come back again soon.  I'm trying hard to post on a regular basis.  :)  

 

Come on over and visit my All My Beads Facebook Page.  You can see what's going on daily there.  https://www.facebook.com/AllMyBeads

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lampwork Tools and Toys - It's Time To Play !

It was a really great week at the torch last week - finally !  Yes, it's been cool enough, at least in the mornings, I can get back to doing what I truly love to do - make beads !  And I sure did.  Had a blast.  Got some new tools and toys to work/play with which made it all the more fun.  New stuff requires learning to use the item and LOTS of practice.  With practice comes many failures which end up in the water can.  lol !  So if I made 50 beads, probably half ended up "canned".  lol !  That's perfectly fine with me.  It gets me to that goal of the bead being well done.  :) 

So what did I get ?  A few tools that will help in many ways - these for example.  PHOTO #1 is of what they call "shaping tools" mainly for sculpting but one can find other uses as needed.  I got mine at Harbor Freight (actual store).  Pretty inexpensive really considering all that can be done with them.  PHOTO #2 - I also got a new rock tumbler.  That can be used to tumble glass beads to give them that gorgeous matte finish without using chemicals.  Mix it up with water, silicone carbide (grit), some glass beads like pony beads and a drop or two of liquid dish soap and off you go !  PHOTO #3 - below the tumbler shows just one set beads I tumbled in my new tumbler.  You can tumble as many or as few beads as you want but I prefer more so when I do want etched beads, I'll wait until I have a nice, large group.  :)  I also got new filters for my face mask.  It is all about safety afterall.  While this art/craft is a lot of fun, it requires extreme caution at all times.  You are dealing with gas + oxygen = fire and fumes.  Nasty, deadly fumes.  Along with a powerful ventilation system, a gas mask is a must - at least for me.  I use a 1/2 mask which is much more comfortable. 

Ok so on to the fun stuff !  lol !  I got a few new toys to play with too !  :) Some new bead rollers which are in the photo's below.  I forgot to mention - I did "borrow" all of the photo's you see here EXCEPT my beads.  :)  Anyway, these are the first bead rollers I've purchased in a very long time.  Probably years.  Am having fun with them !  You can see the website address to Donna's online shop - CG Beads in those photo's.  Her bead rollers are great, the original bead rollers and they are made right here in the USA !  Anyway, I had the last bead roller in the photo when it first came out years ago but sold it because at the time I was not into making sets much.  So of course I had to buy another one.  lol !  It would seem I'm into making sets now.  lol !  Anyway, with all these new bead rollers comes a lot of practice using them.  Sometimes it's easy - sometimes not so much.  The key - learn how much glass is needed.  If you start out with the smallest mold and add too much glass, at least you can go to the next size up.  :)  PPP is all it takes.  Oh and your imagination of course.   The last photo is of just one little set I made using the first mold called Baroque.  I really do LOVE this shape !  Just so much fun !  I rarely make anything purple but gotta say, I like this little set.  More to come of this shape to be sure.

Well, that's all for today.  Thanks so much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon !  Check out my facebook page here  https://www.facebook.com/AllMyBeads  for all the latest including news about my Etsy shop. 

 

 

 

 

 

Blogging Information Please

I'm overdue for a post.  The last 2 weeks have been tedious but that's not why you come to visit.  :)   Forward I go................ 

If you blog, do you check on who's looking at your blog ?  Do you see where they are posting from ? 
Whenever I log on to my blog the first page that opens up shows posts that folks make that are on my blogs to read list.  Those are blogs I have links to or follow.  I look to see who's made a post and if anything looks interesting, I read.  There are several I enjoy although not regularly.
The other thing that shows up is a chart showing there are visitors to my blog.  I check out this chart each time I log on.  It tells me where the visitors are coming from.  Not any of their personal information, only that someone has clicked on my blog from another website.  For example:  Say I go to a beading website, see someone's link to their blog, click on that link and there I am at their blog. 
You do not see personal info on me nor do I see anything on you.  It's just interesting information letting the blogger know there is someone looking at their blog that came from a beading website.  

Today I noticed of the top 6 websites where someone has visited my blog, 5 of them read posts about Kumihimo.  Some days, of the top 6 websites where I had visits from, they were reading posts about lampwork.  There is one website that is ALWAYS #1 that I get visitors from on a daily basis.  The post they are reading is more than 3 years old !  :)  I find that most interesting.   

The other information these posts give me (and all bloggers) is the country the post is coming from.  It does NOT give any addresses or even the city, only the country.  Truly shows that the world wide web is up and running just fine 24/7.  

Now it's time for a little eye candy.  lol !  Yes, I was able to torch a few times a week or so ago.  Once again, during a brief reprieve from the heat and humidity ! 

I adore this first set !  I love the frit and I love it etched ! 

This is a simple 3 shades of transparent amber barrel beads set with sis and then etched to give them that wonderful soft matte look and feel.  Yummy.


 
    
Thanks much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon ! 

Beads and Silk Cords

Beads - they're in my blood.  I can't get away from them.  I don't want to get away from them.   All kinds of beads make me happy.  Lampwork beads are my favorites of course but I enjoy all the rest too.  Seed beads, clay beads, wood beads, ceramic beads, metal beads and on and on.  They are addicting.  Maybe that all goes back to my "hippie" days.  Afterall, I am a child of the 60's.  I didn't make them back then but I did wear them and often.  Plus as a child we all played with plastic beads in some form and who didn't play with marbles ?  Marbles are beads - they just have no holes.  Beads have been around for so long I don't think there's too many people that haven't done something with some kind of bead in their life.   Beads - they are a part of our society and many others - like it or not.  They're all around us and have been for centuries.  They aren't going anywhere and I'm sooo very happy for that ! 

This week, I've had the pleasure of being able to be at my torch a couple of mornings before the heat sets in.  The thing about that is it means the mornings are becoming cool again, slowly but surely, which also means, fall is just around the corner.  Yay !  My absolute favorite time of year - next to winter !  lol !  Which also means, many more days at the torch and for longer periods of time.  Which also means more beads are coming.  As long as my back and hands hold up.  lol !  Anyway this week, I was able to make a couple of sets, managed a pumpkin for Halloween and pulled some special stringers for some special types of beads.  Those stringers, took TWO, yes TWO hours to pull !  That was my day at the torch yesterday.  See, sometimes these pretty beads you see, all pretty with special decorations added in, take ALOT of prep time before even making one bead.  And then with so many additions to the bead, it can take a very long time to make that one bead.  Anyway, I wasn't able to make one of those beads yet but they will come.  :)  The beads I did make are still waiting to be photographed and a set is still soaking in the water.  Will have to show those beads later. 

I also worked on some brand new colors for hand dyeing silk cords and that's exactly what I did last weekend.  There are more new colors coming very soon too.  Colors I've never dyed before so it's pretty exciting for me !  :)  Anyway, photo's below of the newer colors.   All will be in my Etsy shop soon but are also available on my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AllMyBeads  All of the cords now available in my Etsy shop can also be purchased via my Facebook page.  Just message me over there.  :)

                                   Deep Blue.  So pretty.

                          Deep Red  This red is darker than it shows and really stunning.

                              Neon Green !  Yes it's NEON !  :)  LOVE this !  More neons coming.

                              This is more a strawberry red.  Pretty.

                              Two tone turquoise.  Nice.

 

That's it for this week.  Thanks so much for coming by.  I hope you come back very soon !