Lampwork Beads - That is All

This week wasn’t a very productive week again.  More hand pain plus allergies causing major breathing issues.  Just not feeling well HOWEVER, I did manage one morning at my torch making beads.  Wow !  I recall saying it’s like riding a bike and to some degree it is but it’s the remembering what colors work well with silver or what color works with what frit, etc etc.  lol !  It was interesting to say the least.  The results are pictured below and I have to say – I need to get back to basics – again.  It’s just been too long.  Maybe some reading is in order but of course just playing around will get my brain functioning again too.  It’s worked in the past when I took off two years from my torch.  There is so much info out there now it can get confusing.  The one major thing I did learn after coming back from that 2 year break is slow, steady and back to basics.  Works every time.  I’d love to get back to sculpting as that was always what I loved to do best so we shall see in due time.

 

The second photo below shows what the ortho doc said will help my hand.  Yep, a splint or brace or whatever you want to call it.  lol !  Xrays showed a lot of arthritis at the base of my thumb as well as bone spurs.  Yay.  L  This is not a good thing when it comes to making beads.  Gotta spin that mandrel !  I am right handed so the mandrel goes in my left hand.  I tried making beads with that thing on and it just didn’t work.  Off it came !  Much better but painful.  Ugh.  Can’t win.  So I’ll do what I need to do and just limit the beadmaking for now.  I don’t want the injections and I certainly don’t want surgery !  The old saying, if it’s not one thing it’s another holds true for me this year.  lol !  Thankfully, nothing majorly serious. 

If you have a moment, come on over to my Facebook page where I am destashing OPB's that need to find new homes all at discounted prices.  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005964946289

So that’s all for now.  Thanks very much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon.  

   

That Was the Week That Was

Last week was a week of no fun.  My hand (thumb area) is so painful that no matter what I tried to do crafty wise, it caused more pain.  So no pretties were put together, on the loom that is.  I did manage to take apart some older things but even that caused issues. 

No bead making either since it was too hot to do that.  BUT the mornings, at least, are getting cooler.  Down into the 60’s now so that means early torching sessions !  This is when I melt glass anyway.  I’m at my most “gung-ho” or should I say, constructive early in the mornings.  I try to start at the torch no later than 8:00 am and try to wrap it up no later than 11:00 am.  That’s a good long session for me and typically can get a lot done in that time frame.  Since I haven’t torched for any length for a very long time, it will probably take me a session or two to get back in the swing of things again.  lol !  Like riding a bike – almost.  lol !  I’m already thinking about what I want to make so that’s a very good sign it’s time to get to it !  

I got my seed bead order the other day too.  A whole bunch of new colors !  In all, about 45 !  I didn’t think it was that many !  Geesh !  lol !  It’ll be a lot of fun when I can get back to the loom. J  Not sure when that will be but it’ll come.  The project I began last week is still on the loom right where I left off.  I just couldn’t work it because of the thumb thing.  Hopefully soon.

Below are some pics of what I did finally finish up.  The beaded kumihimo bracelet sat on my desk for weeks unfinished so finally, I got it wrapped up.  Love the colors in this one.  Too small for me though so it will go in my Etsy shop.  The leaf beads were part of a necklace at one time that I never wore so it came apart and the beads will also be in my shop soon.  The leaf beads are made with a gorgeous silver glass.  So pretty.  The necklace I made a long time ago and THOUGHT I had listed it in my Etsy shop and never did !  lol !  So it will be going there over the weekend.  The decorated round beads turned out gorgeous.  A color that took me many years to finally get the true colors to come through !  lol !  

That’s it for this week.  It’s time to get my day started.  Thanks so much for coming by.  I hope you come back again soon !  

       

Mid September Already ! Fall Is In The Air ?

Not with 90 degree temps and 100% humidity !  Ick !  It'll come though but not soon enough !  lol !  

It's been an interesting week with a bum hand.  lol !  I actually know how to get along with a bum hand fairly well.  I've had 4 surgeries between both over the years.  lol !  Still it really isn't alot of fun.  Thankfully, no surgery involved here.  Feels like a sprain even though I don't recall hearing the telltale "pop" when you sprain something.  I can't get into ortho doc for another week so will have to wait til then to get "official" diagnosis.

With the painful hand, my crafting anything has, let's say, dwindled.  Still, I had to give something a try.  Got out the loom and got started.  I warped it with the new C-Lon size D colored thread I got.  Hmmmm, began warping and thought wow, the thread feels very weak to be doing that sort of beading but I continued and finished up the number I needed.  Started to bead and it just wasn't working out well at all.  Keep in mind, I'm using Dyna-Mites size 11 seed beads.  It was hard to manipulate these particular beads using this particular thread. I thought maybe it's just my bum hand getting in the way but I found later it was not.  The tension wasn't there either no matter what I did which I though quite odd.  Finally, after adding about 3 or 4 rows that took a VERY long time to work, I had enough.  Took it all apart and started over with the Silamide thread.  No problem at all.  So just maybe, the C-Lon size D thread just isn't going to work well FOR ME using the Dyna-Mites seed beads.  I know alot of people use it for looming but alot of people use other types of seed beads too.

As I was beading on the loom, my hand was starting to bother me so when the pain got too bad, I just quit which meant, not much got done in a week.  lol !  You can see in the photo below just how much DID get done in 5 days.  lol !  It's almost 3 inches and it felt like a foot !  lol !  I'll just do what I can when I can.   

Cool, fall weather is not too far off now and so the days for beading on a loom are becoming numbered !  I'll be back at my trusty torch very soon melting glass into beads and I am VERY VERY anxious to do just that.  :)   It seems like FOREVER that I've put in some good time creating with glass and I surely have missed it !  I'll still play on the loom or make a braid or piece of jewelry on days I can't torch.  I'll have to cause I just ordered a bunch more seed beads !  lol !  Making beads is my first love though soooooo...............

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

        

Slow As It Goes

June 24, 2015 - UPDATE:  If you  are looking for the hummingbird and otter pendants, they sold LONG ago.  That part of this post has been edited out.  Thanks for coming by though.  :)

Below is the original post which was written September 2014.
It's been one of those weeks.  Sigh.  Nothing accomplished at all as far as any crafty or artsy projects.  :(
- Melting glass to make beads is still on hold due to heat and humidity.
- Working braids is on hold due to hand/thumb area injury and I have no idea how or what I did but the pain is severe.  Can't manipulate cords too well with a bum hand/thumb area.
- I haven't had a chance to work with the loom due to my hand and time.  It's been a week full of appointments, doctor and otherwise.

So what HAVE I done ?  Not much at all.  lol !  I'm ready to get moving again too !  I get bored so darned easily and feel like if I'm not doing a little something most of the time, I'm wasting time.  Kinda a dumb way to be I guess but when I get too lazy, that laziness is hard to get away from.  lol !  Does that make sense ?
So I have no tales to tell, no lessons I've learned or in process of learning.  No insights to share at all - that I can think of anyway.  lol !

I do know that I have some dye, white satin cording and instructions on how to hand dye my own satin cording and it just sits.  I COULD be doing that.  lol !  I've hand dyed my own SILK cording in the past and must say I really enjoyed it BUT, it is quite time consuming so I'm guessing the satin cord will be the same.  Plus not only dyeing is involved !  You gotta unwind the cord first then wind a specific way for dipping or painting then dye then once dried you gotta wind into a ball or whatever.  Now, I am talking about no small amount of cording !!  Each "ball" of cord is 144 yards long !   And that's probably why I'm procrastinating about it.  lol !  So it sits in my craft closet with all the other "stuff".  lol !   Hmmm, maybe I'll go for the loom again afterall..........................lol !

I've added a few oldies but goodies photo's below just to add some color to this post.  Hopefully next week I'll be able to show something I've done lately !

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

                                 
                                    The next two photo's are of beads I made a VERY long time ago.  The first one is of a set I have always regretted selling !  lol !  I can't remember what I used either.  Oh well........ The doll beads were some of my very first.  The one on the far right IS my very first.  :)  The one to the right of the dime is the tiniest I've ever made.