Spring Fun - Or How To Avoid Summer Heat

Answer:  Find another craft to keep you busy inside with the AC running.  Yep.  I'm one of those people.  Can't stand the heat and humidity of the South.  It knocks you down and makes you unable to breathe !  UGH !  With near 90 degree temps all last week, I hibernated as I do every summer.  Only venturing out when I must.  I dread summer coming at all.  

Ok, so I haven't posted in a few weeks.  It's really due to that first loom knitting project.  I actually finished it in roughly 6 weeks - give or take a day here and there.  Loaded with mistakes, attempting to fix mistakes and finding it heavier than I really thought it would be - I finished it !  It's big, about 65"x58" I think it was.  Something in that range.  Nice size for getting nice and cozy warm.  Which who needs that in the summer but hey, it's available.  :)  
I'm not sure I like the way the yarn ended up after washing.  It's very "fuzzy".  It washed up great !  It's soft to be sure.  No issues there.  Even the repairs I did held up really good.  Still, I don't care for the fuzz.  This yarn is really nice in hats and scarfs though.  I love how it looks.

Since finishing my first afgan, I started yet another one with new yarn.  I LOVE the new yarn but had to "frog" the project.  Why the term frog to end a knitting project ?  I'm not sure but might as well keep with the lingo right ?  :)  Anyway, I learned the purl stitch.  Never did that stitch before and found I really liked the look and it was something different.  Also learned the other 3 basic stitches.  On the new project I used both estitch and purl.  Decided I really liked the yarn alot and was going to buy more but because I was unsure I would get even close to same dye lots, figured I better not.  So the project was frogged.  Anyway, I got practice on the stitches.  

Now we come to yesterday.  I got my latest shipment of yarn !  Oh yeah !  I'm addicted because I could not WAIT to get those packages.  Only 2 arrived.  lol !  More to come.  Anyway, so I started yet another afgan as soon as I could yesterday.  LOVE LOVE LOVE this yarn !  OMG !  Soft, chunky, beautiful colors !  I bought 2 colors of this stuff and I know I'll go back for more.  Bernat Blanket Yarn.  YUMMY !  Doing what is called the garter stitch - which is nothing but knit a row, purl a row.  Love it !  Will have to add a photo later.  Still in camera.  

So, as it is with my glass addiction -  it is also with loom knitting.  :)  I'm not complaining mind you.  Oh no, I'm enjoying it totally and completely.  And have already shown that it's not just the yarn or the loom or the actually knitting - it's the gadgets that go with it !!  lol !  Oh brother..................

Time to get my day started.  Thanks for coming by.  Have a great week !  Enjoy life !  



  

           

The Cost Of Making Glass Beads - Lampwork - Melting Glass

 I know there are numerous posts on blogs, forums and personal websites about this particular issue, I’ve read them.   They all make great points.  I decided to add my 2 cents as well.  Mine won’t go into great detail about the actual prices of such things but will give a little bit of an idea of time and money spent.  Let’s face it, no matter what hobby or business you ARE in, it’s not cheap. Supplies and other expenses just keep going higher and higher.  I have a decent supply of glass that will last me some time however I needed a couple of colors recently.  I went shopping at the place I usually buy all my glass. Talk about sticker shock !  I hadn’t bought any glass in a while so was taken totally off guard when looking. No matter, I needed the colors so bought them.  I use to be able to afford buying by the pound – not so much anymore - unless there's a great sale going on but regular pricing, basic color glass such as white is $14.00 a pound.  Beads with silver glass, you know, those super shiny, pretty color beads that seem to just “dazzle” or look like metal – Well, those beautiful glasses START at $100.00 a pound !  Then, and only then, if you master how to work the glass will you’re bead not look like mud.  lol !  There’s more to that as well such as the torch you use, your flame chemistry and so on but that’s for another time.

Ok so here’s the list of what most lampwork bead glass artists/crafters have in their studio.   Not everyone mind you but the alot.  If you love to melt glass, you will have a well set-up studio with time, with everything you need and some extra’s.  This list is in no particular order. 

Torch ($200.00 and up), kiln ($400.00), GREAT ventilation ($500.00 give or take), controller for kiln (if your kiln doesn’t have one - $425.00 and up and a pyrometer if you prefer is $110.00), mandrels ($6.00 for 10), glass (No way to set price on this – different for everyone and can run into the thousands), bead release ($35.00 large bottle that you will need to replace as needed.  Depends on how often you make beads), bead reamers (usually a dremel with diamond bit) ($50.00 and up), marver ($30.00 and up), eye protection ($80.00 and up), face mask plus replaceable filters ($10.00 and up plus filters), table to work on (???), chair to sit on ($125.00 – I use an adjustable chair), great lighting, protective surface on table such as steel plate, protected floor, oxygen tank ($175.00 plus $35.00 and up to fill every time) and/or oxygen concentrator ($450.00 and up), propane or gas ($60.00 for tank plus $35.00 to fill each time).  Misc. items to add to your bead such as frit, murrini, enamels (hard to determine but could run well into the hundreds).  Misc.tools such as knives, presses, molds for making murrini if so inclined, pokers, mashers, etc (Hundreds of dollars).  Most beads you see these days are not hand shaped unless the person states that.  Most are made with presses now. This can get extensive and expensive as there are many items that can be used for tools and shapers (starting at $30.00 and usually around $65.00).  If you are going to sell your beads you need: a decent camera (hundreds), lighting ($30.00 plus), photo “box” of some sort (handmade using at home materials or $12.00 for a cheapie and up), probably a tripod, photo editing program (there are free ones as well but the better ones cost), computer, printer, printer paper, printer ink, some sort of online shop or website that have their own fees or go to festivals (whole other ballgame).  Advertising –LOTS of time spent here, you need business cards as well.  If you’re going to sell, you gotta be able to ship the bead somehow.  So with that, you have to invest in proper packaging.  Remember, this is glass you are shipping.  Bubble wrap and/or “peanuts”, boxes, plastic bags to gather the beads and of course padded envelopes or possibly boxes to ship in. 

 

Time – you need lots and lots of time to learn, practice, take classes, etc. Even the pro’s out there learn new things all the time.  I’ve been doing this for 10 years, on and off (I don’t torch in the summer at all) and I learn new things all the time.  :)  With learning comes purchasing – books, tutorials, classes and webinars.  Yes, there is tons of free info out there but believe me, you can’t learn it all from the free stuff.  Just not possible.  Time to clean the beads, photography, advertising, listing and shipping all have to be included.  How does one value their time ?  Taking all I’ve just listed  into consideration, let's say it takes one hour to make a single focal bead with decoration, how much should that lampworker get paid ?

   

So there is my 2 cents.  I know I’ve left out some things but you get the jist.  It’s not cheap, in fact, it’s VERY, VERY expensive and the person you are purchasing that bead from is investing A LOT of their time and energy here. Also, you are getting something that is made with heart by someone who LOVES what they are doing.  You can’t do this unless you have passion for it.  Why spend so much time, energy and money in something you have no passion about ? 

I love to make bellflower beads/headpins.  Here’s what goes into making just one flower including the supplies needed. 

List of supplies: ONE bellflower press, the ORIGINAL bellflower press, (these are EXPENSIVE costing $150.00 and up depending on the dollar) but worth every dime as they are a piece of art themselves ! ), glass, wire, pin vise to hold the wire, pickle (to clean the wire later), scrubbie to clean the wire later and small crock pot. 

 

Prep:  Set bellflower press out, cut wire (if you make 20 flowers, cut 20 plus wire).  Choose your glass color.  Turn on concentrator for 15 – 30 minutes to warm up for session and kiln to bring it up to garaging temp.  Using lots of electricity here.

Ready to make flower:  Turn on your ventilation (more electricity) !  Put wire in pin vise, tighten to make sure you won’t lose it, turn on torch and when ready, melt the amount of glass needed to make the flower, put the glass and wire in the press and press.  Now, put it in the kiln to anneal.  Annealing – At least a 12 hour process of ramping down, cooling, from holding/annealing temp of 950 degrees to room temp.

Ready to Clean the wire:  Usually the next day. Warm up your tiny crock pot, add warm/hot water and pickle, add flowers. Wait for about 20 minutes or so, remove flowers, rinse in hot water.  Dry and proceed to clean the wire further with scrubbie or Brillo pad.  Now they are ready to photograph and post to your shop, Facebook page, website, etc or use in making jewelry or in a project. 

 

That’s for just one bellflower and of course, more than one is made during a session. 

What do I charge per bellflower - $3.00.  :) 

 

If you’ve read this far, thanks so much !  :)  You now have a very basic understanding why handmade lampwork glass beads made by one person at their torch in their studio might cost what it does and might be well worth it. :)  Again, I thank-you for your support.                 

  

Back From Vacation and a Few Beadies

I just looked at the date I was last here and it's been too long that I last posted.  Wow !  Since that date, we have taken a short vacation and there was lots happening at home.   Ever find out when it's too hot that your AC is on the blink ?  Anyway, I did have a little torch time in there and even made a beaded braid while on the road during vacation.  No pics of the braid but I did manage some of the beadies posted below.

These two beads are called fire and ice. Taken from a freebie tutorial written up long ago (years) by Mrs. Booger's husband I believe.  I'll have to verify that one.  I never did make these beads until this month and it was pretty much fun.  The only thing I'll do differently next time is make the twistie much smaller.  I have a tendency of making larger diameter twisties.  lol !  Still, I really enjoy the colors in these beads.  Thanks to Mr. Booger !

This very large freeform pressed focal bead is a favorite of mine.  Just frit added to some transparent glass and some of it twisted about.  I do enjoy very much how it turned out !  I will play with this frit some more.  :)  You may see this bead in a beaded braid necklace.  

BIG SIGH HERE !  lol !  This bead is a "What not to do" bead !  lol !  I will show those beads when they happen.  lol !  This one is NOTHING like it started out to be.  Right off hand I don't remember the color I started with.  It was either black or cobalt blue.  Either way, I added some silver foil and other ingredients to the base and it still didn't turn out like I wanted.  So I did the "logical" thing - I mixed it all together, hid that mess with MORE glass !  Dark Ivory, silver foil and black.  Hmmmm, the bead only got bigger and uglier !  lol !   This is the result.  ICK !  Every bead maker has done this at one time or another and usually more than once and most will NOT show them in public.  I think, showing our "what not to do beads" only shows others we are not "know it all's" in this world of melting glass and are willing to experiment !  :)  I mean, experimenting is 90% of this craft/art and sooooo much fun !  lol ! 
  

My Etsy shop is open again now that we're back from vacation so if you so desire, take a few minutes and have a peak. 

Thanks much for coming by.  Please come back again sometime soon.  I'll be posting back on schedule once again.  :) 

Where Oh Where Is My Glass Muse ??? And Thank-Goodness For Kumihimo !

Last week was another week of wondering where in the blazes my bead making muse has run off to !  I can't understand it.  It has been ages she has made her presence known and I'm beginning to worry.  :)  I WANT to make beads again. I WANT to be at my trusty torch and go for it.  I WANT to "feel" and see the glass in my hand and watch it melt in that glorious flame again.  So why can't I bring myself to just GO FOR IT ?  I have tons and tons of tutorials I could choose from.  I have all sorts of things running thru my head I could try out or just do nothing in particular.  Maybe just sit there and make spacers or bell flowers.  Two things that are pretty easy for me.  I think about it and even pass by my "fun area" where I make beads and just - nothing.  No inspiration, no urgency to get to the torch like I use to have, no dreaming of making beads like I use to.  Can't understand it.  So, in the meantime..........................

As I have mentioned frequently lately I am really into Kumihimo again.  Mostly beaded Kumi but making fiber braids as well.  I've followed some new tutorials lately that I have purchased and some that are in books I have.  The ONLY braid I worked on last week was from a tutorial I purchased over a month ago from Randi Sherman.  It's a beaded bracelet braid with just a bit of minor stitching you have to do.  No big deal at all.  If you can sew with needle and thread at all, you can do the stitching here.  Anyway, the bracelet I made is pictured below.  This bracelet calls for beads I've never used before in Kumihimo.  Size 11/0 seed beads, super duos and tiny 3mm drop type beads.  Ohhhh brother I thought when I got this tutorial.  Will my fingers let alone my EYES,  be able to handle all those tiny beads !  lol !  They did surprisingly.  So after the third try, it finally all came together.  The next problem I had was properly getting one piece of the clasp to stay glued on.  It was my own fault as I didn't leave the ends long enough and used a glue I probably shouldn't have.  lol !  Finally THAT all came together and the last faux pas on this cuff was the glue leaked all over the beads near the clasps.  Eye eye eye.  So yeah, even though I thought I wiped the excess glue off good enough, a little length of beads near the clasps are pretty stiff.  lol !  So the bracelet stays home with me.  No one else would want it anyway.  lol ! 

Yes, I will make more of these !  lol !  Even though I had "issues" with this one, I LOVE the look of it.  Plus now that I've made it once, the next ones will come a bit easier - I hope.  :)

I'm destashing some items that I just don't use of need.  If you're interested at all in these items, just follow the links I'm going to add below.

Yarns - On my All My Beads Facebook page All My Beads Facebook Page
Other Peoples Beads - On another Facebook page that is mine  DLA Facebook Page

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

Latest Update

February was a long month away from home !  It's time to update this blog that's for sure.  lol ! 
There's nothing new to show since I was away for so long.  No new beads or jewelry.  I hope to try my hand at some jewelry as I won't be able to do much of anything else.  I'd love to torch but my foot won't allow it right now.  lol !  See, I broke my foot on the 21st.  And I wasn't even having any fun when I did it !  My right foot just did a "side slide" and hit the pavement and rocks.  I ended up with the 5th metatarsal Valusion break.  I've never heard of such a thing.  Doesn't matter though cause it's a break and now I have a big ole' boot on and have to use crutches.  Let me tell ya, gettin' thru the airport last weekend was a bear but at least the one I left from was pretty small.  It was the Atlanta airport I HAD to have a wheelchair and Thank-Goodness for that !  At least I'm home now and it feels pretty good to be here. 

The Etsy shop is open again and I will be able to ship now.  Hope you find something you like there.  Nothing new but hopefully some new jewelry soon.

Since I haven't made anything new lately, here's a few pics of things I've done in the past.

First pic is of some bell flowers I made.  The glass and colors are fabulous !

Second pic of beads I made a while back while practicing encasing flowers.  

Third pic is of some nice twisties I made long ago and are pretty much used up.  :) 

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

 

 

 

 

'Tis the Season to be BUSY !

I know we already know that but I needed to repeat it.  lol !  It's been crazy and 3 weeks from today - Christmas is already over.  Well, at least officially it is.

The beadmaking muse has escaped me once again with all the hub-bub going on with the holidays.  I did manage to get in a couple of hours at the torch over the weekend but that was about it.  I made a pretty little set of beads using edp once again and although the purple didn't come out exactly as it's "suppose" to, I still think they are pretty.  The name of the glass - evil defritifying purple is absolutely the correct name for that glass.  lol !  Even though I supposedly KNOW how to control it, it obviously can still do it's own thing.  I still enjoy the beads though and I think this set will go in my Etsy shop soon.  Someone very dear to me suggested I sculpt a beloved cartoon character into a bead so that's what I'm going to do.  I only have one week to accomplish that so keep your fingers crossed !  At least it's a challenge.  Seems I need those to get motivated anymore.  Geesh.........  

 

Since I have been online doing some shopping, I decided it was only fair to do a bit of shopping for myself.  lol !  Hey, why not ??  Anyway, I have been watching a porcelain bead artist recently hoping to catch when she loads her Etsy shop. I was able to snag a few pieces of hers yesterday !  I am totally surprised I was able to get anything at all since there was a feeding frenzy - literally !  The shop was EMPTIED in less than 5 minutes except for 3 faces and those were gone in short time.  So I snagged these three cabs - A hummingbird, a sea otter and a barn owl.  I am so very anxious to see them up close and personal.  The question I am asking myself now - what to do with them once I get them ???  Will have to work on that one.  lol ! 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

   

Handmade Glass Artists, Glass Beadmakers, Lampwork Artist, Etc - Beads Of Courage Needs Your Help

Yep, they need our handmade glass beads !  :)  Seems they have plum run out of stock of these types of beads which are Act of Courage and Long term follow up beads.  Act of Courage beads are special beads the kids get to choose for special courageous act during treatment.  http://www.beadsofcourage.org/

A new e-book of tutorials is now available to anyone that wants one for a mere $20.00 and is chock full of 20 tutorials of beads to make for the kids.  Or just for anyone that wants to try something new or to just look at some fun stuff.  All proceeds go to BOC.  You can order your e-book here  http://www.sodalimetimes.com/bocbook.html which is also a link to Soda Lime Times monthly e-magazine for glass artists.  Which in itself is nothing short of FABULOUS !  :)  For only $5 bucks a month you can't beat it !  Not only do you get great art to look at and read about but also tutorials are included every single month for you to try.  Yes, I said tutorials - with an "s" !  Always more than one !  lol ! 

If I may offer a suggestion.  If you really can't do whole sessions of just beads for BOC, it's really not a biggie but if you could just make one or two or three simple beads each session and send them in when you gather a bunch then it would help TREMENDOUSLY !  Simple bead, hmmmmmm maybe a frit bead with eyes !  lol !  Or a frit bead with a smiley face on it.  Simple and fast.  :)  You know all those pretty and/or fun murrini you bought and have never used - perfect !  Add some frit to a bead and a few murrini and WHA - LA !  :)  The kids really do need beads.  

Ok so here are a few examples of some beads I made using some of the tutorials in that e-book I mentioned above.  I had a blast trying out a bunch of those tuts !  I usually do NOT torch during the summer but hey, I can handle a little heat and humidity which is nothing compared to what these children are dealing with.  

Have fun looking at the photo's and PLEASE - take a few moments of your torch time and make a bead or two for the kids.  Believe me, it's an incredible feeling to know how much the beads will be loved !  :)  

 

These are from two torch sessions of about 2 hours a piece.  I have more beadies cooling in the kiln now that will be added plus I'll be at the torch again today.  :)  Like I said, I'm having too much fun making these beads !  lol !  The only two beads here that are not in the e-book of tutorials is the little doll bead and the fishie bead.  The little doll bead I learned from Anne Ricketts and she has a tutorial available for that on her website here .

 

Thanks for coming by !  I hope you come back again very soon to see what's new !  :) 

   

Bell Flower Press Tips and Tricks

Thought I'd post a little bit of info for a change on how to use this great press. 

Since buying the bell flower press I've made hundreds of these pretty little flowers.  Because there are no instructions on how to best use these tools, everyone has to learn what is the best way for them.  There is a tiny bit of a learning curve but once you get the swing of it - nothing to it.  :)  Still I thought I'd post a few tidbits of info I found useful as I was learning.  Nothing major, just a few helpful (I hope) tips. 

- I use 20 gauge German silver colored wire purchased at Rio Grande.  I found this information online at www.lampworketc.com  in a post by another beadmaker.  With this wire you can actually hold it in your fingers as it does not conduct heat to the end that's not in the flame. Copper wire DOES conduct the heat to the end of the wire that's not in the flame.  Ouch.  You can use something to hold the wire as you transfer it to the kiln however I find that's just another step that I personally don't want to deal with.  To each their own of course.  :)  **After re-reading this I found it might be confusing so I needed to add this bit:  When I mention holding on to the wire with fingers, I mean when you remove it from the wire holder you're using and put it in the kiln.** 

- Preparing the wire is pretty simple and basic.  I find that cutting it to a length of about 3" or so will give you plenty of wire to work with in making jewelry.  Once cut I leave some wire as is and do nothing to it.  With most of the wire, I take my round nose pliers and make a half loop on one end.  I then take my flat nose pliers and bend that loop into the wire and press it flat.  Doing that makes it easier for the hot glass to grab onto something.  It will still grab onto the wire if you did nothing to it but giving it just that little bit of extra wire helps a lot and makes it easier to wrap the glass.

- To hold the wire while winding the glass I use a tungsten pin vise that can be found on many glass websites.  I attempted to make my own holding devise but found ready made was better - for me.  :)

- It is unnecessary to heat up the wire before winding on the glass.  The hot glass itself is hot enough to grab onto the wire.  Sometimes you need to touch the glass to the wire a couple times.  Keep in mind, if the wire gets too hot from the flame, it will melt off and it'll melt off FAST !  lol !    

- Winding on the glass to the wire can be tricky in the beginning in a couple of ways.  You first need to determine how much glass you need.  With each bell flower press the amount varies.  Believe me, I've had all three sizes of the presses and it DOES matter.  :)  Another very important point I think is you can make the flowers different lengths.  The width will remain the same but the lengths can change according to how much glass you use.  For example: using the 20mm 6 point press the width will always be 20 mm BUT the lengths I have gotten are 12mm up to 16mm.  It just depends on the amount of glass you use and how hard you press.

-How much pressure you put on the glass once in the press will depend on the look you want to end up with.  The harder you press, the thinner & longer your flower will be.  It's a matter of personal preference of course.  I prefer a bit of a thicker wall.  The thinner the flower the easier it will be to chip and break.  No matter what, it's not a good idea to drop them on a hard surface.  :) 

- As you use your press it will become very hot.  I keep a couple of cool, wet rags next to me and wrap the press up as needed.  That is usually after several flowers.  I also add bees wax to the inside of the bell while hot.  It will help the glass from sticking after it does become that hot.  The wax will melt off the glass in a puff of "steam" or smoke and possibly a bit of a flame but it will not harm your flower.

- Now that your flower is done, pop it in the kiln and anneal like any other beads.  :)

These little flowers are so much fun to make !  I don't see myself NOT making them for a  long time to come !  :)  I have MANY ideas floating in my head on how to use them for home décor and jewelry.  

These presses are made by an Italian family run business called Carlo Dona.  They have been in the glass tool making business since 1923 so they really do know how to make the very best quality tools for glass blowers and bead makers.   

Below are a few photo's of some of the bell flowers I've made.  There will be more to come !  lol !  

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

My All My Beads Facebook Page -  All My Beads Facebook Page 
All My Beads Etsy Shop - My Etsy Shop

  

Having Fun Again !

Being at the torch the past week had been rather fun for me.  That's what having a "hobby" is all about isn't it ?  Yes, this is pretty much a hobby for me.  If I were trying to make a living at it, well, let's just say I would be a "starving artist" for sure !  lol !  Actually no artist at all.  lol !  Anyway, I made more bell flowers for a project I have in mind that I will need LOTS.  That's no problem because they are just a blast to make.  So much fun.  The only problem with making them is deciding what colors to use.  lol !  I'm trying to make all I need before the major heat and humidity set in and I can't torch anymore til fall.  :)  The photo below is what I made on Sunday.  Just one more "bouquet" waiting to be used in that project.  :) 
 

As I was playing with the bell flowers, I decided it was time to try my hand at sculpting again.  I've wanted to make a new little octopus for my faux fish tank for the longest time so that was my goal.  At least to attempt to make one.  Five octopi(?) later, I achieved that goal.  :)  They aren't the prettiest -  but I like them.  lol !  They were fun to make and at least one will go in the tank.  :)  The others will most likely go to Beads Of Courage.  Oh there will be more coming.  They were a lot of fun to make that's for sure.  Sculpting was always my first love in melting glass and I had gotten away from it this year.  It was nice to give it a go again.   I think my favorite is the light green one to the right in the first picture.  Those two are Simon and Schuester.  The second two are Burns and Allen and the last one is Ollie.  Ollie is pretty cool too.  He's made with a silver reactive glass called Ossa and some of that silvery shine came thru but mostly it's a purple color glass with white dots.  I thought it would look good as an Ollie Octopus.  :) 

Technically, these are beads as the base was wound on a mandrel. They could be worn as a VERY large and very heavy pendant but better use would be to let them stand on their own just to admire. 

 

That's all for now.  Thanks once again for coming by !  I hope you can come back again sometime for a visit. 

Still Nothing New To Report

Just thought I'd put in an update.  No torching just yet.  The nasty yellow pine pollen is in full swing which also means all outdoor pollen is in full swing.  No open windows for ventilation right now.  Hopefully in 2 -3 weeks.  sigh............That pine pollen has our black outdoor grill looking pretty green right now.  Ick.  I can't wait to get back to the torch and do what it is I LOVE to do the most - melt glass - make beads !  :)   

Still working on the reopening of my Etsy shop.  Just click on the link or any of the photo's below to go there to see the new items I've been listing all week.  :)  I had forgotten how much work is involved but that's ok.  I have all these beads that need to find new homes and much more to come !  :)  Right now, you will still receive FREE SPACER BEADS with every order.  There will be other specials for the entire month of April for the Grand Re-opening so come back often to check it out.  :)  And as always, FREE SHIPPING.  That MAY change in the near future so now's the time to order if you have something in mind.  :)   



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

Beads Make Me Smile Every Single Time :)

It's been a long, hectic and tiring week but when I get a chance to look at beads, and I mean handmade lampwork beads, it ALWAYS brings a smile to my face.  Now, I really have nothing brand new to show as I'm still not at the torch and I really have nothing new that I've learned - yet - to talk about.  
I can show some more oldies but goodies beads I"ve had stashed for some time that I just never got around to using.  Why I never used them is beyond me cause I like them - all of them.
In the first set - all those fantastic bright colors !  Ohhhh I just love them !  And the shape I used - I was into that sort of a butterfly shape back then.  That shape is very easy to make too.  Just flatten a square bead with mashers and cut with sissors.  Yep, you can actually cut hot molten glass with sissors.  :) 

The second set base color is really one of my all time favorite glass company and color.  The glass is made by a German company named Lauscha and I call the color icy blue.  It's  not the real name but it's sure what it looks like.  lol !  The frit on top is one that is no longer available and is hoarded by beadmakers or sold at a premium price.  Me, I keep my stash and use it sparingly.  :)

In the last set, another one made long ago and using that cut shape as well as some beads made in a mold.  The glass base color is opal yellow with a twistie of black, EDP and turqouise melted in.  That twistie is very reactive when added to the opal yellow base.  Love the reactions and the look !  :)      

 

Well, I head back to the doctor tomorrow and hopefully will get the "all clear" that everything is healed properly.  Then will have to wait until the darned yellow pollen and all the rest of the spring time pollen is clear from the air before I can torch again.  I sure hope we have a short pollen season this year. 

 

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

The "What Was I Thinking" Post or....................

..........why not just try it and see if it works post...:)  So that's what I did.  That's always the case anyway when a "new" to me idea pops into my head or into anyone's head.  I mean, I know what I'm thinking it should look like so it should end up looking like that.  Right ?  Nope.  lol !  Not most of the time anyway.  And sometimes it's just not at all about anything in our minds eye.  It's about the end of the day bead.  That bead that comes together using elements and/or techniques and/or left over twisties that are laying on the table from the days beadmaking session.  You don't want to waste those bits of glass so you put them in the  - end of the day bead and hope you get some sort of semblance of a pretty or artistic or at least something nice to look at bead.  :)  It's usually a surprise how it turns out which makes it even more fun when it comes out of the kiln. 

So why do most beadmakers not even show these little gems they are experimenting with ?  It's all a part of the process afterall.  I think they are fun to look at and especially if there would be an explaination of what they are trying to accomplish.  You might be thinking well what about the new beadmakers ?  The ones just getting started.  Their beads are all experiments, trial and error.  Yep, that's true however the difference is, they are learning all about what's already out there, what's tried and true, what it takes to become a flameworker/beadmaker/lampworker. 

All that said, I'm going to show you what I made at the torch last session and what my thoughts were at the time.  Mind you, they aren't beauties by any means but a path to what I was attempting to do.  I'm still "in process" with them which is always the fun part.  :)  So enjoy and leave a comment or suggestion if you want. 

 

Here they are. In keeping with the flower themes I've been working on lately, these 3 "flower" beads were made a few days ago.  The top blue one was an end of the day bead.  I had flower petals left over from making another blue flower and wanted to use that pretty light blue glass they are attached to.  I am thinking maybe if I had added more petals ???  I doubt it.

 

The flower bead on the lower left is actually not so bad IF less frit was used on the ends of the petals.  I will play with that one more in the coming week I hope.  The shape was exactly what I wanted to do however I didn't want that much frit and that much green frit on the ends of the petals.

 

The last bead.  The all blue one on the lower right.  sigh.  That is the one I had a picture of in my mind, knew EXACTLY how I wanted to make it and this sure isn't the way it was suppose to end up !  lol !  It was suppose to be a flower with nice long petals.  Oh well, yet another one to continue working on. 

 

Fun stuff.  :))

 

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

 

 

Back in the Saddle Again.....Or I Should Say, Back at the Torch Again.

Yep, I'm back at the torch again !  Finally !  It seems like it's been sooooooooo long !  :(  What a miserable, hot, humid, icky summer it was too.  I'm so glad it's over for so many reasons but this is the biggie. 

When I'm off the torch for so long, it takes me a little time to get comfortable at the torch again.  Nothing serious, just getting to know the flame and the glass again.  I made beads on Sunday and have been playing every day since.  :)  It feels GREAT !  I just can't express how happy it makes me feel to be able to melt glass.  I am still amazed at the whole experience and still amazed I am lucky enough to be able to do it.  I LOVE MELTING GLASS !  I recommend to ANYONE that if you've never tried it, find a place that has classes and go for it !  You won't regret it.  :) 

So because I am back to making glass beads, the jewelry will take a back seat.  I'll still make some things here and there but mostly I'll be at the torch whenever possible.  I'll still make beads for jewerly.  I'm in the process of making a set now for a necklace.  I am terrible when it comes to making sets of any kind so I stretch it out into many sessions.  That way, I don't get bored so fast. 

Once again, I've tried a few new things and of course, having ALOT of fun doing it.  I picked up some dichoric glass at some point and decided it was time to try it.  I had read by many that they had trouble using it and would just give up on it.  I found it to be pretty easy to add to a bead.  I'm not saying I'm better at it, just that I had no problem with the two pieces I tried.  No scumming, no burning off the color, no problem.  The photo below is the bead.  It was the last bead of the day so it's a very plain bead.  I just wanted to see if I could actually add it and encase it as directed.  It worked, I'm happy about it and will be exploring this more down the road.  

 

As for the rest of the week, so far, I've been making some wing type beads.  I was going in a totally different direction with these when I started them but this is what ended up happening.  :)  Sometimes the glass says, "THIS is what you're suppose to be doing."  lol !  It's good working on these as they are helping me to feel comfortable about sculptural work again.  It's been a while.

 

 

Of course, there were test beads and beads that ended up in the water can.  Plus I also did some fusing.  Ugh. That post is for another day.  lol !  All in all, a VERY good week !

 

Thanks so much for coming by !  I hope you come back again very soon !  Please leave a comment as I LOVE to read them.  :)   

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Flowers, Flowers and More Flowers

With all that practice/working with encasing, flowers in particular, I got the "urge" to follow another tutorial on roses.  Sculpted roses this time.  It's been a long time I really sculpted anything and hoped I wouldn't revert back to bad habits.  There weren't many but there were a few that kept me from accomplishing things back then when it came to sculpting.  Plus, I really wasn't sure I wanted to go that route again.  That's what I use to LOVE to do - sculpt with melted glass.  So when I sat down to follow along with the tut, alot of my GOOD insticts kicked in and I started feeling better about it again.  Not totally though.  As I was working on the first rose, I was rather shaky.  Just something I do when I'm trying new things.  The longer I worked on the first rose, the better I felt.  Plus, I had done most of this type of sculpting before.  I had made flowers long ago just not roses.  The whole purpose of buying this tut really was to see how the middle was finished and if there were any other good tips and techniques to learn. 

The only thing that really was no surprise to me is that first rose it HUGE !  I don't know what it is but making small beads just escapes me so often.  lol !  I try but 90% of the time it just doesn't work out for me.  

So far, I've made 2 roses, a lovely blue color one and a cream color one.  Both pictured below with another flower I made that's not a rose and on their own.  Notice the sizes !  lol !  The white  rose is smaller than the blue one though !  lol !  At least I tried.  :)  That blue one measures in at a full 2 inches across at the widest point !  Like I said - B-I-G ! 

Make sure you click on the photo's to see the full size. 

I've also included a photo of some sculpted flowers I made long ago.  Geesh, I think it was back in 2006 or 07.  Can't remember.  Not any particular kind of flowers.  Just plain ole' flowers.  I do remember the whole idea then was the petals and working with a new tool at the time.  I still have that tool and that's what was used in the multicolored flower pictured with the roses.  Making the petals is key to any of these sculpted flowers of course.  With these types of flowers, the petals are made in advance and kept warm on a warming plate of some kind.  Makes assembling the flower so much easier.  The picture is pretty bad because I was using a very old digital camera.  I still have all those flowers so maybe I'll redo the photo.  :)    

So I am continuing on my flowers quest with yet another project I'm working on.  More on that to come later.  I will make more roses over time.  Hopefully, I can get to small !  lol !  

Thanks for coming by !  :)  I hope you will come back again soon.  Please leave a comment.  I love reading them.  :)