Finally - Beads for Grown Ups Again (and BOC too of course ! )

Yes indeed, more beads for the kids of Beads of Courage but this past week I needed to get a few sets in my Etsy shop so had to make some beads for grown ups too !  lol !  Not that the grown ups are doing any shopping in my Etsy shop.  :(  Still, it needed to be done and I had F-U-N making them too. 

I always have fun making beads for the kids and I am continuing to do that with each torch session.  I've made at least two beads for them every time I sit at the torch.  Lately the only reason only 2 beads is because they have been bigger and have taken longer to make. 

The bowl with the BOC beads needs to be mailed because it's filling up pretty quickly since I am torching about every other day now.  The count right now is 55 with a few more in the kiln.   Top two photo's below are of BOC beads I've made recently.  So much fun.  Top photo is a new design for me of little dinosaurs.  I hope the kids like them. 

The beads for grown-ups were a lot of fun to make as well !  And I LOVE LOVE LOVE how they turned out.  The last photo below is just one of the sets I made the other day.  Not in my Etsy shop yet but will be by Monday.  I love the color combo's in this set and I really like them etched. 

 

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

Fall is in the air which means cool temps and fall colors !  Yay !   

For Beads of Courage Again and On and on and......................

Yep, more for the kiddo's.  :)  I can't help it.  I'm having too much fun making these beads.  I hope the kids like them too.  If anything, making some of these beads has shown me I need to work on some skills !  Like stringer work, encasing (of course !) and not working too hot when it's not needed.  It all takes practice of course.  I have NEVER been good at stringer work and most likely never will be.  My hands tend to shake too much.  Just me.  I'm not nervous, just a bit shaky when I don't want to be.  lol !  So I hope the kids aren't too critical when they see a spotty or shaky line where it's not suppose to be.  lol !  I don't think they would be.  

This weekend Flametree Glass Shop in Roswell, GA. is having Beads of Courage day.  They invite beadmakers to come in and make beads all afternoon for the kids.  They provide the mandrels and glass !  What could be better !  Free glass to play with and the kids get the beads.  Nice.  :)  Here's a link to their website page from a day of beadmaking for Beads of Courage  https://flametreeglass.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=10   Looks like a blast !  I generally do not make beads in the afternoon but maybe this is just what I need for a change.  Plus I'd get to finally meet some fellow glassy folks.  Now that would be cool !  

Ok so here's a couple of pictures. The first one is of my favorites so far this week and the second one is of all the beads so far .  I need to count them but I'm guessing right around 45 give or take.  Plus there are more in the kiln.  I just got a new press so played with it today and created a couple new to me critters with it.  We'll see how those turned out !  lol !  Anyway, the white polar bear, peace signs and love bug (white dots on wings) are all from the BOC book of 20 tutorials, Hot Glass For Cool Kids, that Diane of Soda Lime Times put together.  Here's the link again  http://www.sodalimetimes.com/bocbook.html  which also takes you to the e-mag Soda lime Times.  :)   The little mouse on a wedge of cheese is from a seperate issue of Soda Lime Times.  All the rest are just my fun times at the torch.  As you can tell, I LOVE LOVE LOVE playing with bright colors.  They are my favorites.  I love most all colors but the brights are my most favorites.  :) 

 

That's all for now.  Thanks so much for coming by !  I hope you come back again very soon to see what's happenin'. 

 

Beadies for the Kiddies

I'm still able to torch early in the morning so that's where I've been lately.  The cool early mornings are great then around 9 - 10 am it's time to close up shop so to speak.  The heat and humidity are back.  lol !  "They" are saying we're going to cool down - 80 degrees - for a high come this weekend.  Nice.  I am anxious for fall and winter weather !  My time of year ! 

Ok so since I'm able to torch a bit in the early morns, I've been making more beadies for the kiddies of Beads of Courage.  They are still in need as far as I know and I'm sure always will be.  I've been so totally inspired to keep making beads for the kids that I've let my Etsy shop wane and I need to get busy with that again too.  Not enough time in the day geesh....Anyway, as long as the kids need a bead, I'll keep at it.  :)  I'm inspired, I'm having fun, I'm learning new techniques, I'm revisiting old techniques and just enjoying all of it.  Knowing too that each bead I make for the kids will be loved.  The kids themselves are such an inspiration.  All that the kids have to deal with on a daily basis I just can't imagine.  So yes, they inspire me to keep on keepin' on !  :)  Wow, now that's an old sayin' I haven't heard in a while.  lol !  

I've mailed in two boxes this past week and the picture below shows the most recent one.  I had so much fun making these beads !  It was recently posted that the kids love bumpy beads, dot beads, encased beads, odd shaped beads and the Peace sign beads.  Sooooooo I made bumpy beads, a few odd shaped beads and some critter beads.  No encased beads mainly because I am lousy at encased beads !  lol !  I give it a shot every now and again but more on that another time.  The critter beads are hard to see because they are standing up on their "paws".  lol !  The peace sign beads are soaking as I type so those will be pictured another time along with today's beads. 
    

 

So as I mentioned before, if you are a beadmaker, PLEASE take a few moments of your torch time each time you torch and make a BOC bead.  Send them in when you get about 30 done.  Believe me, you will feel soooooo good knowing you're bringing a smile to some kid who truly needs a smile.  :)  Besides that - it's fun ! 

 

Thanks so much for coming by.  Please come back again soon to see what else I've been up to.  :)

   

Calling Out to All Glass Bead Artists Again

Beads of Courage is still in desperate need of your handmade lampwork beads.  Please do what you can.  When you're at your torch please take a few moments and make just one or two beads for the kids.  I promise, the more you do it, the more you get into it !  lol !  It's such a great feeling knowing that little beadie you just made will go to a child that's gone thru some serious stuff.  These little bits of our own creativity will bring a simple smile to a kid who needs to smile.  :)  Those little beadies are well loved by these kids too so you know YOUR bead will be cherished !  That alone is a great feeling I think. 

It was recently posted on LE (www.lampworketc.com ) that the kids LOVE certain kinds of beads.  Those are:  Beads with the Peace sign, bumpy beads, anything encased in clear and polka dot beads.  It also said the boys in particular love dark and bright colors and odd shaped beads. 

I've posted a photo below of the box of beads going in the mail today.  The post also said the minute the beads are received, they are shipped out to hospitals in the program.  Most of the beads pictured are made from the tutorials that are in the e-book I posted a link to in the previous post.  Here it is again http://www.sodalimetimes.com/bocbook.html  There are some in there that are my own playtime beads.  lol !  Still, that e-book is chock full of 20 tuts the kids will LOVE ! 

 

Please do what you can to help out the kids.  So easy for us to do and really not at all time consuming.  Just a couple a day and send in when you get at least 30 beads.  That's it.  :) 

 

Thanks to all of you that have donated and those of you that will be.  :) 

 

Until next time, thanks for coming by !  Please come back again 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 !  :) 

   

Photographing a Bead - How Hard Can It Be ?

When we begin to learn all about melting glass into these pretty little gems we call lampwork beads, most of us NEVER guess we need to become nearly professional photographers as well !  lol !  If it does come into our minds, we figure we can get away with taking those shots outside in sunlight or with a zoom lens to take close ups, oh the ideas that come to mind !  lol !  Well, of course it doesn't happen that way.  That's too easy.  So then the research begins.  Eye eye eye !  The camera, the set up, an editing program and of course -  the beads !  lol !  After working with both making beads and photography of them on and off for nearly 8 years, I have come to the realization that no matter what set up one uses, or what camera one uses - it's all in the eye of the beholder !  lol ! 

I have tried every which way one can think of to take pics of my beads and jewelry as have just about anyone that sells online.  The latest version is a couple of light "boxes" with a graduating gradient background.  These light boxes are pretty darned cool and work great !  I got 2 of them thinking these things are going to greatly improve my pics with little work or time involved - NOT !  lol !  That's what being naïve about these things can do.  lol !   Long story short, I just don't have enough light according to a professional photographer. Problem is,  I have no room on my table for another light let alone anything else.  Well you be the judge with the photos below.  Good or not so good ?  The first pic is how it starts with the new light boxes and no editing at all.  The second pic is after editing.  The colors in the beads have not been altered at all.  Trying to get that fine silver to shine is a major undertaking and one I have not quite accomplished yet. 

I'll keep playing.  Maybe someday I'll get it right.  :)  Taking photo's can be fun - if you have the right subject !  lol !  To be continued................................  :) 

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

Bringing Autumn In

I can't help it.  It's been so hot I needed to think about the cool, brisk mornings and the changing of the leaves and all the color.  Ahhh, my most favorite time of year !  It's not so far off afterall.  :)  That said, I did play at the torch some and went in a whole different direction.  Nothing brand new but something I never spent a lot of time with - off mandrel leaves.  Fun.  I hadn't done an off mandrel anything in a very long time so it was time to give it a go and with fall arriving soon, what better way than with leaves.  :)  

Fall to me is like Spring to others, it gives me a brand new sense of being alive !  The cool air makes me "wake-up" out of the sluggish, hot, humid weather of summer. 

Working with off mandrel anything can be a challenge to those of us that don't do it on a regular basis.  My biggest re-learning was the loop that needs to be added.  No loop means there's no way to hang the pendant if that's the intention of the final object.  That was my intention.  lol !  Too little glass means a thin loop which can break easier.  Too thick and it looks awkward.  I got there but it did take a couple sessions at the torch.  lol !  In the end, it all came together and I really like what I ended up with. 

Pictured below are just a few of what I've made recently.  I think my favorite is the focal leaf at the bottom.  All the leaves shown are a mix of several colors in one leaf.  Fun.  The top set and the focal are in my Etsy shop now as well as leaves from last season.   

 

That's all for now.  Thanks so much for coming by !  Please come back again and see what's happening.  Next time, I'm pretty sure I'll be showing jewelry !  lol !