Little beads

  I make these little beads for several reasons.  First, they are a good way to test new color combinations- I make small ones before I make the commitment of a big bead.  Secondly, I love to layer colors, and the results are not always predictable.  Sometimes there are good surprises and sometimes not, and the difference is not always instantly apparent.  Sometimes I have to "live with" a new color combination for a while.

This size is also very good for earrings, so I try to have a tray full of them in many different colors.  When I am working on making earrings for a show, I like to have lots of choices!  Since I mostly use them in pairs, and people mostly buy them in pairs, I end up with lots of orphans.  One of these days I will have to design a necklace with them!

Fringe bracelet

I haven't made these bracelets for a few years, but I am inspired again!  The beads are in color ranges, and this one is amber and green.  (I also make a purple and blue set.)  After I have a set of my beads, I go through my stash of  stones, pearls, silver, crystals and anything else I have that looks like the color and size will work.  That can take a while, since I have a considerable stash.  A friend told me when I buy more stones, pearls, etc, I am assembling my palette, and I like that thought.  Any excuse for more!

That all goes in a pile, and then I have the fun of deciding which 6 items will work.  I look for items that will pick up all the colors of my beads, and I want different sizes and shapes.  Each of these 6 is then wired onto a jump ring to make a fringe (the jingle jangle between my beads.)  When I have 7 fringes made, I wire wrap the beads, with a fringe between each one, into a bracelet.  There is so much movement it makes you feel special!

Glass ornaments

For the third year in a row, I am making glass ornaments.  Last year and this year, the Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen was asked to decorate the PA governor's tree.  Each time, I tried to come up with something new, and this year had me stumped.  I finally made some spirals on large mandrels, and I liked them, but couldn't come up with any way to hang them so they hung straight.  After thinking about it, I made more spirals and at the end, pulled the glass into the center.  When I tied ribbon on that end, they hung straight!  They seem much more delicate that they really are.

While thinking about the glass spirals, I wondered if I could make narrower ones and use a heavy gauge wire coiled into a spiral to hold them.  Aha, that worked too, so now I have extra ornaments!

These will not be for sale.  Cleaning the bead release was a real pain!  I do love a good challenge.

Bead crochet

Years ago, I was set up at a bead show beside a woman who was an expert at bead crocheting.  She graciously tried to teach me and my friend Alice St Germain.  We both went home and worked hard, and Alice got it before I did.  (My excuse is I am left handed.)  After a lot of frustrating tries, I finally got it, and now every once in a while I get the itch to make another necklace or bracelet.  This one took me 2 years to finish, since I only work at it when I feel like it.  Leslie Pope,of Twisted Sistah, is an expert at matching colors, so I showed her my big hole bead and asked her to choose the appropriate seed beads.  I thought she did a great job!  This will be mine, not for sale.

Beadfest 2010

This week I have been busy making beads for Beadfest Philadelphia, Aug 20-22.  I stumbled on a new color combination that I love, and I can't stop making them in different sizes.  When I am getting ready for a big show is not a good time to be experimenting, but sometimes I have to go with the flow.  The base color is dark turquoise, a color I hardly ever use, so imagine my surprise when it worked so well.  Sometimes the raised dots reduce, but not always, and I haven't figured out why.  Ahhh, the mysteries of reduction!

Weeds

Yesterday the weather was a little cooler so I spent several hours pulling weeds, and found these hanging on a huge weed.  I have no idea what the name of the weed is, but these remind me of Chinese lanterns.  I wonder if they will keep their shape while they dry.  The color is wonderful, and the shape would make interesting beads.  Hmmm, start with a hollow bead, etc. etc. etc.  I also wonder if I could cast them in glass.  They might be too fragile to make a mold, but I could try when I have a little time to experiment.  Not sure when that will be.

New book cover

I just heard from my publisher that my book is being printed again.  This time it will be in paperback (this makes the price a little lower) with a new cover.   For the first printing, it was part of a heritage series of books, and this time it will stand alone.  The news of another printing is good!  That means the book is selling well and they need more!  Yay!

My second book is taking form slowly.  I have been working on it in the evenings, but have a long way to go.  I can't say much about it yet, unfortunately, but I think it takes a little different slant on glass bead making.   My photographer Kevin Brett Soul Imagery is coming next week to start photographing for the book.  I must clean up my studio before then!