Encasing glass beads.

It has taken me many years to figure out how to do the "all in one" aka "big swipe" (not sure what the correct term is) type of encasing, but I finally got it yesterday.  For some reason it finally clicked.  Am I proud of myself? You betch!

Basically, you let the bead cool a bit, but not enough to crack, and keeping it warm in the upper part of the flame you then melt a huge clear gather, 2 - 3 times the size of the bead, and literally let it drop onto, and swipe it on the bead. Phew!

This a small set that I have done with that type of encasing - no bubbles!!!! (or only very minimal anyway) lol.

These beads can be found on the Facebook Lampwork Bead Market.

Here is another set that is on Lampwork Bead Market too.  This was not the same type of encasing - this was partial encasing.

Thanks for dropping in.

More beads listed on Face Book

Our glass bead group has a challenge each month, and last months was to make a/some beads decorated with just dots and to use as many colours as possible.  My Colour Fun series of beads was my interpretation, and they really are fun to make.  These two sets are available in the Lampwork Bead Market on Face Book.

A Touch of Africa

Colour Fun

Thanks for stopping in, and I hope you have a great day.

New beads/eye candy!

It has been a while, but with assorted health problems I just haven't had the time to be on here.  Anyway, I am here now, and have lots of eye candy for you to look at.  Unfortunately most of these have been sold already, but a few are still available in my Etsy shop.

Circus Twist

Colour Fun

Country Quail

Guardians

High Seas (available in my Etsy shop)

Juicy Smoothies (available in my Etsy shop)

Cherry Blossom Bonsai

I have been selling my beads lately on Face Book in the Lampwork Bead Market venue.  Lots of great beads by lots of great artists - take a look, but you have to sign up to sell or bid.
Thanks for dropping in, and I hope you have a great day!

LINEN & LACE - a set of neutral coloured beads.

A new set of beads from me in my Etsy shop.   I am finding that with the arthritis in my hands, making these small sculpted beads is a lot easier than the larger ones - I guess because I am spending less time gripping the mandrel.  I love the feel of them, and I think I need to make myself a set of them for "worry beads"!

Thanks for stopping by.

How Do You Like Your Coffee? New Beads.

Remember that Coffee Crisp commercial?  "How do you like your coffee?  . . . Crisp!"
Anyway, enough silliness.  I have a couple of sets of coffee inspired sets that I have just posted on Etsy.

10 bead set - Coffee Lovers

16 piece set - Morning Coffee

Thanks for looking!

New Beads - Rose Bouquet

I can just picture a lovely bouquet of roses sitting in a mint green vase.

This new set can be found in my Etsy shop.

Several opaque and transparent pink and green glasses were used to make this new set.  I wrapped fine silver wire around some of them and silvered ivory stringer around others.  A few have ivory frit sprinkled on them, and then some have been etched.  It was a nice surprise to find the rosy blush at the mandrel ends (holes) on the minty green ones when I etched them - I love that, and it ties in so nicely with the pinks.  Probably won't be able to replicate it - lol!

Sand, Sea and Sky nugget beads.

Close up of my new set: Sand, Sea & Sky.

All 18 of the beads.

I managed to hobble out to the studio yesterday (after my foot surgery 2 1/2 weeks ago), and made this set of nugget style beads.  They have a really summer beach look to them, and I think would make a great bracelet with a little bit of silver thrown in for accent.  You can find them in my Etsy shop.
Thanks for looking!

Update - shows, beads and health - not necessarily in that order!

Well, it has certainly been a long time since I posted anything here.  As you may (or not) know, I have developed a problem with my hands.  It turns out it is arthritis - bummer!  The doctor says I am not yet a candidate for surgery, and all I can do at this point is to control the pain with pain meds (Tylenol, Ibuprophen, etc.) and wear a special brace.  He has ordered the brace, and hopefully it will arrive soon.  Then I have to keep getting my hands checked every 6 months or so.  I think when I go to get the brace fitted I will ask him about exercises, and if I am doing any damage with torching.  The slogan "Use it or lose it" keeps going through my mind - not sure if it applies here or not.

This arthritis is not good news for bead making, but I have managed to get some small beads made that I have put into sets. (Thank you to Daniel and Jenelle of Beads and Botanicals for their excellent colour recipes tutorial).
I have put these sets on Etsy, and below are a few pics.

Cranberry Bliss - the colours reminded me of that tasty Starbuck's
treat of the same name.

Frosted Berries - I have several similar sets listed, but this one
is my favourite.

Vineyard.

I am not sure just how much I will be able to torch - time will tell.  I plan to carry on as much as I can, although I will not be taking any orders, and making jewellery is just too painful, so that will probably put a halt to most of the shows I do.  Not many people wish to purchase beads if they are not jewellery makers.  I tried it once a few years ago, and all I ended up doing was making the beads up into pendants for the customers who purchased them.

I did my one Christmas show a week ago - the Cedar Yellow Point Artisans Studio Tour.  It was great, even if I didn't have a whole lot of new things, and surprisingly my sales were up from last year.  Sorry - I forgot to take pictures!

What I Did This Summer

Well, it wasn't beads, that's for sure.  Because of the problem I am having with my thumb/wrist joint I am not able to torch very much at all - in fact, even cutting a sandwich hurts.  I have an appointment with the surgeon in mid November, so hopefully he has some ideas.
Anyway, I couldn't just sit around twiddling my thumbs ('cause it would hurt!!) so I got out my large sheets of watercolour paper, my acrylic paints, and my bits and pieces of collage papers.  First I put gesso all over one side of the paper, then painted various colours all over.  Then I followed up with the collage papers - most of which I had made myself, and then painted in various spots again and painted the back in black.  Then came the stamping with gold and black - I think I got a little carried away on some of them,  lol.  I cut them all up into book mark sized pieces, painted the edges in black, and gave the whole lot a clear coat front and back.  My husband helped with the cutting up and the setting of the eyelets.
I was thinking about adding some of my beads at the top, but figured that would just be something to "help" the book mark get pulled out, so I settled for just a piece of leather cord.  I have been using one of the earlier ones all summer, as have a few of my friends and family members, and they are holding up really quite well.  It is kind of nice to open a book and have a piece of original art work marking ones page for you :O)

I have done over 50 of these little works of practical "art".

Close up shot

Thanks for stopping in, and hopefully in the not too distant future I will have some beads for you to look at.
Have a great day!

Tutorials on Sale!!

I am doing something I said that I "never would do" - putting my tutorials on sale.  A girl can change her mind - right?
Anyway, I figure if I am going to do it, then I will do it big - 50% off!!!  I am just heading over to my Etsy shop to do the appropriate changes.  This sale will last until sometime Monday morning (August 18/14).

Now is your chance to get these two tutorials at a great price - you won't be sorry!

Little Mermaids and "Life"

It has been a hectic and sad couple of months here.  My mother-in-law had a stroke and passed away peacefully in the palliative care here in Nanaimo hospital last month, and although she was 97, it was still very sad.  She was a brave, determined, loving, and kind woman, and will be greatly missed.

My daughter and granddaughter were in a car accident two weeks ago - thankfully both were not seriously hurt, but the car is a write off.  A lady made an illegal left turn right in front of them, or I should say right into them!  Although they are basically unhurt, they are both suffering from mild whiplash and my daughter is having trouble with her left shoulder, neck, arm, etc.  I hope it doesn't keep getting worse.  My husband has gone off today with her to see about getting a new car as she needs one to get to work.

I put my back out last weekend and am still moving very slowly and carefully - I was reaching for my coffee - I tell you, that coffee is a killer!

My wrist is still giving me a lot of grief, and I am looking forward to seeing the specialist - just not sure when my appointment will be.  Hopefully he can do something, so I can get back to regular torching.

Anyway - here are a few pictures of some new Mermaid pendants I made before the last show in July - sorry I forgot to take my camera to the show.

This one has been sold.

These two can be found in my Etsy shop if you are interested in
purchasing one of them.

Thanks for stopping in, and have a great weekend!

Red Folk Art Chickens

One of my very good customers suggested that the folk Art Chickens would look great in red - YES, she was right!  I love how these turned out.

Close up of set a.

Set a.

Close up of set b

Set b (my fav.)

Set c - Sold.

Close up of set c.

Hope you had a good giggle.  These can be found in my Etsy shop.

More Room With A View Beads.

I am really enjoying re-visiting some of my previous bead styles.  These ones came out of the kiln yesterday.

This set was made with an odd lot glass called "Key Lime", and
unfortunately it is no longer available.  I am using up my very small stash
very carefully, and very sparingly.

Another of the Room With A View beads.

Thanks for stopping in.  These beads can be found in my Etsy shop.

Room With a View

I have two small sets of my "Room With a View" beads now on Etsy.

Thanks for looking!