Clear sky breaking through the storm clouds...new earrings

We've had a lot of ups and downs with our weather this winter. Dull, gray days and freezing drizzle.
Finally the brilliant blue sky will break through the clouds and the temperature will plummet.

I certainly prefer the sunny weather even if I have to bundle up. I can't wait for Spring to arrive.

I made these lampwork beads with this thought in mind...

Blue opal on a gray background...with a bit of white showing through.

Accented with Swarovski Aquamarine crystals and sterling silver earwires.

Available for purchase on my website.

17 Equations That Changed The World...A Knitted Tale

Here's a progress pic for my #doubleknitcowl. 

As a #mathnerd this pattern called to me and it’s been a fun knit! Here's the reverse...

It's a pattern called "17 Equations Mobius Scarf" by Erica B.

Of course I am reading the book too!😁

➕➖➗✖️#ravelry#wollmeise #handknitting #handdyedyarn#lovemath 

FYI I dyed the light pink yarn with avocado pits!🥑

The original yarn was undyed...who knew that green avocado pits would yield a beautiful dusty rose dye? I didn't add any mordant and so far it seems to be colourfast.

Dreaming of Summer

Here in Southern Canada we are still firmly in the grips of winter. Lots of snow, wind, and frequent bouts of freezing rain.

As you can see there's still lots of opportunity for fun with family during the winter!

However, sometimes one's thoughts do turn in anticipation to those hot summer days. When that happens I head down to the torch...it's warm!

I tried to conjure up a pair of beads that evoked hot summer days...coral red and transparent blue...with just a bit of white.

I love this blue opalino glass...it develops tiny bubbles in the flame!

I then added some Swarovski crystals and sterling silver accents to make a pretty pair of summer earrings. If you would like a pair please visit my website...

Are you dreaming of summer yet?

A Tale of Two Loves...More Time Please!

Well, I have been away from this blog for far too long! As you all know, life moves in fast forward as one gets older, and that is definitely been the case with me!

Trying to slow it down at work, I have been working 4 days one week and 3 days the next, and LOVING it!! It gives me more time for hobbies, and of course I've taken more on.

I am always so torn between lampwork beadmaking and jewellery design. Here's an example:

I'm trying to use up some of my glass stash (could take several lifetimes!) so I made these scrollwork beads with a Lauscha Lavender glass that I only have a couple of rods left.

Torn between listing them for sale to other jewellery designers and making them into earrings for sale to jewellery customers I decided on the latter.

Oh the vagaries of photography and lighting! The bottom photo is more accurate on my monitor...more of a blue-lavender than a pink-lavender. The Swarovski crystals are Tanzanite, and they have .925 sterling silver earwires.

Available on my website for $15.

New Boro Beads....It's Been A While

Borosilicate glass, aka boro, is so different to work with compared to "soft" glass, or soda glass.  Most glass beads are made with glass from manufacturers like Effetre (Italian), Lauscha (German), or Bullseye (American).

Borosilicate, or Pyrex, glass, was developed by Corning and is the glass that "Corningware" used to be made from...it can go from cold (refrigerator) to hot (oven) without cracking.

Coloured borosilicate glass yields beautiful, ethereal hues and is a very different palette when compared to soda glass, where most of the time WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get).

Here are some new boro beads I have listed in my Etsy shop:

 Deep & Hazy Blue

 Dark Amber Purple & Hazy Violet

 After Midnight

Deep Purple & Hazy Blue

Boro beads are wonderful design elements in jewellery...here's a bracelet using shades of violet with copper.

Violet & Copper Bracelet

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!!!

My New Fiber Blending Board & Inspiration From Art

I received my new fiber blending board last week and finally had some time yesterday to experiment with it.  For those of you who may not know a blending board is a piece of carding cloth with many, many "teeth" and it's used to blend different colours and fibres to make rolags which can then be spun into yarn.

I took my inspiration for my colour palette from a wonderful print that I recently purchased from Danny Phillips on Etsy...this picture just makes me smile!

So I went through my stash of fibre and came up with some wool roving, silk throwsters, and a novelty yarn that would match.

Below are a few pictures of how the blending board works and the yarn I'm spinning from the rolags.

...stay tuned....

Button, Button, Who's Got The Button??

Well, with my new fibre addiction I decided to start making glass lampwork buttons again.  I've made them over the years, but I have so many beautiful colours of roving and yarn now I just had to see what I could come up with to coordinate with them.

So I started making buttons to match...

 Brown, Copper, and Beige Handmade Lampwork Glass Button

 Spring Garden Handmade Lampwork Glass Button

Brilliant Blue Lagoon Handmade Lampwork Glass Button

I can see this being a great addition to a sweater or a neckwarmer...more to come!

Love is in the Air....Valentine's Day

I have to admit that I always forget about Valentine's Day until the last minute.  It's not that I don't want to do something special for my wonderful husband, but we do loving little things all year long for each other. 

For example, I'm really not "gaga" over chocolate or roses, I'm much more of a practical gal.  I make my own jewellery so he doesn't buy it for me.  A new, cool tool, or a wedge of really nice cheese is more up my alley.

I like to make red jewellery but I don't really want it to scream "Valentine's Day", I want it to be worn year 'round.

Here are some pieces I currently have made up...see what you think.

 Genuine Garnet & Antiqued Silver Chandelier Earrings

 Red & Black Handmade Lampwork Glass Beaded Bracelet

 Deep Red Lampwork & Swarovski Crystal Hummingbird Earrings

Candy Apple Red Enameled & Silver Beaded Necklace

I'm a Little Batty I Think

I don't do a lot of sculptural lampwork but when a customer asked me to make some "ghoulish" beads for a Goth friend of hers I thought I'd give it a try.

Here's a set which is destined to be a necklace, maybe with a pair of earrings.

The bat is designed to hang upside down (like bats do) from her red toes...and the black spacers have raised red dots that are "blood droplets".

Now, I know it's February, the time of Valentine's Day...not even close to Hallowe'en, but I hope she'll enjoy her "spooky" necklace all the year 'round!

Trend Alert: Chan Luu Style Wraparound Bracelets

I'm seeing these double-wrap bracelets everywhere and decided to make some up and see how they look on the wrist.

Well, I LOVE them!  Of course I've now purchased 15 different colours of cording to coordinate with the beads I'm using, and I'm making lampwork bead toggle closures for them.  So much fun to make!  The beads need to have large enough holes to accommodate at least two passes of the C-Lon cord, plus the needle eye...so gemstones don't work as the drilled holes are too small.

Here are some that I've done recently...

 Natural Wood & Leather Chan Luu Inspired Wrap Bracelet with Lampwork Bead Closure

Caramel & Copper Chan Luu Inspired Wrap Bracelet with Floral Lampwork Bead Closure

The added bonus is that they work out to be about 15 1/2" in length for two wraps of the wrist...so they can be worn as a choker-style necklace too!!  I love this look.

Kumihimo...The Japanese Art of Braiding

I've always been fascinated by braiding and plaiting.  Recently I discovered kumihimo...the Japanese art of braiding.  Long ago, samurai warriors would use this technique with silk cord to braid armour to protect themselves in battle.

The addition of beads to the braid is challenging but the end result is lovely.  I've been using up my seedbead stash with some kumihimo bracelets and coordinating them with some of my handmade lampwork beads.

Here are a couple of examples:

 Amber Lampwork Kumihimo Bracelet

Turquoise & Orange Kumihimo Bracelet

 

I'm looking forward to making more of these...the braiding is quite a meditative activity and nice to do after a long day at work.  I have a Celadon Green and black double-wrap bracelet I'm working on right now...it's coming along nicely.

 

If you have any questions about kumihimo or have a request for a custom order, please contact me.

Lampwork Glass Hearts for Valentine's Day

Well, we're right in the thick of the Christmas season, but as a lampwork bead artisan and jewellery designer it's always necessary to be thinking ahead. I've been making glass hearts for Valentine's Day designs, and I'd like to show you some of them.

They make wonderful pendants for necklaces, paired with some Swarovski crystals for added sparkle.

Each heart is unique...they are hand-shaped with love at my torch bench. These are currently available in my Etsy shop.
Tie A Ribbon Around My Heart...Lampwork Puffy Heart Focal Bead
Red Passion...Handmade Lampwork Puffy Heart Focal Bead
Pink Paradise...Handmade Lampwork Puffy Heart Focal Bead

New Silver-Foiled Lampwork Glass Beads

I ran out of fine silver foil last week, but my supplier came through for me, and I'm stocked up again!

I made more of the silver-foiled beads, and quite a few of them have sold already (thanks everyone)...here are three pairs that are still for sale in my Etsy shop.

Butter Pecan, Browns, and Blues Glass Beads - Handmade Lampwork Pair
Butter Pecan & Silver Blue Swirls Glass Beads - Handmade Lampwork Pair
Butter Pecan, Blues and Greens Glass Beads - Handmade Lampwork Pair

I'm Featured in this Beautiful Treasury!

Look at all these beautiful works of glassy art!

Thank you so much JewelsbyJasmin, for including my "Aurora" lampwork focal bead in this beautiful Etsy treasury!

New Glass Beads for Jewelry Designs

It's been a busy month with committee work and other employment-related things taking precedent, so I have been "itching" to get to the torch more often. Isn't it funny how when you can't do something as much as you would like to...you crave it even more.

Here are some new pairs of borosilicate glass beads now listed in my Etsy shop....
Light Green and Blue Glass Beads-Borosilicate Lampwork Beads
Blue and Caramel Glass Beads-Borosilicate Lampwork Beads
Blue and Light Green Glass Beads-Borosilicate Lampwork Beads
Blue and Jade Green Glass Beads-Borosilicate Lampwork Beads

Jewelry Designers are using MY Beads!!!

I've had just over 1100 sales in my Etsy shop, and I'm approaching my 3rd Etsy-versary.

I've met so many talented and wonderfully nice people through Etsy, and I thought I'd show you some of the lovely pieces of jewelry they have made with my glass beads.

Don't forget, if you would like to keep up on all my new beads, hot out of the kiln, why don't you join me at Brilliant Beads on Facebook?

This is a beautiful necklace in heatherann's shop...she calls it "Aqua With A Twist"

Pegg, whose Etsy shop is called fiveforty, made this lovely bracelet that she calls "Chocolate Citrus"...now doesn't that sound yummy?

Carol-Ann, whose Etsy shop is called stringmealong, made this beautiful spring bracelet, and she calls it "Giverny". (Edited after posting: Woohoo, congrats Carol-Ann, it sold!)