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.

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?

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!!!

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!

Big Hole Beads...The Trend Continues

The fashion trend using glass beads with large holes continues....wear them on European-style bracelets and necklaces, put them on a thick leather cord, string them one at a time or in groups on an existing chain you own, mix and match and change things up to suit your mood or your outfit today!

The holes on these big hole beads measure 4.2mm in diameter so they are very versatile and even slide over a small clasp or jumpring to make changing them easy. 

Here's a selection of big hole beads that I made recently, shown on a Pandora-sized bracelet.

 Look Deeply Ocean Blue Handmade Glass Bead

 Pink & White Swirled Handmade Glass Bead

Sea Blue Swirls Handmade Glass Bead

These big hole beads are great for designing jewelry with, or as an accent on an existing bracelet or chain.  They make wonderful gifts.

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!

Thinking of Spring...Do you blame me?

Purples, Aquas, and Greens Glass Beads - Handmade Lampwork Set of 5 Beads

Yesterday there was no snow on the ground...this started this morning, and has continued all day! We're supposed to get 30cm (12") every 12 hours for another day and a half!!

I live in London, Ontario....nestled in the middle of three of the Great Lakes (read inland seas): Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. We get "lake effect" snowsqualls because the lakes are still warmer than the air right now.

Here's a screenshot of our forecast from earlier today...
The pretty beads above are available in my Etsy shop....now do you blame me for dreaming of Spring already?

Lampwork Beads with Fine Silver Foil

Butter Pecan, Purples and GreensButter Pecan & Chestnut BrownsButter Pecan & Montana Blue

These pretty beads were all made with a technique whereby you make a base bead...here using a lovely glass called Butter Pecan, then wrap each bead with pure silver foil and roll in a blend of small pieces of coloured glass, called frit.

The frit melts into the silver foil, pushing the silver aside, creating fine lines of pure silver between the colours.

These are available in my Etsy shop...

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

Brilliant Blues

I find that as I follow my creative inspirations I tend to gravitate towards some colour palettes, and forget about others.

I decided to have a look more closely at this habit of mine, so I searched "blue" in my Etsy shop...and I found that 14 of my 57 current listings were blue, or had blue in them.

I made a poster sketch of them because I thought they looked pretty all arranged by colour...I'm hopeless! Be sure to click on the image to enlarge it...my 50 year old eyes had to squint, LOL.

I hope you like them....now...it's off to make some more beads....hmmmm, maybe blue ones???

New Glass Beads for Jewelry Designs

These glass bead pairs are fabulous for earring designs...they are a nice size to use as accents with Swarovski crystals, sterling silver, copper findings, and pearls.

The borosilicate glass lends a mysterious quality to the beads, and is best viewed in natural daylight...they really sparkle!

These are all currently available in my Etsy shop...but don't wait too long, they go quickly!
Blue and Black Glass Beads-Borosilicate Lampwork Beads
Red and Pink Glass Bead Pair - Borosilicate Lampwork with Microbubbles
Blue and Jade Green Glass Beads-Borosilicate Lampwork Beads
Blue and Amber Glass Beads-Borosilicate Lampwork Beads
Blue and Violet Glass Beads-Borosilicate Lampwork Beads
Pink and Purple Glass Borosilicate Lampwork Bead Pair

What does a Glass Studio Look Like? Here's Mine...

Have you ever wondered what a lampwork glass studio looks like? Here are some pictures of mine....propane/oxygen torch, kiln for annealing beads, and LOTS of glass rods!
My glass studio
My glass workbench, with torch in the centre, and kiln to the left.
SOME of my glass rods...my dear hubby built the storage unit for me.
My waxing and casting workbench
My annealing kiln...gets up to 2000 degrees. I can use it for precious metal clay, fusing, and melting precious metals.

One of my oxygen concentrators...takes room air and filters out the oxygen, which is then pumped to my torch.
That way I don't have to have an oxygen tank in my house.
....note TWO fire extinguishers...gotta be safe!
Broken arm casting machine, for casting gold and silver pieces.
Me making a bead...melting a rod of glass in the flame of the torch.
My Nortel minor propane/oxygen torch, with graphite marver on top.
I also have a Nortel Midrange torch, with a Minor mounted on top...it's much bigger.
Me making a bead...melting a rod of glass in the flame of the torch.