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?

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?

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???

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.

New Pandora Glass Beads...Big Holes are In!

These beautiful big hole glass beads fit Pandora, Biagi, and Troll jewelery...and also look great on a silver chain!

The hole is big enough (5mm diameter) that it will slide over most clasps on a silver necklace you may already have! You can change the bead to match your outfit...

Have a look in my Etsy shop for lots of great glass beads, and finished jewelry.
Aqua Blue Glass Bead for Pandora Bracelet ...Glass Art
Pink and Peach Glass Bead for Pandora Bracelet ...Glass Art
Green and Yellow Glass Bead for Pandora Bracelet ...Glass Art
Blue and Purple Glass Bead for Pandora Bracelet ...Glass Art
Pink and Purple Glass Pandora Bead-Borosilicate Lampwork Glass Bead
Purple and White Glass Pandora Bead-Borosilicate Lampwork Glass Bead

It's Not Autumn but I still LOVE Leaves!

My husband is red-green color-blind and has great difficulty distinguishing between reds/greens, greens/browns, browns/yellow, and blue/purple. It's an X-linked genetic trait, and his brother has the same (dis)ability.

There is a tremendously good book written by Dr. Oliver Sacks, Neurologist, entitled "The Island of the Colorblind", which discusses the trait in wonderful, compelling detail.

One thing that is very apparent is that despite the fact that we see color differently, my husband has much better night vision than I do...he can walk around in the dark and see quite well, while I'm stumbling into things.

The vibrant reds, oranges and yellows of the autumn leaves is one thing that he doesn't see as being very different than the green of summer.

I've been making borosilicate glass leaf pendants in all kinds of colors...and have solicited my husband's input for colors that he can distinguish as different.

Here are two that are currently for sale in my Etsy shop...
Green & Vibrant Blue Glass Leaf Pendant

Pink & Amber Purple Glass Leaf Pendant

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!)

New Glass Beads for Jewelry Designs

These are the latest borosilicate glass bead pairs in my Etsy shop...beautiful and unique glass beads for your jewelry designs.

If you are not a jewelry designer yourself, and would like me to make a pair of earrings for you, just let me know.

(Edited April 22, 2010: the bottom pair is sold)

Pretty Earrings for Spring Fashions

There's nothing I like better than to tie my hair back in a ponytail once Spring and Summer arrive...easy to care for, keeps it out of my face, love it!

That's one reason I like to wear earrings...a little bit of adornment when my hair is back, a little flash of color around my face.

Here are some lampwork glass bead earrings that are available for purchase on my website.
Look under earrings in the left-hand column for these, and other, earring designs!