Tucson Gem and Jewelry Show

I had a booth at the To Bead True Blue Show this year.  The show was great and I was lucky to be near some wonderful people.
Next door on one side was Julie Picarello.  I bought her new book.
On the other side was Paula Best with her lovely whimsical multi media beads.
Acrosss from me was Karen Ovington.  Her husband helped in her booth and ordered pitchers of margaritas at 5pm.  How cool is that!
Next to Karen was Barbara Minor and Chris Hentz (of Chris's cables).  Her enameled beads are unbelieveable!
And down a few tables was Steff Korsage.  Steff has used my glass beads in her jewelry; and I was lucky enough to purchase a ring from her. 
And behind Steff were two friends from Dayton OH...  Bridget Beck and Colleen Girard
And right behind me was Amy who made raku beads. 
I could go on as every booth in the show was spectacular.  Had a great time!

Fall Colors

I think the fall fashion color selections from Pantone were made just for me. Started making beads today in bamboo and phlox and nougat. Will post pictures soon...

New Bracelet on Etsy

Added this great wrap bracelet to my Etsy Shop

Set of organic Barrel Beads on Etsy

So I decided to clean out my stash of lampworked beads and sell some off instead of moving them to Tucson. Just listed this great set in my etsy store.

My Cover Bead - The Gatherer

I was away at the Synergy 2 conference in Baltimore, MD when my Winter 2010 issue of the Glass Bead arrived. Last year I entered the call for entries from the ISGB - International Society of Glass Beadmakers for a bead that would grace the cover of the ISGB's annual meeting publication. The theme was "Beyond Boundaries" and I entered a mixed media bead (lampworked bead with metal clay) called the Gatherer. I had just returned home from a vacation in Palm Springs where I went on a great hike. The guide showed us examples of rock art. There was one cave like area with a large rock that overhang the area like a roof. All of the petroglyphs there were of images with large hands. The guide explained that this area was for gatherings, and the large handed pictoglyphs represented protection of the people who gathered there. So I made my bead complete with a metal clay gatherer and it was chosen for the cover. The annual meeting of the ISGB is called "The Gathering" and it will be held in Rochester, NY this year.

I have decided to display my bead at home; and I purchased this great suspension gift box from Rio Grande for my bead. Now I need to make some more.

so where did November go?

I just realized that I have not posted on my blog for over a month. I'm beginning to feel it is hard keeping up with facebook, blogs, website updates, life in general. It hardly leaves time to make beads.Last night I did a trunk show at the 1 Stop Bead Shop in Dublin, OH. It was a special event for the store with instructor demos and a few artists selling their wares. It was the first time I had been in Lisa's shop since she moved it to a larger location. And it is a spectacular place. They were also doing a photo with all of her staff and I grabbed my iphone. It was a great night - met some new people and had a blast!

Historic Bear's Mill Greenville OH

Bear's Mill was built in 1849 in Greenville, OH
It's been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977
I's a real place and is still used to grind cormeal, whole wheat and rye flour
It's an inspirational place and is host to a store on it's first floor where each month artists are invited to show their work. And I was asked to be one of those artist's for the month on November.

So if you live near Greenville OH come take a look at the beautiful mill ...................

and my beads and jewelry.

Hollow Beads

In between shows, vacation, and a back problem, I have tried to sit down and make some beads. At the ISGB Gathering this year I was smitten with some beautiful hollow beads by Jeri Sheese. So I have been creating some in my desert colors. I learned to make hollow beads years ago from Pam Dugger. And recently I purchased a "puffy mandrel" from Jeri Warhaftig. I like both ways of making hollows, but I probably use Pam's technique more than the mandrel. But I would definitely recommend the mandrel if you are just learning hollow beads. I have also been playing with some of Double Helix's specialty glass. And these hollows are decorated with that. When worked in a reducing flame the silver settles on the surface of the glass and a beautiful sheen is created. Just made an all hollow bead necklace.

It's in my etsy shop.

NEW - Desert Orb Beads with Electroforming

I love these beads. And they were a hit at Bead and Button too. Lots of layers of colors with sparkling dichroic glass in the center. The bead is made on a large mandrel to get a nice big hole. Then the bead is electroformed. Copper is deposited on the glass. In this instance the hole is lined with copper and then the copper forms its own "bead caps".

I like to use them as pendants, but here is a finished bracelet I just made. Three strands of woven seed beads and the desert orb bead is used like a button for the closure.

Desert Bloom Bead a la technique by Michael Barley

This is a desert bloom bead made using some of the techniques learned in my class with Michael Barley - although I am really not happy with the bloom. But I did apply what I learned at the Michael Barley class. The base colors are ivory and medium amber. I applied the silver leaf to the amber and dotted it with rubino. The ivory fumes just a little from the silver. Then the mistake - I made a bloom with one of those highly silvered glass. And it sorta sank into the ivory. Well there's always next time. But I love the effect of the rubino and silver.

Michael Barley's Class at Bead & Button

The last class I took at the Bead & Button Show was with Michael Barley. What a wonderful teacher! And such a nice guy!

The bead on the left is Michael's bead and the one on the right is my attempt. This is a great technique using rubino glass. I haven't quite nailed it, but am off to try it again. This time on a "desert bloom" bead.

Glass Bead Totem

This glass totem pole has been a work in progress since our trip to Alaska several years ago. Our expedition ended in Sitka, Alaska where we got to tour the Sitka National Park and saw some wonderful carved totem poles. So I was inspired to create a miniature totem with my glass beads.

You can see this piece in person until mid August at the Dayton Visual Arts Center in Dayton, OH. It is part if the center's All Member Show

Vote for My Bead!

Earlier this year I entered a contest run by the Annealer Magazine And WOW!, my bead made it to the top 10 finalists. From today until the end of the month the magazine is allowing YOU to vote for your favorite. So go take a look and vote for my bead (if you like it).

Click the link to the magazine, click VOTE on their website, click category A - beads, and my bead is Entry 2.

Desert Shadows, a lampworked bead embellished with metal clay and a bezel set amethyst

Published!

The current issue of Glassline Magazine was waiting for me when I returned from the Bead and Button Show. And it contains the Step by Step article I wrote for them a few months back. Yipee! 2 articles published this year.

This step by step tells you how to make one of my metal clay and glass "caged beads". I will be putting this tutorial on my website for a nominal fee to cover reproduction costs. Or you can go out and buy the magazine. Here's the link to Glassline http://www.hotglass.com/ for subscription information.

Convergence Show

This is the necklace created by Heidi Kummli incorporating my lampworked beads. It was juried into the Convergence Show which was co-sponsored by Bead and Button and the ISGB. The show was exhibited first at the Ohio Glass Museum in Lancaster, OH. Then it traveled to Milwaukee, WI for the Bead and Button Show. That's where I saw it for the first time. And wow! What an incredible piece.

Now that Bead and Button is over the show travels to Miami, FL where most of the pieces will be auctioned to raise funds for the CREF. It was really amazing to see all of the entries displayed so nicely at the Bead and Button Show. Amazing amount of talent. The ISGB has a catalog of all of the entries and I imagine you can contact them to buy one if you want.

Silver Cored Beads

I'm making silver cored beads to fit on those popular European charm bracelets... Troll, Pandora, Biagi etc. I have been buying silver tubing and doing the coring myself. But that takes time and yes I break some beads.

Metal Clay Findings just announced a new product .. the fine silver bead core. It allows you to make your own metal clay or lampworked glass bead directly on the core, and it fits all those bracelets. So I had to try it! I made up 8 beads pretty quickly. Here is a picture of some beads made on the core and the blank core before I put glass on it. Pretty neat. Of course you have to be careful not to melt the core in the flame. Ask me how I know this!!!

Here is a better picture of the beads.
but as all things in life there is a trade off. I have to clean out the bead release from the silver core and I can't use my regular diamond file to do that as I would scratch the silver. Ummmmm. I tried tumbling, and the mixed shot liked to wedge itself in the hole. Isn't it amazing how it can get in that hole but does not want to come out. So I need to find some kind of brush to use.

So I have to decide... core my own, or order more findings......

Artifact Beads

I have a love hate relationship with my artifact beads. I love them, customers love them; but they are complicated to make. I just made 30 beads for my upcoming show in Bellevue, WA, but only 12 survived the many firings to my satisfaction. But I learn a lot every time I make a batch. And I have started to keep a notebook so I don't make the same mistakes. I do think my kiln is firing a little hot so I really need to adjust for that next time.



I did get a beautiful bead from this batch. and it gave me inspiration on a few variations to make after Thanksgiving. Here is a picture.

After I create and anneal the lampworked bead, I apply the PMC and fire the bead again. I sometimes have 4 to 5 firings before the PMC is just right. You have to calculate and allow for the shrinkage of the metal clay. Too tight - the bead might crack; too loose - the silver doesn't bond with the glass. too hot of a kiln and the glass slumps. And on and on. This bead was put into a liver of sulphur bath and the resulting colors are just amazing. The other thing that happended with this bead is that the PMC fumed in the kiln and changed the color of the glass bead. Very cool!

New Rococo Series

I have started making some wonderful organically shaped hollow beads that I acid etch. I was inspired by a gorgeous baroque pearl that saw in a magazine ad. The ad and my new beads led to wanting to make some jewelry, which led to creating a line of jewelry using these beads. I wanted something simple - a go to piece of jewelry that can be worn any time. Some of the pieces are made with sterling silver chain, and the highest end piece is made with a wonderful hand made chain maille of antiqued sterling and copper wire. I really love the look of the 2 colors of metal.

The exciting news is that I just got juried into the Philadelphia Buyer's Market February show with this line. Now I'm hoping the economy rebounds enough so that I actually have some sales. I'm really excited about this new opportunity. Go to my website and click "What's new" to see all of the pieces.