I Like

One of the things I like most about making lampwork beads is the shear diversity of the styles you can make. You will see what I mean with the beads I made last night.

First up 'Poppies' A base of Effetre Pale Emerald Green, decorated with iris orange frit and stringer of Effetre Uranium Yellow for the stems. The poppies are made using CIM Sangrie and Bright Red enamel.

I've etched the bead for a matt finish but the poppies have stayed shiny. I love this effect and this bead is now for sale in my Etsy store. Click on the photo to buy.

Next up is 'Raku Flowers'. I belong to a group on Facebook called 'Bead Buddies' Vonnie, the lady who started it set up a challenge to combine Reichenbach Iris Orange with a transparent glass. My first two attempts were not that successful but I like this one.

This bead is also now for sale in my Etsy store. Click on the picture below to buy.

A while ago I visited the Stourbridge Festival of Glass. Whilst there I saw a set of candles and I took a photo as I thought they might make a good idea for a bead.

(I'll see if I can find the photo and add it later)

This is my interpretation. Needs a little more work but I'm getting there.

These three are made using Reichenbach Transparent Silver Brown. I am still experimenting with this glass and don't seem to be able to get consistant results but none the less I still like these beads.

Finally, because the dotty black bead is another story for another time. This hot pink bead was made using Highlight Violet pixie dust on CIM Clockwork.

It made a perfect addition to this bracelet that I have made using copper and hot pink orphan beads. The clasp is by Faith Bowman. Now available in my Etsy store. Click picture to buy.

Latest Beads and Jewellery

Although it's been a while since I've posted, I've not been idle.

Here is a catch up of the beads and jewellery I've made lately, some of which are for sale in my Etsy shop.

A wintry autumn tree bead made into a lovely necklace. This was inspired by the September theme challenge on the Craft Pimp forum as were the copper ammonite earrings below.

A sparkly pink set.

A sparkly gold set

A lovely pink and orange set, this would brighten anyones day.

I was really pleased with this petal bead with sparkly dichro in the middle. I've also been playing with my photos, changing the background and learning how to use Photopaint better.

A set, necklace, bracelet and earrings, all made using my own lampwork beads in gorgeous teal colours.
The heart clasp's were purchased from Cinnamon Jewellery after reading her blog posting.

The beads with the spiral in both the necklace and bracelet were made with my new spiral tool bought from Tuffnells Glass.

This pair of earrings was made using components from Kristi Bowman Etsy store. I bought them ages ago but only just made the perfect beads to go with them.

Another sparkly gold set, this time with pearls

and last but not least a random set in blues, olives and oranges.

Autumn is coming

I love this time of year. Sunny days with a freshness to the air and an occasional crunch underfoot as the odd leaves start turning and falling.

The Monthly Theme Challenge on Craft Pimp this month is Autumn.

I started making some beads with Reichenbach Silver Brown and some of Kaz's murrini. Two of them came out this lovely colour, the other three were a murky browny green colour. I etched them to see what they would look like and then decided to make a set inspired by the colours in the murrini. Effetre Coral 420 and Dark Yellow 412, Lt Zucca 425 and Dark Zucca 426CIM Olive and Dirty Martini and Reichenbach Deep Black.

I really enjoyed making this set. Those of you who have been following my blog will know that these colours are very unusual for me. I also have a problem doing random so this set is a big achievement.

I love the etched disc shaped beads which I have been seeing around quite a bit lately from other lampworkers.

I was working on the allotment today and realised that our lovely squashes reminded me of the colours of the beads I had made so I took at photo.

Linda
x

All that glitters......

I haven't done one of these recently but I had such fun last night I just had to share.

I love all things sparkly and when my friend Sue (Flaming Eck) sent me some pixie dust I just had to have a play. I also bought some goldstone frit and some Double Helix silver glass frit Triton, and some iris gold frit last weekend so I threw a bit of that in too.

I only had one small glass jar that I could put the pixie dust in to use so I started with Glitter Diamond White

First up I encased it, wasn't overly impressed so then I added it to the surface and used the round ridged roller, much better. Thirdly I did the same on some Effetre light tourquoise 034, lovely!

Inspired I created this set of beads with raised spirally stringer.

These are Effetre Lt Tourqoise 034, Teal Green 026 and Lt Violet 041. I will add these to my Etsy store when I have time.

Next up is Sparkle Bright Copper.

 

The bead on the left is Effetre Light Amber 008 and coated with the pixie dust, I then used the same colour as stringer decoration. I have to say it looks much better in the photo than in real life. The bead on the right is the same but has dots of Double Helix Helios.

The core of the bead of the right was Lt Amber coated in the Sparkle Bright Copper pixie dust but it doesn't really show up. Might be better over white. I was interested to see that the DH Helios has slightly fumed the Lt Amber giving it a lovely irridescence on places.

 

 

I purchased some Goldstone Frit as although I have the ribbons they don't make very good stringer. Who would have thought such sparkle would come from this browny looking frit?

 

I also bought some Double Helix frit Triton and Aion 2. I have looked a this online and thought, I'm not paying £7.99 for that, but seeing it in real life you get an awful lot for your money.

 

I was on the stand of Crystal Rose and admired some beads that she had made, I have just found a picture of them on her website http://www.chrystalrosedesigncrafts.com/item_1175/Dewdrops--Crystal.htm

Pretty aren't they. Well her mother was on the stall and said that she sold the frit to make them, I looked at it and said I have some of that but she convinced me that it was different so I bought some. of course when I got home I realised that it was Iris Gold which I do already have and have not had much success with in the past. So I had another go. It came with a set of instructions which I followed. Some limited success but not the same as Crystals. Might have to send her an email.

 

Last up Reichenbach Silver Brown. I bought this at the Flame Off. What happens is I stand there looking at some glass and someone says, this is lovely it does this and that and I think oooh and I buy some and then I get it home and can't remember what it was that it did and it sits on the shelf for ages doing nothing. Well last night I decided to get a rod of this out and made a bead, reduced it because it's got silver in the name and I thought it might be a reducer and nothing. It was just a shade of amber just as it is in the rod. I reduced it really heavily too. Dissapointed I put it in the kiln and carried on with my work. When I finished I had a google and found this thread on Frit Happens. Such fantastic colours that people have achieved with this glass.

 



 

So imagine my surprise when I took this little beauty out of the kiln this morning. Helloooo, the kiln fairies did something wonderful with it. Will definately be playing some more with this.

Well that's all for today folks, it's actually taken me 2 and a half hours to take photo's edit them and write up this post so I hope you appreciate it. All comments, hints and tips welcome.

Some final eye candy.