Lampwork Murrini Designs for Glass Artists

Besides making glass beads, another passion of mine is making decorative little murrini chips (also sometimes called millefiori). I use these in my own bead designs but end up making more than I can ever hope to use myself so I offer them to glass artists for use in their own glasswork.

I just added a few new murrini designs to my Etsy shop in pretty Spring and Summer colors!

*For those who would like to make their own murrini, don’t forget about my murrini tutorial also available on Etsy ;-D

Persimmon – handmade murrini chips
Safari – handmade murrini chips
Sea Mist – handmade murrini chips

NEW – Gazing Ball Lampwork Bead Pendants

I am very excited to announce my latest bead design – gazing ball pendants!

Modeled after the beautiful Italian glass garden decorations by the same name, each ready-to-wear pendant in the series includes a round, handmade lampwork glass art bead with no visible hole! The spherical bead is smooth all the way around. 😀

I am having a blast making these pendants and have many more designs in mind. I hope you enjoy them!

Golden Pond – gazing ball pendant
Water Lily – gazing ball pendant
Laguna Pier – gazing ball pendant
Snakeskin – gazing ball pendant

New Lampwork Bead Designs

After a little hiatus I am back with some new designs! I think most artists get a form of ‘writer’s block’ now and again, and I’m no different. Occasionally the ideas stop coming so the choice becomes whether to revisit previous designs or to just take a break and allow time for something new to take root.

For me, it was worth taking time off because a few new ideas came to mind which gives me a fresh perspective and a renewed motivation to get back to the torch.

This week’s beads include a couple of my new ideas…with more to come soon! 😀

Meteor Rocks - lampwork bead set
Meteor Rocks – lampwork bead set
Oceania - lampwork bead focal
Oceania – lampwork bead focal
Mystic Heart - lampwork bead focal
Mystic Heart – lampwork bead focal

Odd Lot Assorted Lampwork Bead Collection

Now and then I accumulate several beads that for one reason or another did not meet my extremely high standards enough to be sold individually. They’re each still beautiful in their own way, made with all my best materials, properly kiln annealed and thoroughly cleaned, but they just did not turn out as I had originally planned. So they go into what I call an ‘Odd Lot’ set.

This particular Odd Lot collection includes some great large size focals and three fully lined Pandora style charm beads!

Odd Lot - assorted lampwork bead collection

Organic Lampwork

One of my most beloved styles of glasswork is ‘organic’. Simply put, organic design refers to a more free-form approach to bead making, allowing the materials themselves to dictate placement without getting too fussy over a perfect end result. At least that’s my definition of organic bead making.

In a nutshell, it just means allowing the glass to do its own thing. I’d say the biggest challenge with organic design is to know when enough is enough. Although, I am the first to admit sometimes I go overboard when the reactions I’m getting are just so spectacular that I think more is more. 😉

Either way, organic lampwork bead design is something I find myself gravitating back to time and again.

Gilded Berries – Rubino Oro large round beads
Low Tide – assorted bead collection