We had our first rain of the season this week… After such a long and hot summer, we really needed it. It won’t be long before the dry, brown hills all around us begin to turn green again!
In the meantime, I will be enjoying more time at the torch experimenting with some brand-new glass colors I recently received… and, of course, making more beads! 😀
Here are some photos of recent beads I’ve made. I’ve also included links to a couple of my most recent YouTube videos as well…
Thanks to my amazing husband, who installed a mini air conditioning system in my studio this year, I was able to torch all the way through the hot summer months. Including this month, which brought us record breaking temps that hovered around 100 degrees most days in October! 😛
Lately I’ve been focusing on my favorites… Encased murrini beads! I’ve also spent some time creating new murrini designs and latticino. I’ve even added a new DEMO video to my YouTube channel. 😀
You can catch up with everything I’ve created this month through the photos below:
After my disappointing experience attempting to make paperweights, (which I will get the hang of eventually!)…. I am back to making what I know and love –> encased murrini BEADS!
This time, instead of small bracelet sized beads – these are nice BIG FOCAL-size beads with LOTS of embedded elements including handmade murrini & latticino. PLUS, sparkly extras like color-shifting dichroic glass, shimmering goldstone and real GLITTER!
The goal with my encased murrini beads is to create TONS of visual interest so there is something new to look at from every angle. I want my beads to be a kaleidoscope of color & design that look just as good indoors as they do in full sun!
You can view additional photos and learn more about these beads on Etsy.
Years ago, I developed a bead series called Neptune’s Net. There’s actually a restaurant in Malibu, CA that was the inspiration for this series…
There are 2 key components to these beads… handmade latticino (aka glass twisties) and real copper mesh.
What I love about working with latticino is that the twisted glass offers SO much depth and dimension when encased under a layer of clear glass. It’s a BIG visual impact for a such a small element.
To give these beads their ‘Net’ I use copper mesh – which is not so fun to work with, actually… LOL! 😀
Copper mesh can burn up in the flame in an instant if you’re not careful. And when applying and encasing it you have to make sure all the little cut ends of the mesh don’t poke out of the bead!
But the end result is worth it.
Another series I’ve brought back, and developed a bit further, is my Feather Series.
I have been inspired to bring this series back by a pair of eagles nesting in Big Bear, CA.
I am just fascinated with how they interact with each other and how well they take care of their eggs. Even through snow-storms like this one a couple weeks ago…
This bead drop features all big-hole beads that fit the thicker, euro-style bracelets & necklaces. 🙂
These beads are particularly challenging to make as I’m squeezing in as many tiny elements as I possibly can into a very small space.
But all the nerve-wracking moments are definitely well worth it as the final result is just gorgeous, (if I do say so myself 😉 … Sometimes I even knock my own socks off! LOL! 😀
One thing to note, if you’ve purchased BHB’s from me in the past, is that I’ve made a move to line the hole of these beads with sterling silver inserts which are glued in… versus the solid ss tubing I used to use.
During my ‘bead hiatus’ it seems that the proper sized sterling silver tubing is no longer readily available as it once was. All the suppliers I, (and other bead-makers), used to purchase the tubing from no longer carry this particular size.
I have learned that occasionally a group of beadmakers will get together and go in on a bulk buy so that one of the suppliers will agree to source and sell the tubing. I missed the last bulk buy at the beginning of 2023…and am waiting for notice of the next one.
In the meantime, I am using the best quality, solid sterling silver inserts I can find along with a jeweler’s grade adhesive that is extremely durable and stands up to normal wear and tear. My own BHB’s have held up great over the years with the glued inserts, (as I always saved the tubing for beads I sold, not my personal collection.)
The sterling silver inserts still give my beads have that beautiful & professional finish – as opposed to leaving the bead hole unlined, without any inserts. Even though the glass would hold up just fine on a bracelet or necklace without being lined, I simply prefer the look of the holes when finished with sterling silver.
You can currently find all the beads below on Etsy.
CCGlassArt 