Spring is here! The flowers are blooming…and so is a batch of NEW BEADS! :D

Hello! I hope this message finds you enjoying the first weeks of Spring and all the new flowers blooming! 😀

This has truly been one of the most glorious spring-times I can remember in all my years here in Sunny SoCal.

We had SO much rain this winter that the hills and mountains all around us are completely covered with thick carpets of green grass and beautifully colored wildflowers everywhere!

My family and I recently went out to visit a Poppy Reserve. They were experiencing a ‘Super Bloom’ this year and it was absolutely SPECTACULAR! The hills were exploding with bright orange flowers as far as the eye could see. Here is a photo I took of one particularly densely packed hillside…

 

california poppy reserve

All this color around me has inspired a new batch of beads, many with a floral theme. I finished most of them with silver, brass, or copper bead caps as well. I think the caps finish the beads so nicely making them perfect to wear all on their own, if you choose.

Here is the latest batch of beads available now on Etsy:

Encased murrini glass art beads

Thank you for looking!

Until next time,
Christina
http://www.ccglassart.etsy.com

Shimmering, Sparkling, Glittering, Handmade Artisan Glass Beads

I suppose with all the rain, cloudy skies, and gloomy weather we’ve been having off and on lately, (not that I’m complaining because we desperately need the rain), I guess I needed a little brightness in my life.

But not just a little glow or shine, I’m talking out-of-control shimmer and sparkle like you would not believe!

Ok, I admit it – I LOVE all things sparkly. So when the idea popped into my head to combine the sparkliest elements I had to work with (glitter and dichroic glass), it was only a matter of time before I made it happen.

The result is my new Mirrorball series! And while these look nice in photos, wait till you get them in direct sunlight – WOW! Sunglasses are recommended…haha 😀

I also have some of my encased murrini beads available this week, and even snuck a little more dichroic glass into them as well. What can I say, I was on a roll! 😉

All beads are available now on Etsy:

a collage of lampwork handmade artisan glass beads

New Flamework Glass Charm Beads on Etsy

We’re enjoying some much needed showers today here in usually-sunny-Socal! 😀

It’s the perfect time to list some new beads, right? Or, go make hot cocoa….  beads first, though! 😉

handmade glass charm beads, murano beads, italian glass beads, bracelet beads

Thanks for looking!

Big Batch of NEW Lampwork Glass Charm Bracelet Beads on Etsy

Recently I said I was taking advantage of the cooler weather by torching as much as possible, and I wasn’t kidding! 😀 This large batch of new beads is the result of trying to beat the blazing heat that we’re experiencing now.

I’ve included several of my original encased murrini bead designs this time – plus some favorites from the past that have been popular with jewelry designers. This time I made them with a large, universal sized hole to fit the European style charm bracelets everyone loves so much (including me!).

These are available now on Etsy:

european charm bracelet beads, italian glass beads, murano beads, big hole beads, encased murrini beads, pandora beads, trollbeads, elf beads, biagi beads, chamilia beads, handmade glass beads

On a recent trip to Disneyland I discovered a Pandora bead store!!! I don’t know how long it’s been there, but now that I know about it, I’m not so sure it’s a good thing – haha! They have a spectacular selection of all things Pandora, but I was mainly interested in a few Disneyland exclusive designs. There’s a silver Minnie and Mickey bead I hope to be able to add to my collection in the future. For now, I’ve started with these two:

disney pandora beads, disneyland exclusive beads, charm bracelet beads, pandora beads

The one on the left is upside down, but it’s modeled after Mickey’s Fun Wheel (the ferris wheel) in the Disney California Adventure park. I love that ride! It has swinging cars which makes the ride so fun. Plus you get a fantastic view of the whole park when you’re at the top.

The bead on the right is the classic Mickey head design – I could be wrong, but I believe it was created to celebrate Disneyland’s Diamond anniversary (60 years this year). There’s a sparkly heart on the other side, too.

Till next time….   🙂