Wednesday, January 1, 2014

HAPPY NEW YEAR!


Hello, I feel as though I have been away for too long … and I have.  I think I should also explain why. I haven't stopped making lampwork beads but have had a little break for the last three months because I have been so busy.

As many of you know I started making lampwork beads as a hobby that has grown into a small business.  I enjoy every minute of making beads but now my children are all at school I needed to get my career back on track.  So as well as making beads I am doing a Masters in Volcanology.  This isn't as strange as it may sound because I am a Geologist and the principles of melting glass have many analogies to molten lava.  One of my assignments was to write a Wikipedia page so I wrote about  Pele's Tears  These are tiny beads of molten glass that are ejected during lava fountaining.  So I am managing to get beads in to my course as well ….. Sorry …. but all of my posts from now on will probably have something about volcanoes in them ….

Anyway I am waffling again … I have just finished the taught part of the course which was extremely interesting but also very time consuming so this is the main reason why I have been absent from my blog.  But I am back now to share more beads, tutorials and advice.  

So what has been happening in the world of beads?  I was asked to make a bracelet using the Chess bead set above.  The lady wanted the bracelet to look very similar to the arrangement in the photograph.  I had to add more beads to the set but kept the design very simple by only adding plain black beads.  Unfortunately, I didn't take a photograph of the finished set but the lady was very pleased with the result.


I was also very sad to say goodbye to this set of beads.  I had been secretly hoping that they wouldn't sell (which doesn't make me a very good sales person I know!) because they were one of my favourite sets and marked the transition to my own unique style and design.  However, they did go to a very good home.  What about you?  Do you have any bead sets that you are reluctant to let go?  I am terrible for it.  I have a box full of sets that I really need to add to Etsy and sell but I just can't bring myself to part with them.

I will be back soon, I promise with some photos of jewellery made using my beads by some of my very lovely customers.

Speak soon

Sarah xx

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