Wire Wrapping Lampwork Beads.

As I keep mentioning ...... (sorry for boring you) ....  this style of lampwork beads are my signature in the lampwork world.  This is a technique that I have tinkered with to develop a style that is unique and very intricate in it's development.  All of the decoration is within the bead and every time you look into one of these beads you will see something completely different.  They are extremely tricky to make and I have many beads that end up in the flower bed .......  but I also have a lot of successful beads as you can see here.

Whilst these beads look very beautiful in a side view ..... the implosion is meant to be viewed looking straight down the bead hole ..... just like this .....

Now, usually you string the bead through the bead hole and incorporate the bead into your jewellery designs with the side of the bead being viewed.  When I made these beads I hoped to give the jewellery designer a new challenge in terms of stringing.  In my head (there is a lot filed away in there) I have quite a few designs floating around in the ether but haven't had any time to make them.  This is always the case because I get carried away developing my beads ..... striving to make more intricate, more beautiful, more colourful designs ..... I wanted to show how these beads could be strung to accentuate the intricate design within the glass.

Then, a lady called Sheena Carruthers purchased a set of my beads.  Whenever I make a sale, I always ask for a photograph of how my beads were used.  I was so proud when Sheena sent me a photograph of the pendant she had made.  It is amazing and so beautiful! 

  

It is such a beautiful piece of jewellery and is a gorgeous example of how you can string one of my implosion beads and get the beauty of the bead as it should be viewed.  I cannot make anything as beautiful as this because my wirework is certainly not to this level but over the holidays I had a go myself if only to release some of the ideas drifting around my head ..... the creative ones amongst you will understand .....

I took a length of relatively fine silver wire.  It was very pliable and needed to be for this design.  I wrapped a length of wire around another length of wire (.... does this make sense? .....) to make the loop in the centre of the bead.  I then created a wire wrapped knot because I wanted to cover the bead hole and create a pretty central aspect to the bead.  Through the knot I then threaded different lengths of wire and twisted some around to give the pendant extra strength.  Really .... I was experimenting and going where ever the wire was taking me ...... I finished off with a loop and secured the piece together with even more wire wrapping.

Here is a back view of the piece ......

You can see the wire wrapping more clearly in this photograph.  I love the effect you get from wrapping wire over another piece of wire.  It looks nice and tidy!  I have made a few more pendants using these beads and have used the wire differently to create different effects.  I have been pleased with the results but I need to get back into the studio to make some more beads as my head is spinning with more and more ideas of things to make ......HELP!

Unfortunately the jewellery I have featured in this article is not for sale but if you click on the link to my shop on Etsy, you may find a set of beads that you can turn into something truly spectacular!

BEADSCRUMPTIOUS ON ETSY!

Sarah xx

www.beadscrumptious.co.uk

www.hypersmash.com

Calypso

This bracelet holds some lovely memories of when my workspace was my kitchen. Every evening once I had packed my little children off to bed, out would come the work mate with my Hot Head torch attached and away I would go into the land of beads ..... My kiln was set up in the corner of the kitchen so I could set my beads to anneal overnight.  I would spend every evening trying out new designs, colours, types of glass, learning how they react together and just disappearing into my own little world.....

Not much has changed really .... except that now I work in my shed/studio/shed, my children are slightly larger and I am now developing my own designs from scratch.  It is still very exciting ..... and very rewarding to see the jewellery that people make using my lampwork beads.  

I remember making these beads.  I used to give myself a little challenge by selecting a few colours to work with based on something from a magazine or a book.  I have this lovely book all about underwater sea creatures.  It is beautiful (I love my books) and I love to have a peek through the pages for colour inspiration ..... Therefore, I chose Effetre pale blue, grass green, pea green, ivory, transparent emerald, aqua and a tiny piece of CIM leaky pen.  I thought that by restricting the colour palette it would focus my attention on the design ... sometimes this works .... sometimes it doesn't though .....

I started by making a barrel shaped central core using either pale blue or transparent emerald.  I gradually built up the bead by adding different colours on top of the central core until I had a rather large lozenge shaped blob on the end of the mandrel.  I added some slithers of different colours and pulled the glass whilst it was molten to distort some of the underlying layers.  Then using gravity to shape the bead I rounded off the edges of the bead holes.  When I was happy with the shape I pressed the bead against my marver and flattened the bead to a tabular shape.  Once I was happy with the shape I added the surface decoration to the bead.  To be honest, I think I kept it all quite simple using raised dots to mimic bubbles and underwater plant life .... it was good fun!  You can't always tell what your beads are going to look like until you remove them from the kiln but this time I was really pleased because they came out of the kiln exactly as I wanted them to.

I was really pleased with the internal swirls created when I distorted the molten glass.  It created the effect of swirling seaweed trapped within a glassy ocean.  The surface of the beads are very tactile and the raised dots give the impression of water droplets still clinging to the surface of the beads.

I had decided before I had finished making the set of beads that they were going to be part of a bracelet.  A very bright and vibrant bracelet.  The tabular beads measure approximately 1 inch and because the design is so busy they needed to separated by plain, simple beads.  The finished bracelet measures 8 and a half inches and is finished with a sterling silver toggle clasp.    

This bracelet is available to purchase from my shop on WOW Thank You.  If you click on a photograph, a link will take you straight there.

Sarah xx

www.beadscrumptious.co.uk

www.hypersmash.com

Lavender Moss

Hello, I have been lost in the beautiful British summer over the last couple of weeks.  I did have a bad spell of not being able to make a single round bead, my creativity had vanished somewhere in the ether and I can't help it .... once that sun comes out I just can't focus! It must be the excitement of actually having good weather .... I know I harp on and on about the weather but really it has been truely depressing over the last 12 months ...... well until now!

My laptop was also on it's last legs so my very wonderful husband (he reads these) and he is the most amazing husband in the whole wide world ... bought me a very nice shiny new one.  It is great! It starts straight away.  Usually I can make breakfast, hoover the house, put on a few loads of washing, make five sets of beads and then the password request will appear.  Not now though .... this machine is instant.  I must admit, it takes a while for me to get used to new technology (unlike my kids) and I have taken ages to transfer my work across (... might also be due to watching The Returned at the same time... totally addictive) but I am finally ready to go.

I have been very good at promoting my shop on Etsy and to be honest I am wondering if it might be more sensible to concentrate on having one shop. I currently have a shop on Etsy, Folksy and WOW Thank You.  Folksy is basically a British version of Etsy and my original thinking was to advertise myself in both places and spread the word about Beadscrumptious Beads around the globe ... a little.  What I am not good at is promoting my work on Folksy.  So, I thought I would rectify this today and post about this pretty set of lampwork beads.

This set of beads was made using a very pale green coloured glass.  It is a very subtle and calming colour so I needed a contrasting glass that was rich, vibrant and "in your face" to balance things out.  The colour I chose was CIM Lapis, one of my favourite coloured glass and beautiful to work with.  The contrast between the two colours is very striking so I was careful to keep the design's simple.  By doing this I have managed to keep the calming influence of the pale green glass.  A great deal of thought goes into these beads you know ........ 

Since writing this post I have decided to close my shop on Folksy for the time being but you can purchase my lampwork beads from my shop on Etsy.  If you click on one of the photographs a link will take you straight there.

Sarah xx

www.beadscrumptious.co.uk

www.hypersmash.com

Passion

Hello, I have spent so much time making beads lately that I haven't had the time to write about them.  This set of beads are part of my new collection of Entangled Beads.  The glass has taken on a wisp like effect .... almost like ribbons of glass entwined and entangled together.  The effect is beautiful and gives the beads a stunning amount of depth.  They are irresistible! Once you start looking into the beads you get lost within all the fascinating mixtures and tendrils of glass.  I should have called them my crystal glass ball beads .... you gaze into the bead and see all kinds of wondrous things hidden within the depths of the glass  ..... oooohhhh where did that come from?   It is true though!

 

This isn't an easy thing to photograph but I do try my best for you .......  I get as close to the beads as I possibly can before everything gets blurred and distorted but I still can't manage to capture the depth within the beads.  Still, this is something to work on .....

 

I wish I could write paragraphs about my inspiration for these beads but this is one of those sets that have developed over time and just come from working with the glass.  A technique I have stumbled upon whilst trying to make a specific set of lampwork beads.  Sometimes this happens and sometimes from this great ideas can emerge.  There is another problem with this though.  There have been instances where I have been asked to make the same bead set again.  This is not always possible because I have used the glass on my desk at that specific moment in time, in a certain order and in a certain way and try as hard as I can I cannot make them again.  It can be quite frustrating but proves that my beads are one of a kind (OOAK) and truly unique. 

 

In case you hadn't noticed ..... I have a thing for hot pink and turquoise at the moment.  The colours really compliment each other and I can't get enough of them.  The only problem is the cost of the pink glass.  It is incredibly expensive and worth every penny ....

 

What can I tell you about these beads?  There are 5 beads in the set. I have used the same combination of glass for each bead but every bead is OOAK. My beads also look fantastic strung from a sterling silver chain. The advantage of this is you can swop and change the beads as often as you like to create individual jewellery statements. If you would like some ideas about what to make with my beads please visit my blog : Jewellery Making Tutorial

The largest bead is 19mm across by 12 mm thick to 12mm by 10mm. The remaining four beads are approximately 12mm across by 11mm thick.The bead holes are approximately 2.5mm.

This bead set is available to purchase in my shop on Etsy.  All you need to do is click on a photograph and a link will take you straight there.

 

Sarah xx

www.beadscrumptious.co.uk

www.hypersmash.com



 

 

Ribbons.

 

I made this set of beads a few years ago.  I really liked the colour combinations and the way in which the ivory base reacted with the transparent green and blue.  It produced a gorgeous almost watercolour effect.  A couple of weeks ago I was looking through my selection of beads for inspiration and stumbled across this set of beads and remembered how I wanted to develop this watercolour effect further ...... so I did .....

 

 

I made these beads in pretty much the same way as the first set.  I used an ivory base and added a strip of transparent blue and transparent green.  I super heated the bead to help invoke a reaction with the ivory and them mixed things up a little with my faithful set of pliers.  The bead was re-heated to make a round bead and to create the puckered ends around the bead holes.  I have a thing about bead holes .... you may have guessed.   I prefer them to be finished to a very high standard.  I like my bead holes to be puckered and rounded in towards the bead hole.  There are no sharp edges to my beads they are finished to a very high standard.

 

 

 

 

Whilst I was making these beads I thought to myself "I wonder what these would look like if I sculpted a design onto the surface of the bead?" I had a go and instead of melting the colours into the glass, I created this ribbon sculpture on the surface of the bead.  It looks quite effective.  I love the way the glass moves when you heat it just right.  It is very fluid and keeps this illusion when it is cooled.  It gives the jewellery designer many different ways in which they can string this bead to great effect.

 

 

This was a great set of beads to make and I will definitely be developing the sculpted ribbon bead in more detail (so please don't copy this design).  I have plans to make a whole set of these beads in various different colours, designs, etched and not etched ..... the list is endless ..... my sketch book is full of ideas .... pages worth!

 

 

This bead set is available in my shop on Etsy.  If you click on a photograph a link will take you straight there.

 

Sarah xx

www.beadscrumptious.co.uk

www.hypersmash.com

 









Polymer Clay Challenge : May 2013

 

 

I have been playing it quite safe with these polymer challenges so far mainly because I haven't had the time to make anything too extravagant.  That doesn't mean the ideas aren't there.  Believe me I have loads of beads/ideas I want to make but unfortunately I just don't have the time.  I do record everything in my sketchbook so the ideas don't get forgotton. 

 

I have made beads like these before and I liked the colour combinations so much that I wanted to have another go at making them.  Now, whilst making these beads I realised that not only do I need to record my ideas for designs I also need to record exactly how I make them.  You are probably thinking, "Isn't that what your sketchbook is for?" .... well, yes and no.  I initially draw the designs, colour combinations and inspiration for the beads but usually when taking a piece of work from a sketch book into reality you change a few things here and there.  It is those little changes that I don't record.  I also become easily sidetracked into making other things along the way ..... I don't record those either ..... grrrrrr 

 

 

 

I need to make more time to make flower canes as well.  I really enjoy making them, it is quite therapeutic you know! I want to develop the shape of the petals a bit more and add some depth to the flowers.  Lots to work on .... just need the time ......

 

 

I used the beads to make a very long necklace and matching bracelet.  I combined the polymer clay beads with my handmade lampwork glass beads and separated these with heamatite seed beads. These were all connected to a black chain, combined with a string of blue sparkly seed beads and blue silken thread.  

 

I am using all my polymer clay beads to make an affordable jewellery range for when I attend craft fairs and jewellery parties.  I am really enjoying making them all too because I can sit and make jewellery with my family whilst they are watching a film.  I do lose a few beads here and there when my children decide they want to have a go making an item of jewellery .... but what can you do?

Sarah xx
www.beadscrumptious.co.uk
www.hypersmash.com  



Flowers on a Beach.

There is coloured glass called Rubino Ora (also known as Gold Pink) which gives some beautiful rich colours depending on what you use as a base colour. My favourite of these colours is the deep, rich pink colour you can see in the photograph above. Here I have placed Rubino Ora on top of effetre's pink. Very pretty? 

It is also a real pain to work with! I started to use this glass when I worked on my first torch the Hot Head and it gave me so many nightmares until I learnt how this glass reacts. Don't be put off if you are using a Hot Head torch by the way because this bead was created on one! So I did manage it ..... eventually!

This is a glass that you have treat with respect!  It is very reactive and if you don't heat it correctly who will either lose the colour or end up with dirty grey scum marks on the glass.  It is a very naughty glass, a challenge to work with but redeems itself because it produces some gorgeous colours depending on the colour of the bead you are encasing.  This is one of my favourite types of glass because it opens up so many possibilities. For instance, here I combined rubino ora with while glass to make a set of my signature implosion beads.  I wish I had taken a close up of this photograph so that you could see the depth of colour increase in between the petals.  It is very effective. 

There is a lot of science/chemistry with this glass and I am umming and ahhing as I write about whether or not to include it ..... I will leave it this time because I want to write a series of posts about different types of glass, how they react and the different effects you can achieve using different colours.  Whilst I am writing about future posts I am also going to write about the tips and tricks to achieving a beautiful round bead with lovely finished puckered bead holes.  I am currently working on this and it should be out next month.

 

Anyway .... back to this blog (see this is how my mind works at the moment ... sorry).  In this set of beads there a wrap of Rubino Ora on top of CIM Heffalump.  It creates a beautiful deep, rich pink colour.  Now, if you look closely you can see what I mean about the reactive nature of this glass.  Look closely at the little white petals and compare the petals on the pink glass with the petals on the turquoise.  Both sets of petals were created using white glass in exactly the same way.  The Rubino Ora has reacted with the white glass and created a pink halo around the outside of the petals and intensified the pink in the centre giving a vein effect.  Do you see what I mean? 

 

 

 This glass has a tendency to do this with most colours and creates some fantastic results.  For example ....

 

 





Here Rubino Ora was added on top of a blue dot and melted into the glass.  The Rubino has spread out across the dot and created a really cool reaction between the turquoise base bead and the blue dots.  If you add stripes of colours across a bead (including a stripe of Rubino) the effects are beautiful. 

 

I made this focal bead back in 2008 .... crikey where has the time gone?  This bead consists of an ivory base encased in rubino ora with trails of opal yellow and dark blue.  Look at how different the colour is.  It is a very rich goldy/orange colour, again a reaction of the glass to ivory....  Have a play yourself an see what you come up with.

 

So, here is just a little insight into the world of Rubino Ora.  I will write again about this glass and perhaps add a few of my favourite colour combinations and reactions next time ....

 

Most of the beads and jewellery in this post can be found in my shop.  If you click on the photograph a link will take you straight there.

 

Sarah xx

www.beadscrumptious.co.uk
www.hypersmash.com