Will I ever get back to shed/studio/shed?

So, it has been a long time since I have been in the shed/studio/shed making beads and I have to say I am slightly nervous about switching on that torch again.  I have been incredibly busy over the last year and had to put the beads on hold … but I have really missed disappearing out to my shed and making a few glassy creations.  

I sat down with my daughter the other evening and we sat at the kitchen table making earrings together and it set off so many ideas … oh the beads I could make …. I spent the weekend out in shed/studio/shed cleaning out all the spiders and preparing my work space ready for action.

The first bead I will make is one of my signature implosion beads and then who knows where the inspiration will take me.  Should I set to work with a colour scheme in mind or just go with the flow?  I don't know …. I shall melt the glass, let it flow and see what happens.  One thing I do know is that it will be great to get back out there!

Sarah xx

www.beadsrumptious.com

www.hypersmash.com

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

www.beadsrumptious.com

www.hypersmash.com

What to look for when purchasing lampwork beads ... part 1

I am a very conscientious lampwork artist.  I take a great deal of pride in my work and have always sought to make the highest quality beads.  I am a perfectionist and I will not sell any beads that I am not 100% happy with.  Each and every bead represents a piece of art that cannot be replicated or copied.  It is a moment of time trapped within the glass.

I thought I would share some examples of what makes a good quality lampwork bead. Whether you are a new lampwork artist learning your craft or someone that is looking to purchase a set of lampwork beads I hope to give you a few tips on what makes a good bead.

Take a close look at the bead holes in the picture above.  You can see that the entrance to the bead hole is smooth and rounded.  There are no jagged edges, no loose pieces of glass .... everything is smooth.  Now, this is a personal preference .... but my lampwork beads always have a smooth glass transition to the bead hole.  If I am selling my lampwork beads then I want them to be of the highest quality possible with no jagged edges or rough splinters of glass.

There are also practical reasons for this.  As you know I also make jewellery using my lampwork beads.  It is important to have a smooth transition to the bead hole ..... you don't want to have rough edges around the bead holes because the jagged pieces of glass will snap off and end up in your jewellery designs and if the edges are too rough they will eventually rub against your stringing material and wear it away.  The answer ..... to create a beautiful dimple around the bead hole with rounded edges and no sharp pieces of glass protruding from the bead.  I am preparing a tutorial on how to achieve this .... if you are new to lampwork.

Whilst still concentrating on the area around the bead hole .... another thing to look for or try to achieve if you are a lampwork artist is to completely encase the bead in clear glass.  Now, next time you are looking through a batch of lampwork beads take a good look at the internal glass surrounding the bead the hole.  Depending on the design (of course) there should be a lovely clean covering of glass right to the bead hole.  You don't want to see a murky line where the colours within the glass have bled into one another.   

Again, this is a personal preference but I prefer to encase beads fully in clear glass right up to the bead hole, as you can see in the photograph above.  It is a difficult skill to master and you can learn a great deal from tutorials and fellow artists but I think you need to find your way of doing it.  We are all different and what works for one person may not be easy for another.  It gives a lovely finish to the lampwork beads and adds a certain amount of depth.

I work very hard to make the most beautiful lampwork beads that I can.  I tend to focus more on the internal details within the beads rather than external designs and I am constantly striving to push the boundaries and make the most intricate beads that I can. It has taken a few years but I have now developed my own signature and style of lampwork beads and this is very important.  If you are a lampwork artist you need to find your speciality and develop this to make it your own.  Don't try to copy someone else's designs and sell them because you are cheating them and yourself.  Be unique, be different and be true to yourself.

I am afraid all of the lampwork beads featured in this blog have been sold.  If you would like to see more of my work then please visit my shop on Etsy - Beadscrumptious

Sarah xx

www.beadscrumptious.co.uk

www.hypersmash.com

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

Monthly Make - July

I haven't had time to write a monthly make post for May or June which is a bit of a shame.  Never mind, I am back on track with an entry for July.  I am one of those people that like to get value for money when I make a purchase and this is something I always try to fulfil with my customers too ...

My lampwork beads are expensive (because they are made to a very high standard) and considered a luxury item so I always try to make sure I include a little extra where I can.  It is also lovely when you receive a beautifully packaged item.  So, when you purchase my beads you can always be assured that you will receive your beads in a beautifully presented gift box, tied with ribbon and finished with a few little extra beads.

I take absolutely ages packaging my beads.  They take a long time to make, kiln anneal and clean and I would be devastated if they were damaged during shipping.  Especially as many of the designs I make I cannot (no matter how hard I try) reproduce.  They are unique, one of a kind pieces of art!   I also take ages choosing the right beads to place on the top of the box.  You need beads that match the beads you have purchased to incorporate into your jewellery design.

Underneath all of the reams of bubble wrap, you will have a beautiful set of lampwork beads arriving in pristine condition ready for you to turn into something beautiful.

Oh ..... I should also add that I would love to see what beautiful pieces of wearable art you have made with my beads.....

I have a shop on Etsy where you can view and purchase some of my lampwork creations.  All you need to do is click right here ..... Beadscrumptious on Etsy

Sarah xx

www.beadscrumptious.co.uk

www.hypersmash.com

Beadscrumptious Implosion Flower Beads

Hello, and welcome to my new blog followers.   I feel as though I have been away for a very long time .... I had one of those moments where all of my creativity just vanished.  It returned in part ... I had moments where ideas were buzzing through my head but I just couldn't make them.  No matter how hard I tried I couldn't make a single round bead.  So, I admitted defeat and left the shed/studio/shed, bought myself a new laptop (my old one was very old and ... well ....  just old!)  and spent the last week transferring across all of my data.  Why am I telling you all this boring information?  I have absolutely no idea but there we are ...... 

What I wanted to write about were my new implosion beads.  YES!  My lampworking hands finally returned and I was on a roll!  I went into a lampwork frenzy!  I abandoned my family duties and disappeared to my shed/studio/shed ..... until I made all the beads that had been whizzing around as ideas in my chaotic brain.  Yipee! Whoohoooo! and Hooray! 

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you will know these are my signature beads.  I have spent years developing these beads and continue to do so.  They are very difficult beads to make and require a great deal of heat control, concentration and a very steady hand.  I also need to have a clear head to make them because they are totally absorbing. 

So what is new about these beads? .... I have been developing the side view of the beads.  The beads are designed to be viewed from the front but many designers want to have the detail around the side of the bead as well.  Sometimes this happens and sometimes it doesn't, so I have been developing a technique that can achieve this.  I have also been developing a greater depth within the beads, more intense colours and more swirling within the swirls ... just thinking about these beads sends my head into a spin ..... I want them to be even more stunning and to really capture your attention when they are worn as a piece of jewellery.

As you can see from the photograph above, I decided to use these beads to make a series of pretty pendants.  I am always asked about how these beads could be converted into beautiful jewellery so I thought I would show you a very simple example.  I made this pendant using sterling silver wire.  I created a little knot of wire to cover the bead hole and then looped the wire carefully around the bead so that it will hang correctly from a silver chain.  A great amount of thought goes into my jewellery designs because I want my customers to be complemented on their beautiful jewellery and spread the word about my lampwork beads.

I will be making some more implosion beads very soon and they will be available to purchase in my shop on Etsy - Beadscrumptious

Sarah xx

www.beadscrumptious.co.uk

www.hypersmash.com

A simple way to wear lampwork beads!

You have seen a beautiful set of lampwork beads and don't know what to do with them.  Well, here is a very simple solution to your problem ..... pop them onto a sterling silver chain and you have a very quick and simple item of jewellery.  The great thing about this is that you can change the beads very easily to match different items of clothing within your wardrobe.  This is something that I do very often.  

I quite like the simplicity and versatility of this.  I can wear one bead, a set of beads, mix and match them with other sets of lampwork beads and create statement peices of jewellery that I know I will be complimented on and that no-one else is wearing.

You could purchase some sterling silver rondell or round beads to place in between each lampwork bead to bring out the designs within the beads.  This creates a very effective look as well.  I love using sterling silver with lampwork beads and keeping things simple because it compliments the designs within the lampwork beads. 

Photo by Vicki Ritherdon

When you are purchasing your silver chain just make sure that the end is smaller that 2.5mm and rectangular in shape.  I do have sterling silver chains available should you wish to make yourself a statement piece of jewellery.  All you need to do is contact me. 

If you would like to see more beads that you could place onto a sterling silver chain .... please visit my shop on Etsy by clicking on this link -  Beadscrumptious

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

Creme Caramel

 

I also sell my beads on Folksy which is essentially a British version of Etsy.  It is an online craft store where artisans sell their handmade items.  The great thing about both of these online stores is that you can be assured (most of the time) that you are purchasing items that have been individually handmade by very handworking artists.  I say most of the time because as always there are the odd few that slip through the net attempting to sell wholesale items. 

 

This set of beads is called Crème Caramel. When I took these beads out of the kiln I was really pleased. The internal swirls of avocado and chocolate all encased within a light amber coloured glass that reflects the light beautifully.  I have blogged about these beads before but decided that they needed some more publicity ..... they are lovely!

 

This photograph shows the swirls beautifully.  I originally intended for these to be an autumnal set of beads but there is definitely a summery feel about them too.  Perhaps it is the richness of colour produced by the chocolate swirling through the amber glass. 

 

 

Beads have always held a fascination for people and have been used for many different things.  My beads are no exception.  A selection of my beads are sold in Kiki's Craft Store in Scotland.  Here they are purchased mainly for decorating textiles.  I sell to jewellery designers, hobbyists, collectors, all kinds of people and I always ask for photographs of their final pieces of work (blog post coming soon) because I am really interested to know what they have made with my beads.

 

Of course, you don't have to do very much with my beads to enjoy their attractive allure.  All you need is a silver chain.  Pop the beads onto the chain and you have an instant piece of pretty jewellery.  The great thing about this is that you can take the beads on and off and match them to your outfit or mix and match the beads with other bead sets.  There is a great deal of potential ....

This set of beads would definitely suit being placed on a sterling silver chain.  Sometimes the simplicity of a design can be all the more stunning! 

All of my lampwork beads are handmade by me in my studio in Somerset. I am a professional lampwork artist and make all of my bead to a very high standard. All of my beads are kiln annealed to ensure long lasting strength and durability and all of my beads are thoroughly cleaned to remove all traces of bead release.

 

I have included 7 beads in the set. They range in size from 14mm by 9mm beads to 15mm by 10mm beads. The bead hole is 2.5mm.

 

All of my lampwork beads are securely packaged in a gift box. I pack them very carefully because a great deal of work goes into creating these little treasures

 

This set of beads is available to purchase from my shop on Folksy.  I ship worldwide.  If you click on the photograph 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