The result is.....

I've been telling you about a bead maker Becky of Gypsy Flame (www.gypsyflamework.com) and a bead store GlassHopper Studio, LLC (www.GlasshopperStudio.com), where I have been shopping for weeks to get some special beads for a project.

The result of my work is.....





The handmade beads made by Becky of Gypsy Flame are the centerpiece of this necklace and earring set. The three focal orange and black beads in the center of the necklace are matching, and the two in the earrings and one in the center focal piece also match and were made by her. I combined onyx etched rectangular beads, faceted onyx beads with silver spacers, silver beads, pearls, fire opal, black and clear Swarovski crystal beads, and various other larger onyx beads with assorted seed beads.

I copied the technique from something I saw just last night in a catalog. Each section of beads in the torsade is composed of three strands of beads, and are gathered at the end of each section by a small silver spacer. In the past, I've made the woven/braided necklaces (three strand and 8 strand) with the beads on single strands, but not gathered together, which makes a very airy necklace, with the beads "floating" on the stringing wire. The technique that I used on this necklace gives a much more chunky look, which I thought was necessary because the focal beads were large.

The camera flash brightened up the orange to the point that this almost looks like a Halloween piece, but in reality it is much more subtle. I think this will look good with a black turtleneck and black velveteen jeans, now all I need is a place to wear it!

From Beading 101 to......

Making your own beads!

If that is the direction your beading life takes you, then you might want to take classes in how to do it. It requires some rather daunting equipment, none the likes that you will find at Michaels for $15. I got started in my beading career by buying a kit from Michaels that included beads, findings, tools, even a design tray all in a neat little package all for $15, actually only $9 with my 40% off coupon! But I never thought an ordinary preson could make their own beads!

While my sister and I were vacationing together in 2006, we went to Vancouver, BC. They have a lot of street artisans plying their wares on the streets of Vancouver, and we bought a few unique hand-made beads from various vendors. She made a necklace for me out of one of the beads I bought, it turned out lovely. I still never thought an ordinary person could actually make their own beads.

This fall, our Ladies Club sponsored a vendor's fair. If you are unfamiliar with these types of events, it is a chance for people with small businesses and cottage industries to display their products and sell a little to the folks who come in. It is like a craft fair, but it is not limited to crafts, because there are a variety of items for sale, Tupperware, different franchise jewelry businesses (such as Silpada Designs), cosmetics (Mary Kay) foodstuffs (Tastefully Simple), and local and regional crafters.

One crafter who brought her beautifuly made items was a lady who made her own beads. She had some beads made into beautiful items, such as bookmarks, knives for appetizers, simple necklaces, and she had a bowl full of "orhpan beads" as she called them, some matched in color, some in style, but each bead unique in its own way. I was drawn to that bowl, and found 17 @ $3 each that I had to purchase for three different sets of jewelry items. Then she turned on the blowtorch, and actually started to make beads right there at the show! That was totally fascinating to see how she took a rod of glass, melted it, shaped it, added colors, cooled it and then the finished product was there for all to see. It turned out so different than one might imagine when you saw it in the process of being formed. She was very instructive in her craft, and told me exactly what she was doing as she worked on the bead. I was totally fascinated by her products and the process she used to make them, and went back to the orphan bead bowl and bought $75 more. In case you want to check out her bead-making products, her website is www.gypsyflamework.com.
She told me she took lessons from a bead shop/workshop called Glasshopper in Creve Coeur, MO. This is the bead shop we ended up in Friday. In this glass workshop, the owner Leslie has stations for learning to making glass beads, with torches and materials all lined up in the back of the store, each station complete with fireproof walls. She holds classes in beadmaking, and that is what she was preparing for when we came to the store Friday. She gave us a very complete but short lesson in how it is done, what gases are used for the torches, and now we know enough to have our interest piqued to maybe try this part of jewelry making. Glasshopper Studio LLC has a website www.GlasshopperStudio.com if you want to check it out.

Maybe a new hobby will be born from these experiences! Whew, when would I have time to do that?

Clawing at the Window

My sister is a beader. She has had a few interesting hobbies in her life, but one she really is actively involved in right now is beading. She started me on my "need for beads" about a year and a half ago, when I was thinking I was going to ask her to make me a bracelet like one I had seen in a catalog. The original was $135 (in Robert Redford's Sundance catalog--what would you expect it cost?) I figured the most unusual piece of the bracelet was the Indian Head nickel button they used for a closure, AND I HAD SOME OF THOSE!

My sister had made some beautiful things for me in the past. But sometimes, she didn't get around to getting the projects done in a timely manner. I should talk, since I have at least three or four sewing projects promised to her that never have been completed.

So, I figured the best way to get the bracelet as quickly as I wanted it was to do it myself. Another hobby for me was born on that day!

I went to Michaels, and for a mere $150 in supplies, I got the materials to make that bracelet for myself. I learned to string beads and attach findings. I created that bracelet, to proudly display it in my drawer (don't know if I have ever worn it.) But, more importantly, the need for beads was created in my heart on that day, and the lust has continued until now!

My sister has always told me of her experiences at bead shows, and at bead stores. Until this spring, I hadn't experienced a bead show, and the only bead store I go to is Michaels. I do shop several on-line bead shops, www.firemountaingems.com and so my inventory of beads has grown exponentially over the year and a half of my hobby. It has about outgrown its alotted shelving in the closet it has been assigned to. No problem, I can add more shelves!

We were very interested in going to a bead store together, and on Dec. 26, we had a little window of time to fit this in. MonkeyGirl also beads, although not as much as she scrapbooks, and she had spotted this bead store near her work one day when they were out for lunch. It is in an area I pass frequently, but it is positioned way back in the corner of a U-shaped strip mall, so it is hard to see from the road. But we found it Friday.

Alas, even though the lights were on in the shop, there was a sign on the door that they were closed Dec. 24, 25 adn 26th. The entire front window was filled with clear cases housing every color and size of Swarovski crystal beads you could imagine. So my silly sister started clawing at the window, pantomiming her desire to get at the beads. Up popped a head from the rear of the store, who slowly edged forward to see who the crazies were who were trying to enter her store! I guess we must have looked like friendly faces, because she did open the door and talked to us. "Yes, you all are cordially invited back tomorrow morning at 9 a.m., when we open up after Christmas." My sister in her most forelorn voice said, "Oh I'm from out of town and won't be here then", so the conversation continued, "Where are you from?", "Portland, OR" --I just nodded in hopes that two sad ladies from out of town might win over her heart to just let us browse. Well, it worked, and she did let us in.

We were like kids in the candy store, and the candy was crystals, gemstones, gold and silver findings, interesting ideas. We gingerly asked if we could make a purchase that day, and the owner said, "sure". Why not? She was doing some set up for future classes, and we were drooling over her many unusual bead sets, an awesome inventory of difficult-to-find stuff and very unique items. The floodgates of ideas opened as we viewed the different bead sets, and we helped each other with ideas of things to use to complete our projects. The floodgates of ideas meant the floodgates of financing our ideas had to also open.

We made her day, it was 2 hours spent in fun and great entertainment, and a net sale of over $300 for the store owner. I guess it was worth her while to respond to two ladies clawing at the window to make her sales quota on that day, even though she was closed for business!

More on her store in future blogs. Glasshopper Studio LLC www.GlasshopperStudio.com