Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Making the Beads

This post is taken from my blog on 1000Markets. I have just opened a new store in that market. Of course, this new store is called Rosebud's Lampwork Beads. My goal in writing this blog was to introduce the reader to the making of lampwork beads. The lampworkers on this site are few right now. I am hoping that more will join and we will be able to educate the non glass person about melting glass.

Without a doubt, melting glass is my passion! Almost every morning, you can find me down in my "studio" with my kiln turned on and my torch brightly lit. My work table is full of glass rods of different colors, frit (crushed glass), stringers (melted glass that has been pulled into long, thin pieces of glass), shards (blown pieces of glass that have been broken), and bits and pieces of glass that have popped off the rods of glass as I heated them up. I also have mandrels (rods of steel) that have been dipped in bead release ( a gooey, clay like substance that must be dried and without which you would never be able to get a bead get off the mandrel). Next to my work table is a hands free phone that I use to talk with friends who call while I am working. That's a lot of stuff! However, I manage it, and I am able to produce beads using these tools. Here are some samples of beads that I made in this arena of organized chaos. The earrings were made with stringers.



















The vessel was blown with transparent glass rods and special mandrels.





















The bracelet was made with colorful rods of glass. The bead on leather is made with gray glass and fine silver wire. Nummy!


















The bracelet was made with colorful rods of glass.













The bead on leather is made with gray glass and fine silver wire. Nummy!




Visit my new store and let me know what you think.

4 comments:

Maggie said...

Mallory, Your 1000 Market looks great. I'll be interested in hearing how you do there with it being so new. Hope it becomes a great place to shop and sell. All the best!

rosebud101 said...

Thanks, Maggie! Coincidentally, today I was a featured store on 1000Markets. I am starting to get some views. I'm not sure how to increase my views there. It's not like etsy where you can renew items. At least, not that I know of. My store is finally starting to look a wee bit better. We shall see.

angelinabeadalina said...

I think it looks great, Mallory! I liked your description of how you work, and your beads are scrumptious. Good luck with the new shop!

rosebud101 said...

Thanks, Ang. I hope to keep making improvements. I am getting very excited about my virtual class with you!