Easy Peasy Tutorial - Making Lampwork Popcorn Beads

I haven't written a lampwork bead tutorial in ages,

but at the request of someone on Lampworketc, 

I decided it was time to write a tutorial on making

Popcorn Lampwork Beads.

These beads are very easy to make.

What do you need?

You need glass rods and stringers.

I use white rods and stringers and whatever color of yellow I have on hand.

I pull a stringer from the yellow rod.  It should be about the size of a 3/32" mandrel.

Sorry for the poor quality of photos.

It's hard to make beads and take photos at the same time.

You will also need mandrels dipped in bead release.

I use 3/32" for these beads because whatever I don't use or sell can then be donated to 

Beads of Courage

for the children who participate in the program.

Begin by making a white spacer bead on the mandrel.

See, so far, so good.

Using your yellow stringer, add a good sized dot to your white spacer bead.

Continue to flash your bead in the flame, but do NOT melt the dot.

Using your white stringer, now add 5-6 dots around the yellow dot.

Do not melt into the white bead.

Place your new bead in the kiln and anneal.

Pop!

You've made a popcorn bead.

WoooHooo!

Lampwork popcorn beads = no calories!

You can find them

HERE!

My Favorite Blog - Totally Tutorials

The photo has nothing to do with the post,

but since I like to use photos  in every blog post,

I chose this one.

1) I like it.

2) If you need to know something about blog building,

you might be able to find it on 

Totally Tutorials.

The owner of the blog describes it as a

"directory of free tutorials."

I find it to be more than this.

I consider it to be an 

amazing resource.

Blog owners submit their free tutorials to 

Totally Tutorials.

If selected,

the tutorial will, at some point in time,

be featured on the blog.

Topics range from "Accessories" to "Recipes" to "Bogs" to "Wool" to "Writing."

All of the tutorials are FREE!

I love this amazing resource!

I use it frequently.

Have you found it or another similar blog?

Do tell.

I'd love to know more about your finds, too.