Day 13:: Writing Challenge:: AWESOMENESS:: Beads

This blog is called

"For the Love of Beads,"

and 

I would be remiss if I didn't talk about my favorite subject.

I've been making beads for almost 9 years now.  

Those are the glass beads that I have been making for that long.  

I have only recently started making polymer clay bead.

There have been issues that forced me into polymer clay because I needed the creative act of bead making to help me through some very difficult times that continue.

I have now fallen in love with polymer clay and all it's possibilities.

If you look at this pile of beads, 

you'll see what I mean.

I've sorted out most of the beads.

There are birds of a feather, but of different colors and sizes.

I don't care if it's glass or clay,

I love making discs.

These discs will fare well in the jewelry that I envision with them.

Then there are focals.

Each one is unique.

(I can't seem to make two beads alike no matter how hard I try.

Glass or clay,

It doesn't matter.)

Soon, I'm hoping that I'll be able to get back to glass, but I don't know when that will be.

It doesn't matter,

Glass

or 

Clay.

AWESOME!!

Thought I'd Show You My Little Gardens

Old Fashioned Garden

A Birdhouse Garden

Someone on Facebook called her

Our Lady of Polymer Clay!

I think she'd smile at that!

It's Marcy, Lauren and Nikki Day! They are 3 of my 10,000 favorite bead makers, but they are at the top of the list for sculptural glass bead artists!

It's Nikki, Marcy and Lauren Day!

Join me as we look at their shops and some of their work!

These 3 ladies are my absolute favorite sculptural glass bead artists on Etsy, but don't tell anyone I said that!

Let's start with Marcy of Studio Marcy.

Have you met her Honey Badger?

Isn't he sweet?

You can find him by clicking on this link.

Look at this adorable owl that Lauren of MayBeads made?

Isn't he sweet?

You can click on this link to find him.

Here's the link to MayBeads on Etsy.

 Nikki is the Sheep Goddess!

Look at the great sheep she makes!

Here's the link for this little guy.

Here's the link for NLC Beads on Etsy!

Now, get going.  There's a lot more to see in these stores!

If you've enjoyed this, and I know you did,

you'll want to see more!

Now, off with you!

Have you Voted Yet? What, you say, is this an election month?

No, it's time to vote in the Christmas contest sponsored by FlameTree Glass. You can check out the entries here. All you have to do is scroll down to the bottom, click on my name, and hit the submit button.

Although there are many fine entries, this one is mine.
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I'm not above asking for your vote. The prizes are some wonderful torches!

FlameTree Glass has partnered with GTT Torches to sponsor this contest. Thanks to both companies for this chance to compete! Winners will be announced on Christmas Eve. What a wonderful chance to win a great gift!
Thanks to both companies for this opportunity!

OMG! I'm becoming an ETCHING junkie!

I don't know exactly when it happened, but it did. This set is in my Etsy store, along with several other etched discs sets. Now, I just can't seem to help it.















Today, I was looking at some beads I had in my bead box. OMG! They were transparent and they were NOT etched. I walked away, very slowly. Here's a photo of them as I found them.














These beads were made with transparent purple and transparent pink. The pink does not show up in the photos very well.





















I also found this free form piece I made many moons ago!


I walked away slowly, but I came back quickly. Before I knew what was happening, I had put the beads in a plastic bowl. I had filled two other plastic bowls with water. One bowl was full of plain water for the final rinse and to the other I had added baking soda to stop the reaction from the etching. There was no way to stop it now! I poured the etch liquid into the bowl with the beads. I began to stir and waited for the etching to be completed. Oh, goodness, I am an etch junkie!

I've calmed down now, and here are the results. These beads seem to glow. I love them even more now.





















I can no longer ask: To Etch or not to Etch? I have no control any more!





















What do you think? To etch or not to etch?