Before I Forget, Today I Want to Remember...

how I felt when I took this bead off the mandrel and photographed it.

I felt:  very pleased. 

I saw: a blending of colors and patterns that only gravity could make.

I heard: a satisfied sigh slip from the depths of my artist's soul

I touched:  the smooth surface and felt the cool temperature of this bead.  I felt the moisture from the water in which it had been soaking.

I smelled:  the vinegar I had added to the water bath that would attack and destroy the bead release for easier removal from the mandrel.

I tasted: glass when I licked this bead!

Yes, this is what I want to remember today.

I don't know if you saw this post on Facebook or not, but

Nikki Carollo taught us how to make her lizard beads.

Here's the post:

Nikki tells how she makes her beads!

Here's how we do end of day beads in the studio:
1. Put a white short on the end of a (undipped)mandrel.
2. Wrap matching transparent colors around it - 2 are green, 2 are blue, 2 are mixed.
3. Don't forget to find some sparkles to add in,

we love sparkles.
4. Add some random white stringer or clear on top to make sure it's enough glass for a base bead - lizards are needy.
5. Melt it together, wind the hot mess directly onto a mandrel (with bead release this time!) and shape it as needed.
6. Add lizard, or frog, or leave it be as a fun focal bead.
7. Fini.

So, I decided to see if I could make lizard beads like Nikki.

Here's the result!

 Okay, so it's not as good as Nikki's is, but it was fun to make,

and

it's now in my BOC bowl.

Thanks, Nikki!!!!

Be sure to visit her Etsy store for more eye candy!!!!

And if you decide to try Nikki's directions,

let's see what you do!!