"My New Pink Bike" by popular demand

Prim and Proper

Ready to Race

Yahoo - Ride 'em Cowgirl

Completely saturated in bicycle fun - how about that huge basket - big enough for a bag of groceries and "ma doggie Tai Chi".  Look out beach...here we come!

Other World Lilies - Lampwork Focal Bead

I could feel myself drifting off on this bead and suddenly felt as if I were in another world designing lilies that were not like the lilies I've ever seen - but hope to see again.

Then I turned the bead to the side and low and behold it became a fish - what is happening before my eyes?

Decide for yourself. What do you see?

Gabe said - why don't you make a koala bear like that? Koala Bear! Then I turned it on end and knew just what he saw..haha The magic of handmade lampwork beads.

Check out My Etsy site for more views mentioned above.  Maybe you'll see what we saw...maybe you'll see something else.

At any rate - Enjoy the day!

Hugs
Suzanne


Measurements

46 mm tall, body at widest part of body 23 mm, 13 mm thick

Mandrel hole from end to end 2 mm

Moses - Glass Lampwork Bead

As I pondered this bead it came to me that the speckles are the people who followed Moses out into the desert.

The magnified handmade murrini near the bottom of the bead is Moses and the parting of the Red Sea is the wave of a new life that drove them from the life they knew toward their faith in God and new home. Hence - the beads name is "Moses". 
How Spiritual I am this morning.  Enjoy the Day...



The ends are Ink Blue and design is Multi-colored glass frit over Yellow Opal.
Below is the standing and back view of "Moses".



 

"Moses" was made on a 3/32 mandrel.  So the hold is approx 4 mm.

Height: 56 mm
Widest point across: 17 mm
Thickness: 4 mm

Enjoy soon on Etsy. Just click on the Etsy Shop Pics on the right

Hugs
Suzanne

My Goodness - What's that growing in my fridge???

Ha Ha - I opened the fridge after a trip Gabe and I made to the Farmer's Market here in Mar Vista on Sunday and was overtaken by a jungle of basil, spring onions, cilantro, a container of greens for the green shake in the mornings, parsley, some fancy lettuce, asparagus, farm fresh free range brown eggs - it goes on and on.

Tell me now, what do you think?  Are we getting healthy or what.  I'm drinking almost a gallon of Kangen Alkaline water a day and my energy levels are soaring.  I love it!!

Also a couple of pics of what's been cookin for dinner in the Hansen household lately.  Looks like only one pic..

Wow ! the fridge

Fresh homemade Pesto and Linguini

Speckled Yellow Opal - Glass Lampwork Bead

New Color I'm working with is called Yellow Opal. It is a reactionary glass and every bead made is unique because of the reaction it has to other colors in the flame.

I'm calling this one Suzy Q. The black on each end of the bead will pull out copper, silver or black when placed next to that color in a pendant, bracelet or whatever piece you see it mixed with. It is smaller than most beads I make.

Today I'm going to make bigger ones!!! I love this color. It is neutral enough but fancy enough to be a very nice focal bead enhancing even the simplest piece. 

It was made on a 3/32 inch mandrel and is approximately 8 mm thick, 31 mm tall and 6mm at the widest point.





This is the opposite side of the bead

 Another way of putting it...;o)

How it looks with a color next to it - This color would be Yellow !

And, by the way, this lemon came from our backyard Lemon Tree

Looks just like a bird - a lemon tree bird...



Enjoy this wonderful day.  I'll be back tomorrow with more.

Hugs
Suzanne

Blue Twistie Glass Lampwork Bead

I couldn't have made this bead turn out like this if I'd tried. She just wanted to be who she is. I'm a little teapot, maybe. She almost went into the water pot before she became who she is because I honestly didn't know what to do with a bead that was having a mind of its own. She turned out beautiful and I'm hoping she will find her way to a jewelry artist who appreciates her soul.

Such a pretty girl...

I can see her dangling simply on a long sterling ball chain.  She is kiln annealed for extra durability and made of Effetre glass and has a layer of clear for added depth.

Freeform Glass Bead.  A definate coversation piece.

Enjoy ! She will be on Etsy tonight.


Hugs
Suzanne

Necklace on a String - Lampwork Glass Beads

Designing from yesterday.  Happy Day at the Kiln this morning!  Yea - No cracks.....The fish and the heart bead have already sold.  I'll be listing the others on Etsy later this evening.   Kind of a fun one...I'm wearing it until shipping the fish and heart off tomorrow to a very special friend who will be sending them to her daughter, a jewelry designer (and Physician), who lives back East.  She is so very pleased with them and I'm so very pleased to have made them for her.  Enjoy - Hugs Suzanne

Heart Breaker

When I opened the kiln this morning I realized that once again I've mixed up my COE104 and COE96 glass. I have to get away from those reds and yellows because they are the 96 culprits when I'm mostly using 104.  The two are not compatible and will cause a bead to crack up the middle during the annealing process.  The surprise is that you won't know it has happened until it is removed from the kiln the next morning.

I don't know if you can see the crack in the bead in the picture. But, it's there. So...I can't sell this one or give it away. Therefore, the name, Heart Breaker.

I wanted you to see it anyway because I worked on it for about an hour...;o)  ha ha on me...

Love you all,

Suzanne

Under the Deep Blue Sea

This bead is many layers of transparent blue for depth and marshmallow white as the core. The murrini's I made myself and they are placed at random on both sides of the bead. It is very pretty in person...

It will be in my Etsy Shop and you can see it by clicking on the Etsy pictures on the right

Hope you enjoy the bead and are having a happy Easter!

Love and hugs
Suzanne

Small School of Fishies

Yesterday was a great day at the torch. I'm inspired by a recent class of Judy Carlson's at The Mandrel in Redondo Beach. I can't wait to get to the torch today to see what I can come up with. Enjoy !

Hugs
Suzanne

GoGreen Expo LA Convention Center

Taking part in the GoGreen Expo explaining to attendees the benefits of drinking Alkaline Water.  Expo was three days long and extremely exciting. 

Gabe, my son, and I are the first two from the center and the rest of our Kangen Water team, Thea, Leila and Jerry.  Jerry had bone cancer and began drinking the water increasing the alkalinity of his body.  Became cancer free and stopped drinking the water although continued on a raw food vegan diet.  The cancer came back.  Started drinking the water again and is now, once again cancer free without chemotherapy.  Just one miracle story.  Leila was on her death bed when she found the water.  She is alive and well and the energy this woman has is endless.

As a Certified Nutritional Consultant, I am proud to have volunteered to help with this event.  It was life changing.

Girl, Parrot, Cross and Wonky

Hi All, I wanted something fun, colorful, spiritual, whimsical. I think this fits the description. These beads are for sale in my Etsy Shop which just been reopened. Please forgive me if you have been checking my blog and haven't seen anything new for quite a while. Or anything at all for that matter. Now that my new shop is set up in Venice, CA I can resume my passion for beads and share with you as new beads are hatched from the kiln each day. Enjoy!!!!! Hugs Suzanne

Moved to Venice

Hi All,

Well I've made the move from Rancho Cucamunga, CA to Venice, CA and have already set up my glass working station.  Today!  I'll be making Falafels and BEADS...Will post results tomorrow on FB.

xoxo
Suzanne

Judy Carlson Class - February 26

I had so much fun in Judy's class and learned a ton on how to use glass as a tool.  I can hardly wait to pick up my beads.  Donna Conklin "The Mandrel" owner in Redondo Beach is in Hawaii on a working vacation.  She'll be home in two weeks and I'll pick them up then. 

The black and white polka dot fish in the picture is one of Judy's.  I had to have it as a suvenior of her class. 

hugs
Suzanne

Glass Blowing Class

The results of my glass blowing class last weekend. It was a blast and I was amazed at the results for first time glass blower, Suzanne!

The teacher was very kind and told me I should pursue more glassblowing.  She was impressed with my creations.  Two vases, three cups, a paperweight and a float. 

Hope you enjoy...

Hugs

Never criticize a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes

Well, the time has come for me to make a change.  I will be moving to the Los Angeles area after mom's birthday September 11th.  Three years in October I moved from NYC to Seattle to live with her and provide the attention and support I believed she needed.  I learned to work with glass, helped her get her house in order and find that she is fully capable of living on her own in her house.  She drives, has her friends and activities, so I'm embarking on the adventure at hand.

I will be so happy to enjoy the sunshine that California has to offer.  The Washington dreary blues has fully established itself in me and I need to get out. 

I'll be taking my bead equipment with me and if six months here and six months there brings the relief I need then all will be well.

So I will be taking some time off from my beadmaking while getting established with my sister-in-law Jeanette.  We have lived together before she and my brother, Jerry, were married and find that since his passing in 2000, we are going to give it a whirl again.  We have a lot of fun together and are the same age, have so many life experiences in common and can offer each other a new brand/level of support.

This is a big move and of course I have a lot of emotional turmoil going on since the decision to move has come about.  All I know is when you gotta go - you gotta go.

My mother is small in stature but mighty in control issues.  I don't suppose I have the full support of the entire family because it is easier for them if I stay with grandma and "do my duty" as a good daughter should.  Right?  All I know is that I need a longer break than I have been taking away from the situation at hand.

As the old indian proverb states, "never criticize a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes". 

Later then,

Love and hugs
Suzanne

Wonderful Weekend!

Two wonderful things happened this weekend. Mom and I drove to La Conner, WA to have Scott Bowens at Bearfoot Art Glass where I buy my bead tools, take a look at my bead spinner. After a year of use - 6-8 hours per day making beads it started making some noises and moves that weren't allowing me complete freedom to make beautiful beads. Scott fixed my bead spinner, thank you Scott, love you, and mom and I had a wonderful lunch at the La Conner Waterfront Cafe and Scott loved my beads enough to offer me the opportunity to sell in his new shop on main street in his fabulously artsy glass art shop in this fabulously artsy tourist town. Win - Win. I'm so excited. He is offering a showcase of my beads in his already internationally known shop both online and locally.

Then, on Saturday and Sunday I signed up at Pratt Fine Arts School in downtown Seattle for a PMC (Precious Metal Clay) class to learn what the possibilities are for incorporating this clay into my glass beads. Well, the possibilities are endless, although the pictures I'm showing are simple, to say the least, but gave me the tools needed to begin implementing the fine silver clay into my glass beads. I'm very excited about this material and believe it will give my beads, if only adding my own personal tag to each bead I make (which will make them collectible as well as beatiful) it is totally worth the class in a non-air conditioned room with torches going, etc... Enjoy the pics and use your imagination  ;o)   !!!!

xoxoxo
Suzanne

Birdies, birdies, birdies - birdie mania!!! This is just smugling of what has come out of my kiln during the last couple of days. But, good news, I've come up with a NEW bird. In the oven now!!! Will post tomorrow. Darling I promise you. I am doing the Art Walk Thursday Night in downtown Seattle, Pioneer Square. Hope to sell lots of beads! In conjunction with jewelry designers in the region. Could be great...could be just another show...send your energy my way. I love you soooooo much.

hugs. Suzanne

Birdie Mania Cont...

Sunday birdie just for you.

hugs
Suzanne