Future Beads ... xoxo

Prenatal Beads 2013 !  

xoxo  

Happy 

Prosperous

New Year

Suzanne

I Love Christmas

xoxox

Nothing is Impossible when you BELIEVE

Happy Holidays

Home Again - Seattle

I'm happily settled in my new two bedroom/two bath apartment in south Seattle.  It already feels like home.  That California sunshine is soooooo nice.  But it is sooooo expensive.

At any rate - I'm back in touch with my Bead Club - Fire and Rain - after attending the Christmas Party last weekend and joining up for the new year.

Next, setting my glass studio back up.  Granted, my studio in California was to die for, but my studio here in Washington is also fantastic.  Although I do have to drive to my mother's, about a mile away, to fire up my kiln and fire up my torch.  But, it is an act of pure love.  So ....  here I go  ;o)

Soon - not sure how soon with the holidays just around the corner, I will be posting new beads and jewelry.  Thank you for your patience.

I love you all ....

Suzanne

Origami Gift Boxes - So Easy...

Great Idea!!!  I'm certainly going to make some - thank you Antelope Beads

Handmade Lampwork Butterfly Beads by Suzanne

BUTTERFLY BUTTERFLY BUTTERFLY
FLUTTERBYE   FLUTTERBYE   FLUTTERBYE
;o) This Saturday Morning

XOX

Suzanne

SunRise

Superfine Stringer Work 

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice Practice Practice   ;o)

xoxo

Have a great day!

Spiral of Life

   

This is a 32mm (1.25") focal bead of ivory and double helix silvered glass.  The necklace is strung on 1mm leather cording with African Silver Trade Beads and matching sterling silver earrings.  The focal sits on top an ivory spacer bead with spun double helix glass round the middle.



Maroon, Deep Lapis Blue and the ivory fumed to an antique finish by the silvered glass make this an unusually unique and beautiful piece.   The front and back of the focal bead are shown.

It is approximately 20" long from the clasp at the back of the neck to the top of the focal.

Eye BLUE - Free Formed Art Glass Focal Necklace

Another Ancient Scroll

This pendant was made with ivory glass and double helix silvered glass as the fine stringer work.  The two together create an antiqued look.  the necklace is approximately 1 1/4" in diameter and the cording measures from 20" to 26".  

I found some beautiful Chinese knotted  cord to string these lentils on.  I love them.  They have a hand pull knot at the neck which will lengthen or shorten the cording allowing slipping over your head.   They come in all colors so I'm looking to purchase many more for the holidays to string these beads.  Simple and Elegant

This necklace is for sale in my Etsy Shop a little later today!  Just in case you are interested in a little Christmas shopping.  What a great gift.

xox

Suzanne

Ancient Scroll Necklace Finished !!!

Happy to report the winning bid for this necklace at the UpRising Yoga Fund Raiser November 10, 2012 was $115.00

***

Finished today!  

This was quite a project for me.  My PMC skills are definitely being improved upon and then I soldered the sterling silver jump rings closed and oxidized the silver to match the bead more completely.  I'm very happy with how it turned out.  The entire necklace is about 22" long and the diameter of the bead and silver is approx 2" across.

I also received my new lap grinder so I was able to grind off the back half of the bead in order to make a cabochon to set into the hand carved .999 Fine Silver Bezel and Setting.

Now

Now, I go improve.

Wiping sweat off my brow...

This piece has been donated to UpRising Yoga for the silent auction next Saturday evening, 

November 10.  

Autodidact???

Are you an AUTODIDACT???

When I began making beads I didn't know where or who to go to to learn this skill.  My oldest son came up with a torch and my youngest son helped me buy a kiln.  The rest was up to me.

I found someone at a fair who made enamel beads and talked him into showing me how he did it in his garage over 100 miles from where I lived.  I drove there and sat with him for about an hour and a half for $40 to learn what he knew.  From there I bought a book by Corina Tettinger, Passing the Flame.  I was making beads in my mother's garage for two years before ever taking a class.  It wasn't until today I discovered that I am an autodidact as I continue experimenting, practicing and pursuing this passion I have for glass any way I can.  One day, I will be a master.

Some of the greatest people in history have educated themselves to a large degree using a process known as autodidacticism. This is something that's more easily undertaken these days with the great wealth of online tools available to anyone.

Whether you've gone to college or not, you can learn just about anything these days on your own. Want to learn about the classics? Carpentry and home maintenance? Philosophy or cooking? Chess or computer programming? It's all online, and with a little bit of excitement, you can motivate yourself to learn a subject in a growing number of ways.

Why self-education? Well, besides the obvious reasons of wanting to improve yourself, prepare yourself for success, and just learn as much as you can, self-education offers a few extra benefits: you can learn at your own pace, and in your own way. You can follow your passions, and learn about things that excite you. There's no price for failure, but there's every reward for success.

How do you go about becoming an autodidact? The answer is simple: any way you want. I would suggest you set aside just a little time each day to learn a specific subject, but that really depends on your learning style. Some people learn all in one great rush: they'll stay up late hours for a few days in a row, consuming everything they possibly can about a subject. Others are overwhelmed by an approach like that, and would rather learn a little each day.

Glass is a Curious Material

Yesterday at the torch...Heavenly.  It's just a bead.

xo

Suzanne

ARF ! WHO LET THE DOGS OUT???

Hey!  Who let the dogs out?????

Makin you smile this Saturday AM.  Love you!!!

Suzanne

Guess What???

Guess what I did yesterday?  Yes !!!  I finally found a bead I could master that Claudia Trimbur-Pagel showcases in her book, Glass Bead Trip.  I feel like a Genius...haha  I needed this to boost my ego which has been sorely in the pit lately.  Not that that's a bad thing.  Just not as much fun as soaring with eagles.

Another thing, I've finally taken the commitment plunge to do Precious Metal Clay on a professional level.  Getting off the fence has done a ton for my joy levels.  Now I can't wait for the materials to arrive from Cool Tools !!!  Yay.

Hugs
Suzanne

Detailed Stringer Work

Working on detailed fine stringer work since the arrival of Claudia Trimbur-Pagel's book "Glass Bead Trip".  I go to sleep looking at the pictures and reading her instructions.  The only answer to her wonderful world of glass beads...Practice...Practice...Practice.

I wake up in the morning excited to see what the results of yesterday's work is.  I run to the kiln in the sunroom to fetch the prize.  There is always room for improvement and it takes me a couple of days to appreciate what I've made because of that bugger - perfectionism.  There is always room for improvement and I have to work at appreciating where I am at right now.  Otherwise, I'll lose sight of the joy of my glass bead journey.  I AM happy with todays glass beads.  Now this afternoon, I'll hit the road a runnin and improve upon yesterday.

I'm willing, able and once again, inspired.

Hugs
Suzanne

Glass Bead Trip by Claudia Trimbur-Pagel

If  I were any more excited than I am right now,  I would not be able to type at all.  But, I want to share with you.

I just received Claudia Trimbur-Pagel's first book for advanced bead makers.

I was fortunate and one of few in the US to take a class from Claudia back in November of 2011 at my favorite bead shop "The Mandrel".  Claudia was brought in to teach from France, where she lives, by Donna Conklin and a few others across the United States.

Her work with glass and with Precious Metal Silver Clay is absolutely the most exciting, inspiring class I have ever taken.  So I will be reading and reading again until I have a much better understanding of glass and Precious Metal Silver so my work will take an even sharper turn than it has lately and be even more facinating than it is right now!!!!

So, get ready, cuz here I come...

Lovin you all because you all are lovin me !

Suzanne

My Inner Chihuly - by Suzanne

I seem to be drawn to making these delicate flowers on copper lately.  Not sure why I'm making them or what they will become.

The ideas will eventually come...must be my inner Chihuly.  (Dale Chihuly the glass guru from Seattle).

What do you think they will be?

xoxo
Suzanne

I AM Refreshing - Lampwork Bead and Copper Necklace by Suzanne

One-of-a-Kind 

This pendant is as refreshing as the deep blue sea and as pure and white as snow. This beautiful lentil shaped bead carries with it the refreshing clarity of mind that comes with cleansing your soul. The two headpins gracefully hanging from the bottom of this bead signify the eyes of our Creator watching over you as only a Father can with love and acceptance.

Wear this piece knowing you are loved and accepted for exactly who you are right now with no expectations and that you are being well taken care of in secret.

Enjoy!

Hugs
Suzanne

The necklace comes in a gift box ready for giving. A card with regard to the artisan (me) is also included. ;o)

xo
Suzanne

I AM Effervescent - Pendant by Suzanne

This pendant is infused with an iridescent piece of dichroic glass that sparkles beneath the surface of an already beautiful lentil shaped bead.  I felt keeping the piece simply strung was important for the character of the glass to shine.

This is a new technique I am trying out after purchasing a tutorial from Astrid Riedel, one of my very favorite glass artists.  This is a yummy, marshmellowie, blue with a pea green and black stripe twist covering half the bead.  Very unusual and amazing.

Enjoy!

Hugs
Suzanne