BEAD STUCK TO MANDREL?????

Try this my merry beadmaking friends.  It works.  Thank You Forever Kathe Lewis!!!

  

Couldn't remove this awesome bead from the mandrel.  Bad bead release cracked and glass underneath stuck.

Now look - a FREE bead...YAY

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT

http://www.chestnutridgedesigns.com/sections/blog/blog.aspx?bp_id=29

Vines - glass

Found this fantastic tut on Pinterest.   Hope you enjoy it - I'll be pulling from the information in my beads for sure.

http://www.chestnutridgedesigns.com/sections/blog/blog.aspx?bp_id=29

Etching Beads Another Amazing Post with Information from Heather Behrendt

Etching Beads

Etching beads is pretty easy. There are a few different ways to do it, but the easiest is to purchase etching acid, plunk the beads in it (using proper safety of course), clean them up and they're all done!

Gradually over the years, I've been etching a larger and larger volume of beads. I've run into minor annoyances with etching, like when several beads are touching in the etching solution, so they have some shiny unetched spots. It's even more annoying when i have a strand of beads strung up, I etch them in liquid and when they come out, they have shiny spots on the ends of each bead where the beads were touching.

So here's how I currently etch a large amount of beads.

First you need a shaker cup

Make sure you get one that has a sealable lid and a plastic grate. I bought mine at Walmart for 5-7 dollars.

Etching solution is pretty important too I suppose.

I highly recommend Arrow Springs' etching crystals. You add hot water to the crystals and make a liquid solution that will last a long time. 

Don't forget to be safe! Use gloves and safety glasses for this. Be sure to work in a well ventilated area. Keep all animals and small children away. This is not a chemical to play with!

Put your beads in the shaker cup. Keep in mind that they will get shaken a little bit. I don't use this method with beads that have raised stringer design on it. I mostly use it for large amounts of spacers, or other round beads.

Using your gloves and safety glasses, pour enough etching solution into the cup to submerge the beads. I do this over my slop sink in the basement. Seal the container with the grate in place and set a timer for 20 minutes.  I usually use this time to dip some mandrels, clean up the studio or whatever miscellaneous tasks I can do for 20 minutes. Every couple minutes I will gently shake the cup. This should make sure all the beads get an even coating of etching solution.

All done? Using proper safety, Pour the etching solution back into its container. The grate will hold the beads in the shaker cup. Add a little bit of baking soda to the shaker cup and a bit of water to be sure the solution is neutralized. I give the beads a good rinse with the shaker cup and then pour them all out onto a towel to let them dry.

Pretty easy right?

Coring Lampwork Beads with the Impress Bead Liner

     

I have had my Impress Bead Liner for over a year now and never used it.  I bought it because I knew, down the road, I would want to add this skill to my beadmaking.  This video by Heather Behrendt has given me what I need to move ahead.

Maybe now I will have the courage to get to coring my beads!!!  It is such a finished and very lovely way to finish off beautiful lampwork beads.  

I hope you enjoy the video and take a trip to Heather's webside to see what she has to show us!  Way to go Heather.  Thank you so much for your generosity in sharing this information with the lampwork community.  Many blessings upon you.

http://heatherbehrendt.blogspot.com/
You can purchase an impress bead liner at this website:  http://artintheround.com/ 

Let's see what comes down the pike now!  Taking my beads to the next level.

Studio Demonstration: Stephanie Sersich

Sunlit and Blue Lampwork Earrings

I love these earrings.  So fun.  One of them is a little bit longer than the other.  One of the joys of handmade!!!!  The ear-wires are hand-forged antiqued copper wire.  In total - 4" long from top of the ear-wires to the bottom of the dangle. 

WEBBER - Lampwork by Suzanne Hansen

Big WEBBER

Little WEBBER to match

Love the webbing on this bead.  And then found the smaller bead of the same color combination in my stash !

Thinking about getting involved in my friend Lori Bergmann's blog hop for inspired jewelry.

The BOLD n The Beautiful

This is a fun set.  A bit different from my usual sets.  This one is inspired by an artistic desire to create something out of the ordinary.  Mission accomplished !

I can see this made up into an absolutely beautiful one of a kind necklace...

Kristina Logan Demonstration

Hatha Yoga Teacher Training - Spring Intensive 2013

Here we are
New Teachers
Graduation Day 200 hours Certification Program Hatha Yoga

Hot Yoga, Inc.

Shel Silverstein Story

In the late 60's I was a flower child living in San Francisco, California.  I'd moved there to study ballet at the San Francisco Ballet. 

After I had moved to Haight Ashbury a man and his crew came through looking to stage a "Hippie Wedding".  I was the bride and some unsuspecting young man in my same situation was the groom. 

We went to Golden Gate Park, put flowers in our hair, had a staged hippie wedding where many photographs were taken and we were told there was a documentary being made by this gentleman with the crew.

Turned out - the gentleman's name was Shel Silverstein.  No, I never saw the documentary or pictures.  But everytime I see some sort of documentation of the 60's in Haight Ashbury - I take a look to see if I see myself. 

Have a Happy Weekend All !!! 

   God says to me with a kind
   of smile, "Hey how would you like
   to be God awhile And steer the world?"
   "Okay," says I, "I'll give it a try.

   Where do I set?
   How much do I get?
   What time is lunch?
   When can I quit?"

  "Gimme back that wheel," says GOD.
   "I don't think you're quite ready YET."

                                                        ----Shel Silverstein




Thank you Manuela Wutschke for bringing Shel Silverstein back into my life though your posting of a poem on Facebook written by him. 

NAMESTE' Bead on a Choker

 Simple Unisex Choker











 

17" long -

Enjoy - Nameste'

Earring Collage

Had so much fun yesterday making earrings.  Stop over to my Etsy Shop to see individual pics.

xox
Have a great day
Suzanne

CIRCUS

Mr. Brown, the circus clown

puts his clothes on upside down.
He wears his hat upon his toes
and socks and shoes upon his nose.

He ties his ties around his thighs
and wraps his belt around his eyes.
He hangs his earrings from his hips
and stockings from his fingertips.

He puts his glasses on his feet
and shirt and coat around his seat.
And when he's dressed, at last he stands
and walks around upon his hands.


--Kenn Nesbitt

CIRCLES

Circles are often seen as protective symbols. Standing within a circle shields a person from supernatural dangers or influences outside of the circle. Conversely, a circle can also be containing, keeping that which is inside from been released.

Turquoise encourages inner healing through its ability to enhance empathy and caring. It heightens our intuitive ability and opens the door to spiritual growth. It is the color of the evolved soul.

I wish you protection and inner healing.

Nameste'

PASSION

Duty makes us do things well,

but love makes us do them beautifully...

Zig Ziglar

Have a wonderful day...

                                        Suzanne

HARMONY

Is HARMONY something you seek?



"Look in the mirror
And what you see in yourself,
Try to see in others.

 If you see perfection in your life,
Then see perfection in others.

 If you see perfection in your life,
Then see perfection in others.











The experience of oneness
In darkness or light
Brings about harmony."

- Sri Chinmoy

DEVOTION - Glass Lampwork Bead Bracelet

Adore - an underwater treasure

To jealousy, nothing is more frightful than laughter.

Francoise Sagan

Beautiful Silvered Organics - Special Order

An amazing client produced a picture of some beads made into a bracelet that she just loved and wanted to reproduce.

"I respect artistic ethic and would never ask you to copy another artists beads.  Could you make a set with your own twist on organic beauty." She said.

The beads she had a picture of were so beautiful that I was inspired and couldn't wait to get going on them.


I had so much fun that I got lost in the project and created an additional smaller set for earrings as well and an additional lentil for the original requested set of six beads!  Tons of silver that sparkle and shine in the sunlight.

These are them !!!  They will make a beautiful necklace or bracelet of her own design.

And these - are the smaller lentils for ...  maybe a pair of earrings.

Enjoy !!!

Hugs
Suzanne

Ohai Necklace and Fun Accessory

Newest, Fun and Funky Necklace that can also be used as a Purse Dangle as well.

Necklace without the Pendant attached

Purse Dangle - I love this

(Have to make one for my Mom as soon as possible with a HEART on it)

She gave the last one I made for her away to my cousin Cheri.

Have to spread the LOVE around whenever you can.

Oscar Wilde - Don't ask me why

Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
Irish dramatist, novelist, & poet 



Who knows how the mind works?

When pondering a description for this bead...the name "Oscar Wilde" popped into my mind.  So I named it that.  Oscar Wilde.  Kind of funny - right?

Not that I am even familiar with him or his works.

What would you name this bead? 

 An Oscar Wilde quote:

Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.