Freehand lampwork flower headpin tutorial

Greetings from the land of too much work and not enough play.  It's been a breathtaking spring here in Northern California, and it seems we're into summer already with too little winter rain.  Will make for a long, anxious summer but perhaps the fog will keep any fire danger in check.

I'm pleased to report that I made another video tutorial, and this one is about making cuuuuute little flowers on headpins.  Maybe you don't want to shell out megabucks for one of those fancy bellflower presses, or maybe you just like doing things your own way, but either way this video will show you how I made these flowers (some of these in the picture used a different technique, but this tutorial shows how to make some like the light blue one in the center).

As with my glass leaf headpin tutorial, you'll need a pin vise and some steel wire (or copper if you prefer), and for this project you'll also need a razor tool.  Most of these are just pastel glass, but some are encased - they look great that way if you're comfortable encasing.  It doesn't take long at all since it's not a lot of glass.  And as always, decorate them up in your own wonderful style!

Here's the tutorial, or if you like, you can see it bigger on YouTube.

Have fun!

New work for Tucson

New Reptilian style bicones.  Come see me at the Best Bead Show from Feb. 6-10 at Kino Veterans Center, 2805 E. Ajo Way.  I'm at Table G-409, in the main hall.  Click the link for the exhibitor list, directions, hours, etc.

It's almost bead show time!  I'm excited about bringing my latest work to the Best Bead Show this year.  The work I've seen lately from other artists doing this show is phenomenal, and I can't wait to see everyone in just a little over a week.  This year I'm not glued to the weather forecast since my booth / table is inside this year - yay!  The drive and setup will be so much easier without having to prepare an entire 10 x 10' space outside in the elements, not to mention deciding what kind of clothing to bring.

Reptilian style lentil.

New bicones in the Marbled series.  I was super thrilled to see the color I was getting.

I've been working mainly in a few of my themes this year - my Reptilian series (of course), with bejillions of tiny scales, and my marbled series, but something about the encroaching spring forces my hands to make flowers, and these came out as adorable little headpins on steel wire.  They'll be great for making earrings, rings, brooches, and all kinds of fun pieces.

Flower headpins.

New Meanie Rings using the Sirius interchangeable finding system.

And of course the Meanies will be coming to play in Tucson.  These are Meanie toppers (shown on rings) using the Sirius system (e.g. pendant backs, rings, etc.), so all you have to do is find the toppers you want from any artist whose work you like, and you can mix and match them with your findings.  There is a small nut embedded in the glass that allows the Meanies to fit onto any Sirius System finding.  I love them on these comfortable wide stainless steel rings.

If you're going to the bead shows in Tucson, do stop by and say "hi".

New Video Tutorial - Lampwork leaf headpins

Today I accomplished something I've had on my list for a number of months.  I made a video to share with you showing how I make my glass leaf headpins.  Here's some examples of earrings I've made with them:

The tools I use in the video are a pin vise, which is not mandatory, but helps - I use the Mandrel Pin Vise (http://www.arrowsprings.com/html/holding_tools.html), and some leaf mashing pliers (http://www.arrowsprings.com/html/mashing_tools.html).  Mine are the Realistic Small Curved pliers.  You'll also need a bit of glass, and some leftover twisties.

And here's the video tutorial on how I made them.  They're very easy and fast to make.  Sorry for the bit that's out of the frame - I'm still working on the best way to record and will do better next time.  Have fun with this!

Happy Epic New Year!

My son, taken by my son.  He's an artist at heart.  I can't wait to see the videos he made on the slopes, even though I know they will make my heart stop.  I've seen some clips, and they're just like this.

The gifts are unwrapped but not yet put away, the outrageous food mostly gone, and loved ones are safely back in their own nests.  And it's quiet.  The decorations are still up but they look different after "the day", don't they?  I want to hang onto the glow a bit longer though, even though it makes sense to take them down by New Year's.

We had a fabulous time at Lake Tahoe in the epic snow, and I met my nemesis:  powder.  I've been snowboarding longer than I care to mention (albeit slower ever since I shattered the end of my radius bone), but never in several feet of new powder.  How very humbling to not even be able to get yourself upright after falling.  But hearing my 21 year old son yelling "Yeah Mom!  Go Mom!!" from the chairlift above me when I managed to hang onto my ride for about 30 seconds before Tomahawking into the deep white abyss gave me a boost.  It was exhausting, and the back leg strength required to keep the front of the board above the snow was intense.  But contrary to usual, my fear did not increase much with speed, since falling was not painful in the least.

Some holiday memories I'll treasure for a long while include celebrating the solstice with a phenomenal meal, 10 tense hours on the road to Tahoe wondering if we'd ever get there once the freeway opened again, the view of the gigantic snow covered cedar tree in the backyard of our rental, waking up each magical morning there to another foot or two of new snow, preparing delicious comfort food for my family, cutthroat Rumikub games after dinner, a luxurious soak in the snow covered jacuzzi, and a delicious crab birthday dinner for my son.

I am embracing this New Year and all the wonder that it may bring.  I wish you Peace and Happiness in yours.

In the spaces between raindrops

"Pandora's Gift" focal bead, from days gone by.

The year is rapidly drawing to a close and in the gently falling rain I am making my final preparations.  Today the post office to mail scads of treasures and my last custom order of the year, and later this week the cleaning and more cooking.  Soon our home will be filled with the warmth of family and special times, starting with the Solstice on Friday, and I am quietly giddy.  It means so much to me to have the miles between us reduced to zero, and to make delicious things for them to eat, and to share laughter together.  Now, more than ever I try to remind myself how utterly grateful I am for the love and beauty that surrounds me, and for this wonderful, precious gift of life.

The trees in our coastal rainforest are wearing their winter coats again, and walking with any kind of efficiency is impeded by distracting ferns and fungus.  It's such a contrast to the dry summer months.  We live where the tall redwoods tickle the clouds' bellies and empty them of their moisture before passing over the valley below in the rain shadow. This year mushrooms are popping up everywhere.  The rain and dark conditions are perfect for them, and the varieties are many.

Late this fall I've been busy in the studio as well, but have been struggling to refresh my photography skills (in addition to chasing the sparse light) so I can get some of these pieces online.  My color palette is leaning toward neutrals, as they suggest the season to me and because I find them so easy to wear.  I create jewelry that I would wear myself, and usually test run my pieces to make sure that they work as intended. 

Necklace in shades of grey and ivory, with handmade fine silver bead caps and links, and recycled chandelier crystals.

Long necklace in antiqued brass, ivory and clear, with beads-in-beads and smoky faceted glass chunks.  This can be worn as a single or double strand. 

I'll try to post again soon, but I know myself too well to make promises. I hope that you find time for peace and reflection in this time of business, and I hope you get to spend some quality time with those you love.  Hold them close.

“Sometimes our fate resembles a fruit tree in winter. 

Who would think that those branches would turn green again and blossom, but we hope it, we know it.”  

-  Johann Wolfgang von Goethe