Metallic Beads on Etsy

Here are two new sets I've got up on Etsy. This first set is encased Kronos rondelles with 3.5mm holes. The edges of the beads are left un-encased which produced a beautiful metallic deep green color that was hard to photograph:

This set has a base/center of Dark Silver Plum with an outside layer of Psyche:


Very metallic! :-)

Kronos Rondelles

Here's a simple set of encased Kronos rondelle-shaped beads, going in my Etsy shop today. I love the variety of blues that show up when I put clear over Kronos.

By the way, the lines in the beads are not cracks... they are a design on the surface of the Kronos that happens at the point where the clear encasing is first put down.
:-)
Enjoy your day!

Luna 2 Beads

I've had a chance to try the new glass from Double Helix, Luna 2! It has taken me a few tries to get the hang of it. Now that I'm finally getting it to strike, I'm loving the rainbow of colors in this glass! Here is a set of beads I have up in my Etsy shop right now:

The base color of these beads is Dark Silver Plum. When I put the Luna over it I really got the colors to pop! Maybe it's just because I've practiced enough with the Luna, or maybe it's the chemical reaction between the Luna and the Silver Plum that did it. Either way I'm happy with the results and I can't wait to play with this glass some more!

New Bead Style!

Here is my latest project - a new bead style! (New for me anyway!)


If you're a lampworker: I made these by creating an encased triangle bead, then heating each end and letting gravity (and a tiny bit of marvering) stretch it down the mandrel. They take an incredibly long time to make. Just coaxing the glass down the mandrel takes me about 35-45 minutes.

These beads are a real skill challenge for me. I usually make small beads that only use one or two colors. I wanted to expand my horizons, so I tried making an encased triangle bead but accidentally stretched it down the mandrel too far. I really liked the look of it though, so I just kept going and voila, a new style!

Okay enough blabbing. Here are some more photos. None of these beads are for sale yet because I can't let let them go!




If you're interested in what clear I used, some of these beads have CiM clear and some have Vetrofond Crystal Clear. With both clears, I got some scumming and some bubbles. The pictures show it up more than you can actually see in "real life." It's hard to find a clear that stands up to very long working times.

I found that the CiM clear was a little stiffer than the Vetro, so ultimately I went with the Vetro because it melts over the base bead more quickly. The whole secret/challenge to these beads is getting the encasing all the way to the end so the colors don't leak out and bloom across the outside surface.

Hope you enjoyed the eye candy!