Thursday, August 30, 2012

Thank me - Thank YOU!

Hello dear friends,

Lori sent me (and close to 400 others I'm guessing) this cute card.
Looks like it's on again next year... yippee!

So Cute!

Sure will....Thanks Lori!

Now off to the studio before the hail hits!

Love to all,

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Playing with Glass Frit

Hello dear friends

I had a play with some glass 'frit' the other day, so here are some of the beads that I made.
Frit.... for those who do not know, is small particles of glass that can be added to a bead.
It can be added as you are making the bead and either melted in fully or added to the top of the bead and left raised for texture.

To apply it, you can roll your warm glass in a little frit pile, either in a dish or a spoon or apply it directly from another rod of glass which has been dipped in frit and then applied in a "painterly" fashion.

It comes in MANY colours both plain and mixed and many different brands. It can be transparent, opaque or a combination of the two. It can be reactive to the glass base... and that is the fun part that I love.
As you can see, in all of these beads, I have melted the frit in fully.

Here are a few I made the other day. None of them are a total standout to me, but it was good getting back to working with glass....


 This pile is a bit of a mixture. The sparkly one to the right of centre has had a dash of silver foil applied to the mix.

These beads all have an opaque, reactive frit called  "Silver Lake" which is plain white in appearance and then turns this pretty blue colour when exposed to the heat of the torch flame.

I really love the look of layered transparent glass  which has been combined with frit and finished by encasing with clear glass. However, it is a fine line between adding too much frit which can result in a rather "muddy" look. This long bead really is a case in point...  it is the old story of less is often better! I am going to work on this a little more today! The gorgeous, deep pink glass behind the long bead is called "Rubino", a stunning glass made by Effetre. 

So that's your lot for the day,

Cheers,

Post Script..... I have been told by a reader that Silver lake frit is no longer in production! What a shame!
I will have to eke out carefully the small amount I have left! 

Monday, August 27, 2012

Thankyou and Welcome!

Hello dear friends,

I have been meaning to say this for a few weeks now...




sincerely,







Sunday, August 26, 2012

Love and beads.



Hello dear friends,

After some months, I finally sat down in my studio and had a play with some glass. I cannot say I made anything spectacular... but it was certainly good just to have a play... the way certain types of glass reacts to another has always been a wonderful mystery to me.. and probably the reason why I took up this fascinating craft in the first place. The beads are in the kiln at the moment, so if there is anything worth showing...... might show you tomorrow!

Today I am linking up to "I Heart Macro" over at Lori's place for those who love to take up close and macro photos.

We all need to give and receive it... it has been getting me through these last sad weeks.

studio waterstone


Please head on over to Loris for a bit of Macro love. Click on the photo above and it will take you straight 
there.


Until next time,









Sunday, August 12, 2012

I Heart Macro - Spring is just around the corner

Hello dear friends,

It is still officially Winter here in Melbourne.... however with only a little more than two weeks to the first day of Spring...dare I say the days seem already a little milder?! ( Touch wood!)

The garden, however is still looking fairly wintery, although the first early flowering bulbs and iris are here,  so I do feel justified in thinking my favourite season is definitely on her way. Here are a few gifts in my Winter garden.

I love the delicacy and shape of the Pieris, a Winter lover. And look at that pretty touch of pink on the stem.

The Green Goddess lily flowers all year round.

The violets are there all year round too, but seem more prolific in the cooler months. I love their sweet pop of colour against their leaves.

But it's the buds on the plant behind these old pots that tells me.."Spring is coming!"

I have forgotten what this is called!! It has LONG upright spikes about a metre in length...this one will be purple. The bees go crazy for it! Can anyone remind me?

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend.. I am still browsing through Bead Soup.

Today I am linking up to I Heart Macro for those who love to take close up and macro photos. Please head on over for a look or even join in the fun.

studio waterstone

Cheers to all,

Saturday, August 11, 2012

6th Bead Soup Blog Party - 2nd Reveal

Hello dear friends,

Sorry for my absence... I have had a few tough weeks and have not been creating or even thinking about it too much.

My darling Dad left this earthly life on the 28th of July... I was close to him and am missing him so much.
I have found these last weeks to be so strange... some days it is just so hard to get going and do much of anything.
However, there has been Bead Soup to finish and family to tend... life does just continue on wether we feel
sad or not!

My partner in the Sixth Bead Soup, second reveal, is Tanya from Moobie Grace Designs and she sent me such a lovely and generous soup.
Here is the picture to refresh your memory..


I chose to use the purple polymer clay focal and it's accompanying beads. I was originally going to have a chain in the shape of the focal bead, but then had just too much on my plate to complete this. ( Motto... do not delay your work... something I always say to my girls!) So it had to be a simpler project for me this time. I might even change things around soon.. and finish the chain... will see how I go.
(I am also going to change the cream sari-silk to brown to match the line on the focal.... the cream looks a bit bright  to my eye and possibly a bit too jarring.. but I didn't have the brown on hand)

I do so want to use the other gorgeous focal and beads ... I will be putting it together in the not too distant future... a "cuff" is  definately calling to me!

"River Song"
Polymer focal and beads by Tanya, salwag beads, pearls, wooden sticks copper clasp and sari silk.

Up close with the yummy focal element.

I made a bracelet from my hand made copper "easy links,"some of my handmade copper beads and ball-ended hook and mixed in some more of the beads Tania sent, including purple ceramic discs, purple briolette- shaped beads and Tania's fabulous wire-wrapped element which I love.

When I first opened Tania's parcel and saw the purple polymer focal, a song popped in to my head which I had not thought about for eons!!
It was a lullaby which I used to sing to my girls when they were little and my Mother did to me. I always just called it the "The river song"...... I have no idea if this is it's real name. This is how it goes...

The river sang softly to the leaves on the trees
"I am waiting to take you on a journey with me."
So the leaves fell down gently on a bright Autumn day
and floated with the river very far, far away.

So, although the focal bead has little flowers and not leaves on it... I called my necklace "River Song"
The bracelet is yet to tell me it's name!

Please check out the other items that the other Sixth Bead Soup - reveal 2- participants have made.
Here is the list for a bit of wonderful browsing...

Hostess, Lori Anderson, Pretty Things

Adlinah Kamsir, Dream Struck Designs
Adrienn Lukacs, Raszputyin Designs
Agata Grygiel, Cytherea Bijoux 
Alenka Obid, Pepita Handmade 
Amy Dickerson, Damyjo Designs 
Amy Schmidt, Amy's Treasure 
Amy Severino, Amy Beads 

Andrea Trank, Heaven Lane Creations
Anke Humpert, Anart Island Studios
Ann Rishell, My Critical Eye
April Grinaway, Brooklyn Bead Goddess 
Ashley Bunting, Miss Ashely Kate 
Astrid Boyce, Astrid Boyce Beads 
B.R. Kuhlman, Mixed Mayhem Studios 
Barbe Saint John, Saints and Sinners

Beata Benkone Meggyesi, Beahobbi
 Bryna Lumb, Bryna's Bead Box
Carmen Lau, Little Maketto
Cate van Alphen, Fulgorine
Cathie Carroll, Cathie Carroll's Studio
Cathy Khoury, Touch Jewelry 
Christina Stofmeel, Feng Beads 

 Collette Collins, Fire Fly Myst Artisan Jewelry
Courtney Breul, Beads by Breul 
Crystal Thain, Here Bead Dragons
Cynthia Abner, Created Treasures
Debbie Phenes, Deb Joy Sing
Dhea Powers, Java Bead


Diana Welte, Lilyweeds
Dita Basu, alankarshilpa
Dorota Zeranska, gdymamczas 
Dot Lewallwn, Speedie Beadie
Elisabeth Auld, Beads For Busy Gals
Ema Kilroy, Ema K Designs
Eva Sherman, Eva Sherman Designs
Evie and Beth McCord, EB Bead and Metal Works
Francy Inman, Francy's Studio


Ginger Bishop, lilmummy likes...
Giorgia Rossini, Jo in Wonderland
Ine Vande Cappelle, Jewels by Ine 
Iveth Caruso, Creative Atelier 
Jackie Ryan, Kydo Jewellery
Jeannie Dukic, Jeannie's Blog
Jelveh Jaferian, Jelveh Designs
Jenna Tomalka, Twin Birch Studio
Jenni Connolly, Jenni's Beads      YOU ARE HERE


Jennifer Van Horn, Jennifers Jewels and Junk
Jo-Ann Woolverton, It's a Beadiful Creation
Johanna Rhodes-Nash, Fire Phoenix Creations 
 Joyce Blair, Bent Wire West Coast
JuLee Wolfe, The Polymer Penguin
Karen Vincent, Swallow Tail Jewellery
Karin Slaton, Backstory Beads
Kayla Potega, The Eclectic Element 
Kim Dworak, CianciBlue
Kris Lanae Binsfeld, Cherish Designs by Kris Lanae


Kristen Latimer, MJM Jewelry Designs
Kumi Fisher, Malie Kai Designs
Kym Hunter, Kym Hunter Designs
Lennis Carrier, Windbent
Leslie Wayment, AA Beads & More
Linda Murphy, Bonita Bead
Lisa Johnson, Whimsey Wonders


Lisa Sittniewski, Love, Yesterdays
Lola Surwillo, Bead Lola Bead
Lorelei Eurto, Lorelei's Blog
Lori Bowring Michaud, Artfully Ornamental
Lori Finney, Using My Beads
Margareta Saari, Mags-koruja
Maria Horvath, Horimarika Beads
Marian Hertzog, M's Place


 Mary Ellen Parker, BeeTree by m.e.
Mary K McGraw, MK's Creative Musings
MaryLou Holvenstot, time2cre8 
Martha Aleo, Ornamento
 Maybeline Tay, The Jewelry Larder
Megan Collins, Churchy & Her Sailor
Melissa Meman, Art. Life. Love.
Melissa Mesara, One-Eared Pig Beads
Paige Maxim, Paige Maxim Designs


Pam Farren, re-maker
Patricia Handschuh, The Color of Dreams
Patty Miller, CabariBeads
Penney Klapoth, Faerie Acres
Regina Santerre, Regina's Writings
Rhea Freitag, starrgazer creates
Rochelle Brisson, A Creative Chelle


Sabine Dittrich, PerlenDschungel
Sandra McGriff, Creative Chaos
Sandra Neights, Petalo Azul
Sandra Young, It's a Bead Life!
Sara Oehler, SoftFlex Girl
Saturday Sequins, Saturday Sequins
Shanti Johnson, Sunshine Bliss
Shari Replogle, Plays With Paper
Sonya Stille, Dreamin' of Beads


Stefanie Teufel, Stefanies Sammelsurium
Tammie Everly, TTE Designs
Tania Spivey, Moobie Grace Designs     MY PARTNER
Therese Frank, Therese's Treasures
Tina Holden, Polymer Clay Bytes!
Toltec Jewels, Jewel School Friends 


Tracey Nanstad, A Beadiful Mess
Valerie Norton, Hot Art



Hope you have fun browsing,
Cheers,

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