A blog dedicated to the creativity and the challenges of making and designing with handmade art glass (lampwork) beads.
About This Blog
This blog reflects the thoughts, passions and struggles of a glass bead artist whose day job is manufacturing food safe rubber stamps. I share the joys and challenges of making lampwork glass beads and rubber stamping. ALL images here are copyrighted unless otherwise stated and may not be used without permission!Contact Holly
Several amazing sales venues have popped up on Facebook expressly for artisan lampwork! I always share my current sales on my fan page there. But you can usually find me on any of the following groups:
This is actually the very first hollow bead I ever made. It was a bit off center so I kept it for me. It's purple but covered in places with palladium leafing and the center of the sunflower has the most amazing goldstone.
It's sparkly and beautiful and I've sold five or six of these just by wearing this one. It is true... we are the best advertisement of our own work.
After this one, I became obsessed with making hollows and hollow shapes. I love making a hollow heart, drilling one end slightly bigger and filling it with Swarovski crystals and cubic zirconia for extra sparkle and then wiring the whole thing shut! The one below is just waiting in the glass bead shop for someone to come along and add a nice chain...
I'm having a really crappy day... or three! I've spent the past few days trying desperately to photograph my entry into the AGLF calendar. And I've spent the last few days alternately cursing, crying and pulling out bits of my considerable head of hair... and still no pics.
I've often said, for any of the glass masters I would die to take a class from, I would want to study photography as much as bead making!
After over 200 photographs, countless hours and endless frustrations, I STILL don't have a calendar worthy photo! ARGH!!!!
I used a light box; I stopped using a light box; Tripod, yes; Handheld, yes; I used velvet; I used a jimmied up tent made out of cardstock; I shielded the bead with my hair; I used hairspray to cut down on the shine; I used neutral gray background; I blocked light with rubber stamps and dishrag - and STILL no decent photo!
I'm so pissed at myself... WHY did I make a hollow bead? WHY did I have to fill it with cubic ziconia and crystals? WHY do I have to work in a medium that relies on photos to sell it?
And it's the one thing I hear over and over from customers.... Wow! Your photos don't do the beads justice!
But the worst part is, I made this bead for me...something I've never done. And now, I hate it! I'm certain I will never wear this.
I became fascinated with hollow focals after taking a Leah Fairbanks class. Hollow beads are fascinating structurally and a challenge to make in the flame....talk about managing your heat control! There's nothing worst than having a bead explode!
Hollow beads are fascinating for other reasons. The way they transmit light and color... and I also love the weight. As a large bead lover, some beads get way too heavy... I've actually bent mandrels working on a large bead! But hollow beads alleviate some of the weight while still giving you a nice, large focal.
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