Marbles

So, i've always had this fascination with marbles. Over the years i've put them in jars and bowls and enjoyed how they look there. Maybe a year ago I tried my hand at making one....well actually 3 but who's counting. It was VERY difficult for me. They were very small, misshapen and not quite that pretty but "I" made them so I was thrilled. But with it being so hard I got rid of my book and marble mold. Figuring I would just stick to beads........ A quick look at them:

yea, pretty crappy and very tiny. SO, go forward and I've decided to try it again after finding a youtube video. She made it look SO easy. I wish I could find the video again, it was a woman making a marble at a show and a little boy was watching. She inspired me to try it again and i'm SO glad I did. Not that my marbles are much better, although they are, but she made it look easy enough to try again! So, I first started with soft glass again since its what I'm used to working with. Here is some results:

First a group shot......the good,the bad and the ugly!! :) then some I really like looking at. I've been carrying some around in my pocket, taking them out to admire. So, I decided to give boro a try. Why not, I had enjoyed making the boro chains from Pipyrs tutorial, why not marbles right? Other than it taking SO much longer, it was great! So I have decided to continue with boro for marbles. Yea, I made a pandora bead just for the heck of it but it certainly didn't come out as nice as the marbles did!! The marbles stand in the pics is soft glass.....I need to make one with boro and not so colorful :)

Top 3 pictures are of one I used a flower pin frog with and the last 2 are of one swirled. I have 2 new ones from last night, one I made using a tube and the other a flower compression marble from a video I found on youtube. They came out VERY cool and I'll post pics once I get them done. Till next time, take care! Sue

New Glass Chains

I've been working on something new: Glass Chains! I've been trying to make them in soft glass but have not been able to get beyond 3 chains. A secret Santa gifted me a tutorial written by Pipyr Here's the link http://pipyr.com/tutorials.html just in case you would like to try too! Her tutorial is SO well written, lots of pictures and includes an off mandrel button tutorial. Now, if you know me you know I LOVE making buttons! My etsy shop has lots of them. I have them on my desk waiting to be listed, on my work bench waiting to be photographed, they are everywhere! The off mandrel button tutorial was very easy to follow with great results too! Now mind you I've only played with boro twice so I was a little worried but figured since her tutorial was written using boro (she says soft glass can be used too :) I decided that I would work with the boro first! Here are my results! I just LOVE this chain, so much so that I made a second one in clear!! Here is the end of the first day, 2 1/2 hours on it.

and the button

Last night I was able to get another 2 1/2 hours on the torch and made the rest of the links and a few toggles. I'm not sure if I'm going to use a toggle clasp or the button with the leather the way Pipyr does it in the tutorial so I made both.

So, what do you think? Any thoughts on the clasp? Have you gone to check out the tutorial yet? You will be very pleased if you do decide to purchase it!! Well, till next time, Have a good one, Sue

The cutest bead pens!

More new pens from Gail at Bodaciouspens.com I LOVE how cute these are! What a perfect gift for someone. These are beads i've made that gail has yet again turned into wonderful pens! You can find them with her at shows she does in North Florida and Georgia or on her website boadciouspens.com and I know she is always up for custom orders :) Surf board Love

Pitbull

Yellow Jacket

Be sure to check out her site! Till next time, Sue aka glassymom

Another peek into what I'm up to!

Kumihimo, thats what I've been up to lately. I have finished at least 5 pieces since I've started braiding. I have a couple unfinished and one in the works. I have been staying up pretty late working on them. This top one has an adjustable closure made using my lampwork beads. I really like it, LOVE the colors in the braid. This bottom one was done with my lampwork and tiny seed beads. I have to put my glasses on just to see the tiny beads. They are SO small. I really love this one too, especially since I love pink. If I didn't already have an absolute favorite lampwork necklace that I wear then I would definitely keep this one for myself! The one i'm working on now is turquoise and green with the most beautiful little seed beads. I've already made the lampwork beads and tumbled them for a nice soft etched look like beach glass. Perhaps one more late night and I should be done! I'll put up a picture when I'm done, its really going to be so pretty once put all together. I can't wait to see it all finished. Until then, you know what I'll be up to! :) sue

Roosters and Chickens

So, I really love chickens and roosters too! We had a rooster but he kept biting my daughter who was only 2 at the time so we had to find a new home for Beau. A year later she still asks about him. We do have 3 hens tho, Samantha, Maranda and Charlotte. My little one, Lela, loves to head out each morning with me to let them out of their coop, feed and water them. She LOVES to check for eggs! I have always had a love for chickens and roosters and for birthdays and Christmas I usually was gifted one. I had to slow down a bit with the collecting because we didn't have any room but since moving 2 years ago I started up again......this time to include the real ones too!! Its only fitting that I make chicken beads!! I've made several styles over the last few years and you can see the ones I have in my etsy shop are more of a folk art style. This time I decided I wanted to go for roosters. They are so beautiful. So many different styles, colors and even head/comb shapes! So, here is my first...... I really love how he looks! I plan on making more just as soon as I get comfortable with my larger new press since I need a larger working area. :) So, what do you think? He isn't listed anywhere cause I have really been enjoying looking at him and holding him and my little Lela really likes him a lot too. I cant wait to make more!!

Something new......Kumihimo

Yes, thats right, I've been working on something new! Kumihimo! Its Japanese Braiding and I've been learning to do it with beads. My first finished one already listed in my Etsy Shop

The next one is done in lampwork spacers but I haven't finished it yet. I just need to do the caps and clasp. Here is what I'm working on now........yea I know its not a whole lot of info but its what I'm starting with and hopefully the design I've drawn out will be easily transferred to a finished design!

I've made the focal bead and last night I made the closure beads. I just need to finish the braid and put it all together! This is such a fun thing to keep busy. There are lots of times I want to get out to the torch but its not possible and i'm a person that can not just sit still and watch TV or read. I've got to be doing more than one thing, multitasking. My computer sits in our living room so that I can see the TV and work on the computer or do a bit of beading. I take it everywhere with me. It drives my husband nuts! LOL So what do you think? Do you like it? You can learn more about it on the internet of course and there are lots of good books too! I choose to watch Youtube videos and also learn more reading about it on a glass forum I'm a member of. www.lampworketc.com check it out! And, if you decide you'd like to give it a try you can always email me too, I'd love to help you get started!! Till next time, Sue

July Mystery........ Code that is!! I've started something new and fun! Its a mystery code for my Etsy shop. Once a month on a random day I will post a Mystery Code good for one week only. It may be for free shipping or a percentage off. It may be 5%, 10% , 20% or even more! Each month will be different. The code will be posted on my facebook fan page and here on my blog so you will want to become a fan of Fragiacomoglassart or follow here. This is only for my Etsy shop. The first code has been posted on my Fan page already and then I decided to include my blog so here is the Mystery Code. I'll keep it up longer than a week because I decided to post it here after it had already been done on my fan page. July Mystery Code is JULYMSTRY Just use that when checking out from my Etsy Shop. If you'd like an email reminder when I post then just email me at glassymom43@aol.com and I will put you on the list.

Thanks so much. Hope you are having a wonderful summer!! Sue