Glass on Silk

Filed under: Glass Beads, Handmade Jewelry

I wanted to start this blog off by touching on a few new additions. I have quite a few blog pages and all of them feature the same articles, however the main blog page, which is part of my website www.isabellasbeads.com, has several additions such as an event calendar and a blog roll featuring other talented bloggers that I discover along the way. I will try to get all of the blog links on my main site coordinated with these other blog pages so that I can share the talented artists whom I have been introduced to with you!

OK. In the past few blogs I have listed many new pieces of jewelry having various themes and using a multitude of different materials. Holiday jewelry will obviously be prevalent over the next few weeks with December, the holidays, and winter seasons quickly approaching. Here is an item that is new this year appropriately named “Cat’s Eye Christmas” necklace. It is made with Grade A cat’s eye beads, Swarovski Crystals and Sterling silver along with a handmade pendant with a Santa focal glass bead.

Cats Eye Christmas necklace with Swarovski crystal and glass Santa bead

I have also focused a lot on handmade glass beads and one artist in particular, Lisa Atchison. I know that there are many talented glass artists out there, but right now she is my favorite.

I have been hoarding Lisa’s handmade glass beads for quite some time now without ever turning out a design, until recently. Every aspect of these handmade glass beads is so very special that I really wanted to take time before I did anything with them. In the end it was once again Lisa’s own creativity in the art of handmade jewelry design that led me to make these amazing necklaces. One other thing about Lisa that I should mention is that she is never ever selfish. She is always willing to share with others and me the tricks of the trade as well as information on beads and suppliers, and for that I am very grateful. Thank you, Lisa.

I do my very best to support all artists who create handmade jewelry, materials, and findings. I believe that more love, care, and pride goes into the creation of each piece when someone takes the time to do it themselves rather than have a machine cut thousands of the same thing all day long. I know that for me creativity doesn’t just flow like a peaceful river, so I take a lot of time to look at the handmade designs of other talented artists for inspiration, and I am thankful to all of you for being instrumental in my work.

The following necklaces are created using Lisa’s handmade glass beads. Each design is a one-of-a-kind for the simple fact that no handmade bead can ever be duplicated exactly. Also, the metals and findings will always vary according to the size, color and style of the glass bead. For these handmade necklaces I have incorporated the works of 3 other artists. First, all of the focal glass beads are from Lisa Atchison at Touch of Glass Designs. The silk ribbon in three of the necklaces is hand dyed silk made by Heidi from Jamn Glass. Lastly, Mary Poineal of McDuck Creations makes the change-a-bead pendant bails.

(The first item is already sold so no link to the store is provided. For the remaining pictures you can view additional angles in my store by clicking on the photo.)

Blue Jean Bead with CZ

Sea of purple and blue waves

Pretty Pastels

I take pride in using only the finest materials available in my designs. For example, the silver spacer beads are Hill Tribes fine silver rather than just sterling silver. And, when I use crystal in my designs, you can rest assured that the only crystal you will see is Swarovski crystal. I am sure that the less expensive beads have a place, but right now that place is not with me.

This next design is also an example of the quality of the glass beads that I incorporate. Although these are now manufactured, David Christensen is without a doubt the best maker of cane glass beads in the world. No one seems to argue this point. David’s beads are special in many ways. Perhaps you’ve wondered how David could compete in the marketplace with prices over $100.00 or more per pound. The fact is that the Chinese do not use as high of a quality of glass as David Christensen. Also, their caning process is nowhere near as sophisticated as David’s process. The edges of their glass beads are square while David’s are slightly rounded.  The slightly rounded edges protect the medium on which the beads are strung, and when using them on silk like I have done in this next design that was obviously very important. In this necklace I used beads from his “Harvest Collection” symbolic of the fall season.

David Christensen cane glass on silk

Again, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t any place for Chinese cane glass. It is a great alternative for a new or young beading artist, their beads are also nice if you want to create many inexpensive bracelets, and they’re wonderful if your customers are looking for a fashionable item at a low price. As for me I prefer to stick with David Christensen and the American made cane glass beads.

I think that I have rambled enough for now so I’ll see you again soon. I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

Ciao,

Mariealena

Tags: Cane glass, David Christensen, Glass Beads, handcrafted jewelry, Handmade Beaded Jewelry, handmade glass beads, Handmade Jewelry, Necklace, silk, silver pendant

Handmade Glass Beads

Filed under: Glass Beads, Handmade Jewelry

I love to work with handmade glass beads. The variety is amazing, and the colors are heavenly. And all made from sand and fire!

Glass beads can be made with very little resources. In Mauretania, the Kiffa people crush bottles and jars into a powder. They use their own saliva to bind the crushed glass into cone-shaped beads. They add designs by applying crushed colored glass to the cone with a needle. Then the beads are fired in small containers—often sardine cans.

Furnace glass beads, such as millefiore beads, use glass-working techniques first developed in Italy. Millefiore beads were popular in Roman days, two thousand years ago. Then as now, these handmade beads were formed from rods of colored glass, bundled to form the exquisite designs that give them their name, “thousand flowers.”

After the fall of Rome, Europe made little in the way of luxury products such as glass. When the Crusaders brought glassmaking techniques from the East, Venice became a glass-making center. The rulers, or Doges, kept glassmakers on the island of Murano and threatened them with harsh penalties if they revealed the secrets of their trade.

Artists who make lampwork glass beads first coat a metal rod with a substance called “bead release.” Then they melt a glass rod and spin the metal rod in the hot glass to form a bead. Once they have the base of the bead, they add colors in layers to complete their design.

My favorite maker of handmade lampwork beads is Lisa Atchison. I’ve included a picture of one of her beads with this blog. Nature inspires Lisa, and she often combines glass with electroplated natural objects, such as leaves, to make her beads. Here are two of the designs that I have created using her beads.

Lisa Atchison Brown Bead Necklace

I’ve been stringing Lisa’s beads on Silk Ribbon from Jamn Glass. This is a type of ribbon made for jewelry makers to be hardwearing. I use leather cord, too. And, of course, some of her beads seem to cry out for copper, sterling silver or vermeil.

I love the organic feeling of Lisa’s beads. Her craftsmanship is extraordinary! My Italian soul resonates with the intricate patterns of millefiore beads. Handmade glass beads always seem to inspire me. Perhaps they carry with them the feelings of the artist who made them.

I know that something of myself is within every piece of jewelry I make. As Lisa says, a bead is not truly art until someone wears it.

Ciao,
Mariealena

Tags: electroform, Glass Beads, Handmade Beaded Jewelry, handmade glass beads, Handmade Jewelry, jewelry, ribbon, silk