My New Local Dealer Lampwork Provider

I was feverishly scrabbling through Etsy the other night looking for a place to get my next lampwork fix some beads (I like to spread my business out between dealers artists, you know, so they don't think I have a problem feel all pestered) and lo and behold there was a lampwork artist in the town where I work. Holy crap, I said. Score! I said. No way! I said. I wonder if she's still awake right now? I said. Etc.

So I sent her a convo asking if I could shop with her in person. Of course she said yes.

Everybody, meet Pat Redinger of BeingBeads! As described in her profile, she is a self taught glass beadmaker and has studied with Kevin O'Grady, Al Janelle, Andrea Guarino-Slemmons and Jim Smirchich. She has also studied wire work with Lynn Merchant. I have no idea who any of these people are but I am sure you glass types will be impressed. She is also a delightful lady, and I'm not just saying that because she has boro beads.

I arrived at Pat's house a little after noon on Friday, and after pawing through her stash, I clutched the beads below to my breast and wrote out my check with my other now less trembling hand. I drove back to work, with the beads clutched tightly in my hand (it was kind of awkward because I drive a stick), enjoying a mellow glow. The glow lasted well into the afternoon (these beads pack a punch), until I saw Barbara Lewis' enamel giveaway. Then it was shot all to hell. Thanks Barb.







Loving this "lizard skin" pattern. I love lizards.





I forced myself to buy these blue ones. They're gorgeous, but I'm at a loss with blue. Might have to just hoard them.



Fortunately, taking photos of them brought some of the glow back. This instant gratification shopping--being able to actually fondle the beads BEFORE you buy them, and WHILE you're buying them, and then IMMEDIATELY AFTER you buy them--is beyond compare. I highly recommend it. Pat is going to make me a special set for a project I have in mind. But shhhh--I'm not telling you what it is. I don't want you all breathing down my neck if I don't do it right away. You're like that.

Just When I Was Enjoying My New Lampwork Addiction

Along comes Barbara Lewis with a new kind of crack for me to try. Enamel Crack. She and Kelley Wenzel went to the same Crack Dealer School. Send the kiddies free crack, get 'em hooked, and then they'll pay you whatever you want for it. For the rest of their miserable lives. This is the fiendishly sly ploy behind Ms. Lewis' giveaway.

Well, fine, Ms. Lewis. I'll take your free crack. And I'll be back for more.

Here's a photo of the free sample of "Mandarin Orange" up for grabs:



Soooo pretty. Something so pretty must be harmless, surely? But it's not. No. It's. Not. You'll cash in your 401K to get this stuff; run right over the top of your own grandma on the way to the Enamel Crack Store; hock your diamond wedding ring to get more. It's dangerous.

But I don't care. I don't care I tell you!! I want it!!! I WANT IT!!!! I WANT THE ENAMEL CRACK!!!!

Please, pick me. Please? Pretty pretty please? I mean, I need something to tide me over between the boro beads. You know, man? I'm in bad shape. Bad shape. I haven't bought any lampwork in like four hours.

And apparently my readers need to become followers of Ms. Lewis' blog so I can get the enamel. So, hey, buddies of mine! Hey, do a girl a favor--follow Barbara's blog! I'll share the Enamel Crack with you, I swear.

Well I've never been to Spain but I kinda like the music

I bought this stone donut a couple weeks ago with a vague idea what I would do with it. I nearly drooled in the store over the creepy black veining in it--makes me think of the black moss that hangs from the conifers up here. It is so not my usual style, but I was determined to try something different (I think the market for casual jewelry is probably a little bigger than the market for royal interview/Academy Awards/ballroom jewelry.) I was nervous about making the bail though (I mean, my God, 16 gauge wire is, like TWENTY THREE CENTS an inch--that's like, a quarter. Seven more and I could do one small load of laundry.) I wanted to make something kind of almost noir, maybe sort of Old World, maybe it would turn out kind of Mad Maxx. Or Anne Rice. Or sort of industrial. My only goal was that it not be frou frou. I collect shiny things and hide them and then make jewelry out of them that tries gamely to be casual but doesn't quite make it. Too much flash. Things start out as Just a Simple Pendant and end up as a Coronation Neckpiece.

Well, this one didn't quite make it to Mad Maxx. Little too dressy probably for Aunty Entity. Stopped just shy of casual. It's more like, maybe, something the wife of the Mayor of Barcelona would wear. But I think it's a step in a good direction that it looks more like Spain than Beverly Hills. I think that's partly because of the focal piece--it doesn't glitter or anything. Just trying to diversify. My current inspiration is an artist named Lorelei Eurto. Here is one of my favorites of hers:



(CLEARLY I HAVE A REALLY LONG WAY TO GO). This kind of design doesn't come naturally to me (being, apparently, a disturbing human-magpie hybrid, all the supplies I have are really shiny), and I'm trying to be disciplined to use what I have before buying more. But I did buy four bottles of highly caustic substances for oxidizing metal in an effort to increase my inventory of "casual" (non-shiny) jewelry--if you never hear from me again you'll know that I used it in a poorly ventilated area.