Item of the Day: Swosch! lampwork bead

It took quite a while to make this bead.Then swirly lines are made from a lovely silver glass that shifts nicely in different blues. The surface is decorated with goldstone stringer.
The bead is 27 mm long.

Babs Beads & design

Item of the Day

I called these earrings Pots of Honey because the color of the lampwork beads is such a warm golden honey shade which is further enhanced by the soft glow of the vermeil spacer beads, beadcaps and earwires.

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Item of the Day: Dotted lampwork earrings

Here's a couple of earrings with lampwork beads that I've made myself. The beads are coral coloured sith stacked dots in black, white and petrol green. All metal parts are sterling silver.

Item of the Day: Samantha fish

Samantha fish is a handmade lampwork bead. She is 40 mm long and the hole runs vertically through her body. She's striped lengthwise in an amethyst colour and her fins are amethyst and light green.

Item of the Day: Silvered black necklace

This necklace will go with basicly everything! Black glass, decorated with pure silver foil, encased in clear glass and raised dot decorations.

The bead hangs from a black, 1 mm leather cord. To learn more, visit Babs Beads & Design at ArtFire!

Item of the day: Bud bead

This little bud made of glass ressembles of the Lily Tulips in my garden. I have one sort named Marilyn that is white with strokes of lipstick on the petals.


Were it alone, as a focal bead, or toghether with other flower beads - maybe in one of those fabulous garden necklaces.

Item of the Day

Today's item is "Memories of the Sea" - a boro glass and antiqued brass necklace from The Sheriff's Daughter.





I have always lived close to the sea and I love it...the sound of the waves; the changing moods; the smell of the seaweed; the cries of the gulls.

The boro beads in this necklace remind me of the colours of the sea. It's like you have your own little piece of the sea with you wherever you go.

For more details, click on the post heading.

Item of the day: Grass green Mother of two goddess

Todays item is from Babs Beads & Design - a swedish lampworker and jewellery artist:


This is one of my Mother of two goddesses. I make godesses in several different glasses and styles, but I want them all to look like real women since I can't relate to those silicon, push up goddesses you see everywhere. (I'm over 40 and have two kids - you can see where I got the name...)

This one has a core of grass green glass and an etched surface that gives her a very soft feeling - almost like real skin!

Crafty tip: How to thread those big hole beads

Large hole beads

You fall in love with a beautiful bead, you buy it and now you want to make a piece of jewellery. But how do you get the darned thing to sit nicely on a hatpin?

There are special findings for big hole beads on the market, made from silver och copper, but they are quite expensive. Here are some less costly tips.

The first problem, of course, it to prevent the hatpin of just going through the bead. You can use beadcaps, but it can be hard to find any who fits on your bead.

A selection of findings

I usually use either so called daisies (the flat flower shaped beads to the bottom middle and right) or similar OR a round bead, 3 or 4 mm depending on the size of the hole. The bead can be metall, glass or chrystal (but I will not bore you with my stash of round glass beads and fireppolished in every possible colour!). If you choose a good size the top of the bead will fit snuggly inte to your lampwork bead wich steadies it on the hat pin.

Wobbel

The next problem is tht once stuck on the hat pin, the big hole bead will wobble around. The hole in the bead is about 2 mm and a hatpin in less than 1 mm. I solve this buy using seedbeads size 11/o. I thread them on the hat pin and than slips the lampwork bead over them. And suddenly there's no wobbeling!

Seed beads on a hat pin

No wobbeling no more!

If you wish you can find seedbeads matching this precise bead but I seldom care about that since the seedbeads doesnit show anyway. If I have a black core bead I use black seeds, otherwise I use clear.

See the seed?

A little warning, though. Avoid beads that are in any way lined or has a special finish on the surface. The lined beads can be to narrow for your hat pin and the finish beads to wide for your large hole bead.

Written by Susanne Folin, Babs Beads & Design

Item of the day: Dolphin lampwork necklace

This lampwork bead is made of blue glass in three shades. It's decorated with a silver dolphin and than encased in clear glass. The back of the bead is flat to rest nicely on your skin.

The focal hangs from a sterling silver ball chain. For more information click on the post titel.

Meet Susanne from Babs Beads & Design

Please introduce us to who you are.
I’m a part time lampworker who lives in Sweden with my husband and two children. This January I turned 41. I found lampworking during a long period of illness two years ago, and I never want to stop melting that glass again!


Where in the world are you and what is the best thing about where you live?
I live in Uppsala, the fourth biggest town in Sweden. It’s about 80 kilometers from Stockholm. I’ve lived here since 1988 when I came to study at the university (Swedens oldest). I still haven’t left…

Uppsala is just the place where I happen to live. I'd like to move from here one day but I would probably never leave Sweden to live in another country. Although the winters are cold and dark, the spring- and summertime is fantastic! I love all the unspoiled nature we have in Sweden. The big forests, the sea, the lakes…



Tell us a little about your craft and why you love it.
Lampwork – the noble art of melting glass by an open flame – is fantastic! I’m a creative person who does all kinds of craft, but this is the one that really makes me happy. I’ve always been interested in the forming of glass, but until recently I believed that you had to become a glassblower to get to do that. And then I by accident found out about lampwork.


I love it because the glass is so beautiful in so many colours. I love the three dimensional aspect of it. I love the concentration it takes. And last, but not least, I love the endless possibilities the glass offers.


What is the most expensive supply you have purchased for your craft?
The most expensive investment is the kiln. It’s a kind of oven where I put my beads when they’re finished. The kiln has a digital control that’s programmed to slowly cool off the beads. This is to prevent them from cracking and no lampworker should sell beads that are not kiln annealed. It’s a code of honour. :-)

The second most expensive investment is the torch. I’ve got one that runs on propane and oxygen.

Me in the studio with both the kiln and the torch showing. And my pretty, pretty safety glasses!

Could you please tell us about a person in your life that has inspired you?
I’m inspired by anyone who follows her heart and is not intimidated by “what society thinks”. It’s hard to go your own way, breaking conventions. There are always people there, ready to tell you it will never work.

People who defy that are inspirering.

Newest Listings

In The Artfire Europe guild we have lots of talented people that are constantly making and listing new items. There is a list of their shops for you to look through on the right hand side of this blog. Here are a few of the newest listings of our Guild members. If any of them take your fancy, clicking on the image will take you to their listing where you can read more about them.

If you are a jewellery designer take a look in Gaialai shop. She has lots of gorgeous lampwork beads. They can be used as focal beads, or pendants. They are bright, colourful and fun. Have a look and be inspired!

Spotted Sparrow uses mixed media to create fabulous works of art. This one uses an 1875 cabinet card photograph, watercolours, ephemera, button, watch gear, movement, ribbon, ink, and cardstock. Fabulous work!

The Sheriffs Daughter from Edinburgh makes stylish, simple and elegant jewellery. These earrings are aptly known as "Great balls of Fire!" They are so pretty. Imagine how they twinkle in sunlight.

Wolliesjes is a fellow crocheter and she makes these cosy hand warmers to order. You can have them made in a choice of colours. from black to purple and red to green. They are very beautiful.

Have fun checking out the Guild shops. There are always new beautiful goods appearing in them.

Written by Lynne of the PiratePixieCrew

Monday Mix

So it's a new week and that brings a new selection of our talented Artfire Europe Guild members to share with you. Clicking the photo will take you to the listing for the item, so if you want a closer look, click away!

Catfluff is the creator of these beautiful African market scene pillow case covers. The Kenyan batik panels are perfectly gorgeous. Catfluff is based in Portugal, but is happy to ship worldwide.

This gorgeous creation is from Ben-David's art studio. The hamsa is made from polymer clay using Millefiori technique. I'm amazed at the intricate detailing. Ben-David family is in Israel and again they are happy to ship worldwide.

This lovely Lavender soap is from Saffron Barr who is based in Cambridgeshire in the UK. This lady makes a whole rainbow of beautifully coloured soaps and is willing to post them worldwide, why not treat yourself?

Oh my, did I enjoy looking around N Rollin designs studio. Her lampwork beads are exquisite. This is another UK seller based in Northumberland, but you can purchase her work wherever you live.

Aren't we Europeans great?! Most of us will ship anywhere, so come and check out our shops. You'll find lots of fantastic pieces that are sure to impress you. I'm unashamedly happy to blow our trumpet because we have truly talented members in our guild.

Written by Lynne of the PiratePixieCrew