You Know You're A Beadmaker When...

One of my recent fixations has been joining Facebook, because I've found a lot of beadmakers, as well as friends from the past and relatives too. To me, it's like having an international small town with your best buddies and new friends all in the same place.

(If you join it, please "friend" me, Marcy Lamberson, and if we haven't met, just write "blog" on the note so I know that you're okay to be one of my new friends)

Well, one of the things that one can do on Facebook, is to have little questionaires that you ask your friends to fill out and you get to know them better. Here is a current one for beadmakers. I thought I'd answer it and then you feel free to answer also in the comments.

You Know You're a Beadmaker When...

1. You know you're a true beadmaker when - You look at life as beads. "Look at that child over there, wouldn't she make a great bead?"

2. Your favorite glass- No favorite soft glass, but currently I am loving some of the colors of CIM glass.

3. Your favorite torch - I own quite a few, but right now, I keep going back to my trusty old Minor that I've had for 8 years.

4. Name 1 or more beadmakers who inspired you - There are many who have inspired, but I have to say that Deanna Griffin Dove's early classes, when I was beginning were outstanding. She knows so much and expressed and shared her knowledge so well.

5. My inspiration comes from - Life. Books, people, inanimate objects, photos, fabric, nature, everywhere....

6. When I'm making beads I listen to - a variety of things...always the ka-chunking sound of my concentrator as well as sometimes television, books on tape, music or the birds in my backyard.

7. I love making - whimisical sculptural beads that stretch my abilities. If they make me smile and are a challenge, then I'm really happy.

8. My favorite drink at the torch - homemade lemonade, but I seldom have it.

9. You know when you've been at the torch too long when......you've burned yourself and you finish your bead instead of tending to it right away.

10. I love being a beadmaker because - there is a mild euphoria when I sit down at the torch or when I teach this art form. Stretching what I know through the molten glass makes me feel joyful.

And one that I am adding...
You know beadmaking is in your blood, when you unintentionally buy a jacket that matches your didymiums and then wear it to the Southern Flames demo and you still haven't noticed, until you see the photo a week later. Seeing this photo made me laugh. And don't ask what I was doing. I must have been explaining something serious that required two fists. It's got to be one of the very few photos out there where I'm not smiling or making a goofy face.

And now I'm off to finish adding more beads to my Etsy shop and then take the rest of the day off to see the outstanding American Craft Council Show which is in Atlanta for a few days. Ah, bliss.

Inexpensive & Effective Elbow Rests for Lampworking

There are all kinds of wonderful elbow, arm, and wrist rest items on the market for lampworking. But at the glass retreat this weekend, I saw this style for the first time and got a kick out of it.

Having always used the very posh style of aluminum foil covered rolls of toilet paper and then gently squishing them for my cheap and easy elbow rests for students, I am wondering whether I might make up a few of this style too for my students too. Deanna Griffin Dove is credited for this set. They are socks, (just like my husband wears- whoops maybe the dryer didn't eat ALL of his socks), and they are filled with buckwheat or someone thought perhaps corn. Buckwheat is what so many of the neck rest commercial items contain, so I'm guessing that.

Wouldn't it be nice to add a touch of lavender in the middle or something nice smelling, so when they are slightly crunched, a slight whiff of something aromatic wafts through the air? I just googled the idea and found that Dried lavender, Marjoram, Betony, Rose petals, Cloves, Rosemary all can be used. I like the idea of being able to stack them to the different heights as needed too. As I have students in all sizes, this could be helpful.

These fillings can be microwaved and warmed up for cold winter days that could be used near my feet for a little extra warmth... oh, the possibilities that one can make with some spare socks and a little imagination. I read that uncooked rice, wheat, feed corn, buckwheat hulls, barley, oatmeal, beans, flax seed and cherry pits can be microwaved, although I wonder whether cherry pits might be just a little too large and uncomfortable if used as an elbow rest?

Do you have any inexpensive tips for lampworkers or jewelry makers? Post them here. We'd all like to know.

Later this week, I'll be posting some tips and very new beads from my class and retreat. But today is one of my good friend's birthday, so I'm off to go celebrate it in a little bit. Happy day to all.