2016 New Years Bead Resolutions in Review

Well hello blog! Long time no see...

I've finally got around to having a sort through my bead box, and in doing so my thoughts turned to the resolutions I made at the start of the year, how I got on with these, and that I really should get my arse in gear to tell you the results!

Making resolutions is something I've done for the last 4 years - so I really couldn't end the year without doing my annual review.

My New Year's Bead Resolutions 2016

• To become a better beadmaker - this is a little vague and broad at the moment.  It's been spurred on by a rather unsatisfying session I had on New Years Day at the torch, where I learnt I not only can't bead and talk, but that not beadmaking for 4 weeks does make a really big difference to what I can produce!  I'm fairly sure this resolution is much more than become a more consistent beadmaker, although I'd like to do that too, along with learning a whole host of techniques that I'm spectacularly bad at, at the moment!  Perhaps this will morph into mini goals as the year progresses, we shall see!

• To spend less in 2016 than I did in 2015 - This is my repeated bead resolution, I've actually achieved it every year, so it's not because I can't reduce my spending... and I am starting to get into the ball park of what I'd like to be spending on beads per year, not what I actually spend. So I've kept it in for another year as a reminder that I'm not quite there just yet.

• To share more of my beadmaking journey - I've not really done this much apart from where the blog naturally crosses over with my beadmaking e.g. my Element bracelet where I wanted to make a glass set to go with my silvers.  I've been promising to do this more lately, so I'm going to set it as one of my resolutions to talk specifically about beadmaking, and learning to make glass beads, from my point of view.  As I'm writing this down, I think it might help me with No.1 too!

Okay, in no particular order... I dedicated my AtoZ to my beadmaking journey, so there were a whole 26 posts dedicated to glass.

However once the AtoZ finished that was pretty much it.  Not only for the spilling the beans about the beadmaking, but also for a lot of my blog posts and content, it's been rather sporadic for 2016!  So what happened?

Well a whole heap of things; I started going to college in April for half a day a week to learn more about glass fusing and kilnforming, I continued to make beads and fused glass and sell them via my new business and the day job got super busy.  Something had to give and that was usually the blog, and er, a lot of my social life!

For those curious about my beadmaking journey, the most updated place for information is probably the Born of Fire - facebook page (apologies for those not on Facebook), or my Born of Fire - Instagram (on occasion), or (rarely) my Born of Fire -Twitter.  The Born of Fire - website gets updated once in a blue moon when I remember... or I have to pay the fees!


To become a better beadmaker, looking back as what I was making December 2015 to what I made throughout the year, I think in many ways I did, but I also fell down the fusing rabbit hole, which was inevitable I guess given I started college in April so there were a whole load of new ideas I was trying out!

One of the best changes I made was attending Flame Off in April.  In turn this gave me the confidence to finally try some group lampworking courses which I had been too nervous to do before.

After a quick 1-1 lesson in Borosilicate to give it a go (different glass, different rules), my first course was with the lovely Marcel Rensmaag to make eyeballs!  We did make other things but it was the eyeballs I really wanted to try out.

Later in the year was a quick fire course with Ray Skene.  This really boosed my confidence and I learnt a whole host of new tricks, my favourite make from the day was my leaf pendant!

Finally on to the money, to spend less in 2016 than I did in 2015. In spite of a trip to Denmark, where I had a lovely splurge on Trollbeads and Eske Storm Jewellery, I managed it!  By quite a considerable margin actually, my spending on jewellery is finally coming down to something I consider more reasonable for a jewellery addict - although it's probably still a lot by "normal" standards of course!

All things considered I think I did okay on the 2016 resolutions.

What did you get up to this year that was different to last year?

Or did you want to do more of the same as it was so good?

Treasured Tools for Beadmaking - Cup with a Hat!

I said I would start to talk more about my journey with glass beadmaking, or lampworking this year and I started out by writing a nice chronological account of how I got started again... but it was a bit boring so I deleted it!

I thought instead I'd introduce you to something my husband bought for me that I treasure for the joy it brings in my beadmaking...

... yes it's a mug with a lid, or a cup with a hat!

If you read my A to Z series last year you may already know where I'm going with this as I touched on it in G is for Glass!

Not only does this protect my tea from flying glass or other foreign objects, it also keeps my tea warm which is essential when I'm making, as I often forget I have a cup of tea there!

But the hidden secret is that it also contains a strainer... so if I don't have time or want to make myself a teapot's worth I can still enjoy my favourite Imperial Tea's loose leaf Blue Flower Earl Grey whilst I'm making!

How cool is that??

What is your most favourite unusual tool?

2015 New Years Bead Resolutions in Review

Although I've been stupidly super busy, I have a few days off ahead of me and a determination to get around to reviewing my New Years Bead Resolutions for 2015, there are only two... how hard can it be?

My New Year's Bead Resolutions 2015

• To book myself another Lampworking Lesson - At the start of this year it had been 18 months since my first (and only) lesson.  I wasn't going to set myself any more than a "1 session resolution" as I wanted to see if I wanted to continue any further before committing myself.  I also needed to check out if my shoulder would physically let my right arm be in a position to hold a glass rod.

• To spend less in 2015 than I did in 2014 - At the start of the year I wanted to reduce my jewellery spending in general.  I knew my bus would take up a large proportion of my income, and I didn't set any complicated way of doing this other than it being less overall.

I did a review in July at the mid-point and I was well on track with both resolutions - so what happened in the latter part of this year?

To book myself another Lampworking Lesson

Considering it was as simple as booking myself another session I was well under way by July, I was renting bench space in a fab jewellery workshop and even had some of my own basic kit and glass stock.

I'm still not sure I can believe how much difference another 6 months has actually made...

Bird's Eye View of my home "Studio Space" from August 2015

Six months later... and I have my own studio space set up at home, my own kit and even my own kiln.  I guess I did like lampworking after all!

I could write an entire blog post on any aspect of my lampworking and in the New Year I will keep my promise and tell you all a bit more about it - each month I learn something new and there is another tale to tell!

This month I have been busy learning how to core my beads with a one piece silver lining.

One of my beads cored with 1 piece silver bead lining

This week I'm trying out my very first glass fuse... or "bad coaster project" as I have named it.  As usual I've just jumped in; so I am expecting a coaster with very bad bubbles in; having read the appropriate chapter after I started firing it!

To spend less in 2015 than I did in 2014 

At the halfway point this year I was doing very well on this goal, although I did hint that it may get a little less controlled in the months that were to follow...

Alex Cramariuc - Elements Silver Bead Collection

My first slip was the gorgeous Elements Set from Alex Cramariuc, an absolutely beautiful set of heavy silvers that marked the start of my spending spree.  Half of which I've not even told you all about yet.  In fairness, I must point out that my Halloween splurge was actually diverted holiday funds after my mega virus, but it all still needed counting up for the final tally.

In the second half of the year I did spend more than the same period in 2014.  However due to my exceptionally good start to 2015, where I was considerably more constrained, I did actually finish the year by spending less than in 2014! I didn't even scrape it; it was by a wide margin, which, er, probably just highlights why I needed to cut back a bit...

So what's the plan for 2016?
I don't really have one for now, I shall try and finish the year by not buying any more jewellery and spend more time on making some - that sounds like a good enough plan to follow for the next few days... I might just manage it!

Did you set yourself any goals for this year?  What happened?

Will you plan for 2016?

My Crazy Life... All the B's!

Life on in with Mars can always be a little chaotic but these last few months have been more so than usual...

Being a Secret Santa

This week I've been a Secret Santa - well once I found a pineapple (it's a cocktail thing) and as my partner lived nearby I turned up in person complete with a Santa Hat with bells on, well once I'd found out where she'd moved to... I did say it was chaotic didn't I?  So glad she was in; I could never have got that pineapple through the letterbox!

My Secret Santa lives in France, and after a chaotic week at work (hunting pineapples in strange cities before meetings), it was just the best thing to sit down and open a whole host of very carefully selected goodies - my partner knows me so well!

I am in love with how France Italy* packs it's Trollbeads, it was the most beautiful packaging and such a lovely gift unwrapping experience...

Italy just has the coolest Trollbeads packaging...

Lucky spoilt me received the recent glass Halloween Bead - Trick or Treat, and the new Love Dragon which is clutching a little heart.  I love asymmetric beads, so the dragon has found a very happy home here with me and I can't wait to incorporate the glass onto a bracelet for next year.

*although my Secret Santa lives in France, she shared with me that she bought my beads in Italy and it's their fabulous packaging; so my apologies to the Italian retailers... it's your packaging that ROCKS!!

Bead Buying Bonanza

I've been very naughty with my bead buying, I think I lost sight of my budget at the back end of the Summer - I've actually forgotten what I've told you all about and what I haven't!

There was a glut of artisan beads, both glass and silver, from some of my favourite designers and some newly discovered artists too.  Brand wise there's been Elfbeads, X Jewellery, Story, the fabulous new Black Friday beads from Trollbeads (Midnight Brilliance) and quite a few preloved Trollbeads stones and the odd chain thrown in for good measure.

Some of the new beads that have made it onto a bangle!

The downside to all of the chaos is that I've had very little time for bead play, so I have a ridiculous amount of lovelies just sat waiting to be made into bracelets and put onto bangles.  Apparently it's not just me as I have a few friends who are in the same position - although I am partly to blame in one case...

Bead Making Bonanza

...because I've been making too many beads that have found their way into her hands.

I'm really enjoying playing with glass; currently I'm learning how to finish my beads by manually lining them with silver tubing in one solid core, rather than gluing in two end caps.  

I can be a bit shy with showing my beads, but I really love the photo I took of this bead using a new bit of photography kit - here it is before I put the silver core in...

I think I actually held my breath when I cored this one, as it was one of my favourites out of the last big batch of beads I made.  Erm, I must confess I've lost a few beads along the way whilst I'm practising.

Blogging

I'm away with work and quite busy in general at the moment, so poor old Curling Stones for Lego People is having to take a bit of a backseat at the moment.  So please know it's not a lack of interest on my part, as I love writing and chatting with you all - it's just that my daily life is getting a little too chaotic to keep to a regular writing schedule at the moment... but there will always be something to read at least once a month!  Even if that is how busy I am!

Would you like to know more about my journey with making beads?

What do you mean it's Monday again?

I sometimes have no idea where the time goes at the moment...

One minute I was like "Yay it's the weekend!" and the next I'm preparing for a full on week of the day job.

This weekend I've been sorting out some of my own lampworked beads and trying out some different coring materials, only one cut on one finger yesterday so I've been doing quite well!

The last two days were a lot more fun than last weekend which looked something like this... then I bathed the kitchen in a dayglo orange light...

But I'll save that story for another day!

Really I was just popping in to say sorry I'm not around much this month as I am busy getting my little studio table set up and learning how to do a lot of things I never knew I had to know!

I'm also stalking the postman as my Elfbeads Deal of the Year package should be arriving this week - so excited!

How is everyone else? Let me know what you're up to...

The World of Mars and Skewiff Scheduling

Well thought I'd better pop in and let everyone know what I'm up to at the moment as my blogging schedule is a little skewiff!

Side Stage View from Humber Street Sesh

I've been a busy bee in August; hanging out with my husband and friends when they all played a festival - they had sofas in front of their stage... and cover (it rained a lot in the afternoon) so guess where I stayed for most of the day!

Wales... for once in this pic it wasn't raining!

I did a bit of Pandora shopping before heading off on a whirlwind trip to Wales to catch up with family, celebrate a special Grandmother's birthday and generally chill out, with good food & drink and more bad weather unfortunately.  I also came home with some very special pieces of jewellery... but I'll save that story for later!

New Glass!

In other news - I bought some more glass and I've had my 2nd lampworking lesson - only 2 years after my 1st one! 

Pootling along by myself for the last few months, I decided it was time for some expert guidance in getting shot of some bad habits and attempting to learn some good new ones.

My own torch!

I've also taken the plunge and bought my own torch, after much umming and ahhing and driving friends and family insane with my constant, Shall I? Shan't I? questioning.  And, er, that is where the rest of my time has gone this month... I've been creating a little space for myself in my kitchen so I can make beads at home!

Alex Cramariuc - Elements Silver Set

Oh and I've also been gazing adoringly at my new bracelet made up of Alex Cramariuc Elements Silver Set... I did mention that Alex was the one designer that might break my New Years Bead Resolutions Budget and I was right, worth every single penny though!

So that's what I've been up to so far, I have a few things planned for the blog but my scheduling will remain a little skewiff whilst things settle down and I concentrate on not setting fire to the kitchen, or me, or the visiting cats, or anyone who tries to make a cup of tea at the same time... More on my progress later!

So that's me, what have you been up to?

New Year's Bead Resolutions - are we nearly there yet?

For the last 3 Januarys I've set myself some New Year's Bead Resolutions for the year, as a way of focusing my bead collecting and to some extent how much I spend on shiny things!

As 2013 & 2014 were rather successful in shaping my bead collection, I only set 2 resolutions in 2015 as a result - overall I was quite happy with how things were going.

July seemed like a good time to look back at the first six months to see how I was doing...


Resolution 1 - Book another lampworking lesson

Lampworking Taster Session with friends

I've achieved so much from this resolution, without actually booking a lesson... What I did instead was book a taster session and as a result of this I'm on a voyage of self discovery in glass.

Glass Rods - waiting to be turned into beads!

Since that session I've been booking workshop time (literally renting a bench) and experimenting with glass.  I now own a "rejects" jar, a rod of "love them but can't core them" beads as well as a couple of rods of cored beads.  As each session comes along, if I take my time, there are less beads going in the rejects jar and more that I can, and am wearing myself.

Trollbeads Bangle & Silver Beads with Glass Bead by Me!

I'm really enjoying working with glass, it's a fascinating material to work with, I think of it as art meets chemistry and I absolutely love it!


Resolution 2 - Spend less in 2015 than 2014

I surprised myself when I looked at the figures for the first six months, especially as I stumbled upon my dream wish list silvers last month, took the plunge and bought the whole set in one go!

I'm on track with resolution No.2 despite these lovelies!!
Limited Edition 2009 Chinese Silver Set

But it's true, adding it all up I've actually spent less so far than I had by this point in 2014, I'm sure this has been helped tremendously by the money that I've spent on my bus rather than jewellery, but the fact remains I'm well on track with this one too!

Let's just see what happens over the next six months shall we? I fear Alex Cramariuc may be my undoing for the next 6 months....

Did you make any promises to yourself this year?

What has caught your imagination (or your pocket) so far this year?

Making Glass Beads ~ Taster Session

I can't believe it's taken me so long to write about this!  

To those of you who follow me on Twitter, or regularly read the comments, or indeed read G is for Glass during the A to Z Challenge this will be slightly old news, albeit with more photos!

Back in January I signed up for a glass bead making taster session, I felt confident my shoulder had recovered enough to be up to the job and spurred on by my trip to Trollbeads Cambridge I made the booking for "sometime" in February.

Dates decided and with a friend in tow who had always wanted to try lampworking, we met Victoria at Oresome Gallery's workshop ready for our glass bead making taster session.

For 2 very blissful hours that positively flew by, we made lots of beads, shrieked as bits of glass pinged off rods and said oops a few times as we experimented... not always to a positive result but surprisingly more positive results than you'd expect considering this was Billy's first attempt and only my second... I think we did brilliantly!

Am I going to try it again? Glass bought and sessions already booked used!

What have you waited for a long time...

only to be super excited once you actually got started?

Any beadmakers out there who can give us some tips?!

J is for Joy

My A to Z theme is Addicted to Beads but I'm also blogging Hull Fashion Week which has been running alongside Week 2 of the A to Z Challenge, so...

As today is the grand finale of the latter, and the letter is J... I thought I'd keep today's entry short & sweet (as I'm rushing off to the catwalk shows) and show you a pic of my little bundles of Joy!

What (or whom) are your little bundles of Joy?

Beadmaker Bead Tales

"If you could have a bead made just for you...

what would it be and what would you do with it?"

Beaverbrooks and Trollbeads UK asked attendees the first question in person... and Curling Stones was waiting in the wings to find out what happened after the event!

Angela 

"Beaverbrooks staff were excited to have a beadmaker on site and our group all chose to have the same style bead made, but in different colours. 

My bead being made - photo by Angela

Mine is black with gold dust and I actually opted for this bead after seeing it on the wrist of one of the ladies from TB UK, I thought it worked well."

Photo by Angela

Angela has an incredible collection of beads and I think her choice of beadmaker bead certainly matches the rest of her collection very well!

Tracy

"I was so excited to have the opportunity of getting a bead made for me.  Especially  as it gave me the chance to create something unique to remind me of a very special occasion, my eldest son's wedding.

The choice of colour was an easy one as I needed the bead to go on the bracelet I was putting together to match my wedding outfit.  So off I went armed with a sample swatch of the colour of my dress in the hope my wish could be fulfilled. I was in luck, I could see amongst the bead maker's rods one that looked perfect.

However on chatting to the talented lady she told me she had had a few problems when working with this colour on a previous bead. It was producing dirty blackish marks in the glass and she didn't know why and was reluctant to use it.   I think she saw the disappointment in my face and came up with a solution.....she would add glitter to disguise them! 

My bead - photo by Tracy

The dots were then added to the top to symbolise 'stepping stones ' to the next stage of his life, hopefully on a path of never ending happiness. 

I left the shop a very happy lady."

All Photos by Tracy

Although I already knew why Tracy had chosen to have this bead made, I still got a warm cosy feeling when I read about the meaning...

Amanda Mac

"Over the years, I have been lucky enough to have several beads made for me by Georgina Black, the Trollbeads UK lampworker who has now returned to Canada.  Georgina was replaced by Sue, and this was to be her very first bead for me, as I didn't get a beadmaker slot at the last UK Trollbeads Convention in 2013, when Sue started.

I was in a bit of a lime phase over the summer... you can also see one of my other beadmaker beads in the photo below - the black flower on lime - which was designed by me and made by Georgina, and so I decided after much debate with trollie friends that I wanted a white armadillo with lime lines  (We spend hours beforehand debating our choices!). 

My Summer Lime Phase - photo by Amanda Mac

However, when I got to Beaverbrooks for the event and saw some of the beads Sue had made earlier for the staff, I decided to go for a lime and gold splodge bead instead!  A bit like the Oranje Boven only in lime.

As usual it was great fun seeing one's bead being made...

My bead being made - photo by Amanda Mac

...and even better to see the finished result.

Photos by Amanda Mac

When the bead arrived back after being cored in Denmark, I found that it was a lovely fresh apple green colour instead of lime.  I didn't mind at all because the colour is beautiful, and I know that colours can be difficult to get right with lampworking. 

I am playing around with combos at the moment (most of my bracelets are permanent) and I seem to be making a purple and fresh green combo at the moment...

New combo - photo by Amanda Mac

I know that my friends had similar designs made in different colours, and they are great beads too! 

Thank you, Sue and Beaverbrooks!"

Mars

"I laughed when I read Amanda's "We spend hours beforehand debating our choices!" - so did I, on the day itself I was still struggling with my choices and not knowing what glass rods Sue had with her (so I couldn't choose in person), I sent a few suggestions down to Bristol and deliberately didn't ask which one was made so that it would be a surprise when it arrived.  I love surprises!

Finally I got the message that all the beads had been cored and returned, and in mid-June I waited for my bead to arrive!  Having just got back from my holiday and also having just seen my bus for the first time, to say I was a bit excited was an understatement; what an amazing week that was!

So which design had Sue chosen to make?  Purple translucent bead with glitter in it!  I love purple and I'm always on the look out for deeper purples, so I was pleased to add another to my collection!

What did I do with my bead?  Well I've actually been wearing it ever since on a very special bracelet, nestled within the In Your Heart Charm... on my Bus Bracelet!

Although I had no idea what to expect when I was throwing ideas out into the ether for my bead, I couldn't have been more delighted with what I received and the timing of it coming.  

It's the perfect purple to match my bus and the gold glitter really reminds me of the wooden interior, especially how it looks when the light catches it in the late afternoon/early evening sun."

Carol

"My bead from the Beadmaker Event was a purple wave, I was a bit surprised as I was expecting a green wave in a purple bead...

My Beadmaker Bead - Photos by Alan

Bracelet by Carol - Photo by Alan

Now it's in my bracelet combination I'm actually happier it's not purple and green!"

I really like what Carol has done with her bead, I think she's chosen such lovely beads to make this bracelet and I adore the combination; beautiful!  P.s. I think it would also go very well in my bus bracelet!

Helen

My beadmaker bead - photo by Helen

"This is my bead, it turned out to be a deeper red than I was expecting but I was really pleased with it, it's my red boven!

Sunset - bracelet and photo by Helen

I was originally intending to put it on another bracelet, but when it arrived it really did look like it was especially made for this bracelet, so I took out the original focal bead and now my beadmaker bead takes pride of place."

I'm not normally one for darker red beads (I've been having a bright red phase myself) but I think I've fallen a little bit in love with Helen's bead, it's not a colour I've seen a lot of but I adore it!

Adam

Now most of you won't know (and Adam probably wouldn't remember) but he was actually the member of the Beaverbrooks Cribbs Causeway team who sold me 3 beads back in August 2012!  We had a really lovely chat about his (then) recent trip to Trollbeads UK Headquarters which I had just read about; I felt like I was talking to Trollbeads royalty!

Adam's Beadmaker bead - photo by Beaverbrooks

"Adam choose to have this bead made to compliment his bracelet which is mostly made up of beads of his favourite colour "Blue".  The orange was implemented due to him visiting Amsterdam and having an orange bead to commemorate his holiday, so he asked for some orange to be added.

The outcome was this amazing whirlwind of orange and blue.  Who would have thought it would come out so beautiful!"  Sara

Beaverbrooks 

Even the shop had a bead made!  

Beaverbrooks beadmaker bead! Photo by Beaverbrooks

  

"This bead is in the Beaverbrooks colours, purple, grey and white!" Sara

I like that the shop has had a bead made... especially as I'm the woman who made a bracelet to represent her bus!  I wonder who gets to wear this one or if everyone has to take it in turns?! 

I knew there was a question I forgot to ask!

I personally loved seeing and hearing about everyone's beads and designs, I'm so nosy curious!  I love this part of my job at Curling Stones and I hope you've enjoyed reading about them!

Big thanks again to the Beaverbrooks Team, Sue, Trollbeads UK and Angela, Tracy, Amanda, Carol, Helen, Adam and Sara (representing Beaverbrooks) for sharing their photos and stories - fabulous beads and bracelets!

Out of all the beads you could have made for yourself;
if there were no restrictions at all...
What would you choose?