Mad Scientist Handmade Glass Beads

Each year, I love making Halloween beads  I just don't want to make just the traditional ones, but add in a few different styles.  Black cats are expected and of course I do them, but it's good to have some unexpected ones too.  So years ago, I started making "Mad Scientist" beads.  I love designing crazy hair that stands up- kind of Bozo the Clown meets Einstein, and of course add in goatees, beards and the important flask of undetermined chemicals.  I'll be making a few more this year, so feel free to contact me if interested. 

Growing Crazy Mushrooms ...

I think I have mushroom envy.  My friends are posting photos of purple, green and multihued mushrooms from their yards.  Honestly, I was feeling kind of left out.  Oh yeah I have a few mushrooms, but they're brown, and kind of look like pancakes that have set out too long.  So what does a glass artist do?  Well of course, we make what we don't have.  I decided to make some with faces.  Why not?  This blue one is hanging out on my tree roots with some moss.  A perfect place for him.



...and he needed someone to keep him company, so this one has little arms and pink cheeks.  Must be a younger version.

Have to say I was fully entertained making them, but I need to get back to my usual lampwork glass beads.  Please follow me on Instagram - @MarcyLamberson  or on Facebook @StudioMarcy

My Studio Shot

A couple of months ago, I was asked for a photo of me in my studio.  I decided that instead of making it pristine, (which is so not me), I'd get it taken, "as is".  So here I am.  With my too many stringers, shorts (short glass rod pieces), bags of murrine, bits of glass, broken beads that I need to revisit, wire, miscellaneous tools plus other odds and ends.  Yes, I gather it around me on my reused kitchen table from the 80's that is covered with a steel sheet.  I want to be able to reach lots of options.  And you might recognize my re-used cutlery container from the dishwasher.  With its sections, I can sort some of my short rods and keep them together - plus move them if needed.

When I posted this photo on my Facebook page, a lot of the discussion was about my hood.  I bought the metal hood from a former student who was getting out of lampworking.  We added the two light tracks on the inside and had a switch wired in too.  I can move the lights individually along the track and the flexibility of each lamp helps me aim the light in the direction needed.  You don't see the two magnetic bars (screwed into the metal) which hold many of my steel tools.  I love having my tweezers, pliers, shaping tools, hemostats and others visible and in easy reach.

Catching Up with Spirit Animal Totems

So I have been busy since I posted last time.

I added bison beads to my show list.  I kept them neutral with small bits of shimmery color.  I've done them in solid white as well.

And I was lucky enough to get some brilliant colors in my bears.  This is Lori Riley's dichroic glass. I love the color and consistently good product that I buy from her.

And I added a totem spirit bird too.  This one, I wanted to keep quite simple.  I just have the metallic glass on the wing, beak and eye.  I have some refining to do, but I love the large body with the smaller head.  

So I haven't been ignoring you, but had two back to back online sales on Facebook.  If you are interested and are on Facebook, please friend me and message me at the same time that you are doing so. (if I don't know you, sometimes I don't accept the friendship)  I'd love to have you join the private buying groups where I sell my beads twice a month.

So now, I'm working on my Beads of Courage donation beads for this years Iditarod Sled Race in Alaska.  I have two styles of bears right now and am debating whether I have time to get a third style for them too.  They just take awhile.  I'll show you those next time.

Until then, stay warm.  Enjoy life.  And of course, come back next week for another photo or two and to catch up.  

Experimenting with Color via GlassTribal Whale & Stand

There are so many things that intrigue me.  Always on top of the list is color.  I've been making traditional whales and was looking at images and thinking about how color influences what we typically think.  So I picked up two complimentary colors and made a whale using a more tribal or tattoo type simple design.  It was fun experimenting with a different style.

Then I wanted to make a glass stand for it using the yellow and turquoise theme (layered turquoise transparent over the yellow for the green look.) and formed one side that was mostly deep turquoise and the other side primarily yellow, to see whether my assumption that I'd prefer the blue side with the contrast, over the yellow side.  My answer is "yes", but I like the yellow side more than I thought.  Surprised me a bit.

So now I'm asking your opinion.  Do you have a preference? Yellow or blue side? If you were picking two colors that aren't typical whale colors, what would you choose?

Bead Peeps Swap 'n Hop Reveal

I was lucky to be partnered with Marybeth Rich who is "Forest of Jewels" online and on blogspot.  She sent me such a super fantastic array of materials (see remaining ones below) that I had a hard time deciding what to do.  The top is the necklace I made.  I added some bits of "me" to her lovely copper clasp and turquoise and natural stones.  The copper pieces I found when visiting AZ and had been waiting for a chance to use them.  I already had some of my lampwork "eggs" and the shell bead, which I think tied it together.  Above the shell it looks like a chunk of wood, but is some of the polymer clay stash, which Marybeth sent.  See below for my cute bracelet that I made with more of it.

These are my extra beads that I still haven't used.  (I use white paper plates to see the beads better- no 20/20 eyes anymore!) See how amazingly generous she was?  And what made each packet seem like a special gift was that she packaged them in her handmade paper envelopes.  

And here is the wire bangle I made from her polymer clay pieces. 

I love the sparkle and the opaque textures mixing together.  I kept the pink cord on the focal piece, because I like the mix of the hard beads with the soft cotton.  If I had more, I would have added it between some of the bead sections.  I left the largest design piece on the end.  I like it like a big dangle, instead of in the middle. And of course, I had to add a touch of "me" in it too.  Just the simple purple lampwork beads which blended in well.  

Here is the list of the other Swap Hop Members.  I swiped it from Marybeth's page. (shhh, don't tell) Please visit Marybeth next, if you haven't been to see her already.  I linked her name with her blog to make it easy for you. 

BEAD PEEPS SWAP N HOP 2015  PARTNER LIST    Our Hostess: Linda Anderson from http//:fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
Linda	Anderson	http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
Marica	Zammit	http://www.beadlovelies.com
Linda	Anderson	http://fromTheBeadBoard.blogspot.com
Jessica	Hocutt	https://faithfamilyandadventure.wordpress.com
Kristina	Hahn Eleniak	http://www.peacockandlime.wordpress.com
Debbie	Jeffries	http://debrasdivinedesigns.com/blog/
Rosantia	Petkova	http://bairozan.blogspot.com/
Shalini	Austin	http://jewellerybyshalini.co.uk/my-blog/
Catherine	La Vite	http://drygulchbeadsandjewelry.blogspot.com
Annica	Larsson	http://zestyfrog.wordpress.com/
Lori	Schneider	http://beadaddicted.blogspot.com/
Divya	N	http://www.jewelsofsayuri.com
Mowse	Doyle	http://mowsemadethis.blogspot.com
Fay	Wolfenden	http://torchfairy.blogspot.com
Kathy	Lindemer	http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com/
Claire	Fabian	http://saraccino.blogspot.de/
Janice	Warden Bergeron	http://thejewelryroom.blogspot.ca
Natalie	Davidson	http://www.northshoredays.com
Deb	Fortin	http://www.studiok24.blogspot.ca
Inge	von Roos	http://ingetraud.wordpress.com
Karen	Mitchell	http://overthemoon-design.com
Robin	Reed	http://willowdragon.blogspot.com
Marie	Covert	http://thistledown-and-swaddlings.blogspot.com/
Alicia	Marinache	http://www.allprettythings.ca
Nan	Smith	http://www.wirednan.blogspot.ca
Johana	Nunez	http://artincendi.com
Kelly	Hosford Patterson	http://travelingsideshow.blogspot.com/
Lori	Blanchard	http://alainnjewelry.WordPress.com
Sue	Kennedy	http://suebeads.blogspot.com
Shai	Williams	http://shaihasramblings.com
Niky	Sayers	http://silverniknats.blogspot.co.uk
Melissa	Trudinger	http://beadrecipes.wordpress.com
Candida	Castleberry	http://www.spunsugarbeadworks.blogspot.com
Erin	Guest	http://www.renlish.com
Nicole	Rennell	http://nicolerennell.com/blog
Ien	Temaluru	http://ienmaginationsjewelry.wordpress.com
Robin	Showstack	http://heartsdesiresjewelryforyou.blogspot.com/
Sam	Waghorn	http://palemooncreation.blogspot.co.uk
Marianne	Baxter	http://www.simplyseablimejewelry.blogspot.com
Elsie	Deliz-Fonseca	http://ladelizchica.blogspot.com
Shai	Williams	http://shaihasramblings.com
Lee	Koopman	http://stregajewellry.wordpress.com
Jayne	Capps	http://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com
Marti	Conrad	http://artisancomponentmarketplace.com/martisbuttonsandbeads/2015/03/20/bead-peeps-blog-hop/
Tina	Bosh	http://bookbug-somanybookssolittletime.blogspot.com/
Eleanor	Thomas	http://woolywireetc.blogspot.com
Jeanne	Steck	http://www.gemsbyjeannemarie.blogspot.com
Gloria	Allen	http://www.wingsandbeads.blogspot.com
Rachel	Mallis	http://www.mintmonarch.com/#!blog/c1jlz
Andrea	Glick	http://zenithjade.blogspot.com/
Stephanie	Stamper	http://skwds.blogspot.com
Chris	Haussler	http://pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com
Betony	Maiden	http://www.beadwenches.blogspot.com/
Kari	Asbury	http://hippiechickjewelrydesign.com/blog/
Jenny	Kyrlach	http://anafiassa.blogspot.com/
Colleen	Foley	http://colleenfoleycreations.blogspot.com
Marybeth	Rich	http://forestofjewels.blogspot.com/
Marcy	Lamberson	http://www.StudioMarcy.blogspot.com  (you are here)
Dyanne	Everett-Cantrell	http://www.deelitefuljewelrycreations.blogspot.com
Ginny	Lones	http://www.Skippingintotheunknown.blogspot.com
Maria Rosa	Sharrow	http://willowstreetshops.blogspot.com
Loretta	Carstensen	http://designsbyloretta.blogspot.com
Dolores	Raml	http://craftydscreations.wordpress.com
Michelle	McCarthy	http://www.fireflydesignstudio.blogspot.com
Louise	McCormick-Glazier	http://jewelrytreasuresbylouise.blogspot.com/
Heather	Richter	http://desertjewelrydesigns.blogspot.com
Tammy	Adams	http://www.paisleylizard.com/blog/
Shirley	Moore	http://beadsandbread.blogspot.com
Seed Beaders
Susanne	Stelljes	http://pearlify.blogspot.de
Sheila	Prosterman	http://catswithbeads.blogspot.com
Pallavi	Asher	http://kalaabhushan.blogspot.in/
Jami	Shipp	http://celebratinglifewithdamamashipp.blogspot.com
Peggy	Kosier	http://www.kosydesigns.blogspot.ca/
Andra	Weber	http://andrasjoyfuljourney.blogspot.com
Catherine	King	http://catherines-musings.blogspot.com
Krafty	Max	http://kraftymax.com
Sierra	Barrett	http://giraffecanhas.wordpress.com
Lois	Sherwood	http://thiznthat5454blog.wordpress.com
Katy	Heider	http://onthepondcreations.blogspot.com
Rebecca	Robertson   (White)	http://morganafeycreations.121hub.com/
Heather	Richter	http://desertjewelrydesigns.blogspot.com
Brandy	Collier	http://bhjewelry.wordpress.com
Stephanie	Haussler	http://www.pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com
Lori	Blanchard	http://alainnjewelry.WordPress.com
Kathleen	Breeding	http://99bobotw.blogspot.com
Becky	Pancake	http://beckypancakebeaddesigns.blogspot.com
Renetha	Stanziano	http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/
Tami	Norris	https://jewelrybytami.wordpress.com/
Ginger	Bishop	http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com/
Peggy	Johnson	http://charmbarn.blogspot.com

I am selling through Facebook mostly now, so message me through my name, Marcy Lamberson and I'll help you find lots of fun beads and cool stuff.  xo

Acting Like a Squirrel

I fell in love with this photo by Vadim Trunov.  I have had a long love/hate relationship with the critters.  My head says they are pests, by the many times, we've had to evict them from our attic, or had to redo roofing from their voracious gnawing.  And of course, coming back from a trip and finding our outdoor furniture torn apart...apparently the pillow stuffing would be nice and soft in their nests. But, I still think they are cute.  Especially from a distance.

Charmed by the Minions, I'm Sure

I am participating in the Art Charm Exchange and Blog Hop today and what is most important, (besides admiring my Minion Charms) and visiting everyone's blogs, is that there is also a Beads of Courage auction with a set of charms - information later in this post.

Our theme for the charms is laughter and we were to make something that reminded us of the word, or makes us laugh.  I chose the latter.

I love little brightly colored robot space guys. Yes, a non techie, who does. I think it goes back to the 60's wind up ones that I always thought was cool.  So thinking that folks attached to Beads of Courage might be bidding on the auction, I designed a charm that might appeal to their child, or their inner child which might make them smile too.

And I have this air stream like small planter that seemed to fit with the scene.  Of course they would always look cute on root growing sweet potatoes, but I've done that already.  It was time for a different photo.

Now, here is the info on the Beads of Courage Auction....The url is:  http://myworld.ebay.com/glassaddictions and it should be up some time today, we hope. If not, check back soon.

And don't forget to visit my fellow charm loving and making teammates.  I know you'll get a kick out them too.

Alenka Obid http://pepita-handmade.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-exchage-reveal.html

Alicia Marinache http://www.allprettythings.ca/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal-blog-hop-and-auction.html   

Babette Cox http://babettecox.com/blog.htm

Carol Watson http://www.carolwatsonartglass.blogspot.com

Carolyn Chenault  http://carolynchenault.wordpress.com/2012/11/12/beads-of-courage-auction/ 

Cassi Paslick http://cassisbeads.blogspot.com/2012/11/beads-of-courage-charm-swap-reveal.html

Charlene Jacka http://clay-space.com/2012/11/early-christmas/

Cheri Reed http://creativedesignsbycheri.blogspot.com/2012/11/to-participate-in-charm-swap-you-must.html

Cheryl McCloud http://cherylmccloud.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal-blog-hop-and-beads-of.html

Deb Kauzlarich http://debkauzlarich.blogspot.com  

Denielle Hagerman http://somebeadsandotherthings.com  

Emma Todd  http://apolymerpenchant.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap-in-aid-of-boc.html

Erin Prais-Hintz http://treasures-found.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap-laugh.html

Ginger Bishop http://lilmummylikes.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-exchange-2012.html

Inge vonRoos http://ingetraud.wordpress.com

Jean Peter http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com/ http://jeanpdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-charm-swap.html

Jeannie K Dukic http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog/2012/11/12/beads-of-courage/

Jennifer Cameron http://wp.me/p1xIa0-wn

Kia Dallons http://kiadallonsstudio.blogspot.jp/2012/11/laughter-is-best-medicine.html

Kimberly Roberts http://bahamadawn.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap.html

Kristi Bowman  http://dreamsomedesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal-hop.html 

Lea Avroch http://lajewelrydesign.blogspot.com/2012/11/2012-beads-of-courage-art-charm-swap.html

Leslie Schenkel http://twistedchicken.wordpress.com/?p=171

Linda Florian http://www.lilysofthevalleyjewelry.blogspot.com/

Lori Greenberg http://lorigreenberg.com/blog

Lynnea Bennett http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com  

Mallory Hoffman http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-time-has-come-art-charm-blog-reveal.html

Marcy Lamberson http://studiomarcy.blogspot.com/2012/11/charmed-by-minions-im-sure.html

Marsha Neal Studio http://marshanealstudio.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-exchange-and-beads-of-courage.html

Maureen Connolly http://mrsbeadsley.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-reveal.html 

Melissa Meman http://melissameman.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-swap-blog-hop.html

Monique Urquhart http://ahalfbakednotion.blogspot.com/2012/11/charmed-im-sure.html

Natalie McKenna http://www.grubbi.co.uk/ 

Perri Jackson  http://shaktipajdesigns.com/11/blog/reveal-the-laughter-art-charms/

Renetha Stanziano http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-exchange-auction-and-reveal.html

Robin Koza http://www.robinkoza.com  

Shaiha Williams http://shaihasramblings.blogspot.com/2012/11/art-charm-hop.html

Shannon Hicks  http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com/

Shelby Foxwell http://sundownbeaddesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/charm-swap-reveal.html   

Shelley Graham Turner http://shelleygrahamturner.blogspot.com/2012/11/reveal-2012-charm-swap.html

Shirley Moore http://beadsandbread.blogspot.com/2012/11/beads-of-courage-art-charm-reveal.html

Stephanie Haussler http://pixybugdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/11/laughter-art-bead-charm-swap-auction.html

Susan Kennedy http://suebeads.blogspot.com/2012/11/beads-of-courage-charm-swap-reveal-and.html

Toltec Jewels http://www.jewelschoolfriends.com/2012/11/BOCArtCharmRevealBlogHop.html

Vanessa Gilkes http://culturezine.com/blog/

Playing With Alcohol Inks and Colored Metal Patinas

This weekend I attended a short class on using alcohol inks at the Intergalactic Bead Show in Atlanta.  I have a few inks that were gifts and I also bought Lisa Liddy's Metal Me This brand, which has such beautiful colors.  But I wanted to watch other people use them and learn some tips and tricks.

We used the Ranger Brand in class. Those are teacher samples in the above photo.  I learned with this brand, our teacher felt that they needed some of the metal inks as a base, in order to be really visible.

So we put the base onto brass and copper blanks and then added inks and dried them with the heat gun. 

And sanded our pieces to bring up the embossed patterns.  

I found that true to character, I was most interested in mixing colors and seeing what shades I would get with different techniques used.  My classmates seemed mostly color focused as well.  And some were just class junkies.  I could be that way, given the opportunity.

So now that I have tried the basics, I'll be experimenting some more.  I'm excited to open up Lisa's Color Me This sample kit that I got on her Etsy site, MetalMeThis and try hers now.  Her colors are always lovely. And Lisa posted a comment that clarified that her colorants are not inks, but patinas.  Oh this is good news- I won't need a heat gun or have as much hassle with this brand.  Looking forward to trying them very soon!  

I'll post what I make in the near future.  But in the meanwhile, how about if you post comments about what you've done with alcohol inks or  Lisa's patinas and how you like to use them?  Thanks!

Fall Colors in 104 COE Glass

I've been looking at the Pantone fashion Color Report for Fall 2012 and seeing a good number of the hues are already represented in my glass palette.  Have you been thinking about that, too?

I kind of like Messy Glass's Mink for the French Roast and their Stone Ground for the Honey Gold shade.

Pink Flambe (where did that accent mark go?) has me a bit stumped.  I'm contemplating on that one.  No simple solution, but a combination to make it.  (Kathy Seamands- can you hear me?  Could you please make this one, please?)

Tangerine Tango makes me think of Clockwork and Pantone's Ultramarine Green looks like Messy's Jade Palace to me.  The Bright Chartreause I'd head over to Vetrofond's Verde Muschio  Oh I love that color.  Not for it alone, but how it is found in nature and works to make so many other colors pop!

Olympian Blue reminds me of Electric Avenue (CiM) and Titanium could be Effetre's Dark Gray or perhaps Oliphaunt (Ltd. Run CiM).  Rhapsody could be a paler hue of Evil Queen or maybe Effetre's Soft Violet/New Violet.  And finally, Rose Smoke looks like my Vetrofond Seashell might work or perhaps Messy's Chai which is a Limited Run.

I am so open to other interpretations.  Have a better color match?  Please post and let all of us know.  I know there are always more possibilities and interpretations.  Now let's all get out there and sell some beads!  Working with the Fall Colors, might just increase our sales.

See you soon!

Sucker Fingers...

I know you've started thinking about back to school necessities, well Think Geek has done it for you.  Here is a set of Sucker Fingers- I know most of us think of them as tentacles, but apparently, octopus have arms, not tentacles. so I'm taking the middle ground.

This is definitely a gift for that person who has everything.  Bet it's not this though!  You can find them here and they are just under $10!

Join Me In Vienna, Austria!

Cornelia Bock is hosting me in Vienna, Austria to teach classes.  I am so excited and am hoping that there will be fellow, non country citizens who want to join me on this gorgeous adventure.  Such a lovely country and so much to see and do either before or afterward.  And with the exchange rate being pretty favorable, I'm always happy to see another part of the world and teach sculptural glass.

We have chosen to do Christmas holiday ornaments and regional related sculpture- a woodland forest related bead or two.  I'll make sure you can take these skills and translate them to other sculptural glass beads and work, as I always do.  And of course there is the Marcy style of teaching- I draw what we're going to do, then I talk and demonstrate what we are doing and then....(ha sounds like a lot of teaching, doesn't it?), and then I walk around the classroom to be available if you need me, so you get the most out of your class. The class is always a lot of fun, but I want to see you pleased with your new skills too.  It's important to me.

So the specifics are...it will be either this September on the 8 - 9, or next September 20-21, 2013.  If we can quickly fill some classes, then it will be a go this year, but in case we can't, then it will be next year.  I know, it is a little crazy, but we're both optimists and I am voting for both years, personally.

So this is how you find out more...first you contact the delightful Cornelia Bock.  Her email address is: bock.c@utanet.at , and you can check out her blog (it's in German- but you can translate through babelfish) http://kultur-art.blogspot.co.at/2012/04/lampwork-class-with-marcy-lamberson.html, and you can visit the facebook webpage: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.303796826361714&type=1.