Bead Making
Process
When
making our handmade beads, either one of two techniques is used.
Polymer
Clay Beads
The
most popular are the polymer clay beads which begin as blocks of
colored clay. We then build millefiori canes of our own designs using
many
colors which might be jelly-rolled, marbled, striped, or bulls-eyed.
These are
cut into a variety of bead shapes and sizes, baked until hard, and
turned into jewelry. We add 22 gauge wire of different colors including
gold,
silver, black, and red. Our wired lady pins, with their quirky wire
hair, each have their own unique character.
Glass Beads
The second bead
making process which we use is known as lampworking. This is a process
where beautiful rods of glass in a variety of colors are melted over
a torch and formed into beads of different shapes. Each bead is unique
since they are created one at a time. They are cooled slowly, cleaned
and turned into wired ladies, bracelets, or pendants.
