I’m a little late for “this week’s” entry. I was fishing last week and succumbed to a cold on the last day. I think I’ll blame my sister for the germs.
I started making lampwork glass beads about 10 years ago. The flame and glass work was a way to counteract a corporate life of paper, people and stress. Over the years I’ve been to many classes with masters of the lampworking world. They’ve taught me techniques as well as making me think about just doing it. Like the glass has other ideas, sometimes the techniques wander far away from what I was taught. It’s interesting to see how many versions of “the right way” to do things there are.
The lampwork beads became focals for jewellery that I wear and for gifts. My female relatives have received necklaces or bracelets, the males received marbles. After a lot of beads and a lot of compliments later, it became evident that something needed to be done. I couldn’t wear all of the beads I made. Dropped Crystal emerged. The name was written on my bathroom mirror for a long time to remind me to find a Swarovski crystal that I dropped on my workroom floor. My efforts to organize the beads and the finished works ended up with identifying them using the township and range system in Alberta. West of four (W4) became the id for beads, west of five (W5) became the id for finished works. There are west of six (W6) – they are the infinity scarves that keep my fingers moving when I’m not working with glass.
ETSY became the place to sell my work https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/DroppedCrystal wander in and have a visit.
A short entry today, but I’ll send it into the flame and see you soon.