Melanie Moertel Lampwork Beads

Jersey knit bracelet

2012-02-10T05:57:00.000-08:00

Hey there, hope you're staying warm ... my heating is still broken,

but I'm having a portable heater now, makes staying at home much more comfortable.

I don't have any new beads to show, but I found a great DIY link through Pinterest.

I think it's a great idea to make something cute from a old shirt or something. Enjoy.

Without wings

2012-02-05T06:12:00.000-08:00

... new on Etsy.

It's a nice sunny (but ice cold) sunday ... I'm doing some creative things while

listening to Jack Johnson, very cosy ... hope you're having a nice day, too.

Diving into the blue ...

2012-02-03T05:31:00.000-08:00

Long pendant with gold foil and dichro glass – 80 x 14mm.

Front or back?

2012-02-01T06:22:00.000-08:00

Which side do you like better? The front or the back?

I can't really decide on this one, as I'm a big fan of the colorful backside too

(usually I prefer the front of my fairty beads). Good thing you can wear it either way.

New on Etsy.

Living on the edge

2012-01-31T08:36:00.000-08:00

Size: 62 x 32 x 1mm – new on Etsy.

Freezing

2012-01-30T05:47:00.000-08:00

Brrrrr ... the news say it's going to get horrible cold at the end of this week.

Well, I'm freezing already since days, as the heating in my appartement is broken.

Unfortunately my landlord is a very busy person and hard to reach.

So I kept leaving messages, telling him that it's freezing cold in my appartment

– and by the way, winter outside ... he didn't react for weeks!

Finally last week he sent some mechanics over to take a look, but it turns out

I need a new heating, which will still take a few more days at least,

maybe even longer.

So at night I have usually 13°C here, during the day it gets up to 18°C if I'm lucky ...

So glad I have a torch and glass kiln here; at least beadmaking should keep me warm.

Please keep your fingers crossed for me, that it will

soon get warmer in here, I don't like freezing.

Caramel Flower

2012-01-25T02:45:00.001-08:00

This one comes with a small flower spacer – new on Etsy.

Second generation

2012-01-24T02:53:00.000-08:00

Everything should be in motion, right? Like energy, money, friendship, love –

if things stop flowing there can't be any progress.

Recently I didn't feel a connection to my Fairy beads anymore.

The reason for that is that I have been teaching them so often,

and I have seen so many replicates of them

that I don't feel like they belong to me anymore.

My students have been especially focused on making the face

expression and the eyes the same way I did.

So now I am at a point where I don't see myself doing it like I used to anymore.

But that's not a bad thing ... I have to get in motion again

and try new things to see where it leads me ...

I'm excited to work on new things, different hairstyles for my Fairies, different facial expressions ...

A friend of mine (she owns a glass studio in Switzerland) said one day about

my Faires: "actually those are all little Melanies ..." – so now I'm working

on making them feel like me again.

This one is new on Etsy now ... and I am going back to the torch.

Fairy in turns

2012-01-21T08:06:00.000-08:00

Pendant size: 62 x 29 x 10 mm

Under which star are you born?

2012-01-17T02:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I just told you about the birthday of my father – so he's a Capricorn.

Do you believe somehow in horoscopes?

Well' i would say I don't, if we're talking about horoscopes
written for trashy gossip magazines etc.

But I do believe that certain zodiac signs have

certain things in common which certain people can be attracted to
again and again ...

I myself am a scorpio,
but I wouldn't consider myself a very typical scorpio in some ways,

but in others I have to admit I am.

And ... I very well and easily get along with other femal scorpios

(especially if they are beadmakers too,

like Sarah Hornik, Nancy Gant and JC Herell).

Well, back to the Capricorns ... can't believe how many of my dear friends and family

members are born under this sign.

So this bead is a Capricorn too. In case you also have that mystical

attraction for this sign you can find this bead in my Etsy store.

Staying positive

2012-01-16T05:53:00.000-08:00

The sun has been shining so nicely in the last few days.

Even tough it turned pretty cold outside, I enjoy it way more than

the warm rainy days we had recently.

This weekend I visisted my family, as my father just turned 60 and we had a nice party.

We laughed, eat, drank and talked a lot;

actually it reminded me of one of those typical italian family dinners
you see on TV , where everybody is chatting loudly at the same time,
so nobody understands a single word ;-) ...

I'm planning on sending out my first newsletter pretty soon

with an Etsy discount coupon, so if you want to get it

please make sure to register for my mailing list right above this posting.

Both pendants are new on Etsy now.

Sugarbomb

2012-01-12T06:46:00.000-08:00

New on Etsy.

Fish on the edge

2012-01-11T02:05:00.000-08:00

New focal on Etsy.

And thanks to everybofy who already subscribed to my mailing list ... if you didn't so far, the link is right above this posting (and I promise I won't send you tons of emails).

New mailing list

2012-01-09T06:58:00.000-08:00

I have not been lazy the last few days – in fact I feel like I've been pretty much hardworking,

though I didn't even make a single bead ...

So you might ask yourself: then what did she do?

Being a selfemployed beadmaker involves so much

more than just the fun part of it: actually making beads.

I did a lot of online research and reading, and did some things

I had on my mind for a long time ... for example creating my mailing list.

Many of you asked me to sign up their names in case I sent out newsletter

– which I havn't been doing since years.

And I probably will never sent out many newsletters,

but I'll try to do it at least from time to time

to let you know what's new or maybe give

you some updates on classes or Etsy sales.

So please feel free to sign up for it right above this posting.

Red Pumpkin

2012-01-05T07:42:00.000-08:00

New on Etsy.

First attempts

2012-01-04T09:51:00.000-08:00

I'm having a friend over today that I havn't seen since we left school.

She moved to the USA after we graduated

and it's so much fun to catch up after 13 years.

Of course I had to give her a short beginner lampwork session at my place ...

Her first beads turned out pretty well, even with dots!

(But I guess it was pretty exhausting; as I'm writing this she's having a nap on the couch ...)

Happy New Year

2012-01-03T04:56:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a good start so far ... may 2012 be a wonderful year for you.

Thank you 2011!

2011-12-30T08:49:00.000-08:00

"With each kind and thoughtful word,

you bring a gift of gladness.

With each warm smile, you bring a gift of joy."

Today was a day full of surprises for me.

Starting with a person ringing accidently at my door early morning and waking me up ;-)

and followed by wonderful gifts by my dear friend Carla.

I knew she's gonna send me something, but when I unpacked the lime green box,

filled with funny lovely packed gifts I had tears in my eyes.

Love the typical Carla-style snail and of course all the other goodies.

THANK YOU!

Then in the afternoon when I opened the letterbox I got another surprise.

A letter with beautiful handwriting from the USA from a person I didn't know.

I opened it immediatly in the street and read it. Isn't that exciting

to receive something totally unexpected?

THANK YOU Russell for your very kind words.

I was looking if I have your email adress somewhere, but couldn't find it,

I also didn't find you on Facebook,

so please get in touch with me if you read this.
Your name sounds very familar though.

I will hang this postcard next to my work table for further inspiration and motivation.

And THANK YOU to all my customers and friends who crossed my way this year.

No matter if we met in person or "only" online, I'm very thankful to have you all in my life!

This year started pretty hard for me, until June I had a tough time.

But as troubled as the first half of 2011 was,

as fun, exciting and wonderful the other half was for me.

(Sadly we lost a friend in this second half and I do think of her all the time.)

What I enjoyed most in 2011

was my summer trip to Eugene/Oregon. I've seen beautiful nature,

went hiking and had the chance to hang out with my friends.

Besides that, I'm so very thankful that I made some new friends – that's actually

the most valuable thing that this year gave me.

I wish you all a wonderful start into 2012,

hope that it'll be as exciting as this year was, in a good way ;-)

Misty Sky

2011-12-29T08:30:00.000-08:00

New on Etsy.

Winter creatures

2011-12-28T08:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas is over, all gifts are delievered and I am back at the torch ...

hope you all had a good time with your families.

"Winter creatures" – new on Etsy.

Merry christmas

2011-12-23T05:25:00.000-08:00

I wish you all wonderful Holidays.

My Etsy shop will stay open during christmas and New Years.

I'm a super shopper!

2011-12-22T05:34:00.000-08:00

It's the 22nd and I'm super happy that I have bought all gifts yet (remember, in only one day!)

and also finished wrapping them (my prefered color for wrapping

paper this year was orange and red).

Now I can relax and look forward to seeing my family.

I wish you all a wonderful christmas time with your loved ones.

Christmas marathon

2011-12-20T08:59:00.000-08:00

This year I decided to buy all my presents on only one day!

... And this day was today.

I spend 6 hours shopping and now will spend some more hours to pack all the gifts.

Hope you're all having a wonderful christmas time so far.

Happy Holidays!

Pink Sunrise

2011-12-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

Ladybugs with satellites – new on Etsy.

... and while I was just surfing through the web and reading some blogs

I found this very interesting post by Sara Sally LaGrand. As I also have been teaching a lot in the last three years I was very curious to read the opinion of another lampwork teacher.

Ladybugs and Satellites

2011-12-09T03:45:00.000-08:00

Movie time

2011-12-06T09:34:00.000-08:00

Since it got so cold and rainy outside I enjoy staying home

and watch movies ... and I have seen so many real good ones recently.

Let's start with "How do you know" with Reese Witherspoon: very funny love comedy.

Also a romantic comedy is "Just go with it" with Jennifer Aniston as a fake wife of Adam Sandler; while she plays a crazy dentist in "Horrible Bosses".

And last night I was watching "The bucket list", more like a very touching drama comedy

with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

It's about two olderly man who got cancer and when the doctors tell them they have maybe

6 – 12 more month left, they decide to travel the world.

So in case you don't know what to do with your cold winter evenings,

this movie list should give you an idea.

Footprints

2011-12-01T02:48:00.000-08:00

In the last few days I was busy re-arraging my work table, playing with some

new glass, and experimenting with some of my presses that I never used. I also ordered

a new lentil tool, looking forward to receive it soon.

Meanwhile, some free formed beads – new on Etsy.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T05:45:00.000-08:00

In case you are celebrating Thanksgiving today I wish you a wonderful day. I happend to be in the USA around Thanksgiving only once, two years ago,

and I really enjoyed hanging out with the family all day in the kitchen,

helping cooking and just being together.

I bet a lot of you will run to the stores tomorrow eraly morning to get great

Black Friday deals. So for those who'd rather stay at home and shop online

I will offer a 10% Black Friday discount tomorrow from 0am – 0pm (my time/Germany)

in my Etsy store – whoohoo!

Simply use the coupon code "BLACKFRIDAY2011" when you checkout to get the discount – and you don't have to stand in line for that, isn't it comfortable? Enjoy!

Color Island

2011-11-23T01:12:00.000-08:00

New on Etsy.

Smile

2011-11-22T09:44:00.000-08:00

(sold)

Black roses

2011-11-21T06:16:00.000-08:00

I totally remember the very first wall paper I had in my room when I was a kid.

It was black with tons of tiny colorful flowers in red, yellow, blue, green (I was born in '76)

and I totally loved it (I also had a matching bikini) ...

kinda like this necklace,

which even without a crazy wall paper and hippie bikini

matches a lot of styles, it's light and comfy to wear (and new in my Etsy shop).

Black roses

2011-11-17T04:43:00.000-08:00

Round focal pendant and another bracelet – new on Etsy.

Addicted to knotting

2011-11-14T11:50:00.000-08:00

Green, white and red or purple, turquoise and pink? Which one do you like more?

Snow white and rose red

2011-11-12T05:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I went to a store opening here in my town, it's run by friends of mine

and they'll sell a colorful mixture of handcrafted things

(I'm selling a few of my beads there too) in combination with the option of

trading books and vintage clothing.

What a creative and inspiring mixture!

After hanging out there for a few hours I came back home and felt inspired
to create this bracelet. I enjoyed combining different shapes with different

ways of knotting and playful sterling silver charms.
So fun, I guess I will make more of these.

This one is on Etsy now.

Emerald

2011-11-10T04:35:00.000-08:00

Fairy focal in a magical green – new on Etsy.

What's new?

2011-11-07T11:56:00.000-08:00

As I felt a little sick in the last few days I focused more on computer- than on torch work.

Though I managed to finish this bracelet – new on Etsy – and gonna do some yoga now

in the hopes to be recovered tomorrow. Have a great day y'all.

Ice cubes

2011-11-03T09:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure if they cool down your drink, but sure they would look pretty around

your neck while you're drinking a Mexican Martini or so ... new on Etsy.

Happy Halloween

2011-11-01T08:45:00.000-07:00

I know I'm a bit late, though I've been busy yesterday with making this set.

Hope you all had a fun night and good costumes.

New beads are on Etsy now.

Whyte

2011-10-27T05:48:00.000-07:00

Besides making new beads I'm busy getting ready for my birthday tomorrow.

And as I will have a big party here I want you to have a reason to celebrate too –

so I'm having a little gift your you.

Tomorrow (Oct 28th) from 2pm – 5pm (my time, Berlin time) you'll get a 10% discount to all
my beads in my Etsy Shop.
To get the discount just use the coupon code HAPPYBIRTHDAYMELANIE
to checkout. Enjoy and celebrate with me!

Look me in the eyes

2011-10-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

Now that all my travels are done for this year I can fully focus on playing at the torch.

I really enjoyed making new murrinis today, playing with a little color

combination for my fairie's eyes ... and on uploading them to Etsy of course.

I like it round

2011-10-25T05:13:00.000-07:00

Now that I'm back from teaching I updated my Etsy shop with new beads.

Two new fairy pendants and these two rounds, both with cubic zirkonias inside.

Hello from Vienna

2011-10-24T00:45:00.000-07:00

Just a short hello from my hotel room here before I'm leaving in a few hours.

As this trip was just two days I didn't bring my camera, which I regret now as Vienna

is really a spectecular city. A lot of pompous buildings, if you ever have the chance

to visit it's worth it.

With this last class I finished all my teaching for 2011. Thanks to all the students that

came to my classes and to all the studios who brought me in.

Now I'm looking forward to focus on making beads for a while again.

Vienna

2011-10-20T03:35:00.000-07:00

As I will be teaching this weekend in Vienna

my Etsy shop will be closed until Monday, the 24th October.

Have a wonderful time.

Snowflakes

2011-10-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

Soft colors and fine design ...

"Snowflake" – set of 13 beads, new on my Etsy store.

Univers on a string

2011-10-18T02:04:00.000-07:00

This time in jeans blue, with some orange accents and lots of zirkonias inside.

New in my Etsy store.

The Shape of things to come

2011-10-17T05:17:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much Diane from Soda Lime Times for featuring my work

– together with other great glass artists like, for example

Sarah Hornik and Corina Tettinger – in your November issue.

Three in one day

2011-10-13T01:53:00.000-07:00

Being a self employed beadmaker I often get asked how long it takes me to make one bead

or how many I manage to do in one day.

It depends of course of the amount of decoration and details, but sometimes I get

one bead in a day, yesterday I even managed to make three.

That's a pretty good output ... and now I can start making them into pendants ...

(please write me if you fall in love right away).

Blue Lily

2011-10-11T01:16:00.000-07:00

... she's new on Etsy.

(psssst! ... and she also brought two of her sisters with her.)

Some purple with some pink

2011-10-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

The colors of these beads remind me of the sunset I've seen once in Arizona
... and the funny thing is I did not have that as an inspiration on my mind while I made these,

I just remebered that picture I have taken there while I was writing this

blog update and looked through my files to show it to you.

Inspiration is an interesting thing – you may have something

"sleeping" in your mind for a while and suddenly you remember that moment/picture again,

maybe for no reason at all – and you turn it into a painting or, in my case, into beads.

"Sunset and Lipstick" – new bracelet on Etsy.

Rosebush

2011-10-06T00:51:00.000-07:00

New bracelet on Etsy – done with wasabi green and a nice, nearly pinkish, shade of coral.

Plan C

2011-10-04T03:55:00.000-07:00

Last night I came back from teaching in Stuttgart (Germany).

I have been at the same studio already last year and really liked it, but didn't have too much time

to see the city itself. This time I arrived a day before and stayed one day longer,

so I finally got around a little – and love this place. Stuttgart reminds me a bit of San Fransisco,

a lot of hills and nice little houses around.

Nice shopping parts, a green and sunny park downtown, good public transportation,

a lot of things to do and see, different than where I live.

(The only negative thing about it is that the rents are very high.)

I plan on going there more often now just for a short weekend trip

to see if I like it more or less the more time I spend there.

I can't see myself living here in Bamberg forever, so Stuttgart might

one day be an option for me – who knows ...

Leaving again ...

2011-09-27T00:22:00.000-07:00

As I'm teaching some classes this weekend in Stuttgart/Germany my Etsy Shop

will be closed for a few days.

But I'm leaving you with some links to read and look at:

First an interview with me on the website MyFashionVilla.com.

(Thank you for featuring me on your website)

Also thank you to CiM (Creation is Messy)

for showcasing some of my beads as their color examples:

Rose Quartz, Halong Bay and Olive.

Bye bye, have a great week.

Pottenstein/Germany

2011-09-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

I went hiking today, around the area where I live ...

the weather was perfect, not too warm and not too cold either.

Firedancer

2011-09-24T05:25:00.000-07:00

13 rock spaed beads in red, coral, white, yellow and black, turned into a knotted bracelet.

New on Etsy.

Wishing you all a sunny weekend.

Sun and Sky

2011-09-23T02:13:00.000-07:00

New bracelet on Etsy, together with another "whirled peas" focal pendant.

Whirled peas beads

2011-09-21T04:57:00.000-07:00

That's what I got out of the kiln yesterday – looks like I had a very colorful day.

Gonna turn them now into individual pendants. So much fun to wear!

Color waves

2011-09-20T01:12:00.000-07:00

with "Satellites" and zirconias inside ...

Last night on the german version of "who wants to be a millionaire"

the 500.000 Euro question was

"With what can a zircon be mistaken?"

a) a diamond | b) ... | c) ... | d) ...

The candidate gave up, she didn't have a clue.

I was so excited that I knew the answer, wish it would have been me on that chair.

(If you read my blog and watch my beads regularly you know the answer too, right?)

And don't worry, even if I'd win 500.000 Euro, I wouldn't quit beadmaking. I would

just move somewhere else, make my studio a bigger and take

a swim in my own pool inbetween and travel more often or fly my friends in.

Yesterday's fairy

2011-09-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

And more are in the kiln ... I had a very productive day, luckily.

Also, I will be teaching a few more classes this year in Germany and Austria.

For all further informations please contact Carla Di Francesco (Germany)

or Cornelia Bock (Austria).

Or ...

2011-09-14T01:46:00.000-07:00

do you prefer orange instead? Make your choise – here on Etsy.

Purple Satellites

2011-09-13T01:22:00.000-07:00

One of the first designs I show my students when I teach is the

"free formed island bead with satellite stringer decoration"

– which usually causes confusion, as the name is so long ;-)

So here they are, those beads with the dizzying long name,

in purple and I also turned them into a knotted bracelet – new on Etsy.

Sun and sky

2011-09-12T08:27:00.000-07:00

Knotted bracelet with "rock" shaped beads in blue, white and yellow and some dichro sparkle ...

I will be teaching a few more classes this year in Germany and Austria.

For all further informations please contact Carla Di Francesco (Germany)

or Cornelia Bock (Austria).

Autumn leaves

2011-09-11T10:38:00.000-07:00

A set of five flat, free formed beads in purple, white and green –

inspired by the song I posted yesterday.

New on Etsy.

Had to paint my blog in autumn colors

2011-09-10T05:14:00.000-07:00

Today is probably one of the last really nice late summer days here in my area.

While it's warm enough during the days it cools down pretty much in the evenings

and starts raining at night. I'm not ready for the grey fall yet ...

where did the summer go?

New "Fairies"

2011-09-09T06:08:00.000-07:00

After struggling with the jetlag for a few days

I'm fully settled back in my daily work routine I finally managed to make new fairies!

The first beads are on Etsy already. Enjoy!

Knotting bracelets

2011-09-08T01:36:00.000-07:00

... is something that I totally enjoy. These days I love making sets and to turn
them into a piece of jewelry afterwards is even more fun. Especially as I can watch
my favorite shows on my laptop while I'm knotting ...

Tender and bright colors

2011-09-05T04:28:00.000-07:00

After a warm and sunny weekend the weather finally seems to cool of a little.

Not that I don't like the heat, it's just not very motivating for making beads.

So today will be a great torch day – hopefully – as it's just

rainy and grey outside; time to make some colorful beads!

And some of them are on my Etsy already ...

Fun colors

2011-09-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

New set of 5 rounds on Etsy.

Turning my own torch on now since more than 6 weeks ... I'm excited how it will

feel for me to work in my own studio again.

Indian elephants, bracelets and pendants

2011-08-31T06:31:00.000-07:00

I'm back on Etsy! After a long break I finally

reopened by store, feels good to be back.

I hope you missed my beads a bit and enjoy my return.

Back home in Germany

2011-08-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

My last station of my summer trip was Edmonton in Canada

and I was teaching there three beadmaking classes.

On my day off one of my students took me hiking.

Edmonton is really a very beautiful city, very green and I met a lot of very friendly people.

Thank you so much Kathy for bringing me to Canada, I enjoyed my stay a lot.

Yesterday I arrived back in Germany and am still working on my jetlag,

but also planning on reopening my Etsy shop with new items soon.

Only in Eugene

2011-08-16T18:36:00.000-07:00

Finally I got to know one of my bead heros: Corina Tettinger

– we had a wonderful dinner and I really enjoyed meeting her.

Thank you Corina (and Marge of course) for a very charming evening.

Oregon Fairy

2011-08-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

The weather here in Eugene is just wonderful these days.

Enjoy your weekend everybody.

Travelbeads

2011-08-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

As I am currently working out of the studio of a friend I decided to call my new beads the "Travelbeadseries" – all inspired by the beauty of Oregon and the things I see on my journey.

For example this weekend I went swimming at a beautful little creek

and saw the biggest butterfly I have ever seen, flying right over my face.

New beads on Etsy (my shop will be open just for a few days though).

More Oregon beads

2011-08-01T18:49:00.000-07:00

Set of 5 rounds, made with a transparent red, wasabi green and white.

First beads

2011-07-27T15:13:00.000-07:00

Since I'm here in Oregon I also found some time to make beads.

And more are in the kiln already.

Oregon coast

2011-07-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

I spent this weekend with a dear friend of mine at the Oregon coast.

It is so beautiful there, but unfortunately mostly also very

windy and cold. Though today the sun came out and I had the chance to

get some really nice pictures for you guys. Enjoy!

Hiking

2011-07-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

One of the things I had on my To-do-list for this USA trip was going hiking.

I love the Oregon nature and want to see as much as possbile while I'm here.

So my dear friend Marge found that german club here in town.

They have weekly meetings and also

go hiking every thursday. So when they asked me to join them I just had to say yes!

My first "professional" hiking trip to the top of a mountain!

As you can tell by the pictures the weather and mainly the view

could have been way better, though at least it didn't rain or was to hot to walk.

On our way up we happened to see a baby bear (I didn't, but someone from our group did)

and as you know, where's the baby bear the mama bear won't be far.

I've been pretty scared at that point, though we made it safe to the top and enjoyed

just hanging out there, having our sandwiches and taking some pictures.

On our way back I found these antlers at the side of the path ...

you can tell it was a fun day.

After that I went to BORDERS and bought some issues of the current

Bead & Button magazine.

Hey, there's not just an interview with me in it,

there's also one of my beads on the cover! How cool is that?

Get your copy here or at your local book store.

Getting adjusted

2011-07-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

Hello from Oregon, where I arrived last friday. After a fun weekend downtown

I'm staying now more on the countryside with a very good lampworking friend of mine,

who allows me to use her studio while I'm here.

So what I did today was getting adjusted to the different location, building

this adventurous torch tower and pulling tons of stringers – no beads yet though ...

Relaxing

2011-07-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

Hello from Washington State.

I arrived here two days ago and had a pleasant flight.

The weather could be a little nicer, though it was better
today than what the forecast said.
And all I did so far was relaxing, reading a book and taking a boat out
myself to this beautiful lake.

On the road again

2011-07-10T03:40:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I wil start travelling again. I'm going to see some friends

in the USA, hope for some hiking in beautiful Oregon

and this time I'm prepared for this: I finally have some hiking sandals in my lagguage!

This last week was very exciting for me.

Some unexpected things happened, I had ups and downs, but in the end it all

turned out to be the best that could have happend.

So I am happy and relieved about it in the end and am looking

forward to more unexpected turns ...

I call them "Hot Rocks"

2011-07-06T04:27:00.000-07:00

... as those colors I used for this bracelet remind me of dancing flames

and also the sparkling dichro seems to glow like a bonfire.

New in my Etsy shop – a knotted bracelet made out of 13 free formed beads.

Monokini

2011-07-05T01:24:00.000-07:00

New focal pendant in my Etsy store - enjoy!

(... and please don't forget that my shop will close for a short time period
at the end of the week,
last day of shipping beads is this saturday - thank you!)

"Beads only" is available again

2011-07-04T06:15:00.000-07:00

My book is available again here on my blog and in my Etsy store,

which will be closed for a while by the end of this week.

If you are looking for a nice gift for yourself or for someone you love,

please keep in mind that my last possible day for shipping

beads or books will be the upcoming saturday.

Happy 4th of July to my american readers.

All work, all play

2011-07-01T01:07:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much Ann Dee Allen for doing the interview

with me for the current Bead & Button issue.

Flying buddies

2011-06-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

I just put two new ladybug beads to Etsy, one is still left,

but the one on the picture is already gone.

I didn't know that ladybugs can fly so fast!

Strawberry

2011-06-28T02:49:00.000-07:00

Two new focals on Etsy - this fairy and

a green ladybug focal. Enjoy!

... And another hot day here, that I will spend at the swimming pool ...

It's summer!

2011-06-27T05:19:00.000-07:00

I just heard on the news,

that today is going to be one of the hottest days we had so far.

Well, I will still try to make beads and not hang out in the sun instead.

I just updated my Etsy shop with two new pendants,

one of them is this ladybug focal. Hope you enjoy.

Wishing you a great sunday

2011-06-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

Beads are coming

2011-06-21T00:58:00.000-07:00

I just updated my Etsy shop with this purple bead set; but besides

that I'm also working on some fairy bead updates and there will

also be a purple ladybug pendant coming. Have fun with my new beads!

Options

2011-06-18T03:51:00.000-07:00

I can't remember the last time I made a big set like this

– 11 button shaped beads with 32 matching spacers –

but thanks to all my new audio books

time was flying while I was sitting at the torch. "Options" – new on Etsy.

Green Pepper

2011-06-16T02:48:00.000-07:00

The green I used for the base of

this bead is one of my favorite colors. I like it because it looks so natural

(compared to some other glass greens) and it goes well with khaki.

"Green Pepper" – new on Etsy.

Retro Satellites

2011-06-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

One of the first "Satellite"-bead sets I made in 2006

has been made with periwinkle and fine black stringers – I created this necklace

in memories of those beads and it's now available on Etsy.

My first metal clay attempt

2011-06-11T02:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I said

"maybe I'm gonna show you the result in a few days ..." – of course I couldn't wait that long

to finish my first silver clay piece. I just had to fire it last night.

My goal is to maybe combine one day silver clay with my glass beads,

but right now I just want to learn how it works and have fun with it.

What to do when you're sick

2011-06-10T10:13:00.000-07:00

This cold or flu hit me really bad, so I still have to stay away from the torch

(sneezing, coughing and fire doesn't really go well together).

But I also can't lay 24/7 in bed or in front of the TV, so I tried to start another project

that I had in mind for a while: silver clay.

I bought Kate McKinnon's book "Sculptural Metal Clay"

and some supplies a while ago but never really found the muse or time to get started.

I have to admit it's hard to learn something new from point zero again.

I didn't really feel inspired today but just wanted to get started to get rid of that feeling

you have when you sit infront an empty piece of paper.

So what I'm trying to do is a simple flower shaped ring for myself,

we'll see if it works out ...

if so I'm gonna show you the result here in a few days.

Stoneroses

2011-06-08T09:13:00.000-07:00

A big round "Satellite" bead in combination with some free formed etched beads

(only the greens are etched).

Wishing you a great day, hopefully better than mine as I'm still suffering from my cold.

I rested nearly the whole day, hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Appletini

2011-06-07T07:53:00.000-07:00

As I try to stay away from the torch today because of my cold I finally had time

to finish this necklace. "Appletini" – new on ETSY.

Periwinkle and me

2011-06-07T01:55:00.000-07:00

All the years that I've been working with glass

I never really cared much for this baby blue periwinkle. There's a darker shade
of this available since a few years, which I always prefered more.

But since a few weeks my taste changed, now I love this color!

It goes so well with everything: white, pink, turquoise, red, black and so on ...

So when I sat down at the torch to make this blue set I was planning

on making at least enough beads for a bracelet (maybe for myself), maybe more.

But it turned out that I'm sick since yesterday and couldn't hold myself

any longer at the torch than for making this small set.

So I decided to put this up on Etsy as a "Babyblue Appetizer"
and wait until my cold and coughing is gone to make more of these.

36 beads

2011-06-04T00:40:00.000-07:00

and one silk ribbon - that's the recipe for this necklace.

New in my ETSY store now.

Wishing you a great weekend. Today's my little sister's birthday

and we're going to have a nice BBQ at my father's house.

Yummy!

I've been thinking

2011-06-03T09:23:00.000-07:00

Recently I received some emails from customers

asking for upcoming beads, mainly "Indian Elephant" requests,

but also for certain color combinations of Fairy beads, necklaces and so on.

As I sell to people who live in different time zones

and don't have a fix day or time for updating my ETSY store,

don't you think it would be helpful for you if I announce at least what will be coming next?

I usually work on several things at the same time, for example right now

I have one finished necklace here on my table, another one that I just started

and several unfinished pendants.

So I figure it would be a nice idea if I keep you updated here on my blog

about upcoming items.

Like today I can tell you that there's an

"Indian Elephant" pendant coming (in light pink and some blue/turquoise accents)

and a necklace from my "Urban Gypsy" collection (pink, white and blue).

Not sure if I feel like updating ETSY later on today or somewhen

else this the weekend, we'll see.

Denim Fairy

2011-06-03T01:12:00.000-07:00

Light sky blue focal bead with yellow and green accents, strung
on a denim colored silk ribbon - new on ETSY – enjoy!

Look, it's a fairy swarm!

2011-06-01T08:17:00.000-07:00

And there are some more in the kiln (these two are on ETSY now)

... and now I'm going to start my daily workout with my new obession.

Have you ever heard of the DVD "Pump it up"?

My sister gave me that like two years ago, but I never had a CD drive,

so I couldn't get into it earlier. Now I'm trying to follow these instructions

since two weeks and it's still very challenging.

Makes me feel like I have two left feet and no feeling for rhythm at all.

Very funny.