Pollination in Glass

When I started learning glass, I thought I'd be making floral beads.  Well,  I seemed to have taken a right turn over the years, but just recently found that I still want to make them, but sculpturally.

And I've been making a lot of flowers, which I'll show you in a later blog post, but first I wanted to show you this honey of one.  Bee-lieve me, it's a keeper.  (okay, got the jokes out of my system)

I'm in an exchange on LE in which all members post a picture of something that they like and the rest of us make beads that "go" with the photo. (the "Pick 6" in the Patio, if you're on LE)  You might remember that weeks ago, I showed you what I chose right here.  But this inspiration came from another member's photograph of a bee sitting on a flower which I knew I wanted to interpret sculpturally.  This is the one for the exchange.

So now I'm experimenting and refining my designs.  I want to do a lot more with this and include other sculptural pieces in my flowers...bugs (caterpillars & ladybugs), butterflies and perhaps a lightning bug with a glow in the dark tail for fun.  (I haven't grown up from loving to see them at night).

I might even do a small hummingbird gathering nectar some time. I have an idea of how I can do to make it sturdy enough.

So, my smart friends, here's the question of the day...what kinds of flowers do you think I should make, and what should the "extra element" be?  If you have other ideas than what was on my list, let me know.

I'll be selling them soon in my Etsy shop and at the Gathering.  Just want to make a few more to have some variety available.

See you tomorrow.

Bee Girl Sparkles

Corny bee jokes aside, this cute little bee girl has been hanging out with my other lampwork glass beads and creating a bit of a buzz.

I was experimenting a bit and she was my first one. I wanted to see what adding silver glass to my wings would do. And she was the result. I found out something...that I prefer silver glass to totally cover the wing area, instead of the tiny dab, that I attempted this first time.

It shows up as much more splotchy in the photo, and has a lovely lustre in person. But if it doesn't translate well in a photo, then it won't sell as easily anyhow. So she's mine. At least for now. Or until I have a show where someone can see her for who she truly is. A honey of a bead.

Honey, Bee Mine

What is it about bees that we like? Perhaps it's the contrast between the black and yellow, or on my pendants, their little chubby pink cheeks.

Anyhow, I made this tiny one and wire wraped it onto a handmade sterling silver bail, made by PurpleLilyDesigns, on etsy.com.

So Beelinda is ready to be strung onto your favorite chain and worn immediately. You can find her, (if she hasn't been sold already) in my etsy shop, http://www.StudioMarcy.etsy.com

See you tomorrow!