Now that my 2012 glass season is coming to an end with only one venue - Bay Area Bead Extravaganza - to go in November and just finish my last teaching gig at The Gathering Place studio in Naperville, Illinois, earlier this month. I finally have an opportunity to post some of the Ornate Series Beads. Thank you for making these so popular! :)

First let's start with the scale of these - from ginormous to wee! Most of them fall somewhere between these two extreme sizes!

A better picture of the beads:

Here are a few of the "normal" size ones - about 1-1.25" in diameter:

Some of the Ornate Series beads are still available. They range in price from $95 to $185. If you are interested, please contact us via our website:

http://shop.envisionsf.com/contact 

 Thank you!

PISMO Gallery Bead Invitational!

I am honored to be invited to participate in this PISMO Gallery's prestigious event in May. This will be the first time my work is featured at a gallery and I am both excited and intimidated to be shown alongside some amazing artists!

Lampworked glass bead pendant with a crochet necklace




Big-hole Leaves series lampworked glass bead with a crochet necklace




Big-hole barrel-shape lampworked glass bead with a crochet necklace





Ginormous Capped and Cored focal bead series with cored accent bead and sterling silver necklace


Ginormous Capped and Cored spherical focal bead series with cored accent bead and sterling silver necklace

Ginormous Capped and Cored spherical focal bead series



Ginormous Capped and Cored spherical focal bead series


Humongous Capped and Cored Hollow focal bead series


Humongous Capped and Cored Hollow focal bead series


Flora focal bead series


Flora focal bead series

All About Coring #1

There is a lot of confusion as to what size mandrels and what size sterling silver tubing to get to core beads that will fit Pandora/Biagi bracelets, a very popular European jewelry that's taking American by storm! Many lampworkers, myself included, are making sterling silver cored (and sometimes capped!) beads that fit these wonderful bracelets and necklaces. Visit our Etsy store for some of our creation!

The thickest part of a Pandora chain is 4.2mm and Biagi chain is 4.1mm. (I believe Troll is 4mm but I don't have a Troll bracelet so can't say for certain.) Most sterling silver tubings available from Rio Grande, Monsterslayer, etc. that have ID/inside diameter that fit the Pandora chain require a 1/4" mandrel. The problem is that lampworked bead made one 1/4" mandrels get large quickly rendering them useless for bracelets usage. In addition, the larger the mandrels, the more difficult it is to get the glass centered.

Debbi Hackeson/ginkodesigns worked with Indian Jewelry Supply to custom make a tubing that has a thinner wall (27 gauge) and require a 3/16" mandrel, yet still fit Pandora chain with a ID of 4.37mm (OD is 5.08mm). This has become the most used tubing size within the lampworking community of late.