A little touch of nature

These funky mushrooms and beads were so much fun to make! I think the big shroom might go into a jury piece, it is definitely meant for up-close looking as it is full of little surprises. The picture does not show its full beauty and color range and I will admit, even if I did create it, I love it!

Mix and match beads

I have heard customers say I don't know what to do with your beads or how to wear them. I'm on a mission to fix this! My main jewelry componet and final way I want my line to look is a slow work in progress. I have been listening to those that buy and wear my jewlery and trying to find a happy medium between creating beautiful jewelry that is affordable and versatile. My goal is to create a system where you can interchange your beads from bracelet, necklace, earrings and rings that is unique from the rest of the jewelry lines. After a few test runs and remakes I hope to launch this by the end of the summer. Till then I will sell my handcrafted lampwork beads seperately or by sets. I do have bracelets and necklaces that are interchangable with the popular charm bracelet lines. They are affordable, durable and pretty. I have traded in my Troll bracelet for my own chain and I love the way it feels and lays on my wrist.

Mix and match lesson #1: My opinion...your bracelet does NOT have to totally match your clothes! Most of us prefer one color. Look in your closet, what color do you see most of? For me its blues, greens and browns. I start with a favorite bead in the middle and then work off of it. As long as the one next to it has a little of the main color go for it.

Any suggestions for the final take on Newman Designs would be wonderful! We want to have a line that makes people happy! My glass beads will always be the main componet of our jewelry, but so much more to come in the future. Patience is the word I must learn during this process. Thanks for visiting my blog and checking out my creations! ~Kari~

Summer Time Beads

When I sit down to torch I make any orders and requests then it becomes a free for all. Whatever I'm in the mood for is what I make, no rhyme or reason in my process. This session I picked 6 colors (opaque and transparent of each) and stuck with them. They all match in one way or another and look great together. I love these colors, so bright and cheery! They are going into inventory for the art festival on June 12th (unless someone requests them first). Hope you enjoyed looking! ~Kari

Beads from last night

A few new beads for looking. I am so happy with how my first vessel turned out, I wish it was mine for keeping. I had never used frit (crushed glass) before and it is so different than I imagined, I can't wait to use it again. I guess it pays off to try new and different things. You never know what you might be missing.

The bright blue pod turned out better than I thought it would. As I was looking at it this morning, I thought I need to make a mamma pod...you will see what I'm talking about in the next post.

The brown one you see is a dissapointed. I made it with one of my new glass colors called Pandora, it is suppose to change into all different blue, green, purple iridescent colors. Not sure what I did wrong, but it did not turn out like that at all. Try again, thats the way it goes.

The other beads.... just a mix match of some of my favorite summer colors.

Now to decide, which beads for gifts, which to sell, and what to keep for myself. Decisions, decisions....what's your favorite?

Thanks for looking! ~Kari

Bright, Funky Glass Beads

I had so much fun making this batch of beads over the weekend. I decided to take a day at the torch and make some fun beads in my favorite colors. I was on such a hot streak when my power went out for the evening, bummer!

The next few days are torch days for me, any special requests from locals will be ready for Mother's Day. I feel like I can't even talk about what I've created for this special day, because then my mom wouldn't be suprised! Drop me an email or give me a call if you are curious.

I'm taking full advantage of the last few weeks of school before the house is filled with little people again all day, every day. This should be interesting...trying to figure out how and when to work while keeping the kids happy this summer. A juggling act for sure.

Hope you like my new beads. If the time ever allows I will be putting these on etsy, if they don't sell first. Ooh, I forgot my big news, my beads will be available at the Red Caboose Artisan Center (heritage village) next week.

Thanks for looking! ~Kari
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One full kiln... just like my life!

Life has been so busy! My schedule has been just like the kiln....full to the rim, without room for anything else! Trying to get a business going and completing the requirements to become a registered artist has been crazier than I ever imagined. I can't even list all the things that I have neglected around the house and the things I need to do, besides this. I also must note I have been a bad friend, daughter and not so good mother or wife. This journey I'm on is truly all encompassing and I hope those in my life understand.

I ordered some new specialty glass and so far, I love it! Fun new colors like tequila sunset, mango madness, orange tango, and black cherry. After I made this bead, I knew there would be more to come. Dreaming of drawer knobs, ceiling fan pulls, bottle toppers to match some of my favorite Fiestaware colors.

Glass that looks like metal. Some manly beads will come from this,for sure. Can't wait to play with the rest of my new specialty glass.

I'm working on some Mother's Day items and will be taking a few specialty orders. I have a few things up my sleeve that I will be posting soon. Thanks for stopping by and taking a look. Kari

Cupcakes baked at 965 for 8 hrs....how good can they be?

Yesterday I joked with Kylie that I had some cupcakes baking...she never imagined what I meant. I love her reactions to what I make, she is my biggest fan. Her exact words..."these are the best cupcakes I've ever seen, they look good enough to eat and it's ok that I can't, because now I can wear a cupcake".

I also made a few new easter eggs and regular beads. There is a funky owl that I attempted as well. I like the colors, but will try again to get him shaped better and get my "feathers" more consistent. I will say, this one is going on my purse (the colors couldn't match any better).

Plans to fill the kiln up this weekend with lots of goodies to match this springs trends and my typical browns and blacks that I wear all the time. It's bad when I find myself looking for clothes to match my jewelry, should be the other way around!