Lampwork Glass Beads of the Day - Really Earrings of the day 12-31-11

The Fire Divas Bead of the Day is this very pretty pair of earrings from Teasebeads. Check out off of Teasebeads beads and jewelry at her ArtFire Shop. These blue and white earrings remind me of snow and are super cute.

Check out more Fire Diva's work by searching "Fire Divas" or "Fire Divas Team" on ArtFire or Etsy.

Teasebeads is participating in our Fire Diva's Bead of the Day promotion. If you buy this item in the next 24 hours you will get 15% off .

Happy New Year everyone!

Glass Bead of the Day for Thursday, December 30, 2010

Animal lovers and those who love whimsical beads with animals rejoice!  Today's Bead of the Day comes to you from the pastures of Maybeads' shop:

Periwinkle Sheep Handmade Glass Lampwork Bead - Maybeads

This little cutie is the perfect size for a charm, and has a hole running right through the middle.  The belle of any barnyard ball, this periwinkle sheep is sure to delight many for years to come.  See what other animals you can get to accentuate your critter collection by visiting Maybeads on ArtFire.  She also has an Etsy shop. 
Remember: Lauren also participates in the Bead of the Day Promotion, and is offering free shipping in both stores if you order this bead in the next 24 hours...

See what the other Fire Divas are up to by visiting the weekly ArtFire thread here.  Or swing by the Etsy thread for another selection of fresh glassy goodness.  Happy New Year's Eve-Eve!

Glass Bead of the Day - Tuesday 12/28/2010

What are YOU looking for in a bead?

For me it's shape, color, texture and sparkle! And I love surprising elements, that I didn't expect. As for example in this gorgeous bead which I selected for today's lampwork bead of the day: Paisley Twist, a beautiful focal bead made by my fellow Fire Diva Lara Lutrick.



I just adore the beautiful color shifts in this bead. Soft feminine color with a bit of fire and passion! And I'm in love with how Lara used the Gold Aventurine stringer and the beautiful murrini at the bottom of the bead to include a twist, that not only adds texture, but also twists the murrini into a perfect little paisley.

You can find this gorgeous bead and many more of Lara's glassy creations in her Etsy shop.

I would love to take the opportunity to wish you & your family already now a Happy New Year. See you back next Tuesday :)

Lampwork Bead of the Day - 12/27

For my last bead of the day post of 2010, I needed to locate something especially exciting to crow about -- and I found it!

Check out this Silver Glass Organic Lampwork Focal Bead from Fire 'n Sand!

I love the gorgeous, organic flow of this bead, and the gentle illusion of waves lying under the surface.  The shape, also, really appeals to me.  Because Fire 'n Sand (giapet) is participating in our Bead of the Day Project, you will get free shipping on this item if you purchase it within the next 24 hours.

Happy beading!

Fire Divas Gossip 12/26

The Fire Divas are winding down from the holidays, but there's still lots to dish! So let's get to the gossip!

Judith is taking a quick holiday break, but in the meantime she'd sure like your opinion when it comes to her floral beads. So head to Lampwork Beads by Judith Johnston and check out her purple pretties.

Everyone had something to celebrate on Christmas morning at Lori's house. Stop by Ashlyn Design to see what all the shrieking was about, and find out what power tool Lori was happy to receive!

At Maybeads, I've announced a big post-holiday beads sale - so head on over to see which beads are marked down 40%!

Tera is also marking down her beads, so go directly to Beadygirl Blog for all the details!

More holiday good cheer can be found at Icarus Beads, where Judith is also having a sale! But get there quickly so you don't miss out!

Laurie is going big this week - as in bigger beads! She has super-sized some of her trademark beads to hang from her tree, and she's sharing her results at Lampwork Glass Beads: Playing With Fire.

Lea is wishing everyone a wonderful holiday, so stop on by lajewelrydesign (and you'll get to see those new beads again, too!).

Janel had a very busy week! She sent off a bunch of gorgeous (and glowing!) beads to Beads of Courage and celebrated her birthday with a big sale! Head on over to JanelDudleyBeads to check out those beauties and see a special birthday pic of Janel - cute!

Always in that spirit of giving, Ema is sharing some glassy creations by her fellow Fire Divas over at Ema K Designs.

Holly is already thinking ahead to the next holiday (nope, not President's Day), and she's got a gorgeous pink heart set ready to go! You don't want to miss this set at Holly's Folly Glass, because she's using a fabulous pink frit and she's dishing the names of other fun frits her glassy friend makes.

It was definitely a Merry Christmas over at Susan Lambert's ~ her new lampworking station is in the works! Can't wait to see the finished area - and the beads that come out of it!

The rest of the divas who blog are on the lower left side of the Fire Divas page, so if you missed any previous weeks, be sure to check down there.

Thank you for following the Fire Divas in 2010! We hope you enjoyed your holidays, and we hope to see even more of you in the new year!

Fantasy Shopping Saturday

Today is a day of promise and hope for families everywhere. Families together again, in the same place. The aroma of the holiday emanates from the kitchen..., candied yams, macaroni and cheese, apple pie, and the rest of the  banquet that will be served today. Mom sits in a chair, picks up a gift, calls out a name, and the recipient responds with squeals and laughter.  Dad sits in the big comfy chair, smiling. He's made some folks pretty happy today. Soon everyone will sit down to dinner and give thanks. The Fire Divas have a gift for you as well,...our promise that we will always give our best, in the quality of our lampworked beads and in our service to you! Happy Holiday!

Judith Beads

Janel Dudley Beads

L A Jewelry Designs

Susan Lambert

Lutrick

Icarus Beads

May Beads

Ashlyn Designs

Spawn of Flame

Silver Ring Glass

GiaPet

Rivers Edge Glass

Holly's Folly Glass

Lampwork Glass Bead of the Day - 12-24-10

Merry Christmas from the Fire Divas! Looking for a Christmas Treat that will not add to your waist line? Check out this set of Christmas cake slices by HollysFollyGlass. Don't they look yummy?

Holly participates in the Bead of the Day Promotion, and is offering 10% off this bead if you buy it in the next 24 hours.

What are the other Fire Divas up to? Check out the weekly threads on ArtFire and Etsy.

Glass Bead of the Day: Thursday, December 23, 2010

Merry Christmas Eve-Eve!  With the big one right around the corner, I didn't want you to miss out on seeing this lovely festive bead:

Christmas Scrolls Lampwork Focal Bead by Ema K. Designs

From Ema K.'s description: "Christmas Scrolls of olive green and deep red compliment the white background of this gorgeous lentil focal bead."  And they do!  Last chance for this to be in a festive design of yours, though it is also quite lovely if you enjoy these colors during the rest of the year :)

See what other gorgeous beads Ema makes by visiting her ArtFire shop here, and her Etsy shop here.  Remember: Ema K. also participates in the Bead of the Day Promotion, and is offering 20% off this bead if you buy it in the next 24 hours.

What are the other Fire Divas up to, you say?  Check out the weekly threads on ArtFire and Etsy.  Thanks for visiting, and have a great Christmas Eve-Eve!

Glass Bead of the Day: December 22

Two days 'til Christmas and after that it's only a week to New Years Eve! (And after that, it's only 21 days 'til my birthday!) In other words: there's lots of festive occasions comming up the next couple of weeks. Wich raises a need for festive earrings!

I would love to have this pair of beads, made by Lea from LA Jewelry Designs, made into a pair for my ears:

Purple Aqua Blue Ruffles

For some reason, they make me think of the midwinter nights. If you order them within 24hrs, Lea will give you free shipping!

Merry Christmas to all you lampwork lovers!

Diva of the Month - Sonja McClung - Part 4 (Conclusion)

Welcome to our conclusion of this month's Diva of the Month interview, with Sonja McClung of Silver River Glass and Jewelry.



We asked Sonja about her secrets - if there was anything we didn't yet know about her, or anything else she would like to share. "Nothing really secret," she says, "except for the fact that I am discovering that I like making the beads almost more than I like making jewelry."



How has Sonja's work changed since she began? "Well, I think its a lot better!" she laughs. "Also I am much more willing to try new techniques and things than when I first started, I have a lot more confidence in my skills than I did."



A challenge Sonja wishes to accomplish over the next few months is attaining greater mastery over a few more advanced glass techniques. "I want to get consistent results from some of the beautiful silver glasses that are out there" she says. "I also want to really work on stringer control and the masking techniques using dots."



And, of course we asked Sonja what she loves about being a Fire Diva. She tells us, "I really enjoy getting to know everyone and of course, I love to look at all of the gorgeous beads! It's nice to be a part of a group that doesn't roll their eyes and zone out when you discuss glass. And it's a wonderful way to network and promote all of our work."



Hope you enjoyed this month's interview, and stay tuned for our first Diva of 2011 next month!

Silver River Glass Works on Artfire ~

Silver River Glass Works on Etsy ~

Silver River Jewelry Blogspot ~

Silver River Glass Works and Jewelry Homepage

Glass Bead of the Day - Tuesday 12/21/2010

Today's the last chance for me to blog about a Christmas bead. Next week this time, Christmas is already old news and we're looking forward to New Year's Eve. So here we go, my last Christmas for this season :).

How about this absolutely adorable Christmas Cat in a Stocking?



I can't believe the cuteness! Lauren of May Beads created this gorgeous lampwork bead, and I love her eye for detail as well as her ability to create all these unique critter beads full of personality and attitude.

You can find the Christmas Cat in a Stocking as well as many more amazing beads in Lauren's Etsy shop. If you buy this bead within the next 24 hours, shipping is free!

Wishing you & your family Happy Holidays!

Lampwork Bead of the Day - 12/20

So it's probably a little late for Christmas shopping now, and all of your presents for other people are likely bought, wrapped and waiting.  What did get yourself for Christmas?

"Well..." you think to yourself, "I didn't buy Christmas presents for myself, " and of course that's great news, because now you can justify going and having a look in Janel's Etsy shop and look at all the pretty loot there.

I went and fell in love with this Changing Seasons Tree focal bead:

Janel is participating in our Bead of the Day promotion, and as a result, will give you 10% off on this beautiful bead if you purchase it within the next 24 hours.

What are you buying yourself for Christmas?

Fire Divas Gossip 12/19

The holidays are in full swing for the Fire Divas. Let's see what everyone is doing to prepare . . . on to the gossip!

This week Patrice is showing off the work of one of her students, so head on over to Glass Art by Patrice (Shepherd Creations) and see what holiday goodies have been cooked up!

Kathleen writes our Fantasy Shopping guide, which runs on Saturdays, and she's reminding everyone that lampwork beads make wonderful ornaments. So stop by Ugly Duckling Beads for some festive ideas.

Judith's blog is in full swing, and she's been busy giving us glimpses of her latest gorgeous floral focals. This week she's featuring the ultimate holiday color, so head to Lampwork Beads by Judith Johnston for a peek.

Amy has all her holiday shopping done and is in the Christmas home stretch. Find out what her winter break plans are over at Amy Sims Designs.

At Maybeads, I've got peppermint beads on the brain, holiday treats in my belly and big plans to work it all off come Spring.

Don't be jealous, but Ema has a new lampworking tool (ok, I'm jealous). She has put that new tool to excellent use and is showing her gorgeous results over at Ema K Designs.

Holly is mixing up rhubarb and cantaloupe - and the results are sparkly and delicious. Go to Holly's Folly Glass and see what I'm talking about!

What do cheese knives have in common with lampworking? Find out from Judith at Icarus Beads.

After three long months, Lea has reunited with her torch. It's hard to believe they were ever apart. See what beautiful things they did together at lajewelrydesign.

Lori may not have won the recent giveaway she entered, but she's had lots of milestones to celebrate lately. Find out what they are at Ashlyn Design.

Susanne is sharing more about Flappy, so stop by Babs Beads to read up on those travels and adventures.

The rest of the divas who blog are on the lower left side of the Fire Divas page, so if you missed any previous weeks, be sure to check down there.

Happy Sunday ~ and Happy Holidays!

Fantasy Shopping Saturday

It's almost Christmas, and I'm thinking about how much I still have to do! Presents to wrap, groceries to buy, and the thing I never seem to finish...cleaning house. The one thing I'm definitely looking forward to ...completing the ornaments I'm making for our tree using Lampwork beads!   I found these beauties on different Fire Divas' Etsy sites...each of them would make a wonderful ornament!  So get comfortable, order, and make those ornaments!  You can find more Fire Diva's beads here.   Happy Shopping!

Maybeads

Holly's Folly Glass

EmaKaye

Giapet

Judith Beads

LA Jewelry Designs

Lutrick

Arensea

Janel Dudley Beads

Lampwork Glass Bead of the Day 12-17-10

It is getting close to Christmas aso I want to share a Christmas bead. Check out this Santa Lampwork Bead on Leather Necklace from Beadsbeadsanddesign. Susanne has three others very similar to this in her shop. Check it out at the link above. If you order this bead in the next 24 hours, you can get 10% off!

Stop by the ArtFire weekly thread to see what the other Fire Divas are up to, or mosey on over to Etsy. See you next Thursday!

Glass Bead of the Day for Thursday, December 16, 2010

Boro was mentioned yesterday with the Bead of the Day, and although it is lovely (I'm a boro lady, so I know!), there are just some things that are better done in soft glass.  These beads by Maybeads are a good example of how soft glass lends itself beautiful to detailed glass bead-making:

Orphan Lampwork Animal Beads by Maybeads

This is a great deal for 4 animal lampwork beads!  $20 takes them all, so if you want these beautiful blue and green critters, hop on over to Lauren Mazursky's ArtFire shop.  She also has an Etsy shop here.  Those shops contain lovely whimsical animal beads including cats, dogs, fish, aliens, and more!  Plus if you buy this set while they're Bead of the Day, you get FREE SHIPPING from Maybeads in either shop of hers!

See what else the Fire Divas are up to by visiting the weekly ArtFire thread here. Or cruise over to Etsy for the weekly thread here.  See you next Thursday, Christmas Eve-Eve!

Glass Bead of the Day: December 15

One of these days I'm going to try boro glass (though I hesistate to get caught in yet another addiction). There's so much fun you can make with it! Look at this gorgeuose heart by Theresa Ehlers at Teasebeads:

Isaya - Boro Heart

Wonderfully shaped, lovely colours!

Theresa makes a lot of lovely stuff, so go visit her ArtFire shop! And don't forget the weekly threads on ArtFire and Etsy.

Diva of the Month - Sonja McClung - Part 3 (10 Silly Questions)

Welcome to Part Three of December's Diva of the Month, in which we are featuring Sonja McClung of Silver River Glass and Jewelry. This segment is a fun one - let's see how Sonja answered our "Ten Silly Questions."



1. What is on your nightstand…list everything! - Lamp, couple of books, crochet hook, half empty water bottle, bible, dust.



2. If we were visiting, and starving and you weren’t home…what could we find in your pantry / fridge to use to whip up a meal? - Lots of vegetables, lunch meat, salad, left over lasagna, left over stew, pickles, a variety of canned goods, wheat flour, olive oil.



3. Favorite color and how does this show up in your bead work? - My favorite color changes on a regular basis. And this definitely shows up in my bead work, because I make beads in all kinds of colors!



4. Making beads is solitary work. How do you handle that? If you listen to music / watch videos, please share some of your playlist. - I happen to really like the solitude. I work in customer service and have a family so any alone time is precious. Alone time to make beads is even more precious! If I listen to music it is usually Christian rock or the cd's that have the rainforest or the ocean sounds on them.



5. Describe the most fun day you’ve ever had. - Going out on the lake with just my husband and spending the whole day just motoring around, stopping for lunch, stopping to swim at the swimming hole, watching the fireworks over the water.



6. If you had one wish, what would it be? - That I could afford to quite my day job and do this full time.



7. Who do you most admire in glass and if you could take a class with that person, what would you most want to learn? - So many to choose from! Right now probably Brad Pearson, he does incredible things with dots and dots are some of my favorite things to do.



8. What is the first thing you do when you get home? - Let the dogs out and start dinner.



9. Do you have a day job? If yes, what is your favorite thing about it? - Yes I do have a day job and one of the best things is that my boss doesn't care if I do a lot of my networking from work online as long as all the work gets done.



10. Name three tv shows you watch but are kind of embarrassed about. - Wow that's tough, I don't watch a whole lot of tv. I would have to say Project Runway, Haven and NCIS.



Stay tuned for next week's installment!

Silver River Glass Works on Artfire ~

Silver River Glass Works on Etsy ~

Silver River Jewelry Blogspot ~

Silver River Glass Works and Jewelry Homepage