Back at the dayjob!

Well my vacation to my torch ended on Sunday, so Monday morning I was back at the computer working on my IT dayjob duties.

The week away from the office was refreshing, unfortunately, it rained all week and now it feels like September outside here in New Brunswick. I am hoping it warms up by this coming Saturday as my daughter is very excited waiting for the Paul McCartney concert in Halifax. She has been a big fan for so many years!

I wanted to share the other bead set photos that are new and currently posted for auction on e-Bay.
Also: There is a set of July Orphans that closes on Sunday evening!

Enjoy and have a good week!
Smiles,
D

Ode to Psyche
CIM Black Currant Unique, Effetre Opal Yellow and Double Helix Psyche

The Tudor King
CIM Pumpkin, Effetre Wine Red, Avocado & handpulled Dark Ivory Silver Stringers
Middle Earth Raku
CIM Pumpkin, Effetre Wine Red, Lichen and Raku Shards

New Bead Sets !

I am enjoying some time off this week from the day job... they call it "vacation".... but in reality, I call it extra time to torch and make beads!...

Here are the latest sets to be posted today on e-bay, as well as one set that will be reserved for a future ebay posting.

Til later in the week!
Smiles,
Darlene

Princess Bride - Tiara Series #9
CIM Halong Bay and Double Helix Aurae

Caramelized Sugar
Effetre glass , 99% pure Silver Foil and Glass Diversions Hawaiian Sunset Frit

Silver Peacock Mosaic
CIM Peacock Green glass, 99% Silver Foil,
Silver Wire & Glass Diversions Peacock Frit

This set, named Spanish Queen, is reserved for a future E-Bay posting. Stay tuned for the release date on e-Bay!
Spanish Queen - Tiara Series #10
CIM Glass - Sangre & Double Helix Aurae

A Rainy Monday - An Excuse To....

A rainy start to my vacation from my IT dayjob.... but I am HAPPY!... as it gives me an excuse to work at the torch. My husband is enjoying the sleeping in as his list of chores outside for this week needs sun.

Here are some recent beads just posted to e-bay, with more expected to get posted mid week.

Off to the torch!
Smiles,
D.

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New Beads for This Week!

No time to write, but wanted to share the latest bead set photos!
Starting vacation from the daytime job on Friday, so there will be lots to show next week.

Until then, enjoy the photos!

D.

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A test bead for the Cantebury Tales set
Coming soon to Artfire

Nice Weekend at the Torch

I love 4 day weekends!.... Occasionally, my day job gets crazy and as a result, we have overtime hours that we save and take later in the year when things are a little slower. This past weekend was one of those times.
I was able to spend some time at the torch as well as enjoy some down time to relax. Below are a few new sets that were finished by Sunday. Today, we are installing new counters and cupboards along 2 walls of my studio. Yeah!... as I desperately need storage space. As I not only create lampwork beads, I also create signature jewelry from wire wrapping and chainmaille.
I am excited to get everything organized and set up my workstations so that I am not constantly packing up one box in order to open another one.

Fingers crossed all will be done for phase 1, by next weekend. From there, we will look at where else we can add storage space on the other 2 walls.

Here are the newest beads!

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First the set as a whole: Set Below is Now Sold
Now close-ups of each bead!

These are silver infused glass, Double Helix' Aion swirled over Medium Purple transparent Base.The popular Lt Turquoise, Lt Ivory and Coral - The set below is now SOLD

Nyx silver glass over Kryptonite with a sprinkle of frit.

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Warm Sun and New Beads!

So much of my month of May was spent away from home, and of course away from the torch. As a result, getting back to my torch was almost like starting over again. It is interesting that a break, of as little as a week, makes a huge difference in lampworking.
In the time from April to June, the weather has warmed, the air is warmer, resulting in the glass melting differently, the kiln staying warmer longer. All of the "science" around striking and reducing silver glasses and just the basics can be challenging for the "weekend torcher".So I have decided to go back to the basics, get some new colour combinations, and restart my creative process. On my trip, I picked up some amazing new glass rods, with fun names like Kryptonite, Smoke Rings, Grape Ape and Sangre.. So over the next month you will see new sets with colour and lots of colour!

Here are a few from the last week, currently or very shortly on E-Bay!

Have a great week! Enjoy the Sun!
D.

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On the road back home....

Had a great 11 days in Toronto... yes, another trip this month.. Enjoyed some day job working hours as well as some off the clock amusement.
This past Thursday evening, spent my time and a nice donation to the Sunnybrook Hospital's fundraiser for their Mothers and Babies centre at their charity event called One Night Live.
Check out the link and donate if you are interested in this very worthy cause!

What could be better than lending time and funds to a good cause? Well, there are a couple more things that made it definitely better:

1. Chris Noth, better known as Mr. Big from Sex and the City, and Mike Logan, of Law and Order, hosting the event and introducing the Canadian Tenors... a sort of El Divo ... EH!
2. Sheryl Crow singing a few songs and brightening up the event with her Soak Up the Sun...
3. and finally, and certainly the best of the evening.... Mr. Gordon Sumner.... and I mean... STING!

The concert was amazing and I am hoping to post a few photos after I completely download my camera, but here are a couple for right now!

Smiles,
D.

New Beads for May!

Welcome to May....

There is a breath of spring in the air and my 3 little ones, kitty cats, wait patiently each morning for the sun to wrap around their favorite windows to bask in the sun.
If they pose especially pretty, they can get my husband to open the window so that they can enjoy both the sun and the spring breeze.

There are a few new beads being posted on my ebay site and soon new items for artfire too!

Here are a few photos to share!

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( Set# 6 in the Royalty Tiara series - Marie Antoinette's Tiara)

Smiles,
Darlene

My Trip to Toronto

I have been lazy in posting to the blog over the last couple of weeks.. and I am sorry. I have been on the road for both the day job, but I did have the weekend to have some fun along the way!

I spent last Saturday morning at Nortel Manufacturing visiting with the torch designer extraordinaire, Peter Norton. I am amazed each time I visit, as Peter is so kind to pick me up at the RT train stop and escort me to the shop.
I could spend hours looking at all the glass canes to choose from. Always lots of selection and Peter and Jean are so friendly, it feels like coming home to visit family each and every time.
My rule when I visit is to "try not to max out the credit card"! This time was a big order, but came under the wire (ha ha).
Peter took the time to show me the new bead liner tool that he has almost ready for release. It looks amazing and I can't wait to see it in action in future. Also got to see a new torch under testing, the power of it, well I am speechless.. plus I shouldn't tell anyway! ha ha

I returned back home late last night with pounds of glass, carefully stowed in my carry on and lots of new reduction frit, bead release so this weekend will be a full torching to get new sets ready for both my e-bay listings and artfire studio.

Currently, the last couple of sets of beads remaining in my artfire studio are 25% until further notice. The link to artfire is on the right hand side of my blog.

Until new pictures to post, enjoy the spring weather!

D.

46 and Counting!

Yes, 46 years and counting! I have survived another birthday and enjoyed the combination of the long weekend and birthday celebrations! Could have done without the 35cm of snow that fell, but it will melt soon... I hope!

This photo is a real sign of spring!

This set of beads is currently on E-Bay
Although it may look like the Momma Robin has been busy.... these are actual beads that I completed over the last weekend of March. (If you still don't believe me... check out the top bead... you can just see the hole slightly on the side..smiles)
Roba Koza has a beautiful frit, Robin's Egg, and well it is pretty accurate in its coloring.
These beads are currently on display on a Artisan Wall display for the month of April. They will be posted for auction as of May 3rd.

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I apologize for my lack of postings over the last week or so, but I have a few new bead set photos to share with you, along with an announcement!
I am trying out Artfire for posting a few sets of beads... some of my smaller sets and experiments that I didn't bother posting on e-bay. Artfire is a new site for artisans to post handmade goods, without the cost of e-bay and etsy posting fees. The community is also really neat as it has a variety of different themes and lots of information sharing. Check out my Artfire shop, by clicking on the ad on the right side of my blog. I need to make more beads, so that I can supply both sites now... Need more hours at the torch! Over the next while, I will also be posting some chainmaille jewelry and semi-precious stones as I have a few things in stock that I would like to offer to the Artfire customer! Now to the beads!

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Weekend Inspiration and Experimentation~

I always love it when new glass comes into my shop. This past week is no exception! I decided to take the plunge and order a few sample rods from Artistry in Glass of two brands of high silver content glass. Double Helix and Precison 104 glass have beautiful silver content glasses and I had a ball experimenting with just 2 rods just to start.
If all of the sample rods are like these 2, it is going to be a fun month playing at the torch in April.

Below are the first set of results from Saturday's work. Sundays is waiting on my worktable for clearning, so I will share those later this week. Each set will appear on e-bay sometime through this week, with the exception of the Tree of Life set currently in reserve for a commissioned display.

The Midnight Blue Tree of Life set was my first attempt at the tree design and for a beginner, I am very pleased with the results. This set uses the Rocio Silver Mist glass on a canvas of CIM's Black Tuxedo opaque glass.

COMING TO E-BAY APRIL 26th!

This set is CIM's Canyon de Chelly and Stone Ground bases with Double Helix's silver content glass called Psyche. It reduces to metallic shades of purples, greens and blues. The design is simple as to not take away from the beautiful glass highlights.

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This is another experiment with Rocio Silver Mist, the warmup before I attempted the Tree of Life design~

This Set is Now SOLDAlong with the silver glasses, I also was stocking up on my Dark Ivory for use with silver leaf. The combination of dark ivory and silver leaf creates beautifully rich handpulled stringers. This time I used olive transparent Moretti as the base for these beads.

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Of course, we close of this edition of Pendragonfyre Designs with a Spring 2009 Floral. This one is shades of violet(Ask's 104 Lilac Fields) and green (Moretti's Kiwi odd lot) with dark purple transparent. Robin Koza's Spring Violet frit from Frit Diversions is a perfect match to the Moretti glasses to accent the water colour beads. Spring is on it's way!

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Happy week!
Smiles,
D

Spring is sprung and FINALLY HERE!

Thank heavens for this day! It seems to be forever since Winter began. I love the first day of spring as it seems to put everyone in a better mood, but reminding us that the cold weather is coming to an end, even though it will be a few more weeks yet.
Someone said today that the 1st day of spring has more signs to be thankful for than just sunshine. It also reminds us:

• that there should be no more snow days with children at home or scrambling to locate babysitters before we venture into the snowstorm.
• the seed catalogues that have been gathering on the coffee table need our attention to get our orders in before the rush. Choosing the colours for the flower garden is always a true touch of spring fever.
• Pets are happy to run in the yard, and even though the mud, rather than gather at the doorway shivering, in hope that their owners have not forgotten about them.
• and chocolate seems to entered our daily diet as a food group (just kidding, but Walmart seems to be advertising Easter treats in equal sized ads to healthy treats)
• for me, it means more time at the torch, without the wooly sweaters and extra logs in the woodstove. Thank you to my devoted hubby for getting up an hour earlier on weekends to light the fire in the shop so that I am warm when I start... Extra chocolate bunnies for him!
  

Enjoy these warmer days of spring along with me. These bead sets are based on some special earth tone beads that I am making for a private commission.
These sets are posted currently on e-bay.... until March 26th bid closing.

Til next time, share that chocolate, your tummy will thank you when the beaches open!
Smiles,
D.

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ON ARTFIRE NOW

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Friday the 13th... Are you having a good day?

Hello!
I hope that this post finds you well despite today being the 13th!
Today was a nice change for me from the daily grind of working in my day career. I spent much of it reading up on glass techniques for some of the newest glass rods that arrived yesterday. I received some of my regular restocking rods from the Moretti line... my customers sure enjoy beads of Moretti Ivory! I decided that I would take the plunge and experiment with two new lines of glass that have been tempting me... so bright and early tomorrow I am off to the torch to try them out. I ordered a sample pack of Double Helix striking and reduction rods as well as a sample pack of Precision's 104 line. Both these glasses have high potential for gorgeous results, so stay tuned on how my Saturday session goes! To provide an update to the recent beads offerings for early March, here they are: (By the way, check out a new feature at my homesite... My flicker slide shows for 2008 collection as well as the growing 2009 collection are available now).
Enjoy! Til Next time,
Darlene

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End of February News and New Bead Sets

Can you believe that it is really the end of February... I am so excited to get into March... it makes spring feel so much closer. The past couple of weeks have been extremely busy with lots of things happening here at Pendragonfyre. Here are a couple of things I am excited to share with you!

1. Judith Rudolph of Holly Cottage Designs posted a pair of earrings with my beads just this past week and they are SOLD already! That is another jewelry design with Pendragonfyre beads sold and off to their new owners... Click Here to see the earrings
2. CIM- Creation Is Messy is a glass manufacturer of soft lampwork glass rods that I love to use. Recently, many of the sets that I have sold on e-bay are comprised of CIM glass. The owner of the company, located in North West USA, has posted a number of my sets on her main website.I am so excited to see my work on her site! Here is the email from Kathy with the links to my photos:

"Hello Darlene,
I just had the pleasure of posting your beautiful work. If you hover over the photos a little tag will pop up – that is where I recorded which colors were used.

http://www.creationismessy.com/Product/Color/StoneGround.aspx

http://www.creationismessy.com/Product/Color/PinkChampagne.aspx

http://www.creationismessy.com/Product/Color/Chalcedony.aspx

http://www.creationismessy.com/Product/Color/Chai.aspx

http://www.creationismessy.com/Product/Color/Bordello.aspx

http://www.creationismessy.com/Product/Color/SimplyBerry.aspx

http://www.creationismessy.com/Product/Color/LeakyPen.aspx

Thanks so much for the photos – in the future please don’t hesitate to send combinations that aren’t 100% Messy. I am happy to post even if one of the colors used is Messy. My two part goal is to properly demonstrate the color and also to inspire people to make pretty things!
Thanks again for sharing.
Kathy
Kathy Seamands
Creation is Messy
Messy Color™"

Now for the beads. The following are the new sets from the last week or so.
Enjoy and have a great week!
Smiles,
D.

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The set below named "Celtic Panes" is SOLD

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Thank you for your kindness during my recent illness!

Thank you everyone for all the cards and best wishes via Facebook and email. January 2009 was a difficult month for me. It started off with a week long hospital stay for severe pnemonia followed up with 3 weeks of recovery at home. For a "busy" person like me (some call it "work obsessed"), it was mentally painful to sit and rest for such a long time with little to do. Highlights of my downtime....not really...

• Too much mind numbing daytime television! It got so bad I was watching live court feeds on Court TV.
• 3 books of Sudoku completed.
• It is said that you can't have too many relaxing bubble baths.... I may have to disagree.... it gets very boring after while!

I have finally been given the GO sign to start back at my day job and therefore also I can spend a "little" torch time.
I had luckily had a few sets in reserve from December to keep my e-bay clients bidding.... but I really need to get back at it. I don't consider it to be "work"... it is my stress relief.... my creative outlet. I have really missed it.

GREAT NEWS! --- 3 Things!
1. My beads are posted in a beautiful jewelry design by Holly Cottage Designs. Designer Judith Rudolph has created a necklace and earring set from my "jewels of winter" bead set. Click here to see the necklace and here to see the earrings.

2. Artistry in Glass, a glass supplier in London, Ontario has now added me to their list of lampwork artists. Thank you Carri for considering me! Click Here to see the list, scroll down to the bottom.

3. This week I am #15 on the list of Top 100 Wall of Flame for Lampwork Artists on the web. This site is based on the number of unique hits to and from my website to this the wall of flame. Thank you to everyone that visits this site. If you want to check it it, the link is on the right of the main page of the blog.

Now that everyone is up to date with my news, I thought I would post the beads that were created in December to update the library of blog photos. Check out the post just below this one!

February Edition of Pendragonfyre Beads Gallery

Latest Bead Gallery for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy!
Click Here to see current E-Bay Auctions!

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Front View

Back View

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New Sets for the last weekend of 2008!

2009 Wedding series - Set #3

This set of 14 beads starts with a base of CIM's Peace and decorated with glittering Sapphire Filigrana and handpulled Iris gold stringers. The look is antique and beautiful for the bride on her special day.

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Turquoise Dragon Raku - This set of 13 beads is the popular combination of Turquoise Moretti glass with raked veins of raku/black twistie. With an feel of asian dragon's spines in the raking, these handformed flat beads were lightly encased on clear to gentle enhance the veins of raku.

This set is SOLD

English Royalty series - My Lady's Tiara

English Royalty series - Set #2

LADY MOUNTBATTEN’S TIARA was the inspiration for this set of handmade beads. This MAGNIFICENT tiara was worn by one of the most beautiful and distinguished women of her day, Lady Edwina Mountbatten. The bands of scrollwork was amazing and intricate. Click here to see the actual tiara.

This large set of 21 beads start with a base of CIM's Pink Champagne and decorated with glittering scrollwork of handpulled Iris gold stringers.

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New sets for this week!

I have been enjoying some much needed time off, my IT work project was finally deployed in early December, so we are now working through the post implementation kinks.

I am enjoying this week off, preparing for holiday family get-togethers and stealing away some time at the torch.

My wonderful Dad installed a wood stove, so it is nice and toasty warm, and saves on electricity cost. A Christmas present to myself and I am enjoying every moment! I even pulled out my manual Italian expresso perk. Simply from the heat from the stove and 15 minutes, a wonderful coffee is ready. I add gingerbread syrup from Starbucks and some milk and TADA..., my favorite latte! YUM.

Here are a couple of new sets. I have begun a couple of series in my bead sets:

• 1. My 2009 Wedding series, this issue showing set#2 (set #1 is showing in my previous blog post)
• 2. My English Royalty series, the first set shown on this posting, "Jewels of Winter".

Enjoy and happy holidays wishes to you and your family!,

D.

2009 Wedding Series - Set #2 - English Garden Party

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English Royalty series - Set #1 - Jewels of Winter

The pomegranate is fondly known as the 'Jewel of Winter' and is one of the colours that inspired this new group of beads. The pomegranate fruit was an emblem in the coat of arms of Catherine of Aragon (1485 - 1536). She was the widow of Arthur, Prince of Wales but, more memorably, was King Henry VIII's first wife.


This set is SOLDCinnamon Dolce
Another of the popular Ivory and Silver Cinnamon glasses

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Special Posting - 2009 Spring Bridal Set

I have been experimenting with 2009 colour palettes for Spring and Summer, adding in cubic zirconia accents for next year's wedding season. Here is the first of the bridal series, named Pink Zirconia Gardens.
It is currently posted on e-bay, so feel free to visit and bid!

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Hot off the Torch

Here are a couple new sets that were posted on e-Bay today!

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Mid December Bead Offerings

Here are a couple of new bead sets from earlier this week. I have been experimenting with new colour combinations, and this week chocolate brown was one of the focal colours.

These sets are posted on E-Bay for auction over the next 7 days.
Enjoy!
D.

I have paired it with Lt. Turquoise to create a fresh combination that even Martha Stewart may approve of.
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Also used the same deep brown with Ivory to create wave nuggets with accents of Silver Cinnamon.
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Finally, with all the freezing rain that we have received this week, I couldn't resist creating a set of etched and frosty blue glass with silver droplets, aptly named Winter's Kiss.

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I am finally beginning a week of much anticipated vacation!... Yeah!
I have a number of design ideas for my torch this week, so stay tuned for new items through the week. They will be posted to e-bay as they are being offered for auction!
Click Here to view the latest offerings!

D.

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This Week on E-Bay

Hello everyone!
This week is time to clear out some Orphan Bead sets, and some 2 for 1 sets on e-Bay. Click Here to view the latest offerings!

One new set is a result of the first snow that fell here in New Brunswick. It reminded me that Spring 2009 is still off in the future, but we can remind ourselves of it anytime that we want. This bead set is aptly named: Waiting for Spring.

It was created with light turquoise Moretti glass, providing the base for the shade of robin's egg. Add to it, Glass Diversions, beautiful Robin's Egg frit and the result is the closest to a real robin's egg. Delicate blue green with the tiny brown speckles.

In a jewelry design, you can wear "spring" anytime, no matter how much snow piles up outside your door! This auction closes on Friday, so get them while you can!


Cheers, til the kiln opens to new sets next week!
Darlene

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Hot Off the Torch - A couple new sets

Only had a brief time this week to work at the torch, my IT project is entering it's final stages, so
Hello everyone!
I am looking forward to more creative time over the next month along with some real vacation time!
Here are a couple of new sets from this week, currently posted on auction at e-bay!

Smiles,
Darlene

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