Monday, October 25

A week full of surprises and experiments!

I received a package of glass rods this week from Kathy at CiM - Creation is Messy glass. It felt like it was my birthday, looking over the various glass rods. Kathy sent me several of your CiM Uniques. If you are not familiar with what these are, they are similar to what is known as Odd Lots.
Sometimes, batches come out too light or too dark, too opaque or just surprises! Glass chemistry is unique in that when combining earth minerals, you can be surprised at the results sometimes.
I think that I love to work with test batches, uniques and odd lots the most becuase of the unpredictability! It makes my torch time more challenging and rewarding.Over the next few postings, I will share some of the results of my playtime with CiM glass uniques. One of my main reasons for choosing CiM glass is that it is so compatiable with the other COE104 glasses. It allows me to take the traditional Effetre glasses and widen the colour spectrum with the addition of CiM's palette of colours!

Thank you Kathy... and here are my first sets! All on Ebay as of tonight... auctions close next Sunday night!

Dapper
Silver Trails Series #35
This set is NOW SOLD

Materials: Effetre, CiM Glasses and 99% Fine Silver

This beadful set of 23 Silvertrail beads combine the various hues of blues and neutrals wrapped with 99% Fine Silver Wire. Hues include CiM's Lapis, Charcoal, Glacier & African Gray & Effetre Sandstone.




Cocoa Plum
Confetti Dots # 2
This Set is NOW SOLD
Materials: CiM and Effetre Glasses

This set of dotted round beads on a base of Effetre Cocoa with dots of CiM's Plum Unique #3
 
Great for casual or business jewelry pieces for fall and winter 2010-2011.





Smokey Silver Cubes

Materials: CiM Glasses and 99% Fine Silver
This Set is NOW SOLD

This 12 bead set was created by combining an unique batch #2 of CiM Sepia glass and fine silver wire.

Normally Sepia is a light brown, however this batch ended up being a very light blue.

When I experimented combining the silver with this glass, smoke trails appeared after the beads emerged from the kiln. The silver takes on a copper-like hue, making these beads truly a one of a kind set. 
These beads would be beautiful mixed with smokey quartz, copper beads and jewelry findings.

Bonus: 15 brown faceted 4mm glass crystal spacer beads are included in this set.




Terpsichore
Goddess Bead Series #58
This Set is NOW SOLD

"Greek myth name of a muse of dance, meaning "enjoying the dance.""

Materials: CiM , Effetre and Double Helix Glasses

This set of 9 goddess series beads were created on a base of CiM Limited Run Hippo with layered dots of Effetre Dark Ivory.
 
Double Helix's silver infused Clio and Catalyst ES404 storm under each clear glass portal. Highlights of DH Aurae silver glass create the bling for this beautiful stormy beads!




 
This set also includes 6 spacer beads of CiM's new Razzleberry . Razzleberry is an amazing limited run glass that is pink with a golden glow! I absolutely LOVE THIS GLASS!! Now I need to convince a Canadian supplier to order lots of this batch in for me!!

Golden Aqua Streams

Materials: CiM and Double Helix Glasses
This Set is NOW SOLD

On a base of CiM's Fremen , a beautiful light blue, streams of rare silver infused glass, simply known as OK 381, flows around each flat tab bead.

The golden sheen is very cool as it can shift to an iridescent rose hue from various angles. The glittering shine from these beads is amazing!
 
The silver glass has fumed a golden hue to the blue glass to create a light aqua hue.
Get a headstart on your holiday jewelry designs with this set of 9 bling-filled beads! 

BONUS: 12 aqua 4mm faceted glass crystals are included in this set.





Silver Pink Selection
Materials: CiM , Double Helix & Effetre Glasses and 99% Fine Silver
This Set is NOW SOLD

This 15 bead set is a selection of various combinations of CiM uniques,
Razzleberry & Crocus Unique #2 with Double Helix's silver infused glasses,
KA-457, Ekho and Aurae. There is even a little encased silver wire in this set!

The result is golden pinks with striations of hues, glittery accents and mother of pearl portals encased under clear glass. With the variety of bead shapes, there is lots of possibilities for beautiful jewelry creations!

Six Effetre Rose Quartz spacers are included in this set.



Til next time, happy beading!

Smiles,

D.

Monday, October 18

New sets now on Ebay!

Aquamarine Heart


Materials: Effetre, Double Helix Glasses & 99% Fine Silver 
This Set is NOW SOLD

This set of 8 encased round beads and hand-formed heart focal bead was 
created on a base of Effetre Aquamarine with stringer trails of 
Each bead core was wrapped in 99% fine silver wire and reduced to create 
the intense variations in color. 
Each result was then captured under a thick encasement of 
Effetre Pale Aquamarine glass. 

Enjoy the swirls & captured droplets of silver and silver glass in this unique focal heart set!
Crystal and metal spacers are included in this set.





Ameretat

Goddess Bead Series #57
This Set is NOW SOLD

"Persian myth name of a goddess of immortality, meaning immortality"
Materials: Effetre, CiM & Double Helix Glasses


This mini set of 8 goddess series beads were created on a base of
CiM Mojito with layered dots of Effetre Dark Ivory & CiM Hades glasses. 
Double Helix newest rare test silver infused glasses, OK-380 created 
storms under each clear glass portal.

This set also includes 4 spacer beads of CiM Mojito.
Highlights of DH Aurae silver glass create the bling for this beautiful stormy beads!





Goddess Bead Orphans
Set #1
This Set is NOW SOLDMaterials: Effetre, CiM, Double Helix , TAG & Precision Glasses



This 14 bead set is an eclectic assortment of various Goddess Beads beads. 
The uniqueness of each goddess bead allows the designer to 
create a truly one of a kind piece of precious glass jewelry. 

Each bead uses an base of Effetre or CiM glass with portals of silver
infused glass encased in clear to capture the richness of each silver droplet.

This set also includes 4 Effetre Sage green spacers as a bonus!



Goddess Bead Orphans

Set #2
This Set is NOW SOLD

Materials: Effetre, CiM, Double Helix Glasses, TAG & Precision Glasses

This 13 bead set is an eclectic assortment of various Goddess Beads beads. 
The uniqueness of each goddess bead allows the designer to 
create a truly one of a kind piece of precious glass jewelry. 

Each bead uses an base of Effetre or CiM glass with portals of silver
infused glass encased in clear to capture the richness of each silver droplet.

This set also includes 4 CiM Mink spacers as a bonus!



Tuesday, October 12

Change in tradition....keeping it simple..

This was the first Thanksgiving weekend in recent memory that my family was not together for turkey and stuffing. With my daughter relocated to Calgary for her Masters program and son working the overnight shift, my hubby and I decided to enjoy our Thanksgiving Sunday with my Dad traveling to a heritage orchard in Prince Edward Island picking apples.
The weather was crisp, the drive to the orchard was beautiful and I kick myself now that I didn't take a few snapshots for this posting.

So many types of apples without a Macintosh in site. Heritage apples are breeds of apples now longer commercially on a large scale basis. My dad recalls fond memories of his family's orchard with apples such as Wolf River and Alexander. We found the latter at this orchard. Alexander apples are great for cooking and are huge in size... larger than a softball.  I love the fact that 4 of these apples are enough for  big apple crisp. 
Wandering through the orchard, we sampled and picked Golden Spy, Spartan, and my favorite Honey Crisp! Yum Yum!!.. 
We ended up bringing home 96 POUNDS of apples... 
At 50 cents per pound, it is well worth the trip. Local grocers are charging $2.49\lb. for my favorites, so I am set for the next month in apple snacks!

I spent Monday working on a few items that I share with you below. 
Let me know what you think!
Smiles,
Darlene

Midnight Magic Big Beads
Reserved Special Order

Materials: CiM and Double Helix Glasses


I had a client request some of my Midnight Beads in a larger size for her client. I normally work on bead sizes of 7 to 12mm hole to hole. 
The challenge of working on a larger scale was fun and these beads are the result.






THe base glass is CiM Charcoal, a deep charcoal that when fumed with the silver glass shards and dots can vary from a deep black to midnight blue. 
The silver infused Aurae shards and dots make each of these beads really shine FULL ON BLING!




Organic Golden Aurae
Organic Silver

Materials: Effetre and Double Helix Glasses

Periodically, I like to keep things simple at the torch and pick two glasses and see the variety that can be created.

Effetre Dark Ivory and Double Helix Aurae simple in dots, swirls, and blossoms.
These beads demonstrate why we love these two glasses. Organic in the curdling of the ivory as well as shine of the silver infused glass.

Simple and stunning!



Fairy Spheres
Silver Droplets

Materials: Bullseye Glasses & 99% Fine Silver

I was in a pink and silver mood. I have been hoarding my Bullseye Special production rods of Aurora glasses.


Bullseye being a COE 90 glass cannot be combined with silver infused glasses such as Double Helix without the risk of compatibility issues.
Back in 2008, I was able to get my hands on a limited run of Bullseye Aurora and Aurora II. These high-silver-content glasses opalize and strike with striations of
yellows, greens, blues and violets with subtle transitions of color. I only have 2 rods remaining of each Aurora, and I think I will cry when it is all gone.
Unfortunately, it seems that Bullseye has not experimented with silver infused glasses over the past 2 years, so these beads are precious as a result.

These beads are Aurora II glass on a base of Light Fuschia wrapped in fine silver wire and encased in crystal clear glass.


Monday, October 11

The 2010 Holiday Season is here!!


Here in Canada, Thanksgiving.... In the USA, Columbus day. 

Either way, it is the start of the 2010 Holiday shopping season!
Check out the latest Pendragonfyre designs and get your holiday shopping started.

Smiles,
Darlene

Marrakesh
This set is NOW SOLD

Marrakesh's town square, the Djamaa El Fna, is filled with snake charmers, acrobats, story-tellers, water sellers, dancers and musicians.

Materials: CiM, Effetre & Double Helix Glasses

Reading about the Djamaa El Fna inspired this set of flat tab beads.
On Effetre's now rare Mudslide, a milk chocolate opaque glass, limited edition ISGB silver infused handmade murrini were carefully placed and melted into the surface. Each flat tab bead is reversible with a silver infused murrini placed on each side for variety. CiM's Adamantium,brown grey, was dotted in patterns to complement the murrini designs.




Mystical Orbs
This set is NOW SOLD
Materials: Double Helix Glasses & 99% Fine Silver

This set of 13 encased round beads were created on a base of rare Double Helix silver glass known as Psyche Light. Each bead core was wrapped in 99% fine silver wire and reduced to create the intense variations in color. Each result was then captured under a thick encasement of Double Helix's clear Aether glass. Aether when heated just right transforms silver to a golden glow!

Enjoy the mystical silver glass in this unique and one of a kind set!




Golden Streams
This set is NOW SOLD
On a base of golden CiM Stoneground, streams of rare silver infused glass, simply known as OK 381, flows around each round bead.
The glittering shine from these beads is amazing!
Get a headstart on your holiday jewelry designs with this set of 13 bling-filled beads!






Eupheme
Goddess Bead Series #56
This set is NOW SOLD

""Well-spoken." Greek myth name of a goddess of good omen, praise, and shouts of triumph, composed of the elements eu "good, well" and phemi "I speak.""

Materials: CiM, Effetre & Double Helix Glasses

This set of 11 goddess series beads were created on a base of CiM Dusk with layered dots of CiM Black Currant Unique & Effetre Dark Ivory glasses. Storms of Double Helix newest rare test silver infused glasses, OK-383 swirl in hues of purple and aquamarine under each clear glass portal. This set also includes 4 spacer beads of light grey. 

Highlights of DHTriton silver glass create the bling for this beautiful storm beads!




Parvati
Goddess Bead Series #55
This set is NOW SOLD
"Hindi myth name of a wife of Shiva,meaning she of the mountains"

Materials: Effetre & Double Helix Glasses

This mini set of 9 goddess series beads were created on a base of Effetre Dark Amber with layered dots of Effetre Dark Ivory glasses. Double Helix newest rare test silver infused glasses, OK-376 and catalyst ES-404 glow under each clear glass portal.

This set also includes 4 spacer beads of dark amber. Highlights of DHAurae silver glass create the bling for this beautiful portal beads!




Thalia
This set is NOW SOLD
Goddess Bead Series #54

"Greek myth name of the muse of comedy and pastoral poetry. The name derives from the Greek word thallein, meaning "blooming, flourishing.""

Materials: CiM, Effetre & Double Helix Glasses

This set of 13 goddess series beads were created on a base of CiM's Desert Pink with layered dots of Effetre Dark Ivory glasses. Double Helix silver infused glasses, Aurae and rare KA-357 glow under each clear glass portal.
This set also includes 6 spacer beads of transparent Rosata Extralux.

Highlights of DH Aurae silver glass create the bling for this beautiful portal beads!





Luturna
This set is NOW SOLD
Goddess Bead Series #53

"Roman myth name of a goddess offountains, springs and wells, derived ultimately from Latin iuvare, meaning to help"

Materials: Effetre & Double Helix Glasses

This set of 11 goddess series beads were created on a unusual base of Effetre Sediment with layered dots of Effetre Dark Ivory glasses. Double Helix silver infused glass, Terra 2 glow under each clear glass portal.
This set also includes 6 spacer beads of Effetre Sediment.
Highlights of DH Aurae silver glass create the bling for this beautiful portal beads!




Symmetry
Silver Trails Series #34
This set is NOW SOLD

Materials: Effetre, Bullseye Glasses and 99% Fine Silver

This beadful set of 20 Silvertrail beads combine the various soothing and tranquil hues wrapped with 99% Fine Silver Wire.

Caramel, dark amber, purples and greens bring rich balance for your jewelry designs.





Tranquillity
Silver Trails Series #33
This set is NOW SOLD

Materials: Effetre, Bullseye Glasses and 99% Fine Silver

This beadful set of 20 Silvertrail beads combine the various soothing and tranquil hues wrapped with 99% Fine Silver Wire.

Shades of grey, green and purples create the mood of calm in your jewelry designs.




 Delight 
This set is NOW SOLD
Silver Trails Series #32

Materials: CiM, Effetre Glasses and 99% Fine Silver

This beadful set of 20 Silvertrail beads combine the various hues of greens and violet wrapped with 99% Fine Silver Wire.





Exotic
This set is NOW SOLD
Silver Trails Series #31

Materials: CiM, Effetre Glasses and 99% Fine Silver

This beadful set of 21 Silvertrail beads combine the various exotic hues wrapped with 99% Fine Silver Wire.

A selection of the beads within this set were gently etched for a stone-like finish while the remaining are glossy for contrast in your jewelry designs.




Glimmer 
This set is NOW SOLD 

Materials: Effetre, Double Helix Glasses & 99.9% Fine Silver

These simple yet elegant beads were created on a base of Effetre Green Tea. Each bead
was rolled in 99% fine silver foil and sprinkled with Double Helix mixed frit, including Triton and Gaia.

The variation of the shades of blues and greens were created when 99% fine silver wire was added and the beads were reduced to bring the silver to the surface. An interesting effect occurred casting a golden hue on each bead to make the silverfoil surface look like gold.
 These flat tab beads will create a unique one of a kind creation of art glass jewelry!




Blue Mood
This set is NOW SOLD
InnerGlow Series #10

Materials: CiM & Effetre Glasses

This nine bead set of etched beads seem to glow from the inside out!

Starting with an inner core of CiM Heffalump, these beads were encased with Effetre Pale Blue and dotted with Effetre White.
Six etched white spacers complete this set.




Iced Latte
This set is NOW SOLD
InnerGlow Series #11

Materials: CiM & Effetre Glasses

This 11 bead set of etched beads seem to glow from the inside out!

Starting with an inner core of CiM Tamarind Unique, these beads were encased with Effetre Clear and dotted with CiM Adamantium
Ten etched CiM Mink brown spacers complete this set.