A Birthday Treat!

My First Ever Lampwork Bead Necklace

As I mentioned in my previous post, it was my Birthday on 19th June. Just about everyone in my family was asking what I wanted for my Birthday but I didn't know!

Some of the beads in close-up

 However, when we went to the Herts Heavy Horse Show at Capel Manor over the Jubilee weekend, I noticed an advertising postcard for a place called Art Shed Arts in Ware that run lots of different craft courses. Now, I had heard of them before and, in fact, a long time ago after being fascinated by some Lampwork beads, I had searched out for places where you could learn to make them and found Art Shed Arts straight away.

More of the beads in close-up

Seeing the postcard reminded me of them ...... and I thought ...... if my family give me money I can go on one of their courses! So that's what I did!

Yet more close-ups!

It was a fantastic day! We were shown how to use the equipment to initially produce quite simple beads. Potentially, the blow lamps are quite dangerous things to use, so safety glasses and keeping safety aware was paramount! We then added other colours to make different patterns.

We were shown how to use more of the glass to produce cylindrical beads. I found these more difficult to do as far as getting a nice even shape and a 'clean' area around the theading hole and I think they'd need more practice to produce really even beads.

The glass beads had to slowly cool by using, of all things, a slow-cooker! By the end of the day, they had cooled enough for us to clean them up and take them home! I have strung them all on a piece of voile type ribbon and tied the ribbon to a 'clever-clasp' as the fastening.

So ...... my first ever lampwork bead necklace :)
I am really chuffed with how it has come out and can thoroughly recommend Art Shed Arts in Ware for a fantastic day where I learnt a lot :)