Down By The Frog Pond

While wandering around the Internet today I came across the cutest tutorial for little frog beads.  I've made frog beads before, but these were so cute and the price was right so I thought "why not try something different today!"  So I bought the tutorial and went straight to the garage....I mean my state of the art studio.  And now I have some frogs hopping around in my kiln and I'm just dying to see how they turned out!  Check back soon to see for yourself.

Tutorial cover picture.  These are not my beads.

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For The Love Of Pets

Our family pets hold a special place in our hearts.  They protect us, love us and even entertain us.  No matter what kind of mood we're in they still love us.  My dog will sit and listen to me complain, as long as I'm scratching him behind the ear, that is.  So to celebrate our furry family members I've listed a small collection of pet related items.

Doggie Dresses

Small Dog or Cat ID Tag

Lampwork Collar Charm

Large Dog ID Tag

Cat ID Tag

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Win A Great ArtFire Shopping Spree For Christmas!

I know, I said it: Christmas!!  It's just around the corner.  Seems like just yesterday I was packing up that darn tree.  Now it's almost time to take it out again.

Well, don't worry, there's still time for that.  Better yet, how about thinking about some holiday shopping instead! And what could be better then a FREE shopping spree.

Some great ArtFire Studios have gotten together to have a great contest to Find Santa and win some spending cash on ArtFire.  The best part is that you can find really great handmade items that are so totally unique that you may want to keep them all to yourself ;)

Click here for the rules and entry form.  And don't forget to scroll down the whole page and visit the great sponsors for this wonderful Shopping Spree!

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Great News: The ArtFire Pro Deal Is On!

Yep, it's true.  With all the changes that have happened in such a short time concerning online selling, AftFire admin crunched the numbers and decided they were going to go ahead with the Pro Deal.  So now instead of having to have 20k sign ups they're going to go with the Pro Deal October 1st!!

So if you sell online and have been on the fence about whether or not you want to try ArtFire now is you chance.  At just $5.95 per month you can list and sell unlimited creations!! No other hidden fees.  How cool is that?

So click the picture above.  What are you waiting for?

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Crackers Aren't Just For Cheese Spread!

I'd like to warn you that the POLYMERCLAYLAND blog is a content thief! I'm starting with this line because this is the line that will show up on Google searches and the "spiders" out searching for info will "crawl" this line first. I want everyone to know there is another kind of "thief" out there. Read on....

According to Associated Content, quote: ' "Crackers", in the computer world, are those who use their hacking knowledge for malicious purposes.' I'm going to use this definition because some "crackers" are stealing SEO. And whether or not SEO is a tangible item, it's still stealing.

In the handmade world we work doubly hard to earn our Google ranking in the SEO world. It takes a lot of time and effort. People selling handmade are trying to make a living doing what they love, and the work they do is very personal and close to their hearts. And to have someone come in and STEAL their hard earned SEO by stealing blog posts and such is just wrong and unethical.

Learn more from Tina Holden who found out her hard earned SEO was stolen by a cracker who is now making money off their clicks by reposting her blog posts. Surfers think they're going to her blog, but they're really going to a bogus blog who is stealing her blog posts word for word, and only replacing the pictures. Not cool!

I think it's always a good idea to Google yourself now and then. It's fun to see where you show up, but now that there are cracker thieves out there, you can also see who's stealing your SEO!

Please go visit Tina's blog and show your support. At the bottom she has a link to help fight off SEO thieves.

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Do You Know - About Artisan Lampwork Beads

Recently I explained a little bit on what lampwork is. Today I'd like to explain something that is very important to all jewelry designers, and is very close to the heart of every lampwork artisan.

Today lampworkers have been labeled artisans. I often describe some lampworking styles as "painting with glass" when a scene is made that is reminiscent of a painting. Lampwork landscapes are a great example. And it truly is a beautiful kind of artwork to behold. (see the example above from MyJoyfulCorner)

So, what about lampwork beads? Well, there are two types of lampwork beads: Artisan made and what has been coined as imported or manufactured lampwork.

ARTISAN LAMPWORK

Artisan made lampwork is handmade by the artisan with great care and detail. These beads are properly kiln annealed (kept hot for the required time, and slowly cooled to realign the crystal structure properly). This tempers the glass making it stronger and more durable. Care is also taken to properly clean the bead release from the hole. **Please note, not all artisan lampwork will be kiln annealed, and should be labeled as blanket annealed if that is how they are made.

Artisan beads are unique often one-of-a-kind items which are used as focals in a design or creation. Some are made as matching sets. And all are well done and beautiful works of art.

The artisan lampwork community is also very knowledgeable in proper safety and working conditions. Molten glass gives off carbon monoxide and other dangerous fumes depending on what the glass is made from. Some glasses actually have metal in them, and these fumes can be unhealthy to inhale.

We are also very aware of the dangers of looking directly at the flare which occurs when glass is held in the torch flame. This can do severe damage to the eyes, and we buy special glasses or other eye safety gear to block those harmful rays. (the photo of the Bench Mount Shield is the type of eye safety I use)

IMPORTED LAMPWORK

Imported lampwork is still handmade. But we call them "manufactured" because of how they are made. Manufactured beads have come a long way in the last few years. But if is very important the buyers understand what they are purchasing, and the differences between artisan lampwork and manufactured lampwork.

The main "flaw" (for lack of a better word) of manufactured beads is the fact that they are not properly kiln annealed. You may often see visible cracks in the beads. However, sometimes these cracks will not show right away, but will appear later when the beads are mishandled or stressed in some way, like being dropped. Proper cleaning is another clue to help identify manufactured beads.

Manufactured bead | Artisan Lampwork

The above bead, on the left, is a great example of a manufactured bead that was not properly cleaned. You'll notice the hole is full of bead release, click on it to enlarge it for a better view.

So you have the combination of poor working conditions, improper annealing and uncleaned beads with manufactured beads.

CONCLUSION

So now you're probably wondering how in the world you can possibly tell whether or not you're buying artisan lampwork or imported lampwork. Even at craft and art fairs there are still many unscrupulous people who will buy imports and pass them off as their own.

Here are just a couple tips when searching for artisan quality lampwork beads:

• Price: Artisan lampwork is always more expensive due to the time it takes to create a bead, the price of the glass, and the equipment/overhead cost to make quality annealed beads.
• Volume: Immediate supply is a good gauge. Lampwork beads take time, and high volume may indicate the seller may not have made the beads themselves. Ask the seller how many sets they have of the same design/color. Chances are that some beads may be imports if they have many of the exact same sets of beads. This is just my thought, and in no way is a guarantee that the item is or is not made by that person. Look the person directly in the eye and ask them if they made the bead you want to purchase.
  
• Quality. The bead hole should be nice and clean. There should be no visible cracks or sharp edges. (Please remember that someone just starting out in lampworking may not make "perfect" beads, but they'll make up for that in enthusiasm, which you'll feel when you talk to them!)
  

I hope this helps give a little more understanding on the quality and cost of artisan made lampwork. I'm not saying there should be no imported lampwork beads. But I do want to make sure people are aware and are able to choose the beads that are best for their budget and designs. And to help give a little more knowledge to buyers so they are not duped into buying beads they think are artisian made when they aren't.

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What's In A Hollow Bead?

Nothing but hot air, really. Well, air is something, after all. So let me explain ;)

A hollow bead is made by creating two thin disk beads close together, and curing towards each other. Creating two dome-like structures that curve towards each other. Then, finally, they are connected. The hard part is making sure there are no holes. Because, you see, as air is heated it expands and if there are holes, well, the air escapes. If the air escapes, the bead will collapse and no longer be hollow.

Easy to explain, but hard to picture, so I'll include a video I found on YouTube. Isn't YouTube great!! (She's listening to Pearl Jam, nice song)

Hollow beads are great for creating larger works of glass because air is light, and a larger bead will be lighter too. Nice for pendants. And perfect for my handmade fish beads! This adorable guy just might still be available in my ArtFire shop. Click on him to see.

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Andrea Designs Rides The Crazy Train

AndreaDesigns knits some awesome handmade scarves and shawls! And she has some really cool colored yarns! Take a peek and go visit her shop and take advantage of her Christmas in July Sale!! This lovely summer isn't going to last forever!

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Hoffee And A Nuffin

If you like sock monkeys you will love Hoffee And A Nuffin! This is where you can find all kinds of adorable cards, keychains and more. All sock monkey themed!

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