My first bead using the ribbon technique

 This is my first ribbon bead.  I think it isn't too bad for a first try.  The bead is a bit wonky and I got one part of it too hot when applying the clear over the orange dots.  I will wear it as soon as I get some beads made to go with it.  Well.....after they are all annealed, that is.

Here are 4 images of it so you can see all sides, even the not so good one :/

End of March 2014, Some of my favorite beads so far :)

These pictures are of some beads that I took from sets that I made to make pendants.  I have more recently been working on making melted in flower beads and encased flower beads.  This is progressing well but I sure have made some mistakes, lol.  The good thing about mistakes is that we can learn from them.  I am currently working on making a batch of matching flower beads :).   Well, not matching beads so much as complimentary beads.  I don't like the look of all beads the same in a necklace so I make a batch with different beads using the same color scheme.  No matchy, matchy for me :)

I don't get to the torch for very long at a time and not every day so I wait until there are about 80 to 100 beads made before I fire up the kiln.  I only have about 20 made at the moment so it will be a while before I can post more pictures. 

Pendants don't have to be just one large piece.  I like to put two or more beads together to make one.

                                My favorite colors, orange and blue, in a three piece pendant

                                         Three beads I chose from a set, just for this pendant

                                   I like this one almost as much as the one pictured below.  See it used in
                                   a necklace in the second picture below.

                                   My favorite "so far" pair of beads.  See them below on a chain.

                                LOL don't pay attention to the date, my camera wasn't set right.  This necklace has a chain maille chain that I made.

                     Here are some charms I use for the pendant necklaces I made from my beads.

I made my own bead rest for inside the kiln

 Don't waste your money buying bead annealing racks from someone else, you can do it yourself with the tools and materials you are likely to have already. 

Here is a bead rack I made using a 1/16" stainless steel mandrel.  It comes from 1/16" stainless steel welding rod.  If you buy your mandrels already pre-cut, I urge you to check out your local welding supply store for 1/16" and 3/32" stainless steel welding rod.  It comes in different grades.  You want 308 308L.  These will take a lot of heat and last a long time.  I use a hothead so don't know about the heat from a dual fuel torch.

To make the rack I used 3 of my 1/16" stainless mandrels.  Be aware that stainless steel is strong so it will give resistance.   I first made a bend a little off center using my round nose pliers.  Then I made another bend beside it.  After that there is one more bend to make the other leg.  Then bend the legs as shown.  These first three bends are the middle where the straight mandrel rests.  See the picture for an idea of where and how much to bend the legs.  The legs must be bent as shown so that they won't tip over under the weight of the beads.  I would say to make about a 45-60 degree angle.  I made my mandrel that will hold the beads just short of 9" to fit my kiln.  I have a table top model that was made by The Glass Hive.  I got the short guy :) and I love it.  This isn't a plug for them, just saying that my kiln interior measures 9" across.

Ahhh, now I have to make 6 more rests.  Then I will be able to anneal more beads at one time than my other, purchased, rest would accommodate.   I batch anneal because I do not work at it full time.  I usually get from 8-16 hours a week at my torch so I only anneal when I have a full load. 

I have an idea that a taller and a shorter version of this bead rest could be made to create two more tiers of racks for better utilization of space in the kiln. Wow!  I could have 100-150 beads in there at once.  That means I would have to spend more time at the torch, it's a good thing :)