JillSymons

2010-12-21T00:08:00.009-05:00

back in the saddle...

2010-03-08T09:31:00.007-05:00

Last month I brought out a new style of bracelet, one that is easy to wear, adjust and is pretty darn amazing! Above are pictured two of the later styles - what do you think?

2009-11-22T00:12:00.003-05:00

2009-09-03T12:27:00.002-04:00

Meet Steel Blue - it's a Glassdaddy color that has been waiting patiently to be discovered. All I can say is that it was the first set to jump off the pages last night. It plays wonderfully with copper green and violet - I'll be playing with it more - but seriously need to put a little distance between myself and this shape bead. SERIOUSLY.
The challenge for me this coming week will be to keep in the forefront of my mind/intention to steer myself to beads as I used to make them. Hand Shaped. No presses. PERIOD
We've grown accustomed to using them almost without a thought - and it'll be fun to see what comes of this. I see a few sets of hollows - maybe even shaped hollows, a revisit to hearts

on a side note: I will be doing a demonstration this month at BlueMoonGlassworks' September Fireflies meeting on how to make my hand-shaped hearts. Time to get some practice in, eh?!!

2009-09-01T23:06:00.004-04:00

OH... my - how time flies.
I love the smell of newly sharpened pencils and Scotch Tape... for it means school has started - and now - I can torch to my heart's content - and not feel terribly guilty!

The updates are in full swing again - as I've weathered a cross country move... been unpacking boxes for the past few weeks - and life is finally settling back in... LIFE IS GOOD. What exemplifies that - other than hollows... it's sort of like stretching after exercise... it just feels good.
Look for more of a regular presence here - as I've missed you guys too.

I have to tell you. Glassdaddy's Steel Blue has finally been paired up with it's perfect match. I've got a set that will go on the update tomorrow night on the website - that will have you crazy... they're wonderful. I can't wait to use this color combo again - and show you what else it's capable of! Tune in tomorrow - and I'll post a picture.

2009-08-13T02:14:00.002-04:00

Tiny canvas for art!
Reminded once again - how I love creating on a background of black... I revisited this
style set, and wasn't disappointed in the least. If you click on the image - you'll see the
larger version. I love this style bead for its simple almost childlike scribbles.. and the fact
that the design has been flattened in the same mold as the base bead - same curve exists.

Although I like elegant encased beads - sometimes the inner child just needs to sing her song!

2009-08-11T01:56:00.003-04:00

This picture was included in a book by Jeri Warhaftig last year - I chose it tonight because, it'd been such a LONG time since I'd seriously made hollows. I sat down and started to refresh my technique... better stated. I dusted it off. Layers of dust. I had a few failures - as in I didn't get all the holes sealed up and the hollow deflated. BUT - then hit the zone.
How long do you think it should take to make one? I don't know if I've ever talked about the self-imposed time limit I have.

OK, here we go.
I don't believe that a bead should take me longer than 20 minutes to make. I'm not all rah-rah on beads that I hear take people a couple of hours... how can they do that??? My attention span is roughly twenty minutes. YOU have a good 'read' on whether the bead is turning out as planned after about 10 minutes... I figure you're half-way there.

IF after 20 minutes - you've made a huge mistake or absolutely hate it - you can bail, and not feel too bad, as not that much time was invested. I don't like to prolong failure. *or for that matter - repeat it* I learn pretty quick what I did wrong and make note.

Oh... the time on the hollow was 2min. 55 sec. but I got it down to 2 min 15 sec. that's pretty darn amazing.

2009-08-10T12:03:00.003-04:00

Austin inspired fun set - Kellie - a sophisticated mix of colors that play beautifully upon each other - emphasizing color relationships and causing that great visual 'pop' when an otherwise ordinary color is placed adjacent to one that makes it just come to life. 1/2" diameter rounds with 1/16" mandrel holes are a useful size that lend themselves to earrings, bracelets or necklaces... perhaps *if you have not already noticed* my very favorite shape!!

2009-08-09T10:53:00.002-04:00

Simple shape - basic color... FLASH of richness. The contrast between the predictable shape, the basic black... and the random edges of the gold leaf make this set pop. It invites exploration and awe and surprise.
I love to find ways to awaken curiosity - maybe make the viewer have to 'work' to earn the right to enjoy the totality of the design, and hopefully - at the end, the overall experience outweighs the 'work' expended!

2009-08-04T01:52:00.004-04:00

Today, it's all about color and simplicity... OH WAIT... it's always about that! I've just found a new way to bring it forward - with as little distraction as possible. It's lovely disks of color - that swing from your earlobes. Perfectly perfect. ... Lauscha Lemon and Tangerine transparent glass... as if I needed to call it out! ; )

Below is dark blue-lavender... etched.... mmmm nice.

2009-06-14T09:24:00.001-04:00

2009-05-28T11:49:00.003-04:00

That was quite a small lifetime to leave this blog just 'sitting', eh? No - the world hasn't stopped and I'm still spinning around, faster in fact - and quite a bit happier! I'm going to post some of the pieces I've made of late just to give you some eye candy - so you'll perhaps forgive the long silence, it'll be proof that I was hard at work.

Thanks for checking in - I've missed being here...

2009-02-03T19:36:00.001-05:00

I've always loved this bead. It just looks like it's been captured in a jar - sealed at both ends. Interesting pinky color splashes happened inside too!

2009-01-30T21:04:00.001-05:00

2009-01-27T21:21:00.010-05:00

I'm unleashing a new type *for me* of update tomorrow evening, Jan 28th - it'll showcase just a dozen items and offer smaller 'large thumbnails' that will hyperlink to full size shots and information on another page. The goal is to have it set to go weekly on Wednesday evenings. I think smaller goals than the huge and infrequent updates are more my speed.

So - it's all ready to go - and I have a whole 'nother day before my deadline... ouch! I just strained my arm as I reached over to pat myself on my back~! snicker....
Here are some of the thumbnails... come see for yourself tomorrow at 9pm EST -

It'll go live from this link: Wednesday Weekly Update , see you!! smiles, Jill

2009-01-17T23:45:00.006-05:00

bead update on my main website... jillsymons.com tomorrow evening at 9pm. I'm pretty psyched, have quite an inventory and am anxious to see what different people find fetching. *love that word*.

Do you see a red theme here?? snicker!

2009-01-10T09:51:00.000-05:00

2009-01-09T08:44:00.004-05:00

Always so dramatic. I continue to love R4. The other days was one of focals - and it was such fun... I thought it would be appropriate to display them in a neighborhood group shot... the one on the left end is about the size of your pinkie... and so on.

Another celebration in copper green and ivory - always etched, dictated by some necessary rule of the soul. (??) but they do 'shine' in their own, eh? Here's the flip shot...

2009-01-01T10:33:00.003-05:00

I love this new set - it's soft, and very sweet.

2008-12-06T21:37:00.005-05:00

playing with silver foil again - I forgot how elegant it can be. Nice set though - Prussian, purple and black with reduction frit and twisties.
Elegance.

2008-12-02T21:37:00.002-05:00

Beauties, eh? I tried some different things with this set. Side to side feathering - floating R4 ring over the mint... that is THEN encased... Palladium core with floating R4... Vortex, then Palladium floating over R4, R4 core with a wrap of copper wire... a fun mix. 15mm lentils and as is the standard of late - 1/16" mandrel holes!

I just found out my buddy Jeri Warhaftig (*Happy Birthday this Sunday!!*) is teaching next year at Bluemoon Glassworks in Austin... you GO girl! That is awesome.

2008-11-28T10:28:00.003-05:00

While finding those image, I revisited the array of toggles that were made back in May of 2007, at this time I was playing with texture - and texturizing the barrel of the toggle as well as the complementing rings.
For those of you who aren't familiar with toggles, they're made like beads - but it's a two part process - involving making/annealing/cleaning the rings one day - then putting them into a cold kiln and brought up to working temperature. While this is happening - you create a long bead barrel with one tall disk at one end... while it needs to be hot enough not to crack, yet cool enough not to have the rings stick to it, you carefully retrieve the rings from the hot kiln and slide them onto the barrel and quickly make the other end disk. Try to gently warm it a bit - then tuck it into the kiln.

2008-11-27T19:02:00.008-05:00

I love all the different shapes that the presses allow - and getting nicely squared edges without the distortion of the design is the 'goal'... but no matter how lovely the bead - it's incredibly hard to photograph them AND give them the honor due for being a beautiful bead. (I will search my archives though and try to find a photograph that utilizes the shadow that was thrown - as it shows how sharp the corners are and straight the lines.) These show much MUCH better in person - unfortunately, for most of my sales are online. Very pretty though!
I found some more images while I was hunting for the one above... so - the show continues...This bead is called "Portals" because the large droplets of clear act to amplify what's underneath... and sometimes the view into the bead has to be sought - and what better to look through, than these viewing portals. Love this look, and I do have four additional that I made - if you're interested in owning one - just email me!
My love affair with R4 glass continues... this pendant shown above has some of the most glorious swirls and also - the most beautifully executed color transformation of this R4 glass. Neat, eh?

AND finally - the last one - "Ventana" meaning windows - it was reminiscent of a window I saw on the island of Murano. It looked as if the glass were just slices from some large glass cane. I left the chill marks on the beads - as they really seemed to add so much to the design.

OK, one more - these are my firs beads ever. Note how many were burned, cracked right in two - lopsided or what. I shake my head now... but I was darn proud of them... uh, about 11 years ago.

2008-11-24T22:05:00.005-05:00

so - they dangle, but they're posts... my Mom has been asking for post earrings FOREVER... do these qualify? They're fun, all handmade components - save the post and clutch. I've got four pair set to go - pricing? hmmm. dilemma - suggestions?? *oh, and yes - there are a "pair" of errings!* The smaller rings are 14ga, the larger ring is 12ga - soldered shut.

2008-11-23T16:15:00.003-05:00

Instructions: "click above image to fall in" ; )
I was wishing that there would be better light today - as these new sets are absolutely stunning. But - this is what I got. I had to string them quickly - as otherwise, I'm sure they'd be bracelets by now!

And, these just went on as the Daily Bead on my site.