http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com Handmade Lampwork Beads for Sale! Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:01:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/what-is-frit.html http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/what-is-frit.html#comments Sat, 01 Aug 2009 11:12:47 +0000 Gail http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/?p=245 If you've been around lampwork beads very long, you'll have heard the term frit.  But what exactly is frit, and why do some of us go ga-ga over it? Frit is an addictive tool in the lampworker's box of tricks, so let's talk about it today. First -- What is Frit Anyway? Frit is a term for ground [...]]]> http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/what-is-frit.html/feed 0 http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/handmade-lampwork-beads/lampwork-beads-with-silver.html http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/handmade-lampwork-beads/lampwork-beads-with-silver.html#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 16:53:56 +0000 Gail http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/?p=177 It's not all that difficult to make lampwork beads with silver, but the trick is knowing how much you can heat the glass once you have put on the silver.  Not enough heat and the bead cracks, too much heat and the silver melts into oblivion. I've had some silver mesh for a few years now, [...]]]> http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/handmade-lampwork-beads/lampwork-beads-with-silver.html/feed 0 http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/lampworking-and-eye-protection.html http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/lampworking-and-eye-protection.html#comments Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:47:04 +0000 Gail http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/?p=172 Eye protection is extremely important when lampworking; after all, if you can't see, you can't work with the glass.  And there's more than one meaning to that. First, lampworking involved bright flame and light, and you  need to sheild your eyes from the light and the UV radiation. Second, if you don't wear your eye protection, your [...]]]> http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/lampworking-and-eye-protection.html/feed 0 http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/lampwork-beads-and-shards.html http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/lampwork-beads-and-shards.html#comments Sun, 12 Jul 2009 20:32:02 +0000 Gail http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/?p=138 If you've ever made lampwork beads, you know there are days when it's pure joy.  The ideas flow and you are able to make what you are dreaming of. Then again, there are also days when even a simple round spacer bead is a struggle.  On those days I've learned that instead of trying to concentrate [...]]]> http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/lampwork-beads-and-shards.html/feed 0 http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/types-of-glass/what-is-glass-coe.html http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/types-of-glass/what-is-glass-coe.html#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:00:12 +0000 Gail http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/?p=118 So what is glass COE?  You see it listed in auctions and Etsy, you hear references to COE, but what does it mean?  Let's talk about it, and why it's important. What is Glass COE? COE, when talking about glass, stands for coefficient of thermal expansion.  In other words, how much and how fast glass expands and [...]]]> http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/types-of-glass/what-is-glass-coe.html/feed 0 http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/other-glass-beads/chinese-lampwork-beads.html http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/other-glass-beads/chinese-lampwork-beads.html#comments Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:13:24 +0000 Gail http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/?p=105 Chinese lampwork beads seem like a real bargain at first. You can get so many for such a small price. But are Chinese lampwork beads really a bargain? Let's talk about it. How the Beads are the Same In some ways, these Asian glass beads are made just the same as the handmade lampwork beads here are [...]]]> http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/other-glass-beads/chinese-lampwork-beads.html/feed 0 http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/bead-kiln.html http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/bead-kiln.html#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2009 11:06:04 +0000 Gail http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/?p=97 A bead kiln is another of the essentials of lampwork bead-making.  It's a fairly big investment, but you don't want to sell your beads without one.  Why is a kiln so important to creating handmade lampwork beads? Purpose of the Kiln The purpose of the kiln is two-fold.  First, it keeps your beads warm as you are [...]]]> http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/bead-kiln.html/feed 0 http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/lampwork-supplies-the-torch.html http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/lampwork-supplies-the-torch.html#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:58:47 +0000 Gail http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/?p=85 Among the lampwork supplies, the torch is probably the most important piece of equipment.  No torch - no melting glass.  No glass -- no lampwork.  Here's a little information about the lampworking torch. I'm writing this for anyone who either has no or little knowledge of lampworking. The Torch Explained There are several kinds of lampworking torches, ranging [...]]]> http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/lampwork-supplies/lampwork-supplies-the-torch.html/feed 0 http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/bead-types/what-are-pandora-beads.html http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/bead-types/what-are-pandora-beads.html#comments Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:25:20 +0000 Gail http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/?p=64 Pandora-style beads are fun to buy and fun to wear.  Fun to wear because you can change out the beads to suit your whim.  Fun to buy because they aren't all that expensive, so you can get a bunch! Let's talk a little about what makes up a Pandora-style bead, lampwork-style. What Are Pandora-Style Beads If you haven't [...]]]> http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/bead-types/what-are-pandora-beads.html/feed 0 http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/types-of-glass/different-kinds-of-bead-making-glass.html http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/types-of-glass/different-kinds-of-bead-making-glass.html#comments Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:51:51 +0000 Gail http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/?p=36 If you've not made beads, you may be wondering about the different kinds of glass you read about.  For example, borosilicate, Moretti, reactive, etc.  What is the difference in the kinds of glass?  Let's talk about it! Is There a Difference? There is definitely a difference when a lampworker is making a bead.  For example, borosilicate ("boro") [...]]]> http://www.lovinglampworkbeads.com/types-of-glass/different-kinds-of-bead-making-glass.html/feed 0