Free Lampwork Tutorial :: Plant Poke Flowers

If you're a lampworker, you know that those 1/16" mandrels bend so easily when you're trying to get your beads off, and usually don't last very long without becoming wonky.  What do you do with mandrels you can no longer use?  Make plant pokes out of them!

These are some plank poke flowers I have made.  While it's a beginner project, I thought I'd show you how I make mine.  I'm sure you'll have some other ideas of what you can do too!  It's a good way to use up your glass shorts!

Above, I'm starting with a glass short to make the base of the flower.  The tool I am using is the Hold Me Tight tool from Graceful Customs.  This is an essential tool, in my opinon, especially for shorts!

Heat up the end of your mandrel (not too much or it will melt) and the glass short.  Wind the glass onto the tip of the mandrel as you would if you were making a bead.  Do not use bead release on these flowers, or they won't stick on the mandrel! (In my best Wizard of Oz voice - please ignore the dirty messy work bench!!!!).

Here's your glass blob.  Move it around, allowing gravity help you to get it into a nice round, pea sized shape.

 Here's the pretty shape! It's still a little hot so it looks red. Notice the nice shape?

Gently flatten the blob on the top, very evenly, on a tool such as your torch mounted marver, or a graphite marver, or even a lentil press.  Just make sure the shape is nice and the way you want it cuz you're stuck with it at the next step!

 Next, you're going to get either a longer short (oxymoron there!) or a rod, and wind the glass around the pretty base shape as you would a disc bead.

Make as many wraps as you want, paying attention and heating the whole flower occasionally so it doesn't shock and break. Make several wraps, round and round.

Here's how it looks from the side.  Make sure you like the shape, and the number of wraps.  Feel free to use other tools to move the glass or shape it up to the way you like it.  I like to have my large tweezers on hand in case I have to bend the glass a certain way.

Sometimes I like to add a little interest to the flowers by using my small pliers to create texture.  To do this, just heat the glass in a small area, and quickly bite the glass with the pliers.  Then move the heat a little bit to the right, and do the same thing.  Repeat the whole way around the flower.  If you find that some of the bites are too far apart, just go in and heat that blank area and bite with the pliers again!

Here's how it looks from the side.  This is your opportunity to use your large tweezers to even up the shape - lightly heat where you want to move the glass at this point, or it will sag on the end of the mandrel.  Also, make sure you keep flashing your glass in the flame to avoid thermal shock.

Here's the finished plant poke flower!  You need to anneal this as normal, using the proper anneal schedule.  Here's another flower I made, but instead of using the pliers to create bites in the glass, I used the tweezers to "wave" the glass for a different shape.

By now, I'm sure you're saying, OH, I can do...this...that...the other!  So some day when you don't know what to make, make some plant pokes!

Susan Kennedy

All Abloom

"It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want — oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!" ~Mark Twain

 My heart yearns for warm sunshine and blossoms at this time of year.  And nature fulfills that longing with abundance.  Tulips, daffodils and hellebores.  Lilacs, cherry blossoms and crocus.  A walk through the garden brings such a feast of color and beauty!

For many of us this outpouring of color translates into the urge to create.  I have gathered some jewelry components here to help you fulfill that urge.  Set one of these beauties out on your work table, find out which beads in your stash are clamoring to join the party and let your designer's heart blossom!  

I'm also offering up some finished jewelry that you might enjoy for yourself or perhaps for a Mother's Day or Graduation gift.

Moon Flowers by Karen Totten of Starry Road

Flower Chicklet Bead Set by Sue Kennedy of Sue Beads

Orange and Yellow Porcelain Flower Pendant by Diana P. of Suburban Girl

This Emerald Amulet Bag with a Stitched Flower would make a great ready-made Mother's Day gift.  It was made by Lindsay Starr of Phantasm Creates.

 

These Dogwood Flower Earrings by Lesley Watt of TheaJewelry features polymer clay flowers by AJE team member  Rebekah Payne.

 

And from Rebekah herself (Tree Wings Studio), we have these new Half Daisy Pendants.

 

Here's a cute stoneware Flower and Bee Set from  Caroline Dewison of Blueberri Beads.

Pretty Minty Fresh Necklace by Kristen Stevens of Beadwork By KAS.

White Copper Flower Pendant from Melissa Meman of Melismatic 

Turquoise and Peach Flower Earrings by yours truly (Linda Landig Jewelry).  These earrings feature bronze flowers by AJE member, Lesley Watt.

I hope you feel inspired now!  If it is warm enough where you live, try sitting in the sun while you are beading.  Wishing you sunshine, blossoms and happiness!  Till next time-

Linda Landig  
Linda Landig Jewelry

.

May Flowers!

I think it's safe to say we're all really happy that spring is starting to happen, at least in part of the country. I thought I'd take you on a tour of some May flowers today!

Cute little bunny bead from Rebekah!

Beautiful blue floral necklace from Linda!

Boho flower chicklet beads from Sue!

Gorgeous floral toggle clasp from Karen!

Beautiful new ceramic floral pendant from Lesley!

New white copper flowers from Kristi!

Amazing floral ring from Diana!

Flower headpin by Jennifer!

Gorgeous seed-beaded necklace by Kristen!

Fun floral earrings by Jenny!

Bright enameled flower charm by Melissa!

Gorgeous ceramic flower and bird set by Caroline!

Moroccan inspired earrings by Keirsten!

Wild Flower Wooly Wire!

 

 

 I hope you enjoyed this survey of floral offerings by the AJE members! 

Susan Kennedy

SueBeads Etsy

SueBeads Web Site

A Little Easter Tour

When I think of Easter, I think of warm Spring weather, new growth, fresh pastel colors, and signs of Earth's re-birth. I thought I'd do a little visual tour of artisan jewelry and bead goodness that remind me of today's Easter.


These lovelies are by Leslie Watt of Thea Elements. I just want to dive in! And hey... do you notice something interesting about one of these photos? If you do, post the answer in a comment below!

Nellie Thomas has several yummy spring colors in her shop WoolyWire Etc., and is currently running a Spring sale for 25% off. 

Here are some lovely beads by Genea Crivello-Knable of Genea Beads. By the way, she is having an Easter / Spring sale starting on Monday.

Next is lovely Spring jewelry by Linda Landig of Linda Landig Jewelry. I especially love the bunny bracelet. She looks very content in her little garden of beads. :)

Rebekah Payne of Tree Wing Studio is having a Spring Clearance sale several of her beautiful polymer beads.

She has also introduced this new color, which I love! Really puts one in the mood for Spring.

Diana Ptaszynski of Suburban Girl Beads has these sweet pastel colored ceramic beads in her shop.

Jenny Davies-Reazor has some cute spring critter beads, like these two examples ...

I hope you enjoyed this brief tour. Have a lovely week. :)