Glass Bead Making Adventure

You, my friend, are extremely lucky because you are invited along this journey with me.  You may find yourself asking what journey, and I am so glad that you asked. I am about to embark on a glorious, glass bead making adventure. I have absolutely no idea how to make glass beads, but what could be better than playing with fire?

This week I purchased a "Glass Bead Making Starter Kit" (pictured above).  This glorious assembly includes "15 glass rods, self-igniting torch, 12 stainless steel mandrels, heat-resistant work surface, fiber blanket, 2 texturizing marvers, bead rake and release, canister holder and instructional DVD."  I still need to purchase my fuel, after which I will write about how my actual bead-making goes (complete with pictures, of course!).  After I made my purchase, I watched a few glass bead making tutorials to help me know what I was getting myself into.  It looks great to me!

I have visions of learning how to make things like beautiful glass beads and little lampwork turtles and bugs.  It may be terribly ambitious and not really ever happen, but someday I want to make things like these:

Please note I did not make any of the above items.  We'll see what I manage to make probably tomorrow.  I hope it's not impossibly hard and I can grow up to make handsome turtles like that...