Studio Time: Bead Berries - Custom Bead Sets

In the process of reconnecting with glass, learning my new lampwork setup, and perfecting techniques, I've been making a lot of spacers. LOTS of spacers. It sounds boring. It really isn't. I've learned that, while decorated beads are the desired end goal, spacers still fill a vital role in the world of handmade jewelry. After all, classic, elegant and timeless styles are developed from a repetition of elements. Some of my most popular finished pieces are really, just a set of spacers (shh...don't tell them that...)

But, to me, they aren't spacers. When you put these beads together, they look so juicy and shiny. You just want to scoop them up and do something with them.

I've been doing a lot with small beads (under 10 mm in size), so I'm calling these small bead sets: Bead Berries. To me, this is more than just semantics (one person's Bead Berry is another person's spacer) and marketing (a spacer by any other name is still a spacer.) To me, this is the art of suggesting the potential. My minds shoots off into fireworks with the possibilities of a set of simple glass beads. It's about accurately describing the beads so you know what you are getting.

So, this post is introducing the Kanna Glass Studios line of Bead Berries. Within the Bead Berry line, there are three categories:

Cherry Berries: these are my as-perfect-and-round-as-I-can-possibly-get-them-without-being-a-machine beads. If they were vintage cars, they would be "cherry." These are for the projects that need as much consistency and rounded beads as possible. While I strive for consistency and similarity, these are still handmade and there is some variation in the sizing.

Folk Berries: I appreciate someone who has honed their craft to achieve exquisite form and detail. As I was quality checking my beads for the Cherry Berry pile, I was sorting the beads that didn't make the cut into another pile. They didn't meet the Cherry standard, but it was bothering me. Until I realized why. I also appreciate rustic, folksy, handmade work. I like mixing these two aesthetics together. They play off each other and complement each other. I think this is why I love Southwest Style (U.S.) so much. It mixes clean elegance with organic form, design, and texture. These beads take just as much work as a Cherry Berry (formed and cleaned). These are the "pot quite nerfect" beads that didn't make the Cherry cut but still have the folksy appeal for the who enjoy the rustic charm of handmade beads.

To the connoisseur of Provence, Tuscan or Southwest style...this bead's for you.

Glibble Berries: these bead shapes were born from a pair of cheeky little beads that refused to form into Cherry Berries. I had been striving to achieve the very best technique I possibly can, but hadn't yet embraced the Folk Berry concept. Since I couldn't perform bead CPR and rescue the shape, I did a bunch of pressing with a small tool. These are my favorite beads. Glass dribbled onto the mandrel, shaped into a well-formed round, then pressed with a small tool to form organic facets. These take just as much work as the Cherry and Folk Berries. Out of my entire pile of Cherry Berries and Folk Berries, these are the ones I couldn't keep my hands off. They are tactile and fiddly...perfect for the twiddler.

Want some? I'm offering custom bead sets (24 beads) in single colors of choice. Custom Request Listing in my Artfire shop for each type. I can take one-two orders at a time and will re-post the listing after the order is filled. I'm not sure how long I plan to make spacers, so if you've been dreaming of a selection of beads in your favorite colors, take advantage of this offer! Please note: I do have a wide range of glass colors available, but not every single color under the glass sun, so some color flexibility is greatly appreciated.