In Fall 2003, I started using the 26 hours of studio time that I received as a birthday gift (thank you, mom!). I went to Corning each Monday morning and spent 2 hours making beads. During the first session, I decided that I would make at least one "fun bead" for myself each week. These are some of the "fun beads" (the first picture shows the rest of them). I played with different techniques and types of glass, including encased millefiori (the clear pink and green beads on the right and the aqua and red bead on the left), crushed glass, or frit (the speckled beads at the lower left), crimping (the "leaf" beads at the lower right and the round flat bead at the left), and marvering (shaping and rolling with a graphite paddle; most of the beads in the picture).
