My Love Of Beads

I have always loved working with beads.Beads have been a part of just about every culture.Old and rare beads are of great interest to me ,because they have a history of their very own ,a story to tell.When I find myself snooping about a bead show,fine bead shop or trade bead tent,I'm totally immersed...touching,feeling their weight in my hands,holding them up to the light,feeling how cold or warm they are on the skin. For me,the hours are well spent.I come away with beads that I love,often mixing them with other mediums to give them a new wearable life. Did you know? Glass became an important material in beadmaking with its discovery, around 3400 years ago. The word bead comes from the Anglo Saxon words bidden (to pray) and bede (prayer.) Lampwork beads are made using a “lamp” (flame) as a heat source for melting the glass. Now lampworkers use torches to heat the glass to a molten state and gather it on a steel rod. If you would like to know more about beads check out these books. Beads; an Exploration of Bead Traditions Around the World. Janet Coles. Simon & Schuster. ISBN:068483462 The Universal Bead. Joan Erikson. Norton. ISBN:0393310051 Dictionary of Symbols. Jack Tresidder. Chronicle. ISBN:081181470X The Complete Book of Amulets & Talismans. Megene Gonzalez-Wippler. Llewellyn Publications. ISBN:087542287X