Paula Radke at the Tucson Gem Show

I had the distinct pleasure of visiting the booth of Paula Radke at the Tucson Gem and Mineral show last month. For those of you in love with dichroic glass, not many artists can hold a candle to the beautiful designs and work done by Paula.

Dichroic glass is defined by wikipedia as "glass containing multiple micro-layers of metal oxides which give the glass dichroic optical properties." Wikipedia states that"The main characteristic of dichroic glass is that it has a transmitted colour and a completely different reflected colour..." The color of the glass changes according to wavelenghts that are either reflected or pass through the glass. The results are dazzling.

Spending time in her booth was truly exciting and I walked away with some gorgeous glass that I can't wait to use in my designs. If you haven't seen Paula's work check her website and enjoy!

Need Beads?

I know I do! There is nothing more satisfying for a jewelry designer, apart from completing a wonderful piece, than purchasing a batch of lovely new beads. Although most jewelry atrisit have more beads than they can ever hope to use, this is an addiction which brings great pleasure with great results. The lovely of http://charmsnfindings.etsy.com/ provides unusual Japanese beads as well as some Karen Hill Tribe pure silver beads which are my personal favories. Please read the following description of the little treasures she carries in her etsy shop.

"I've gotten quite a lot of questions inquiring what "tensha" beads are. They are artisan beads made of top notched acrylic from Japan and are done in the manner of decoupage. Decoupage is the art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper cut outs onto it in combination with special paint effects, gold leaf, etc. This was known in 18th century England as The Art of Japanning after its presumed origins. The tensha beads I sell are imported direct from Japan personally by me, these are NOT made in China. Everything -- from lucite beads to 14k gold plated charms are lead-free ; you can be assured of their best quality here at my store. If you have questions about anything, feel free to send me a convo."

I have chosen afew of my favorite selections here. Don't miss her shop!

Falling in Love with Lampwork

Susan, the artisan and designer of etsy shop Cserpent , obviously loves to design jewelry using lampwork beads. Being a lampwork addict myself, I appreciate the beauty of her pieces. She has the ability to bring out the full richness and colors of these handmade beads with her unique style and design. Take a look at her wonderful jewelry today and have your checkbook handy. Please read more on Susan's blog.

Here Comes Santa Kitty

Looking for unique and lovely lampwork beads? Then be sure to visit the shop of Catldy99. This Santa kitty is a perfect lampwork bead for a necklace or bracelet. Check out Judy Richard's shop for more beads and lovely jewelry like the bracelet below. Don't forget to take a peek at her blog too.

A Taste Of Brazil

I have enjoyed browsing the the shops of Bebe de Soares. Her Contasbrasil and Contascoeln shops feature unique and colorful items with a Brazilian flavor. The bag you see below is one of the beautiful items in her shop. I love the "waterfall" necklaces like the one in the photo. The jewelry comes in unique gift bags. Don't miss Bebe's blog.