Making Lampwork Bead Earrings And Other Trinkets

By Ines Flores


Whether one is a retiree living alone, or the head of a household, arts and crafts are an excellent way to convert free time to productive time. A person with the ability to make beautiful things can become the envy of everyone they know. One looking for a place to start might consider learning how to make lampwork bead earrings.

Lampworking is a process where the beads are made by melting the glass with a torch or lamp, and it utilizes the same tools as glassblowing. The process has been used probably for thousands of years, although it is difficult to pin down a specific time or place in human history where this technique began. It is used to make other items such as figurines or glass die as well.

The soft glass known as soda-lime is the glass most often used in this technique even though the inherent instability can cause it to crack, and any chemical incompatibility can cause colors to run in ways not intended. The harder glass, known as borosilicate, is much more stable and better for creating multi-colored pieces, but it can be more difficult to get it heated up adequately. The ancient techniques used to heat the glass to a melting point would have made the use of borosilicate less time-effective.

Anyone learning to do beadwork with these pieces should consider starting their new hobby by learning to make the beads themselves. This ancient skill was also called flameworking or torchworking, as these are the methods that were used to heat the glass to a melting point. Recreating the old way before learning the modern and more efficient method can give anyone a new appreciation for our technological advancements.

Whenever a person learns a new skill or art, it can become a means of generating income for them. A quick online search reveals countless small business owners selling hand-made items. Additionally, artisans can travel with Renaissance fairs or other gatherings to sell their products as a vendor while also enjoying the ambiance of the event and networking with other artists.

Saving money at Christmastime is another benefit of cultivating a new artistic skill. Anyone can appreciate beautiful hand-made gifts, and most people probably prefer them to items that come from retail stores. The loving hand of a friend or family member makes a gift truly special.

With families struggling to stay afloat on lesser incomes, establishing a new business can help provide comfort and stability. No one coming from a corporate environment really likes working fast food or retail, but bread winners have always taken the reign and done what they have to in order to provide for their clan. A family business is a much better model for young people than parents who work tiring and stressful jobs for low wages.

Most families sit around a television set being passively entertained, rarely interacting with one another in any meaningful way. Imagine a family who sits around a table and makes beads, ornaments, jewelry, or anything they like. That household has lively conversation and a true sharing of themselves which promotes a sense of happiness and well being.




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