What I love about creativity is that occasionally the clouds part and you get a peek on how you work. What I’m saying is that after 21 years of beadmaking, occasionally I stumble on a design and forget that I’ve made it before… but once you have an “inventory” of bead shapes in your coffer… it’s a matter then of combining shapes to create pleasing pieces.

The lollypop of color has been in my catalog of ideas for years… but now that I’ve conquered the hole… it’s really all about the color. The glass has always been my push… allowing the colors to sing. So - then absent of surface decoration - you’re left simply with shape. The matchstick shape joined the catalog of ideas a few years back - but only this year have I combined the shapes in different ways.

I don’t often work in opaques once we’ve headed into Spring - but these did happen this week… The rounds are 3/8”D and are a base bead wrapped in decorative glass - then encased. Of course, the solid form of the black makes precision of lines and angles imperative - because anything off of perfect shows. Love these little beauties!

For years I struggled with how to use the flat beads I so love making… this is my solution and I am very pleased. I feel movement and shape is so important - and these elements show up in most of my work. Happily. smiles, Jill