1. What is Lampworking? Lampworking is an ancient art that is also called flameworking or torchworking. Ages ago, this art work was done with an oil lamp and a bellows that was pumped with your foot to blow air on the flame to make the flame hotter. A gather of hot glass is formed in the flame and wound around a stainless steel mandrel to create a bead. We make special canes from multiple colors of glass to apply to the ready made bead to make the flowers, vines and different types of designs on the bead. (used to draw and sculpt on the bead). This is all done on an oxygen and propane torch today. After the bead has been annealed in a kiln to remove any internal stress, they are cleaned and then ready for use to make wearable art jewelry.
2. How long does a larger focal bead take to make? One of our larger focal beads can take up to 1 hour or more, depending on if we are including the time it takes to make all of the special canes and if the bead is encased. The floral beads take longer than the scroll worked beads. Smaller floral beads usually take around 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to make. Small beads take around 15 minutes to make depending on how much time the canes take to make and how long it takes to get the design work onto to bead. I sometimes spend most of the day just making special canes that I will use the next day to paint with.
3. What kind of glass do you use? Most of my glass beads are made with Moretti glass rods from Italy. Some special colors come from Germany. I also make smaller glass beads from Bullseye Glass from Portland, Oregon.
4. What is annealing? Annealing is the process of cooling the glass down to relieve any stress inside the bead after it was formed. A temperature controlled kiln is used to bring the temperature down to room temperature, which usually it takes around 6 to 8 hours. All of our beads are annealed which is important for the strength of the bead.
5. Is each handmade bead one of a kind? Most of our larger handmade beads are one of a kind. I can usually come close to something I have made. I do make sets of glass beads (A large focal bead with smaller matching beads).
6. What kinds of Buttons do you carry? We carry mostly older Victorian or Antique Buttons from the late 1800's to 1930's. Our Vintage Glass Buttons are mostly from Germany and Czech from 1930's to 1950's. We have a few newer styles of buttons that are reproduced today by the old glass button makers.
I consider any button made around 1880 to the turn of the century to be Victorian, the early 1900's to be Antique, and from around 1930's to 1950's to be Vintage.
7. How many color combinations of Garden Bracelet Kits do you carry? We now have 17 different bracelet kits in stock. We have a few that are limited editions. We will only be making a certain amount of those kits. We hand make the beads in one of these kits.
We now make matching earring kits to the bracelets, and most of the kits are available. If out of stock, you would need to reorder or place a special order for that kit. There are enough special European beads (including Czech glass flower beads) in two bracelet kits to make up one garden style necklace. At this time I do not have the instructions for the necklace yet. I am working on one.
8. How can I pay? PayPal is the easiest and fastest way to ensure quick delivery. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card, American Express, Postal Money Orders or Cashier Checks. All International payments must be made with US Funds. You can shop on line with a secure server.
The Bill To and Ship To address will need to be verified before the package will ship. A valid phone number will be needed in order to contact the Bill To party and this information must match up with your credit card company, otherwise your order will not be accepted.
9. Returns If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase of my handmade or European beads or buttons, you may return unopened packages for a store credit within 10 days of the invoice. NO RETURNS on Bead Kits or special orders. Please make sure that what you order falls under these restrictions BEFORE you place your order.
10. Bead Making Classes. We offer a one on one class on learning the basics of lampworking in the cool foothills of Maui. We have well known lampworking teachers that we sponsor to come to the island to teach here on Maui also. Please contact us if you are coming to Maui and would like to take a class and learn more about this ancient art.
11. Do you have a minimum for on line orders? Yes, there is a $25.00 minimum for all orders.