Rocks and pebbles

Well, I've gone all organic with this week's beads! I think I've mentioned before that I'm fascinated by rocks and I'm always inspired by nature, so I love to play around trying to recreate it in glass...often with some elements of fantasy thrown in, like these 'Lightning Pebbles'  - so called because they look like little flashes of lightning trapped in rocks.

This one is actually quite simple, just a gorgeous multi toned glass called Fossil, with lots and lots of silvered ivory. SIS, as it's known to lampworkers, is made by rolling a rod of ivory in fine silver foil, then pulling it into a stringer (a thin piece of glass). I love it because it is so effective when used on certain glasses, it spreads out and little particles of silver pop to the surface, giving a lovely organic effect.

Finally, another nature inspired set. I saw these berries...

I've no idea what they are, not being particularly green-fingered, but I was inspired by those interesting colours to make this set of beads.

I'm off to Dartmoor tomorrow and will probably come back with even more ideas and inspiration, so expect to see a lot more organic beads soon!

You can find these beads on Ebay now :o)