Dora Schubert

Sol Lucet Omnibus - The Sun Shines For Everyone

2012-01-26T09:59:00.002+01:00

Certainly I have waited long enough to update my blog and I admit, there are many distractions not only enabling but encouraging my absence from the torch. What with the discovery of knitting and crocheting - oh yes, I am finally getting domesticated! - I have been furiously churning out socks, mittens and caps as well as house slippers. It's definitely "learning by doing", thanks to the generous people out there, putting their skills on youTube, I have taught myself how to knit and crochet. I simply can't imagine my life without the internet anymore - it is one gigantic source of information.

It looks like winter has finally hit home though no snow in sight, i.e. up in northern Germany but oh boy, southern Germany is snowed in! Plenty of sunshine at the moment (with freezing temperatures) and that is one factor we (though we may not know know each other) share in common on this planet which is, the sun shines for everyone.

Anyway, here are some new glassy toppers from me. You will find them listed on Etsy (please find the link to my Etsy shop on the right side of this blog).

Till the next time, cheerio and enjoy the sun!

AND IN CLOSING...

2011-12-20T12:31:00.005+01:00

As this year comes to a finish, may I wish you and your family a very wonderful time together during Christmas and of course, a most delightful, healthy and happy 2012. I shall be indulging in my family during the next two weeks and please join me again next year for more update on my work.

Here are some of my beads (ring tops) and focal beads. The bottom photos show 2 focal beads which were inspired by where I live. We live on the third floor; these two beads are a depiction of the treetops I see out of our windows (we have about 26 windows in our home; I know, it's scary when you think about the cleaning... and yes, if I really leaned out and stretch like a rubber band, I'd be able to touch the twigs of the trees) during the sunset and when we had a little snow in the past days.

That Holiday Feeling

2011-12-13T13:45:00.008+01:00

I am tickled very pink with yesturday's batch of interchangeable glass cabochons! Indeed, it feels like a happy holiday when the work turns out better than you'd imagine. With lampworking, you don't really know what you're in for till you open your kiln the next morning. Hey, it could be a hit or a miss!

Anyway, these new cabs are conical-shaped, mind you, shaping it by hand is, if not, hypnotic, then it's mesmerizing to watch. Yes, yes, I know I am being thick-skinned when I say I enjoy watching my own hands (hahaha, cheap thrill, eh?!) shaping the molten glass into that conical form.

The seventh photo is a custom-order - ok, not a real custom-order as I am not fond of taking custom orders where I am told what kind of bead I ought to make. This bead is for a lucky-draw thingy and I was not requested to make any particular style, it was up to me to come up with a design. I am thrilled to bits with the result of the bead. It's dark ivory with motifs using double helix glass. Quite Art Nouveau-ish and Wedgwood-y design.

Alrightee...let me leave you to view what I have made over the past days. May you enjoy looking at my work as much as I enjoyed making them.

MANIPULATION CAN BE A STICKY JOB

2011-12-01T15:00:00.004+01:00

Ahhh...not too bad, eh? As promised in my last blog, I shan't be away too long. Yes, I am back torching! Perhaps not as furiously long each day as in the past years, I admit I have cut back the hours at the torch. What's new? Well, I am onto big focal disc beads. Lots of dots which are manipulated into new shapes and forms. Quite fun though quite exasperating when the dental pick I use for the dot-manipulation sticks on the glass. That sticking bit tells me I ought to observe and watch my glass more; timing is pretty crucial when you wish to manipulate glass in its molten state.

Anyway, a couple of my focal beads and some sets. May you enjoy viewing my new beads...

Still Thoughts

2011-11-20T12:47:00.003+01:00

This year has not been just a bed of roses although I shall not complain about it. I have taken a longer break than expected with my lampworking. I consider this a very testing period of my life - to gather myself back to reality, what I want to do and not just what I have to do. I see friends come and go as in departing from this world, putting me in a pensive mood. So, what do I mean by still thoughts? Thoughts best kept to myself, as all thoughts, still or otherwise, are meant to be.

I have began working again at the torch last week. Just a couple of hours; well, to be honest, it was about 3 hours for one day. It's a gradual begin; no, definitely not uphill struggle at all. Merely a warm-up. I doubt if I shall wish to engage in longer working hours at the torch, simply because I have other priorities lined up which I love to carry out. If not now, then when?

I shall be back with more work and I promise not to take too long a break again. Let me leave you with a few ring/pendant glass tops - I hope they are to your liking. The first two cabs are made with dichroic glass.

Never Say Never Is Never Ever Never

2011-09-15T09:19:00.016+02:00

I never thought that I will ever use dichroic glass in my glass beads - I am usually turned off by how dichroic has been used. Usually it is overwhelming and overpowering. I guess there is always a time and place for anything. Perhaps now that I am able to work my designs from paper to glass, it is easy to visualize how I can add a little dichroic to enhance the beads.

I like to use the dichroic as a background; it has to have that faraway feeling, like the distance of the sky from us. It must be subtle and not dominate over my stringer and dot design elements.

Two days ago, I chatted with another lampworking colleague and I had told her that I could just use black and white glass for the rest of my life and clear off the rest of my glass storage. In fact, I am tempted to do so, but I have to be realistic and keep using other colors if I want to sell my pieces. Anyway, adding dichroic even to the black and white beads make a huge difference in the way they look.

So, let me leave you with some of my latest works - my handmade glass cabochons for the interchangeable jewelry system.

It's Always Hip To Be Square

All Square Once Again

Trapped Galaxy

dichroic glass

Trapped Galaxy with Tan Acetate Disc

Trapped Galaxy With Black Acetate Disc

Through A Trapped Galaxy

dichroic glass

Through A Trapped Galaxy with Violet Acetate Disc

Precious

with a black acetate disc

Flat Spiraling

Very Cubed

A Wandering Cube

Delicious

dichroic glass

Wandering Star

shift glass (pink-blue) with dichroic glass

Wandering Star

same as above photo but under different light source, the glass shifts from pink to blue

Far, Far Away

dichroic glass

Cabinet Knob

black-and-white leafy designs

The Night Sky

with black acetate disc

use of dichroic glass

The Arctic Star

with purple and blue acetate disc

use of dichroic glass

Acceptance is the key

2011-08-31T12:56:00.005+02:00

Have you realized that once you accept the situation, no matter how pessimistic it is, you will feel a sense of calmness and your inner-being is back in sync again? What I am rattling about? Well, the weather - late last week, as I was walking our dog, the weather felt and reminded me of spring and with just that thought, my inner-being relaxed and I can tell you, I am no longer complaining about the poor summer. Besides, the leaves are turning yellow, orange and brown. They have been doing so for at least two weeks. So, move over summer, here comes fall!! Fall is one of the most beautiful visual time of the year.

A couple of new ring toppers plus a very new item, cabinet knobs! I wanted to lampwork cabinet knobs for a long time now though I must tell you, it's only now that I know what I want to design on cabinet knobs. Ok, there is only one knob to show here. More to come, I promise you.

It's Hip To Be Square

Emanate

Emanate, with turquoise disc

Forever Entwined

When The Night Is Gone

Golden Arabian Nights

Adding a Background

2011-08-23T12:14:00.003+02:00

Here's another glass topper where I used different acetate discs to highlight and frame the ring. It looks very "finished", doesn't it?

Although this is a "smaller" sized topper/cabochon, it is still quite big. This measures 26x13mm. The acetate discs measure 36mm & 28mm respectively.

Design-It-Yourself Rings

2011-08-22T16:51:00.015+02:00

Hi! I'm back with some new glass toppers. Wow, it's been a long break since my last update. I was in Louisville for the Gathering - gosh, that seems so long ago - and I stopped in NYC, to visit my sister for a few days, en-route to Hamburg. I don't know how others feel, for me, I am bushed whenever I returned from any long haul trip, yeah, age is catching up with me.

These ring toppers are also pendant toppers, brooch toppers, cuff-bracelet toppers. They however are more known as ring toppers more than the other items. I now carry the basic ring, pendant, brooch and cuff-bracelet - I like to point out that all these basics I sell are sterling silver (925). There are cheaper versions of the ring and pendant made in stainless steel, but I am not very keen on stainless steel. I still find that sterling silver adds a certain finish to the toppers.

Another added feature to my glass toppers are acetate discs which come in 36mm and 28mm. I find these discs are like a frame to the toppers. Like a frame for a picture. So, what do I mean with Design-It-Yourself (DIY) rings, pendants & co? Well, literally, you pick and choose which glass toppers and the acetate discs you want to wear for the day. Match it or make it distinctively different from your outfits for the day. The discs certainly changes the way the glass toppers look - see for yourself. Some photos show the "naked" version, i.e. toppers without any discs and with discs. I have more toppers to show you, but let's start with a few. More to come over the next days!

If you are interested in purchasing, please email me. I will list them on Etsy or BigCartel. I do have different ring sizes as well, lots of acetate discs too!

Here She Comes

Black-and-white with dichroic dome

This is a 2-layered glass topper

Naked version, i.e. no acetate discs

With 36mm acetate disc (tan/blue) - the disc is reversible

Snowflake

"Naked" version

With turqoiuse (36mm) & black (28mm) acetate discs

With turquoise (36mm) & pink (28mm) acetate discs

In The Fall

with 36mm acetate disc

With 36mm tan disc (the reverse side of this disc is dark blue)

On Golden Pond

with 28m black & 36mm ochre acetate discs

with 28mm tan & 36mm red acetate discs

Basic Ring in (925) sterling silver with stainless steel thread

It's been a while, eh?

2011-07-24T09:45:00.006+02:00

Good grief, it's been a long time since my last update. Well, I'm still around, no worries! The past two months have kept me busy with my paperwork and helping our daughter move from Hanover back to our home (more like storing her hoard in our basement) as she will be doing an overseas attachment for the next six months.

I fly off to Louisville tomorrow morning to attend the ISGB Gathering 2011 where I am scheduled to teach a lampwork class and present my work on the weekend. This will be my first attendance at the Gathering, i.e. as teacher, presenter and vendor. Can't say I am keen on the long haul flight but looking at the bright side of things, it will take even longer if I had to row a boat plus taking a train and perhaps a bus to reach Louisville. My flight will take me from Hamburg to Newark non-stop (almost nine hours flight-time) and in Newark, I board another smaller aircraft to Louisville (another two hours flight-time).

I have very new items "on my agenda" which I shall display at the Gathering - these are glass cabochons with an insert nut to fit onto sterling silver rings, pendants, brooches and bracelets which all have a stainless steel thread. This means you can easily customize your jewelry, depending on your fancy or mood and clothes for the day. There are additional elements you can add on to this jewelry system and the glass cab is the finishing element. It will hold all the other elements in place with the insert nut. Think of nuts and bolts or threads if it makes it easier to comprehend. The glass cab is the "nut" while the ring/pendant/etc is the thread. By the way, I will also have the "basic jewelry" , i.e. the rings, pendants, etc in Louisville with me.

Here are some of the cabs as well as other beads that my photographer Ralph Kerpa has taken in the past weeks for me. Yes, my gallery website (http://doraschubert.com) has been updated with these new photos.

Glass Cabochons with insert nuts

Basic jewelry with threads - pendant, ring, brooch, bracelet - in sterling silver

Little Geisha Dolls - Tomonau series

Little Empress Dowager and her Ladies-in-Waiting

Tomonau series

Little Geisha Dolls - Tomonau series

Little Flower Babies, Tomonau series

In Orbit

Floral Beads

The Legend of the Phoenix

What's there left to eat?

2011-05-31T10:35:00.004+02:00

In the recent weeks we have been "hit" by HUS (EHEC) with majority of the cases and related deaths in northern Germany. The Robert-Koch-Institute has issued warnings to the population to avoid eating raw cukes (where they confirmed findings of the E-coli bacterium on the cukes), tomatoes and salads. Ever since the outbreak in May, we - ie my family and mind you, I don't speak for others at all - have been avoiding fresh produce like plague. On the one hand, the experts have told us that as long as we wash the vegetables thoroughly and cook the vegetables, if I am not mistaken, for at least 10minutes at 70°C, it is safe to consume. A few days later, we were informed that "washing thoroughly" isn't enough and that we should avoid consuming the three named vegetables altogether. Farmers and wholesale merchants have been destroying their harvests, huge losses can be expected, no doubt about that. Worse is, I can't tell what I should buy at the local farmers' market and supermarket anymore. In fact, I feel like I have to wear disposable gloves when touching any produce! So, what is there left to eat these days? The meats aren't healthy, remember the BSE problem? Fish & seafood are either pumped full of antibiotics (so are cattle, pigs, poultry) or contain mercury. Now, they throw liquid manure on the farming land, which is an illegal practice in Europe, just because the cattle & dairy farmers end up with too much crap - literally speaking - on their hands. So, what is there left to eat these days?

Let's pray for those who are infected with HUS and the families who have lost their loved ones because of HUS/EHEC.

As unpleasant as things are at the moment, I have a couple of beads to share with you - have a great week and I'll be back soon with more beads.

Firebird

Leafy Lentil

A Flower, side 1

A Flower, reverse side of above lentil bead

Periwinkle

Purple Flowers

Red Poinsettia

Purple Flower, multi-petaled

Yellow Flowers

Love Birds

Stars & Moon

Untitled

Mind Games

2011-05-20T11:15:00.005+02:00

As predicted, it has taken me about two weeks to settle back into my usual routine after any long haul trip. Time to admit, I'm no spring chicken anymore, getting older has its effects. I tire easier these days and naps are a definite must-have on some days. I no longer fight against myself - I simply didn't make any beads. Instead, I have been cooking, trying out new recipes - my all-time favorite is currently making dumplings (Asian dumplings) from scratch; yup, I am making the dough myself, not just the filling. Ah yes, after each travel, I usually indulge in cooking.

So, what have I been doing when I can't concentrate at the torch? Besides cooking, I may knit socks or absolutely do nothing; sit around and twiddle my thumbs (not quite true, I catch up with the housework e.g. laundry). Though, lately I have began to sketch and draw again. I finally found Indian ink. Can you believe that I have been searching high and low in Germany for this ink for the past six months? I also found my drawing nibs online - from Brause - these are nibs which you dip into the ink to draw. Remember, the calligraphy we had to do in school? Yes, those are the same kind of nibs except I use drawing instead of calligraphy nibs. Very exciting indeed. Perhaps in my next blog update, I shall upload some illustrations I have been doing.

This week - the third after my trip to Arizona - began rather rocky with the beadmaking. Not too many beads made till yesturday. Why? Well, next weekend there is a bead event in Mannheim where I have signed up as a vendor. I seriously think, I need a couple of beads. See, under pressure, I can make beads... it's a mind game.

Connect The Dots

Silver Flowers

Amber Flower Baby

Banana Flower Baby

Butterscotch Flower Baby

Pure White Flower Baby

Opposites Attract

Up Rush

Black Flower Baby

Caramel Flower Baby

Silver Flower Baby

Very Grand Indeed

2011-05-09T07:15:00.007+02:00

I enjoyed myself tremendously in Peoria, Arizona, last week when I arrived there to teach two lampworking classes. I mentioned that I was due in Phoenix, which is true since that is where I flew in, but I hadn't realized that I will be stationed in Peoria for classes. A very well-organized workshop and trip, all thanks to AZGB. A mighty big thank-you to all the ladies who attended and made the workshops possible for me me to conduct.

Penny, the fabulous organizer and the world's best TA, had driven me up to view the Grand Canyon on my day off. She took the scenic route via Sedona and it was simply breathtaking. The drive was as grand as the Grand Canyon itself. I can't begin to describe to you what it feels like to experience one of the great natural wonders of the world. A tingle goes up and down the spine with jaw-dropping-to-knee gapping mouth and millions of goose-bumps. Thank you, Penny. I know, that photo I have taken of the Grand Canyon has been "shot to death" but hey, I had to take that same shot like everyone else... Anyway, I look forward to visiting the Grand Canyon again with my family.

It is also good to be home again. The jetlag is easier to overcome in Germany than in the US. I am "back" to normal with my time difference and am relaxing for a couple of days before I commence work at the torch again.

THAT COAT OF YELLOW

2011-04-27T12:11:00.004+02:00

It's that time where everything - and I mean, every single thing - is coated with pollen. Since we do not have any air-conditioning at home - air-condition, by the way is quite un-German - our windows are left open to let in fresh air as well as these little flighty pollen. That coat of yellow signals that winter is definitely over with and spring is in full swing. We have been experiencing absolutely gorgeous weather for the past few weeks. No need to leave home this year to enjoy the sunshine as far as I am concerned.

Let me leave you with some of my beads that I made over the past week. I shall see you in about two weeks' time. I leave on Friday for Phoenix, Arizona, to teach lampwork and am looking very forward to meeting very friendly ladies at the classes!

Sweets, yellow-green

Sweets, orange

Sweets, green

Sweets, purple

Bull's Eye, monochromatic

Caramels, mini set

Lining Up, mini set

Flowers, mini set

Flying South, mini set

Lush

Deep Thoughts

Little Geisha, Tomonau series

Little Geisha, Tomonau series

NEW PHASE AND DESIGNS

2011-04-17T07:46:00.007+02:00

When I discover a new design - or at least to me, it's new but perhaps it already exists somewhere in another part of the world that I have not had the opportunity to witness - I work at the idea till it oozes out of every tiny pore and I can probably work at it blindfolded. This is the time where I begin to move on to greener pastures and this can be a tricky situation. Sometimes, this phase takes a longer journey and time than you would like. More often than not, the longer journey is accompanied with highs and lows. I call this journey a "soul-searching" phase.

I stumbled upon a new design idea pretty fast this time - "In Orbit" is my new series, you have probably seen the start in the previous blog. I had probably - at least, this is how I personally feel - exhausted all possibilities of making a new "kimono" for my Geisha dolls. A friend had encouraged me to move back to my geometric designs as she doesn't see anyone with the kind of geometric designs that I have on my beads. She was referring to my earlier bead designs. A good advice and nudge in the right direction setting the wheels in motion.

See you in my next update and I leave you with photos of my latest beads.

In Orbit, teal

In Orbit, lime

In Orbit, tangerine

The Third Man

The Second Man

The First Man

Baby Geishas With Pigtails

In Orbit, monochromatic

In Orbit, blue II

Little Geisha With Shades

Baby Geisha With Pigtails & Red Ribbons

The Little Periwinkle Geisha

Baby Geisha with Periwinkle Pigtails

Baby Geisha With Grey Pigtails

Little Geishas With Glasses

Little Geisha With HairBun

Little PeiPei LongStockings

THAT JUMP START

2011-04-08T08:43:00.007+02:00

Exactly a week ago, I taught a lampworking class in Hamburg - wow, time sure flies by. I was asked to demonstrate my "star" beads. What "star" beads, you might ask - well, these are designs where I have geometric designs, in a way they are like snowflakes.

The last time I made such designs was perhaps two to three years ago. I had made a range of such designs for my jewelry collection (my collaborative work with Elizabeth Prior) as well as bead sets using similar geometric designs. This design is very inspired by the Moorish architecture and design; arabesque designs still intrigue me. I had the immense pleasure of viewing them in person during my trip to Istanbul in fall 2009.

You know, I can't stay put with one design and work on it forever - I don't have that push-button like a machine. There comes a day where I literally can't stand making that design anymore and that's when I "move on"; moving onto new ideas or designs. This particular phase where I experiment and try out ideas is the best phase I consider in making beads. It's that feeling that you have, right before you reach the summit. That uphill climb is usually both frustrating and rewarding - notice how I use frustrating before rewarding? No pain, no gain.

Anyway, that kick-start last weekend has rekindled my "star" beads. Yesturday, I made a few such beads but with a new flavor as well. The beads you see are very large round beads, slightly over 2cm in diameter (3/4") and I'm loving it!

Have a great weekend and hope you'll join me again next week.

In Orbit, blue

about 26mm in diameter

In Orbit, green/amethyst

about 25mm diameter

In Orbit, orange/amethyst

21x23mm

In Orbit, amethyst

20x23mm

Go With The Flow

20x30mm each bead

Smoke Signals

22x22mm

Stars & Moon

each bead 20x24mm

Little Midnight Flower Baby

Little Sunflower Baby II

Little Luna Flower Baby

Little Pumpkin Flower Baby

Little Pink Daisy Baby

Little Peipei Longstockings

doesn't she remind you of Pippi Longstockings?

TEACHING AT HOME

2011-04-03T14:13:00.003+02:00

On Friday and Saturday, I taught in Hamburg a 2-day workshop. I am most delighted to have had a very harmonious group of ladies to teach and it's been very enjoyable meeting new faces. A most memorable workshop and weekend indeed.

Let's take a look at this week's beads. By the way, I am mighty hung up about making doll beads; my Geisha-Tomonau series have been "extended" to themes such as sunflower dolls, "sun goddess", honeybees, etc. Their faces have now more facial features such as cheeks, chins and noses. Making these dolls are very enjoyable and create a happy feeling. Have I mentioned that these dolls have been influenced by the Cabbage Patch Dolls - remember those cute dolls with birth certificates? Cuteness is very catching especially when we are getting older - hahaha, am I giving my age away?!

Sunflower Baby

Little Miss HoneyBee

The Little Empress Dowager

The Little Flower Girl

The Little Geisha in Paris

The Forest Greens

I-Heart-You

Dog-Loving Nation

2011-03-25T06:51:00.005+01:00

Did you know that Germany is a dog-loving nation? When I flew into Germany in 1986, I was amazed to find that dogs are allowed into restaurants (unless they specify that dogs aren't welcome, then of course you have to leave Fido at home), airports, train stations, trains, buses, shopping centers/malls - you know, simply, places that you like to frequent. After all, the dog is part of the family and companion. Of course, the biggest no-no are the supermarkets and the hospitals. Many hotels and holiday bungalows in Germany allow dogs to overnight with their owners, you pay a small fee for the dogs. Some states require Fido to be leashed at all times, while others allow your dog to be off-leash; some states make you and your dog pass a dog-obedience test before your pooch is allowed to walk off-leash. Mainly this has to do with the dog-biting incidences where young children were biten to death. Obviously if you scream till you're blue in the face for Fido and he is still running off in the other direction, he ought to be either leashed or better-trained.

Last but not least, let me show you some of my latest beads - have a good weekend and I'll be back soon!

The Sun Goddess

The Little Geisha in Summer

The Little Rosy Geisha

The Little Geisha Wearing a Yellow Bathing Cap

The Flower Goddess

The Little Punk

A Flower

The Little Cheery Geisha

Colors of The Wind

Colors of the Wind

A Blue Summer

A Summer Wonder

A Summer Love

BUSTER & PALS...

2011-03-17T18:06:00.008+01:00

Meet Buster & Pals, my latest puppy focal beads! They are all born on Mar 16, 2011 and I expect more pups on the way. Here's the litter of pups -

BUSTER, the Mutt

RASCAL - the Great Dane pup

SPOT - the Dalmatian

Here's the crazy rabbit they are friends with -

BILLY, the crazy buck-toothed rabbit

I also made these twin baby doll beads made yesturday - part of my Tomonau series - you won't believe how much fun I have making these doll faces. I feel very happy making them. They have chubby and rosy cheeks as well as are snub-nosed. Yes, the right twin is a little fatter than her sister.

THE LITTLE TWIN BABY GIRLS

Beads are up for sale - either email me if you're interested or please go to this site to purchase directly: http://doraschubert.bigcartel.com/

Below beads were made sometime last week and are scheduled on eBay as the week goes by -

THE LITTLE SUNFLOWER GIRL

THE LITTLE HAPPY GEISHA

HUMPTY DUMPTY'S MAGIC EGG

ROYAL FLAVOR

ROUTINES ARE NATURAL

2011-03-04T19:36:00.004+01:00

According to the Oxford dictionary, routine means a sequence of actions regularly followed; fixed patterns

Do you realize that all of us require routines each day otherwise the day will be pretty aimless? Routines are natural - nature has its routines: spring, summer, autumn, winter. The trees, they bear buds in spring which come into full blossom in summer; in autumn, the leaves explode into phenomenal color changes, they fall off to prepare for their resting period in winter. Each year, trees go through the same phases - that is a natural occuring routine.

On the other hand, it is just as essential that we have time off from our usual routines - simply to relax, to regenerate, to bond with our family and perhaps to do some deep soul-searching. The saying "too much of anything isn't good" is true. So, whatever you are doing - whether you are answering your emails or working in the studio or taking care of young children, make a habit of taking constant breaks, go for a walk to clear your head or hire a babysitter to watch the kids for an hour or two, and when you come back to face your tasks, you will feel happier about finishing what you have to do.

THE LITTLE FLOWER GIRL

THE LITTLE GEISHA IN O-DOTS

THE LITTLE MERRY GEISHA

DEEP SUMMER #2

DEEP SUMMER

WRINKLE-FREE AT ALMOST 98

2011-02-18T21:14:00.007+01:00

Well, Sandy will be turning 14 this May and taking the doggy years into human years, he will be 98. With his fur being so light, he shows no sign of the typical white whiskies around his muzzel which shows up on darker furred dogs. He is slower with his daily walks just like a grandpa would at 94, we take longer than usual and I have to make sure I am "well-padded" (winter-wear) so that I don't freeze in the cold. Almost every day at least one person will ask me whether he's not in the mood to walk since he is a couple feet behind me. Then I have to patiently repeat for the 999th time that he is older and when they hear his age, the first reaction is surprise and then comments on how young he looks. Yes, Sandy looks like he is 5 years old and not much older. Yup, he sure doesn't need any Botox or skin lifting...

Sandy napping

A few beads I made this past week, not too many as I would normally make - the weather's to blame for the lousy mood.

FAIRY TALES

THE MAD HATTER'S TALE

MISCHIEVOUS

Workshop & Event 2011 Updates

2011-02-08T07:24:00.003+01:00

I have just updated my workshop & event schedule for 2011 and am most delighted to be this year's International Presenter & Instructor for the upcoming Gathering 2011 in Louisville, KY. I certainly look forward to greeting you in my classes and the participating events. I will not to be at this year's Bead & Button Show as difficult as it had been to make this decision.

I look forward to seeing you at this year's workshops or events!

RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS...

2011-02-07T06:57:00.005+01:00

Last week I was really feeling low and wasn't very "productive". Blame it on the weather but it had been a very depressing beginning of the week. I snapped out of it as quick as I could with help and friendly messages from friends and family. I was melting a lot of glass on mandrels which ended up in the trash bin; yes, it was exactly that I was doing - not making beads but simply melting glass on mandrels so that I can throw it out, like I have nothing better to do. A few days ago, I decided to go back to the basics of beadmaking - floral beads. When in doubt, then work it out; and working on florals is one good way to touch base again. Floral beads have dots, stringers, encasing and I enjoy plunging the middle of the dots to see how it evolves into a flower. Imagine how cool it is, plunging into the middle of the individual dots clustered in a circle can become a flower. Never fails to amaze me till today how I enjoy plunging a tungsten poke into hot glass to depict flowers that way. Ahhh, the little joys in life!

Beads I made so far - all of them will be listed on eBay and on my BigCartel shop though I haven't listed everything as of this posting. I might also return to Etsy - too many sites and too little time! I prefer to keep it to as little sites as I can. I wonder if I am the only one who is confused where to list and for the buyers, where to look too!

RASCALS, 11-bead set

very small beads (small for me to make), each bead 11x13mm

IN THE GARDEN, my fav beadsize 17x19mm

5-bead set

THE LITTLE GEISHA IN BLUE, XXS

these dolls you see are very small now, half of the original dolls I previously made

THE LITTLE GEISHA IN IVORY, XXS

THE LITTLE GEISHA IN COBALT, XXS

THE LITTLE GEISHA IN BLACK-AND-WHITE, XXS

THE LITTLE GEISHA IN SALMON PINK, XXS

WHITE-AS-SNOW, white flowers against black

UNTITLED, teal flowers against blue goldstone (aventurine)

FIRST CROCUS, yellow flowers against cobalt blue

BEWILDERING, black-and-white with goldstone accents

MY THOUGHTS ARE BEST EXPRESSED

2011-01-26T06:38:00.007+01:00

...when my mind is uncluttered. That's when I am in my zen mode being able to express myself with my sketches on paper and then, working these ideas onto my glass beads. For most of my beads, I plan ahead of time; do my sketches, select the colors I want to use and then execute the beads. I even make test beads before I make the actual beads. Test beads are made and left on the worktable to cool so that I can see whether my ideas will work. These beads are not annealed and they get landed in the trash bin. I do not believe in co-incidences for making beads. Oh, don't get me wrong, when I first started out with making glass beads, I just "jumped right in" without any inkling of what I was going to make on the bead. Whatever glass was on the table, I would have used it. That is natural for all beginners, attempting to make glass beads. A normal step for anything we learn. Then, we move on to the next level. What's that, you may ask. That level is, making things happen on purpose.

What is involved in making designs happen on your beads? Planning, of course. You can't depend on luck or your la-di-da mood or whatever catches your fancy right now; you have to steer yourself onto the right path. Look at it this way, if you can't draw it on paper, then, how in heaven's sake are you going to make it work on the bead? It's hot, it's more than hot when the torch is on, the glass is molten, you can't grab an eraser to erase the mistake you made on your bead like you can with your pencil sketches. You don't have to be a master at drawing on paper, but visuals are vital. They "remind" you when you flamework where to add a line here or there, or put a curvy line instead of a straight line across the bead, add little dots on the left and so on. It may also turn out that it is possible on paper but not with glass; ideas may be totally abandoned or perhaps tweaked a wee bit to make it look even better on the bead. My sketchbook sits next to me whenever I work at the torch.

Believe me, I do not depend on "let's see what happens next" to make my bead sets. My sets tell a story; to make the story work, you have to plan! Remember, the beads we make capture our very essence, our thoughts, our being in a particular moment and that is sealed in forever. Sounds tacky but true!

SEA FLOWERS

WHEN THE CAT'S AWAY...

FALLING IN LOVE

SPRING AWAKENING

SUNFLOWER

SHADOWS & SILHOUETTES

LEMONS, LIMES & TANGERINES

NO STRINGS ATTACHED

THE ULTIMATE SECRET TO GREAT STRINGER CONTROL

2011-01-14T10:30:00.005+01:00

OK, forget that headline. It is a cheap shot to get you to read my blog. Anyway, if you really, truly, absolutely, sincerely, totally, crazily, badly want to learn my stringer control, consider signing up for my workshops either in Germany (April), USA (end April/beg. May as well as end Jul/beg Aug) or Switzerland (Oct), I'll be more than happy to show you how I work and my techniques at the torch. For more information, please check out the Workshops 2011 tab on this blog.

What's new? Weather-wise, it is terrible in the entire world. Over here, it's rain, rain, rain and we are mighty lucky that it does not freeze at night nor experiencing the horrendous flooding like in Queensland, Down Under. Blame it on La Nina (sorry, my keyboard deosn not have the funny curvy thing above the "n", so you have to bear with me for the misspelling). Food-wise, in Germany, we have the current dioxin feed scandal - eggs, chickens, pigs, turkeys are on the blacklist now - makes me upset to talk about it; although I am vegetarian, I am not happy to hear about the tainted animals and poultry. To cut the long story short, we are being duped all the time by the industries, lobbyists and politicians - what do they do? They blame it on us consumers. Yeah right, just pass the bucket down the line.

As for what's new in my corner of glass beads? I am hooked on making floral motifs on my beads, using transparent colors on white glass. I probably will make some other motifs after this blog, it's always the case. I get unhooked pretty easily, hahaha!! Yes, white is my thing. White is in, guys. I know it gets boring when I keep using white. White is pure - it is the purest background to bring out the best in the other colors I apply on white. Another current and all-time favorite color is purple. It is a soothing color, do you realize that? A mixture of red and blue - cool and warm colors - resulting in a "neutral" color, neither cold nor warm; it makes you feel good.

As promised here are some new work from me. Have a good weekend and I will be back next week with more news.

SMOOTH AS SILK

TREE OF LIFE

FOR MY SWEETHEART

DIPPED IN CARAMEL

WAVES

OH, SO NAUGHTY!

QUIETLY

THE LITTLE GEISHA

ENCHANTING

PASSION

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND

Adieu 2010; 2011 rocks!

2011-01-03T06:19:00.003+01:00

Are you ready to accomplish brand new ideas for this year? I view each new year as a fresh slate to write on. In addition, I make sure I wrap up my obligations before the year ends. As an Asian, I strongly believe in a proper conclusion for the year end to pave the way for the new year without any strings attached. This is extremely important for most Asians before the Chinese lunar new year approaches. Enter the new year burden-free, whether "regular" or "lunar" new year.

December is a month of such obligations. Too many tasks left up to the last minute kept my nose to the grindstone. Of course, I constantly forget to throw away my other box - you see, procrastination boxes me in.

What's in store for this year? Quite a fair bit, though I will take it one step at a time. I will continue with my glass bead-making (actually, that's pretty redundant to point this out since lampworking has become my life and lifestyle) and realize shelved-but-not-forgotten ideas. My husband has just introduced me to mind-mapping and kanban software programs. Not for productivity in the factory-sense but as a guide to fulfill my aspirations and tasks.

I will have new beads up on my next posting. I look forward to you joining me then. May this year bring you one step closer to meeting your goals and keeping your dreams alive.

My family and I with our family pooch

Denmark, December 2010

left to right: Cara, Sydney, Sandy, Dora & Kai

IT'S LIKE DRAWING

2010-12-18T07:56:00.005+01:00

At this stage of my lampworking or glass beadmaking, I am most delighted to literally make renderings on my beads as I would on a piece of drawing paper. Perhaps this is one huge influence that makes me use white glass as the background for most of my recent beads. White is a pure color where other colors can show their true identities. Sure, it has a huge disadvantage, not everyone likes to wear or use white beads.

Another advantage or disadvantage which I can't tell is, I love making round beads too. I probably have said this before, it brings forth my childhood days of playing marbles with my cousins. Childhood is one of the best times in life - something we only grasp when we are older. The round bead feels good in my hands, it soothes me. Try holding one in your hand, rub the bead, see how it makes you feel.

It's already the fourth Advent and 2010 is almost coming to an end. I can't believe that this year has come and is going soon. Wow!

Have a peaceful fourth Advent with your family and loved ones.

RED FLAME

available on my online shop

THE LITTLE CLEOPATRA

available on my online shop

THE LITTLE EMPRESS

available on my online shop

THE LITTLE GEISHA #2

available on my online shop (to be listed today)

THE LITTLE GIRL WITH EARMUFFS

available on my online shop

RED DAHLIA

now up on Ebay

THE SECRET GARDEN

now on eBay

THE LITTLE PRINCESS

no longer available

FLOWERS IN SPRINGTIME

ending on eBay tonight

SWEET MEMORIES

on eBay

BEADS WITHOUT WORDS

2010-12-10T13:46:00.003+01:00

WHENEVER IT GETS COLD...

2010-12-01T10:58:00.009+01:00

Whenever it gets cold this time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, my thoughts go to the homeless. I feel very blessed to be living in a warm home whenever I see them loitering in the city. I can't understand why this situation is still exists in this day and age especially in a developed nation like Germany. Yes, this is the time for giving and caring for the unknown homeless. My thoughts go out sincerely to all the homeless in the world.

I have a new bead series called "Tomonau" doll beads - "Tomonau" means "accompany" in Japanese. Think of them as good will dolls.

"MIYAKO"

She's available on my webstore, click on her name to go to my webstore

"SAKURA"

She's available on my webstore, click on her name to access store

"ICHIKO"

She's going to be on eBay tonight

"MIYUKI"

not listed anywhere yet but she's for sale!

"GOLDEN MIDNIGHT"

coming soon on eBay...

these beads are totally covered from hole-to-hole with 22k gold leaf with the stringer work in dark ivory, which is also the base glass of the beads, accompanied with turquoise and dark ivory spacers

"BUTTERFLY"

already on eBay - please click on the name above to go to auction.

KEEPING THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS

2010-11-18T07:29:00.003+01:00

So pleased to be able to work with silver foil on my beads and not burn the living daylights of it! Both the gold leaf and silver foil are one of my proudest achievements, I would say. I no longer think about the technicalities of the torch, glass, etc - I can't tell you exactly when what it is, but I have learned to "read" the glass, its reaction and the flame. There comes a moment where you cross the threshold and, lo and behold, it becomes second nature to you.

I enjoying with in black and white, I can't shake loose of this combination and I use black for my design work. Ok, I have lots of colored glass rods in my storeroom, believe me - it is a lot - and I keep telling myself to use them. But you know what, when you're not convinced of anything, it simply doesn't bring joy to the work. In fact, it is agonizing. Of course, I can't tell whether others get bored with seeing the same-old, same-old or not. Being a full-time lampworker, I do have to consider several issues such as - what I like, what others like and what will actually sell. Not an easy task, is it?

HIGHER LOVE

clear with silver foil & black designs (what else?!)

SILENT CONVERSATIONS

clear with black and white

CLOSE-UP OF SILENT CONVERSATIONS

I admit, this is my personal fav set!

CARROT RED

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

2010-11-09T05:38:00.004+01:00

Luxembourg has one-tenth the population of Singapore but is almost four times larger than Singapore? Recently I was curious about Luxembourg and this is what I found out:

Luxembourg:

square area: 2586 sq. km or 998 sq. miles

population: 488,000

Singapore:

square area: 660 sq. km or 255 sq. miles

population: 4.8 million

Hamburg:

square area: 755 sq. km or 291 sq. miles

population: 1.8 million

Yes, you can imagine how Singapore is filled with skyscrapers - in comparison, Luxembourg and Hamburg have midget buildings.

I feel on top of the world when I get my lampworking second wind again (though who wouldn't?) - it's been a struggle making beads that "make sense" to me (meaning that I have to like them myself). Probably it has to do with the November grey weather which came with a sudden thud on the head; you can imagine how it landed squarely on my head. I was not at all motivated to make any beads - it was definitely an all-time low. I admit, my forlorn lampworking attempts provided me an outlet with sock-knitting, ordering yarn although I said that I would not stock up on wool yarns. Forget that I even thought I do not want to stock on yarns, I have already acquired a lovely collection of wool yarns. Besides the obvious material difference in glass and wool (duh...), I have to say that wool hardly weighs anything, they are very squooshable (which means I can stash them away without hubby noticing, hahaha!!!) and gosh, the luscious colors - they make you go wild!!!

As with any hobbies, sock-knitting has brought me up to another level with my lampworking - appreciating not just colors but the magnificent lace knits and designs by the very talented knitters which have their work published in books and on the internet. Imagine, the two little stitches - knit and purl with help from their friends, yarn-over, ssk, etc - can create beautiful wearables.

Here are some beads I made over the past two weeks to present - all of them will be on eBay.

ROSES ARE RED

I made an off-mandrel focal bead in this set

THE CHRISTMAS SONG

made with Bullseye glass

Each year around this time, I begin to make "Christmas-y" sets

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

GOLDEN SNOWFLAKES

UPSIDE DOWN, DOWNSIDE UP

black-and-white set with a vessel bead (off-mandrel focal)

WINTER, WINTER

JUST YOU AND I

FRIENDS

LEMON AND LIMES

TEENAGE CRUSH

ONE OF THOSE DAYS

2010-10-28T05:51:00.005+02:00

Every so often, I become out of sync with my work - lampwork, to be exact - and "wander" around aimlessly. Perhaps it has to do with the grey days we are having for the past weeks that makes me feel hopeless. Tomorrow I leave for the Netherlands for a lampwork event called Flame-On! which runs over the weekend. I admit, my mojo just returned two days ago and I am feeling better. Still, I didn't get to turn on my torch till about 7pm yesturday because of unavoidable errands and by about 9pm, I was falling asleep at the torch. Ah well, it was definitely way too late to make beads. I struggled on but called it off by 9:30pm.

By the way, I have found a new hobby - sock-knitting. You might ask, isn't lampworking already a hobby, why take up sock-knitting? Well, that's exactly it, lampworking is a job for me - similar to perhaps your office job - and there are days where we need to turn our minds off our jobs and enjoy a hobby. Hobbies are good for the soul. The colors, the feel and the texture of woolen yarns are exactly the medicine the doctor would have prescribed for me. With glass beadmaking, I do not see the results of what I am doing till the next day when the kiln has cooled down to room temperature. If it is a new glass color I've not used it before, I might be in for either a pleasant or nasty surprise when I open the kiln. With knitting, I however see the pattern evolving as I work row for row and I get really excited when that happens. Each row contributes to the entire pattern and on its own, it's a just row of stitches. See, why it is important to have a hobby?! It invigorates your mind and you need time-out from your daily routine. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy...

Let me share with you a couple of beads I made recently - enjoy looking and see you soon!

OFF YOUR ROCKER

THE LONE CHERRY TREE

ANGEL WINGS

UNTITLED, gold-leaf covered bead

very large bead, it's 26mm in diameter

VERY PLEASANT INDEED...

2010-10-15T10:20:00.006+02:00

How do you like the packaging? Pretty darn cool, don't you agree??! So, what is this? This is a bar of soap made in Malaysia and still has the same soap fragrance that I remember as a little girl. I asked my parents who live in Singapore to get me a bottle of Cuticura talcum powder as I l can't find this in Germany. Hey, something Asian is not easily found outside of Asia! Some habits die hard... Anyway, my husband was on his business travels in the Asia Pacific Rim region and his last stop was Singapore, where he spent three days there and overnighted at my parents'. Can you imagine, my husband sees my parents more than I do. He's been there at least four times this year - mainly business - and I haven't been home for the past four years. It's bad, I know, but my folks and I skype almost daily, thanks to technology, we keep in cyber-touch!! Well, he came home with my favorite talcum powder and attached to the bottle was this lovely packaged soap (yes, it was a freebie) and when I took a whiff, it reminded me of my childhood, my parents, my sister and my home country. Even my husband said it was typical soap scent "from those days".

I guess I won't be using the soap, more likely I will continue to sniff at it - yeah, how to get a natural high...

Some focal beads I made this week. Ok, not too much lampworking activities from me - I am going through a rough phase again, not really sure what I want to make. I was going to go cold-turkey with gold leaf, but what the heck, I ended up using it again!!

CROSSING THAT BRIDGE

2010-10-05T18:31:00.008+02:00

Right, now that I have my paperwork and taxes filed - yes, I had an extension for the tax returns - I suddenly feel very unburdened! Of course, now that is done I keep wondering what to do with my free time. Certainly this means I can work more at the torch, though I was not keen on that either. It is that bridge I am crossing presently; an in-between stage where I am at limbo, not reaching the other end yet and wandering along aimlessly, not sure whether to turn back to the beginning of the bridge or keep moving to the other end. Do you have that too? Yes, I am talking about my beads, I don't know what designs to do. I am becoming tired of using gold leaf.

Making beads - or anything for that matter - as a hobby is different from making beads for a living. There are times like now, I wish I was a hobbyist. There is less pressure to keep coming up with new ideas and I would have torched when I felt up to it. Torching for a living has its ups and downs - since I work from home, I have to be very disciplined about working. Oh, don't get me wrong, I enjoy what I do, it's a dream job! On the other hand, having too much of something creates imbalance in your life. One thing for certain is, I have to change my ways to create a balance again. No one else can do that for me. Till I figure that out, let me show you what I've created this week.

The first two photos show the same set - front and back of the larger beads - called Bumblebees, Flowers And Me. This set is a result of watching the fat bumblebees this summer visiting my flowers and gathering their nectar. The last three sets are all made with the gold leaf with the stringer worked onto the gold leaf. I am very proud to be able to work the glass stringer onto the gold leaf without frying it to a brown-looking gunk.

GROWING UP...

2010-09-27T12:45:00.005+02:00

This weekend in Wertheim brought back memories of the start of my lampworking. In 2003, I began lampworking and it was also the first time I participated in a lampworking event in Wertheim, Germany, though it was mixed with a couple of commercial vendors who had nothing to do with lampworking. If I remember correctly, they had called it Glass Congress or something like that. I continued to participate in 2004 and 2005, but I was disappointed mainly with the visitors who came to the show.

Looking back, I can't even begin to imagine how I had the guts to sell my beads back then as a beginner! Gosh, I am sure that I can still spot my "old" beads if someone dangled them in front of me. It was an interesting weekend to see how we have progressed within the past years - several of us began lampworking at the same time - and all of us have different styles and kinds of glass beads.

The Glassymposium has matured as an event as well and this weekend, it saw visitors from Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland. It has been fabulous to meet new and "old" lampworkers and of course, have this opportunity to present my beads in my place of residence. Thank you all.

ALL THAT GLITTERS COULD REALLY BE GOLD

2010-09-22T23:54:00.005+02:00

Just a quick and short note, here are some new focal beads I made with gold leaf which I shall be displaying over the weekend at the Glassymposium in Wertheim. Only the last bead is made with silver foil. Please excuse the poor photography, I had already attached the beads to my display cards.

Have a great week and look forward to seeing you in Wertheim!

STUCK IN THE MUD

2010-09-14T09:31:00.003+02:00

I hadn't realized that in less than two weeks I am due to drive to Wertheim for the Glasperlen Symposium 2010 (it's a German lampworking event held annually in this town), about 100km 'south' of Frankfurt am Main (don't quote me on that 'south' bit, since I have not looked at the map to see which direction Wertheim really lies from Frankfurt/Main, though the 100km from Frankfurt is right and driving from Hamburg, everything is down south for me). It's about 650km from Hamburg to Wertheim. So, am I ready for the event? Honestly? Noooo... I am still knee-deep with my paperwork, which I have not been attacking and working off properly. I admit, I always find one thousand and one other things to do at the same time I sit down to paperwork. Isn't that awful?? On top of that, I have found a 'old-but-new' addictive hobby - knitting socks. If I am not at the torch, I really should be paperworking, BUT instead I am knitting socks. Perhaps it's age catching up on me, where I want to do what I like to do and ahem, paperwork isn't high on my priority list. Hahaha!!

Here are some beads I've come up with and yes, I am still hung up on using gold leaf. Are you tired of seeing goldy beads from me by now? Obsession and persistence are both my middle names. Ahh, the last set is not with gold leaf, it's almost ceramic-looking and may even be mistaken as ceramic beads by some.

BTW, the show runs on 25 & 26 Sep, at least these are the dates of lampwork sales dates. On 24 Sep, they are displaying and selling accessories for lampworking. The venue is Arkadensaal, Mühlenstraße 26, 97864 Wertheim.

READY FOR AUTUMN?

2010-09-09T11:00:00.003+02:00

I am most satisfied with this year's summer, it has been hot which is such a treat especially living in Northern Germany. Last week, I noticed some trees are beginning to turn yellow. As much as I will miss the hot weather and because it has been a great summer, I am now looking forward to the loveliest part of year - i.e. watching the green leaves magically turn into the warm color tones of autumn. I consider myself lucky to witness the natural transition. Adieu, summer! Welcome, autumn!

Some new beads I made last week and yesturday, my choice of colors are influenced - needless to say - by the coming of autumn.

FEATURE IN GERMAN BEADING MAGAZINE

2010-09-01T13:18:00.005+02:00

I am very delighted and of course, much honored, to be featured in September's issue of Perlen Poesie, a German beading magazine. Yes, the magazine is written in German and is sold not just in Germany but in the USA as well. It is a "young" magazine and is published every quarter - this is their sixth issue.

Here are a couple of new beads though I admit, it's been difficult breaking away from drawing lines on the beads and using black-and-white. I'm afraid, it may be boring and monotonous for some of you. But, hey, I did deviate a little - I used gold leaf and transparent amber for the first set (which, by the way, is called That Pot Of Gold). Gold leaf is a pain to use, sticks to the scissors and your fingers, no matter how clean (and I do mean clean, clean to almost being sterilized) they are.

MONOCULTURE BEADS

2010-08-24T12:17:00.010+02:00

Right, this is can be quite confusing - you'd think I have the same beads repeatedly in each photo. Well, almost. Lines dominate these beads and their designs. I can't seem to shake off using black stringers on white base; love the stark effect these two colors have. Boring to some but obviously I am captivated with black on white, not so much white on black. I have convinced myself - actually, forced myself - to make a set of colorful beads. Yeah, trying to break up the b+w cycle since not everyone is crazy as I am about the combination. This below colorful set is inspired by my younger daughter's bikini she bought this summer. She said to me last week, "hey mum, you should make a set of beads using the colors on my two-piece!", which by the way, has gold straps; thus the gold-leaf spacers.

MY SURROUNDINGS

2010-08-16T20:29:00.008+02:00

"Oh wow, it's a flower!!....again...." says my daughter, Cara while my younger daughter Sydney moans with "oh mom, not another flower...can't you shoot (i.e. photograph, not kill-shoot) something else?!"

That's what I've been up to for the past two to three weeks. I am supposed to be clearing up my paperwork and filing my taxes besides the fact that I wanted to take time off from my studio to spend the wonderful sun-filled days with my family.

In any case, here are several flowers and bumblebees I have captured with my camera. It has been very invigorating to be using my camera again, another hobby which I ditched for the past 2 decades, believe it or not. Please excuse me for not knowing all the names of the flowers I have taken. Not very many different flowers, as my younger daughter has pointed out - I was shooting different angles of the same flower, with different exposure, aperture, etc. I have chosen to show you what I like best. If you are interested, you can check my complete photos on flickr or mobileme gallery over the next days - they are presently not completely uploaded on both sites yet. Drop me a note, if you'd like to subscribe or get the link to my mobile-me gallery.

Last but not least, I tried to make some beads today. Alas, it's not my day - made two crappy beads - and my thoughts are still stuck on my paperwork...

MORNING GLORY

BUMBLEBEE ON WHITE FLOWER

BUMBLEBEE CLINGING ON A PETAL

BUMBLEBEE ON PINK FLOWER

ORANGE BEGONIA

YELLOW FLOWER

BLUE HIBISCUS

PAIR OF BLUE HIBISCUS

DRAGONFLY

VERY TINY PURPLE FLOWERS ON MOSS

CACTUS

THRIVING ON LESS SLEEP?

2010-07-20T09:05:00.004+02:00

I have not been sleeping too well in the past two-three weeks, basically it is too hot and we have no aircons at home. I probably mentioned it before, it is very unusual to have aircons in Germany. On Sunday, the newspaper reported there are less than one-quarter of hotels in Germany which actually have aircons. Even most huge departmental stores do not necessarily have aircons and they wonder why there are less customers during summer, hello??? Isn't it obvious why no one wants to go in when it's like an oven indoors? Oh, don't get me wrong, the buildings are well-insulated but hey, it is hot and no matter how well-insulated, it is stuffy indoors. The German folk is very environmental-conscious, most of us bring our paper, bottles and batteries to the recycling receptacles in the neighborhood. Did you know that when you shop at the supermarkets or local farmers' markets here, you have to bring your own shopping bags or pay for the shopping bags if you forget to bring yours? Living here, I have learned to appreciate these little aspects, I try my utmost to be as 'green' as possible. After all, I want to leave the planet in a good condition for our children and future generations.

Ok, let's get back to sleeplessness. I admit, I thrive on less sleep and I have plenty of ideas that I transpose onto my beads. Right now, I am in an endless 'production' stage, I love (pardon me if I sound arrogant here, I know that self-praise is no praise) what I am coming up with these days!

My latest work to share with you -

FLOWERS OF THE FAIRIES

LADYBIRDS, FLOWERS AND ME

BUTTERFLIES, FLOWERS AND ME

A NIGHT IN BALI

CHERRIES AND VANILLA CREAM

IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO

'TIS THE SEASON TO BE INSPIRED

2010-07-15T10:41:00.007+02:00

Are you inspired when the weather is beautiful? I am!! Whether cold or hot, as long as the sky is blue and the sun is out, I feel energized, uplifted and happy. Who isn't?! More of my beads to show you -

CAN'T LET GO, close-up

Black-and-white beads

I love these beads, the motifs are quite Japanese-looking

CAN'T LET GO

THE ORACLE AT DELPHI, close-up

Made with lemon meringue and black. I can't tell you how I oh-so-cannot control this glass (lemon meringue), I keep getting splotches of deeper yellow - I admit, I do like the unexpected splotches, it's an element of surprise each time I take out the beads from the kiln when I use this glass.

THE ORACLE AT DELPHI

DRAGONFLIES, FLOWERS AND ME, close-up

Inspired while swimming in a nearby freshwater lake. I observed beautiful iridescent blue-bodied dragonflies flittering among the reeds.

DRAGONFLIES, FLOWERS AND ME

Use of pink and white enamels, each bead has a dragonfly and a flower

IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS

Black-and-white beads

Newsflash: Arizona Society of Glass Beadmakers (ASGB) is sponsoring and organizing my workshops in 2011. I am teaching in Arizona, two two-day classes on April 30/May 1 and May 3/4. If anyone is interested in taking the classes, please contact Penny Dickinson. By the way, when the classes fill up and there is enough demand, a possible third class shall open up. I shall be teaching techniques in these workshops and we shall be working with soft glass. For more details of what I shall be teaching, please email me at dora@doraschubert.com. For registration and workshop fees, please contact Penny Dickinson (please see below for her email address). The classes will be held at:

Fire and Friends Z Art Studios

8550 N. 91st Ave, Suite 49

Peoria, Arizona 85345

Contact: Penny Dickinson

Email: firedandfused@msn.com

WOW...I CAN SEE MY TOES!

2010-07-13T13:46:00.004+02:00

Despite the fact that I hail from equatorial sunny-but-humid Singapore, I am having trouble sleeping these nights, with the current weather in Germany. Hey, don't get me wrong, I am not complaining at all!! Love the heat, love the sweat, love the humidity, love the sun!!!! So what if I have to water the plants more often? So what if I have to drink more liquids? So what if the house is hot? I get to wear shorts and tees, go bare-feet and eat more ice-cream, what more can I ask for?! Imagine my glee, I can actually see my toes now!! During the colder days, my feet are hidden in thick socks almost 24/7 except when taking showers. Holy cow, I miss seeing my own feet and toes! Yes, that's living in Germany is like - toeless while it's cold...wonder if I am the only one feeling silly-happy now that my toes are part of me again?

Sweltering at the torch yesturday, this is what I've come up with:

FIGMENT OF IMAGINATION

You are seeing part of the set in this photo.

FIGMENT OF IMAGINATION, continued...

IT IS WHAT IT IS

RANDOM CRAZINESS

SLOW PROGRESS...

2010-07-11T14:19:00.003+02:00

It's so hot these days that I honestly dread turning on my torch and my kiln to make beads. In a way, I am slowing down in "churning" out beads. Usually by the second bead, the heat makes me sleepy and I feel awfully brain-dead. However, I am not complaining about the weather, let me have the hot weather over the cold anytime!! What I do when it is so hot, is to put a damp washcloth or tea-towel around my neck when I sit at the torch. Do you realize that this actually keeps you nice and cool? Neat idea, huh? I also put a damp towel on our dog, Sandy, and let the fan blow on him. His fur is cool under the towel. I don't recall whether I mention that it is not usual to have ACs in Germany. We have lots of windows at home, perhaps you can imagine the infernal greenhouse effects we are experiencing. I certainly know how a chicken broiling in an oven feels like.

Not very many beads to show you this time round, my brain isn't exactly telling my hands what to do; it is telling me to take naps instead...

Ok, this set has a little tale to it. I based the choice of colors to the Chinese culture - yellow, red and turquoise (the Chinese call this blue-green). Yellow is an important color, in the past it was solely reserved for the Emperors while today, it is still reserved for royalty. Yellow is also the main color of Buddhism (most Chinese are Buddhists), a representation of being free from worldly cares. Red symbolizes happiness, joy, wealth, prosperity. As for blue-green, it symbolizes spring which is about vitality, vigor, longevity and harmony.

THE LAST DYNASTY

UMBRELLA: RAIN OR SUN?

2010-07-07T08:35:00.007+02:00

As I am updating this blog, many parts of the world in the Northern Hemisphere are experiencing a heatwave. From where I come from (i.e. Singapore), we use the umbrella, rain or shine. Actually, when it rains in Singapore, the umbrella does not give you that much protection - with the monsoon rains, you still get soaked under an umbrella. It is wiser to stay indoors or under a shelter when it pours in Singapore. Yes, you might say, I grew up using an umbrella for both the rain and sun.

Well, try using the umbrella when the sun shines in Germany, I get plenty of stares like I am bonkers or I have people mumbling "is it raining?" to me. For the past two weeks, the temperatures are as high as it is in tropical humid Singapore, it hovers at least 30°C (about 86°F) and still, no Germans have been sighted with an umbrella over their heads. So, does that boil down to looking good or what? The umbrella is not just a protection against rain, is it? Believe me, it is definitely cooler walking under the umbrella even though you think you look uncool with it during a sunny hot day. Most Asians will grab their umbrellas, when it is so hot - it's a matter of practicality. Of course, practicality more often than not, may not be cool-looking.

Anyway, stay cool and meantime, here are my new beads I'd like to share with you -

UNDER NO ILLUSION

UNDER NO ILLUSION, another view

SIMPLY DELIGHTFUL

YOU AND ME

FEEL MY SOUL

GROPING IN THE DARK?

2010-06-30T09:03:00.005+02:00

Finally I am finding my way back to my torch; ok, folks, let's not take this literally, I am not fumbling in the dark to find my torch. As after any event, I am not only exhausted but burned out when I come home and I simply can't bear the thought of making another bead. Oh, I do admit, I am not keen to make the same designs as when preparing for the event. The need to come up with something new and exciting is as daunting as crossing the huge Pacific or Atlantic Ocean with your small wooden row-boat in order to reach home. Perhaps, this need for 'something new' is the kill-joy factor. Perhaps, no one except myself expect me to come up with new designs. Perhaps, I set goals which are not necessary. Perhaps, I am being complicated. Perhaps, it is better to do what I like doing, so what if they are similar designs? Perhaps, it is best to put all these mind-bogging questions in the trash and forget it. Let's start afresh and be happy as clams!

Some new beads to share with you:

A ROMANTIC BOLERO

round beads in watermelon and transparent red with turquoise motifs

comes with transparent aqua/watermelon/transparent red disc spacer beads

EVIDENTLY STAR-STRUCK

round beads with black motifs and light blue dots

accompanied with spacer beads

STARS OUT IN THE SUMMER SKY

round beads, black motifs with green-pink dots

A SILENT CHOICE

this is a set where it's about positive and negative

something I learned during my days in art school

THE APPLE FALLS PRETTY CLOSE TO YOUR FEET, NOT JUST THE TREE...

2010-06-26T07:32:00.012+02:00

A few days ago, one buyer asks me whether I am bothered by another lampworker who has made a bead with a butterfly motif and, whether I think about copyright issues. Well, you know, this is an ongoing issue not just with lampworking but in all sectors of business. We complain constantly about how the Mainland Chinese copies the branded goods including automobiles; well...hello, the apple does not fall far from the tree. Look around in our little world of lampworking, making similar designs (please note, I do not use the 'c' word and I wish to clearly point out that I'll give benefit of doubt as to whether this particular lampworker's actions and intentions are deliberate or not) is always an ongoing sore point. So, before we point our fingers at others and criticize, let us look at ourselves first. Oh, by the way, the butterfly bead is nothing; I know of another lampworker who not just has similar designs but even uses the same exact name for the bead series as my 'Taj' series from last year - now, that is really hitting hard below the belt. That is one main reason why I stop making my 'Taj' beads.

Back to the subject, am I bothered by the similarities in the beads? Yes, sure I am - but the only way I can avoid this from happening would be never to show or sell my beads. Once your work is publicized, there will be people who become tickled by it and chances are, one or the other is tempted to 'give it a shot'. Sometimes I prefer to think that it is not the motif they are after, it is 'cracking that technique' that is intriguing. I make beads ('Magnolia' beads) which entail a certain technique; the beads will not be what they are if that technique is not used and does that mean I am copying? Sensitive issue, isn't it? Hey, we live in a democratic society and each of us is entitled to do as she/he pleases. If someone does not feel that she/he is infringing on others' rights by making something similar (be it a bead or otherwise), then so be it.

As for copyrights? Well, I can't afford paying copyright fees. Sure it crosses my mind now and then, but you know what? There is nothing really new in the world, we are constantly recycling designs; give it a tweak and there, you have a 'new' design. Besides, I do not wish to stay with one style or technique eternally, I like to move on. Moving on means I am advancing myself. I admit, I do not google about my lampworking colleagues' work. Why? Well, I feel less anxious and do not face any stress this way. Yes, you may wish to label me ignorant by not keeping up with what's out in the lampworking sector. I prefer to source for my inspirations elsewhere, e.g. textile industry, master paintings, the nature around us, the marine world...I can go on and on, but I think you get my drift.

Let me share with you some new beads I have -

OH-LA-LA!!

set of round beads

BLACK-AND-WHITE SET, Custom-order

I do not usually take custom-orders anymore. This is a 'special' request which I obviously bent my own rules - these beads are specially made after a rendering - the beads and the drawing will be exhibited together. I am not sure how much I am allowed to reveal at this stage, so I am not saying anymore.

DAINTY

lentil-shaped focal made with purple enamels

FIREWORKS

lentil-shaped focal bead, in purple and orange enamels

OUT OF SYNCOPATED SYNC...

2010-06-24T10:32:00.003+02:00

Returning from any business trip is a pure joy for me; clearly you see what my family and home mean to me. Ok, I admit, I take about two weeks to settle down before I can begin to work in my studio. Yes, I come home feeling very inspired and definitely very gung-ho; on the other hand, the biggest quest is like climbing Mount Everest - which of the many inspirations should I work on first? I hit this all-time high and then, it changes into an all-time low and I feel like cowboys lost in space. Knowing this, ie my two-week hungover, I take part in a handful of events each year, spread out to meet my pace. So, am I psyching myself into thinking I need taking about two weeks to settle in? Probably. Some of us take longer to get out of any jams, others don't even have this issue. Ah well, it takes all kinds to make this world - thank goodness for that, otherwise it is a major constipated nightmare meeting your own clones wherever you go!

I have a custom request order from a Japanese buyer - an order from the Bead and Button Show. It is for six beads in abstract designs with enamels and no, it's not a set but individual small focals. The Japanese prefer small focal beads. I have not made this design for two years now. Beads came out this morning from the kiln looking mighty pleasant and I am pleased with them. They will leave for Japan over the next days. You may ask, is this what I am planning to make now? Perhaps. Let's see what my brain has in store for my hands.

Our Sandy - I captured his photo this morning - is now 13. He has his birthday on May 22; he is noticeably slower during his walks and is taking longer getting up from the floor. His naps are much longer and deeper too. A 30-minute walk with Sandy now takes about 50 to 60 minutes to complete. I cut down the length of our walks though every couple of days, we take his usual long rounds - you can tell when he's up to taking a longer walk. I struggle inwardly to see how he is slowing down. My husband and I agree to change our summer travel plans this year, I am reluctant to leave him in any kennel's care or anyone's care - that means, no flying for us and we will restrict our traveling with the car so he can come with us. He has no ailments, hears and sees very well; he is just old. But when it comes to his meal times, oh my, you see how he skips to his bowl like a joyful 3-month old pup! Our dog is definitely our best friend.

HOME SWEET HOME

2010-06-20T18:00:00.004+02:00

I left for Germany on Monday and touched down on Tuesday, having lost one day since I was traveling west. I spent most of the day sleeping and needless to say, I was the only one awake till 3am at home. I used that time to get my accounts done from the Bead & Button Show and sorted out this & that. By Thursday, my jet-lag was more or less gone and I was 'back to the future'. After all, in the US, my day was 7 hours behind the German clock - I guess, that made me 7 hours younger there, hahaha!!

So, how did the show go? Well, it was sluggish for me; if I may dare say so for the other vendors, it was pretty sluggish altogether. Still, it was pretty nifty to be there - get the creative juices rolling... This year, I moved to another booth, my 3rd move so far in the event and let me tell you, it is not a good idea to move from your spot. Your clients think you are not there and when they do find you on the third day, well, that's when you know you're lucky they even found you! Most visitors at the show clutch a show program and I have pretty much noticed they do not read the program till perhaps when they are back in their hotel rooms or their homes. I had several visitors ask me where they could find so-and-so and when I ask them for their show program and flip to the right page for them, you know that they have not even glanced at the show directory! I guess in their excitement to be at the show, they forgot about using the show directory!

Still, I had a great time during the show; with Bronwen Heilman as my booth neighbor, let me tell you, it's definitely fun, fun, fun!!!

Being alone at my booth leaves me no time to even go around the show at all, let alone take any photos. Sorry if I am disappointing anyone with no photos. Here is however a most interesting subject at the hotel...I was very tempted to tell the fellow that his fly was undone but I thought that he just might fall off the ladder in his panic. Yes, he is a real human (and a man...)

THIS IS IT!

2010-06-06T13:27:00.006+02:00

Whether I have enough beads for the show, well, it's a little late to worry about it now. The Bead & Button Show begins on Thursday and I have stopped working at the torch yesturday - time to pack the beads and my bags.

Good news! Elizabeth Prior has set my glass cabochons into 7 new rings and 5 new pendants specially made for the show; this includes my new Mad Hatter series besides the Moorish designs. My booth is #17 at the show.

I spent about 10 days making large-holed beads which can be used on the Pandora/Troll & Co. bracelets/necklaces, though they are versatile for other chains as well. I admit, I have enough of making the small beads...little suckers...I counted about 238 such beads. Now you may understand why I can't the thought of making the 239th or 240th bead??!!

Next, I made more of the round beads with the 'I-heart-you' motifs though these beads are 'heartless' (wow, I sound like Cruella DeVil, talk about the 'heartless' beads and its maker...). I have come up with color combinations which I personally like. I could have gone on making more but well, there's that time factor again.

Here are some other beads, besides the Mad Hatter series, traveling to Milwaukee with me. Have a great week, and I shall blog from Milwaukee!

NOT IN HIBERNATION

2010-05-17T17:04:00.008+02:00

I have a few weeks before I leave for Milwaukee in June and yes, I am busy preparing myself for the Bead & Button Show or at least I like to think I am. I must admit, I am not spending enough time on the torch as in the previous years preparing for the event. Slowing down? Probably. I want to enjoy myself making beads and simultaneously, take time to relax. Trying to find some semblance of order and balance. This past week has seen me going in one direction, so I might as well forget that bit about 'semblance of order and balance'... I have been churning out big-holed small beads - does that sound mad? I mean, 'big-holed' yet 'small beads', sounds silly, doesn't it? Actually, these are meant for using on the 'Pandora' bracelet/necklace. I've made about 120 such beads and I am quite pleased that they have a pretty consistent size. I admit, I haven't been too worried about the size and yet, they came out as if I had pushed a button that says 'size x'...

LARGE-HOLE SMALL BEADS

for 'Pandora'/'Troll' bracelets and necklaces

BLACK-AND-WHITE NECKLACE

CLOSE-UP OF BLACK-AND-WHITE NECKLACE

Beads with new color combination and patterns

MAD HATTER SERIES, focal bead

with ladybird

Reverse side

THE JEALOUS HEART

Reverse side of THE JEALOUS HEART

THE PURPLE HEART

Reverse side of THE PURPLE HEART

I-HEART-YOU

two-tone with a dusting of enamels

Reverse side of I-HEART-YOU

I-HEART-YOU: HOPE

Reverse side of I-HEART-YOU: HOPE

A FRIEND

2010-05-13T20:56:00.005+02:00

You can shed tears that she is gone,
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her,
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesturday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesturday.
You can remember her only that she is gone,
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back.
Or you can do what she'd want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

- David Harkins

My dear friend, Ulrike, passed away at 2am into the next world in the night. A brave woman, who never believed in giving up. Ulrike was 46.

TOO MUCH ON MY MIND

2010-05-10T10:49:00.001+02:00

Our dear friend has taken a turn for the worse and she has been in the hospice for the past two weeks. Last night, her husband called us to say that he has been overnighting there for the past three nights with her, keeping her company. Despite her recent major surgery, her body is slowing giving up.

Over the weekend, I stopped work for two days to bake cakes and made fresh pasta as we had my parents-in-law over yesturday; though I admit, I forgot it was Mother's Day when I called them to join us on Sunday. Ahhh, losing track of such things is a common occurrence these days, when I have too much on mind. Hope you all enjoyed the day with your mums.

Some beads I made recently - hope you'll enjoy viewing them. Have a good week.

WILDFLOWERS OF A DIFFERENT NATURE series

GRANNY SMITH'S TREE

GRAPES OF WRATH

WANDERING STARS series

FURTHER COLLABORATION

2010-05-06T09:29:00.006+02:00

I realized this past year, I have not been using the right torch for soldering. Can you beat that. All qualified German metalworkers (past and present) are required to and can use the mouth blowpipe soldering torch, which believe me, is almost impossible to master if you are a hobbyist like me. By the way, that is the source of oxygen for the flame. You have to learn how to breath through the nose while blowing out at the same time. I tried till I was blue in the face and giddy, but the flame is uselessly low. I bought the Little Torch last year and it's takes patience to get used to it. Why? Each time I ignite the torch, I have to wait for it to settle to the 'right' flame - that takes at least five minutes. Lots of wasted time...

Anyway last week I told Elizabeth Prior about the mouth blowpipe and she commented that she thought "the mouthpiece died out in the 1800s". Hahaha!! I like that. She herself has been using handheld for the past 35 years - oops, am I revealing her age - and bearing her handheld torch in mind, I started to search in my German supplier's catalogue for a similar torch. Found and ordered one two days ago, I can't wait for it to arrive. Not that I shall be efficient in my metalwork just because I have a 'proper' soldering torch - it is just the beginning of a long but exciting journey.

Here is the ring I completed recently. Yes, this geometric design is very Moorish influenced. Most people ask me if I make a bead and then saw it in half - no, I do not do that. It is a cabochon from the very beginning - there is no way you can saw so exact and not disturb the design.

MOORISH RING
925 sterling silver matt finish

MAD HATTER SERIES, CABOCHON
My new collaborative work with Elizabeth Prior

I am most delighted to say that Elizabeth and I shall be continuing our collaboration after all. She shall be setting most of my Moorish designs cabs into rings and pendants as well as my new Mad Hatter cabochon series. Here are the first batch of Mad Hatter cabochons on their way to Elizabeth in Maine. Our collaborative work will be presented at my booth at the Bead & Button Show 2010 next month.

Some new black-and-white beads I made this week. All lentil beads are large, about 26mm to 35mm in diameter. The best part about preparing for any event allows me to make as many similarly designs/color combinations as I like till I get fed up with it. Then I have the pleasure to move on to the next passion.

I HEART YOU
this heart is made with opaque red

I HEART YOU
reverse side
FALLING IN LOVE
hearts also made with opaque red
FALLING IN LOVE
reverse side

FLOWERS FOR YOU

FLOWERS FOR YOU
reverse side

FALLING IN LOVE
these are made with transparent red.

UNTITLED

UNTITLED

UNTITLED

SMILES AND DIMPLES
47CM (18.5") necklace with 20 lampwork beads

Close- up of SMILES AND DIMPLES

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
measures 40x30mm

Reverse side, THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

SIX IMPOSSIBLE THINGS BEFORE BREAKFAST
39x27mm

Reverse side, SIX IMPOSSIBLE THINGS BEFORE BREAKFAST

GETTING OVER THE GATE
measures 41x29mm

Reverse side, GETTING OVER THE GATE

ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND
measures 41x31mm
Reverse side, ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND