Lee Thomson

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While I do love glass beads and seed beads and all kinds of beads, I think I have decided lampwork is probably not my medium. It takes a lot of practice to produce things that are pretty, or interesting. These were all experiments. As experiments, they are hugely successful! I made beads! I made more than one! I even rather like one of them (the big square one) which was not what I expected at all.

Our teacher encouraged us to lean into the process and not get too attached to any particular outcome. I did my best to do exactly that. I am amused at my attempts, but I think I don't need to do it again any time soon.

Alice walked me over to the bead store and took Red Kate's place when she couldn't stay. Alice made some interesting lumpy things too, before she overheated two fingers and produced blisters. With cold water and an ice pack she'll be fine by tomorrow, but it cut her beadmaking time short by a little. As she pointed out, it was hard to turn the mandrel in the flame when you couldn't use two fingers. She is also pleased to have tried it, and she may be more interested in doing it again.

So – another experiment, another medium I can cheerfully leave to others, many of whom are much, much better than I.