It's not all fun and games

There is a definite transition between the "fun" part of a bead business and the "business" part of a bead business. And, I'm not even talking about paperwork.

Here is what was sitting on my kitchen table last night - it's two, maybe three weekend's worth of torch time:

Every single time I look at a pile of beads like this, two things go through my mind: 1) Oh, wow, preeettttyyyy!!!!!! and all mine mine mine! and 2) Oh why oh why didn't I make sets as I went.... (maybe that's three things, but who's counting?).

It's really not particularly easy to sit down with a big whole humongous pile and then to try to recreate the combination of sizes, shapes, and colors combos originally intended. Really. I have come to know over time that it's best done with a glass (or two, or.....well, you get the idea) of wine. Anyway, this is the next step:

I lovingly refer to these as "bead-ka-bobs." It's the perfect use for the old, bent mandrels. In the next step, they'll be strung on to copper wire with a few accents beads, then they'll get priced. Eventually, they'll be ready to sell.

And, should you forget, here's a close-up of the first picture (forget what, you ask? - that they're MINE ALL MINE bwahahahahaha!).