What is in a name? - tanglebeads

It is time for the change.  It has been well over two years since I closed my retail bead and craft store.  It has been over a year since I have moved house and locality.  Now, it is time to bring my branding skills back into my business and give it a bit of a makeover.  Choosing a name I thought was going to be hard.  My old name wasn't sitting with my style or personality anymore.  Time to think of something new.

I have a love for tangling (doodling, zentangle) and of course my bead making - so how could I incorporate the two, - I came up with Tanglebeads - ok it has both things in it.  Easy to say, conveys the product.  I liked it.  Also checked that I could register it and it was all good.  Hooray.

But now the story gets better - while I was looking for a cool font to use and saw that name about 100 times in 100 different fonts, it dawned on me that Tangle incorporated both my name and my partners name.  Tan - for Tania and Gle for Glen - and while I was looking at the font I liked, I put the E backwards.  When I showed Glen last night I told him that that was because he is not the type of person to run with the sheep he always does things his own way.  

I am so happy with the name and style I hope you like it as well.  It is more me, and I am really looking forward to the tangle part of the name and what will come out of that.

Today I will be tagging my exchange beads for the "You Pick 9" - Lampwork Etc exchange - here are a few of the ones that I am sending off.  Not the best picture but I took it at work (shhhhh....)  I attempted a Jellyfish bead and a tree decoration, neither of which I had done before, so in my eyes exchanges are a great way to expand your skills and also your colour pallet as I never use orange but heaps of the inspiration pictures had orange in them.

Loving Recycled Copper

Over the next week I have heaps of projects to finish off.  But today while I had a student over using my lampwork torch I decided to use some of my recycled copper stash.  Here are a couple of pendants that I created.

The goddess has already sold in record time - about 1 minute after listing it on my facebook page - once I photograph the other pendants I will be listing them on etsy and taking some down to L'abundance in Fernvale.

Silver Murrini - I am challenged!

Ok - so I am leaving a certain exchange that I am doing on the Lampwork Etc Forum right until the last moment.  My beads need to be sent and postmarked by the 17 September to be sent to California USA.  So I only have a couple more days left to make some successful silver reactive murrini recipes.  

Here are a few beads that I did Monday night a couple might just scrape through as good enough to send.

Also this week the Artisan Beaders of Australia Blog went live - I have been working on the concept for a while now.  Would love you all to visit and follow along.

Etsy Spring Coupon Sale

Well Spring has certainly sprung in my neck of the woods.  I know I have a lot of followers from the other side of the globe and I hope your Fall is looking beautiful.

In honour of the season I love so much I am having a 10% off sale in my Etsy Store

CODE : SPRING2012

The sale ends at the end of September - Enjoy!!

My most recent creation has been gifted to my Mum for her birthday earlier this week - she saw this bead when she visited me last time and commented on it - so I made it into a surprise necklace for her.

Earrings, Goddesses & Fire Lotus

I had a bit of a play with TAG Fire Lotus yesterday.  I love the earthy feel it gives especially when overlaid onto a sage base. - All these beads have fire lotus as an accent.  It gives a wonderful array of colours depending on what you do with it in the flame - these where all used in a neutral flame, cooled and then slowly struck.

My Mum & Dad are going on a cruise in September and Mum asked if I could make her some interchangeable earrings for some gold sleepers that she has, these are to match some outfits that she is taking with her.

And this last pair are going to be listed on Etsy when I take a couple more pictures.

Cheers Tania

Glass Bead Makers Challenge & Students

Over the last couple of months I have opened my world to teaching basic lampwork bead making classes.  I am loving it!!! - I have great students and some of them are picking it up really fast.  Soon enough they will be addicted too.

Here are some beads that a student made in her second class - I am really impressed with the shape and holes that she is forming after a two hour first lesson.

I am also organising the challenges on the Glass Bead Makers Forum - the July/August Challenge  which finishes at the end of August and I made a bead for it over the weekend.

Here is the inspiration

Here is the bead.

I still love my Moroccan Lamp Style beads - so why not make a few more!!

Cheers Tania

Dreaming of Ceramics

I scored big time last week - a friend on mine (friend since grade one) sold me a pottery kiln and wheel for an amazing price - I have yet to pick it up but very excited - so apart from everything else I am supposed to be doing, I am now trolling the internet for ceramic inspiration, tutorials and insight.

So if you know any amazing websites for me to visit leave a comment and let me know please!

Finished off a few more pendants that I have listed on Etsy as well this week.

Cheers Tania