Coined for Summer

Here's a set that I did this week just in time for summer... The "coins" are hand shaped and rather different from my norm. I was swept away with the need to do something different. I've also been working on getting a set of "blocks" together.

I have a lentil press, but I find that hand shaped beads have more character and are more fun to make than squishing glass in a press. Then there's also the problem that most presses are not made to fit the 1mm mandrels I usually use, so hand shaping is the only way most of the time! :0)

I've been having some more problems with my hands. The CT has been acting up, I'm hoping because of the weather. (Lovely spring rains instead of snow, thank all that's holy!) I'm looking at possibly getting surgery done so I can work for longer than 15 minutes at a stretch. You have no idea how long it takes to make a set of beads working in 10-15 min. blocks! :0)

I should find out sometime in April about surgery, so I'll post here when I do. It's possible that you'll be seeing more of Mike's work than mine up for awhile. Both hands need it, but I might be able to hold off on having my right hand done until the left heals. For the life of me I can't figure out why my left is so much worse than my right... I am a "righty" after all! :0)

Kat