Beads Gone Bad

A.K.A. FUGLY BEADS

Bad beads bad beads, watcha gonna do.....whatcha gonna do when they come for you... (Theme song by Tam)

Making beads sometimes requires experimentation, and well, sometimes experiments go horribly wrong. I'm going to share some of those bad experiments with you, lest you think every bead that comes out of my kiln is a work of art.

This bead is definitely over baked. The color is gross and the shape; ugh. It looks more like a turd than a bead.

This one was inspired by a beautiful sunset I had seen. Unfortunately, I was unable to achieve the desired effect in glass. That was disappointing. Maybe with a different technique and different glass, or maybe with a little more skill, I'll finally be able to capture that sunset.
I was trying to make an encased floral bead, but I let the core bead get too hot and smooshy when I wrapped the clear glass around it. Clear encasing is something I need to practice a lot more. I don't do it because I'm not very good at it, but the effect is stunning when it's done right.

This bead had potential. There's a lot of interesting things going on with it; little sparkles of gold, and an organic look, but I think it has a little too much going on so it looks chaotic, and I didn't get the encasing quite right on it either.

I learn a little something each time a bead goes bad, so it's not a complete waste of time, gas, and glass, and it gives me the opportunity to learn persistence. It's tempting to give up on a technique when it's difficult at first, but mastering a difficult technique is worth the time and frustration, no matter what it is one is trying to achieve, whether it's a pretty bead, a new dance step, or speaking a second language. See? Beads are good for life, even the bad ones!