© J Crosby
Hello and Welcome!
All of the beads on this site (unless otherwise noted) are made by me using glass rods and a propane-oxygen torch. The glass becomes molten, I shape it, then the finished bead goes in the kiln to slowly cool over 8 hours. This is called annealing and helps reduce internal stress and strengthen the finished bead.
I love the ever-changing colors and shapes that appear when lampworking. My biggest inspirations are color, nature and animals. If you have any questions about the glass bead making process, please feel free to email me. I list current news and beads for sale in the bead blog and I sell my beads on Etsy. I also spend way too much time on Twitter and Facebook.
Bzzzzz!
About Me – Janet Crosby
I have been working with beads as an art form since 1987. My interests span many areas of beading: stringing, beadweaving, and looming. I enjoy making jewelry as well as other non-jewelry items, such as beaded vases and tapestries.
Lampwork torch
I have always loved glass in any form; stained glass, beads, vases, etc., so the move into lampworking (using a torch to melt and shape glass) was a natural one for me.
I started lampworking in April of 2003. I purchased a propane-oxygen torch, safety glasses, and a few tools. Then I spent approximately a month reading all that I could about ventilation, eye protection, and the safety aspects of lampworking.
My husband constructed my studio, which features a full fume hood, fire extinguisher, concrete backer board table and wall protection, and a flashback arrestor on my propane tank. I purchased my first concentrator shortly after I started lampworking, and I now have 4. It is so nice to always have plenty of oxygen to fuel the torches!
Firefly Lampwork Mailing List
If you would like to be notified as soon as I list an item on eBay or my Firefly Etsy store, you are invited to sign up for the Quick List. This list is sent out as soon as new beads are listed.