Spare Time Designs

Hello..welcome to my website.

My name is Anne and I am a glass bead artist here in California.  Here on my site you can view photos of my work, sign my guestbook, purchase my bead sets (via eBay or you can contact me by email), make comments, vote in my poll and lots more.  

Before I go any further, I'd like to mention my Voting Poll at the bottom of this page.  Please take a moment and vote!  I'm always interested in what people like in my work.  I'll try to change the poll every couple of weeks.

I started making glass beads in March of 2005 when I attended a 2-day class at Arrow Springs in Shingle Springs, CA . The people there are very helpful and friendly...and just about anything you need is in the place.  I consider myself very lucky that I live only a few short miles from them and can pop in at any time to purchase my glass, tools and supplies.

I've recently left my part time office job to pursue beadmaking full time.  So far so good...I'm lovin' it!  This type of work has always been something I've wanted to do...and I feel very comfortable and fortunate that I can.

I create all my beadwork using the Nortel Minor Burner surface mix torch (oxygen/propane).  I use Arrow Springs A99 kiln to anneal all my beads ...this makes them strong and durable.

I have came a long way since I first started, but still have so much more to learn.  That's what is so intriguing about this work....every time I sit down to create something...I fall into some other new technique...it's great! 

Within the last year or so I started experimenting with other different shapes of beads - lentil, pillow and tile are a just a few shapes I work with.  I use presses to form these shapes.  It takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature. These presses I've purchased from Cattwalk Lampwork Tools (check "my links" page for the link to Cattwalk and some of my other favorite sites).  I am also using many different frit, raku and metals for blending now. I love working with silver foil and Raku.  There are so many different possibilities with making beads.

I started selling my work on eBay in August of 2005.  My bead sets are usually sold in sets - anywhere from 5 to 20 beads per set. 

I price them according to how difficult or how much time they take to create.  

Now that I have went from part time beadmaking to full time, feel free to email me with any special orders you may want!  You can visit my eBay store (to get some ideas) by clicking the link under my Menu on the top left of this page or view some of my recent work under "Photos".

For the first few years, I worked outside in my backyard.  Nothing even close to fancy..but it did the job.  Recently, I've moved inside.  My husband spent many long hours setting up my inside studio - and I love it!  Everything I need is at hand and now whatever the weather may be outdoors, I am safe and sound inside.

Enjoy my site...browse around..tell all your friends and family about it...pass it on!  Have a great day :)