Jewels and Beads, Handmade Jewellery: Spice up your Sunday.....every Sunday....

by MaryAnn Carroll

And today, we are offering an extra sprinkle of spice..... Once you have finished reading about Elisabeth Strong of Lizard Breath Beads, check out the winner of the fabulously generous bracelet that she offered for our Bi-Weekly giveaway.

And .... it wouldn't seem right to not ask Elisabeth where she came up with the name Lizard Breath Beads since Elisabeth was so kind to donate to our giveaway inspiring the question, "How did you come up with the name of your shop?"

Elisabeth shared this...... "So, my older brother initially pick, pick, picked on me with the name growing up, but it slowly transformed into something of a more endearing nickname. So, strangely enough, I have to thank him for all the lizard breath comments because it allowed me to create a unique and personalized name that I felt was fun but at the same time a little off beat."

How did you first get interested in creating lampwork beads and jewelry?

I discovered it through a craft television show and shortly thereafter bought a starter kit. I was hooked after experimenting in my garage for hours and made the leap for all the heavy duty equipment. I haven’t stopped since.

Do you design the beads with a finished piece in mind?

I like the freedom to let the bead design the piece but I also enjoy the challenge of having a bead in mind and creating it. I will usually split each firing 50/50 so I have room to explore but also ensure that I have productive and piece producing firings.

How long have you been selling and how did you first decide to sell?

I first sold about three years ago at a local community festival and slowly increased frequency, size and confidence thereafter. I was constantly making and producing so it seemed like the next natural step to take. To meet the demands of customers I joined in on etsy at the end of last year.

What have you enjoyed the most about selling online?

I love sending the pieces off and imagining how they will be met on the other end. It’s sheer delight to imagine making someone happy with something I have sent them.

Have you set any goals for your future in terms of creating and selling?

I am always trying to improve my techniques, use new color combinations and manipulate and explore all the magical things glass can do it the flame. I will always focus on keeping a strong etsy site and producing a consistent and creative blog. I have just recently started to sell in local shops as well.

Lastly, Elisabeth, when you are not creating these beautiful designs, what are some other ways that you spend your time?

When I am not creating beads or designing jewelry, I am playing duck, duck goose, completing my master’s degree in counseling and soaking up as much inspiration as possible. I blog at lizardbreathbeads.blogspot.com and try to stay active on facebook as well. I truly enjoy just creating and sharing a connection with others that like to create in their artistic forms or in life’s work.