1.15.2020 - OCD?

OK… so I’ve been making these cool bracelets, and making and making. My goal is to have nicely wearable barrels, and smaller diameters seem to be the key. So, I made about twenty of these bracelets - each has between 11-13 beads. The findings are all handmade from sterling silver as well. I’m working on redoing the website page by page…. so next week I’ll have one for these bracelets.

Tonight’s update has a handful of sets that are priced at $40 and below. (except for one)… so swing by and take a look!!

11.20.2013 - I'm here!

Hello again, gosh - it feels like eons since I’ve been here…

Charlie was busy last week, keeping watch over his charge. We had a nice visit from my eldest, and his wife/baby… gosh - how quickly time passes! Yes, it always seems to fly by when you need it to slow down. Hard to believe I’ll have a two year old granddaughter in January!
She is actually wearing a little woolen cardigan that my kind neighbor from our time in Germany had made for my first son…. nice to see it come full circle and still be worn and WARM. Funny, it’s balmy and nice until you have people visit - then the temps drop into the arctic region!

As you see, Charlie was keen on whatever she was doing - and always available to snatch a stuffed animal or an unsuspecting morsel from her hands… there were tears quite a few times as the struggle for ownership of some item came up.

I knew my time back at the torch would be a little stiff the first day - as it’s been almost two weeks since I’ve sat down to make beads… but I was happy to find that by the second day - it felt comfortable and my mojo was back.
It seems this week, we’re working small… I like small… easily wearable items… and easy on the ears stuff as well - BUT I can work bigger, as Barbara can attest.

Reminds me of something that I always laugh about… so - I’m showing someone my work, and very quietly with much awe they ask if I also made the little beads (seed beads)… rolling my eyes here… as I think I’d need to use pins as mandrels. Why are those so often so awe inspiring? I made this bead set - then made it into a bracelet.. this is the first time I’d deliberately placed two heavy silver beads at the clasp - in hopes to keep it weighted and turned the right direction… will report on my success. Anyhow - glad to be back - and have to chuckle - as THIS week, Texas is back in the 80s… what’s the deal??? Smiles Y’all. Jill

11.6.2019 - Tiny Canvas Fun

Last week I had mentioned I was going to be taking a class over the weekend.  I had signed up for Holly Cooper’s class at Blue Moon Glassworks using enamels on metal. How very cool is that? It’s always fun to venture off the beaten path and learn something in another area that’s somewhat glass art related.  Enamel is just powdered glass, so I was excited to learn things that could crossover to my art.

…and I did…. I had decided to be good and not even attempt to play with newfound ideas until I had posted this week’s update.  But what happened during my torching sessions this week was that I found I was creating beads shaped like a little glass canvas. Next week, I get to create art on the canvas!

for now, I’ve applied wig wag stringers onto the ivory and coaxed the colors out… the two square ivory tiles have an offset horizontal hole - one is 1/4” in dia, the other is 3/32” dia. the tall rectangular one has a vertical top hole - and a bail set in place.

What do you think? Update in about 1 1/2 hours… come check it out. : ) Jill

10.30.2019 - Competition

LOL… have to laugh - as my update falls right in line (competition) with the World Series - final game. Oh well…. I turned the game on - and my doggie, Charlie, plopped down right in front and stated watching the game!

I will say - it’s been an exciting playoff - and I was almost sure it was over a few times… only to find there was another game to be played. GO Astros!!

___________________________________________________ : ) ___________________________________________go Astros!!

BEFORE I FORGET - I’m taking a class this weekend from Holly Cooper… here I’ve lived in Austin 10 years - and she’s a hometown gal… I’ve wanted to take a class from her forever! Her style is so distinctive - and her enameling skills awesome… so. Here’s to learning the technique and making my own style of beads! I’m so excited!

OK, I did make beads. Monday it was in the 80s and it was warm, but really pleasant. Today it’s a whopping 42. I’m game - I’ll take whatever cold that’s thrown my way - as it seems I spend a lot of time complaining about the Texas heat/humidity.

This week, I’m bringing a few more finished pieces - one in particular - as I love it. Remember - I wear a lot of solids - so something like this really works for me. It’s up this week, if it doesn’t sell - it’s MINE : )

Dogwood Shimmer Necklace - $265
JillSymons.com Lampwork

The Silver focal is a Karen Hilltribe dogwood flower pendant , it’s flanked by a whole lot of 1/2”D solids with raised scrollwork, thin multi-colored disks, silver daisy spacers, and a nice Silver toggle.
I’ve added a button, just in case you just have to have this. There is only one… of course, I have other sets in other colors and can make another if this has sold.

Happy Fall ‘y’all… enjoy the chill, : ) Jill


10.23.2019 - Listening to Merle Haggard... and feeling sigh. This too shall pass.

When I’m out of sorts… doing repetitive things seems to help. I threw out all my old mandrels - ordered 10# of stainless mandrel rods (welding) from Amazon - cut them watching TV, ground the ends smooth… then made oodles of earwires, AND missed my update deadline last week. So it all rolled over to tonight. Apologies.
The page has gotten awfully long. I will clean this up next week.

When it came time to photograph some of the beads… I started to think about how I veiled the colors to allow two colors to blend and make a coordinating third color… and had such fun with the photography. (maybe that’s why I missed my deadline…) I’ve been playing with using my Apple products to photograph… the quality is there - but there’s something odd about the colors when it comes to editing. So - I went back to my old Cybershot…

This past month has been odd. Family member sick, dear friend dealing with loss of father…, averting knee surgery, and just a sense of disarray…. this doesn’t happen often - and I’ve tried to keep it all neatly in its own box… but it spilled over a little.

You will see that my torch session took me down one clear path… and my earring endeavors have been in a pretty direction. Maybe if the weather changed I’d be able to shake this? 83 tomorrow - are you KIDDING ME?

earrings… and cookies. Oh, did I mention I’m learning to knit??

She’s not yet two. But - does this allow me to start making lists of all the fun and trouble we can get into? I’m thinking big sheets of paper and little bare feet … and hands… and PAINT. Think she can help w/ cookies? OH - yes - as a taste tester. Just thinking about all this makes me smile. yes. It’s all good. : ) Jill

Charlie is now 8, I’ve not starred him much of late - but he’s always the happiest thing around!! Love him bunches.

I’m practicing… as Merritt is coming to visit in November.

10.2.2019 - ...and into every life a little sparkle...

Years ago my youngest son gave me a mirrored disco ball. There. that says it all, huh?

It’s been so many different places in my home. (Sometimes I struggle to keep this glass oriented - but bear with me…) I chose this house because it has so many east/northeast facing windows - which makes for very pleasant mornings. I DO believe that each day should start of with an infusion of whimsy and magic. So - the mirrored ball has always allowed little dancing spots of light to grace the walls of my home.

A few years back a couple moved in next door… I was so happy when I saw festive lights go up in their back porch… they are a Godsend. Anyhow… come to find out that Kathleen has a mirrored ball as well - but hers lives outside… hanging in a tree… and so does mine now. I get surprise visits of flashes of reflected light as I torch or sometimes just inside having coffee… it’s magical.

So - #1… we have established that magical light brings joy.
Years ago - my father began importing Lausha glass - and our worlds merged - suddenly he knew most of my fellow lampworkers and often times many others I didn’t know. For the uninitiated, this formerly Eastern German glass factory has some of the most incredibly clear glass…. its beauty is not only that it is so beautiful, but can be worked hotter than most other glass AND it maintains that wonderful quality. Lots of sparkle.

#2 - sparkle brings joy as well.

So what can be done when a glass is so beautiful on its own? We let it shine! Less adornment, more untarnished beauty. This shaped my journey in glass… and I started creating things with unbroken planes - few adornments and I dreamed of ways to showcase the glass itself. Of late, I’ve been mulling a series of pieces that are made solely with the colorless clear.

This would rely only on ways to bounce the light…

A few years back I decided the bead with a hole had certain purity distractions - and I have reached a point where I’m happy to say it’s gone. These are beautiful, they are the little black dress of earrings. I’ve made smaller, larger, singles, triples…

I’m always conscious of how much the glass weighs, and the limitations of what we can comfortably wear… it’s an ongoing constant exploration for me… and now with Autumn/Winter (supposedly) on the way - I am thinking of clear in more icy tones… wonder what will lie ahead in the coming months. smiles, and little bits of joyful light - Jill

9.25.2019 - New Quest (ongoing)

So - after 22 years of online sales - I finally participated in my first show… aren’t you proud of me?? I learned so much - mostly that I took way too many things. Not jewelry or bead things - but display and props…. I thoroughly enjoyed the process and my customers : )

My new obsession if findings ways to streamline show setup/display… and trying to maintain an orderly process when sales happen… marking off the items on the inventory etc. I can see how this could become an obsessive process. Already I’m designing display items that I can “load” pre-show… and simply place. I know this process will get easier… but for now - the hindsight being 20/20 is surely true!

My favorite prop: Imagine a swag of tennis ball sized ‘beads’ with raised scrollwork… I think I got caught up in the perfection of my ‘scrollwork’… no - these are NOT glass… : ) fun, huh?? But I have other ideas that I will unleash as they become realities…

…and…
This is a Kathy, Noel’s eldest daughter, a fellow glassy (among other endeavors) her medium is fused glass - who was gifted a pair of my earrings - don’t they look fabulous on her?! Funny - I’ve sold this color combo quite a few times! I have a similar pair on the update tonight.

I had to sneak her in here - because I just loved this picture of her - and her fun earrings!!!

Stop by the update tonight and have a look-see!!
smiles - Jill

8.14.2019 - Call to the Classics.

I get lost, all too often, in the world of wonderful color…. it’s ok for me because I don’t often wear prints… and so the combinations are front and center the focal. BUT… this week, I made the earrings a little less popping with color and I can truly say I love the results!


These are a nicely monochromatic combination of shape and visual interest - rather than coordinating colors… of course, this can only last so long… but here are some other variations:


This sweet cornflower blue single hole bead is suspended below a periwinkle disk… or perhaps the classic ivory and black version shown as well…
all area available on tonight’s update.

7.31.2019 - Shift...

Ludia, my most cooperative model here has been a sheer joy to work with - as she gives me no attitude, always shows up to work on time and always looks fabulous! She is sporting this week’s Over N Under Earrings and she says they’re some of her very favorites!

Near weightless, with that signature swing of two beads joined by a hinge… and a nicely bold design.

So, I got a small shipment of glass yesterday… some of my newest favorite colors… and I think I have finally earned my walking papers from making the slender tubes. Thankfully! I am participating in a local art show at the end of this month - will/have been making a variety of things - I may showcase some of them here - and would love your feedback. What would you like to see at shows you attend?? smiles, Jill