Precious Porcelain Beads
Designed by Leslie Blackburn Ohnstad,
assemblage by Kimberly Madrigal
 
In this project I used the Radiant Rain Pure Color Concentrate™. Available in 24 brilliant colors with a handy dauber top, Radiant Rain is a hybrid which means a cross between watercolor and acrylic. As water evaporates, the acrylic left behind bonds to surface.
In preparation for CHA hobby show I was designing a demonstration of how to make your own custom kitchen tiles and noticed the surface of the Fire Mountain porcelain beads was similar to the tile. In the craft industry we’re all too familiar with those happy accidents. By applying my tile technique to the beads, look what happened!
As a beading enthusiast, I have a huge collection of crystals, glass beads, seed beads- you name it. However finding a focal bead to match my collection is not that easy. Now I can make my own beads to match anything I can imagine. Perhaps you have a special outfit for that important occasion and need that special piece of jewelry to coordinate. Incidentally another artist was present the day we shot these finished pieces and commented she wanted to borrow the necklace, earrings and bracelet set to accent an outfit for her next cruise!
Leslie Blackburn Ohnstad ~ President Luminarte Inc
Materials:
LuminArte Materials:
Radiant Rain Pure Color Concentrate Daubers
Craft sticks
Eye dropper
Fire Mountain Beads Materials:
Porcelain Beads
General Materials:
Styrofoam block
Craft Cups
Wooden Skewers
Protective table covering
Play clothes
Heat Gun
Project (1) Apple Blossom & Solar Gold
Step 1
Uncap Apple Blossom
Step 2
Stir up product well, mica and pigment settle to bottom
Step 3
Pour a little bit in craft cup
Step 4
Trim down craft stick to fit inside bead
Step 5
Insert craft stick into bead
Step 6
Fill eyedropper with Solar Gold and drizzle over bead into craft cup
Step 7
Use heat gun to begin to roll color around
Step 8
While bead is hot from gun, continue to roll excess color droplet wrapping bead with brilliant stream of color
Step 9
Using tip of skewer tip, move last bit of wet color around, you may pop a bubble to release all the final paint left on bead
Step 10
Pat excess moisture with finger
Step 11
Drop Apple Blossom onto bead
Step 12
Heat bead, turning so color will move
Step 13
Use stick to move color around. The bead should stay hot enough to dry color as it moves
Step 14
Apply more heat when necessary
Step 15
Bead is done, put on stick, insert stick into Styrofoam cube to cool and dry
Project (2) Stargazer, Rich Cobalt & Solar Gold
Step 1
Apply Stargazer to bead with eye dropper over a craft cup
Step 2
Heat bead with heat gun a few seconds
Step 3
While the first color is still a little moist, quickly roll color and draw rich cobalt onto bead , as you apply the color the warm bead will grip the paint.
Step 4
Continue adding color to bead
Step 5
If bead cools too much warm bead again
Step 6
Draw Solar gold on with tip of skewer
Here is your finished bead
Step 7
Important note: Bead must be cool to touch before applying any type of sealant.
Apply clear nail polish or spray fixative. Make sure and dry 15 minutes in-between applications. Make sure all applications are a 'thin' layer, whether a spray fixative, or clear nail polish
Step 8
To dry, insert bead on stick into Styrofoam cube
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