Annies New Story

My Baby Patty & Me 1998

Hi!  Welcome to my info page.  I've prepared a few FAQ's below, but if you have questions or suggestions, please feel free to email me at labeadlady@yahoo.com

Have you had your bead therapy today?   

FAQ's

HOW CAN I SIGN UP FOR YOUR NEW BEAD AUCTIONS  NOTIFICATION?     Just click below and you'll be routed to the "sign up for sales" page at our site.   Just be sure to mark your interest as LA BEADLADY EBAY AUCTION, and you'll receive an email only when I list new auctions on eBay.  You will not receive any other site notification unless you mark other interests as well.  I will be listing new items no more than twice weekly, so you will not be bombarded with unneccesary emails - plus you can easily unsubscribe at any time.  Please note - I will email subscribers at the same time I am listing items or the night before - this gives you the opportunity to have first dibs on any buy it now items!

http://www.lionqueendesigns.com/Sign_Up_for_Sales_.html

Do You Make All Your Own Beads? - Absolutely!  I now have a lovely garage studio of my dreams here in Nevada!  I use a Nortel Mega Minor torch with a 10 lpm oxygen concentrator.  I have a Paragon Kiln which is programmed to anneal my beads consistently to optimal standards.  Any beads I add to my own for display or jewelry purposes will be stated clearly in the description.

Do you use spray on lusters for your finishes?  After admiring other artists beads on ebay, I found a reference to "spray on lusters" which are apparently being used.  I want my customers to know - I use no temporary or removable artificial enhancements to my beads and never have - I pay big bucks for the glass that has the minerals and precious metals embedded in it that creates the wonderful colors I am so fond of.   It is only thru the artistic mix of propane and oxygen , pure precious metals and glass that I create the beads you see!  Any add ons such as enamels or pixie dust (which is mica) are stated in the listing.  And of course, anything you purchase from me is 100% guaranteed to please!

What's Annealing? - Annealing is a process that allows the molten glass we use to return to its previously perfect structure as the beads return to room temperature.   If cooled too quickly, most beads will break - anything over 1/2 inch or so will do it pretty quickly!  In fact, if you want a perfectly cleaved bead, just set a hot bead on a rack at room temperature and in a few minutes - you'll have 2 halves split down the center.   Although it is cool compared to the bead, the kiln is set at 940 degrees for holding or "garaging" beads while the artist is making others.  The kiln remains at 940 until I have finished the last bead, and at the appropriate time, begins "ramping down" on a schedule.  This is a lengthy process (about 8 hours), so this is why most beadmakers are eager to check out the goodies in the kiln in the morning!  I think that must be the Christmas morning feeling we all get, because we know we have to wait!

What's SRA or SRAJD Mean?  Those are acronyms for Self-Representing Artist or Self-Representing Artist Jewelry Designer.  These organizations are basically groups of artists who agree to abide by standards of quality.  Plenty of info is available online about these groups - and you can verify an artist's number or find their contact info on the home sites.  I am member H-93 SRA, and 1041 SRAJD.

What Size Mandrels Do You Use?  I really like 5/64" and 3/32" mandrels for 95% of my beads.  I find that the 5/64" is just slightly larger than 1/16" and I don't bend them as easily.  If I use another size, it is almost always stated in the auction.  If you'd like to see more beads of a particular mandrel size, please let me know!

Why Do You Sell Your Beads under 2 names on eBay?  Well, I actually only sell my beads on the labeadlady page.  My niece Suzi has a page called lionqueen808 - click here to see her page -   http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZlionqueen808 and she also sells my beads.  What it boils down to is that I don't have the time to sell all the beads, because I have my own issues.  I try to do what I can, but I make a LOT of beads sometime and I just want them to have homes instead of sitting unnoticed in a plastic box.  The beads are listed at the same starting price - so don't worry about paying more for the beads thru her.  I make less, but I'm ok with it because I have more time to make more beads.

How Do I Get A Shipping Rebate?  In order to receive a shipping rebate, simply wait until you have purchased 5 or more items within a 2 week period.  You may either pay thru paypal (you will be charged for shipping - and I will refund!) or you may contact me when you have finished shopping, and request a total.  I will remove any shipping charges from the invoice.  And please, if I forget to refund something - remind me!!!   I am 55 and do forget things occasionally!  I won't be insulted, lol!

Do You Take Custom Orders?  I have occasionally taken commissions, but it's more like work and less like art for me - unless you just give me free rein and a few basics.  I really don't think too much about what glass I'm working with while I'm at the torch - and I equate it to walking in the woods - it's hard to retrace your steps if you were enjoying the scenery too much to pay attention to the route you took...  so in other words, when I make beads, I'm lost in my little world.  You can ask, I don't mind trying sometime if it is a recent or very simple design. 

I Was Watching An Auction and One Day It Was Gone, What Happened???   Since I've moved to Nevada, I've begun to  build a local client base.  I go to a couple of shops who purchase my beads too.  If a client shows up, or I take my bead box with me to a shop, any beads without bids are fair game.  For this reason, I encourage you to place a bid on any bead(s) you have your eye on.  I will not cancel bids to sell an item - I don't care for that practice.  But, I consider an unbid item the same as being in a sales showcase.  I also don't end auctions early to sell to online bidders - that's not fair to eBay (and of course against their rules).  Placing a nominal bid is just the safest way to know your bead will be there come time for the end of the auction.   I'm happy to work with you on anything - even offering a discount for multiple purchases - just contact me.  I really want my beads to have homes.

Are your beads stronger than regular glass?  Yep!  The annealing process does impart a certain strength to the glass - not quite as strong as Pyrex, but stronger than your average window or drinking glass.  Since they are glass, you should use reasonable care with beads that have appendages like dots or thin edges, but you shouldn't be afraid to use them in wearable designs.

Why Don't You Repeat Designs?  This is an easy one.  I just don't.  What happens to me while I make beads is hard to explain.  I do like certain colors, and boy I love Double Helix glass obviously, but I have so many ideas in my head, that I have notes all over the place of colors or designs, etc.  I even have dreams about beads sometime and had to put a little notepad with a light next to my bed so I could write them down.  Some of them work out great, some not so, but even the beads I would really like to recreate somehow never or rarely happen.  Who knows, maybe one day I will get good enough to create a signature design or style that I can visit from time to time.

Do You Have A Website?  Officially, yes.  We are adding more items as we can.  Suzi and I have a website that is under construction - nearly finished, but we need to get our photos and inventory going.  It will probably be mostly jewelry to start with (I have soooo much jewelry!)  But once it gets going, I plan to put some of my beads there.  We'll see how it goes, we're still working on it.  It is called  www.lionqueendesigns.com and we'd love for you to check it out.

What I Really Want to Know About is the DOG!!!  My dog's name is Annie.  She's a staffordshire rescue (everybody calls her a pit bull - not).  I think she is about 8 years old.  I got her from the Animal Shelter in Burbank, CA about a year and a half ago.  She's the nicest dog I have ever had and I love her like I've never loved another animal, except my horse Patty.  Annie loves everyone and likewise, everyone loves her.  I have had so many people, literally, inform me that if I ever want to get rid of her, that they want her.  LOL, not likely.  She's just a perfect dog, quiet, sleeps all the time, extremely obedient, and best of all...she loves me.   And no, you can't have her either.....but I'll put your name on the list.

Horse?  You Have a Horse???    Yeah, my real baby is Patty!  She's my homebred backyard baby who I've had for 15 years.  She's currently being leased in California.  I really didn't want to bring her back to Nevada any sooner than necessary because its so hot here and she was raised on good grass in Maryland and Virginia.  Burbank is desert enough for her.  She'll probably come back to me at the end of her lease in October and I will find a nice place to retire her.  She's been good to me.  I've had her since she was conceived and we are really close.