Fresh from the desk: Beaded bookmarks

I'd like to be up and about, but since I sat down it's required that I hold a cat.  I've been gone a lot, so I may as well indulge him and write while I sit, right?

These are actually an older project that Mom and I worked on while she was making ornament covers and we had leftover lampwork or Millefiori beads to use up.  They're quick and easy to make and because of the beads I have left over from various projects, each one is unique.  They're listed for sale at Etsy now as well, and I can certainly work with any color requests.  They vary in length from 10"-14" long and most of them are on a dyed strip of leather, but some are on a string of lightweight white hemp.  I just clamped a loop tip to each end, attached a few links of chain, chose a large bead for the focal point, then added other smaller complementary beads.  I think they're adorable and they sold pretty well at my latest Saturday show.  I have one that I use for my books and Mom used to use one before she got her Kindle.  For these, I tried not to use fancy beads or my natural stones since I wanted to keep the cost down.  I wanted them to be cute little impulse buys, and it's slowly starting to work that way.  Occasionally I'll find a package of lampwork beads on clearance that I just can't resist, and inevitably a few of them end up on bookmarks.

Occasionally I'll decide on a theme for one.  For example, the one on the far left in the picture is slightly patriotic, with red, white, blue, and silver stars.  It's possible to make these without a focal point bead, but what's the fun in that?  Lampwork and Millefiori beads are way too much fun to ignore!  Actually, I should work with them more.  That's an idea!