Lelia Carras

     I grew up in the beautiful Northwest.  My brother and I  grew up in a sheltered environment with little outside interaction.  This included limited luxuries like not having power, toilets or running water.  I guess you can say we didn’t have a T.V. or radio to distract us either.  I did get lots of arts and craft supplies as my parents encouraged all of my creative endeavors. I ended up with lots of clay for sculpting and enjoyed making 1/12th scale dolls. This included making their clothing on a treadle sewing machine and the wire armatures for them.   I also got started into bead weaving and enjoy making peyote amulet bags still.

     While working in upper management at Cocoa’s Bakery in Olympia, a group of ladies came in for lunch.  One of them left a box behind.  While looking for some information to return the box I was shocked and amazed to find these beads in the box.  I was shocked at the color and detail having never seen anything like them in stores. Luckily Kimberly Affleck came back for her box, I asked her a million questions about her beads.  When she told me she made them herself, I almost couldn’t believe it was possible.  The detail and intricacy of each bead was just amazing.

     In 2001 I met a lady wearing a lovely lampwork bracelet.  As I was asking her questions about the bead she told me that in Spencer Lake there was a place called Frantz selling starter kits for $300.  It took me a while to save up for the kit, but I did.  I was so excited to be starting this great new hobby I stopped to show my Mom. My brother happened to be there and I hounded him to make me a small table that would fit in my car trunk so I could immediately set up my hot head (tourch).  I set up in the barn and with the help of Cindy Jenkin’s book I was off.  The closest I have come to a class is watching a marble demonstration by Jed of Double Helix in 2005, there are several artist’s I would love to take classes with to learn new techniques but as a stay at home mom of two very young children, I haven’t had the time yet, but I get a lot of inspiration and information from Fire and Rain gatherings and http://www.lampworketc.com/  as well as Frantz Art Glass.   I have become known for my sculpted work, but just enjoy making beads of all sorts.  I love the challenge of taking a straight cold piece of glass rod and creating a miniature work of art.