Images on the beads are not painted. All beads are hand rolled from Polymer Clay which is a man-made clay that cures at very low temperatures. It can be sculpted, carved, stamped, textured, sanded, and polished to create unique beads or other creations. It is extremely lightweight, which offers a unique alternative for those who want a larger bead but not the weight that comes with such sizes. It can also withstand a bit more abuse than a glass or stone bead. Polymer clay comes in a variety of colors which allows artists to mix and blend endless possibilities. There are also endless possibilities of clay canes which include geometric, floral, animal, words, or character designs. The canes can be sliced and placed on a raw ball of clay to form a beautiful bead. This technique is called Millefiori.

     Millefiori is a glasswork technique which produces distinctive decorative patterns on glassware. The term is a combination of the Italian words "mille" (thousand) and "fiori" (flowers).  The term was coined in 1849 but the technique was used long before that. The millefiori technique in eairler times involved the production of glass canes or rods, known as murrine, with multicolored patterns which are viewable only from the cut ends of the cane. Millefiori beads are made of plain wound glass bead cores. Thin slices of cut cane (murrine) are pressed into the bead surface, forming mosaic-like patterns, while the glass is still hot. Millefiori beads can be decorated sparingly with a small number of murrine or they can be covered entirely. The manufacture of mosaic beads can be traced back to Ancient Rome, Phoenician and Alexandrine times. Canes, probably made in Italy, have been found as far away as 8th century archaeological sites in Ireland, and millefiori was used in thin slices to brilliant effect in the early 7th century Anglo-Saxon jewelery. Although the Millefiori technique was developed in Murano, Italy in the 15th century the heyday of Millefiori bead manufacture ranged from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.

The Millefiori technique is a labour intensive process. Each Millefiori bead is individually and painstakingly handmade.

1. The Polymer Clay Cane is Made.

2. Slices are applied to an uncured ball of clay.

                   3. The bead is rolled very carefully, a hole placed in the center, and ready to be baked.

   4. After cooling from the oven I prefer a gentle sanding and wiping with a soft cotton cloth to give a smooth feeling.