"I have been melting glass since 2003. I am always amazed at how different colors interact with each other. There is always more to learn when it comes to glass. I would work 60 hours a week at the torch if I could get away with it. There is always something new to learn in lampworking. Some new color combination to try or a new technique to master."

"I was born in California, grew up in Wyoming, Nebraska and have since returned to California. I went to school in Santa Rosa and now live in Fair Oaks a suburb of Sacramento."

"My beads are created by winding hot glass onto a metal mandrel that has been coated with a clay like substance called bead release. The hole size is dictated by the size of the mandrel. I use mostly 1/16th or 3/32 mandrels, but have other sizes as well. All of the beads I create in my home studio are fully annealed (stabilized in a computer controlled kiln over night). Annealing results in excellent durability and strength of the bead. They are made of soda lime glass so are still breakable but with care will last for many years. The beads are thoroughly cleaned by hand using a diamond bit dremel tool. Bead sets come temporarily strung together and are ready for your design expertise."

"I am happy to take special requests for items or to create a complementary piece. Each bead is unique and some colors do not play well together but I am always willing to try something new. I never know where my next new favorite design will come from. Please send me an email if you are interested in something 'custom'. "
-Becki Meckier

These photos show each of the steps that go into making a floral bead.

The beads are then removed from the mandrel and cleaned with a dremel tool, washed and cleaned. This bead is now ready for you to enjoy. I hope you have fun on your visit. Have a great day!

Click on each photo to see an enlargement for detail.
The optic mold is an open, cone-shaped mold with ridges on the inside that will impart a pattern on the surface of a gather or bubble that is inserted into it when hot.
Caneworking is a glassblowing technique that is used to add intricate patterns and stripes to vessels or other blown glass objects. Cane refers to rods of glass with color; these rods can be simple, containing a single color, or they can be complex and contain many strands of multiple colors in pattern.
Here, you can see I've started the basic shape for a floral cane.
Contrasting glass stripes are added to show delicate patterns on the petals.
Here, a second layer of color is added for depth and dimension.
A quick shot of a petal gather, you can see how it's starting to form
Here, I am finished creating the intricate internal designs, and almost ready to pull. Another rod is attached to "pull" the cane.
I'm ready to begin the pull.
This part can be tricky, maintaining the correct amount of heat and gently pulling at the same time. Too much heat and it can sag, too little and it could break.
And here is the finished cane, ready to use on any number of beads.
As you can see, I keep a beautiful range of colors for my beads.
Next, I start the base for my bead.
Some interesting colors will make up the background for my flowers, showing them off nicely.
Here, I'm carefully adding the flower stems, leaving the right amount of room for the flowers themselves.
Now, the fun part, adding the flowers onto the beads. You can see how the multi-hued cane I made first is used!
Almost done, my bead is turning out nicely. My work on it is done, and it's ready to go into the kiln.
Here are several beads ready to go in my kiln to anneal overnight.