Mermaids and Insomnia

Lampwork Glass Mermaid Bead

     For some reason, I've had some issues with insomnia the last few days. Instead of lamenting all night long, I try to think about some things that I don't seem to have time or quiet to think about during the day. One particular idea that has been swimming around my brain for several years is a book series about mermaids. I have become a bit obsessed with mermaids over the last several years and think they would make a wonderful basis for a series of books for tweens and teens. I love just thinking about the story lines and backgrounds while laying in bed, letting my mind wander and play with all the possibilities. Of course, the next step is to start writing it down in bits and pieces. I've written some, but need to tackle it again since lately I've come up with lots of new ideas and story lines. Soon, soon...
     The bead you see above is one of my own lampwork glass beads. The mermaid is swimming around the outside of the bead, you can see her tail just to the left and she has lovely silvered ivory hair cascading through the water. I created a series of these, this one being my favorite. She was part of a multi-strand necklace. I said was, because after I had the piece professionally photographed, I dropped her and she broke. I dropped her on concrete from about four feet up, that  is what happens with glass. She took me about 2 1/2 hours to create, so I was very sad when she broke, but it is a reason to get back on the torch sometime and make another lovely piece. Loren Stump, a teacher I had at one time, said, "it's only glass," and I try to remember that when I lose something I really like. He lost a humongous glass sculpture that dropped at a show, worth thousands of dollars and that is what he told everyone who came by to see what had happened. Keeps it all in perspective.