I got this email from Emma Ralph today and I had been foolish enough to be asleep at the wheel. I didn't read it instantly.  You just have NO idea , until you see what she creates, with her incredible talents, in any number of mediums. Emma is an artisan in Great Britain, and she and I have been forever friends. This doesn't mean I can catch a break on an earlier timed email than YOU receive if you sign up for her emails, however. She is really fair and honest, darn it. However I cannot stay mad at Emma long because she is too talented and I need her for inspiration. Plus she is really funny and fun.  I just want you to take a look at what Emma calls 'orphans or seconds'. I gave you an example I just took off her site, above. Hah! Every one is a treasure.
I think she went briefly insane to charge as little as she did for the sets she put up, which of course are now ALL SOLD but go see anyway--you will not regret it. And check out her other hand made beads in polymer and ceramic and her charms and her jewelry, and all the rest. You won't regret getting to know Emma. She is my secret weapon...her work graced the very first book cover one of my designs was ever on, and that book is still in print, and her work shimmers on my own book cover as well, wowing everyone, and she and I have had a piece which Fire Mountain Gems choose to put on a number of the backs of some jewelry design magazines, and even put on a mouse mat!
Finding out I was a mouse mat was a big day for me!  I am serious. And all that was all due to the magic that is Emma Ralph.

Here is the email I received today which I was too late in reading! ARGH! Go see her site, and pine and swoon. And sign up for her emails, as I have. And stay awake 24/7 for her next email.
She is, simply, just one of the top artisans in the world.--jean

From Emma today:

"Good Afternoon!

I know many of you have been waiting for me to list more of my Slight
Seconds lampwork bead sets. So, I hope you'll be glad to read that several
sets have been listed in the EJR Beads online store today.

www.ejrbeads.co.uk/shop

For those who don't know - the Slight Seconds sets are collections of my
lampwork beads sold at a much reduced rate. This is because they may have a
small design flaw, be prototypes for ideas that were just never gonna work
(!) or simply be orphans left over from other sets. But they are all
perfectly sound, useable beads that still deserve a loving home even if they
are a tad quirky at times!

My Slight Seconds sets do sell out VERY quickly. So please bear this in mind
and don't let a set linger too long in your basket if you defintely wish to
purchase. All are sold on a first come, first served basis - so whoever's
completed order and payment reaches me first gets the beads. Just putting a
set in your basket won't prevent someone else checking out with the same
beads before you do!


Magazines:

As always, new magazines have been arriving. We now have the current issues
of Polymer CAFE, Art Jewelry, Jewelry Artist and Ornament magazine in the
store.

Polymer Clay Fans:

For all you polyclay fans - do check out our Cosmic Shimmer mica pigment
powders. Available in a huge range of themed sets, these gorgeous mica
pigment powders look stunning brushed over unbaked polymer clay. We've added
two new sets to the range recently - plus, some colours are also now
available individually in larger sized pots.

Well, that's it for today. Thanks, as ever, for reading and I hope you have
a great afternoon

Emma"

http://www.ejrbeads.co.uk/ - The Website
www.ejrbeads.co.uk/shop - The Online Store

http://www.polyclay.co.uk/ - The Polyclay Forum