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Title: Chocolate Coffee Beans
Artist: AJGlass
Image created by: AJGlass using a Panasonic DMC-LZ7 Lumix 7.2 MP camera and PhotoShop.
Medium: Glass
Type: Soft Glass (this means it’s not borosilicate)
Description: Glass Beads
Details: The LEGO^TM Minifigure provided is for scale of the glass beads. Dark brown and light brown opaque glasses were used to create these beads. All AJGlass beads have been properly annealed. Due to the differences in monitor settings, the colors of these beads may look slightly lighter, slightly darker, or otherwise different on your monitor than the beads themselves. The “straight white lines” on these beads are light reflections. Letters are provided for purposes of identification. The LEGO^TM Minifigure is not for sale.

Status: For Sale – A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H.
Item: Eight handmade, light and dark brown swirled, coffee bean adorned, glass beads.
Price: $20.00 each + $4 S&H per shipment (or $5 S&H per shipment outside of the continental United States).
Contact: Please note me if you are interested in purchasing any of these beads.
Payment: PayPal. Other payment options may also be accepted.
Shipping: I ship beads via US Post in packaging suitable for glass beads.
Delivery: Please allow one week for delivery, longer for international orders. Weather permitting, I ship the following business day after payment has been received and cleared. Beads will be shipped with delivery confirmation when possible.

Discussion: I think that these beads would make for excellent centerpieces in necklaces and that they would also make interesting subjects for, or additions to, several wire wrapping projects. I also think that these beads would make for very unique discussion pieces.

The bead hole ends of F and H are not symmetrical (one end of each bead is rounded while the other end is more flat), thus they are shown as they would appear if they were mounted vertically instead of horizontally. The lower metal bar only passes through G.

There is no worry that the coffee beans may fall off as they are securely fused on. Of course a good whack might dislodge them but then again, a hard enough whack would probably damage or crack most glass beads. Remember, these beads are created from glass, and like all glass they can chip or break if dropped/thrown/crushed or otherwise abused. These beads are NOT suitable for small children, and are NOT edible. They pose a choking hazard if swallowed.

Further comment: Some if these beads have more pronounced alternating color streaks than others. The dark brown color in many of these beads is nearly identical to the color seen in most dark chocolates and the light brown color is nearly identical to the color seen in many types of milk chocolates. As the two brown colors were mixed, several streaks of reddish/orangish brown also appeared – as can be seen in the bead marked A. In my opinion, these streaks don’t detract from the beauty of these pieces.

So if you’re into coffee or chocolate, if you have a very unique fashion sense, or if you like your beads highly caffeinated, then these Chocolate Coffee Bean glass beads are for you. I am pleased to be able to provide them as pieces that I am offering for sale online. Note me if you are interested in purchasing any of these pieces.

Sales history: As a member of The Southeastern Michigan Glass Beadmakers Guild, I sold many of my glass pieces at the 2007 Winter Wonders Glass Show in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. More recently, I sold numerous glass pieces as a participant in the 2008 Spring Bead Bonanza show, which took place in Southfield, Michigan and which is a show that I have been participating in for many years.

Guarantee: I will do everything that I can to make sure that you are satisfied with your purchase. So if you are not satisfied with these beads for any reason, please return them prepaid in their original condition and in their original packaging for a full refund. Shipping costs are the responsibility of the purchaser. Please request return authorization in advance.

Legal: Copyright © Aaron J. Greenblatt. All rights reserved. Commercial use prohibited. This image and commentary may not be used for any reason without the expressed written consent of Aaron J. Greenblatt.

LEGO is a trademark of the LEGO Group. © 2008 The LEGO Group.


Please click here for more images of my glass work.

Please click here for images of my glass studio.

Please click here to view my photography work.


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Your opinion needed: I am seeking some serious feedback concerning these Chocolate Coffee Bean pieces and this image of them. Before posting this image, I received feedback from several people and just about every person had a different aspect that they didn’t like about this image. One thought that I shouldn’t have posted the top row of beads with the bottom row. Another thought that the multiple light reflections were distracting and that the LEGO dude was unnecessary. Someone else thought that the pieces were too dark – even though the pieces are made out of dark opaque glass.

I don’t have a professional photography studio, or even a light box and extra lights. I just have the light available to me in my glass studio – which comes from true-color fluorescent light bulbs. I guess I could try and photograph my pieces outside, under cloudy skies, but that’s always weather-dependant and around here, the weather is unpredictable and it changes rather quickly. I was originally rather pleased with this image, but now ...

Also, I want some feedback on the shape of the beads – most notably the beads in the top row. I really like their shape (even without the coffee beans) but response to the shape locally has been lukewarm at best. The shape is a flattened cylinder whose middle has been heated and allowed to drip down – making a pendant. For some reason I find the shape to be really pleasing. I’m hoping I’m not the only one who thinks such, though I very well could be.

So, if anyone who sees this image could give me some honest critique/feedback – and perhaps some suggestions/opinions on the shape of the pieces and the image itself as well as ways to improve both – that would be great. All opinions are welcome.

Thanks.