A beady eye for detail
Richards Bay resident Vera Sansbury turns heads with her glass bead jewellery
HER fascination with beads and crafts is endless and for Richards Bay’s Vera Sansbury every spare moment is spent working on creating beaded jewellery and décor masterpieces.
The mother of Olympic medallist Bridgitte Hartley ensures attention to detail is emphasised in each item she creates.
Her collection offers a wide variety – from colourful and cheeky to classy and elegant.
She creates her own glass beads from scratch using an open flame and says no two beads are ever the same. Much detail goes into every creation.
‘Using a range of imported glass, I enjoy experimenting with different ingredients and textures to see the different effects.
‘I start off with melting the glass onto a stainless steel rod, add crushed glass pieces to create an effect and then leave it to cool overnight.
‘My arthritis sometimes makes it difficult because I need to use both my hands during the process, working the bead over an open flame.
‘In the beginning I endured a few burns and had lots of broken beads, but I have certainly mastered the art now,’ she says.
Sansbury completed a short course in glass bead making a few years ago and has her own in-house work station.
She also creates hot board stands using recycled corks, as well as a range of décor pieces and ornaments.
Her items are sold at local outlets and the public can find her at the Meerensee Crafts Market every first Saturday of the month across from the Meerensee Mall.
