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When you purchase hand blown or lampworked beads from your dealer make sure the beads have undergone the annealing process. Annealing is essentially heating the finished piece of glass and then allowing it to remain at a certain temperature until the entire piece reaches the same temperature. Then it slowly cools. Annealing ensures your handmade bead will not shatter or crack during a temperature change. If your dealer cannot tell you if your glass beads have been annealed or not, then look for another supplier who knows how their glass beads are created.
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Mary White |