The package I was waiting for yesterday turned out to be neither glass rods nor the bicone tool, but it was certainly no disappointment - I received this wonderful marble I bought on eBay a few weeks ago. I have this little reward system going - well, it's not really much of a system any more - so let's just say I occassionaly reward myself with a handmade marble or paperweight. I simply adore this stuff!

This marble is by Steve Davis. I love it so much I can hardly put it down! It's all bubbly and sparkly and swirly  and pink and purple... ahhhh, everything a girl could want in a marble. It looks different at every angle. You can see more photos of it here.

I really, really, REALLY want to learn to make marbles someday. I don't think I'll ever stop making beads, but marbles are the best. I'm going to try to teach myself soon - I have a book on the way called Torchworked Marbles. But to do it professionaly, and/or to make marbles even half the size of this one, I would need much better equipment than what I have now.
Someday.