THANK YOU for this thread!
I actually got my Raku to turn awesome colors! I put one of my brass stamps into a plastic dish that contained ice water. (Making sure the water didn't get into the stamp). Then, when the bead was hot hot hot, I placed it onto the stamp, then back into the flame, then back into the stamp and voila! It actually worked.
You all rock. Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us!