Fresh Glass 6.17.16

Another LONG torch hiatus. Let's see... TWO sinus infections severe enough for five doctor visits (and I'm still not out of the woods), end of school stress, job applications seeking fall contracts, a trip to Louisiana to catch up on yard work for mom... Is it any wonder I've no time to torch?

I did make a three piece set yesterday. Had hoped to repeat today but my head was spinning.

This is one of my faves from the Cleo series!

Fresh Glass 2.15.16

Yeah, I've been in a funk. School, work, taxes-schmaxes, new roof on the studio, washing machine on the fritz... and no, beads are NOT selling. I took all listings down on FB for a bit...just no point in allowing a black hole time suck in when I'm so distracted and busy.

I realized I haven't shared beads here in forever! These are still in the "to be cleaned" bowl:

Trying to do more thematic listings for the bead group. I had been working on the Cleopatra three-bead sets...when I decided to try a peacock...which lead to the large lentil and tons of sketches and ideas...but no time.

Then I realized I need to jump on the Easter bandwagon... more tomorrow.

Fresh Glass / Trunk Show This Weekend!

I adore this focal! I sold my all time favorite focal before Thanksgiving and this is my remake in PINK. Another silver focal here, a drum set, a bicone set and some chocolates in Christmas shapes.

The trunk show is on for this weekend...links tomorrow...or check the fan page.

Fresh Glass 11.24.15

More Fresh glass... the green and red was my December made to order earring colors, ordered by another glasser for a quick turnaround order. Because it was another glasser, they had to PURRR FECT.  Not just perfect...PURRR FECT! I was a neurotic mess. She got 14, I got 9!  These will make an appearance in the trunk show.

 I was a bit disappointed with the bicones... too dark. They will hit the etching solution. And the that dichro montser??? OMG.. That bead would not let me sit down! I  was literally dancing the whole time I made it!  It will be in the trunk show! Meet Dancer:

Fresh Glass 11.23

I've decided to try and have my annual trunk show... gee, I guess I should start promoting it! I've had two intense days on the torch, trying to fill orders. The Jaunty hatted snowmen are repeats / requests. The first one had mean bead release and he ended up a two parter...

Also in this batch, 2 pair of bellflower earring sets. I really hate the Jupiter glass didn't strike on the ribbed disk. I reannealed them with the bellflowers and they look much better. There is a tree parts 3 piece set, and three pieces of snowmen tiles... ran out of time to make his hat! And an aventurine earring pair for good measure.

Fresh Glass 11.4.15

Much better day!!! Only a few focals but I like 'em!

Fresh Glass 11.3.15

Finally got the shop floor tidied up and drug the tank in... My shoulder hurt so bad, I had to wait another day to soap the lines. I made beads yesterday. But I had been on a page where people were selling stuff below wholesale... and had that crap in my head so I made garbage...

That egg on the left... was supposed to be this color:

The middle one is some DH mystery glass that is "supposed" to be lavender...

 and I made an even tinier itty bitty kitty only to be told my prices are too high...

Sigh. Not a good day at all. Which is why I wrote this post to myself years ago... I had to go re-read it again today. If you are in a rut, you may find it helpful.

and Out of Gas

I tried to torch the other day and actually decided on a creative direction - I have some German pink glass and I wanted to make some small "normal" size hollow beads... and struggled cauae...small is really not my forte and my tools are all larger. So instead of a set, I made one. I didn't want to waste the pink.

Next I made a long skinny ivory base for a silver glass idea I had. And my flame looked funny.. I glanced at the tank and realized I was running low on gas. And here I was at the early stages of a one hour bead. So I tossed the ivory into the kiln.

I decided to try a tiny version of the silvered glass bead ...and was really glad I didn't waste the time on a larger version!

And then I ran the tank dry making some tropical sunset drums.

I have two fresh tanks...but it's been really windy.

Fresh Glass 9.30.15

More experiments: More Double Helix... the red set was for a custom order. The two most prominient barrels were DH's striking color. The one on the left was in the kiln an hour longer.

Fresh Glass 9.29.15

More fresh glass for the trunk show: These are all experiments from the Double Helix Garage Sale box that I was lucky enough to score!  The top long skinny broke 8-(  after I tried everything in the world to get it off the mandrel and I finally beat it over my sink divider to break it to pieces. It got it's revenge with a nice large sliver in my foot!

But the other two focals...both based on Ossa willb e in the trunk show. The minis have been spoken for.

Fresh Glass 9.25.15

More Trunk Show goodies: A large purple dichro focal, some penguin squiggles, some tabs... the purple set came out nice but the teal ones look like cold lozenges...sigh! And the pumpkin moonwalk that is for sale on my fan page:

Fresh Glass 9.23.15

More trunk show prep: a set of Kaleras in purple and raku as well as a pair of squares in the same colorway. And... a focal that didn't come out the way I thought it would... but got some nice color reactions in spite of the artist!

Fresh Glass 9.16.15

Today's kiln harvest included an amazing purple raku focal, some earring pairs and a silver glass mystery...sigh...

Fresh Glass 9/15

Boy am I behind on Fresh Glass pics!!! More Trunk show goodies... a cow kitty and more beads from a purple set...

Fresh Glass 9.7.15

This batch has a few more itty bitty kitties, a 1" lentil and a ribbed round to finish out a set.

I'm in the throes of editing hundreds of kitty pics...OY! Meow!

Show Prep

I'm having a bad pain day complicated by having to deal with a naughty customer who backed out on an order. So instead of more fresh glass, I thought I'd show off my show prep tray where I'm stringing sets, getting beadies ready for their closeups!

And for more glassy goodness...check out what the last three days look like in bouquet form!

Pretty fun, huh?? Wish I felt up to torching today...but it was already 90 when I got up!

Fresh Glass 8.26.15

More trunk show prep! Itty Bitty Kitties: Punkin, Olive, Calico, Old Gray and a normal size Punkin Kitty. And more PURPLE!

Fresh Glass 8.25.15

Today's fresh glass batch has a bunch of Itty Bitty Kitties and more purple spacers and some pink ones for good measure and ...the tiniest Pumpkin witch hat I've ever made. Oh and my first ever silver glass kitty...

Fresh Glass 8/24

I was on a bead making roll last week! Here we have a variety of spacers  and one of my daisy beads in a smaller 1" focal size. I must say...it's harder to make one smaller than it is a larger one. IF I got paid for my time...this one would be much more $$ than the larger ones...sigh. It's likely to be one of a kind! And a Clio focal. I love that pink... I just hate how many freaking layers of glass it takes to get that color! I like long skinny beads... and I'll never have one in that shade of pink! GRRR!

Fresh Glass 8.18.15

Are you one of those lampworkers who take copious notes? I envy you! I wish I were...but I don't. And I do stupid stuff... I rename all my frits... and I'm walking around with that info in my curly little brain! One bump and... nothing! I remember reading some post from a lampworker on one of the forums... for ages she would mention in almost every post, "If only I could remember how I made my {insert fantastical name here} set!" I could be her... So far I haven't forgotten a bead I want to duplicate...but I'm sure I will.

But the one thing that drives me batty is notes to myself!  I'm notorious for writing down a phone number and no name... And I write down bead recipes with no point of reference. On my to do list was
"sedona w/ lapis stringer." Der... was that transparent or opaque? Where did I see this?? Was it a tut? Did a friend tell me? I have no idea... and the bead was lackluster... Hardly worth my time. Can you see it in the jumble below?

I also made scads of squeezed beads... a fun trip down memory lane that will be another post at some point. A pair of drums and a set of ribbed donuts are in there. And... a bead called "phantasia" that looks like a butterfly...only the hole is on the wrong side. Figured that out after I had made pairs in several colors!