Project Samples.....

A few weeks ago, I was working feverishly to finish the proposals and send in samples for 2007's Bead and Button Show. I wanted to show a few of the samples from the proposed classes. This one is entitled "Wired Squares" It uses the Primary Colored Square beads that I are available on my website listed in the left menu. The beads were inspired by Kandinsky's Color Studies and were one of the first beads I ever made. I still love them!

Pink Alabastro glass....

Pink is a difficult color to achieve in glass - the gold used to make pink can be lost in the heat that is necessary to make the glass. I find that it's also a difficult color to photograph! The color looks washed out in the photo - it's a soft pink in person, a little deeper color than in the picture.

I used medium pink "alabastro" glass to sculpt a nude and wrap a dichroic glass stringer to create the illusion of stardust. The alabastro glass has a reputation for being fussy - the glass rod breaks apart in the flame. I worked the glass much cooler than I do the other glass so the whole process took longer than it normally does. The results are worth it!

Auras - for fun

I'm still working on applications...so today's fun is a little "test" I took to find out what color my "aura" is. I'm not sure the questions asked truly captured who I am because while answering I found I wanted to take part of answer "A" and answer "C" - but that wasn't an option. So the analysis was a little syrupy - I edited out the "goo" and left what I thought had captured a little bit of who I am. I was thrilled to be even remotely like the Dalai Lama - a human being I have the utmost respect for - I am so amazed by his teachings. As an aside - I'll actually be able to see him lecture in September - very much looking forward to it! Anyways, my aura is BLUE.

Back to the applications!

Your Aura is Blue

Spiritual and calm, you tend to live a quiet but enriching life. Famous blues include: the Dalai Lama, Oprah

What Color Is Your Aura?

Beads between applications....

I've got another application I'm working on that will be sent out this weekend. In the meantime, I've been working very early in the morning before it gets too hot (90+). I set out the colors I'll work with for the session and for the past week or so, I've been working with yellow, red, ocean, lime and parrot green. The yellow has a golden shampoo glass quality - it's not made anymore and when Frantz (glass supplier) was selling off all they had, I bought as much as I could afford. It doesn't photograph well so you can see the shampoo-ness of it, but it is just gorgeous!
I'll post more later, I have to get out into the studio now to do some work.....

Sample projects and Applications.....

I've created a variation on the Lucky Knots and Lampwork necklace - a bracelet that has a button clasp using a disk bead. I've been fooling around with this for awhile to figure out exactly how to knot so that the disk bead lies nicely on the wrist. This is the sample that was sent to B&B yesterday. I like it alot!

I'll be working on another application today - getting pictures prepared to send in. Then on to another one that will be due by the 31st. I have to remember to send in my application and table fee for Urban Glass before August 1. Lots to do!

I don't tend to talk about my applications - I don't like to "jinx" it. But if I put it out there, then it forces me to do it. My perfectionism in my work makes me second guess myself -seeing flaws in the work that only I see but making me feel that the work is imperfect so therefore I should not submit it. The work is perfectly acceptable! So, talking about it to others prods me over that perfectionism hump that can get in my way.

Masks, Post Office, then on to the next project!

New masks today from the mask series....I'm running out of clever names for these. If you have any suggestions, please post them! Not sure I like the one without any "eyes" although it conveys the idea of a mask better than one with eyes. Hmmm... thinking out loud now....Maybe it should be a mask built onto a background color?....
I've got to go to the post office to mail sample projects to Bead &Button for next year's show. I've proposed 7 classes including the Lucky Knots and Lampwork necklace that I taught at Beadfest in 2005. I'm rummaging around for a box and going through the list to make sure I included everything they asked for. I don't like going to the post office but sometimes, you just gotta do it!
After I'm done at the PO today, I'm on to the next set of images I have to submit! Let me know what you think of the masks!

Ack! and Argh!

I'm going crazy here trying to send in all of the applications and slides for various juried shows or publications! I realized I missed one this morning and I only have a few days to get everything in order! Ack! Today's post is short because I have to get to work on those things. I really don't want to miss the deadlines! ACK!

Today's picture is Enamels-Gone-Wrong! I was working in jade-like opalino green when I decided it needed enamels to highlight the relief of the face. WRONG! The enamels clumped when I sifted. ARGH!

Applications for next year's shows and ETSY....

I've been working on applications for next year's shows. Bead and Button requests that you submit a minimum of 6 class proposals. You apply on-line and then you have to send the finished product to their offices....it stays there for 6 months. Oh, and by the way, if they lose your work or damage it, it's not their fault. You're supposed to add a rider to your insurance to cover any damages that might be incurred. Don't know what to say about that. It doesn't seem right but then again, I'm not Bead and Button. AND it's not deterring me from sending in 6 proposals and the accompanying pieces to go with it! There's just sometimes that you feel like the little guy and this is definitely one of those times! :-)

Today's eye candy is one of the finished projects that I am proposing...Lucky Knots and Lampwork. This is the original design, a single handmade lampworked bead as the centerpiece of a knotted rope. I taught this class at Beadfest 2005 in Philadelphia. I really enjoyed teaching the class - I learned more from the students I think than they learned from me!

I've proposed a few other classes that I'll post later on in the week.

I've opened an etsy.com shop (link at the left). I want to put a variety of things in the shop and will do so over the next couple of weeks. I've got soap dishes and cutting boards that I've been developing. Right now, I've got some beads and earrings. Look for the housewares later on in the month!

Lampworkers, flameworkers Blogs are Boring???

July 10, 2006....Yesterday I watched a news piece on bloggers. Apparently to be popular in the "blogosphere" or should I say to have anyone even READ your blog, you have to be opininated, snarky, nasty and gossipy! Hmmmm, I guess you could call me "Pollyanna" at best (does anyone even know who Pollyanna is anymore?) ...anyways, nasty and snarky is not what my blog is usually about. In fact, it's not usually what any of the lampworkers, flameworkers I know are about in their blogs! If you want people to read your blog, you're not supposed to talk about your kids, kitties or dogs!

I wonder if glass is included in the boring category? Hmmmm.....Ok, I know that not everyone finds glass interesting and not everyone interested in glass will find all of the technical details interesting. Sometimes, even those of us who love the artsy and the technical parts of glass can be bored with some of the flameworkers blog posts! Take a look at Halefire's Saturday, June 3, 2006 update: HalefireGlass Update

Halefire, I LOVE your glass but a post and picture of your AC is just crossing the line! (Insert snoring here)

This is said all in fun...and in the interest of improving our collective blogs! Afterall, if we're boring then no one will read our blogs and then how do we get the word of our work out? I'm thinking maybe I should give out a Lampworkers/Flameworkers Snoozer award? I don't think I can be completely opinionated and snarky but maybe just slightly opinionated and snarky to be interesting.

Podcasting

Ok, so I've been considering doing a podcast since there's nothing really out there for lampworkers. There's GlassTalk radio but I've never been able to listen to it on my Mac. Anyways, I've been listening to some of the casts, Podcast Pickle, CastOn (knitting), CraftyChica, Crochet...some of them are more entertaining than others but am I the only one whose eyes are glazing over after about 10 minutes? The casts feel very long even though they aren't (20-30 minutes). Easy for me to criticize, I havent' done one yet! So props to those who are but one piece of advice. Keep it short - don't feel like you have to do 30 minutes if you've only enough script for 15.

On to the picture for today....a newly made set of earrings. Mango orange is my color for the summer! It's in the flameworked disks, beads and in these earrings. When I go to the yarn shop, I'm heading straight for the orange bins of yarn. Don't ask me why, it is what it is!

Cleaning, listening and enamels continued.....

July 7, 2006....I cleaned my studio the other day from the "winter clutter." During the coldest part of the year, I can't really work in my unheated studio. During that time, any supplies and equipment I order usually gets stored in the studio but not organized and put away properly. I save that until it warms up. Yeah, I know it's been warm for a few months now but I didn't clean and organize until the other day. Never really tops on my list of things to do, I'd rather be melting glass!

I've had a few situations happen recently where I've noticed that some people can talk and simply not be heard. You know that someone is me (grin), I offered to send half a rod of the Doublehelix Krono to anyone who would send their address. Now, mind you, it is THE glass to have right now and is very pricey. I thought I might be overwhelmed with addresses but only 1 person sent me a pm. Fascinating! Makes me wonder what is it that makes people listen or pay attention. People are a real puzzle aren't they? (smile)

On to today's beads - this is the last of my most recent foray into enamels. A base of enamel (any color) will make the color laid on top of it web. A new "discovery" for me - it is well known that the intense black will web on anice white but this is different. The brown enamel base caused the dark topaz to web. With the blue tab bead, you can see "webbing" all around and under the blue. The webbing here causes the dots to be surrounded and look like paisleys. This application of "webbing" is new to me. I'd like to be able to control it better for certain effects that I have in mind. Stay tuned - you'll see more of this!

Reactive Glass.....

July 4th, 2006....today's beads are made with a "reactive" glass. The maker of the glass - Doublehelix glassworks - creates a glass that has alot of metals in it so that when you melt it in the flame, the metals create crystals that create colors. You can get shading in the reactive glass that can be very difficult to create with the regular glass rods. When I put a layer of clear over the reactive glass, it created a slight orangey-yellow line around the dots in some places. Silver will turn glass yellow - I'm assuming that's what caused the line.

I'm also playing with different ways to photograph the beads. I played with this concept a couple of years ago - not sure why I stopped because I really like it! Also have made some large holed beads - the hole is 1/4 inch in diameter. I see the large holed beads called "charms." An apt name - I do find them charming!

Knotting and musings....

I've posted pictures of the Chinese knotting necklaces that I've been making over the past 2 years. I'm playing with this knot to make something a little bit different with it. Hope to finish it by the end of the weekend and post next week. This one is done in pink and handformed hearts on the lampworked beads. I call it My Heart is in Knots (or something like that - I can't remember exactly - but it's on the picture). I have this particular necklace up for sale at CindyGimbronebeads.com. Click on the title and it will take you the website.
It's going to be hot today. I woke up at 5:30 am and it was almost 70 degrees. So, my post will be quick as I have to get out and do my morning walk before 7 am. I know I know! What am I crazy for getting up that early and walking? I am a morning person - I do all my best work before 12:00 noon. Just how I am. So, I have to cut it short this morning - I want to be in the studio by 8 am and work before it gets unbearable!