Cold Working Rocks! New Work

Oooh Laaa Laaa

Sometime the ideas (ok obsessions) just keep coming. It's blessing and a curse. This time I think it's a blessing.

Some of you know I work at a glass playground. We have something called a cold shop. I have shown you A day at a glass studio, where I showed you some to the things I work with like a lap wheel, belt sander, and wet saw.

The thing is I never used all this equipment for my beads. I was trying to figure out a way that spoke to how I work and wanted to get my creative juices flowing. 

When Sara Sally LeGrand came to teach I got the cold working bug  but I didn't want to just repeat what I learned from her. I wanted something different. So I just kept working at it and I have found it.I just can't keep away from it. Cold working is my new obsession, and I think it's here to stay for a while.

Belt Sander like mine at work.

So with these new beads I am making the murrinis which take a while, then build the disk. When building the disk the murrinis collapse and distort. By grinding away the glass it opens up the murrini again and really gives a very cool effect. It takes quite a bit of time grinding away on the belt sander. From 60 grit to 120 grit to 270 grit to 600 grit to cork to felt and cerium for the final polish. Takes about 45 mins. per disk.

The whole process for one bead is about 2-2 1/2 hours. Long time but so much fun.

When I get something new in my head I get nervous that I love it and others just won't get it. It's scary to put something out there and have it fall flat, BUT this time I don't care. I really love these and see so many possibilities. My mind spins with ideas. I hope you love these as much as I do!

New Obsession!

I have a new passion. I saw these beautiful Terrariums by the artist Paula Hayes.  She has the blowers make her the glass containers in unique and beautiful shapes. Then she places her plants and actually lets them grow for a couple of years.
They are beautiful pieces of art and I can't wait to make a terrarium now. 

We have a really great wholesale flower market here in town. My sister was in town so we headed down with a list of things to look at. On my list was the tiny plants used in terrariums. They were so cute.
I now need to find a container that is unique and different, but I think I might have a blower at work make me a couple of cool blown pieces.
I also saw a huge glass jug that was the base used for a lamp and you can put a terrarium inside. I almost got it, but decided to wait. I tend to jump the gun to quick and then regret it later. Deep breath.
Well I am off to start working on my Bead Soup piece.
 

Glass Creations Galore

It's been such a long time since I posted but with good reason. I had the wonderful Sara Sally Le Grand teach at my studio last weekend. The class started on Sat and ran though Sun. The first day we made our glass elements. We learned great new techniques and great tips. The second day we assembled our corsages. It was great to sit and watch everyone create. We also got to use the lapidary wheel! The students loved it. It's good to work at a glass playground!

The ladies in the class were so great. Everyone was at the level where you can really learn and create. It's important when you sign up for a glass beadmaking class that you have the skill level to learn and these ladies learned lots!
I love Sara's work, and I am so glad she came to the studio.
 

Hey Did You Guys Know!!!

 

 Lori of Pretty Things is finishing up a Book based on her Bead Soup idea AND guess what..yep I am one of the participants, with a lot of other really cool artists. 
To say I am super stoked about this is an understatement, I am over the moon with joy. 

I love the idea of the hop. I dig working with other artists and exchanging our best ideas, so for Lori to put this out in the world is great. Bringing artists together is always good thing. I love it when creative energy flows between creative people.

 This book is also special for me because I got to re-connect with a friend who I had lost contact with. How cool is that!
Look for the book to be out in the fall. 

I am getting ready for Bead and Button....already.

Yep believe it or not I am starting to make inventory for Bead and Button. The show is not until June but I want to make sure I have tons of stuff. Little bead pairs, Pods, Podlets, Off mandrel pendants, you name it I will try and have it. 
I also need to get hand outs for all my classes and I want to change around my booth. 
So off I go!

Look what I got!

Here it is. I got my Bead Soup from my partner Melanie of Earthenwood Studios. I got lots of goodies and can't wait to use them.
The clasp is really cool but I don't think I am going to use it as a clasp, of course you won't know until the hop so you need to tune in. 
I have a feeling that I will be making a couple of things because the mix just lends itself to several designs.

I have stopped by others blogs to see their mixes and, WOW there is some cool stuff out there.
Lori has given some tips for the blog hop but I would like to add some tips of my own. 

1. The more you blog about your Hop Experience the more you will help not only your blog but your partners blog. Remember this is a partnership so it's fun to see how the creative story develops between you and your partner. I love seeing the Soup mixes of the partners. It sets the creative story that we will all follow, and on the day of the Hop we see the last chapter.

2. This is not only for driving traffic to your and your partners blog but also a time to develop a relationship with new blogs that you might have not known about before. Because of the Bead Soup Blog Hop I have added so many new blogs to my list and met new people. This is the time to visit new blogs and find new blog friends.


3. Become a follower of your partners blog. This is just my opinion but I think it is a good idea.


I would love to hear other ideas that I haven't thought about so please leave comments and let me know how the Bead Soup Blog Hop has worked for you.






 

Bead Soup on its way.

 

My soup is on it's way to Earthenwood Studios and my partner Melanie. I got it mailed a day before the deadline, cause I wanted to make sure everything was just perfect. 
I have been around to some other blogs to see what people are receiving and it's so much fun.