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!