Having Fun Again !

Being at the torch the past week had been rather fun for me.  That's what having a "hobby" is all about isn't it ?  Yes, this is pretty much a hobby for me.  If I were trying to make a living at it, well, let's just say I would be a "starving artist" for sure !  lol !  Actually no artist at all.  lol !  Anyway, I made more bell flowers for a project I have in mind that I will need LOTS.  That's no problem because they are just a blast to make.  So much fun.  The only problem with making them is deciding what colors to use.  lol !  I'm trying to make all I need before the major heat and humidity set in and I can't torch anymore til fall.  :)  The photo below is what I made on Sunday.  Just one more "bouquet" waiting to be used in that project.  :) 
 

As I was playing with the bell flowers, I decided it was time to try my hand at sculpting again.  I've wanted to make a new little octopus for my faux fish tank for the longest time so that was my goal.  At least to attempt to make one.  Five octopi(?) later, I achieved that goal.  :)  They aren't the prettiest -  but I like them.  lol !  They were fun to make and at least one will go in the tank.  :)  The others will most likely go to Beads Of Courage.  Oh there will be more coming.  They were a lot of fun to make that's for sure.  Sculpting was always my first love in melting glass and I had gotten away from it this year.  It was nice to give it a go again.   I think my favorite is the light green one to the right in the first picture.  Those two are Simon and Schuester.  The second two are Burns and Allen and the last one is Ollie.  Ollie is pretty cool too.  He's made with a silver reactive glass called Ossa and some of that silvery shine came thru but mostly it's a purple color glass with white dots.  I thought it would look good as an Ollie Octopus.  :) 

Technically, these are beads as the base was wound on a mandrel. They could be worn as a VERY large and very heavy pendant but better use would be to let them stand on their own just to admire. 

 

That's all for now.  Thanks once again for coming by !  I hope you can come back again sometime for a visit. 

Back in the Saddle Again.....Or I Should Say, Back at the Torch Again.

Yep, I'm back at the torch again !  Finally !  It seems like it's been sooooooooo long !  :(  What a miserable, hot, humid, icky summer it was too.  I'm so glad it's over for so many reasons but this is the biggie. 

When I'm off the torch for so long, it takes me a little time to get comfortable at the torch again.  Nothing serious, just getting to know the flame and the glass again.  I made beads on Sunday and have been playing every day since.  :)  It feels GREAT !  I just can't express how happy it makes me feel to be able to melt glass.  I am still amazed at the whole experience and still amazed I am lucky enough to be able to do it.  I LOVE MELTING GLASS !  I recommend to ANYONE that if you've never tried it, find a place that has classes and go for it !  You won't regret it.  :) 

So because I am back to making glass beads, the jewelry will take a back seat.  I'll still make some things here and there but mostly I'll be at the torch whenever possible.  I'll still make beads for jewerly.  I'm in the process of making a set now for a necklace.  I am terrible when it comes to making sets of any kind so I stretch it out into many sessions.  That way, I don't get bored so fast. 

Once again, I've tried a few new things and of course, having ALOT of fun doing it.  I picked up some dichoric glass at some point and decided it was time to try it.  I had read by many that they had trouble using it and would just give up on it.  I found it to be pretty easy to add to a bead.  I'm not saying I'm better at it, just that I had no problem with the two pieces I tried.  No scumming, no burning off the color, no problem.  The photo below is the bead.  It was the last bead of the day so it's a very plain bead.  I just wanted to see if I could actually add it and encase it as directed.  It worked, I'm happy about it and will be exploring this more down the road.  

 

As for the rest of the week, so far, I've been making some wing type beads.  I was going in a totally different direction with these when I started them but this is what ended up happening.  :)  Sometimes the glass says, "THIS is what you're suppose to be doing."  lol !  It's good working on these as they are helping me to feel comfortable about sculptural work again.  It's been a while.

 

 

Of course, there were test beads and beads that ended up in the water can.  Plus I also did some fusing.  Ugh. That post is for another day.  lol !  All in all, a VERY good week !

 

Thanks so much for coming by !  I hope you come back again very soon !  Please leave a comment as I LOVE to read them.  :)   

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

For The Kids at Beads Of Courage

Been playing hard all week at the torch and so far, the picture below is what BOC is getting from my torch time !  :)  I am pleased as punch how these beads all turned out and had a bit of a sniffle over the several that ended up in the water can.  :(  It happens.  One I was pulling off the mandrel after annealing and the end broke off !  That one was at least 3 1/2" long !  Oh well........onward and upward as it were.  I'll be back at the torch hopefully tomorrow making more of these for Beads Of Courage and I hope the kids love them.  I'm actually sculpting again too by making the little dino's !  I had forgotten how to make them so had to figure it out all over again.  lol !  

I will be making more of them that's for sure.   Just a bit time consuming right now.  Once I get back into the hang of making them, they'll move along faster.   

This second photo is of beads I made some time ago that I dug up to send to the kids.  I was REALLY into sculpting back then !  The  only one in this pile that was made recently is the whitish color one.  Not sure why it's in this photo !  lol !  
















Time for me to run.  Thanks so much for stopping by !  I hope you come back again soon to see what's going on.  :)