Cleaning Things Up & Flowers

Yeah, it was time to do a little "updating" to my blog.  Deleted some things and updated others.  It was time.  Still a bit more to do but that's for another time when I actually have some time.  lol ! 

It's torching weather at last.  It's about time !  This was one of the hottest summers I remember since moving to Georgia.  Little rain too but we're getting it now. 

With the great cool weather I am back to torching as often as I can.  Usually in the mornings, early.  The best time of day for me.  I get a lot accomplished then.  I do try to limit myself to no more than 2 hours tops but sometimes I will end up in the middle of something or want to test out just one more color combination.  :)  I've been into making sets these days which is something I never really did liked to do.  Different time- different year.  lol !  Back when I first started making beads, it was sculpting.  Hardly anything but sculpting.  LOVED it.  I still do actually but my hands do not.  I don't remember the last time I actually sculpted anything really.  I really never did "production" work.  Never wanted to so never did.  Sets were an on and off thing.  Made them here and there.  Got into making LONG beads for a long time.  Still love to do that when I can.  So many things you can do with a long bead.  :)  So sets it is for now which is fun and of course can be very frustrating.  lol !  

Since I've had a little time with my new "toys" I have been playing with one in particular, the baroque bead roller.  I enjoy that shape of bead.  Fun to play with.  I don't have any new beads of that shape photographed yet but they're on the way.  I've also been making more bellflowers.  I got some brand new glass and ooooooo are they gorgeous !  Those flowers are in the kiln cooling now.  In the meantime, I managed to "conquer" Rubino !  That is one glass color I used to have fits over !  Hard to work with but finally got it figured out.  Second photo, gorgeous blue and the last photo is pinks and purples.  Some opaque, some transparent and one translucent.  Nice.  Bellflowers are such fun to make.  Having the proper tool is very important.  I use nothing but the best which is the Carlo Dona bellflower press.  A work of art in itself.  There isn't another bellflower press on the market that compares to the quality of the Carlo Dona tools.  They come in a variety of sizes and flower points.  I have and use the 12mm 6 point - 14mm 6 point and the 20mm 8 point which is what the flowers below are.  I will be getting another press when available in the 16mm 6 point size. 

So did I only make bellflowers this past week ?  Nope but again, I need to take photo's of everything.  It's not that I didn't want to get that all done, I just haven't had time.  lol !  Such is the way sometimes.  :) 
 
                           Stunning cranberry color in these flowers. 

 
These flowers are done in a wonderful shade of transparent  brilliant dark blue.  Gorgeous ! 

 

This set of flowers are in purples and pinks.  Quite lovely really. 

 

It's time to sign off for now.  Thanks very much for coming by.  Please come back again soon.  I'm trying hard to post on a regular basis.  :)  

 

Come on over and visit my All My Beads Facebook Page.  You can see what's going on daily there.  https://www.facebook.com/AllMyBeads

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nothing New But At Least I'm Having a Little Fun !

Well, it would seem I've abandoned beading with a loom already.  As much as I enjoy the finished product, I just don't have the time or patience for it right now.  Too many other things on my plate, so to speak, at the moment. 

I guess you could say I've gone back to arts/crafts I've already established myself in and still love to create/play with them.  Some things, I just never tire of nor do I intend to give up ever.  I might walk away for a time but I always come back.  Lately, the bead muse just isn't calling to me so I've backed off a bit.  I did have some torch time recently and enjoyed my time there but it was enough for the time being.  I've come back to Kumihimo too and LOVE what I've been doing with that as well.  In fact, so much so I've made at least 4 regular flat braids in just the past week.  Beaded Kumihimo is a lot of fun however the age old tradition of regular kumihimo, with no beads added, using my wonderful Maurdai, also turns out lovely pieces.  Pictures below are the few I did make this past week.  I LOVE the colorways of these pieces so much so that I've used up the hand dyed satin cording that's in the first photo.  I'm hoping I can get more.  All of them are made with hand dyed satin cording I've had for some time.  The colors in all three braids are stunning !  And really, the pictures do the colors no justice at all !  They are must see in person to truly appreciate !  All three of these braids are in my Etsy shop now.   

 

Ok, wanna see some beads too ?  No problem.  I did do some torching on and off for a couple of weeks and the outcome is several bouquets.  Photo's just below.  I won't be posting much if anything over the next month so better put these up now.  The first bouquet is now in my Etsy Shop.  These were "extra" flowers after making the other two bouquets.  Those were special order bouquets and are now happily with their new owners.  The second photo is missing a white rose that came with it.  I just forgot to add it when I photographed it but it looks like the orange one in the top photo.  Enjoy ! 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed the eye candy !  Thanks so much for coming by !  Please come back again soon !