Trying new things

So over the days I've been looking at glass again, at tutorials and thinking up big dreams.

The first tutorial I bought? Amy Kinsch's Taking Reduction Glass by Storm Tutorial.

I've drooled over Amy's beads for as long as I can remember. Often looking through her etsy site and not being able to make up my mind which bead to buy. Now I can try to make them myself! Not only is the technique gorgeous, but the tutorial is easy to read and understand. I'm very excited to try more and more. I have done one bead, but it was wonky and lacked the proper "storm" as it were. Just takes practice!

Other than that? I think I've finally achieved the effect I want when using silvered ivory. Very exciting indeed. I'm half tempted to just play with dark ivory and silver... but I'm telling myself that it will get boring... I'll post photos tomorrow and see what you all think.

My goodness!

I hope that everyone's New Years was an absolute blast, whether you were sitting at home or out on the town! As for me, I was surprised by my amazing boyfriend who flew into town just to surprise me!!! We stayed home, but had lots of fun playing darts and random games with good friends. There were also marshmallows and s'mores thanks to the fire we had going! Nothing beats a fire and marshmallows.


On the bead front- I've been playing. It seems that I've lost the ability (once again) to make round beads. Ugh. They say that you're supposed to PPP (Practice, practice, practice) but heavens- those round beads are just eating me alive! I'll admit I'm also very frustrated at my camera and the fact that it has randomly decided to hate me and anything that I have the plan on photoing. Where is the summer sun when you need it? The sun is amazing for me when it comes to taking photos... But only 6 months of the year it seems!

I think I'm going to go make melty fire- and sing my heart out while trying to coax my glass Goddess into playing muse for the night. Hope that the days are treating you well!

Camera woes

So I've been making a large amount of lampworked beads reciently and I seem to have hit a block in the road. You ask, "What could possibly block you?!"

....My camera. It's a wonderful camera, don't get me wrong. I just seem to have lost my touch. The white balance is off, the pictures aren't sharp enough and nothing I do in photoshop can fix any of that. *sigh* So today I'm going to go out, try and get some good photos in natural Colorado light and after that I get to play surgeon on my light box. There is no other choice.

I think I'm going to use this DiY tutorial on how to put together a light box. I'm very fond of it.

I'll let you know how it all works out! Hopefully I'll have photos soon that look similar to the one in this post!

Days and Days

The torching is coming along. I think I'm back in the hang of it. As for jewelry making, it can be hard to sit there and stare at so many things and know exactly what you're doing. I call this over exposure. Often times I have to hide things from my sight so I'm not overwhelmed. It isn't easy I have to admit.
In that same vein, I find so many things that I can no longer use. Jewelry supplies that just don't fit into my theme any longer. What do I do with those you ask? Why I add them to my etsy destash shop. I'll be adding more over the next few days, so if you're in the market for new beads and supplies keep your eyes peeled!

Things I've learned

In just over a week I've learned quite a lot about hot glass. For one, it's hot. It reaches this molten state that scares the pants off me sometimes. I need to learn to slow down when I work. I do love it though. Its my "zen time", I crank my music so I can hear it over my ventilation and work on getting good shape for my beads. It's harder than it looks. I can tell you that!

It's really....

It's really a wonderful thing when you realize what all of your photography woes have revolved around... Your light box wasn't white!
I could bash my head into the group for this simple mistake. To my eye foam core looks white, but upon closer inspection I have found that it isn't white at all, but a sickly, yellow off-white that drove me crazy when it came to photos. I have learned my lesson and I must say that my photography has gotten much easier to deal with, seeing as how I have figured out the root of my impending insanity.This photo needed small tweaking, only a resizing really. It has made like so much easier, to think- a white that's really WHITE! Hehehe. The focal of this piece is a leaf made by Melissa at Inner Realm Creations, I combined it with carnelian and Swarovski crystals then used Bali silver as the final touch.

Of Trips and Lampworking

Today I returned to the lovely state of Colorado from Minifee, California. It was beautiful out there, dry and about 115 degrees daily. Talk about hot!
Before I left, I got to meet Melissa of Inner Realm Creations and she taught me a thing or two about lampwork. I was a nervous wreck, I admit it. Something about breaking hot glass. Well I learned, and had nothing to be nervous about. She's an amazing artist and wonderful person. I hope to work with her again very soon.
Here are the first beads that I've ever made, they were not meant to be pretty color-wise. I was using some glass she had excess of.


So there they are. Going counter clockwise from the top left corner in order of creation. They're uneven, I call them "basket shape" and I'm hoping that I'll get better with practice.

I am SO addicted!

Into the Great Unknown!

About two days ago I started on a project to teach myself peyote stitch. Now, once I got started it was easier than I thought it would be! I'm almost done with my base, then I'll get to play with additions. I'm making a paperweight. Sounds funny, hmm? I found the idea in a old edition of Bead and Button that I had from years back. I'll have to get photos to post!
Peyote is a rather interesting stitch. I really want to learn to do free form, but I want to make sure I have the regular stitch down! I see so many beautiful things done with peyote...