Fire Divas January Blues Challenge

In honor of the blue moons this month, The Fire Divas are holding a January Blues Challenge! You can see big pictures of the entries below, then vote for your favorite on the Fire Diva Blog! The voting will be open for one week, and will end on February 7. Please go vote!

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It's Official...

...I hate fusing! I tried, I really did, but I just don't like it. I don't mind doing little things; I was successful at making a few dichroic pendants and some barrettes (all of which sit in a bowl in dire need of finishing). Nonetheless, behind the torch is where I belong. Unfortunately it is still so cold here! That means no torching - I am going through withdrawal. Once it warms up I'll be out there as often as I can! I am counting down the days!

In the meantime, I am building my glass inventory. I've branched out into Double Helix and Devardi glass. Double Helix Ekho is devine, and I bought it at my favorite vender, Frantz Art Glass, for 35% off! I bought a couple other colors so we will see how those are once I can try them out. Believe it or not, I finally made a list of the colors I don't have yet, and I am working on stocking my studio with those.

I was fortunate enough a couple weeks ago to get some work done; I had enough time to make two beads. I have a large bag of shorts (about 10lbs) and I just went out there and played for a while. Eventually I will get around to listing them, so keep a lookout for two multi-color focals!

Fire Divas Thanksgiving Challenge

To celebrate the season of giving, the Fire Divas are having a Thanksgiving Challenge! Some of our members have made wonderful pieces for YOU to vote on. First, enjoy viewing these wonderful treasures. When you're done, please vote for the bead you are thankful for on right side of the Fire Divas' blog. The voting will stay open for one week - then the winner will receive a really cool prize!

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Fire Divas are having a Breast Cancer Awareness Challenge! Several of our members have made wonderful pieces for YOU to vote on. First, you can feast your eyes on these beauties in big, clear pictures. When you're done savoring them, please vote for your favorite in bite-sized images on the right side of the Fire Divas' blog. The voting will stay open for one week - then the winner will receive a really cool prize!

Go vote on the Fire Divas Blog.

Let the fusing begin...

It looks like we are having an early winter this year. Unfortunately for me, that means no more lampworking!! I work in my garage and with the kiln, oxycon, and fans, there is no power left for the heaters I need to keep warm. I've packed up my glass and put it in the closet to remain untouched for the cold months.
Now what? We considered having the garage rewired to handle the extra power requirements of the 3-4 heaters I would need to stay warm enough with the garage door open or ventilation. We also considered buying a small building and setting it up as my studio. We finally settled on something entirely different.
I am going to start fusing glass! It doesn't take any modification to the garage or a new building. It just takes tools and sheet glass, both of which are on their way to me. I'll still need to run the kiln, but without the oxycon and fans going I'll be able to run the heaters. Plus I won't need the garage door open so that means less heaters to stay warm.
I plan to make funtional pieces as well as jewelry...stay tuned to see what comes out of the kiln!

Copper Shapes

Copper, as well as other metals, can be used in glass to achieve an artistic affect. I have used copper mesh in the past; I love the change in color when it is encased in glass. I've tried using copper sheet as well, but the sheet I bought was a little thick and because of that it was hard to form to the shape of the bead. I liked the idea, though!

A couple of weeks ago I saw a fellow lampworker offering copper shapes. The shapes were punched out of a very thin gauge of copper sheet. I had to buy some. This weekend I was able to make good use of them. Since I have been on a heart kick lately (they are just so fun to make!), I decided to use the copper shapes to accent the hearts. I tried out a butterfly, a tiny heart, and a snowflake and I am very pleased with the results! They added a very nice touch. Copper shapes are definitely going to be a recurrence in my work now.

Trying Something New

Inspiration comes in many ways. I recently saw a beadable bookmark with a heart design, and I thought, "A dangly heart would look so pretty on the end of that!" So, naturally, I next wondered if I could make one. At my first opportunity on my torch, that is exaclty what I tried to do. There is a way of making glass art called "off-mandrel." This means the artist does not wind the glass on a release-covered glass rod, and instead does everthing on the end of a glass rod (called a punty), removes the piece from the punty, and places it in the kiln. I've had poor luck at off-mandrel work in the past; I usually end up dropping my piece on my table (I have the burn marks to prove it!). However I recently began using a new method to make twisties; I learned about adding the glass to the end of a clean mandrel, and pulling the twistie that way. I decided to try to actually make the entire heart on the end of a clean mandrel. I don't know if this has been done before (it probably has), but that is how I decided to try it. I added my glass, shaped my heart, formed the loop, then heated and pulled the heart of the clean mandrel and popped it into my kiln. I made two attempts, and then waited quite impatiently until the next morning when the kiln had cooled.

I was very pleased with the result! In my humble opinion, they came out fabulous! I was so excited that I spent the entire torch session that afternoon on making hearts, and I made a nice raku pendant in that same manner. I think this technique is a valuable one with lots of potential, and I can't wait to see what else I can do with it...after I make some more hearts, that is!