Having fun with Headpins

Yep I've been making some headpins.

I love making headpins, I wasn't sure how to make them in the beginning as I didn't know the best way to hold the wire while I added the glass. So I chatted to a few fellow lampworker friends and came up with using scrap wire and wrapping them onto a mandrel with it.

This works really well but is a bit time consuming getting them prepared. I saw Linda from Earthshine Beads on fb showing a photo of her demoing at a show at the weekend and she was using a pin vice to hold the wire. I think I might try it out and see how that goes!  So thank you to Linda for that idea, very helpful.

Dark Multicolour glass by Riechenbach

I love this glass one of my favourites at the moment, made by Riechenbach Dark Multi is a reactive glass but it just reacts in the flame with not much or no effort at all really, it just does what it does, just like MAGIC!!

                                    

Right then, I made drop headpins first the browny/red ones at the top, then I made the bluey, greeny, purpley ones next (Yes it really is the same glass) then I made the leaves at the very top of the above photo and they had more greens in them, with some brown and purples too.  In the first photo at the top of this post you can see some ivory beads and these have some d.multi dots and trails on them.

Now I went off to this years Flame-off in Uttoxeter a couple of weeks ago, had a great time because it is a lampworkers convention which happens once a year (not often enough).  It is an event for glass beadmakers hosting demos, supplies, beadmakers selling their own beads and the torch area, so we can get our fix if necessary and beginners can try out torches and have a go at making a bead or two possibly for the first time! I took a turn at helping out on the torches this year and really enjoyed helping some complete beginners make their first bead and a few others who needed some help with how to control the glass and even reshaping a bead for a lovely lady called Beryl.  It was such fun I may do it again next year. Some of the demos were fabulous and I did end up buying a few 'keepers' from some of the many artists there!

I stocked up on many different things but of course I couldn't come away without buying some lovely glass!! Oh boy was there some lovely, gorgeous and definitely delicious glass. 

CIM glass is my favourite glassmakers and they have some lovely new colours, below is one of them but its not quite come out a very good colour likeness. It still looks gorgeous but I will try and get a better photo tomorrow.  Sadly both of these headpins have cracked.  I don't think I got them into the bubbles quick enough as well as I may have pushed them to far into the bubbles and maybe they were touching the side of the bowl.  I always batch anneal my headpins as I always put them on the bottom of the kiln floor, instead of putting them into the kiln while I am making them.   

CIM Poseidon 

Must make some more as I love this new colour, which the name escapes me right now!!!  
Updated above ....

There are some lovely new oranges, pinks, lilac and all with great names for them as well.  Sunset, Frangipan (pink), Alleycat (orangey/yellow), Trade Winds (very dark blue), Gypsy (very dark purple), Rudolph (red), just to name a few!


So lots of making to do and some photos to take as well.


I will see you again very soon.

E x

Updated with names!   8.5.14

Torch has been lit!!

Yes siree, I finally lit my torch for the first time this year. 

I cant believe its taken me this long to do it.  

Well I did have a reason .......... Flame-Off.

This is the annual UK lampworkers event, its a convention with torches, beadmaking supplies, lampworkers village and most importantly demos by famous lampworkers from around the world.

I usually go every year, its fab, Shopping and demos all in one place. Heaven!!
Well its is to other lampworkers anyway.

So I needed the practice, get me going again........  about time I hear you cry!!!  
Maybe eh???


So this was Tuesday --- Today I am here!  At last 80))


I will try and get some pictures to show you!! And of my purchases too!!


HAVING A LOVELY TIME!!


Right off to bed now more shopping to do in the morning.   80))

E x

I've done a little tweaking

As you can see I have done a little tweaking here and there!!  As much as I liked the flames I think this background is a little easier on the eyes!!  Not completely sure if it will stay like this but for now it's OK.

I have also been making some decisions and thought I would let you in on them!

I have decided to let my website domain name go and shut it down.  While I was ill I couldnt keep up with anything at all and it made me realise that I have too much on my plate to deal with comfortably, so to be able to cope better I had to cut down on what I do! on-line! 

So from now onwards I will only be selling through my Etsy stores and that is it. Less is better for me! I dont deal with the selling side of things to well so this way I can try and keep on top of things better.

Jewellery making is another thing I feel has taken over my whole life for many years, so again I have decided to cut down on what I make and concentrate more on my beadmaking. I will still make jewellery just not as often or it could be just to make things for magazines, friends or family not quite so much for selling.  I will show you any pieces I make but they may not be for sale but commissions are always welcome 80))


Beadmaking ~ well I havent been at my torch hardly at all this year.  I would like to get out into my workshop a bit more often and get the torch fired up and me along with it!!  Ha ha!!  Great ideas are a brewing but I need to get practising so I can fulfill my ideas!!  More on that another time, hopefully with photos to show how I'm getting along.

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Now onto something a little different. My daughter Billie seems to be getting a bit of an interest in STEAMPUNK style right now so I have been searching for watch parts and bits and bobs like that for her. She loves to frequent Deviantart and has now made me a profile on this art based site, this is where she has seen Steampunk jewellery and wants to give it a go!  So from time to time I may well pop her work on here too, to show you how she's getting along. I may also have to show her some other skills she has yet to learn so she can achieve some of the ideas she has in mind.  It will be great to work along with her to help her progress but she has a big year ahead of her as she goes into Year 11 her GCSE year when she goes back to school in September. 



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And for my final bit of news, my family has had a busy time recently.  My brother Vince and his family have all had an interesting year.  My niece Lucy has finished her degree and passed with flying colours just after her 21st birthday. My nephew Jack got married just over 2 weeks ago so lots of shopping for that had to be done!!  So now Vince and his wife Maxine are having a big party to celebrate, as they too have been busy finishing there extension on the bunglow ~ I've nicknamed it the Cathedral!!  Ha Ha!! So something else to look forward too.

A few wedding pics for you

 

The nervous groom with my Mum

 

My brother, Mum and Me

 

 

 

The Happy Couple being confettied

 

 

Vince and Maxine

 

 

 

Cutting the Cake (including Maxine's elbow)

 

Billie trying out hats!!!

 

 

 

Well there's me thinking I didnt have much to tell you and look at the length of this catch-up post!! 


Lovely to be back!!

Hope to chat to you again soon.

E x

Torch Fired UP for 2012!!

Yes siree!! I cant believe how long its been since I have been at my torch, when I finally got out to my workshop, dusted off the cobwebs and set my baby alight ~ it felt so goooood!!


I seemed to have lost some confidence in myself but I kicked my own butt and got myself walking up the garden on a mission to make cabs for my customer. 

She purchased Pinkii from me to make into a ring and found when she received it she wasnt to sure if she liked the silver infused finished that the gunmetal glass creates on the surface.

So I told her I would be happy to make her a new one with a different black base glass.  Oh can I change the pink to turquoise/blue, no problem!!

So here is Blueii, cant wait to see what my customers' creation turns out like!! 


So torch is fired up, kiln dusted off and now I must get cracking and

MAKE MORE BEADS!!!



Only after my stinker of a cold has disappeared!!  On my second box of tissues already!!!

Boo hoo!!


Till next time!




E x