Back to School

At the beginning of the year I signed up for an online class with Luthien Thye on Artful Gathering.  It began at the start of the month and it was just the thing I needed after the Art Weeks.  Creating with most of the thinking already done.  

She used a couple of things I haven't used in my books before, polyclay and stamps, which was my main reason for wanting to do it.  

As well as new ways with the polyclay I also found out that though I am a prolific coffee drinker, sadly decaf nowadays, I really don't enjoy the smell of it when used as a stain! Back to tea next time. 

The additions were fun and quirky and the metalwork a nice way to finish off.   I can definitely take some of the things learned further.

I have also been trying to perfect the glass and I think I am making progress! 

The picture on the left is of the first batch which were better and the ones on the right the second which were even more improved.  Top blue black set already sold as buttons for a velvet jacket from a Art Weeks comission.

I am often using items to weigh things down in the studio, things that need to rest to stay (like the rather curved pages in the book above!) or for glue to set for example.  I most often use a couple of house bricks I have covered in felt.  Quite large and cumbersome so I have been looking for a nice set of kitchen weights for a while and finally found this lot on eBay.

They were taken into the factory for a bit of blasting (don't nag me about the rust dying potential!  I want to use them!!)

And John gave them a nice coat of paint.

They are a great size, the 4lb sits nicely in the palm of my hand and should just about cover all the jobs I need them for.

And yesterday John and I were major Grandparental Units!  Elsa had arranged a surprise spa visit and lunch for Mike for his birthday and we had the honour of babysitting Olivia.  A bit nervous as it was our first virtually full day but there were no tears and I think everyone had a nice time.

Happy birthday Mike!

Have a wonderful week ahead!


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Just a BIt More Glass and another Ovum

I had another firing session of glass cabochons.  A bit of an experiment with some of the glass combinations and overall I'm quite pleased.

The three major fails were the ones at the bottom of the picture above but I really love the glow of the ones below!

A few weeks ago I put some wool tops, scrim, off cuts etc through the embellisher and then started stitching over it. 

Lots and lots of stitches.  It really feels lovely when it starts firming up into a proper fabric base.

It was about 18 x 7 inches when I'd finished.

This is it stretched out on the design wall having been spritzed from the back.

I then added cocoon 'eggs' I had beaded and stitched gold purls to and shisha mirrors, and mounted it.

Another Ovum box compete.

 

Ovum III

I hope you all have a wonderful and creative Easter break.  I hope to be doing a little more of this. 

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A Little Bit of Glass Fusing

When I did the silver Clay with Hillary Bowen last year she also let us do a few small glass cabochons in her kiln.  She also gave me some firing instructions to have a go myself at home.  Yesterday I finally dug out all the glass and had a go!

This was the first lot.  As you can see I over cut the clear glass layer on most of them and there are a few burst bubbles so these are a fail.

But I liked the little odd pair at the bottom.  Interesting to see that the purple iridescent glass actually started as blue before firing. Still pretty but not what I wanted.

The second batch.  I cut the clear glass smaller, down to about 2 mm larger this time. I did straighten these up but I had to carry them out to the kiln first. The large pieces were just to use up all the scraps I had left over from cutting the others.

 Pleased with these four pairs, they will be cufflinks.  John has already nabbed the blue ones.

These white I put on button backs.  There are one or two bubbles but I don't mind them.  It shows they weren't made by a robot!  But I will also try a lower temp, longer time fire next time so the bubbles have time to rise.

And this pair were quite pretty with the smallest slither of clear glass showing which you can see at the bottom in the photos.

I have learned a lot from just playing yesterday.  For a start I think my clear glass may be thinker than what I used at Hilary's.  Glass will always settle to 6mm when heated so they spread like cooking biscuits.  If there is too much clear it will just over run.  I will cut the clear glass just a fraction smaller again next time and hopefully get it right!   Oh the four larger cabochons came out a great shape but poor condition so were scrap too.  At least I could smash them and reuse them if necessary, or just keep them to learn from my mistakes.

Have a great week ahead!


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