lo and behold

Lots of torch time this weekend.  Turned up some beauties and some beasts.  Can you tell which is which?  The difference between the two is slim, I  know, but I did have some wonderful successes.  I was back at my own torch (Hothead) for the first time since November.  I was glad to see that I hadn’t forgotten everything.  And I was even better at some things. 

First, I wanted two work with reds.  The three on the left use Lauscha transparent.   Experimented with scoring a round bead in four places, on a diagonal.  I do sort of like how it came out.  The solid-looking one on the right – look at that shape!   Nancy Tobey suggested using a marble mold to get the elusive sphere that I so long for, and I bought one during the winter, but I had not yet used it until this weekend. 

Look at those beauties!  Consistent shape.  Consistent size.  I feel a little like I cheated using the marble mold– is that OK?  And, how long can a person be delighted by opaque dots on transparent rounds?  I fell in love with that little combo last fall, and here I am - still feeling like they are little jewels, bitty bites of deliciousness.  What if I never tire of them and that’s all I ever want to make?  Isabel designed a necklace for me with this style bead last year, and I wear it all the time.  I love it.  People always comment on it, too.  So, I’ll just make a few more - of the necklaces I mean. 

And lest you think all is round and perfect over here at lo and behold, I experimented with some frit,  and encasing. You are not alone, Ms. Lori Anderson, and I’ve been at it a year, more or less.  That frit on the ivory encased in clear is called something like Apricot. . . .It is not supposed to be all brown like that.  On the bottom bead, I used the same Apricot and encased it in transparent yellow.  That’s a little closer, except the encasing stinks.    

So tell me, what would you do?  Make more of these – or more delicate transparent rounds with whimsical dots in black, white and periwinkle?

Snow Farm started offering open studios recently, and finally, I was able to go this weekend for three hours of torching! It has been four months since I closed down my torch for the “season” in early November.  I felt as excited and nervous and giddy as someone going on first date.  Would I know what to say?  What to do?  How to hold the mandrel?  Is it like riding a bike – hop on and body memory does the rest? 

Turns out I was fine, well, not exactly fine, but surely good enough. My first few “one wrap spacers” were wobbly, but yes, body memory kicked in.  And in the process, I remembered one of the things I love most about melting glass in open flame:  YOU HAVE TO GO SLOW.  You have to be right there in the present moment to make it work.  For me, at least, making beads with melted glass is like a meditation.  It’s repetitive, quiet, and in the moment.  And it works much better with my personality to come out of a meditative experience with a product that I can hold in my hand (that’s probably totally against the point in REAL meditation) than to just benefit by peace of mind.  Torching gives me both:  a product and process. 

As you can see, I was trying some color experiments with the rainbow.  More on that soon.  And, it’s almost 60 degrees today.  That means its practically torching season again in my own little corner of the garage.  YAY! 

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