Glass Rooster Bead Redux

Just wanted to show you the final photo on the lampwork bead that I'm sending out for Beads of Courage. After blogging on Tuesday about my designing in glass references, now you can see the outcome.   I think it definitely reads "rooster" and although the legs are a bit shorter and thicker than in real life, I wanted them to be a bit sturdier for practicality.

Wishing you a wonderful day and see you tomorrow.

Sculpting Santas in Texas

I had a great time teaching Santa Claus beads to 10 delightful students last night in Austin at Blue Moon Glassworks.

One of the best things about going somewhere to teach, is meeting new friends, and hearing how they love glass as much as I do.

I have to say, the facility sure is nice too. I love it when there is enough lighting to really see what you're doing. Also, the large white board is great for writing down the steps, so note takers can relax a bit and just snap a photo of the different steps.

Here is a photo of what we made. The class was designed for folks who haven't done any or much sculpture before, but want to try it.

We work off of basic shapes that everyone knows, and just adjust them to make a sculptured bead. It's easy, when explained what's going on.

So much of sculptured glass is heat control. You know, it seems like that applies to everyone's work. Don't you think?

So today, I've got a lot of fun planned. I am teaching a private lesson this morning to a mosaic artist who wants to learn how to incorporate lampwork into her art. When I met her in the shop, I enjoyed hearing her passion about her art and brainstorming with her. I can't wait to see where we go with it.

Catch you tomorrow with another blog here at http://www.studiomarcy.blogspot.com

The Artful Home Blown Glass Ornament Boutique

It's that time of the year when Artful Home offers up its annual ornament boutique. And each year, I try to get at least one. I love these glass treasures.

Here is a link to this year's line up. (Click Here!) I'd love to hear which ones are your favorites and feel free to post links in the comments section.

I have my eye on one in particular for this year, but we'll have to see if my wish comes to fruition. Feel free to guess if you would like.

Please cruise through the rest of the Artful Home's website. I always see such high quality artisan work, which always provides smiles and inspiration.

See you tomorrow here - http://www/studiomarcy.blogspot.com

Look What I Won- A Christmas Tree Covered with Lampwork Ornaments

Last Wednesday was my lucky day.  I don't know whether the moon and stars were aligned, whether it was destiny or what happened, but it sure was a delight.

After seven years of buying lots of tickets, I won the raffled Southern Flames Christmas Tree that night.

Members brought lampwork tree ornaments and converted beads (and even some sculptural glass earrings too!) and hung them on the tree.  In return, they received raffle tickets and everyone was eligible to buy tickets also.  I had brought my share of ornaments and had my length of raffle tickets and joked about never winning anything.

I have so many wonderful ornaments on it and feel so lucky.  A white raven, multiple Santas, a purple fish, all different kinds of icicles, blown balls, pendants, earrings, doves, dragon and a sweet angel on the top of the tree.  I keep it next to my computer.

And then there's my grinch.  Isn't he wonderful?  This was done by Maureen McRorie, (remember the post about voting for her?) and he's about 6" tall out of soft glass.  Those are some pretty amazing the details on him.

But the best part about the entire tree, is that these are handmade by my friends and each one is a bit of them that I get to keep.  The tree and its ornaments are a symbol of what I will treasure the most and you can see how lucky I really am.

Not Your Regular "Fly By Night" ~ Ho, Ho, Ho!

Who knew that Santa traded in his old school sleigh and is now riding in his new chocolate ice cream cone airplane with a peppermint propeller?

You can see more views- and the side ones are better to see the cone part- in this listing.

Do you ever make beads just to see if you can do them or to entertain yourself? I do. If a sculptural bead design is logistically hard to make- like having an "x" and a "y" axis, (like a "t" shape), then that is fun for me to try.

I have to build out the part that isn't supported by my 1/16th slim mandrel. Meanwhile, I think about making the shape, how to keep the entire bead warm and what order in which to form it it.

I also think about how I'm going to "get" to some of the places. For example the red plane wings. Those started as elongated dots. I needed to put the glass into its position, but not press it yet, (pressing makes it more susceptible to getting cold, because it's thinner), and I still needed to finish Santa's body. So if I made his arms, could I have room for my tools to press the wings?
Just for the record, I mashed the wings and then added Santa's right arm, which had to be placed before his beard, which had to be added before his.... you see what I mean. The order of placement is a strategic one that has to be thought out. Who knew this right brained beadmaker could be logical too?

Is this a way you think when you're making beads? Do you think of the order of the pattern or the shape in a logical way, or design your beads on the fly? (I do that too sometimes). Tell us about it.

And don't forget, beads like this are fun for holiday decorations too. This one would be so cute on a Christmas tree.

Thanksgiving Is Over, Bring On Christmas! Ho, Ho, Ho!

With Thanksgiving over, Christmas Season is in full swing. There's no breathing room , is there? And (*sigh*), I'm throwing my hat into the ring to participate in this melee as well.

So, with that said, I'm giving all of you an advance notice of my Buy One, Get One 1/2 Off Sale (BOGO) which starts this Sunday (11/30) and runs through Saturday (12/6). As always, any purchase over $40, receives Free Shipping, even if you live somewhere far, far away. (Okay, I liked the sound of it, but perhaps I should just say, if you are an International Customer).

Just check out as usual and write "BOGO Blog" in the note to seller. Do not pay yet. I will send you a revised invoice through Paypal with the discount showing, and then you just click on the link and pay through it. Easy Peasy.

So save a little for beads this year. All of my sculptural beads make wonderfully unique tree ornaments or even package decorations for someone you REALLY love.

I'll remind you again, once the sale starts, but mark your calendar to shop on Sunday while you sip your coffee and relax . Happy Friday!
Marcy

New Tutorial in My Etsy Shop

I thought about all my online coaching and how much I enjoy it. And perhaps there are some people who would like to take it a step farther than the bits and pieces that I offer in my blog.

So here is my first tutorial that is listed in my Etsy shop. Meet Santa Claus. I go through step by step each part of making this bead as well as the preparation needed and some alternatives to how and why I'm doing things.

Santa would love to come visit you before Christmas Eve and he would make a great ornament, focal or even package decoration.

Stop by my etsy shop and enjoy.

http://www.StudioMarcy.etsy.com

Ask Studio Marcy ~ Online Coaching...Santa's Face with Mallory and Me

Mallory, of www.rosebud101.etsy.com has volunteered to be this week's online student for lampwork coaching. Thanks Mallory!

Here you'll see her very first Santa face, which she nicknamed, "the deranged Santa", because when she flattened his eyes, they went a little crazy. He is a hollow bead made with moretti's soft pink.

Here is an excerpt from my response...
"Here are a few hints...hope you don't mind me including them.
Make your base bead, Cool down your torch. keep your flame smallish, because when doing this much detailed work, it's easy to melt it all together. Your Santa's hair is nice and fluffy, so I think you might be doing this already.

Your comments about his eyes made me laugh. I can't tell you how many goofy eyed beads I've made. eye balls only need to be a tiny dot. (I use thin stringer) And as you put a dark glass on top of white, the white needs to be quite cool, because the stiff glass will pull it if it's warm. I then chill the eyeball by press down with my brass Stump Shaper. I always do pupils towards the end, because they have the ability to get warmed accidentally while I'm doing something else and then the eyes go all over the place as they kind of melt from the heat of the other details.

I always do my biggest details first and then add in the rest in descending order depending on what might melt in and be a mess versus what could get a touch too warm and still look okay.

If I were doing a Santa head, I'd probably do it in this order. (and after each addition, lots of bathing in heat to keep the entire bead warm.
Head, hat, but not the trim, white part of eyeballs, cheeks, bottom part of beard, white trim around hat, mustache, white ball at end of hat, pupils. And possibly I'd change up the order if the red hat came down low on his face. If that were the case, I might add his pupils in earlier, if I thought there might be a problem in reaching them when adding the white band trim around the hat."
So look at her second Santa head. Wow, what an improvement!
Mallory made a smaller head that wasn't a hollow this time. I like how his beard and white hat ornamentation are fluffy like cotton. His hat adds a lot to the face. Mallory told me that she was trying to make his nose "like a cherry", the way it is in the poem. Perhaps, I'd attempt a pink cherry instead and just try that out. This red might be a touch too much contrast. His eyes are much better and perhaps I would have added just a touch more black right on the center whether the one pupil is a bit smaller.

I've included two of my Santas to show you and to talk about a bit for additional ideas.

This first Santa I made for any of you who enjoy using presses. His face was made with a Zoozii tab press, but lentils, or other similar presses would work fine.

I added his cheeks, (CIM Gelly Pink for bright, cheery ones) as place markers so I would know where to spot his beard, mustache and the rest of his face. Then I basically followed the order that I gave Mallory and is written above. The benefit of a face bead made with a press, is that it lays really flat, which is nice when it's made up into jewelry.

This second Santa has a rounder head - more similar to Mallory's shape. I indented the space for his eyes with one of my whimzicalities sharp tools and then placed the black dots. It gives his eyes a little more shape and holds them in place better.

For his hair, (same as the other one), I clear encased white glass with clear to give it a bit of definition. Although I have to say, I think Mallory's fluffy beard is fabulous. I always make the beard first and then the mustache, so it sits on top of it and shows up well. This bead also has the CIM pink for the cheery cheeks. I like adding the pink, because it makes the white stand out a little more from the ivory face, adding a little more warmth to the bead.

Some of the places you might want to look for inspiration are holiday catalogues, newspaper ads, favorite tree ornaments and my favorite spot...google. I love having a selection of pictures at my disposal that I can print for inspiration.

To view more angles of my Santa beads, visit my etsy shop, http://www.StudioMarcy.etsy.com . They are both in my "sold" section. Mallory has listed her second Santa face "Peaches". Visit her shop, http://www.rosebud101.etsy.com.