New Processes, New Work

I purchased a new tutorial by Komal C. Prassad for a fusing process - Controlled Gaps that I have wanted to learn for the last few years. Honestly, there are a bunch of processes/techniques that I want to try. My love of learning new things keeps me learning new things. It keeps my life interesting in these pandemic times.

This dish is the result of the new tutorial - 

I really like the result and have another (same process, different design) dish slumping in the kiln today.

I have also been playing around with a electroforming. I have always loved the look of electroforming when combined with beads and glass and I recently took an electroforming class from Terry Henry via Facebook. She makes the best electroformed bugs/animals with glass parts.

I'm just getting started. I have some objects that didn't work, a few that have worked, and some still in the bath. This was a leaf that I picked up on a walk this week. The small bit of glass is a headpin that I made a while ago. The headpin is now electroformed onto the leaf. I still need to figure out finishing my objects with a patina to better show the texture, but that will come.

I took a class last month at the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass in Neenah, WI where I worked with Deanna Clayton to make a pate de verre, also known as paste glass, bowl. Deanna Clayton fused the bowls and finished them after they were created in the class. The finished bowl has an electroformed rim. Very cool.

Another project I finished recently was some knobs for my bathroom. The bathroom was done being remodeled years ago and the cabinets needed knobs. I finally created knobs that I am happy with and got them installed.

Keeping the kilns warm,

~ Julie

Recycled Glass Dish #2

Okay - I seem to be repeating good things lately. I created a new dish from recycled glass w/ a different frit design. Just pulled this from the kiln - - -

I love using recycled glass and I like these brighter colors.

I wish our weather mirrored the brightness of the new dish. Today is cold and windy with showers (although we can use the rain). I just wish it was a bit warmer.

~ Julz

Morning glass -

This morning dawned w/ below zero temps and wind chills at double digits below zero. Yuck!

My kiln is staying warm.

I finished my small black, round box w/ the red frit. While the top of the box was fusing the red glass frit embellishment onto it - I put in a few small experiments into the kiln around the edges.

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I really love how the box turned out.

. . . and the experiments also turned out nicely;-)

 . . .  thinking of putting bails on these and making them into cabs. I experimented with the blue dot one.

 

I like to wear my glass as way to keep it close to me as a reminder throughout the day.

Meanwhile the kiln is staying warm. I have a dish slumping as I post this:-) Today brings a trip to my mother's to spend some time with her in the new year.

Stay warm.

~ Julz

New Beginnings -

This week is a week of new beginnings.

I took new glass out of the kiln this morning w/ out a fail. Yea!

This is my black dish w/ a white stripe. Okay the pic is lacking, but this one is ready to slump. I also fused some cabs - I'm thinking of making some jewelry and did some experimenting with colored frit (small bits of glass).

Yesterday I took a 3" round, black box out of the kiln and now I'm trying to decide how to embellish it. Course red frit or purple glass beads?

I still have some work to do on this box. I have to fire polish the base and tack fuse the embellishment onto the lid. I'm excited -  think it will turn out very nicely.

I have some new ideas for cabs going into the kiln when I tack fuse the lid - hope they turn out. I will share pics.

Have a great last day of 2009!

~ Julz

New Fuse just out of the kiln

My newest piece -

The colors are more subtle than I thought they would turn out. It has nice texture, but the squares that make it up aren't consistent. Something to strive for if I do this again. I used textured/grooved glass and sprayed it w/ hairspray and then put red frit in the grooves. Either the hair spray or my frit placement or both need work. :-)
Cooking for the 2nd Thanksgiving w/ my family tomorrow. Homemade rolls and stuffing - carb heaven. yum!
~ Julz