win some, lose some

Well the new concept in a garden stake has proven to be a bit of a challenge. A challenge in the form a few large bubbles. . . . I like the idea so I tried again -

My new design was a mosaic, fun color panel.

After firing - I realized that I didn't secure the copper edge pieces properly for a full-fuse.

(notice the lower right corner) 

~darn

I like this idea - hence the next piece - 

I hope I have better luck fusing this one.

:-)

I did take some left-over glass and make this nice bowl.

(same bowl in both photos - different angle)

Win some - Lose some.

That's the story today.

~ Julz

small dishes - and more . . .

My last kiln fire was a few flowers, some dots for future projects and  w/ some blanks for a few small dishes.

I have since slumped the blanks onto a stainless steal mold

and like the final results.

My rationale is that small dishes will sell better than large items.

I hope I am right.

I also am enjoying creating a number of different designs and using up some scrap glass.

My next kiln firing has a few stars and a new idea for a garden stake.

I like to test and see how new ideas work out.

I don't think I would be good at production work if it was the same thing with every kiln firing.

I am too attention deficit for that.

Hope you are having a great weekend.

~ Julz

Wednesday's Glass

I'm on a roll . . . 

Four new dishes in the last few days - 

love the size

love the colors

small enough to use up some of my accumulated scrap

cute

Yellow dot on yellow transparent.

:-)

~ Julz

Casting Class

OMG - what a wonderful learning experience!

I wish I could have been a sponge and truly soaked up all that was presented over the weekend.

I tried, but I think I was only able to get 1/2.

Michael Dupille was the best instructor.

I will share a bit here.

Here is my first cast. It's a fiber paper carving.

Very cool. I added some color and had some places w/out color - I like this process and will do more of this. The picture above was prior to any cold finishing.

We then moved on to casting w/ castalot. 

(I need some of this for my studio)

We created clay objects - my eyeballs - and then cast them, dried the cast over night and then used the cast for glass.

Michael was a riot.

I added colored frit to create the eyeballs.

We then filled the cast with clear frit both fine and coarse to create body of the object.

Okay - now the anti-climax. . . 

The class was over on Sunday afternoon and my eyeballs and another flower cast that I carved into the castalot, added glass, and fired were still in the kiln. 

The thicker the glass the longer the kiln schedule for ramping up the kiln and annealing the objects.

No problem - except that I live 2 hours north of where the class was and the objects will have to be shipped. darn

I can't wait to see.

~ Julz