Practice, Practice, Practice

I have made a vow to myself to make a concentrated effort to master the hollow technique using the puffy mandrel.  These are two attempts, it may not look like it but I see some progress.  Each time I am going to try with clear so I can sort of see what it going on with the air inside the bead.  They are definitely not round.  I added the black glass to try to mask the wonkyness. 

I absolutely love this combination.  This is a 104 COE German glass called multicolor combined with a crystal clear frit in a 96 COE.  The bead has hints of purple, green, and blue.  The bead is very shiny which indicates that there is silver at the surface.  I will definitely use this combination on a lot more beads. 

This bead is from a cobalt wine bottle.  I then added baking soda to the outside of the bead to give it a antique look.  It seems to age the look of the bead.  I may play with this idea more, maybe etch it and see if it adds another layer of depth.

This is a set that I made with a teacher in mind, but instead she liked the small lumpy hollow.  She wants a whole bracelet out of those.  Practice, Practice, Practice.

I also have been concentrating on adding items to my etsy store.  It was empty for awhile, now slowly filling it up.  This is the first time I have finished items for sale in my store.  I do not have any Art Fairs planned for the spring, so I thought I would try selling some pieces online. 

I have also still been tweaking my web site.  So far it has had over 300 page views, pretty cool.  Although I think some are for the wrong reasons, I am getting spam emails that seem to be aimed at hosting my web page.

Until next time, Cheryl.

New Layout

Hopefully this new look is easier on your eyes. I am experimenting, so not sure if I will keep this one either. I found it a little frustrating. I tried to bring the banner from my Etsy site to it, but it didn't like that. I will keep trying different things until I get it the way I want. I visited many blogs and theirs all look great. I need to spend more time on it. It is amazing how much time all of this really takes.

I read an article on pricing jewelry by self employed artists. They said you should add all of this kind of time into the equation for your selling price. I am not sure the market could handle the cost of my learning curve. Maybe that is how that necklace out of really ordinary, but pretty lampwork beads was listed at $1,000.00.

Check out the neat Mini-Etsy that is now on the page. I saw this on another blog, so thought I would try it here. Please let me know what you think. Is it too commercial?

Yesterday's bead experiments were a bit disapointing. I did research on how to use several of the frits (glass chips) that were sent free with a book that I got for Christmas. I tried several of the ideas but was not really impressed with the results. I did get one bead that may have possibilities, it is a glass called opal yellow with a frit that looks blue and is called Kronos #2 by
Double Helix. The frit is a silvered glass that is supposed to have reactive qualities when introduced to a reducing flame, mostly propane and very little oxygen. The opposite of this is a oxidizing flame, which make other glasses change colors such as Raku. Sometimes it is quite confusing and then introduce the human factor, timing, different torches etc. and the results are never predictable. I guess that is what keeps glass artists so intrigued.

I was accepted by the Self Representing Artist organization that I discussed last time. Their response was remarkably quick. That logo now appears on this blog also.

Well guess what? Another snow day tomorrow! What is new? I think it will make 17 days we have missed since January 1, 2010. You only get 20 to a month, there goes June.

Another Big Snow Day

Today was another snow day. I used it to take pictures of beads. It takes longer than you would think to just do that. Then you have to download adjust, adjust, adjust then save.

I did manage to list the above bead on Etsy today. I also applied to a organization of Self Representing Artists. The process can take up to 3 weeks. The group promotes glass lampwork artists and tries to educate the public regarding the differences between mass produced beads and a handmade bead. Believe it or not, no fee, optional donation. You had to send proof in pictures of your studio, beads that you have for sale, etc. If approved you can use their logo on your site selling beads only. I hope my application will be approved. I would not have been ready to do this a few months ago.

I burnt some beads tonight, concentrating on organic style bicone focals. I am anxious to see what the kiln fairy will bring.

After you view the next pictures - Do you think we are going to be out of school for a few days?
These were took out the sliding glass door down stairs.

Etsy Rolls On

Yesterday, I sold another bead on Etsy. It is a slow process to build up a customer base but I think I could get used to selling a bead or two every once in awhile. The bead I sold had been listed awhile and was one of my favorite ones. In fact I had made a necklace out of similar ones back in the summer as a gift to a very special friend for feeding my very special pets when I was in Oregon at the very special bead show in Portland. I think I will make some more of these type beads maybe in a different shape. This bead sold to a different Etsy customer/seller than the first three items. That pleases me. Maybe it wasn't a fluke.

My daughter's very special boyfriend Brian, has expressed some concern that I am selling them too cheap and not making a profit. My DH has the same concern. I think I am ok for now. Yes, I am not getting rich quick. I am loving every minute of the journey and learning as I go. Yes, I think my beads are worth more than money and sometimes it is very hard to part with them. But it is a necessary evil in order to make more beads. My daughter feels that I have something in common with the TV show "The Hoarders". I am trying to prove her wrong, although my mother and I do have that tendency in common. What good would a whole house full of beads do anyone?

It would be wonderful someday to command the prices that I see sometimes on the web for my work. I realize that will take time, practice and a very good reputation. I am willing to work for it.

Productive Snow Day

Listed this earring pair on Etsy today. It reminds me of spring and boy am I ready for it. We have missed so much school for snow already this year. Hope we do not have to work all summer. They will let the students have off but classified staff will still have to finish their contracts. Maybe I will work spring break in order to make up some days.

I finished some valentine gifts today. I had the hearts done for awhile but could not decide how I wanted to finish them and to whom they would go. Danny took the pictures for me and got very frustrated. It is not as easy as it looks. I definitely understand, been there.


I received my free chain from Dreamland Jewelry today. It is really pretty and looks like a good deal. I also received my new mask N100 for particles today. I really needed it. My other one fogs up my two pair of glasses. Making beads with a torch is not really very safe if you can not see. I wear my regular glasses and then a special pair of glasses over those so that I can see through the flame and don't damage my eyes from the sodium flare.
This mask is wonderful. I made a white heart with purple and pink enamel and could breathe and see. Can't wait to try all the design possibilities with enamel and pixie dust (mica).

I am So Excited - First Etsy Sale

You know how you have these great ideas and then they don't happen like you think they will. Well I was about to get discouraged with selling on Etsy. You struggle to wonder if your items are good enough, does the picture do the item justice, is your price right, are the colors and designs what someone else would want to wear. Well I am pleased to say that a nice lady in IL thought that my beads were worth the price that I asked. In fact, she bought 3 items that I listed totalling 7 beads in all, 3 earring pairs and one focal. They happen to be some of my favorite combinations.

I had read tonight on a forum that one seller just couldn't keep a certain bead in her store. It is a very different bead than what I have been doing, and her price was about 8 times higher. I was really starting to doubt myself. But thanks to one nice lady, everything is good. I think just because she made my month, I will throw in some spacers to boot. I guess I will be making a run to town and the Post Office tomorrow. I haven't been out of the house in 5 days. Starting to go a little stir crazy. But now I am re-energized to continue on this journey. I know it is not always going to be easy, but now I know I am on the right track.

On another note, could not even get a hold of my husband or daughter to share this wonderful news. Today is my husbands 60th birthday and he had to leave on a business trip this evening.
We both were a bit disappointed, not that we had big plans but it really is a special day. We will have to celebrate his birthday this weekend if it doesn't snow again like they are forecasting. My son's birthday is next week so it would be nice if we could at least see him soon.

Believe it or not -- We have another snow day tomorrow. I think it will really be more of an ice problem in the morning than snow. There was a really bad wreck not to far from the house this morning due to slick roads. Kind of glad Danny doesn't have to deal with the hill tomorrow.

Big Storm Looming

I am sure that people who live in moderate climates live longer. The stress which is attached to a big snow is unbelievable, we have spent all week long waiting and hopefully preparing to be snowed in. We are hearing anywhere from 1 to 10 inches of snow. We are hearing that it could be here as early a 8:00am or start at 1:00pm. It really sucks, our only four wheel drive is not up to the challenge this time.

On the bead front I have listed two more groups tonight. They are pictured above. I was really torn about listing the etched trio. It is one of my early successes, and I really liked the combination. If it sells, I think I will do more of that look. I also listed the petroleum green and ivory combination. It is also one of my favorites.

New Etsy Posts

I am so excited, I listed two items today and actually someone had already looked at one of them. So cool. I don't think any strangers even looked at the buttons. It was worth the .40 just to have someone look. This process is time consuming and I probably am not good at writing up the sales pitch and description. Sales person role is not an easy one for me. Maybe Danny will step up.

I torched some today. Mostly spacers. Yesterday's take was pretty good. Did some hearts that came out OK.

Really tired of the rain. Our driveway and yard look like lakes. Danny could not get up the driveway due to two trees that had fallen over the drive. We had to hike through the mud and push and shove them out of the way. What a mess!!

The above beads are the ones I listed. I think I will try to at least list a couple a week since it searches the items by date listed. That way maybe they will look at other items already on the site. Boy will I be excited if something actually sells.