DEBORAHREAD.COM: May 2012

Enamel Beads - Using base metals for Torched Enamel Beads

I forgot how much fun torching base metal enamel beads is - previously I had shown beads from about 15 years ago where I used base beads, copper beads, copper tube and copper stampings
so many things you can do -

Last night in preparation for an enamel bead class In Ottawa - at the Glass Shoppe I was prepping beads as samplers

I was having way too much fun

They looked great for my pics as individuals but then I put them into a necklace just for fun

At the class we will make enough beads to make a necklace and matching earrings

Come join me on June 16th and 17th classes are available

Contact information for class :

The Glass Shoppe Studio in Ottawa Ontario

http://www.theglassshoppestudio.com/index.php?option=com_jevents&view=month&task=month.calendar&Itemid=38

Toronto Bead Society Bead Show -

Was wonderful to see everyone and a great show
I had some issues with leaving - parking but all in all was a good show for TBS
so many goodies laid out to view and loved seeing everyone again

Stephanie Dixon (Dixon Chic) as always bright and cheerful and she used one of my ceramic bezels to put in the bling

and also one of my glass flowers - she put some bling in one of the petals

the epoxy clay stick to just about anything - as Stephanie says - she puts that SH*# on everything

Cindy Goldrick had a metal class and one of her students bought one of the faces and created a beautiful breakout piece

amazing what you can do with metal !

Toronto Bead Society Show ------------May 26 -27

Will be at the Bead Fair this Saturday and Sunday
Booth # 44 - Since its a new venue not really sure where I am - the floor plan says up close to the stage but we will see - hope to see you there !

Still Behind on Posting

Been busy every night putting items together for the show - have not taken any pics but hope to get some tonight
Just been pricing and putting items onto cards for sale but I do still need to etch more copper bracelets and pendants but they may not be ready for the show - a later show maybe or etsy.
So stay tuned - I'll get some pics up shortly of the dichro pendants, etc...

This Month Has Gone Way Too Fast !

Its not like I'm not doing anything but the weather changing means chores outside to accomplish like cutting the lawn weekly, week whacking, raking up leaves and limbs, cutting down some bush. Then there is trying to clean the house, look after horses, dogs, cats and rabbits. So I've accomplished very little in the studio - and the show is this weekend. I spent time putting new cards together to put beads on, re working other cards so they don't fall apart and have my studio name printed nice and neatly and searching for a large Nemo fish that needed repair for a customer - and for the life of me could not find on Saturday - so Sunday I made a new one just in case - and of course found it Monday morning and fixed it along with making a new green cat - The glue on bails did not arrive last week in the mail - I knew I should have gone down to BeadFx and picked some up but found about 50 after searching and got them done - so I at least got some of the new fused dichro onto cards. The new punch I bought for punching business cards or card stock - broke. the pins sheared off - I'll have to call the mfg as being so thin they really need to make these tougher - didn't make it through 40 cards so went back to punching the old fashioned way with a sharp point and some foam. Now I just have to make the bracelet price tags and maybe torch the rest of the week. Then repack and get ready for friday so I can load it all up and take off first thing Saturday to new location and set up (thats what scares me the most - a new venue - you dont know where it really its, where to unload or to park - its downtown Toronto so should be interesting)
I'll post pics of what was done over the weekend and cross my fingers I come up with more bracelets during the week to make and have ready.

More Zentangle Painted Glass Beads Coloured

I like the black and white but I am liking the gradient color as well

just a few more last night
I need to move on to etching this week and some more lampwork of some sorts. The show is coming quickly and as always I thought I had more time but it seems to just pass so quickly.

Zentangle Painted Glass Beads Black and White and Colored - Zentangle screened glass applied to beads

I got a chance to finally put some beads together and then I decided to use my new business cards I got from MOO as the presentation cards - since they have the zentangle designs on them

The basic ones are black and white then I tried coloured ones (the last time I used the wrong glass with each other and they broke ) this time I made sure I was using all Bullseye 90 glass

Did not really get much done but at least I torched - which I have not done in at least 6 months.

Art Jewelry Magazine - Bi-Monthly Newsletter - will be featuring my mixed metal face

After my Hadar Jacobson class - I finished my Mixed metal face - and then I submitted it over at the Art Jewellery Magazine - subscribers work under metal clay - last night received a nice email stating they were featuring in their bi-monthly newsletter as their fav from the subscriber gallery for the month . You can subscribe to their monthly newletter on the main page : http://art.jewelrymakingmagazines.com/

Firing Screen Printed Glass Pieces

The next step in getting the screened glass completed to use with my lamp-work beads or for fusing is to cut the sheets and fire them - they could be fired as I lamp-work but I like to bulk fire as once fired the image is fixed

The dried screened glass as I mentioned is a matte finish

I use the Beetle Bug system or the Morton system (or combo) to cut with

it sits high and I can push through without marring the paint

These systems are great - easy cutting and measuring and I like the cutting table as small pieces fall into the holes (then I clean them out)

Once cut I put onto a fibre kiln shelf ready for firing- just happened to be the closest

I used my Aim kiln (my favourite brand for fusing) which has the basic hi lo dial - no high tech digital system - so I just watch the pyrometer. These units are great - and you can do so much with it and its one of the least expensive - 6 x6 approx 325.00 U.S. and a great company to buy from.

This Reusche DE401 paint that I used requires firing to approx 1250 F

Quick Explanation:

Because the pieces are single layer and 2x2 or less I can run the temp up fast and cool down fast

so its load the kiln put on lid, turn to hi and let it ramp to 1250F as soon as it hits the required temp. turn off kiln, open lid and cool to 1000 F put lid back on - leave a corner open and let cool till I can handle and take out.

Here they are set in the kiln and turned to hi and left till it reached 1255 F - I then turn off the kiln

take off the lid and let cool to 1000 (flash cooling) and close the kiln back up and let cool- I leave a corner open to cool faster.

Once fired - it is sort of shiny again- hard to tell here but I can see that they were done at the 1255 F when I peeked (I'm a peeker - I find peeking makes all the difference in my fusing)