DEBORAHREAD.COM: April 2015

Pulling out the hydraulic dies and boxes

Thank you Rosemary's Clay (if any of you have not visited her blog please check it out - full of wonderful stuff) I pulled out my hydraulic dies and boxes (actually had a 3x3 box made a while ago and after seeing Rosemary's in use ordered 2 of the 3x3 urethane , intensifier sheet, liquid bur life and they are on the way
I have the bonny doon small round one that fits the non conforming dies which I only have one and I have 4 of the Potter round dies and some of the urethane round pieces for that set - lots of strips of brass textures to use in the rolling mill - so getting prepared

I need to get some 1/4" plexi to make my own patterns still and I want to modify my big press to fit all this

Only about 1 day left for the April Give A way

Dont forget I will be drawing for the April Give-A-Way on May 1st (not sure if first thing in morning or late in the day but it will be done

to enter just visit the April Give-A-Way thread (click here) or click the shortcut on the right side

Play Beads

I wanted to keep at it - getting up to the studio and dong something
so I played at a few beads - was a bit lazy - just used colors on my table (which I have a lot) except pink - evidently I dont use pink a lot but needed a tongue - so it was coral and the orange on the monster is so dark its hard to see - and used a darker trans blue for eyes than I normally do - I havnt made monsters in years - so next one will be better - the orange was bubbly forgot how it acted (lauscha orange with white core) and played with lentils again - smaller about 1" this time

Lampwork Lentils and Etched copper bracelets

Was a lovely weekend - started early Friday afternoon with a visit to the Creative festival where I totally enjoyed just walking around and not in a rush to leave - something I dont do ... enjoy myself
loved doing the parchment embossing - at the show you got to try and of course I bought some to take home - have some from before but these are quite interesting - from S.A.R. (some assembly required)

Got home and relaxed and visted the grandchildren

Saturday got up early and put the heaters on in the studio - its still hovering around 32/zero here at night and mornings - so started warming the place up - cleaned up the house and brought more stuff to studio and started organizing -then went food shopping - my daughter came over with two little ducklings they are going to raise (was told lucky as she was looking for goats and they would have resided at my house )
I then had dinner and finally went to the studio at 9pm sat down and made some 1.5" lentils - these are for some necklaces and bracelet ideas I have in mind - but also just to play - I was in the studio from about 9pm to midnight before I came back to the house and bed

1.5" with ivory/silvered ivory and transparent colors on top

also etched some zentangle bracelets - saturday as well (these pics show all uncleaned as yet) fresh from baking soda bath

worked on some roller stamp bracelets

was a great day

On sunday I got up early

the studio was nice and warm and started more bracelets

Using the roller stamps for these designs - the big 2" wide I was able to do as I picked up the handle at the creative festival

so now they are all done and I just have to clean, bend and seal

I also sat while the bracelets were etching (2 batches on sunday) (2 batches saturday)

I worked on more lentils

the blue dot was one I just played with but I think I know what I want to do with those ones

spent more time organizing and putting things away but need more boxes so a trip to dollar store is needed

a very good weekend - will be better as the weather gets better too...

Wonderful Weekend of Fun- Lampworking - copper etching

Friday night started with a lampwork session and got some beads made

Granddaughter wanted a sleep over and in the morning we made lightning bugs

Then I dropped her off and came back and started some etching of bracelets

used some other stamps -in this caseone with butterflies

after etching- washed and neutralized with baking soda

cleaned up ready for bending

today I bent and sealed them

got about 16 completed with another 8 to clean up - but I had fun today with some rubber stamps that I have had for years - they are roller stamps - round stamps that fit into a hand held roller

so I cleaned my copper and prepped it - rolled the roller in the staz on and carefully rolled it across the blank copper

I will have to do more - was totally fun

cleaned a couple and sealed before I ended the day - 6 more to go

I wanted to create a new display for the bangles and came up with the boxes- still not sure

I think I can get watch boxes that are similar - white with clear cover and I can put them sideways with same idea of the folded card inside - but that will be for next week

Putzing around the studio

Just putzed around the studio last night sorting through beads and things I bought during the winter from ebay and such - organizing and cleaning

was contemplating what I want to do with my "eye" - I started making with the hole at the corner so I could put a crystal tear drop - I just have to see what I want to use to connect - as I'm not impressed with the jump rings as yet - maybe a bit of chain......

DONT FORGET THE APRIL GIVE-A-WAY

Were half way through the month - so dont forget to leave your comment on the Give-A-Way thread - for a chance to win. Click HERE or a shortcut on the right side

Its Free Free Free so dont forgett to visit the blog thread

Good Day on the Torch today

Yes got up and finally went to the studio - spent the day Saturday helping pick a prom dress for my granddaughter - but today was a really good day in the studio - was so warm I only had to wear a t-shirt - and by mid day turn off the heaters -

Made the bodies for the cat heads , a nude and finished an eye along with not sure what else they turned out to be

was happy with the eye and have a bunch of painted irises ready to make more

OOOPs - No torching

After pushing out a semi frozen to the ground 500lb round bale of hay last night I was bushed already - it was cold and rainy so I went back to the house and never made it to the studio - so I broke my run on the studio am at 4 days max so far - - will restart it again tonight and spend as much time this weekend doing some things - more etching and lampworking is in store - hope to keep at it every day now that the weather is really breaking -

4 Days on the torch- but a short one

Yes I made my way up to the very cold studio - 4 days in a row - I must keep at it - if I do it every day I wont make excuses - 31F° 0C° could see my breath - a bit too cold ? yes - I put two heaters towards me but still a bit chilly
only did two beads before giving up - I forgot the body lentil press for the cat bodies in the basement so that took my focus away as well - was raining this morning so did not go up to the studio to retrieve the two beads - tonight for sure and will post - were supposed to be on a warming trend - rainy but warmer - weekend some sun - so will keep at it.

I did get some new toys to play with -

Pancake dies (feather) from Potters USA

I just have to set up the press and I can use my new pancake dies - Rosemary's Clay - has pretty much the same additions as I do so I keep my eyes open for any new toys she gets to see the results - if you havnt visited - take the time to go to: Rosemary's Clay amazing things to see !

If I get time I'll be posting some fresh etched copper 3x4 sheet on etsy today

3 Days on the Torch - The start of a trend - I hope

Yes another trip to the Studio last night - I have in my mind that I must go every day now
The temp was warmer - a toasty 51F ° or close to 11C ° that's about 10 whole degrees warmer than the weekend - plus I have a heater in the vicinity of where I am sitting - plus sweater and fleece top

Last night I had a bit of a plan - then ran off as my daughter needed me to readjust her satellite dish
Almost just went into the house ......but

Then back to the studio where I turned everything on and started - I wanted to see what the yellow color looked like so made a sample bead - then off on a tangent of 7 Fat Cat - kitty heads - tonight hope to make matching bodies - I want to make at least 25 by the weekend and then I can move onto 10 - Fat Cat - Fat Paddy's

Two Days in a Row - Lampworking - new record for this year !

O yes I took myself back up to the studio last night - was chilly again - turned on the heater close to me and sat and torched - and yet again - my mind was blank - I need to go to the mini studio in the basement and bring up some things - like my main mandrels , dipping tray and dip to make more mandrels up as well as some other tools I took down

but I did a few last night -nothing special - again just practicing and got bored with the big lentil - so no decoration

Actually Lampworked on Sunday ! Yeah

Proof that I sat down and torched for a little while - I keep saying I need to carry a little book with me to write down what I wan to do next time I sit at the torch - cuase iit seems I have all these great things I want to do - then I sit down and my mind goes blank ! I did a few things - they are soaking and waiting for me to come home - ran up to the studio at 6:15 this morning to turn off the kiln and grab the beads - really didnt get to see what they turned out like

Copper Etched Neck Bangle, Copper Corset Ring

After Easter breakfast and dropping off Easter goodies to the grandkids - I came back to the studio - I put the heaters on before I left - it was till cool- 44 F or almost 7 C -
Worked on the etched collar some more - still trying to think of how I want to finish - maybe some wire wrapping - dangles - not sure - kept hammering at it to shape it - decisions decisions

Then I decided time to get on the torch - and worked for a couple of hours on some beads
I put a small heater near my legs to keep warm - not too bad - but going to keep working in the studio if I can this week no matter what the weather - I needed to practice and figure out what I want to do in the way of beads for finished necklaces and bracelets

Then I decided I wanted to make a copper corset ring - so proto time again - cut up a scrap piece of copper, hammered and put some holes into it - annealed - - a bit messy but next one will be better - a little straighter on the weaving

More Etch Copper and Working on the Etched Copper Neck Bangle

Finished the 3 x 4 copper etched pieces for an order and to put up on etsy

I put the necklace into the etching solution

after its out and washed

cleaned up with the dremel and sand paper

started bending with just my fingers - the 24g is very malleable

tomorrow I"ll figure out what to do next with it - this is the proto for the neck bangle design

could have dangles just dont know yet

but at least I got into the studio between babysitting, easter shopping - I got more done in last two days than probably all winter

Friday was a good day at the studio - etching copper sheet

What an absolutely lovely day - and made my way to the studio to start to do some more clean up
My daughter came and got the washer and dryer that were at the front area- freeing up some more room to move around

while doing that I decided to etch the copper sheets I needed for an order and to put up on etsy
so I got my sheets that I had cut the other day, and flattened
sheets are cut 3" x 4"

I used hot hot water and soap and used a scrubby to clean the oils that were on from the manufacture of the roll and my fingers

once cleaned - handle only by the edges as you dont want any oils from your fingers (although they were clean during the cleaning processing )

Next I need to stamp using my zentangle full size rubber stamps - available on etsy

the stamps are about 8-1/2 x 11"

In this case its my sheet pattern #2

I use the Staz-On white (only by preference the other Staz-on work as well )

I buy the kit that has extra ink as it does dry out quickly and you use a lot when stamping the large stamp

Once on then carefully apply the 3 x 4 sheet of copper hold down tight - try not to shift it - and I push all round the edges with one hand while the other holds in place - the stamp pad ink is sticky so as you push down it tends to hold in place

then when ready to pull up - hold down one corner and pick up from opposite corner and lift carefully

clean up is easy I use some thinner - to clean up - this is my original stamp from a few years ago

dont worry if you get any fingerprints on the back while stamping - that will clean off later

set to dry

Next is apply the packing tape - I got the 3" wide from uline that I find does not leave as much glue as others - so easier clean up later

I apply and then put into etching solution- The glass tray is on a dollar store cookie sheet that sits on an electric grill - set to WARM - cant have it too high

this solution is from last year and I cleaned out the old material and heated it back up - I put in some fresh - not much - once heated I put in the pieces for etching