Cloud beads were the order of the day. Strange beads for me to make on a very cloudless day, but I had an order to fill and I am always happy to fill orders from my website! ( www.ginnydesignstudio.com) I hopped up at a very early time (for me) 7:00 AM, and had a quick breakfast, then out to water the new plants that had survived the hungry deer and elk (they aren't hungry any more!) and then into the studio to make my cloud beads. I managed to snap a couple of quick photos of my progress as I made them to give you a visual of how they are made. These photos will give you a good idea of the mess that I work in, and a good idea of how the beads are made. First of all, the Moretti Glass, glass that is Italian (also known as Efettre, Morano, or, Italian Glass), is kept separated from any other type of glass. This to prevent me from accidentally mixing glass types that are not compatable with each other. As I keep no less than 4 different kinds of glass in my studio it is important to keep them clearly labeled and separate from each other.
One reason my studio always looks so messy is that I am forever trying to use up scraps of glass. I use almost everything there is to the last scrap. Next week, I will enlist an unsuspecting friend to photograph some of my methods to use every last scrap. If you are a bead maker you will appreciate some of these methods as they will save you some money. Some of these methods will save you some time, all are guaranteed to save you glass! Glass is really expensive, and I suspect that making it is pretty tough on the environment (historically forests were de-forested to produce charcoal to produce glass) and mining produces the minerals that go into the glass, so being less wasteful and environmentally conscious should be a goal for all glass workers. Not to mention saving some money!
I use Thompson Enamels, mostly because these people are really nice, and they answer all of my questions whenever I have any! Their products are great, enamel colors are always consistent and clear-bright and pretty. Working with enamels is fun, and requires a little practice. I recommend getting a starter pack of an assortment of colors to play with. That way you can get the feel of what the enamels can do and see if they are going to fit your expectations. I used to wear a paper face mask, and had my students were them as well, when working with enamels, as per all of the instructions I had read. Then I was politely pulled aside by a wonderful student who is a research lung doctor at NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) who told me the particles are too heavy to be of much danger and the paper masks were probably of no help anyway if there were any dangers.... please be your own judge do your own research, your health is your responsibility.
I slowly and carefully pour small amounts of enamels onto a graphite pad on small puddles. Then I spread the puddles out using a razor blade instrument (I make these by putting a single edged razor blade onto an old tool handle) and roll the hot bead onto the enamels. At first you may feel you need 3-4 hands to do this, you will eventually develop a system so that you can actually do it with two hands! Prepare the enamels BEFORE you start making your beads!
You may notice that my cloud beads are large, I wouldn't make large beads with enamels at first. Start small, then gradually go larger. You will find that it is easier to experience thermal shock with enamels than with many other methods because of the rolling and constant in and out of the flame nature of enamels.
Now I have to clean some beads, get them ready to ship them out to some of my wonderful customers, and get some rest. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?
