Playing with Double Helix Ekho (or any TE test batches) Shards

I wrote this reply to a question posted on the ISGB forum on how to use TE-317 shards from Double Helix, thought I would share this on my blog as well. This is just a basic intro . . . there are many other ways to play with shards that reduce, strike or both reduce and strike . . . experiment and enjoy!

• Make a base bead
• Pick up a piece of shard with your tweezers and wave one edge in and out of the tip of the flame to pre-warm
• Spot heat the base bead and attach the edge to the bead
• Wrap the shard around the bead
• Heat to adhere
• Warm the bead evenly to a dull glow
• Proceed to one of the following options

Option A
• Let the bead cool until the glow is gone (put it under the table to see the glow disappear)
• Adjust to a reducing flame by . . . 1) decreasing the propane/natural gas, 2) increasing the oxygen, or 3) decreasing the fuel AND increasing the oxygen
• Re-introduce the bead at the tip of the flame and watch the reduction appears

Option B
• Melt in the shards completely and reshape
• Heat the bead until the shards are white hot (hazy, almost droopy)
• Marver to reshape (do not put it back in the flame)
• Let the bead cool until the glow is gone (put it under the table to see the glow disappear)
• Re-introduce the bead at the tip of the flame and strike, the shards should be dark brown
• Let cool a wee bit and reheat
• Repeat cooling and heating (but not to extreme, just cool some and heat some) to see colors develop

Option C
Melt in the shards completely and reshape
• Heat the bead until the shards are white hot (hazy, almost droopy)
• Marver to reshape (do not put it back in the flame)
• Let the bead cool until the glow is gone (put it under the table to see the glow disappear)
• Re-introduce the bead at the tip of the flame and strike, the shards should be dark brown
• Let cool a wee bit and reduce as in Option A
• Back to neutral flame and encase with Clear (either the entire bead or just where there are shards applied), keeping the bead under the flame
• Melt in clear very slowly as not to lose the reduction effects

Our Newest Series – Ginormous SS Capped and Cored Focals!

In yesterday's post, we shared how we came about making our own line of high-quality leather jewelry. Today, we want to show you the culprits - our capped and cored beads. All of our sterling silver cored beads fit the popular European style Pandora, Biagi and Troll bracelets but this series of ginormous capped and cored focals are definitely way too big for bracelets. These are to be strung on a thick chain . . . or one of our new leather necklaces.



Each one is made with various Double Helix silver glass, including many test and odd batches. The results are similar to our shimmering Pearlescent Series with colors ranging from golden hues, palest pinks and lavenders, rich purples and magentas to opal-like blues and greens. Please visit our Etsy store to see the latest!

Leather Interchangeable Bracelets and Necklaces

We tried to purchase premium-quality interchangeable leather cord jewelry for our sterling silver cored (and capped) beads. When we couldn't find any that met our high standard, we decided the only way to offer such pieces was to make them ourselves.

We researched and tried various different sterling silver end caps, clasps and leather, and finally came up with this line of double-clasp, interchangeable necklaces and bracelets. These will fit any European-style beads with holes larger than 4mm diameter that are made for Pandora and Biagi chains. Our bracelets also come with six rubber stoppers so your beads won't all hang below your wrist.



These pieces were very popular at our jewelry show last month. We put together bracelets and necklaces with our signature silver cored Leaves Series beads, our metal clay discs in bronze and copper, and our silver cored silver glass spacers.


These interchangeable bracelets and necklaces are available now on our ArtFire and Etsy online stores.




How the Double-Clasp System Works

Open the end with the smaller clasp to add bead(s)

Use the end with the larger clasp to put the necklace/bracelet on and off so the bead(s) will not fall out


For Bracelets Only
The rubber stoppers should be placed along the entire length of the bracelet separating the beads evenly, especially if you don’t have beads to fill the entire bracelet.

We recommend placing a stopper at the beginning and at the end of the bracelet even if you do have enough beads to fill the entire bracelet.

IMPORTANT
To remove, make sure that you ease the rubber stopper OVER the end cap with your finger nails instead of trying to pull it and the end cap off together.

Are you tired of my enamel beads yet? ;)

Now that I am a wee bit more comfortable with working with enamels . . . I decided to use them with my favorite . . . silver glass! A good friend also suggested I should try different bead shapes, thus my going back to the more elegant bicone shapes.

These wonderful murrinis are by Renee Wiggins and John Rizzi.

More Enamel Beads!

Still having fun playing with enamels. Hope to list some that are still available next week on our Etsy store!

Happy Holidays!

We apologize for the long absence! November was a very busy month for us - I (Hayley) taught a silver glass workshop with the Smoky Mountain Firecrackers in Tennessee, then we had the BABE (Bay Area Bead Extravaganza) the second weekend in Oakland. That was followed immediately by a private jewelry show. Finally this coming weekend, I will be teaching another silver glass workshop at Arrow Springs.

Needless to say, our inventory is at its all-time low right now and our online stores are bare! After this weekend's workshop, we will be listing whatever is left! We promise!

My 2010 teaching schedule is up! I will be teaching at Arrow Springs again end of February, Holly Cooper and I will teach back to back at Playing with Fire in Rockland, Maine, end of May, I will be teaching at the Rochester Gathering end of July and at Blue Moon in Austin, Texas, mid November. Please see the right column of this blog for more information.