Completed Challenge Two Strand!

I finished my strand and made some vocals to go with the 40 beads!

Here are the last 10 beads - I misplaced bead 18 (don't ask!) so I actually made 41 beads.

Completed strand! :D

Beads 32 to 36

Beads 37 to 41

Completed strand with vocals

Focals

Started to make some for sale (soon!)

Another Challenge 2 Update!

After a heavenly week at Hanalei Bay in Kauai, I finally got a chance to melt some glass. Of-course I immediately wanted to work on my three-color project! Unfortunately I just found out I needed to make 1" lentil beads for an upcoming PMC class with Claudia Pagel-Trimbur / glasting, thus limiting the amount of challenge beads I could do each session (we are only to make 5-6 but I only managed four the last two sessions).

Beads 19 to 23

Beads 24 to 27

Beads 28 to 31

Here is the full strand of 31 (only nine more to go!) with the focals:

Only managed to make one new focal - the one in the front! :)

Challenge 2 Update and MORE!

My three-color Challenge 2 of the 40-bead project hit a screeching halt due to travel. I managed to sneak in a little time at the torch between trips for I had wanted to take what I learned from Heather Trimlett's amazing project and incorporated into my work for a while now. I am thrilled at what turned up in the kiln! I am sure the kiln fairy helped! ;-)

First are the latest Challenge 2 beads. Size consistency is my nemesis! I may have a plan in mind as I am laying down the base color but inevitably the glass "speaks" and I would go off to a completely different direction – usually resulting in a MUCH larger bead than planned! I have decided to stop fighting the speaking of the glass!

Double Helix Opaque Luster Test Batch TH473, discontinued George Tessman Glasswork Black Nebula (for the reaction lines), and the trusty Effetre Opal Yellow, beads #10 to 14:

Beads #15 to 18

Incorporating what I learned to my regular work, I did use a tool to rake the bead on the right (challenge rules do not allow using tools) I believe I will have a new series soon! I think I will offer both giant focals along with smaller complementary beads in different color palettes!

Here is a picture showing the scale of the focals - the sphere on the right is 29mm (a little over 1-1/8") from hole to hole.

Challenge 2 – Three Colors!

For those of us who completed the Heather Trimlett's 40-Bead Challenge on the Lampwork Etc. forum, we continue this exercise by going into Challenge 2 using three instead of two colors.

If I thought picking two colors (and committing to creating 40 beads with them) was difficult, nothing prepared me for the three-color selection process!

After multiple test beads - with some being compete fuglies - I settled with Double Helix Opaque Luster Test Batch TH473, discontinued GT Glasswork Black Nebula (for the reaction lines), and the trusty Effetre Opal Yellow.

Here are the first nine beads:

Heather Trimlett's 40-Bead Challenge Results #1

I started a thread on the Lampwork Etc. forum a month ago so I would stick with this challenge to its completion. I am now onto Challenge #2 with three colors instead of two... and happy to report many of the 90+ participants also completed their first challenge!

If you are not familiar with Heather's challenge, click here.

Better yet, join us at LE! There is no deadline so jump in anytime to challenge yourself!

Here are the result of our participants who completed Challenge 1!

Deborah – Black and White

Ellen – Black and White

Felicia – Lapis Cobalt and White

Gail – CiM Firecracker Red and Vetrofond Coral

Hayley – Double Helix Kronos 2 and White

Julie – Lapis and Light Turquoise

Karen C – CiM Creamsical and White

Kristin – Light Turiquoise and Avocado

Liz – Kugler 181 Silver Brown and Tongue Pink

Marianne – Periwinkle and Black

Martinia – Vetrofond Black and Silver Pink

Milyn – Light Sky Blue and Dark Brown

Susan R – Cobalt and White

Susan S – Lauscha Hawaii Purple and Copper Green

Final Result – Heather Trimlett's 40-Bead Challenge

It has been an amazing exercise. I want to thank Heather Trimlett for her challenge and my LE friends for I wouldn't have finished this project without their support and inspiration!

If you are interested in joining us - many of us are continuing on to Project 2 with three colors instead of two - visit:

http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=250615

Beads 1-10

Beads 11-20

Beads 21-30

Beads 31-40

Finished necklace! :D

Progress Report – Heather Trimlett's 40-Bead Challenge

Beads 15 to 22

Beads 23 to 30

Strand of 30 beads (10 more to go!) 

Heather Trimlett's 40-Bead Challenge

I have been wanting to do Heather Trimlett's 40-Bead Challenge - actually started a couple of times and then life got in the way. Sitting next to Heather at lunch in Rochester during the ISGB annual conference, the Gathering, and chatting about this made me want to really give this another go ... and actually to completion! So I decided to invite others to join me to keep me in check ... and that misery love company! lol!

The challenge thread was started on 22 August on lampworketc forum - we are currently at 81 participants and one of whom actually just finished her strand!

Here are my first four beads:

Then I saw everyone's color combinations and decided to explore other options:

From top (left of the knot) going counter clockwise with base color listed first:

• Double Helix test batch EU and Kronos 2 
• Double Helix test batches EU and IL
• Gaffer Purple Rose and Reichenbach Florence (the Florence swallowed the Purple Rose) 
• Reichenbach Enamel White and Gaffer Purple Rose 
• Double Helix Helix and test batch VK 
• Double Helix test batch VK and Helios 
• Handpulled Red Roof Tile and CiM Lapis 
• CiM Lapis and Opaque Yellow (almost went with this one) 
• CiM Lapis and Split Pea 
• CiM Lapis and ASK Silver Rattan 
• ASK Silver Rattan and Tribal Turquoise  
• Opaque Yellow and CiM Lapis (almost went with this one) 
• CiM Lapis and Mermaid 
• CiM Mermaid and Lapis 
• Opaque Yellow and CiM Lapis (this is what made me stick with Kronos 2 and White - the lines are getting fuzzy even tho I tried to melt the dots down coolly and slowly.  
• Dark Turquoise and CiM Lapis

At the end of these tests, I decided the stiffer transparent Kronos 2 and opaque White yield the crisp, defined lines that will allow for stacking lots and lots of dots as this exercise progresses. Thus I circled back and finally committed to the original combination. 

Here are the four beads from session 2:

 Here are the four beads from session 3: