Soda Lime Times

I am honored to be the Feature Artist of this month's Soda Lime Times Reactive Glass issue, as well as the opportunity to share in the Tips from the Masters column.

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:

SE9 - Ninth Silver Color How To eBook

SE9 - Ninth Silver Color How To eBook

The long awaited SE9 PDF is finally available! Our sincere apology for being so delinquent in bringing you this version. Hayley's one-year stint as the Director of Communications and Marketing on the volunteer board of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB) as well as the Editor in Chief of its printed magazine, Glass Bead Evolution, really put a wrench in our schedule. Fortunately, this is all in the past and we are now back on track! We hope to continue bringing you informative ebooks and other exciting opportunities in the world of COE104 silver glass! :)

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This booklet is a compilation of exchange beads submitted for SE9 – Ninth Silver Color How To and Exchange - on lampworketc forum. With 45 pages, there are over 110 beads with description. Each bead is accompanied by the recipes of glasses used and some have detailed step by step description of how the bead was made (the level of detail is based on how much information the original beadmaker shared.)

Other content includes a list of silver glass by manufacturers and notation of the glass being striking or reducing, and index of each silver glass used in the booklet for easy reference, and a basic step-by-step (illustrated with photos) instruction on how to strike and how to reduce silver glass.Silver glassmakers featured: ASK, BellaDona, Double Helix, Effetre, Lauscha, Precision 104, Reichenbach, StrikingColor, TAG 104, and Kugler.

This pdf version of SE9, at 10.4 mb, is for viewing on your computer. You may also print one (1) copy of this using your printer at home. No authorization will be given with this version to print at a service bureau such as Kinko's. Please make sure you have high-speed internet connection. Instant download is available here! 

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S E 9 - pdf version

This pdf version of SE9 - Ninth Silver Color How To e-Book, at 10.4 mb, is for viewing on your computer. You may also print one (1) copy of this using your printer at home. No authorization will be given with this version to print at a service bureau such as Kinko's. Please make sure you have high-speed internet connection. 

Instant download is available for $17.00 on our online store! 

 Please note that this item cannot be returned.

S E 9 - printed book version

The print-on-demand spiral bound, book format of SE 9 - Ninth Silver Color How To e-Book is available at lulu.com for $39.00 plus shipping. Click here to purchase.

S E 9 - CD version

Available upon request. Please inquire.

Double Helix Test Batches – Rochester Gathering 2013

Quick pictures of these awesome test batches Double Helix is bringing to the Rochester Gathering. Make sure you get there when Technical Vendors open at 10am on Thursday 15 July! :)

Now that my 2012 glass season is coming to an end with only one venue - Bay Area Bead Extravaganza - to go in November and just finish my last teaching gig at The Gathering Place studio in Naperville, Illinois, earlier this month. I finally have an opportunity to post some of the Ornate Series Beads. Thank you for making these so popular! :)

First let's start with the scale of these - from ginormous to wee! Most of them fall somewhere between these two extreme sizes!

A better picture of the beads:

Here are a few of the "normal" size ones - about 1-1.25" in diameter:

Some of the Ornate Series beads are still available. They range in price from $95 to $185. If you are interested, please contact us via our website:

http://shop.envisionsf.com/contact 

 Thank you!

MORE Double Helix Test Batches from the Bellevue Gathering

Had the opportunity to play with more test batches from Double Helix! Opaque Speckled Lusters, encased in either Aether or Zephyr.

 OP-507 (dark purple rods)

OP-509 (pale off-white rods)

OP-511 (dark indigo blue rods) – the end on the left is Okeanos, one of two of the Double Helix Pre-Releases!

Boreas - the second one of the two Pre-Releases!

Double Helix Test Batches at the 2012 Gathering

Here are test beads on some of the Double Helix test batches available next week at the ISGB Gathering at Bellevue, Washington! :)


CH441 - very transparent striking and reducing glass with beautiful golden and hints of peach hues

IL436 - gorgeous blues and greens

LL491 - soft shimmering yellows when encased

NO486 - similar to Notos but more transparent

TL478 - heavy reduction before encasement yields amazing results

 Last but not least, hand pulled and machine pulled fast-striking Terra!

List of our eBooks

We have been meaning to put this list together for easy reference for a while now but never got around to it! All of our ebooks are available in PDF format and most are available as printed books on Lulu. For more information, please visit our website.



Bedazzled - a reference ebook on layering Clio, Kalypso, and more!Layering Double Helix striking and reducing silver glass is all the rage right now and I have been caught up in making these shocking pink, magenta and red beads that also shimmer gloriously with iridescence. It’s hard to resist! Trouble tho is that it’s near impossible to tell them apart unless one takes meticulous notes and photograph them as soon as they come out of the kiln. Trust me, I know! So early on, I have made it a point to keep copious notes of my progress. As I experimented with different base glass and various silver glass, my notebook for just this series grew and became quite a nice little reference piece. I decide that perhaps some of my fellow beadmakers may be interested in having a copy as well. I have put it together in such a way that they are shown in different silver glass on the same base, as well as the same silver glass on various bases. I especially love the group shots for even closer scrutiny of the subtleties of these combinations. I hope you enjoy Bedazzled! $23



S W I R L – an ebook on gravity swirl, bicone shaping, silver glassS W I R L is a three-in-one tutorial for both newer and more experienced lampworkers. Using the techniques on how to make a gravity swirl bead, I will share with you how to shape a perfect bicone AND show you how to work with using both striking and reducing silver glass on a single bead. Please do note that the silver glass part of this tutorial is secondary. It’s 21 pages with over 50 images. $21



Reactive Twisties 2011This booklet is a compilation of exchange beads submitted for Reactive Twisties 2011 – Reactive Twisty Bead How To and Exchange - on lampworketc forum. There are almost 100 beads with description. Each bead is accompanied by the recipes of glasses used and some have detailed step by step description of how the bead was made (the level of detail is based on how much information the original beadmaker shared.) 34 pages plus cover. $16

Silver Color How To eBookAll our Silver Color How To eBooks are compilation of exchange beads submitted for the silver glass exchanges we run on lampworketc forum. Each bead is accompanied by the recipes of glasses used and some have detailed step by step description of how the bead was made (the level of detail is based on how much information the original beadmaker shared.)

SE9

With 45 pages, there are over 110 beads with description. $17

(Aurae, Clio, Ekho, Elektra, Gaia, Kalypso, Kronos, Luna, Olympia Rain, Psyche, Terra 2, Terranova, Triton, Fire Lotus, test batches and many more!

SE8
With 35 pages, there are over 80 beads with description. $17
(Aurae, Clio, Gaia, Psyche, Triton, Black Pearl, test batches and many more!



SE7
With 52 pages, there are over 130 beads with description. $18
(Aurae, Clio, Ekho, Gaia, Helios, Kalypso, Psyche, Terranova 2/2.1, Triton, Multicolor Dark, Fire Lotus, test batches and many more!)



SE6
With 54 pages, there are over 130 beads with description. $17
(Aurae, Clio, Ekho, Elektra, Olympia Rain, Psyche, Terra 2, Terranova 2/2.1, Triton, test batches and many more!)



SE5
With 95 pages, there are over 250 beads with description. $25
(Aurae, Gaia, Ekho, Nyx, Psyche, Terranova 2/2.1, Triton, Black Pearl, Rembrandt, Silver Brown, StrikingColor, Golden Emerald, Taxco Silver, Aquis, Chalcedony, test batches and many more!)



SE4
With 80 pages, there are over 200 beads with description. $19
(Aurae, Gaia, Pandora, Psyche, Terranova 2/2.1, Triton, Green Envy, Silver Brown, Taxco Silver, Zeus, test batches and many more!)



SE3
With 72 pages, there are over 180 beads with description. $18
(Silver Cinnamon, Silver Rattan, Aion, Aurae, Gaia, Luna, Psyche, Terra, Terranova 2, Triton, Hades, Copper Green, Garzoni, Ivy, Sasha's Silver, Green Dalai, test batches and many more!)



SE2
With 65 pages, there are over 170 beads with description. $15
(Silver Cinnamon, Silver Rattan, Hades, Aion, Elektra, Gaia, Kronos, Nyx, Olympia Rain, Psyche, Terra, Dark Silver Plus, Black Nebula, Rembrandt, Sasha's Silver, Van Gogh, and many more!)



SE1
The first one is about 1/3 the size of the rest. $5