Vote for me, please

If you are on Facebook, I submitted an entry to win Bead N' Go tray at bead-patterns page.
Could you vote me by clicking "Like" on Facebook,  please? The "likes" will be counted by June 29, 2013.

Here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151435665126765&set=a.10151435124311765.1073741829.208019666764&type=3&theater

Thank you

Heart and triangle beads

I wanted to practice more with heart beads, so yesterday I made another one of black-yellow striped heart bead, and purplish twisted heart off mandrel bead, using stringer made dots and then cut it into heart-shaped, and finally triangle bead with clear encasing. Still not perfect, but slowly I'm learning to do better and better encasing technique.

Twisted, stringer, regular hearts and triangle beads, June22,13

Glass Flowers, June 20, 2013

I took another learning opportunity at my favorite place Live Laugh Love glass to make glass flowers for the last Tuesdays after work.
I made the first two flowers (Pink and Red) with straight stems last week and two days ago I made the other two (Yellow and Blue) with twisty stems.
Such a fun experience. Jessie, the instructor, even let me do my own gather.

4 glass flowers, Jun20,13

Heart and frit beads, June 18, 13

Last night I decided to try another heart-shaped beads. I tried with bi-color pink rod from Devardi glass and Effetre glass in blue. They turned out better than I thought.
I also played around with Effetre earth color mixed with frit, which turned into silvery color, very pretty.
And finally I used Val-cox frit (groovy swirl) on white bead.

Heart and frit beads, June18,13

Beads made on June 16, 2013

The learning continues.
I wanted to keep practicing encasing bead inside clear rod and this time for the first time, I did it.
I also wanted to do different sculpted beads so I made heart shaped bead and flower. I was too afraid to put more than 4 petals because I thought it would touch each other, so I only made 4 petals. Next time I'll try slowly to make bigger and more petals as I feel more and more comfortable.
And finally, I put murrini into clear bead.

Flower, heart, encased and murrini beads, June16,13

Learned to encase and flower beads

I wanted to practice to encase beads with clear coating of glass, so I practiced 3 beads last night.
They turned out little better than previous ones, but I still need A LOT of practice.
I also wanted to practice to put raised flowers on the bead and it turned out ok; still need to control dots on the bead to make it universal size. And finally, I practiced to make flower. I plan to practice this more and more because I like how it looks, just I pushed it too hard on the mandrel when I tried to take it off and the petals came off.

Encasing and flower beads, Jun14,13

Eyes and murrini beads, Jun9,13

I practiced making dots because I wanted to learn to make eyes.
So this morning, I made with yellow transparent and green transparent beads. Still not perfect, but will practiced some more.

I also practiced putting murrini into bead again and it went well. I used transparent orange bead base and orange murrini. Also, black and white bead base color with blue flower murrini.
And finally, I used the same transparent green rod for base color bead and used devardi blue frit reduction.
Didn't show the color very well.

Beads made on June 9, 2013

Beads made on June 8, 2013 (Saturday)

Since it's Saturday, I had more time to play around making beads.

I learned to use pink whilrwind murrini (bottom bead), making dots with aventurine stringers,

put gold pixie dust on pink and red rod and finally making flower on the bead. 

Felt really happy with the result.

Beads torched on June 6, 2013

More practicing after busy week with boys' activities last night.
Here are the beads I made (from left to right):

1. White base bead and I put dots and wave line using stringers
2. I used bullseye green copper rod in the middle and added white on each side of the bead,
    and made some swirl
3. I learned to put murrinis on the white bead, put dots and swirled the dots to create wavy flower.
4. I encased the same bullseye green copper rod with clear glass
5. I learned to make flowers using stringers on dark brown base bead.

Frit beads, June 1, 2013

I wanted to learn to use frits on my beads. I used 2 blends of frits from that Frit girl called "Peacocks in full bloom" (blue ones) and "Kalera's Romance Blend 3" (brownish ones).

I put frits on white rod. I swirl the first bead on the left, then added white on either side of it.
The second bead, after putting the frit bead on the mandrel, I encased it with clear rod.
The third bead I put the frit on, then twist it. And finally, I swirl the frit on the bead.

Peacocks and Kalera's frit, June1,13

Bamboo Fan Light Stained Glass

This is bamboo pattern stained glass that I made for my friend's birthday, today. I bought a lighted fan based for it.
It's my first stained glass project that uses the most pieces : 32 pieces. I want it to look soothing, so I didn't use so many colors on this lamp.

Bamboo Fan after foiling, April 30, 2013

Bamboo Fan Light, May 2, 2013

Few black and Green Beads, May 30, 2013

I practiced making different shapes of beads last night. Donut, round, barrel and square shape beads.
I also practiced using frit and stringers. I used the rods from Devardi Glass, frit from "That Frit Girl" called Kalera's Romance blend, Aventurine rod from Devardi glass for the dots and stringer from Avenue Beads.

Here are the results.. need to do more practicing.

Black, Green beads, May 30, 13

Pink Lampwork bracelet, May 27, 2013

Today is Memorial day and I had a day off.

I torched few pink beads and white beads with pink frits. 

I used "cherry blossom" frits from Val Cox Frits and another pink frits from Devardi.

I used white and pink rods from Bullseye glass.

Pink lampwork bracelet, May 27, 2013

Lavender Bracelet, May 22, 2013

Last night, I decided to make another color bracelet. So, I torched few of lavender beads, one is called "Pinky Winky" Effetre rods (the one with stripes) and one is called "Sunset Pastel" Effetre rods.

Lavender Bracelet, May 22, 2013

Grey bracelet redone, May 21, 2013

The grey Mother's Day bracelet that I made using elastics got longer and longer because the elastics couldn't hold so much of heavy glass beads. So this morning, I decided to redo it using new darker grey beads and wires so it'll be stronger and I don't have to worry the elastics snaps anymore.

Grey Bracelet for Mother's day, May 12, 2013 (Before)

Light and dark grey bracelet, May 21, 2013 (After)

7 new beads using Fusion bead release

I've been a bit frustrated with bead release that I had. It cracked while it's on the flame and my beads shattered from the mandrels when I tried to take them off.
I ordered bead release called Fusion and tried it last night. It's wonderful.
I made 7 beads just in case some of the beads shattered again, but all 7 of them survived and easily slide off the mandrels. WOW!!

I plan to re-do my grey bracelet with adding this darker grey beads.. we'll see how it turns out.
The gray glass rods are called "Rogue" from Effetre.

7 beads made on May 20, 2013

Frit and Stringer practice beads, May 17-18,2013

I want to learn to using frit and stringers on my bead and I practiced this weekend.
I used stringers to wrap around the bead, I learned to put the frits to look like marble, I learned to make the frit looks like swirls. It was fun experience and I'll keep practicing so I get better and better.

Wrap stringer on the bead (left) and marble-look using frit (right), May17,13

Black and Blue bead with Raku frit, May14,13

Yesterday was my 5th year anniversary of my beading.
After I got home, I decided to do torching, but because my time was limited (needed to take my son to his martial art class), I only made one bead. I used black and lapis blue base bead and raked raku R108 reduction frit from devardi glass.
It turned out very pretty.

Black and blue bead with raku frit, May 14, 2013

Grey Bracelet, May 12, 2013

Happy Mother's Day!!!
Yesterday I torched few beads with the same patterns and sizes because I want to make bracelet out of it.
I chose grey Effetre glass called supernatural, so it'll be a basic color I can wear all the time.
Because I'm too lazy to open and close the clasp, I decided to use elastic so I can take it on and off with ease.

Grey lampwork bracelet, May 12, 2013

Blue beads, May 10, 2013

After failing making the metallic color of black beads pops out, I decided to make blue beads.
The middle big one turned out to be pretty with frit (Groovy Swirl from Val Cox Frit) and blue base bead color.
I'm planning to make few of regular donut beads into a bracelet soon. I hope I can do it.

Blue beads, May10,13

Cross Stained Glass for Church Auction, May 9, 2013

I've decided to donate something for my church's youth auction, to benefit them during mission trips, youth activities, etc. Last year, I made few pairs of beaded earrings, which ended up bought by my pastor's wife.
This year, I decided to make and donate stained glass suncatcher.

I thought I'd make a cross, which is very appropriate and decided to make it little bit brighter.
So, I chose brown, orange and yellow combination.

Here is the cross stained glass after I foiled it:

Cross suncatcher, foiled on May7,13

And the finished stained glass:

Cross suncatcher, May9,13

Chinese Tiger Tapestry, May 4, 2013

I discovered this beautiful pattern from my favorite beader Sigrid Wynne-Evans last year.
Her patterns are available at http://beadedbear.com/

Last Christmas, during my parents' visit here, they wanted me to make them a bead tapestry and I fell in love with this pattern.
I've started beading this on January 17, 2013 and took me 107 days to finish this. During the 3.5 month period, I learned glass blowing, stained glass and my last passion: lampworking, so I wasn't always beading this.

This lucky Tiger tapestry will go to Indonesia this Summer, where my parents live and hopefully will brighten their days, as much as brighten my days knowing it'll be in good hand.

This tapestry measures 9.3 x 15.20 inches (23.6 x 38.6 cm). It uses 39 colors. done in Peyote stitch, for the total of 42,408 delica 11/0 beads.

Chinese Tiger tapestry, May 4, 2013

Beads made on May 2, 2013

I was experimenting with brickwood color glass rod from Bullseye (brown one) and it turned out beautiful. Someday I'll make bunch of these and make it into necklace or something.

I also tried the light pink with dark pink pattern on top which turned out beautiful (ofcourse it's because I love pink). The 2 blacks are not doing so well. The plain black was supposed to be shiny black with AB colors showing up, but I didn't do it right so it turned into just plain black.
The other black I put flower patterns and encased it with clear, but I ran out of propane, so this one was just half way done.. oh well..

Beads made on May 2, 2013

Pastel Pink and Purple Beads, May 1, 2013

I wanted to learn making perfect donut-shaped beads last night, also I want to try different kind of pink color rods. So, I made 5 different pink-color rods and put few white dots on all of them.

This morning, when all beads are annealed, I tried to take them off the mandrels. Out of 5 beads, 3 of them shattered when I pulled them off. I found out that I forgot to put the tip of the mandrels on the flame so the bead release didn't crumbled. :(  It's ok. It's part of learning curve.

So, here they are: 1 pink and 1 purple pastel beads.

Pastel Pink and Purple Beads, May 1, 2013

Beads made on April 29, 2013

Because my son chose to go to his archery class the next day, I was able to do some torching last night.

I wanted to experience with black background, white dots and then cover the dots with transparent colors. Turned out not bad. I also made black base with aventurine rod and turned out ok. 

I tried transparent blue with dichroic frit, but didn't want to stick to the glass too much.

And finally, clear with white stripes and frit. The clear could never melt because it was too stiff.

But, all in all, the beads turned out good.

Beads made on April 29, 2013

First Beads Made by my HotHead Torch

I was very very happy when I got my torch bracket in the mail on my birthday.
As soon as I got home, I fired up my kiln, screwed my bracket on the table and started torching.
It was harder than I thought and I was too nervous, especially how to start the torch.
I made a couple of beads (which by the way 1 cracked, 2 shattered and 1 was ok but lost the lustered color because I worked on it too much in the flame).

1st batch from left to right: lost its luster, cracked, the last 2 on the right: shattered :(, made Apr25,13

2nd Batch: much better, Apr26,13

3rd batch made on Apr27,13.. even better

Lampwork preparation place almost completed

This weekend, we've set up the lampwork area where I'll be working at (my basement/family room), right beside the table where I'm doing my stained glass. I've got all the basic kit, mostly from Devardi glass and Bead Annealing kiln Paragon Bluebird Jr. So, we fireproofed the desk by getting few metal sheets and tile to put under the bead warmer, screws, and 2 bottles of propane to start.

The only problem was, I bought the wrong torch bracket. The one that came was to use with hose propane, while I decided not to use any hose or bulk propane. I'll just be using 1 lb propane each time.

So, little more delay because I need to exchange the brackets. But, I'll be patience.

The lampwork table right beside the stained glass table

My lampwork table all fireproofed

The bead kiln has been moved to inside the fireplace

The Beginning of Lampworking studio at home

After I took 2 classes using torch at my favorite glass place: Live Laugh Love Glass, I fell in love with lampworking. I started gathering information, researching, and finding great websites and books to learn more and more. I decided to do it at home but my house is not cut out for torch that uses Oxygen and Propane. So, I decided to do the lampworking using the most economical way of Hot Head torch, which only uses propane; in this case I'll only use 1 lb propane, which is the safest way.

I started gathering beginner's kits and kiln and this weekend we'll start fireproofing the area where I'll be working at. For now, the only ventilation I'll have is 3 open windows: 2 in front of me and 1 from across the room, so it'll do for now until we'll get the better ventilation system.

I'm so excited, though a little bit nervous of starting another new hobby. I love glass, I love torches, I love beads and I love detailed work, so this hobby is such a perfect combination for me.

So, here are the things that I gathered so far:

Paragon Bluebird Jr. Kiln

Glass Rods warmer, Hot Head torch, Tools (from Devardi glass)

Glass rods (from Devardi glass)

Beads made by torch

I went to second torch class for making beads last Tuesday. It was so much fun although little bit overwhelming with so many technicality, angles, name of tools, glass rods.. etc. WOW!!
I experienced how I let the glass too long away from the torch and got little bit too cool so when I tried to put stringer on it, little glasses jumped all over. Pheww!!
At the end, these 4 beads are what I made. Not so bad for the first time bead-making me.
Can't wait to make more beads. I think they will start renting the studio hour so I can make my own beads.

Beads made by torch, Mar26,13

Pink glass flower pendant made by torch

I've learned something new!! This time I learned to use torch to make glass pendants.
I went to the class for the first time last Wednesday and just got the result today. It turned out really really nice. I wanted to make some kind of  flowers and played around with so many different colors of glass: pink, white, red, green, grey, clear lavender and clear glass.

Here is the result:

Pink flower glass pendant, Mar 22,13

Close up pink flower glass pendant, Mar22,13