Photos With Glass Rod Colors Already Shown

Oh how I love Design-Seeds, let me count the ways.  

Have you ever noticed how it even shows you which colors you need to choose from your lampwork glass rods?  Pretty easy, isn't it?  I see Dark Periwinkle, Zachary, Pearl Gray and Dark Ivory.  The green might be dark transparent grass green or perhaps the hue you get when you mix pea green and black together. Sweet!  

Now that I've pointed out the ease, can you show me what you make from this inspiration?  I'd love to see it.

I'm off to torch!  Catch you tomorrow.

Darwin Does It Again

Okay, I admit it.  I have some serious geek genes in me and when I saw this iPad or Kindle cover, I was totally amused.  I've always been a book-o- phile, (okay that isn't the correct word, but I make 'em up when I feel like it).  And this seems to hit a couple of my "likes".  books, iPads (please Santa, I've been good and really, really want one), and sense of humor too.  Nice!

It's on one of my favorite websites and catalogs, Uncommon Goods.  If you haven't visited there before and you have a quirky sense of humor, you might consider stopping by for a peek.  And then feel free to comment and tell me what you saw there that you like.  I always love hearing from you.

See you tomorrow with some glass news.

www.studiomarcy.blogspot.com

The Story of the Do Over Challenge

Jewelry designer Jeannie Dukic hosted a challenge for folks to take some of her pieces and make them over in their own style.  I love doing things that stretch me and give me a new puzzle, so I decided to try.

Jeannie sent me this necklace to re-do.  It was made with her polymer clay green beads, the tassle, a few wood beads and nice chain.  I liked it the way it was, but hey, it's a Do Over Challenge.

So I studied it, (and took it apart before I photographed it, (whoops!) and then got to work.  The polymer beads were a lot of fun.  I thought if she had gone to the effort to make those, I needed to keep them.  So I lit my torch and got out my glass rods to make some coordinating beads.  

Can you tell which ones are lampwork and which are polymer?   Usually it's the other way around that their beads are made to look like lampwork, so I thought it was fun doing the opposite.

Here's a close up.  The bottom bead is mine.

So here are the others who have joined in on this challenge.  Please cut and paste the url's.  ( I think I messed up the links!)  Come check them out.

Jeannie, and Donna's  http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog Natasha http://nswhims.blogspot.com Michelle http://fireflyvisions.blogspot.com Sandra http://ladychaos.blog.com Andrea http://www.heavenlanecreations.wordpress.com Cathie http://www.cathiecarroll.blogspot.com Norma http://moonlitfantaseas.blogspot.com Dagi http://kokopellidesign.blogspot.com Camille http://craft-a-mamie.blogspot.com

Sculpture Mini Class

I want to make better faces in glass.  There,  I said it publicly, so now I have to work on my performance.  Recently, I took an intro to sculpture one and a half hour class at our local arts center and loved it.  Our teacher, Tom Williams (check out that link to his website), was a delight.  He made our quick intro fun, and interesting, while he demonstrated how he teaches and sculpts.  And he gave us each a small chunk of Georgia clay to try a little of what he was showing us.

Bummed that it's only offered on Wednesday nights and that's our Southern Flames night, I will need to wait until summer, when my Flames Board position ends.  But believe me, I'll be in line, once I am free to try it.  I posted a close up of the lips on the bust that he showed as an example.  I have the hardest time forming lips and think this tactile craft form, will be a big help to gaining a better understanding of how to translate it into glass and perhaps into my watercolors as well.  And who knows, maybe I'll be adding clay to my list of top 5 favorite mediums, who knows?