Ring Happy!!!!

I've been in a bit of a creative funk lately and when that happens I go back to what I love - dots and patterns!!!  This time I made glass discs for my Staxx ring.  Yep I did say MY staxx ring but I'm sure I'll be making more to sell soon as I LOVED making these and I think it will help me to continue out of my creative funk.

This disc has different designs on each side.

Disc 1 side 1

Disc 1 side 2

The next disc I like but I'm surprised that I like it because you will notice that the dots are not as accurately placed as I typically like but in this case I like the flower burst it creates with that randomness in the center.

Disc 2 - same design on both sides

This is the 3rd disc I made and it also has the same designs on both sides.  I think I will have trouble deciding which disc to wear because I really like all of these equally well.

Disc 3 - same design on both sides

This next one actually will be for sale as I already have similar ones in my jewelry bag.

Disc 4 - same design on both sides - For Sale!

Sometimes it helps to try using a new technique, glass, application, etc. to help with creative blocks and since Santa did bring me some beautiful glass shards I gave those a whirl.  It was fun to figure out how to wrap them on the beads as well as proper heat to melt them in just the right amount.  These are silvered glass shards so they have the metallic look which a lot of my customers love so I made many of these beads to fit my "Change A Bead" Necklace.  The shards I used on these are DH Psyche and Aurae and most of the bases are aqua but I did try it on black and a glass color called Transparent Rose that I found in the stash of glass that we bought off Craig's list.

Shards - batch 1

Shards - batch 2

I made a few beads to fit the European style bracelets too - again using my patterns.  These are for sale as I type this but I have been selling quite a few of this style lately so if you are interested let me know soon!  And if you are confused by my saying European style that is because we beadmakers are not allowed to use the brand name that begins with P any more so to clarify these are large hole beads and will work on many style/brands of bracelets that you change and add beads to.

My hubby has been telling me that I should try and make beads with the pattern and color of a certain fish (brook trout) that he thinks would make for great bead design and I agree.  After making my beads a while back based on a pattern from the fresh water ray I saw at the zoo, I have been looking even closer than before at natural patterns that I can create in a bead.  I didn't hit the colors "right on" yet but I do like what came out of my efforts anyway.  I need to work on the colors I select next try so I can hopefully get the beautiful green and yellow base of the fish coloring.

And keeping with natural prints, I have always been fascinated by the pattern on giraffe. While I have seen beads where the artist created that look I could not figure out how to do it.  I had an idea of how to create it but after reading an issue of Soda Lime Times I found out I was not using the right glass.  I needed a glass that would sort of eat up the top color instead of it spreading out on top and once I found out that I needed a certain base color I was on my way to finally creating these!!!!  These are my first attempts and I'm pretty happy with them but will certainly continue to tweak them a bit.

I need to get the green a little thinner I think and a bit more connected and then it should look more like a giraffe.

So that is it until I get back at my torch and create some more.  Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog!

Hope everyone is enjoying the new year!
Chris
Contact me: chrissandersonbeads@gmail.com
Follow my life of Lampworking: http://beadsbychrissanderson.blogspot.com
Purchase my beads and Jewelry: http://www.artfire.com/users/BeadsByChris
Finished Jewelry sold on site at: SALVATORE CAPELLI SALON 114 W. South Boundary Perrysburg, Ohio 43551 - In the Country Charm Shoppes.
Just for fun: Facebook: Glass Lampwork beads and Jewelry by Chris Sanderson

Don't Laugh At My Sculputural Attempts - Okay You Can Laugh, I Did

I can't believe I'm actually posting these photos but what the heck - hopefully one day I'll look back and see how much better I am at sculptural beads right? 

The last challenge for the SE-9 exchange was sculptures.  This is not my favorite type of bead to make and therefore I don't practice it much so it was a good push.  My last post showed some hearts I entered in the challenge but this time I tried making fish, owls and a turtle.  I was going to try a dog face, a cat, and a few other things but didn't get them done.  I made these on New Years Eve day and this is the first time I've had a chance to edit the photos and blog about them.

Fish #1

Fish #1

Fish #1

Fish #2

Fish #2

Fish 1 has a base of Sangre, dark and light turquoise stripes and dots with some topped with 791946, sunshine special odd and then dots of DH Ekho.  The lips are made out of DH Aurae.

Also want to mention that I based these fish on a design I saw in the Jan. 2010 issue of Beads and Beyond titled,  Funky Lampwork Fish by Sue Webb.

The 2nd fish is basically the same but has a base of French Blue.

Fish #2

Thing

Thing  back side

Owl?

 This lovely "Thing" was supposed to be an owl but the shape was off and I forgot a few key things like his NOSE!

The base is made with the new CIM Auburn with Ekho dots and while the photos really don't show the colors and reaction very well, you can still get an idea of how cool this combination is.  I will be making some beads with this combo in the near future!


You can see the oil slick look on the back side of the "thing."

Owl? back side

Turtle

Turtle

Turtle

The next bead looks more like an owl but I have a long way to go. 

Same glass formula as used in the "thing." The back side again, shows the cool reactions better.

























The turtle has a base of petroleum green and dots of Ekho.

I hope to get back to my torch tomorrow!  I have been away from it for way too long and am missing it terribly.  I have however, organized my entire studio and put all my new glass in it's proper place, cleaned my work space so I can actually see the tile now instead of the sea of glass bits and pieces that used to be laying all over it.  Santa was very very good to me this year so I have many things I can't wait to try.

Hopefully I will be back next week with some new beads to share.









Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog!
Chris
Contact me: chrissandersonbeads@gmail.com
Follow my life of Lampworking: http://beadsbychrissanderson.blogspot.com
Purchase my beads and Jewelry: http://www.artfire.com/users/BeadsByChris
Finished Jewelry sold on site at: SALVATORE CAPELLI SALON 114 W. South Boundary Perrysburg, Ohio 43551 - In the Country Charm Shoppes.
Just for fun: Facebook: Glass Lampwork beads and Jewelry by Chris Sanderson