Glass project and lots of learning

So a friend recently asked me to make her a business card holder. Her exact request went something like this:

I has a commission for you. I need a beautiful, simple glass business card holder for my desk in blues and greens and purples. Like the ocean at dusk. ... Now, if it turns out to be a pain in the ass or something that would require too much of an investment in gear, we can cancel the order. Otherwise, I trust your creativity!

I knew I had a challenge on my hands. First, my kiln temps are off or the guide I use is incorrect. I've had the most problems with slumping, well, more with draping, but it's the same thing temp-wise. Bowls and plates have been ok. But my candle holders and vases just haven't been working.

I stumbled upon the site Fusedglass.org and the temps they suggested for the projects I've tried are quite a bit different in some cases. My kiln is programmed to slump at 1280-degrees (F). Fusedglass.org suggested slumping at 1175-degrees. That's a big difference. The hotter the glass gets, the more it slumps (eventually becoming liquid). 

I didn't want to test my new temps and ideas out on the requested piece (although I did a bit anyway), so I made two pieces (4" fused glass squares, 2 layers thick). I also knew I had to figure out what to use to do the draping. I ordered a kit from Delphi Glass, but it was discontinued. Back to square one.

What if... what if I use two of the 10" fire damz I ordered for the pot melts  side by side, stood them on their sides, and wrapped them in 1/4" fiber blanket.  Well, the first attempt on the first business card holder didn't go well. The blanket is too thick and doesn't fall under the weight of the glass as I thought it would. The 4" square is slightly curved downward. I ramp the temp up and it still doesn't help. I ramp it up again to 1295. Still no luck. I let the piece cool down and anneal for the day.

The next day I notice I can bend the fiber blanket I'd used in the first firing down enough along the sides for the glass to continue draping down the sides like it should. I set the timer so I can check the progress. Once the glass falls into place, I let the piece cool down and anneal for the day.  Success!

 

This glass was capped in clear when it was fused. You can see the bubbles made from air pockets that were trapped between the layers as it fused into one piece.    

For my business card holder second attempt, I decided to go ahead and try making the one my friend had requested. Since she was pretty specific in her color requests, I used two pieces of the blue/purple swirl glass back to back to make sure the colors would be vibrant on both the inside and outside of the piece. I also knew that the 1/4" fiber blanket from the last project couldn't be reused and cutting new a blanket square would be too stiff.   < LIGHT BULB >  Ah ha! I have high temp wire. So I just snipped two pieces of the wire and wrapped the blanket around the two fire damz, trimmed it to fit, then wrapped a piece of wire around each end, securing the blanket around the fire damz. After getting the glass to balance, I started the kiln. It was still too warm last night to open the kiln, but here's what I got to see this morning:

I even added little rubber feet to the bottom of the business card holders. And, just to prove these are functional:

 

WANT!!!

These would be the coolest shower tiles ever. I want these so much I just can't stand it. I can imagine doing the entire bathroom, floors and walls, in a mix of these and other tiles. Think of the footprint changes as you step out of a hot shower, too.

Source: inventables.com via Sandra on Pinterest

Oh so charming Steampunk

Source: etsy.com via Sandra on Pinterest

Steampunk may not be my thing, when it comes my personal design style, but this was just too awesome and adorable, all at the same time.

Productive weekend without the kiddo

So I met mom for lunch yesterday and let her take the little man for the weekend. We'll meet up with her tomorrow afternoon to pick him up and I can't wait. I really miss him when he's not around.

However, I didn't let missing him keep me from getting a few things done:
-Vacuumed the downstairs and boy did it need it.
-Went to a friend's house and taught a jewelry lesson to her and her grandkid (really, I just loosely plan the project with a certain set of charms/beads/pendants and a project type as the focus of the day, let them do most of the design to their tastes, help and instruct as needed).
-Helped hubby shop for a new TV over the phone while sitting at home with the pups, helped him hang/hookup new TV, helped him buy a bigger new TV and plan a return for the current new TV.
-Also got hubby to put together my new bathroom storage cabinet (plain white wood, doors, stands over toilet) or, as he calls it, the "I don't care what it is as long as I don't have to see tampons anymore thingy". 
-Had a date night with my sweetie at Peak City Grill in downtown Apex. A bit on the pricey side and my steak could have used some seasoning, but very enjoyable. Our waiter was great as was the atmosphere. Loved that we could support a local establishment and have a very nice, very adult meal. I'm sure we'll head that way again in a few months. Hubby says he gives it a 6 or 7 out of 10.
-After dinner, I decided to finally assemble the ingredients for laundry soap as shared by an old friend (recipe to follow). I'll take some to mom tomorrow and let her try it, too.

...and before we head out to get the baby boy, I'm hoping we can install the attic flooring kits I found and put a few things up there and out of the way.

I love weekends where I feel I've been productive but not rushed and stressed to do so.

Anyway, here's the laundry detergent recipe:

     Ingredients:

• 1 bar Fels-Naptha soap, finely grated (use microplane grater or a food processor)
• 1 cup borax
• 1 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soda
• 1 cup baking soda (optional, just think it might get rid of smells a bit and makes whites a little better looking)
• 1/4 cup OxyClean or similar product (it's completely optional)

Mix it all up really well.  It won't look completely uniform, but it's okay.  You can pour it in small batches (about a third of the recipe at a time after it's been mixed) into an old blender and pulse it a few times, just to mix it really really well and make sure any clumps are out.  I think it also grinds it a bit finer, which may help dissolving in cold water washes, but it really isn't a necessary step. 

Put in an airtight container.  You only have to use 1 tablespoon for a small load, 2 tablespoons at MOST for a large or grimy load.

Look at what I've been making

Aren't they pretty?  :-)

 

Dichroic glass capped in clear glass, then fused in a kiln.

Want!

http://geeky-dad.tumblr.com/post/3869493918/my-daughter-is-turning-one-soon-and-i-decided-we
How cool is this?!?!  I've been looking for a great growth chart for my son. The ones I've liked so far were a bit too expensive for what it is. Yes, memories ... how do you put a price on memories ... well, $50+ for a very large paper ruler seems like a lot to me. But this, well, this is just full of awesome.

I've been featured!

My very creative and talented friend, Tish (of Just A Tish designs), featured a glass pendant I made in one of her fantabulous necklace designs.

http://justatish.blogspot.com/2011/03/sandra-wills-glass-artist.html

Love it! Be sure to check out her blog as well as her jewelry site:

http://www.justatish.com/

In addition to jewelry (stop by to see her awesome wire work), she also sells stone specimens and some supplies.

But, back to the pendant and necklace design, doesn't it just scream Spring to you? It's great and I adore how put all the colors of the beads and gemstones together.

Thanks for the love, Tish!

Yay! New toys!

So I just finished a month-long contract doing some technical writing work. I had fun, but now that my brain has gotten a good workout, my muse is starting to pop back up.

I just ordered new business cards and matching earring cards from www.zazzle.com. I think I'll enjoy the professional pop they'll add to my work. Plus, I don't have hours to dedicate to making my own cards now that my little man requires so much attention.  Instead, I'll just be adding adhesive earring clipcards to add to the back of the earring cards. I need to get new shutters (after 5 years of using them), but my earring displays will be top notch this year.

I also ordered some goodies for my kiln. Some new pre-cut dichro glass ovals and circles, and various glass enamel decals for pendants, a business card slumping kit for a special order I have, and lots of textures to use with the metal clay I got for Christmas. I think I'll start simple, with some shaped pendants and textures applied to those, before trying too many fancy things.

As I start making new things, I'll post pics of course. So stay tuned. :-)

Making those Valentine's flowers last

My husband sent me flowers yesterday, as is his usual Valentine's Day custom. I love the arrangements he sends me as they are filled with roses, lilies, orchids, and other lovelies. The florist always does a great job, even when he waits to the last minute (like he did, ahem, yesterday). [side note: The florist laughed at him when he called, but I can't say that I blame her. I laughed too, when he told me about it last night, but they sure didn't hold it against him.]

There is also a balloon and a bag of rose petals that came with it. I love every detail.


Anyway, back to the point of this post. Making the flowers last longer. I noticed the red tulips near the bow were drooping a bit, so I threw in a few pennies. My grandmother always said that adding a penny or two would perk the tulips back up. Guess we'll wait and see.


Then, I stumbled upon this post:
 How to make that valentines day bouquet last

So I also added a sugar cube to the water.  I'd added a good bit of clean water earlier this morning, when I noticed it was starting to get low. Being lazy or clever, or a bit of both, I used a turkey baster and a reusable sports bottle to add the water to the vase so I wouldn't have to move it.  Kept me from spilling water and getting the leaves wet, so it worked well for my use.


Maybe some of those tips will work for you. If so, drop me a note and let me know which ones you tried. :-)

Seems so familiar

Today was my first day contracting as a tech writer for $oftware company. It was kind of neat, exciting, confusing, frustrating, and familiar all at the same time. I'm reintroducing myself to tools I haven't used in years, getting help creating GPG keys and such, settling back into IRC, and checking out the projects/goals that are planned for me.

Several years ago I worked for a different $oftware company doing similar work with similar tools. It was back when the company was young, vibrant, and fueled by the passion of its young staff as well as lots of caffeine. I loved it back then, but the company was successful and grew and grew. I felt less and less comfortable in the corporate environment, had five managers in six years, felt that goals were no longer obtainable, and eventually said good-bye to many wonderful people.

Shortly thereafter I started making jewelry with some friends and, long story short, that's still where my focus is today. However, I still take the occasional contract job. It's nice to keep my skills polished, I like learning new things, and the extra money helps with bills, savings, and jewelry/glass supplies. Seems like a win to me.

Anyway, today felt a little like the old days of vibrant young company to which I dedicated myself and most of my free time.  I hope I continue to feel this way throughout the project. It's nice to be reminded of such a great time in my life.

Standing in your own way

Over the years I've often wondered why I struggle with learning new concepts or with difficult tasks. I consider myself to be bright, yet I'd rather play it safe and do the things I know I'm good at rather than risk failing in a new challenge. That's not to say I don't love to learn new things, but I do so best when being mentored and learning in a hands-on way. There is teaching and correcting, there are illustrations, demonstrations, explanations, and practice exercises. I don't feel alone while exploring and I know there is a safety net.

So what got me thinking about this today? A friend posted a link to this article, The Trouble with Bright Girls. I had an "AHA!" moment. There is a difference in the way girls and boys learn something particularly complex or foreign.

"But in my experience, smart and talented women rarely realize that one of the toughest hurdles they'll have to overcome to be successful lies within.  We judge our own abilities not only more harshly, but fundamentally differently, than men do.   Understanding why we do it is the first step to righting a terrible wrong.  And to do that, we need to take a step back in time.      ....<snipped>....

"Researchers have uncovered the reason for this difference in how difficulty is interpreted, and it is simply this:  more often than not, bright girls believe that their abilities are innate and unchangeable, while bright boys believe that they can develop ability through effort and practice."

You really have to read the article to understand how we are conditioned this way. After all, I don't want to quote the whole thing here and it is worth the read.  But if you're like me, maybe you'll have an "AHA!" moment, too.

A different kind of crafty day

Each day that I don't make something new with my glass and kiln, or with my jewelry supplies, or that I don't try out something new (like PMC or glass clay), I feel a little bit guilty. I don't always have the time or the energy, or sometime there's just no sign of my muse and I stare angrily at my supplies willing them to make sense once again.  And then there are days where you just have to go in a different direction altogether. Today was one of those days.

Valentine's day is coming up, so I thought today would be a good day to see if I could get a picture of him that would be worthy of a Valentine's Day card to send to our family members. And what better background addition than paper hearts? Adorable! Plus, he loved ripping them apart and making a big mess with all the paper.

The bead show of all bead shows!

A friend of mine went to the bead show in Tucson a few years ago. Said it was the craziest thing she'd ever seen.  I want to go.  But there's no way I'll make it this year and I probably won't be able to afford to do it next year.  However, ArtBeads is having a contest and it is worth checking out:

Road to Tucson Sweepstakes: Enter to win a trip for two to Tucson, Arizona to attend the Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase! The prize package includes round-trip airfare to Tucson, Arizona and 3 nights accommodation. You will attend classes with well-known beading instructors and have access to the biggest shows! Spend 3 days in Tucson surrounded by gems, minerals, fossils, beads and other bead lovers just like you.


Me! Me! ME! PLEASE! Pretty, pretty please! Pick ME!

Wishlist

There are always new glass supplies, metal clay supplies, or gemstones/jewelry supplies that I really, really want.  Right now it's mostly glass and metal clay supplies, and, boy oh boy, is it easy to get carried away.

For example, I would love to have some of the following tools for my new metal clay obsession (so, I haven't even opened the packages of clay that I got for Christmas, but I can still dream about designs I'd like to attempt:

• Embossing Cutters Calyx Petals Set
• Embossing Cutters Ivy Leaf Set
• Tool Leaf Cutter Set
• or any of these other Stencils/Pattern Cutters from Rings & Things  
• Can I just get one of everything here, please? 

I get lost for hours at a time when looking at supplies and sketching ideas in my head. And I don't even know where to get started as far as looking at glass supplies goes this evening. I suppose I'll save that wishlist for another time.

Maybe I'm crazy...

...but I think I'm about to attempt some super-mom-like activities.

In addition to my 14-month old, two large-breed puppies, two cats, and hubby, this stay-at-home mom and part-time jewelry/glass artist is about to attempt to juggle two more really big things.

1) Jewelry classes for a friend and her granddaughters. Eight lessons. I think I'd be a lot more comfortable with six, but eight was non-negotiable. I have some neat projects planned out and I hope all will be happy with what I've chosen, but I haven't taught in a while and this is a big deal. If it works out, I might branch out and offer more classes for kids in my area. Could be fun.

2) I haven't worn my technical writing hat since I was pregnant, but another opportunity may be coming my way. It's hard for me to pass up such challenges. I like learning new things, I like being exposed to new software, I like keeping my writing and editing skills polished, and I like keeping my resume current (just in case, ya know). And I can do it from home, while the little man is peacefully playing or napping.

It's a lot to juggle for me, but I used to tell myself that I thrived in chaos. Let's see if that still proves true.

Another mom, another blog

As I hesitate to create yet another "this mom's blog," I think why not. Maybe someone out there will find me interesting, helpful, inspiring, or will just laugh as I encounter many of life's FAIL moments.

Some days I think I'm just one smelly pile of diapers away from packing it all up and escaping to a tropical paradise with no forwarding address. Then my little man, the light of my life, runs over and tackles me in his version of a hug. And that makes it all better. I never imagined I'd be living this life. But do any of us really? All in all, it is a really good life, too.  I'm really lucky that way.

So, what's the point of this blog, eh?

• For me to vent, scream, rant, and rave
• For me to share my proud and not so proud moments
• For me to talk about my non-mommy side (jewelry, warm glass, PMC, etc)
• For me to not lose myself in being a mommy

So stay tuned. Who knows, maybe you'll stumble upon something good enough to share with someone else. Or maybe you'll just have one of those "Thank goodness it isn't just me" moments. Either way, here's hoping this will turn into more than just another one of life's FAILs.