class update

Looks like our news server isn't talking to the outside world, so I'm trying again from google. Please forgive if it eventually shows up twice (and note that I don't check this email address very often...since you have to provide an un-munged email addy to post this way I used a different one.) Had our second class last night. Asked about annealing - she said that of course if you were to get into this seriously, you would need a kiln. And that we could probably make up to 11mm beads or so without worrying about them cracking. Not sure what to make of that, but she did say that she had taken classes and talked quite a bit with Corina Tettinger, and I found a 'beginners how-to' from her on Wet Canvas yesterday - she says buy the better torch first, so you don't get too frustrated, then buy the kiln later. Since I'm certainly not going to sell anything I'm making now, I guess I won't worry about it as yet (although I'll still be very upset when the first one breaks... :-)

Anyway... we worked on making cylinder beads (mine is actually a cylinder, although it got muddy from being in the wrong part of the flame I guess - we were all having troubles with our torches last night, getting hot enough flames - all the MAPP cannisters are half-empty, and condensating very quickly.) Then we did white hearts - mine didn't want to stay round, so it's a square instead. I did a lot of that last night, things just didn't want to stay round, so I have a tab, and several squares. :-) Made one white round bead rolled in frit, it came out ok. I tried encasing a plain round bead, got it too hot, and so the interior bead is not round anymore... but the overall bead is. Tried placing millifiori... found out two things - even if the millifiori piece falls off immediately, it is still too hot to pick up (ouch!) and they like to move around a lot. She had mentioned that, and said putting clear on top would help keep the white from migrating. Another disastrous encasing attempt, I didn't realize she meant just a dot of clear. :-) So I have a huge bead that is supposed to be white with millifiori, and then encased in clear, and is actually white with some odd colors mushed around on it, and a big lump of smoky clear on the outside. Oh well... :-) The one I made that she liked best looks like a vitamin pill - clear in the middle and translucent blue on either end

- didn't come out half bad, probably a bit over half an inch long, and the definition between the colors is pretty good.

Anyway, I had another great time and can't wait until next week. We're going to pull stringer and learn how to do swirlies and dots. Still trying to figure out how to wrangle getting set up at home. :-)

Karin reach me at snipped-for-privacy@swbell.nospam.net after making the obvious changes

Cooooool! Yep, I agree - if you find that you seriously love this art, get the better torch now, practice 'til your fingers fall off, and then buy a kiln. :) Encasing is one of the more difficult things to master, so don't worry too much about it 'til later. Sounds like you're off to a great start - and you're having fun!!