Beach Glass, Birds and Inspiration

Another piece of Rocky Mountain Beach Glass jewelry complete

This piece of glass was part of a plate that we thought was orange

When it came out of the tumbler, however, it was revealed that there was only a orange coating on the outside of the glass

Because it had a grooved pattern, some of the orange in the very deepest grooves remained even after it had been tumbled (see there at the top of the triangle in the close up picture. That gave me a starting point for the colors I used to create the bezel.

This is the first of these that I've used this banded bezel approach --- I really like the way it can so closely form around the sharpest of corners.

The DH says this looks like citrus salad -- lemony and orangey -- the lemony look to the chain is because I used a yellow thread through the clear beads.

I'll be doing a few more of these -- I set up 4 of them at once -- each one a different color (to keep the "monkey brain" from getting bored!)

The bird parts have become the bird!

A lovely bright yellow layer of rooving over the core pieces, then I added the black for the tail

This time I added the little "drumsticks" for the legs before I put the color over the outside, and I like the look a lot better (always learning something new!)

Today I plan to do the beak and the wings -- we'll see how that goes


Yesterday we made a stop at the nearby Hobby Lobby (my favorite local "den of iniquity"!) to pick up some small floral wire and a few more wood flower pots for the flower seller project.

While we were in there, the DH said "don't you think it would be good to have another block of rubber stamp material on hand in case you think up something else you want to do?"

(I love this, like I can't get into enough trouble thinking up projects, he helps so well!! It's great)

Anyway, they didn't have any more of the blocks the size I bought the first time, but they had this one that is more than twice as big, and since I had a coupon, I got a very good deal!

When we've been looking at the material to cut, I've been looking longingly at the Speed Ball tools --- the ones that were originally designed for doing linoleum block cutting. But they were just to expensive for me to just say "Oh what the heck, just buy them".

Again the DH comes to the rescue. "What about wood carving tools" he says, since he's had some experience with that medium, so off we go to the wood carving kits and tools. Behold a set of six cutting tools, everything I really wanted and a couple more besides --- for less than $5.00!

I've decided that even in the case of materials and tools the "snob value" of being an Artist versus a Craftsman can cost you in real dollars. Even in selection of tools, one must be creative!


The last piece of my birthday present arrived (FINALLY!!) yesterday in the mail.

Oh my pretties, this book is amazing --- and probably already stained with drool marks from where I looked at all the pictures.

And there on page 103 is the picture of the piece that Sherry Serafini made that set me off on this odyssey with big bead embroidered pieces. It had originally appeared in an issue of Bead and Button, and I've been playing with the idea and the techniques ever since.

This book is AWESOME --- full of wonderful inspiration and a whole section of technique from each of the artists --- some of which I had already figured out on my own and some that are new and I will be fiddlin' with in the future.

Worth the wait!!

off to work!