Well this blogging thing obviously is just too hard for me to keep up with... anyway, just last Wednesday 4/12/06 I made my very first lampwork beads. So the journey begins. I intend to tell the tale here. I don't have pictures of those first 3 beads yet... but I promise to take pictures and post them.
So here's how I got into making those 3 beads, first I buy tons of lampwork beads on eBay to use in making my jewelry. I figured I'd learn how to make them myself, so I signed up for a lampworking class at
William Holland School of Lapidary arts I was originally signed up for a class in May, but my daughter and I we going to attend together, her class was full... long story short my 'class' will be in September. So I'm crusing eBay and I find a
HotHead Starter kit for $30 bucks... I bid I win... I get the kit. I buy Cindy Jenkins book
'Making Glass Beads' at the local Barnes and Noble, I buy safety glasses, mandrels and a DVD from
Franz Art Glass I Join
WetCanvas and read all the safety warnings etc. I go to Lowes and buy 1 lbs can of MAPP gas about $8.00.... so I sit on all this stuff for a month or so. I read the book, I watch the DVD... but I can get it together to actually light the torch. Finally, last Wednesday I got all the stuff, and took it out on the front porch after work. My DH comes out and watches me struggle trying to light the torch... he finally says... here let me light it for you... he lights it right up... but I can't see the flame, I hold the glass rod over it but nothing happens... the wind blows the torch out, Ron lights it again... it blows out a couple of more times... still the glass isn't hot. Ok... this isn't working. I pick it all up and take it back in the house.... I go onto the back porch, there is a 'half' wall to block the wind, Ron lights the torch again... now I see the flame, and the glass actually gets hot and I actually make 3 beads.
Tonight I set up again on the back porch, managed to 'EXPLODE' my first bead... that was very exciting! I made 2 more then I quit for the evening, storm coming wind blowing out torch even on the back porch. So I've got 5 beads down and 995 to go :)
Later..
Capt Elaine
