Here’s more buttons that I made. Not sure of any of the colors on these. Was trying some experiments and they didn’t work out as well as I hoped. Not that these are bad, just don’t like the colors that well. But the only way I know is to test. Some colors react differently when used with different colors. I did use some weird combinations. Some of these have silver glass in them. I’m sure someone that is proficient with silver glass would be able to make the colors sing.
I signed up for a button swap on the Lampwork Etc. forum. Not sure why I did that since I have no time to be playing around but I do like making buttons. I also need to make some for more bracelets that I want to make. I figure I can make a few each time for the swap. These are the ones I made last night:
For some strange reason, I was having issues making buttons last night. Usually I don’t have problems and have never had one crack while I’m working on it. They are so small, it’s hard for them to cool off that much. Well, last night I cracked two of them. Then I couldn’t make a flower to save my life. On a few of these I had to rip the flower off and start over. Fortunately I was able to save the button. I even had issues making the striped ones. The dots weren’t melting in correctly. That’s why the one on the top second from the right has a dark middle. Not that it looks terrible but it wasn’t the design I was going for.
These will be it for a while for the animal beads. At least I hope so. I need to move on to making more buttons since I signed up for a button swap last week.
Another kitty. I can almost make these with my eyes closed. Good thing I like making kitties.
A few more toads and bunnies.
A chicken and a couple of bats.
Kissy fish. I like making these. I can use up all my short glass rods on these.
My cousin’s quilt club is participating in another show and she asked me to make more beads, especially the animal beads. I need to give them to her next weekend so I tried to make as many as I could on Sunday. That is after I weeded through all the junk emails I got when I as gone on vacation.
I’ve made the birds and bunnies before. Since I don’t really have any time to be experimenting I’m going with the beads I can make fairly quickly and know are already successful.
Hey!! What’s that interloper doing in there? It’s a toad that wants to be a kitty. Good thing kitties like to play with toads.
Chickens. I didn’t make any of these for my cousin’s last show. Not sure how popular they will be.
I have one more torch day to make as many animal beads as I can. I’m hoping I will be able to give my cousin about 30 animal beads. I’ve got my work cut out for me.
I go to the High Sierras every year for a week vacation. It’s nice fishing and making something that I don’t get a chance to at home. Working with seed beads takes a lot of concentration for me and this is a time that I can spend long periods concentrating. This is one of Laura McCabe’s kits. I always buy seed beads kits. It’s easier than designing something myself which would take me longer to make a piece. With a kit, I get the instructions along with all the beads. I don’t have to shop to find all the needed supplies. Laura’s kits are awesome!! She doesn’t fudge on details in her pieces and her instructions and well written and understandable.
Sorry about the bad picture. I took it with my cell phone camera which always gives me blurry pictures. It’s hard to see all the little size 15 seed beads in the piece. It took me three days to make the spiral lariat part and after I finished, I wish I made it about 2 inches longer so I could double wrap it around my neck if I wanted to wear it shorter but I didn’t realize the embellishments on the ends would go up the lariat so far. It’s impossible to add more length without making a HUGE mess. This piece took me 6 days to make, working on it about 6 – 8 hours a day. I did spend some time trout fishing in my spare time. Freshly caught and cooked fish is just the best!!
I’m now stuck on leather. I’m really liking working with it. Especially the distressed leather.
This one is similar to the other two I made previously. Just used different beads. I made the glass ones in this bracelet.
This is a multi-strand bracelet with big holed pearls and sterling silver. It has a magnetic clasp.
Some key chains that I just finished up making.
Still trying to put in some practice on the disc beads which I’m still not able to make a symmetrical disc. Here are my last attempts:
I’m getting a little discouraged as these take so much time to make and my results aren’t what I want. The only way I’m going to get better is to practice but do I have time to practice right now? Or should I be in production mode trying to get things done for the next craft show?
These are made out of borosilicate glass. It’s the same glass as Pyrex except colored. It is totally different than the glass I usually work with. It’s takes more heat to melt and it’s really stiff. I probably won’t be using this glass on a regular basis. Not unless I get a more powerful torch.
In my attempt to get something accomplished that I could use, I made these for a key chain. I’ll be making more of these.
I badge holder keeps breaking and the big bead I had on it got fractured in a few places when it fell on the concrete. I thought it was time to replace it. I made some BIG beads, none I really like but I don’t want to spend any more time making a big bead. So these are the ones I got done last night.
How did that small bead get in to the picture? I didn’t like these at all. I was a bit tired and shouldn’t have tried the top bead. It takes forever to make them. The bottom bead is silver glass. I made a mistake on how the glass was supposed to be layered so I got some weird reaction that isn’t pleasing.
This is the bead I used for the badge holder. I just strung it on some leather cord. Kind of cracks me up. I make all kinds of jewelry and this is the best I can do for my badge holder.
I’m still making beads for bracelets and using my all my short rod ends at the same time.
I know, not very exciting. But I need some plain beads to use in the bracelets.
I’m still trying to get these to be symmetrical which is tough for me. This time I purposely used contrasting colors so I can see how I’m progressing. Still need practice. The one on the top left it was looking pretty good until I accidentally hit it on the top of my torch.
I just did the two frogs on the left and the calla lily, I just happened to leave them with the other plant stakes I made previously.
More swirl buttons. I’m trying different colors on a black base. The green bled a little but it’s not that noticeable. I didn’t notice it until I took this picture.
That’s it for this week!!
My mom made four more boxes.
I think she got a little lazy on the embellishment part. Sewing a button on was the easiest thing.
Mewkittie Creations 