Degree show layout

So today the official plans for the degree show went up. I have been given two boards on the main stretch next to a ceramacist.

So I had originally planed for one 8x4ft board and shelves, however the boards cannot take a huge amount of weight so I had to come up with plan B; plinths. And now that I have two boards, I had to make a plan C!

So this is a rough idea of my plan. Two boards which create a 'corner' and two plinths which hold a selection of my blown pieces. I think that the plinth on the right will be lower and larger. But this is something that can be adjusted nearer the time. Its getting so close now! 

Signed limited edition

I decided it was best to sign my blown work, as much as I'd like to have my jewellery Hallmarked with my own stamp for the degree show its just not plausible (both cost and time wise) but hopefully in the future I will. But I wanted to sign my blown pieces as if I was to sell them in the shop/degree show I want my name on them. 

Before I could sign them I dremeled the bottoms to create a smooth finish and them covered them with a felt bottom, one, to make them smooth on the surface they will be on and two, to add some stability so they don't roll around. 

I bought a GlassPainter (1mm) pen from eBay for £2.50 which does not require any fixing, however you can pop it in the oven if you want to wash it higher than 40'C.

So after a bit of practice, I took the plunge and wrote on my yellow pebble. 

My pieces will all be signed and either avaliable from the Notch Show or popup shop. 

Keep your eye peeled :)

A morning of bottom grinding...

...of my blown glass pieces. Thought you were going to read something a bit more saucy did you? Tut tut. I popped over the Stuart Akroyd's studio this morning with a friend so that I could finish the bottoms of my large blown twirls ready for the degree show in a few weeks! AH! So that is it now, all my blown pieces are done I just need to get the rest of my jewellery collection finished and the creative practice part will be done. So did you want to see... :)

Large Yellow Pebble, with own blend 'Chilli' frit. 

Small Pink Pebble, Elizabeth Beads frit 'Chelsea Garden'.

Mini Aqua and Medium Aqua Twists. Glasstaffy Hydrangea frit used on medium twist. 

Small Transparent Purple Pebble, GG Glass - Van Gough Frit.

Large Transparent Green Pebble, Elizabeth Beads - Copacabana

XL White (Approx. 3ft) un-twisty with Elizabeth Beads - Metamorphis Frit. 

Miniature Transparent Red Twist. 

Large Aqua 2 Twist with own blend of frit (Yet to be named). 

So pleased how these all look, and the bottoms are all finished except the pebbles as I am going to felt them so that they sit nicely as they cannot be domed. I just wish I had had more transparent twists with frit done. But I just love the opaque colours! 

Spiral Rings

So I finally got back on my torch today and spent the morning making some cabs and some twists. Then this afternoon I finished off my last two silver rings before the weekend :)

So please, this have come out better than I had hoped. They need a little cleaning but other than that :)

The silver continues..

So after all the issues I have had with the silly gas man (my lampworking kit has been condemed until my technition has made me a new fixing, bless him!) I haven't been able to do any glass work, so instead I have been in the metal room bevering away and have made a cab ring, pendant and a set of cab earrings. Neither are completely finished but are on their way.

Pink cab silver stud earrings.

Opaque purple cab pendant, with 3D frit. 

Large transparent green cab ring.

They still have to be bezelled into their bases, but its all coming together :)

Sterling Silver ring

So I spent the whole of yesterday I sat on my torch testing out my new frits and my new bead roller (which I have fallen in love with and will probably never make another round bead). 

So today mean jewellery making, I spent the morning griding and preparing my 'gems' and then this after noon I made a silver ring a pendant. However today was a disaster! I left the plastic on the bottom of my silver and melted to it. Then I left the binding wire on my pendant in the pickle so I now have a copper pendant (I'm hoping I can sand it and save it!) and finally I placed my ring into its bezel setting and snapped the top off it. A rubbish day but lots of lessons learnt! 

Anywho.. my new sterling silver ring! I think it looks fab :)

 Major picture hog, but I'm proud of the little thing :)

Final Design work

So as it was the Easter holiday and the wood technician was being... awkward about workshop access. I decided to go home and have a rest. During that time I was able come up with some final design ideas.

So in theory... these are the pieces that I will be making. However, one day back on the torch and my imagination got the better of me and I create a number of 'gems' which I love that look nothing like my designs. Oh well....