http://driia.com Driia's Dreams, LLC ~ PO Box 2832 ~ Sterling VA ~ 20167 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 06:04:28 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 As discussed earlier - I have recently taken a workshop involving Boro glass and torch work. It was not jewelry specific - but I learned a couple of things and I'll be using the pieces I made in some form of jewelry. I'm still working out my plans. However here is one picture I've taken of a couple of the "raw" pieces before they become finished products. I'll most likely be doing a wire wrap for each one. Though a couple may evolve into a complete necklace. Not sure yet - especially since I do seem to favor pendants over necklaces. The one in the middle I was attempting a sea shell - since I have a series of sea side inspired jewelry I wanted to make. While the one on the left is a flutter heart for Valentines Day. I do have about 8 or 9 usable pieces.... but these were the best to photograph at this stage. http://driia.com/2010/03/06/clear-glass-and-new-torch-work/ This year in lieu of chocolates, flowers or silly stuffed animals..... my very favorite person (who also happens to be my husband), bought us tickets to a "date night" at the The Workhouse Arts Center [1] in Lorton , VA.  This involved Ballroom dancing, snacks and a bar..... plus the good part... a 2 hour couples Glass Class which allowed us to choose either fused glass or torch work glass. Decisions - decisions....  I've had a couple of fusing classes and I use my own kiln to make fused glass jewelry, however I also know how to make lamp work beads using a hot head torch and map gas. After a brief bit of pondering I chose torch work glass as this was an opportunity to see how torch work was done on a Carlisle mini cc [2] surface mix bench burner. Using a two part fuel source (propane and oxygen) is a little different than using map gas. You have to remember the correct order to turn on and off the two gases. POOP is how you remember that.... you start by turning on the Propane (and lighting it with a match or striker) set your flame and then add in the Oxygen. Now reset your flame for thickness and candle height; melt glass - until you are tired or done for a while. Turn off your burner by shutting down your Oxygen before you turn the Propane off. POOP = (Propane on, Oxygen on & Oxygen off, Propane off) nice and simple. I had a chance to talk to Rick Sherbert (the glass center's director), got the pricing for use of open torch time. They also had a nice kiln room and cold working room. He however did the kiln class. Our instructor was Lisa St. Martin and while she does teach bead work classes - this class was using boro rods and free form sculpting. I'll post pictures of some of my pieces soon. I didn't really get the glass to where I wanted most of the time - but I had fun, learned a little bit.... and have a couple of pieces I may be able to turn into jewelry. All in all I can highly recommend this type of activity for couples - especially if one or both of you is into the artsy stuff. Craig got to play with fire and ask technical questions, an I got to make stuff. So I'm happy, and I know my husband still loves me - because he does things like this with me. Hope you all had as much fun as I did on V-day! [1] http://www.workhousearts.org/classes.php [2] http://www.carlislemachine.com/CarlisleGlassworking/Bench_Burners.htm http://driia.com/2010/02/15/valentines-date-night/ http://driia.com/2010/01/10/pendant-pf_0710_042/ I actually decided to call this one "Two Hearts Falling". http://driia.com/2010/01/10/pendant-pfci_0709_021/ This pink glass kitty face is for adults, NOT children, since I feel compelled to remind buyers that it is made of glass. http://driia.com/2010/01/10/pendant-pf_0710_031/ I especially liked the shimmer of copper and hint of gold color playing off each other in the dichroic glass. I think the dark red glass makes the dichroic show even richer in this particular piece. http://driia.com/2010/01/10/pendant-pfdsw_0609_0912/ The sun was shining - so I thought I should add this one to the website today. http://driia.com/2010/01/10/pendant-pfsw_0609_011/ This year for one of my friends I decided to make an ornament - well it was almost going to be a pendant but I knew that she really likes having a decorated tree... so I added the ribbon. I used carved bone beads, glass beads, color wire, and bright green ribbon. I like how this turned out - now if I mark my calendar for July - maybe I'll have time to make a series of ornaments for Christmas sales by the Fall shopping season. http://driia.com/2010/01/05/ornament_0909_001/ These earrings are another set that were made as a series for a commission to go with a pendant that had already been purchased the prior year. I made 4 sets of earrings for this commision to give my customer a choice. A slightly larger version of this set was chosen. http://driia.com/2009/11/02/earrings-ebw_0801_002/ These earrings were made as a series for a commission to go with a pendant that had already been purchased the prior year. I made 4 sets of earrings for this commision to give my customer a choice. A slightly smaller version of this set was chosen. http://driia.com/2009/11/02/earrings-ebw_0801_003/