The end of Summer.....

I am not sure where the year has gone but it is vanishing before me and it won't be long before the buckets and crablines will be set to one side and Appledore will resume its leisurely pace once the hustle and bustle of the visitors is behind us.

I love the buzz of the summer and the studio has been busy to despite the horrendous summer that we have been having in the WestCountry and I would like to take a moment to thank  all those visitors for their custom.   The weather also meant that I increased the amount of 'taster' lampwork sessions that I was giving as the visitors tried to find new ways to beat the weather and keep entertained.   So I have set a few more out on their own glassy journeys and the suprise and smiles on faces when they come to pick their beads up never ceases to please me.

In terms of this years work I have been working on my large Mandala Wheel Beads

And so the challenge was to work bigger and thinner in diameter.  I have booked a course with Anita Schwegler Juen later in the year and I am in awe of her work, her work is just beautiful!

This is the thinnest so far and the widest!

I also have been experimenting with my Mini Marble Paperweights.  They have proved really popular in the studio and I hope to develop them more during the winter when the studio is quieter...

And looking at that swirl effect brings me onto the Swirl Design that I sell as a tutorial in my Etsy Shop  I have been doing some Swirl Beads

I have also at last mastered my 50mm lentil press and got some great swirls in there too!

There is also a Silver Glass Swirl tutorial in the pipeline.

So the year draws to a close and I have enjoyed my glassy adventures and am excited to be doing courses with Anita in October and this month with Bronwen Heilman who knows where these artists will direct my glassy adventures.

And so to close we are so sad in our house to have lost one of our morning dog walking pack, Harvey passed over Rainbow Bridge on Sunday aged 13 and leaves a huge whole in Milly's circle of doggy friends.  Run Free Harvey Bear x

Bubbling under the Sea!

January and another year begins and I have had a great start, I have a few courses lined up for this year and the first one was with a glass artist I admire greatly : Diana East .  I had been drooling over her mini seascape paperweights for some time and my husband organised a one to one course for me which was fantastic.  These photos are what I produced in class.  I came home brimming with excitement and ideas and went straight to the studio to experiment with the techniques we had covered which included these, some blown Boro beads, Fuming and Cane making.

Here are the first attempts!  All the pieces you see within are premade and then positioned and the whole design encased in clear.  It takes time to produce the little gizmos to make up the design and then you have to get the clear over them without melting them in the heat.......

I found myself waking up in the night thinking 'Hey maybe I could include that!'  A while ago I bought a tutorial on how to make Jellyfish from Mary Lockwood and thought it would be fun to try and incorporate one into the design It worked well :

Whilst I was on the course Di had also shown me how to make a little clam to put inside so I had a play with that to

 These little paperweights are really addictive I am loving playing with the designs

I have also been experimenting with some other ideas which are very much work in progress but this will give you a clue.   I think you could make some lovely pendants and ring toppers with this technique, I have a lot of ideas floating around in my head!  I am also on the verge of upgrading my kit so the extra charge of Oxygen should improve things too so watch this space!!

I was also given a book by another artist I admire hugely : Stephanie Sersich and as I had a pile of orphan beads from last year I sat down and made a couple of necklaces using her techniques:

It is so clever, actually weaving the beads into the design which makes them really secure and I really like the button detail from the clasp

It also worked well for just a single focal bead like the one below

February should be an exciting month too I have a course booked with Anouk Jaspere and I have my new Oxcycon and hopefuly my new GTT Lynx Torch arriving.

On the home front it has been a certain young lady's second birthday so we had a meet up of 6 Lakelands on the beach to celebrate!

Here are three of them Milly at the rear!  Thank you for visiting my blog and hope to see ya next month!

Jennie ;0)