Friday, August 29, 2008

Friday 29th August (OMG has it been that long!!!!!)

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted anything on here, and it's also that long since I posted any beads for sale....tut tut tut.

Well so much to tell, I'll start with my holiday, fantastic, we spent two weeks in Cornwall, as we do every year and we couldn't have asked for better weather. The sun shone brightly for us almost the entire time, Cornwall was as beautiful as ever and a good time was had by all. The holiday was made even better due to the very generous loan of my in-laws caravan, it was bliss, quite palatial compared to the old trailer tent, although the children both pined after it a few times.
On returning home my kiln door fell off as you may have already read on my website, the manufacturer suggested to me that I get my drill out and do a DIY job with a few self tapping screws....ahem, I don't think so. What's the point of a warranty if it doesn't cover a dodgy door, needless to say I stubbornly held out and a new door arrived eventually. In fact it was an upgraded door, with a window no less, so now I can use up more of my precious little time gazing through the bead window at my beads happily soaking away, watching paint dry springs to mind.

My Kiln - Bernie (complete with window)


It soon became apparent that very little bead making was going to occur during the holidays, both the OH and I have been working around each other so that we haven't had to farm the kids out, which has been great, but a six year old, a four year old, molten glass and a Hot Head torch don't go well together. The little time I have managed to squeeze in has been spent experimenting, and I became totally absorbed in glass sculpture, goddesses, more goddesses, animals, starfish anything that sprung to mind. It's really helped me to understand the glass, how I can control it, how gravity controls it and how sometimes it just does what it wants.
Free time during the day has been spent on my studio, it's almost finished and it's fabulous.

The last few weeks I've been stocking up on glass, I've got some of the latest Double Helix colours, Triton being one of the colours of the moment, I haven't got the best out of it yet, but I'm working on it. I'm totally in love with a colour called Antique Clear, it's a beautiful transparent teal/aqua blue, it is amazing etched and I've got big plans for it. I used it in a lentil set and a focal bead this week, it really is beautiful and perfect for autumn winter.



Other colours I'm crazy about are copper green, opal yellow, olive, avocado, and EDP also known as 'Evil Detrifying Purple' what a fantastic name, the supplier I got it from included this line in the description 'basically it does what it wants' and it does, but is gorgeous.
Well that about wraps up the last 5 or six weeks, the bead shed is up and running on full steam, I've got loads of lovely glass, the kids are away with Grandma and Grandad this weekend so I should get and early start for a marathon torching session tomorrow.....can't wait.
Hope you've all had a great summer, Autumn's my favourite so the best is yet to come for me.
Bye. Kate xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx