Getting Hot and Beady!!!

Yesterday I went on another 'learn to bead course' over at Ware, I went with my friend Debbie and her mum, I really had a good day. I feel that although this is only my second course, I have made some improvements. I was able to form the beads with relative ease this time although I think doing it again and again I will get better at it.

The problem with doing a course is that I really want to get my own set up and do it myself. I have the mini kiln just need the scary gas and all the glass and tools, at least the heating bill would go down in the conservatory!!! The beads I made were actually a whole lot better than the last batch. If you keep the glass high in the flame they don't go muddy brown. I actually made some pretty ones this time, so I will photograph them tomorrow and let you see. If there is a down side to the course, its the fact that you can't anneal them, in fact you can't really make anything useful after lunch as they simply do not have time to cool sufficiently before they need to be removed from the mandrels. I think I may do a few more nights practice at the Artshed and then decide if I need to ask for glassy things for my birthday"