Spring has sprung lampworking workshop

borntobeadnz — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:21:21 +0000

The very first workshop of spring was a flaming success. With a full studio there were lots of laughs to be had. Stephanie, Laurel, Judy, Catherine and Tracey were off to a great start pulling stringers. We then moved onto making beads, round ones were the aim but alas the efforts were there Looking forward to seeing you ladies at the torch again.

Lost Spring Photo shoot

borntobeadnz — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:51:43 +0000

What an amazing day. Katrina Johns from Accent Photographyand myself took a model 2 assistants and my friend who fast became art director with her “America’s Top model” experience and we jetted off to The Lost Spring in Whitianga Coromandel.

Katrina is selling a new product called Trash your wedding dress, where you get to have amazing photos of you in your dress that you never dreamed possible. The Lost Spring was an amazing experience and we just had so much fun I had to include it in my blog… check out the photos

Hot Stuff Beginners Workshop Day 1 & 2

borntobeadnz — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:19:19 +0000

What a wicked weekend we had gals! learning heaps of techniques starting with a round bead and ending on encased florals such a fabulous effort by all. I was suitably impressed with everyones flowers they worked out so well and the spacing between petals was spot on (Excuse the pun ) Lynn Zingel, Trish Knox, Sandra Sayers and Robyn Thomas were all included in the workshop and can be seen below concentrating, having fun and pulling stringers… fabulous beads ladies thank you for a wonderful weekend of teaching.

Gaffer Calchedony

borntobeadnz — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:59:46 +0000

A FABULOUS NEW COLOR : G-109 Chalcedony

In 1856, the Muranese glasshouse of Salviati resurrected the color Chalcedony (pronounced kal-sed-onie), first described in Antonio Neri’s treatise “L’Arte Vetraria” published in 1612. Chalcedony is a multicolored glass that Salviati presented at the famous London Exhibition of 1862 to widespread acclaim. It has pretty much been absent from the glass artists palette in recent times. Reichenbach’s Iris Orange R-108 is an anaemic shadow of what is possible.

Gaffer is proud to relaunch a full blown example of this color system with the usual high standards of perfect compatibility and freedom of stones and bubbles.

The color is built on a scarlet base, allowing a red transparency when blown thinly. Used in thicker quantities it can exhibit all the colors of the spectrum when subjected to different heat treatments. It is perfect for multicolored effects in beads. The color will luster a bright silver/gold under a mildly reducing flame For picking up from a hotbox, have the temperature at around 980oF.

Re the Chalcedony – it is a silver bearing glass and you do the same stuff as you would with what people call Raku from Reichenbach or the silver glasses from Double Helix. Get it very hot, allow to cool right down then heat it up gently and mildly reduce when at a dull red heat. The colours should “pop’ on cooling down again. If it mirrors then you haver over reduced.

The Chameleon is blue when cooled quickly and green when cooled slowly. In order to get the gren to come out heat the glass for a while just on the softening point. Be patient!

Yippeee – And I got second place

borntobeadnz — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:53:15 +0000

Wicked, First place with Vicky Hunt for the Taniwha and now also second place for my Flame Lillies bead!!!! very proud and very fired up to be creative.

First Place Winners

borntobeadnz — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:57:10 +0000

Yay, Vicky Hunt and myself collaborated for our entry to the annual Step by Step Beads Magazine competition. Entering the Fabulous sea Monster Taniwha into the Other Beaded category has won us 1st place. You will be able to read about this in the November issue of the magazine and it will be announced on their website.

The Taniwha has been beautifully created with the use of Vicky’s amazing felting techniques and my lampwork beads. Pretty much Vicky’s design so she has been listed as the primary artist on the collaboration.

A wonderful experience and I can highly recommend getting involved in collaborations with artists outside your field as it expands your thinking.

2009.06.27 Karen Irwin Organic Beads & Double Helix workshop

borntobeadnz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:33:52 +0000

Hell’s teeth this was the most fun I’ve had in my studio since Kathy’s ArtClay workshops! Karen who won the best lampworked category for the 2009 Glass Bead competition was kind enough to create a workshop to teach us how to free our minds. Possibly one of the hardest workshops I’ve done as I had to not be ’anal’ in my bead design. I could barely cope. Karen starts a bead and then let’s it tell her where it wants to go no planning just pure relaxed creative design. Well you can imagine my orderly balanced and perfectly planned approach was not allowed to venture into this workshop. Karen however knew this may be the case and she had us play musical beads. Each started a bead and the after a few minutes we had to pass the bead around each of us adding on each turn. What an amazing experience of freeing the mind and letting go of planning. using Double Helix glass we ventured into unkown terroitories of design including silver foil, mesh and murini elements. What an excellent workshop, well done Karen we will definitely have you back again!!

Natasha Simm NZ’s first female glazier go girl!

borntobeadnz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:14:26 +0000

Natasha flew up from South Island. Natasha was the first female glazier in NZ and I must say glass is in the blood. Interestingly Natasha bought the full studio kit and then had no idea where to begin. Thank you so much for choosing Born to Bead as the start of your journey. I hope you have a fabulous time making beads down South especially now the weather is cold enough to keep you indoors torching it up

2009.06.14 Beginners Workshop Day 2

borntobeadnz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:09:44 +0000

Jo and Bobbie performing at their best! Jo considering your first flame experience was the day before you really blossomed on Day 2. Both of you had excellent bead results and I was very happy with your encased flowers they were amazing! well done. Happy beading and cannot wait to see what comes out of both your studios in the near future!

2009.06.13 Beginners workshop Day 1

borntobeadnz — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:04:04 +0000

A full workshop and a very joyous one at that. Lots of fun was to be had by all Frances was given a Red Balloon Days voucher and she chose to spend it at Born to Bead. Not only that but she also managed to bring her friend Trudy along. Lucky ladies Helena also through Red Balloon Days had a fabulous time extending her introduction workshop to the full day. Finally Leeanne who has been back (your beads are gorgeous from yesterdays rental!) well done ladies, hope to see you all back here for some fun with molten glass