Arrrrgh! I just lost my post when I tried to upload images! Now I forget what I had written. I'll try again.

My glass order arrived very quickly and I was so anxious to get started using it that I forgot to take a picture of all the lovely colours. I figure this batch will keep me going well into the new year. I stuck to the regular, cheaper colours as I feel I've got enough to think about without trying to get special effects from some of the more expensive rods. I haven't tried frit or millifiore yet either.

I made this little guy and had such fun with him that I thought it would be nice to make more and try some 'fireflies' as well.


I learned an important lesson, while the bugs will work on the right size thread, some of the flies will not. It is important to think how the bead is going to work/hang on a finished article!

I've also been working more on my barrels and getting some better shapes -





Then I had been trying to figure out how to do the beads with triangle shapes in them, I wasn't having much luck (below left), until I found a good tutorial at this address (lots of good info here) http://www.sgb-midatlantic.org/how-tos.html - I tried a few more and I'm getting better!



Now I have to try and figure out what I'm going to do with some of these so I can give them as Christmas presents to family. I'm hoping to get my first batch annealed this week, I'm excited and nervous - worried in case they all crack, or explode in the kiln! I know it's unlikely but I'd hate to loose them at this point.