FLAMIN FLORALS

[TiaraHelen]

Someone's going to be investing in bulk fuel very soon (go on, you know you want to, it's going to save a fortune in the long run). 

[Sarah999]

I am planning to change as soon as I can, but I am still at uni so live off a measly student loan, which doesnt even cover my accomodation! So buying food and payng bills is hard enough at the mo.
I am going to have to wait until I have a job in the summer to go bulk, I just cant afford to shell out £100 in one go I have discovered playing with glass in not very student friendly!
I cant wait to get a job!!!
My flower bead has cooled. It is ok on one side of the flower. But the other side has gone smushy. Just made a nice spotty one though

[Gemsinbloom]

Ahhhhhh florals, the bane of my existence. If I may offer a bit of advice here. I finally got my encasing down to a fine art in the past few weeks. I switched to dipping my mandrels in the middle. When I go to encase my floral, I start in the middle of the bead and work towards the right side. Then I flip the mandrel and start in the middle again and work again to the right side again. Then you are to push the clear glass that is overhanging on the shoulder of the bead as close as you can to the mandrel without actually touching it. This is a very important step so you can avoid the petals of your flowers from stretching to the holes when you go to melt down the encasing layer.

Then you melt your encasing down slowly........letting the flame kiss the bead...........so in essence you are holding your bead just below the flame as it kisses the top of the bead.

Also, if you are working on a hothead, I keep my rod of clear glass in the middle of the flame with your bead underneath as I lay down my encasing. You have got to have that sweet spot throughout the encasing step or you are going to end up with uneven encasing.

Clear as mud?









Here is an example

[Dee Dee]

Jaqueline, how do you physically dip your mandrels in the middle?

Steph x

[Diane]

Steph - that was my next question too
That's a lovely mini tut Jacqueline - thank you

[BeeBeads]

My mind is boggled more than it usually is - just how do you middle-dip mandrels? 

[Gemsinbloom]

It took a bit of fiddling and I asked around as well.

I have taken a plastic top ( I used the top of a pringle chips container) and heated a mandrel in my flame and used that to melt a slot in the top , but not all the way to the bottom. Then I placed a mandrel down in that slot and made a mark on the other side where I should melt it again. Then I pour my bead release in the top and all you do is lay your mandrel in this plastic top and swirl it around. Then I give it a few taps on the table on one end and that is it!

[BeeBeads]

Clever! 

[Dee Dee]

Very clever Jacqueline!

[Diane]

Clever solution  and lovely floral beads

[Elisa Loves]

Absolutely fab pictures, inspired as always!  Cross fingers my bulk will be set up next month and I can't wait to play with florals. Hurry up pay day!