I've just got an e-mail from an overseas supplier featuring all the new beautiful CIM colours and I'm wondering/massively hoping at least some of them might get released here? Any ideas anyone, and I will save my pennies :) x
There are a few new Ltd run colours just come into Tuffnells :)
I wish they'd stop doing limited runs and make more new perminate colours.
I think Helen means these heavenly new ones...
http://www.creationismessy.com/preview.aspx
Kazx
I was chatting with Martin at the bead fair at Newbury a month or so ago, and he said that come September, Tuffnells will have ALL new CIM colours that get released as they had sorted out a deal with CIM to be one of their preferred suppliers to so speak. They had to sign a deal without knowing what new colours are coming - so Martin's hoping it won't be a load of Oranges and Yellows that he'll get stuck with!
I am with Krysia though, I get fed up with all the limited runs that are one shade different from the last lot, just cos they can't get their batches consistent. And god help you if you fall in love with something, cos you'll never get it again!
Mint Chip, Alley Cat, Neon Blue, Trade Winds..oh and Weimaraner
Yum!
Linda x
Those and cake batter would be my choices too ;D
Quote from: helbels on August 10, 2013, 03:14:29 PM
I was chatting with Martin at the bead fair at Newbury a month or so ago, and he said that come September, Tuffnells will have ALL new CIM colours that get released as they had sorted out a deal with CIM to be one of their preferred suppliers to so speak. They had to sign a deal without knowing what new colours are coming - so Martin's hoping it won't be a load of Oranges and Yellows that he'll get stuck with!
I am with Krysia though, I get fed up with all the limited runs that are one shade different from the last lot, just cos they can't get their batches consistent. And god help you if you fall in love with something, cos you'll never get it again!
Exactly why I don't like these limited runs!! All I shall say is Pimento. :'(
Oh and Well Done Martin, that's bloomin brilliant
Yeah I LOVED the one rod of Pimento I got, but it's never to be seen again!
I used to buy every new CIM that came out. I've not done that for a while now, and in fact, a new colour has got to be really nice for me to even consider it, tbh. Several of those colours look very similar to others so are obviously failed recreations. Shame they can't sort it out.
One man's meat and all that - I love the variations and don't care if I can't get them again ;D If I really like them I buy loads!!!
I like the look of Alley Cat ;D
Quote from: Kaz on August 10, 2013, 08:43:40 PM
One man's meat and all that - I love the variations and don't care if I can't get them again ;D If I really like them I buy loads!!!
That's all well and good if you have the space to hoard glass, but if you don't you're a bit stuffed. Also, with some of them, by the time you've bought it, tried it and decided you like it, it's often sold out by then anyway! >:(
Muskmelon and frangipani look a little different :)
I have about 3 CIM colours that look like Frangipani.. Crocus unique and some Plum Ltd Runs.
Also have a CIM that is like Muskmelon, but can't find it atm.
I agree with Kaz, though. I make sure that I try them out fast now, so more is still available if I really like them.
Linda x
Mint chip is on my wish list!!
Sorry if I'm rehashing an old thread here but it seemed daft to start a whole new one.
Can I first stress that I am a huge supporter of the British glass suppliers, Martin and Sean don't need to be told this, they're spending my life savings between them.
I really have a bee in my bonnet about these new CiM Limted runs, so much so I have emailed Cim's creator and she has taken my feedback and promises to come back to me after she deals with a very sad family situation.
Effetre Cobalt Blue is a very fair less than £3 per quarter kilo, so, pray tell, why is CiM Ltd Run Neon Blue, which is very similar indeed priced at £15.75 per 1/4 kilo? I know this isn't our retailers fault, they can only charge in line with what they buy at. I love Mint Chip, like Trudi, but not for £11.50 per qtr. I love Musk Melon, it's a lot like my beloved Dirty Martini but it's £11.50. The real head scratcher is Radio Flyer, a trans red which is £19.00!!
I'd love some of these colours and I hope Kathy can come back with some reasonable explanation for what I see to be price anomalies, but I certainly can't afford to buy them at that price. :(
I'll be watching this thread (and awaiting Kathy's response) with interest, but atm I'm with you Alison - I can't justify paying those prices, no matter how lovely the colours.
It's just been pointed out to me that some of the previous standard line colours are also now on the Limited List does anyone remember if Ming, Chalcedony, Mink or Zachary was main line before? I'd swear Zachary and Ming were.
It's very sad but from now on I'll buy Dirty Martini because I love it so much, but that will be the only one, and as soon as another manufacturer does a duplicate I'm on it. Martin and Sean please keep your eyes open for me please?
I'm sure that all 4 were Alison :(
I'm also sorry to see the prices so high - not good in this economic climate. I thought the Ltd Runs were about batches that hadn't quite gone to plan but it seems they are becoming the norm. Is it a marketing ploy to get sales so we rush to buy I wonder?
Quote from: Lynnybobs on September 01, 2013, 07:49:47 AM
Is it a marketing ploy to get sales so we rush to buy I wonder?
Of course it is ;)
There's definitely some thoughts that this might be the case Lyn.
If you look at the standard CIM colours, and then at the closest Limited Run colour, there's often quite a price difference, even though one might speculate that the limited run is just an "off spec" batch of the standard colour.
In the long term, I actually think this is quite a short term business strategy. For now, yes, people may rush to buy the limited run colour due to the principle of scarcity (humans tend to value things that are perceived as scarce more highly than readily available things). HOWEVER in the long run, once people have got 10 bundles of green glass all of which is one shade different from the other, I think the novelty will wear off and people will simply no longer be interested. Perhaps Kathy at CIM is riding the wave of maximum profit while she can.
Alison - apparently an email was sent advising that some of the standard colours are now also going to be limited run in the future. I have to admit that I never got an email, but some people did.
QuoteIn the long term, I actually think this is quite a short term business strategy. For now, yes, people may rush to buy the limited run colour due to the principle of scarcity (humans tend to value things that are perceived as scarce more highly than readily available things). HOWEVER in the long run, once people have got 10 bundles of green glass all of which is one shade different from the other, I think the novelty will wear off and people will simply no longer be interested. Perhaps Kathy at CIM is riding the wave of maximum profit while she can.Quote
Totally agree - we also perceive things that are expensive to be better (clothing brands & beauty products being prime examples). What if you find a shade you love but never will be able to buy again - its a bit counter productive.
How about turning your CIM ordinary run rods into frit using this, http://www.fusionheadquarters.com/The_Glass_Eater_s/272.htm and then diluting the frit with clear in various proportions to change the tones. You then pile the frit into a vitrigraph kiln to produce rods that are similar to the limited run lines. The Warm Glass site http://www.warm-glass.co.uk/simple-round-bead-mould-p-3617.html has a short video of mixing a blue and clear frit to make simple rings using the round bead mold that they sell. I looked it up after one was offered for sale here. If you cursor down to the Colour de Verre's Simple Round Bead Demo you'll see the frit being mixed.
Any takers??? Sorry, it's just the way my mind works.
This is the relevant portion of the email from Kathy Seamands of CiM
'A few years ago we were in the position to have to raise prices (rising costs of raw materials, rising costs of labor / cost of living in China, exchange rate changes). I asked customers & resellers how to manage this at the time. They suggested that I keep the prices for the regular Messy Color line the same and then I charge more for the Ltd Runs to make up for the difference. Because the Ltd Runs are such small batches then the prices have to increase a lot in order to make up the difference.
It has been about 2 years since I reevaluated this pricing strategy and am interested in what you think.'
I emailed them at the address shown on their website. As I said before, Kathy is dealing with a bereavement and a serious illness so is in China at the moment, but I'm sure she'll reply when she's back at work.
That's fair enough. The thing is though, how come Effetre. Lauscha, Reichenbach etc are still able to offer the majority of their colours at a reasonable price? Surely their overheads etc would be far more, being European based? I don't get it.
I've got lots of effetre, vetrofond and reichenbach that I really need to start using, so this pricing strategy isn't going to work for me. £20 for a quarter of red for beads I don't even sell that often? I don't think so.
I hope things work out for Kathy soon, by the way.
I just ordered me some Lauscha to play with as I've only got a couple of their colours. Should feed the glassy addiction for a bit!
I am prob being a bit dim ,but I cant see the prices of any CIM on Tuffnels site?
can any one tell me how I can see the prices? I bet its cake batter thats the most expensive because thats the one I want !
On the home page, above each picture you'll see the name of the glass in blue, underlined. Click on the name and it will take you to the page with details on. Cake Batter is £15.50 a quarter.
thanks :D
Quote from: Alison G on August 31, 2013, 09:53:13 PM
Sorry if I'm rehashing an old thread here but it seemed daft to start a whole new one.
Can I first stress that I am a huge supporter of the British glass suppliers, Martin and Sean don't need to be told this, they're spending my life savings between them.
I really have a bee in my bonnet about these new CiM Limted runs, so much so I have emailed Cim's creator and she has taken my feedback and promises to come back to me after she deals with a very sad family situation.
Effetre Cobalt Blue is a very fair less than £3 per quarter kilo, so, pray tell, why is CiM Ltd Run Neon Blue, which is very similar indeed priced at £15.75 per 1/4 kilo? I know this isn't our retailers fault, they can only charge in line with what they buy at. I love Mint Chip, like Trudi, but not for £11.50 per qtr. I love Musk Melon, it's a lot like my beloved Dirty Martini but it's £11.50. The real head scratcher is Radio Flyer, a trans red which is £19.00!!
I'd love some of these colours and I hope Kathy can come back with some reasonable explanation for what I see to be price anomalies, but I certainly can't afford to buy them at that price. :(
I thought it was me being a cheapskate, I'm the same, I just can't justify paying more than 3 times the price of Effetre no matter how delicious the colours might be.
I bought some Zombie Ltd Run last year, when it arrived (3 packs) each was clearly labelled Tamarind on the actual stickers on the rod. Hmmm. Makes me not trust 'new' colours :-\ - anyone else had this?
Quote from: Kimster on September 01, 2013, 10:13:14 PM
I bought some Zombie Ltd Run last year, when it arrived (3 packs) each was clearly labelled Tamarind on the actual stickers on the rod. Hmmm. Makes me not trust 'new' colours :-\ - anyone else had this?
Naughty x :(
Quote from: Kimster on September 01, 2013, 10:13:14 PM
I bought some Zombie Ltd Run last year, when it arrived (3 packs) each was clearly labelled Tamarind on the actual stickers on the rod. Hmmm. Makes me not trust 'new' colours :-\ - anyone else had this?
I bought some Damson Ltd Run,(just one pack), and it was labelled Plum.
Nick
Isn't it a shame, I just want to melt glass! I don't sell, so it must be worse for those whose livelihoods depend on it.
Quote from: Alison G on September 02, 2013, 08:45:10 AM
Isn't it a shame, I just want to melt glass! I don't sell, so it must be worse for those whose livelihoods depend on it.
Nah, just make something else.
Quote from: Nicknack on September 01, 2013, 11:29:35 PM
I bought some Damson Ltd Run,(just one pack), and it was labelled Plum.
Nick
I have both Damson and Plum. You might find - and I hope you will - that if you look carefully at the Damson label under the 'Plum' is 'Messy Unique' the code number and -1 to indicate that it is unique. Plum and Damson are quite different, so I hope you've been sent the right one. :-\
And now you've got me thinking autumn colours! Hmmmm.....
Yeah, they stopped calling things Unique-1, Unique-2 and gave them actual names. I think on their website they do tend to say when it used to be called a unique instead.
Prices: Lauscha has been going up a bit, but you're right that it's not been as much as CiM yet. (Though if they do get that transparent magenta batch made, that's going to be more expensive than the current colours. It's been delayed and we're getting into Christmas production time soon I think, so the furnaces will be busy).
ETA: yes, for Zombie it says Formerly Unique Tamarind -2.
Quote from: Shirley on September 02, 2013, 09:18:01 AM
Quote from: Alison G on September 02, 2013, 08:45:10 AM
Isn't it a shame, I just want to melt glass! I don't sell, so it must be worse for those whose livelihoods depend on it.
Nah, just make something else.
As in use another brand or take up knitting? :)
If you can't use a glass that you would like to use to make something then make something else using glass that you have already or that is cheaper. I know that I've got lots of glass I've barely touched so I might experiment more with that rather than buy new colours.
I don't think anyone will be giving up completely because they aren't able to buy the latest colours! :D
Don't you? The OCD in me doesn't like an incomplete collection!
Kazx
Quote from: Kaz on September 02, 2013, 03:03:32 PM
Don't you? The OCD in me doesn't like an incomplete collection!
Kazx
And I thought you were easily pleased with a bundle of Dirty Martini!
Funnily enough I was wondering the other day if we should run a challenge where everyone commits to making something with glass from their stash that they've either never used, or not used in ages. I'm sure we all have lots. I found a whole bundle of Ghee the other day that I've never used.
Quote from: Kaz on September 02, 2013, 03:03:32 PM
Don't you? The OCD in me doesn't like an incomplete collection!
Kazx
As Carole always says, It's not like the stuff goes off.
Quote from: Shirley on September 02, 2013, 02:39:49 PM
I know that I've got lots of glass I've barely touched so I might experiment more with that rather than buy new colours.
It is very true though we aren't, any of us, going to 'run out' any time soon and this come from the person who has only got (on average) access to three rods of every colour from the 'collection'. (It's all in storage) but, you know, just to make sure, I've ordered some more. ::)
Quote from: helbels on September 02, 2013, 04:15:09 PM
Funnily enough I was wondering the other day if we should run a challenge where everyone commits to making something with glass from their stash that they've either never used, or not used in ages. I'm sure we all have lots. I found a whole bundle of Ghee the other day that I've never used.
What a brilliant idea, Helen! Please wait till I'm back from USA, as I'd love to try this. Back on 14th :D
Nick
Quote from: Nicknack on September 02, 2013, 05:02:39 PM
[What a brilliant idea, Helen! Please wait till I'm back from USA, as I'd love to try this. Back on 14th :D
Nick
I hope you've arranged someone to look after the orchids while you're away ;) ;) ;)
Yes Pat, my friend Julia is house sitting, looking after the orchids, the 3 cats, 8 chickens, 3 geese and 2 ducks. She's brilliant, a good friend! :D :D
We're just about to leave for the airport! :D :D :D
Nick
CIM (was) my all time fav glass to work with until I found out about all the ltd runs! I and most of my customers loved my beads made with CIM crocus, now I can't get any more and I'm so p......ed off that I refuse to buy any more CIM glass, I didn't even realise crocus was ltd run, lost without it :/
Kizzy
errrrrm....crocus isn't a ltd run ??? It's just extortionately expensive! (but worth every penny!)
More new colours up on the CiM website...
http://www.creationismessy.com/preview.aspx (http://www.creationismessy.com/preview.aspx)
Crocus is just not available. Martin was saying today he adds it to his order every time and it never arrives. One day, maybe.
I have to admit I've completely gone off CIM now, I just cannot be doing with all the Ltd Runs that are 1 shade different from the last lot. They'd have to come out with something really smashingly different now for me to part with my money.
This is a very interesting thread.
I find it refreshing that CIM is experimenting with their glass on such a large scale, and they have produced some marvellous colours. Ok - some of them are very close to their standard colours and so there should be more clarity there. But...The jadeite colour palette in particular is so delicious and it is hard to obtain similar colours from Effetre, who are producing limited runs themselves and I wonder if it is because CIM has set a precedent?
It would be a shame if we judged them too harshly and effectively put them out of business by not buying and investing in their glass. I think that we would lose out too.
Being something of a cynic, I have always assumed that these Limited runs started out as failed batches of the standard colours - originally called Unique XXXXX . . . . . hence why the colours were so close. They were sold at a lower price than the standards.
Now I think CIM may be deliberately creating them to exploit the market for limited availability product at a higher price. I can't say I blame them - for the moment at least it seems like a sound business model.
I have two niggles with CIM, the first being we get a large number of these ltd runs (which rarely interest me unless they are retired production colours) yet, as in the case of crocus, poseidon and a few others, the supposed regular production colours are out of stock for months on end, the second being, of the last release of "new" production colours a couple were very swiftly retired to being ltd :-\
How odd, when I called to order more crocus from tuffnells I was informed it was discontinued! I can't think why they told me that..... They no longer have it on their CIM page, will have to investigate as i'ed love to get a hold of more... Down to my last 3 rods.
Another thing about CIM is the price of the pinks, coming from a fusing background I always though red glass to be the most expensive to produce as gold was needed to make it....maybe gold is in pinks but would have thought more was in the reds.... Hummm interesting.
I presume CIM are having the same problem as Effetre and can't get the rare earth minerals that the colours are based on. The next thing we're going to see sky rocket in price will be the ACE/Diddy glasses - they use the same minerals Praseodymium and Neodymium.
China control the mines and have been increasing taxes and trying to stop illegal mines over the last few years - it's everywhere but no one else seemed to think it was worth the effort to mine. http://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/jun/19/rare-earth-minerals-china (http://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/jun/19/rare-earth-minerals-china)
Is there a perfect company .... No
I'm a big fan of CiM .... They listen to their customers ... I've emailed Kathy many times and she's taken my comments on board. They share information about colours and invite people to send in pictures of their work. If I've had any issues I've again contacted Kathy direct and she's helped to resolve them.
They're forefront in bringing out new colours that we all crave .. we don't have to buy them (I know!! LOL) but there is the choice!!
Ok so sometimes it doesn't work out right .. we all have that problem. So maybe they do brand the batches that come out differently as ltd run and sell it ..... why not, it makes sense to me .. and at least they are telling you it's a limited run so you know.
Dark lavender you can't get for love nor money ... have effetre bothered making more .. no but CiM did .. and I know it costs more .. all credit to CiM for taking the chance .... They could make it an no one buys it ... so it's a risk.
So before you knock them .. can you say the same things about other glass manufacturers??
beautifully put Trudi.
I wish they'd managed to make more Linen.... I just love that colour