Nuggets To You

[Despo Debs]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/53915598@N06/5093725088/

So there it is, not a nugget in the true since of the word, as this was a mead? (nope, that's something you drink, if you're lucky and can drink Al-cu-ma-whole, I'm allergic to it, it brings be out in toilets!) bead i tried to marver.
The colouring is some what on the Welsh side, in fact it could be a plume of fire and smoke exuding from a rather patriotic Welsh dragon, yes that's exactly what it is, and we'll call it a Mead-Bead why?  i have no idea !

Think the husbanding is getting a little agitated, as whilst i was beavering away in our "breakfast Room" (ahem, shack on side of house, lovely shack mind) he came into the kitchen, which, whilst I'm stat at my "artist station",
is located behind me.  From behind me, whilst I'm trying to be creative at the tail end of what looks, sounds and feels like the next Apollo mission he decides to try and have a conversation with me, well more a,
"I can't work this calculator, the instruction's are in alien", whimper
No responce from me, I'm on my mission.
"I don't think I'm going to pass this (bad word ending king) exam, it's all too much, it's the hardest electrical exam there is"
still on my mission, but feeling slightly prickly because husband clearly has NO, idea, what I'm trying to achieve here, AND, that it takes ALL, of my consentration.
"I'm going to fail" .......
"RIGHT, ALL RIGHT", very bad moo-ded woman now turns of her flame and goes to help husband read his bloomin scientific bloomin blasted calculator manual......

And this morning I presented him with Whot i was so intent on making. My first attempts at heart shapes in a bead. (it's our 7th anniversary and my 43'rd in the morning, where have the years gone? And do you know what, I forgot to have kids too, yippee )
The best one, which he did end up with, cracked, a little like I often do, when I'm being disturbed.........

One serious thing, those rods that are clear, but turn a darker colour once you heat-cool-heat them, the pink and lilac ones, i couldn't get them to strike ?
Is there any way of telling whilst they are in their un-heated state, if they are these striking robs?

(you know, one day I'll look back on these posts and weep!!!)
off down to my Mumbo's for a few days rest,
Take Care
love and peace
Despo Debs
from Planet LoonA

[helbels]

Hiya,  Well I like the colours on your nugget, they are fab.  With regard to making hearts, just make a plain dot on the bead, then with a pokey tool drag one end of it into a point (gently gently), and then using the same pokey tool, push the glass at the top of the dot in a bit, to create the indent in the top of the heart.  Not sure if that made any sense....

The most important thing is that you are having fun - just keep practice, practice, practicing and it WILL come!

[Despo Debs]

Thank you helbels -x-
Your work is beautiful, i feel a little foolish with my attempts, and i get more than a little frustrated with the Hot head being so slow, but also feel it's probably for the best, to slow me down and make me see what's going on.

[MadelineBunyan]

Very Welsh indeed!

you got that red to come out nicely, it can sometimes come out a bit on the brown/burgundy side

about the strikers, I've never heard of a way of telling when unheated, but I've never come across a lilac rod that strikes (except fancy silver glass ones, and that wouldn't be in your starter pack!)

as for the pink, there is a transparent pale pink(not a striker), that when cold, looks exactly the same as a colour called gold pink(which is a striker) however, gold pink strikes very easily

so you may well have plain ol' transparent colours there,of the 'what you see is pretty much what youre gonna get' variety. which can be nice for encasing and stuff.