Glitter - A Little Goes A Long Way - Sharing New Experiments

In my last post, I shared my initial testing of a few of Lori Riley's dichroic strips.

On her site she describes these as "premium dichroic strips are fused and ready for flame. These prefused dichroic strips help prevent scumming and are much easier to use."

I was also blessed with some Lumiere Lusters glitters that I have only started to experiment with.

I wanted to share a few more focal beads that combined some various new glasses that I am trying out from Double Helix Glassworks with these various glittery treats!

First up, these two focal were created over a clear base with encased layers of Double Helix Oracle Violet Opal (I am not certain which one I have, but click here to review them)

Streams of Double Helix rare silver glass known as BE-462 Purple Luster was added along with Dots of Riley Dichroic Pink & Teal Crinkle strip. 

A final encasement of Double Helix Zephyr completely the bead before the final shaping.

These would be lovely pendants.


This next bead was created on a base of CiM - Creation Is Messy's Maroon, a dense maroon red. Streams of Riley Dichroic Pink Teal Crinkle and Double Helix TC663 test glass. 

Zephyr clear encasement was added to capture the glitter and the mother of pearl luster of the silver infused glass.

Finally, just a couple of first tries at adding Lumiere Luster's Ion Opal glitter to a simple bead base of CiM’s Midnight. 

This glitter is much easier to manage than the pixie dust of the "old days" of my lampworking beginnings.

I look forward to testing and trying to find the best way to use this glitter to it's best potential without adding any burnout or scumming that sometimes results from working the bead with too much heat.

Nortel Glass in Toronto has a wonderful selection of these little treasures, so definitely contact Jean or Jennifer to purchase some for your next bead making session!

#creationismessy
#cimglass
#cimmaroon
#rileydichroic
#lumierelusters
#nortel
#doublehelixglass
#pendragonfyre
@creationismessy
@nortel_glassgirl

Why have I never tried Dichroic glass strips before?

On my visit to Nortel back in October, I was blessed with a couple of strips of dichroic glass to experiment with.

These strips of sparkly goodness are the creation of Lori Riley Designs. 

On her site she describes these as "premium dichroic strips are fused and ready for flame. These perfused dichroic strips help prevent scumming and are much easier to use."
They are easy to apply and I have a fun time creating the focal beads in this post, trying out a different one on each bead.

Nortel Glass in Toronto has a wonderful selection of these little treasures, so definitely contact Jean or Jennifer to purchase some for your next bead making session!

All of the beads were created with CiM - Creation Is Messy's Midnight Ltd Run, a dense transparent that color shifts between purple in daylight and navy blue in fluorescent light.
For each of my beads, I feel that the base glass appears more as a black. 
Midnight is a great base for silver glass as well, so I added a few streams of it in each bead as well as I really couldn't resist!

First up.
A base of CiM Midnight with melted Violet dichroic strip and streams of Double Helix Melia 2015. The bead was encased with Effetre Super Clear and hand shaped into the round barrel bead.
The ends of this 35.6mm long bead were decorated with Melia and reduced to a shiny metallic finish.



This 29mm long round barrel focal bead combined Riley's Dichroic strip simply named G/Magenta Crinkle and reams of rare Double Helix KA 357 on the base of CiM Midnight.
The bead was fully enacsed in Effetre Super Clear.

Riley's Dichroic strip named RBA GN Magenta Blue and Double Helix Psyche glass were streams on CiM Midnight. This handformed barrel focal measures 36mm after fully encased in Effetre Super Clear.

Last but certainly not least...

CiM Midnight excelled as the base for Riley Dichroic Aurora C/DK Red and Double Helix Elpis silver glass. This round barrel focal is 34mm long after being encased in Effetre Super Clear and handformed.

Aren't they so pretty and so different?

I recommend trying something new is a great way to finish out 2022 and expand your beadmaking horizons for 2023.

Next post will explore a few more glittery beads that I recently created.

Til next time,
Darlene

In this blog post, I am revisiting CiM - Creation Is Messy’s glass named Glycerin, an off-white milky opal.

This set of zulu shaped beads was created with a base of Glycerin with a sprinkling of Glass Diversions Sugar Plum Fairy glass frit. 

This glass frit mix is described as "Forest green paired with several shades of pink and a hint of sparkliness". I believe it is green adventurine that gives the sparkles which were difficult to properly photograph.

I noticed with Glycerin in this set took on the hue of the pink glasses in the frit.

Next up this mini set of Goddess bumpy beads started with the base of Glycerin Ltd Run.

Layered dots of Double Helix glasses of their gold pink, Eros, and Clio Dark silver glass. 

Clear portal dots of  Double Helix Zephyr were added to capture the stormed reaction of the silver glass.

Dots of Double Helix Eros complete each bead.

Note how the silver glass fumed the Glycerin glass with a golden hue.

#creationismessy
#cimglass
#cimglycerin
#glassdiversionsfrit
#nortel
#doublehelixglass
#pendragonfyre
@creationismessy
@nortel_glassgirl

CiM - Creation Messy Color Tests for new Goddess Bumpy Beads

Today's post is sharing a couple of mini sets of my "bumpy" Goddess beads as I was testing out some other color combinations.

Starting on a base of CiM - Creation Is Messy's Lady of The Lake glass, I layered dots of CiM's Birchwood Ltd Run, a creamy opaque ivory with silver, CiM Barrier Reef Ltd Run, a transparent teal, and Double Helix Melia 2 silver infused glass.

Clear portal dots of  Double Helix Zephyr were added to capture the stormed reaction of the silver glass.

                                   

Dots of Double Helix Melia 2 complete each bead.

This mini set of Goddess bumpy beads used CiM - Creation Is Messy's deep dense red Maroon Ltd Run.
Layered dots of CiM's Birchwood Ltd Run, CiM's rare Black Currant Ltd Run purple, and Double Helix rare unnamed silver glass coded as BE-462.

Clear portal dots of  Double Helix Zephyr were added to capture the stormed reaction of the silver glass.

Dots of CiM's Black Currant complete each bead.

Although the CiM site notes Black Currant as SOLD OUT, it is always a good idea to check in with Jean and Jennifer at Nortel to check their "archive".

#creationismessy
#cimglass
#cimladyofthelake
#cimmaroon
#cimblackcurrant
#nortel
#doublehelixglass
#pendragonfyre
@creationismessy
@nortel_glassgirl

A Few Bits and Bobs of Beads - Varieties of Glass Combinations

This blog post is a bit of this and that. 😊

A few glass experiments that I completed in a studio session testing out combinations of glass.

First up, a glass frit set created with a combination of CiM - Creation Is Messy's opaque green named Primavera and Val Cox Songbird frit.

I really like Primavera as a base glass. It melts so smoothly and allows each bead to be shaped quickly and allows the glass frit to flow into unique patterns.

The flat tab bead shows for comparison the base of Primavera against the frit patterning.

This focal bead was my experiment with CiM’s Eden, a extremely dense pine green transparent with added adventurine. I started with a clear core and encased it with Eden as I was hoping that the sparkle of the aventurine would be more evident.

The resulting bead is still very dark green and the sparkle was difficult to truly capture with the camera.

The flower petals were created with layers of CiM’s rare Ra, Double Helix Chloe and capped with Double Helix clear Zephyr. Dots of DH OX-376 complete the bead.

                        

The final set to share today is a revisit back to Effetre glass. 
I must admit that I am a CiM - Creation Is Messy bead maker of which 90% of my beads are made. I love the color palettes that produce true tones and quality of the glass.

Effetre glass is still beautiful quality, it just needs more experimentation to consistently produce the results that I expect.

This set of tile beads was created with 2 Effetre glasses as it’s base, Pistachio 415 and Avorio Pervinca 296. Both glasses have striations that produce a more rustic natural look in the finished beads.

The centre twisted stripe of each bead is a Double Helix silver glass tagged as Terranova 2021.

The silver glass produced tones of blues with just a touch of silver fuming in the kiln.

All the glasses used in this post are ready and available at Nortel Glass in Toronto. Reach out to  them to order these affordable options for your glass bead making!
Til next time,
D.

#creationismessy
#cimglass
#cimprimavera
#effetrepistachio
#effetreivoriapervinca
#valcoxfrit
#nortel
#doublehelixglass
@creationismessy
@nortel_glassgirl

Sharing Favorite Bead Styles - Goddess Portal Beads

One of my favourite style of beads to make is what I have named my Goddess Beads. 

Way back starting in 2010, I had a series of beads with unique combinations of glasses within the style of these “bumpy” portal beads. 

Each set was a unique combination of glasses with silver glass portals captured under clear bubbles each named after a Goddess name.
You can see these sets on my blog searching under the Goddess category or following this link.

I have recently revisited this style again out of the sheer pleasure of creating them.
This post highlights 2 new sets created recently.

This first set started on a base of CiM - Creation Is Messy’s Limelight, a light transparent green that is beautifully fresh green tone.

Layers of CiM’s Ra, a rare creamy opaque yellow laden with silver, and Eden, a dense transparent pine green with aventurine, were placed and capped with Double Helix silver glass named Chloe. 

The silver glass was stormed and reduced and captured under clear portals of Double Helix Zephyr.

The Chloe silver glass is a speckled silver glass that when reduced brings out various speckled mother of pearl reactions in shades of yellows, blues, pinks and purples.

To complete each bead, dots of silver infused OX-376 was added and reduced to a metallic shine.

Below, is a set of 3 Goddess beads started with a base of CiM’s Maroon, a dense maroon red.

I have created several other sets of beads with this glass and they are highlights on CiM’s website. This glass loves silver so it was a natural to try it out with the Goddess style.

Starting on a base of this glass, I layered dots of CiM’s Painted Hill, an opaque yellow, and CiM’s rare Black Currant, a very dark transparent purple that appears almost black . 

For silver glass, I used some rare TAG Golden Emerald from my archive stash. It is a great glass to storm and create various hues from blues to pinks. 

Unfortunately, Trautman Art Glass (TAG) appears to no longer be in business, so I will cherish and hoard my stash as a result.

If you are seeking out this glass, check with Nortel in Toronto or google suppliers in the USA.

Clear portal dots of Effetre clear were added to capture the stormed reaction of the silver glass.

Dots of Double Helix Hyperion complete each bead with hues of purples and blues.

#creationismessy
#cimglass
#cimlimelight

#cimeden
#cimmaroon
#cimblackcurrant
#cimra
#cimpaintedhills
#nortel
#doublehelixglass
@creationismessy
@nortel_glassgirl

CiM - Creation Is Messy 2022 Color - Lake Baikal Ltd Run - A Revisit

Creation Is Messy’s 2022 Lake Baikal Ltd Run is a transparent blue with subtle lavender wisps.

I fell in love with this glass during my spring glass testing and was so excited to pick up some rods of it on a recent visit to Nortel in Toronto. 

First up, a small set of Goddess beads.
I had previously tested CiM’s Birchwood Ltd Run for its friendliness to other silver glasses, so it was fitting to create my Goddess beads to test how Lake Baikal would behave with layered portals.

Starting on a base of this glass, I layered dots of CiM Birchwood, CiM’s extremely dark blue Indigo , CiM’s Jetstream transparent blue. I used some Double Helix test glass named SR859 and reduced it. 

Clear portal dots of Effetre clear were added to capture the stormed reaction of the silver glass producing streams of blues.

Dots of Double Helix Elpis complete each bead.

Next up, a set of tapered flat focal beads.

This set of beads started with Lake Baikal with ends of CiM’s transparent blue named Jetstream.

I wrapped 99% fine silver wire over the centres and encased it with Effetre Clear glass to allow the silver to melt to droplets and protect the surface of each bead.

These would be beautiful together in a necklace or made into separate drop pendants.

The CiM - Creation Is Messy website shows Jetstream and Indigo as Sold Out, so contact Nortel as they may have some in stock. 

#creationismessy
#cimglass
#cimlakebaikal

#cimbirchwood

#cimindigo
#cimjetstream
#cimglass2022
#nortel
#doublehelixglass
@creationismessy
@nortel_glassgirl

A Study of Pinks and Purple Tones - CiM - Creation Is Messy Limited Runs

 In this blog post, I am revisiting a few pinks and purple CiM - Creation Is Messy glass offerings.

CiM’s Inca Rose Ltd Run is a cloudy pale transparent pink in CiM’s  offerings of limited runs.
This set of zulu shaped beads was created with a base of Inca Rose with a sprinkling of Val Cox’s Songbird frit.

As with other cloudy transparent, I preheated the rod to reduce the stockiness and allowed the glass to melt smoothly.
The bead on the end shows the Inca Rose base color for comparison.

CiM’s Rosaline Pink Ltd Run is cloudy transparent pale pink that is a nice neutral glass with pink tones. I have used it in the past and despite it’s stockiness, I was pleased with the resulting color as a base for frit beads.

This set of tile beads combined Rosaline Pink with Val Cox Moonflower frit. The plain bead provides the comparison of the base glass.

Finally, CiM’s Yours Truly Ltd Run is a pinkish purple transparent with a wide variety of color results, depending on your working atmosphere. 

For my set of frit beads, I used Val Cox’s Oleander frit. This is a beautiful blend of gold pinks transparent and translucent frits, with an accent of spring green. 

As a result, I see the base CiM Glass in more pink tones than purple. These photos were taken under an OTT light for the most natural tones.

Although the CiM - Creation Is Messy website shows Rosaline Pink as Sold Out, it is still available through Nortel Glass in Toronto.
Reach out to Jennifer or Jean at Nortel as they  still have stock of some of Val Cox frit used on these beads that may not be available from Val's site directly.

Be quick as some stock is low and going quick.

#creationismessy
#cimglass
#cimrosalinepink
#cimyourstruly
#cimincarose
#nortel
#ValCoxfrit
@creationismessy
@nortel_glassgirl