Simple Spacers - Practicing The Technique of Consistency

From time to time, I enjoy sitting down at the torch and spending time making spacers.
It is important sometimes to completely clear the mind and focus on making groups of spacers to test my consistency in "putting glass to mandrel". Along with experimenting with new glasses, practice is important in glass bead making skills. Check out some examples I am sharing with you in this post.
The measurement of each set is noted below as measuring each bead hole to hole on 1/16mm mandrels.

CiM's Niagara Misty is a new color for 2023. It is described as a slightly bluish teal misty opal. Such a beautiful color and the glass melted smoothly in each bead. 

 

 

It was the last of a rod of my test glass, so only 5 rounds in this set of spacers ranging from 6.8mm to 7.9mm.

 

 

CiM Sangre is a dense and saturated bright striking transparent red that melts beautifully and strikes consistently.

 

This set of 21 round spacers has beads that range in size from 6.2mm to 9mm.

 

 CiM Howlite Ltd Run is an opaque ivory with pale blue streamers. For those familiar with the CiM color palette, this glass is a combination of CiM Buttermilk formula with CiM Midnight blue streamers. 

 

 

The striations are very subtle in the finished bead in this set of 11 rounds ranging from 7.4mm to 8.8mm.

 

 

Finally, CiM Elegance Ltd Run, a true bubble gum pink that opacifies as you work it. This was a color introduced in the 2022 release. The rod itself was transparent so it was a surprise to open the kiln to find opaque beads the first time I tested it. Click here how I control tested it.

 

I personally like the bubble gum result in these 9 round spacers. They are bright and cheerful for any "pretty in pink" jewelry design. These measure 6.3mm to 7.8mm.

 

As always, I suggest you reach out to Nortel to place you glass orders. They carry an extensive selection of CiM glass as well as Double Helix, Riley Dichro and glass frit.

#creationismessy
#cimglass
#cimsangre
#cimelegance
#cimhowlite
#cimniagaramisty
#nortel
#pendragonfyre
#handmade
#handmadeincanada
@creationismessy
@nortel_glassgirl

Follow-up Testing of CiM - Creation Is Messy 2022 - Elegance Ltd Run

In my last post, I mentioned my challenge in testing CiM's new pink - Elegance Ltd Run.
In the set of beads where I used layering with silver glass and Super Clear, the glass turned an opaque pastel pink rather than staying opalescent.
I noticed that even in the spacer beads with no silver glass, the solid opaque pink was still the result.

I decided to complete a controlled experiment. 

Here are my steps and results:

- I have 2 kilns running when I am making beads. Both are started at the same time and beads with silver glass are placed in my right hand kiln leaving the left side kiln for non silver glass beads.
At the end of my day, I created two sets of spacers made from CiM Elegance. 

• Each were made within 5 min of each other. 
• One mandrel of 3 was placed in the right hand kiln, the other mandrel of 3 spacers in the left kiln.
  

- Both kilns were ramped down at the same rate and durations.

• - The spacers placed in the kiln with other silver glass beads turned opaque.
• - The spacers in the "non-silver glass" environment kiln remained translucent. 
  

Coincidence or does exposed silver glass create a kiln environment that change opacity of a glass?

A little mystery that may need more testing...for this beautiful precious pink!

#creationismessy
#cimglass
#cimtesting
#cimelegance
#cimnewcolors
#cimglass2022
#nortel
#vdoublehelixglass
#pendragonfyre
@creationismessy
@nortel_glassgirl

CiM - Creation Is Messy 2022 Color - Elegance Ltd Run

Glass beadmakers are always on the hunt for a new pink - everything from a pale rose to a hot bubblegum pink. The ingredients to create a pink glass are pricey so each time a new pink comes out for testing it causes me a bit of anxiety to ensure that I am properly handling the glass for optimal testing results.

My "thing" is to test with silver glass, most notably Double Helix, so I embarked on creating this set of beads with high hopes.

CiM's Elegance Ltd Run is described as an opalescent pink. Yikes... Will I be able to maintain the opalescence?
I consulted with the CiM Testing team and found that some were successful in maintaining the glass quality and translucency while others appeared to create more opaque pink beads.

 

 

This set of crystal and round shapes are the result of my tests.

 

 

Layers of CiM Elegance, Effete Super Clear, Double Helix Aurae, 99% silver wire with a final encasement of Super Clear was shaped in to crystal and round beads.

 

Was it the shaping of the beads that caused the pink glass to turn opaque?
I definitely need to come to a better experiment and hypothesis on this new pink glass.

Stay tuned for my next post for more details.


#creationismessy
#cimglass
#cimtesting
#cimelegance
#cimnewcolors
#cimglass2022
#nortel
#vdoublehelixglass
#pendragonfyre
@creationismessy
@nortel_glassgirl