Need some input on an idea I have....

[Captured Light Glass]

My Daughters both attend music school and my 8 year old is in Guitar and my 6 year old is in Piano.

I want to make a set of beads for each teacher that is simple in shape (probably a tab) that has a single musical note on each one. I will probably do 6 of each and them comprise a simple bracelet for each teacher with some silver components.

I am struggling with colors and this is where I could use the input. I am thinking just white with the notes in black but it seems rather stark to me. I would like to do something a little more ornate so that they are truly different in texture and visual appeal.

I have not had time to get behind the torch to do some test beads but will this weekend so your input is much appreciated.

[Captured Light Glass]

Wow - 25 views and not a comment? Is it that bad of an idea?

[Paco]

Michele,
Black and white can be very eye catching. Take a look at Anasatsia's post in yesterday's gallery. Very striking!! You could also add dots of red or any other contrasting color, or rim the tabs in a contrasting color or multiple colors. Hope that helps.
Dinah

[Captured Light Glass]

Thank you Dinah and I like the idea of rimming - I really appreciate your input and I did see Anastasia's and they are stunning....

[LyndaJ]

I've been thinking of the same sort of gift for our music teacher. I was contemplating grey/white/black base with contrasting grey/white/black enamel and then a contrasting note or treble clef stringer design.

Or you could use ivory with silver foil for the base bead with black stringer, or even a base bead of some of the silver glass with black or white stringer.

As you can see, I haven't decided yet :)

[bilbenglass]

Perhaps a faded arrangement. Pardon my primitive drawing.
96863 96864
The fade could even be just a band around the center. If not, then a well melted-in dot would give the sunburst type effect. As long as the note was not constrained by the dot it would look great. Any set of colors would work at that point.

[Captured Light Glass]

Nice Bilben and that could even be achieved with some enamel too. Love that!

Lynda, I really like the idea of silvered ivory and perhaps even turquoise on ivory to get the outline around the note.

I am definitely going to do the Trebel Clef and Breve, Minim, Crotchet, Quaver and a beamed note and of course a Release Pedal for the Piano teacher. I don't think I could tackle the Engage Pedal though - that one scares me!

See, you guys have me thinking now - thank you!

[swamper]

Way cool!

[LyndaJ]

You know, I bet thin (5 lines wide) strips of mesh, partially melted in would give you a staff appearace for a background, too!

[Captured Light Glass]

You kow what else would be cool Lynda is to take some silver wire and partially melt in (thicker gauge) and then do the note so it looks like a part of sheet music?

[valerie_folly]

please show - your trials and finals......looking forward to seeing what you come up with!!

[Captured Light Glass]

Will do Valerie and I plan on playing tomorrow night so should have something to show Thursday...

[artwhim]

Michele, do you like playing with silver glass? Reduced Botero or Gaia would be an interesting background for the black notes. They both have a lovely slightly metallic sheen also.

Are your daughters in college? My oldest is a music major too at St. Olaf. Perhaps that's in your neck of the woods.

[glasshouse]

That's a neat idea. I think you could also use Jen Geldard's rainbow ribbon tutorial (http://www.glassgirl.com/rainbowdemo.htm)- maybe not use rainbow colors but if you used clear in between each color you could make the 5 lines (sorry don't know the musical name) with the ribbon behind the notes like bilbenglass' first picture.

Hope that makes sense. I'm sure whatever you end up doing will be pretty. Post pictures before you deliver the gifts!

:) Kelly

[Captured Light Glass]

Kathy - No, they are almost 6 and 8 but I do have a Son in College, actually Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School and I have 1 Grandson and a Grandaughter due to arrive any day now. I do LOVE Silver glass and I have some Precision Test rods and one that is a nice metallic sheen that was a protype for TerraLuna, I may use that for the note with a contrasting background. I need to pull rods tonight and see what I want to play with.

Kelly - I like the idea of the rainbow for the lines too and may give that a go.

I will post the results of the torch time tonight and wish me luck!

[Captured Light Glass]

I got to play last night and will take pics when I get home this evening. I ended up using quite a bit of silver glass such as Davinci and Waterfall for the "organic" teacher with a base note in Intense Black. For the "Victorian" teacher I then did Dark Pink with Ink blue swirled together and another base note in Intense Black.

These are just test beads and I will do some more playing over the weekend hopefully. We are loading the semi trailer to move Saturday so it all depends on what we can get done before I can torch.

I do have to say that some wonderful focals were produced from my mistakes and I am wery very proud of one that is quite baroque in style. I will share pics later tonight...

Thank you again everyone for your wonderful input!

[Captured Light Glass]

Ok, here are the test beads... I have some more playing to do...

http://www.heavenandearthessentials.com/note1.jpg
http://www.heavenandearthessentials.com/note2.jpg

[scoutycat]

The note seems to be getting lost in the background a bit, or is that just the pic? Maybe outlining it in a different color by drawing it in a contrasting color 1st, then drawing your black note on top would make it stand out more?

[Captured Light Glass]

Agreed completely Scouty and as mentioned I have more work to do. I am going to go with a pastel background layered for depth instead and hopefully that will allow the note to stand out more.

I also need to play some more with other notes too but found that these are not easy to do so I have the weekend to PPP and I have to have them done by Monday so we shall see...

[bilbenglass]

Thanks for posting your work-in-progress. They already look great. Nice job! Can't wait to see the finished product.

[theglasszone]

Wow, looking great!!! I do agree, though, that your note gets a bit lost in the background - but your stringer control is really looking awesome! I think the silver wire idea is also a good one - and turquoise on ivory, BAM!!!! Cant' want to see what else you come up with...I really love this idea, Michele. I know your girls will, too!

DeAnne in CA

[Captured Light Glass]

Thanks DeAnne and I am going to mess with the Ivory and Turquoise tonight and this will probably be my last night of torching before the move so I plan on getting them done if they kill me.

You have a good weekend and I will call you when we get settled ok?

[LyndaJ]

Here's what I went with

97919

97918

97917