Butterfly and/or "Wild"flower tutorial?

[Carlabeads]

I'm kicking around the idea of doing a tut for my butterfly bead or my "wild"flower bead (or both if there's enough interest).

I just want to know if there IS any interest. So... should I do it? I promise I won't be offended if the answer is no. I just want to get an idea of interest before I start working on it.

Oh - here's a pic of both of them in case you need a visual. :)

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[Ever After]

I think Both are beautiful!

[pierces*designs]

Butterfly!!

[ekkc]

Yes to both! I have admired your wildflower since I first saw it. It is gorgeous!

[rosebud101]

Yes to both!

[beadworkstudio]

Yes, and yes! I've wondered how you did the decorations on the petals of the wildflower.

[debkauz]

Yes to both.

[Jenfire]

YES PLEASE to both
Jen

[swamper]

Butterfly - yeah!

[Sarabella]

Butterfly!!! please.

Sals

[chrissij]

I'm gonna' be so tutorial poor...

[rkoza]

YES to both, they're awesome!!!

[Karen Hardy]

YES!
You need extra spending money for Glass Stock.
And you will need to buy me drinks while you are here.
:lol:.

[theglasszone]

Mrs. Depp, I mean Carla~~~

Both beads are just gorgeous, but I must say I've admired your Wild Flower Bead design for a long time!!! When at the GlassCraft show in Vegas in April, the second I saw the Wild Flower around your neck, I instantly knew who YOU were! I'd love to see a tut for this, but I have a couple quick questions/suggestions:

1. I think each artist has every right to charge whatever they feel is appropriate for their particular well of information; nevertheless, it seems that the more "affordable" the tut is, the more sales you stand to make. I'm not daring to TELL you how to price this, just making a suggestion;

2. If there are particular tools that are necessary to accomplish your finished bead - i.e., petal puller, hot plate or warmer, or a certain level of torch (for example, is this possible to be made on a Hot Head?), I feel it is especially important to post this information in the "listing" of the tutorial so a potential buyer/lampworker can decide for themselves if they "have what it takes" (equipment and skill wise, that is!) to accomplish what the tutorial sets out to teach BEFORE purchasing it.

These issues as well as some interesting perspectives and suggestions are coming to light thanks to a thread posted in the "Tips, Techniques" Section of our forum by Martina: "Tutorial Selling Mania?"

All that being said (and from a personal perspective) I think your Wild Flower Tutorial would be especially well accepted!

Good luck Carla!

~DeAnne

[bluecatbeads]

I want it. Very very much. I like the idea of a cohesive collection of animal prints tutorial also... hint hint. :D The info you helped me with was very valuable.

[josielv]

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Elleth]

Both please! [-o<

[BeadMaven]

I'd love to see both too!

[Celtic Echo Designs]

WooooHooooo!! Both of 'em would be great!

~Triscia

[Wiley]

Flower please! Your butterfly is also beautiful!

[Over the Moon]

ABSOLUTELY yes to both! :grin::love:

[Parrotise]

Yes to both! I've always admired your beads!

[simvet02]

Both please.

[marilyn h]

Yes, I think both are wonderful.

[Carlabeads]

OK, well I guess this means i'm going to get started on a tutorial! :) I want to make sure it's as user-friendly as possible, but I also want it to be nice to look at, so i'm going to have to figure out the best way to write it. If anyone has any specific requests, or suggestions on how I can make it a great tutorial, I would love to hear them.

[debkauz]

I think one of the threads had some ideas in it. Have great pictures but not a lot of other big color stuff that needs to be printed out. Takes a LOT of ink. I've got most of the tuts so far and have gone through an entire color cartridge and close to 3/4 of a black. That adds a lot to the price of the tuts. I need to just pop them in the thumb drive and go to get them printed but I want them NOW.
I love the look of the eBook that Sarah did. Very professionally done. That said, I don't really care as long as I get the information and can read it. LOL If you plan on selling them elsewhere I think I'd recommend it though.

[artic^wolf]

I'm very interested in buying tutorials, especially yours Carla. I have to admit I'm a bit confused as to what I'm buying, I want to be able to get it printed professionally so I can take it to look at while torching (no computer next to my torch) seems some you can and some you can't. My printer isn't going to give me the results I want. I would be willing to buy a cd with an authorization to print one copy or something tangible like that.
I worry about spending alot of money and losing the info. I wonder if anyone else would be willing to buy a cd with the tut on it.

I also love the lulu thingy, the option to have it printed and sent seems great. Like a book I can refer back to as I would like.

Can't wait for the butterfly, I'm buying that one right up :)

[giovanna figari]

i just can't wait to see your tut. thanx a lot for sharing.
(both of them).
giovanna

[bellavistaglass]

I think both would be terrific!
Pat

[Carlabeads]

OK guys... just an update.

I am hoping to have the first tutorial (I decided to do the Wildflower first) up by the end of the week. I'm going to be working on pictures and then putting the final draft together in the next couple of days. I will then start working on the butterfly. :)

[blueyez]

Seems like a bunch want both tuts. Just an idea, but may be consider combining the two into one (after you've finished both of them). That may save you some headaches. May be offer it both ways... Single purchase and double purchase? I dont know, just a thought :-)

[Carlabeads]

Hmm... that's a good idea.

I've been thinking about this all evening. I'm thinking that i'll go ahead and do BOTH tutorials and you can either buy one or the other OR if you buy both of them you'll get a break on the price.

Does that sound good?

[jana]

Yes and no.....that means we have to wait a little longer! :razz:

[blueyez]

Hmm... that's a good idea.

I've been thinking about this all evening. I'm thinking that i'll go ahead and do BOTH tutorials and you can either buy one or the other OR if you buy both of them you'll get a break on the price.

Does that sound good?

Yep!!!\\:D/

[Carlabeads]

LOL Jana!

I'm hoping to have them both done by Sunday... Say a prayer for me. :lol:

[Over the Moon]

[-o<[-o<[-o<[-o<[-o<:love:

[Carlabeads]

UPDATE -

BOTH tutorials will be ready this afternoon and up on Etsy! :) I will be offering a "two fer" deal if you purchase both tuts together, or you can purchase them seperately. :)

I'll post when I get them listed.

[theglasszone]

Waiting....

Stalking....

I love the way the Wildflower looks...

~De

[theglasszone]

PS...Sorry to be a pest, but I don't recall if you responded to my (sorry, yes - lengthy!) Question #2 in Post #14 above...about what tools (Petal Puller/size, torch type, hot plate, kiln), skill level, etc. we might need for the Wildflower beadie....

Just want to be ready!

~De

[Carlabeads]

LOL Sorry De!

I am about to put the tutorial up ANY MINUTE!

OK - as far as tools - I use a petal puller for both, but you can also use regular mashers (I have the kind that are like little pliers with the squares of stainless steel welded to the jaws - I think they're just called plier mashers).

I use a coffee mug warmer to keep the petals/wings warm before attaching to the base bead, but you can also put them in your kiln as long as you can get to it quickly and easily.

As far as torch - I have a Mini CC, but YOU CAN use a hot head for these! A hot head has a lot of radiant heat, which is actually good for both the flower and butterfly - the only trick with a hothead will be when you need to turn down the flame to a smaller point, but that isn't often, and it isn't critical that you use a pinpoint flame - it just makes things a bit easier.

I hope I answered your questions! OK... i'm off to Etsy - i'll let you know as SOON as they're up! :)

Thank you!!!

[Carlabeads]

BOTH TUTORIALS NOW AVAILABLE ON ETSY! YAAAAHOOOO! I am SO glad to be done with them! They were super fun to put together, but a LOT of work! Whew!

:)

[coyotesfamily]

yippee!! i was stalking....got mine :D :D :D

[josielv]

wahoo got mine too

[Carlabeads]

Thanks so much guys - sending all of them out now. :) Please let me know if you have any questions, and PLEASE post pictures of what you create!

[bellavistaglass]

Hi Carla, I'm so excited...I just ordered a set ...Too cool!
Thanks for all your hard work and good luck on your sales!
Cheers,
Patricia

[coyotesfamily]

oh carla! awesome job! so clear and concise and I can't wait to torch!!!!! awesome job on both :D :happy:

[Carlabeads]

Oh Sondra thank you so much! That really means a lot - I worried so much about it - hoping that I could make it easy to understand.

Please post pictures of what you create using them!

[pegz]

I just ordered this I can't wait!!!!

I have been struggling with butterflies and would like to make some for Beads of Courage, Thanks so much for doing this!

[Carlabeads]

Thanks so much, Peg - I just sent the tuts to you. A lot of people have told me they're going to use the butterfly tut for Beads of Courage butterflies - that is SO awesome! :)

[Tropical Heat]

I just ordered mine! I'm getting both!

[madelyn1]

Thanks, Carla! I ordered both and received them very quickly - they look awesome and I can't wait to try them!

Shirley

[rosebud101]

Carla, I finally absorbed enough information to attempt to make the flower and the butterfly. I made them very simply. I will post photos when they come out of their warm bath in the kiln. They are soaking now. Not the best, but they are okay. Maybe I should just call them unique! Soon.

[Carlabeads]

Oooh, Mallory - I can't WAIT to see! :)

[rosebud101]

I still need to take photos, but the flower is okay. I smudged the center a bit and didn't see it until I took it out of the kiln, but the poor butterfly, it lost one side of its wings. It's now a special needs butterfly. I'll post pictures either tonight or tomorrow.

[rosebud101]

All right. I know it needs more practice, but here are my first tries from your tuts, Carla!
Special Needs Butterfly
134453
She lost both wings on the same side.
The flower is mine, too. I messed up the center, but I don't mind. I like it.
134454
More practice needed. And you are right about making extra petals. I lost 3 of them. Now, we'll see what happens tomorrow.

[Carlabeads]

Oh wow Mallory - your flower is so pretty! I love the colors! What type of frit did you use?

You did a great job for your first butterfly! The body shape is perfect! Looks like you just didn't quite have the wings fully welded on to the body (which is really tricky to do, especially on the left side if you torch right handed...). You're off to a great start and i'm sure you'll be making fully capable butterflies in no time! :)

Thank you so much for posting your pics!

[Carlabeads]

Not sure if you guys saw the Sunday Show and Tell thread, so i'll post these pics here... there were a few people that wanted to see some other color combinations on the wings.

Raku/Intense black on Canyon De Chelly
134452

Ivory/Intense black on Nile green (alabastro), etched
134450

[rosebud101]

Wow! Carla, those are awesome! I am going to try the twisties today. The frit I used was homemade with my little nubs of glass. It was simply white. You are still the queen of butterflies and flowers! I'm looking to find some special twists to make your tut really mine. lol Not there yet and it maybe a while.

[rosebud101]

Carla, here are a couple more beads to show you. You are so right about heat control. This flower shows where I used a bit too much heat on the petals. It's better than yesterday, but more ppp is needed.
134706
Again, like yesterday, the bead release broke on the butterfly again. I couldn't finish the inside of the wings.
134707
134708

[jpulley]

Carla,

I ordered the special with both tutorials from the Lampworketc classifieds yesterday and have not hear from you. I paid through paypal and my email is janepulley@charter.net.

Jane

[Carlabeads]

Hey Jane - just sent them. I was at Glass Stock and had no internet access...(there was supposed to be internet access at the house I stayed at. :( ) I'm so sorry!

Carla

[Reenie]

I just posted this in another thread and I just had a "Duh" moment. I bought some dvd's for my store and was watching it tonite and Josh Mazet was one of the lampworkers featured in it...and so were you?
I had no idea and never, ever put the two together until just now!!
I'm so sorry lol
Your butterfly tuturial is fantastic by the way:-)

[Carlabeads]

LOL Reenie! We were there filming those episodes the same week last summer. He filmed his a couple of days after mine. Aimee (that's also her screen name here on le)was also there the same week doing lampwork buttons. :)

The butterfly I did in the video is a different butterfly (different technique...). I originally was making them the way I showed in the Vicki Payne show, but then figured out this technique...

So glad you like the tutorial!