StrikingColor Silver Glass

glassmaker · #1 2012-07-01, 2:03pm

Later this week I will be holding a sale on offspec glasses. These are experimental silver glasses that have compatibility issues, and/or may be more difficult than to strike than my regular silver glasses. The prices on the offspec glass will be substantially lower than my regular glass. Obviously, if not mixed with another glass, any compatibility issues a particular glass might have will be irrelevant.

Below are photos of a few sample beads made with some recent glasses (not the offspec glasses). Each of these beads was made with a single color of StrikingColor glass and not mixed with anything else. The color variations are due solely to the striking characteristics of each glass itself. More photos and info about some of these glasses can be found here.

CM6222

CM4252

SLA423

ACM5212

_

angelabernard · #2 2012-07-02, 8:03am

I have a question. The sale before last, I received a pound of BT400. I never did find what it looked like. Do you have a picture? Love your glass.

glassmaker · #3 2012-07-03, 7:19am

Hi Angela,

Here are some sample photos of BT400 beads:

Brad

angelabernard · #4 2012-07-03, 11:35am

WOW. Beautiful. Thank you for taking the time to post them for me. I would have tried the glass but it is too hot here right now. Ang

glassmaker · #5 2012-07-03, 3:48pm

Believe me, I can relate to "too hot". It was 105F here both days this past weekend and a "mild" 96 degrees today.

In fact, the upcoming offspec sale may happen later than I had planned because going into the shop to make sample beads for photos hasn't been terribly appealing to me the last few days. It will probably take place early next week instead of this week.

Brad

glassmaker · #6 2012-07-22, 12:14pm

Thought I would mention that I'll be teaching a short workshop at Flametree Glass in Roswell, Georgia on Saturday, August 11. In it I will be demoing how to utilize StrikingColor short/irregular cane to make shards, as well as how to apply the shards and strike the glass. I will also show how I get the various color effects in my beads using regular StrikingColor cane rather than shards.

Below are some sample beads that Maureen (co-owner of FlameTree Glass) and I made using the ACM5222 shards she has, on top of a few different 104 COE base glasses. (Although I don't sell shards myself, she talked me into making some for her and has them available for sale.)

Brad

P.S. No, I wasn't the one who named the workshop...

PaulaD · #7 2012-07-22, 12:25pm

Sigh. Waiting for the day that I can retire and get to some of these workshops!
Paula

glassmaker · #8 2012-07-22, 1:10pm

You can take some solace in the fact that this one is mainly for those in the Atlanta area Paula. Since it will only be 2 hours long it isn't really worth traveling far.

Brad

PaulaD · #9 2012-07-22, 1:46pm

But I would have if I didn't have a JOB!!!
Paula

glassmaker · #10 2012-07-26, 11:06am

For those who might be interested, there are a couple of pounds of CM6222 cane and a pound of ACM5222 short/irregular cane in the StrikingColor ArtFire shop right now. I've knocked $10 off the regular price of the CM6222 cane as a "prequel" to the upcoming sale (see below). Photos and descriptions of the CM6222 and ACM5222 are here.

I will also be holding the previously postponed StrikingColor offspec glass sale within the next week. Anyone who purchases any of the glass listed in the shop now and also purchases glass in the offspec sale will receive free shipping on their offspec order (USA only.)

I plan to have some sample photos of the offspec glasses posted tonight or tomorrow.

Thanks,
Brad

Elizabeth Beads · #11 2012-07-26, 3:32pm

Brad the ACM5222 isn't off-spec is it? I couldn't find any info about compatibility.

glassmaker · #12 2012-07-27, 1:09am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Beads

Brad the ACM5222 isn't off-spec is it? I couldn't find any info about compatibility.

The ACM5222 or CM6222 are both first quality glasses, which is why I decided to list what I have left of them before holding the offspec sale. I figured that was the easiest way to avoid confusion.

Brad

dilly53 · #13 2012-07-27, 9:18am

Hi, Brad,

Are you sending notifications regarding these glass sales to everyone on your mailing list? I didn't receive any info regarding the sale yesterday of the ACM5222 and CM6222. I know I'm signed up to receive notifications so am wondering if somehow I'm not getting the emails or if you are only giving out the sale info on LE. I just hate to miss a chance to grab some more of your great glass, and I have coveted to ACM5222 and am kicking myself for missing it! (see bruised ankles!)

.

Gail Witt
Pickadilly Beads

glassmaker · #14 2012-07-27, 10:46am

Hi Gail. I didn't notify the list about the ACM5222 and CM6222 because there were only a couple of pounds of each available. Past experience has shown that some people tend to get royally pissed off if they get an email that says there is glass available and then go to the shop to find it empty. So to save the headaches on both sides, if I only have a few pounds of glass to list I don't send a mailing, it only gets posted here. Which means the short version is no, there wasn't a mailing sent out about the glass I put in the shop last night. But yes, I will send a mailing to everyone about the offspec sale. The start of the sale will be on Tuesday night.

As far as the upcoming sale is concerned, there will be a decent quantity of offspec glass available, so once I have decided on the date and time I will send a notice to my mailing list.

Brad

glassmaker · #15 2012-07-27, 4:00pm

Some examples of glass that will be in the sale. All of these are solid Offspec5112c. Compatibility of this one is actually good. I'm calling it an offspec glass due to the color, which tends to be a bit light and a little too easy to wind up with a cream color. Aside from the cream color, this seems to mainly strike to a light fuschia, pale blue, or light to dark amber. Getting away from the cream color can sometimes take a little work.

I actually like it myself, but I'm not sure everyone will. And since I didn't make a ton of it I'm labeling it as offspec and including it in the sale.

RavenBraid · #16 2012-07-27, 6:48pm

PURPLES!!!! I love it!!!

glassmaker · #17 2012-07-29, 12:53pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by glassmaker

For those who might be interested, there are a couple of pounds of CM6222 cane and a pound of ACM5222 short/irregular cane in the StrikingColor ArtFire shop right now. I've knocked $10 off the regular price of the CM6222 cane as a "prequel" to the upcoming sale (see below). Photos and descriptions of the CM6222 and ACM5222 are here.
...(snip)

While working on the ArtFire listings for the upcoming offspec sale I realized that the sale price I mentioned above for the last of the CM6222 cane hadn't taken hold when I activated that listing the other day. It is corrected now.

Brad

glassmaker · #18 2012-07-30, 10:36am

The StrikingColor offspec sale will take place tomorrow (Tuesday) evening starting at approximately 9pm Eastern time in the StrikingColor Artfire store. There is a message currently being sent to the main StrikingColor mailing list about it that contains more details.

Later this afternoon I will post more sample photos of glasses that will be included in the sale.

Brad

glassmaker · #19 2012-07-30, 6:14pm

Well, I guess it is still afternoon for people on the west coast...

Here are a couple of beads made with OffSpec4022EC. This one tends to strike fairly dark and the compatibility with 104 glass is poor. On the other hand, it can give some good surface effects and webbing if handled right. Because of the compatibility issue, I strongly recommend using it alone rather than trying to mix it with another glass.

glassmaker · #20 2012-07-30, 6:29pm

This one is called OffSpec418C. While not really an offspec glass per se, it can be unpredictable and the color range is quite limited so I am going to rename it and include it in the sale. (It was previously called CLR418.) Compatibility is good. It is intended for use as decoration over dark base glass such as black, rather than being used alone. The photos below show it used over a base of Moretti/Effetre black.

If used alone it usually overstrikes quickly to an opaque tan/cream color and can be hard to "reset" to get it to strike again. But under the right circumstance it can give some very nice ghostly blues when used over a black background. I will post more photos of sample beads made with it tomorrow.

glassmaker · #21 2012-07-31, 9:36am

Another bead with OffSpec418C over Moretti/Effetre black:

glassmaker · #22 2012-07-31, 3:01pm

The glass description page for tonight's OffSpec Sale is now online. I will be adding a couple more glasses to it if time allows. (I'm running late as usual...)

Here are photos of another glass that will be in the sale. I called this one offspec due to borderline compatibility and the tendency of the color to be a bit dark. However, it can give some very nice surface webbing effects. The name of it is OffSpec5312E.

Brad

glassmaker · #23 2012-08-31, 3:01am

I have listed some bags of ACM5222 shards in the StrikingColor Etsy shop for a Labor Day Weekend sale. There are special prices on single pounds of offspec colors in the shop as well. Several of those colors are shown in the photos earlier in this thread.

The shards are $28 for two ounces and the offspec cane runs between $45 and $65 per pound, depending on the color, with most of it $50/lb. This sale is open to everyone, both US and international.

If anyone expresses an interest, I may put some mixed frit in there too.

The photo below shows the contents of a single bag of shards. Buyers will receive twice that much.

MagpieGlass · #24 2012-08-31, 7:44am

Must resist ... no money and charge card is just about full!!

glassmaker · #25 2012-08-31, 9:33am

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagpieGlass

Must resist ... no money and charge card is just about full!!

Oh how well I know that feeling, lol. And I'll add that my rent is due tomorrow too...

And getting back to temptation, I have to head back out in a few minutes, but when I return I am going to list a few bags of ACM5222 confetti and some mixed frit on Etsy. It will probably be at least mid afternoon before I have a chance to do that. Anyone who has already ordered glass and wants to add either the confetti or frit to their order can just email me or contact me on Etsy.

Thanks,
Brad

glassmaker · #26 2012-08-31, 11:56am

I just posted the last of the ACM5222 shards (4 more ounces) as well as 4 bags (2 ounces each) of ACM5222 confetti on Etsy. That's all the confetti and shards I have. I did get some inquiries about frit, but I won't have time to put that on Etsy until either very late tonight or tomorrow.

Here's a photo to give an idea of the approximate size of the confetti (which is probably better described as very small shards):

angelique_redhead · #27 2012-09-01, 12:35am

You have awesome frit too! I love it!

Angelique

istandalone24/7 · #28 2012-09-01, 2:48am

why oh why can't i make shards that nice!?!

maybe off topic, but are boro shards just as easy to make and work with?

glassmaker · #29 2012-09-01, 6:01am

The trick to making shards is patience. Give a puff to start a bubble and then wait a second or three for the temperature to even out. When you do blow out the bubble fully, you want to do it slowly so it doesn't blow out too thin in one spot and pop. Temperature and pressure control are the keys to getting an even wall and good shards.

The principles of making boro shards shouldn't be much different, although it is a naturally stiffer glass so will set up much faster as you blow. Between the two, soft glass should be easier than boro - once you learn not to drop the hot gob in your lap.

I hope that helps.

Brad

glassmaker · #30 2012-09-06, 5:04am

Speaking of shards, here is a set of photos of a round bead made with some shards I made at about the same time as the ACM5222 shards and then set aside and forgot about. (I made very few shards and no cane from this glass.) This is the same glass as the last shard photos I posted in the main StrikingColor thread in the LE gallery section, one of which is also posted below. To make life a little easier when referring to it, I've decided to name it SRD525.

In other news, I have moved the remaining listings of OffSpec glass from Etsy to the StrikingColor ArtFire store. Packages of the SRD525 shards will also be posted on ArtFire within the next day or two.