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Beads of Courage


 

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  #1  
Old 2010-11-23, 7:15pm
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Donna T. Donna T. is offline
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Smile Snowman Tutorial -Free

This is my first tutorial. I've gotten so much help from LE over the years that I wanted to give a little something back. I hope someone can use the tips I offer though they are pretty elementary.

I've been kicking these little snowmen out by the dozens the last couple of weeks and thought maybe some of you might want to make some before the holiday season is over so here goes. I took the pictures myself while torching so if any info seems unclear just let me know and I'll try to clarify.

Here's a group shot of the snowmen.


You will need
several twistys
white
black
black stringer
orange stringer


I usually begin my torch session making twistys of different colors for the scarves. This can be a lot of fun coming up with different color combos. Everyone seems to like the white/transp. aqua and red/white the best. If you have a hard time making consistent twistys it's ok here. You can utilize several scarves from one pull. One scarf may be a tight twist and the other looser. But try to make your pulls small and tight as your snowman is small and a large scarf will overwhelm his body.


I'm no expert on twistys for sure but I've found the easiest method for me is warm a base rod (say black) swipe on contrast color (say red) possible swipe in a stringer of white. Heat, wait just a few seconds, grab with tweezers, twist and pull at same time. I usually keep right hand still while twisting with left. The faster you pull the more stretched out the twist will be. Start out slow then speed up as glass stiffens.
Sorry no pictures as I haven't found a way to make a twisy with one hand and take pictures with the other.




To begin you snowman make a large white bead about the size of a grape. You can try larger if you want a gigantimous snowman but this is the general size I've been working with.



Add a smaller white bead next to it almost touching. This one is touching but that's ok too.


Melt round then hold vertically so "head" will softly intersect with body.


Now take you black rod (or you can use your black stringer if you feel more comfortable) to add another smaller round bead next to the "head". This will be you hat.


Gently heat only the hat and then marver to make a top hat. If you don't marver enough you will have a bolo hat.


Now it's time to add that cute little scarf you made earlier. Heat tip of twisty and lay on body. Work in the upper flame and direct the heat under the twisty. Begin roping twisty around the neck of snowman till you come back to the front and lay it across the twisty to the other side of body. Make sure to add some heat to the scarf so it attaches but don't melt it in. BTW I hope you've been doing insurance heat on the whole bead in between steps as you're working so your snowman doesn't explode!



Take a complementary scarf color and add dots to the end of the scarf.


Time for buttons and eyes. Use your black stringer for this.


Hats need a brim. Black stringer again.



Last step is the nose. Use your orange stringer and put a small dot between the eyes. If you're really good (or lucky) it'll line up with the buttons. But if it doesn't, don't sweat it. He'll still be cute. See the dot of orange glass on the tip of my mandrel? I like to heat a small blob of orange and pull me a very small stringer, still attached to the rod, to make the nose with. I use this technique all the time if I need just a few dots of a color and I don't feel like pulling stringers at the beginning of the session. Cause you don't always know what colors you're going to be working with all the time when you bead, do you? Or for those times like now when you need a smaller dot than a commercial stringer might give you.

It's orange, you just can't tell cause it's hot.

Voila! Finished bead. Don't forget insurance heat occasionally. Don't admire him too long. Pop in kiln. I put bails on my little snowmen and sell them as pendants.




Feel free to embellish him more. Try three balls or add holly to his hat. I would love to see your snowmen.

More snowmen

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  #2  
Old 2010-11-23, 7:31pm
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Nice tut and good visuals! Doesn't snow here on SC coast very often but we still like snowmen!
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  #3  
Old 2010-11-23, 7:32pm
Carols Glass Carols Glass is offline
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Thanks, Donna, this will truly make it more fun and easier for me to make snowmen this year!

ETA: Your snowmen are so cute!
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  #4  
Old 2010-11-23, 7:38pm
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Great tut! Thanks for sharing!!!
Jodie
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  #5  
Old 2010-11-23, 8:51pm
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Wonderful instructions and the photos are great!

Thanks so much Donna!
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  #6  
Old 2010-11-23, 10:39pm
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Thank you so much for sharing this, Donna! The instructions were clear and I can't wait to try these cute little fellas.
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  #7  
Old 2010-11-23, 11:14pm
volkanokaren volkanokaren is offline
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Thanks Donna,yours are so cute.

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  #8  
Old 2010-11-24, 4:18am
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Delightful! Thanks so much for sharing this tut Donna.
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  #9  
Old 2010-11-24, 6:13am
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Thank you! They are cute and I can't wait to try to make one!
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  #10  
Old 2010-11-24, 7:17am
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Thank you Donna! I can't wait to give this a try.

Cheryl
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  #11  
Old 2010-11-24, 7:28am
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Thanks Donna- that is a great tuorial! It was nice of you to take the time to put this together Laura
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  #12  
Old 2010-11-24, 8:08am
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Thank you
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  #13  
Old 2010-11-24, 8:18am
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Wonderful thanks Donna for taking the time to put it together.
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  #14  
Old 2010-11-24, 1:58pm
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Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad ya'll liked it. If you guys do make some I'd love to see what you come up with.
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  #15  
Old 2010-11-25, 2:00am
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Thank you so much for this, Donna.

I am just now diving into sculptural beads.. and have the strongest feeling (have had since I began) that this is where I want to live.

I've never tried little critters etc. and this tute couldn't come at a better time.. Now I know what to make my East Coast Folks for Christmas!!! (little tiny snowmen ornaments) They live in Buffalo, NY.. my home town ;}

Thanks again so much!



~Rachel
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Old 2010-11-25, 11:27am
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Thank you Holly, so funny to see, I make them the exact same way!
Here are mine in between angels and Santa's

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Old 2010-11-25, 12:14pm
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Those are cute Carolien especially the Santas. I was lying in bed last night thinking about Santas and Angels. lol I did make a cute penguin but I'm not on my pc so I can't post a picture yet.
I'm definitely going to try Santas this weekend.
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  #18  
Old 2010-11-25, 12:25pm
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Tnx Donna
Pinguins was in my mind too, but didn't get the chance yet to torch again. Good luck on the Santa's, there's a free tutorial on my website for it, made by Mariekuniek. It is in Dutch, but I guess google translate can help there and the pictures are good too!
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Old 2010-11-25, 4:31pm
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Those are soooo cute! My mother has ordered 16 penguin beads (I don't know what she is going to do with them all - she's 89 - lol). Anyway, I am getting sick of making penguins, so I think I will add in some snowmen for a change. Thanks for posting the tutorial, now I won't have to experiment to get one I like, I can use this great tut - super!
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Old 2010-11-25, 5:45pm
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Thanks for the suggestion Carolien. I looked it up and used the translator. I think this may be doable. I'm going to try it this weekend.

Wow Jane, 16 penguins? I guess you've got it down to a science by now like I do the with snowmen. I've made 10 a day for 4 days in a row.
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Old 2010-11-26, 1:40am
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I so know what you're going through Jane My mother asked for 10 snowmen and 30 icicles... I hate them now too, but last year she got the Santa's and the year before that the angels... And if I show her penguins, she wants them next year, so let's not do that

Donna if you have any questions about it, let me know, I'll help you out. I know translaters are not always work 100% correct
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Old 2010-11-26, 8:14am
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Awesome. These would be great for Beads of Courage.
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Old 2010-11-26, 8:40am
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Thanks for the great snowman tut!!!
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  #24  
Old 2010-11-26, 1:15pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carolien View Post

Donna if you have any questions about it, let me know, I'll help you out. I know translaters are not always work 100% correct
LOL I did have a hard time with the translator but the pictures almost explain it all. I'm going to try it and then if I have problems I'll know what to ask you.
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Old 2010-11-27, 5:57pm
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So adorable! I agree with Liz that the kids at BOC would go bonkers over these.
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Old 2010-11-28, 9:13am
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Default Thanks Donna

Thanks for the tutorial. You inspired me to try it -- although I work in boro, off mandrel. Pretty much the same steps though. here are my first attempts including a Christmas tree that I made on a whim. I'm not sure how its "supposed" to be done, but this worked okay.

I tried putting "Santa" hats on two of them and it was actually easier than I thought it would be. I just gotta turn the flame way down on the Cuda.
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Old 2010-11-28, 11:07am
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Chris those are adorable. I love the Santa hats! Great idea. Love the tree too. I've been mulling one over in my head too. I'm headed to the torch real soon so I'm going to try a tree and a Santa.
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  #28  
Old 2010-11-28, 12:25pm
Carols Glass Carols Glass is offline
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Default My first snowman

Donna, this is my one and only so far using your tutorial .

Sorry about the beadhole cleaning grit around his eye, it came off, just so you know he doesn't have a black eye.

Anyway, it was really easy and so much fun, thanks again!
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  #29  
Old 2010-11-28, 4:13pm
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You did a great job Carol. I love his scarf. I've found myself addicted to making twistys for scarves. I've got twistys all over my tabletop.
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  #30  
Old 2010-11-28, 5:58pm
Carols Glass Carols Glass is offline
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Thank you, Donna. I have to admit I already had that twisty. Adding those dots to the ends of the scarves really makes them look so nice. I love this tutorial, I sure do appreciate you sharing how you do these .
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