Ask me anything! - Page 25

Kalera · #**721** 2011-10-19, 1:52pm

It seems to help with some colors, but not with others.

DarkFlowerBead · #**722** 2011-10-19, 4:50pm

Kalera, I remember you posting for every hour you torch you spend several more hours cleaning, photographing, posting, promoting, shipping etc.... I'm still 12 years from retirement (much to my horror) but I'm curious about the many hours you put in and how you "break up" your week. Do you have torch days, shipping days, photograph days...etc... You did say "ask me anything" right?

Cara

Kalera · #**723** 2011-10-19, 5:26pm

I try to stay as structured as possible... I was trying to do photography daily for a while, but that doesn't seem to work as well for me as taking pictures once a week, so usually Monday is shipping/photos/listing on my website, and then I also ship Wednesday and Friday morning. I try to do eBay listings every evening Monday-Friday between 6 and 7pm, but that often gets shuffled around depending on what other demands I have to deal with. I try to torch from about 10-3 Tuesday through Friday, and once in a while on the weekends if I'm feeling behind. I usually work on Saturday in some capacity; website cleanup, eBay listings, photos, or some other non-torch work. It all adds up to about 75 hours a week, which is grueling, but when the economy was good I had an assistant so I could torch while she did the other stuff... that worked out really well, because we each only worked about 30-40 hours a week. In my dream world, I'd go back to that!

ElementalsDesign · #**724** 2011-10-19, 7:29pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalera

I try to stay as structured as possible... I was trying to do photography daily for a while, but that doesn't seem to work as well for me as taking pictures once a week, so usually Monday is shipping/photos/listing on my website, and then I also ship Wednesday and Friday morning. I try to do eBay listings every evening Monday-Friday between 6 and 7pm, but that often gets shuffled around depending on what other demands I have to deal with. I try to torch from about 10-3 Tuesday through Friday, and once in a while on the weekends if I'm feeling behind. I usually work on Saturday in some capacity; website cleanup, eBay listings, photos, or some other non-torch work. It all adds up to about 75 hours a week, which is grueling, but when the economy was good I had an assistant so I could torch while she did the other stuff... that worked out really well, because we each only worked about 30-40 hours a week. In my dream world, I'd go back to that!

Kalera...

My wish for you is that you have your dream world again... soon!

~Rachel

DarkFlowerBead · #**725** 2011-10-20, 3:27am

Thanks Kalera, It sounds like a very long work week. Its a lot to take in. I'm glad you do though, your work is beautiful

Cabaribeads · #**726** 2011-10-20, 12:09pm

Kalera, I have a new question................

why did you recently become a lilac?

ElementalsDesign · #**727** 2011-10-20, 6:05pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by pattybeads

Kalera, I have a new question................

why did you recently become a lilac?

Silly Patty... it's because she is so pretty (and I bet she smells terrific, too!

)

~Rachel

Cabaribeads · #**728** 2011-10-20, 8:12pm

well, I know she's very pretty but I wondered if she recently discovered something fantastic that I need to know.

Kalera · #**729** 2011-10-20, 10:14pm

Aw, thank you all!

I kind of randomly found a picture on the web when I was looking for photos of house centipedes so I could show my friend the terrible thing that darted into my bathroom the other day:

I have no idea why, but it made me laugh and laugh!

ElementalsDesign · #**730** 2011-10-20, 10:53pm

yes, she did! (see picture above ;}

~R

Lyssa · #**731** 2011-10-21, 11:18am

OMG, centipedes are prolific here. The other night all I saw was the hind pincers of one slipping under my husband's haversack and I freaked out so badly I actually stood up on a chair. Hubby found it curled up in one of the pockets of his bag and took it outside. He said it was 7 inches long. UG!

Same night, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and, looking directly at it, discovered a huge spider running under the couch. Huge = about 2.5 inches across, including legs.

I don't know about you guys, but this country living thing is not for me!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalera

Aw, thank you all!

I kind of randomly found a picture on the web when I was looking for photos of house centipedes so I could show my friend the terrible thing that darted into my bathroom the other day:

I have no idea why, but it made me laugh and laugh!

Pia Kaven · #**732** 2011-10-21, 12:53pm

Lyssa, I have that size spider run on my leg when I lived in Seattle area, you don't have to live in the country.... I had jeans on that had splits on the knees and I was sitting on the bed brushing my cat when I saw it crawl up my leg. I started beating my leg with the brush, and stood up. I couldn't see the spider anywhere. So I assumed that it got under my clothes through the splits on my jeans. Hahaa, yeah, the next minute I kept screaming and running through the house throwing all my clothes off, including underwear right in front of the windows, knowing that anyone could see me from the street, but not giving a crap about it, since the big ass spider was after me.
I never saw the spider, or the body of it... Dispite the fact I had 3 friggin cats! All supposedly hunters! I did not sleep for a week either.

Yeah, I feel like laughing now, but I was always more and less terrified of spiders and I had kind of just gotten over my fear. Well, that one took care of it that I got terrified again. I do not like them, but I still don't kill them, I trap them and take outside. And I try to get any insects out of the harms way... Except the roaches can die all that I care! And the faster the better!

I didn't even have any ideas of 7 inces long centipedes existing in Hawaii... I think you just shattered my Hawaii dream Lynne...

I knew there were big ones, but 7 inches is loooong! Are they poisonous? Or is their bite just painful? Yaikes anyhow!

Pia Kaven · #**733** 2011-10-21, 12:56pm

Heh, forgot to mention that I check the pool several times a day, to save any honey bees or other poor critters that fell in... I know I'm a little crazy.

Lyssa · #**734** 2011-10-21, 2:22pm

The centipede bites cause huge welts but they won't kill you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pia Kaven

Lyssa, I have that size spider run on my leg when I lived in Seattle area, you don't have to live in the country.... I had jeans on that had splits on the knees and I was sitting on the bed brushing my cat when I saw it crawl up my leg. I started beating my leg with the brush, and stood up. I couldn't see the spider anywhere. So I assumed that it got under my clothes through the splits on my jeans. Hahaa, yeah, the next minute I kept screaming and running through the house throwing all my clothes off, including underwear right in front of the windows, knowing that anyone could see me from the street, but not giving a crap about it, since the big ass spider was after me.
I never saw the spider, or the body of it... Dispite the fact I had 3 friggin cats! All supposedly hunters! I did not sleep for a week either.

Yeah, I feel like laughing now, but I was always more and less terrified of spiders and I had kind of just gotten over my fear. Well, that one took care of it that I got terrified again. I do not like them, but I still don't kill them, I trap them and take outside. And I try to get any insects out of the harms way... Except the roaches can die all that I care! And the faster the better!

I didn't even have any ideas of 7 inces long centipedes existing in Hawaii... I think you just shattered my Hawaii dream Lynne...

I knew there were big ones, but 7 inches is loooong! Are they poisonous? Or is their bite just painful? Yaikes anyhow!

Cabaribeads · #**735** 2011-10-21, 2:37pm

I knew you found out something fantastic, kalera! AND it is funny. Why would a centipede think it's a lilac? hmmmmmmmmmmm

holy crap! 7 inches! what men wouldn't give to be able to brag that! lolol

I wanted to move to Hawaii too after visiting there but no more. or else I'd have to keep the pest control coming on a regular basis. hehe

Kalera · #**736** 2011-10-21, 3:04pm

The best part was when I went "what?" and read the blog the picture was in.

http://www.mikecarp.com/?p=6

THERE IS NO EXPLANATION.

dianeconroy · #**737** 2011-10-22, 12:40pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalera

Thank you! They are made with a blend of Zimmerman Gray Blue and Lilac with Reichenbach R-106. I melted a small gather of Uroboros Plum and rolled it in the frit, then made the bead with the hot frit gather. It devits like crazy, which is one of the reasons I tumbled them; tumbling also brings out the earthy colors IMO.

I love these beads so I decides to give them a shot. Didn't have the frit blend you used, (have it ordered as well as several others) so I used Potpourii petals from Glass Diversions. I like the way they came out and may try etching them next. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge!

Kalera · #**738** 2011-10-22, 3:41pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by dianeconroy

I love these beads so I decides to give them a shot. Didn't have the frit blend you used, (have it ordered as well as several others) so I used Potpourii petals from Glass Diversions. I like the way they came out and may try etching them next. Thanks for sharing all your knowledge!

Those are really pretty! I'm glad you tried it; it's such a watercolory, organic effect.

2tumblingdragonz · #**739** 2011-10-23, 2:29pm

Kalera, Kalera, Kalera! Wow do your frits POP!

What did you use on "Ode to Language" and "Fireweed and Lilies"? and on what bases?

also the mcd going pink like that, that is beautiful. Is the mcd 96? would the 104 react like that under something? do you know what in the uruboros clear reacts to make pink with mcd?

thank you for maintaining this thread. It's one of my favourite go to spots on le.

namaste
Rowyn

Dianne Gleaton · #**740** 2011-10-24, 8:14am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pia Kaven

I would love to know what glass and frit you used on these. They are too fab!!!

Ok, I have gotten the leaf shaper, I have to cheat to the hanger by making a small donut and garaging it. What I would like to ask is how you get the frit to cover the entire bead. Mine seems to have plain glass top and bottom. Thanks in advance for any tips. Dianne

Kalera · #**741** 2011-10-24, 11:25am

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2tumblingdragonz

Kalera, Kalera, Kalera! Wow do your frits POP!

What did you use on "Ode to Language" and "Fireweed and Lilies"? and on what bases?

also the mcd going pink like that, that is beautiful. Is the mcd 96? would the 104 react like that under something? do you know what in the uruboros clear reacts to make pink with mcd?

thank you for maintaining this thread. It's one of my favourite go to spots on le.

namaste
Rowyn

Thanks Rowyn! "Ode to Language":

is a tricolor frit made by melting a gather of a base color and then dipping each half of the gather in different colored frit, melting it in, smooshing it into a paddle and thermal-shocking the paddle in ice water. Repeat until you have as much tri-color frit as you want, then strain it and let it dry (I put it in a stainless steel dish on top of my kiln) and then use as you would any frit. This frit contains Purple Rose, Lilac, Lilac Rose, and Blue Grass Green from Zimmerman, and the base rod I used to make it is a dark steel blue from Reichenbach (I don't remember which color exactly). The bead base is Uroboros Mauve.

"Fireweed & Lilies":

is a mix of Z-99, Z-850, and R-108 on a base of R-107.

The MCD I have is 96, and I don't know if the 104 reacts the same. I don't know anything about the composition of the U96 clear, and I haven't used it with any other clears.

Kalera · #**742** 2011-10-24, 11:26am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dianne Gleaton

Ok, I have gotten the leaf shaper, I have to cheat to the hanger by making a small donut and garaging it. What I would like to ask is how you get the frit to cover the entire bead. Mine seems to have plain glass top and bottom. Thanks in advance for any tips. Dianne

Since pictures are probably more helpful than words, here's a tut I did for these: http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=96064

2tumblingdragonz · #**743** 2011-10-24, 3:18pm

Aboslutely amazing....As I read that my mouth was hanging open.

I love your creativity. I love that it sparks me into thinking how else to use this medium. I love that your beads, simple frit beads, are not simple at all--they are gorgeous and unique. although I would never guess all that you went to to achieve the look you get, I can tell that these "simple frit beads" are really frikken SPECIAL.

Wow,, I just love what I just read. Thank you Kalera for sharing this with us.

Wow, just wow.

and then they're ectched, right?

angel blessings
namaste
Rowyn

Kalera · #**744** 2011-10-24, 5:25pm

Thank you so much, Rowyn! I have been really focused on color lately, and on getting different color effects through blending and reactions. Yes, they were tumbled in my rock tumbler as the final step.

Signguy · #**745** 2011-10-25, 8:36pm

Hi kalera,

Can you please tell me how I can achieve the effect of continuous multi-colored stripes going around the beads as is seen in the two pictures in post 737?

It is very different than what I get when I do a gravity swirl type effect as when I just melt the glass/frit and swirl it I get a much more variegated look.

What I want is to be able to ahieve the distinct lines of each frit color which remain visible encircling the bead.

Thanks!

Kalera · #**746** 2011-10-26, 11:32am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Signguy

Hi kalera,

Can you please tell me how I can achieve the effect of continuous multi-colored stripes going around the beads as is seen in the two pictures in post 737?

It is very different than what I get when I do a gravity swirl type effect as when I just melt the glass/frit and swirl it I get a much more variegated look.

What I want is to be able to ahieve the distinct lines of each frit color which remain visible encircling the bead.

Thanks!

Melt a small gather on the end of your rod, roll it in the frit, then make the bead with the hot frit gather. It will stretch the frit out into the lines you see.

Signguy · #**747** 2011-10-26, 7:13pm

Very cool! Thanks!

Kalera · #**748** 2011-10-26, 7:49pm

You're welcome!

glasslass2 · #**749** 2011-11-11, 7:26pm

Kalera, thank you for your generosity in sharing your knowledge through this thread. You are an amazing talent. One question: in the fireweed and lillies recipe. I see green in those beads. Is that just the reaction between the R108 and 107? or is there actually a green frit as well that you used? Those are the most gorgeous beads I've ever seen.

P.S. Are the 107 rods really dark brown in rod form? O.C. shows them as very dark brown, not at all like the creamy pale yellow you obtained. Yours looks like butta.

Dianne Gleaton · #**750** 2011-11-11, 10:33pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalera

Since pictures are probably more helpful than words, here's a tut I did for these: http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=96064

Thank you so much, followed the tutorial and my leaves turned out beautiful. Now if I could just make the top without having to garage a small donut. I will keep practicing. Thanks again, Dianne