The Dead of Winter

That certainly doesn't describe our weather here on Valley Creek today! I think we were near 80F so it felt a bit more like summer. Actually the title and the bead are from an exchange I am participating in with some other Wet Canvas Glass folks. I enjoy doing these beads and there are a couple listed in my Etsy Store. The Wet Canvas exchanges are always fun and I'm looking forward to seeing every one's beads. It was hard for me to come up with a theme as we don't have a lot of winter here in Central Texas and the landscape is mostly brown. Not very exciting for a bead exchange.

I was actually able to spend some time on the torch today but I am not calling it a good session. First I had a piece of hot glass fly into my lap! Fortunately I was wearing my new leather apron so I didn't catch my pants on fire this time. Next, I kept having decoration pop off the bead as my ambient air was not warm enough. Then, I was working on a large bead and suddenly my mandrel melted in half and the bead dropped onto my work table! Have never had that happen before. I grabbed a pair of pliers, picked up the bead, waved it through the flame and promptly placed it in the kiln. I'm wondering if it will survive and if it does will it be the shape I had originally started or will it have a big old flat spot because it went into the kiln while it was too hot. Tomorrow we will know the outcome. Check back for part two of the saga.