Effetre White Alabaster (alabastro) - what do I do with it?
 

I didn't find much in the forum search, so I had to ask to get some fresh and new answers from those of you who dared to play with this finicky glass. ;) :D

Finicky I know, because it's shocky as all hell breaking loose, burns and boils easily, and is only compatible with itself. Or has the latter changed? What can I do with it? I must have 3-4 lbs of the stuff, and this has to be from a looong time ago. I got some rods from a RAOGK back in 2007-2008, but I must have bought some years before that, and I can't remember.

Ack! Just looked at Howaco's page, and there are 4 different whites! Now I'm really clueless.

The only success I've ever had with the alabastro colors is to use almost no propane and work painfully slooooooowwwwwwww.

They are beautiful if you are having a very patient day.

Not sure if you have any enamels or pixie dust, etc. Could try adding some of either to simple spacers made with it.

I don't think I have any pictures but I like using it for blowing vessels. I also like carnelian as a base for vessel beads - meaning beads shaped like vessels but really beads. I also like it and the green as base colors for florals.

Also, my experience has been that it does not like to be encased.

Great suggestions! I have some of the gold pixie dust, plus some blue hi-light. :)

Carnelian makes a wonderful base for faux boro styles of bead; it reacts beautifully with the iris gold and the handpulled brown. It and the green seem to be the stablest colors in the alabastro line, though the blue is workable.

I had a lot of luck with the blues for a while, then reordered and got 1/2 lb of frit-on-a-stick. :( I annealed it, which made it nearly opaque but got it to behave. When I actually worked a rod, it heated up and returned to alabaster state. That was a few years ago, but I thought it was a neat discovery.

I know it sounds lame, but I really like the white for simple spacers. It's just so clean and soft looking. I think enamels would be cool, though!

Many years ago, I took a class with Kate Fowle (pre-Meleney). Someone asked what you do with alabastro, and Kate said, "I throw it across the room."

I have nothing useful to say, except try asking Mary Tarara. She does lovely things with alabastro.

Doesn't Rocio pair it with silver glass and do amazing things
or did I dream that?

I bought some of the carnelian and as a newbie I just didn't know any better. I love carnelian. I've never had a problem using it. I love the idea of pairing with Iris Gold. I'm going to try this tomorrow.

Is there a carnelian alabastro? The only carnelian I've used is opalino, which isn't as fussy as alabastro.

Pixie dust! That might turn out pretty nice! :)