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Old 2008-01-03, 11:25am
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glassactcc glassactcc is offline
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Join Date: May 23, 2006
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Hello everyone. I did not read through every post but I did scan and look at all of the beauties posted here. I was going to post how I do my basic flower so if I am being repetitive, I apologize.

First off, I make huge beads so I usually have layers upon layers of glass. I think that is the way to really get a three dimentional look but it does depend on the background or base of the bead as to the amount of layers. My basic flower is really rather simple. I think the trick is to know when to poke the center. It really is all about the heat control as to weather or not your flower will bloom and the petals will cup.

First I dot my base color on my bead in a ring weather you are doing a three, four or five petal flower. Here's where you can do the most amazing color mixing. Don't just use white as the base. If you use light blue for the base and top it with trans red, you will get a purple flower. You can use yellow as your base for a leaf, and top it with blue, and get a green leaf. Not just the normal pallet colors of the glass you are using. You get the idea.

place your first round of dots on your base bead close together and in a very precise ring as best as you can but don't let them touch. Melt them in flat

Then your trans color on top. When you cover the base dot, make sure you push the trans rod over the dot so it covers all of the base unless you want an outline of the base color on your flower. Melt in and marver very carefully to "push" the trans into the base color. You want the surface of the bead to be flat and smooth for the next layer.

Next comes your next round of base dots over the first. You can make these dots a bit smaller. Melt in and repeat the step above. When you marver your bead, be sure that the bead has a "skin" so you don't smear it. It should be hot enough to move when pushed, but not on the surface. The whole bead should be warm.

This is where the plunge comes in. The whole bead should be heated evenly and a "skin" should form on the outside. That's when you should plunge the center so it pulls the petals and cups them.

Then, heat the bead again and let it skin over and encase with clear. The bead should be all the way out of the flame, and your rod should be going right through the flame. You want your bead cool and your clear piping hot and very soft. Don't drag it around but push it on. I encase in a spiral but I know there are other ways some artists do encasements. That's just the way I am comfortable with.

I hope this helps and just to let everyone know. I will be teaching a class in February which is posted in the "Classes" section. I will be teaching florals, rose cane, frogs on florals, raised florals, and on and on. We are going to have way big fun and pack all we can into a two day class. I wish I could show all of you instead of typing the directions. it's just so nice to be able to see someone do something you want to learn, in person. It makes it so much easier.

Oh wouldn't you know it. I went to take some pics and my camera battery is dead. I'll post more pics shortly. I just happened to have this one in my image gallery.

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Cynthia

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