Aimee!
There IS more to it!!! Don't give up...I'll do my very best to help you!!! Here's what you can do:
If you haven't seen it, here's a thread that Irene started so we could post our work:
http://www.lampworketc.com/forums/sh...00#post1772700
Jayne has also done some wonderful things with it; she may have additional tips as well.
Couple quick questions - these may help me to help you:
1. What type of torch are you on? (Don't despair if you're on a Hot Head - I made the beads shown above on a Hot Head, so it can be done!)
2. Have you tried encasing it with clear? Start, for example, with making a donut or similarly shaped bead; add several (3-4) evenly spaced LARGE clear dots. MELT THEM IN SLOWLY!!!! One of the key secrets to bringing out the "colors" of the mountain honey is a clear encasing. I could not get a thing from it by itself, even just using a reducing flame.
3. Even though it does not seem to matter terribly how hot you work the glass when laying the foundation/base bead in Mountain Honey, once you've applied the clear (in Scroll Stringer, in Dots or a Full Encase) MY KEY to success was by melting the clear in slowly and in a relatively cool flame. This takes some patience (especially on a Hot Head!), but you don't want to get the clear frying (glowing) too hot.
4. Once you've melted your dots in to your satisfaction (I left mine raised to create a "lens" effect), then allow the bead to cool slightly at the back of the flame, then bring it into the flame again and heat, but not so hot as to start melting (or melting the dots in) or losing it's shape.
5. This process of cooling at the back of the flame, then returning it to a relatively hot area in the flame, repeated several times, should begin to "evoke" the color. You will see it appear ONLY WHERE THE CLEAR WAS APPLIED; the remainder of the bead will stay that Amber color, with the slight "ghost" streaks throughout.
Try this out and let me know how it goes. I hope this helps you out! Please post your findings (good, bad or otherwise) here so others can help you as well as learn from what you do!
Best of luck - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you!!! You'll get it, I just know it! I'll check back later...
DeAnne in CA
Mountain Honey Help
I could have sworn there was more to it - like you can reduce it to get some iridescence? Or maybe I need to strike it longer or hotter? Or throw it in the back of my garage with the Luna that won't work for me either...?
