Introduction: Messy Color

[CiMWebmaster]

Hello All,

I noticed a thread on this site talking about our product, and I thought I’d take the opportunity to introduce ourselves. Let me just say first that I want to stay away from anything that could be considered advertising here, but I also want to make sure that you know who we are. So to do that, I want to discuss our company and product a little bit. Please feel free to let me know if I cross any boundaries as I’m new to these forums. Also, I hope this is the correct forum for this, the stuff in "Front Door" seemed like mostly quick hello's... ?

Our company’s name is Creation is Messy and we’re selling a new line of 104 COE compatible glass colors which we call Messy Color. Messy Color is distributed through Frantz Art Glass. Mike was handing out some samples at Bead & Button.

Creation is Messy is a US company. My name is Dana and my wife’s name is Kathy. We are from the Pacific Northwest, and as soon as we get back home we’ll be setting up our office in the Seattle area.

Messy Color is produced in China at a family owned and operated factory that has been producing lamp worked products on a large scale for 20 years. They pull their own cane and use it daily to make products for international markets. We’re introducing a limited starting line of three colors that will be followed by additional colors as soon as we can produce them.

Last year, we managed production of glass color for another US company that is no longer with us. We recognized the immense opportunity to create a new line of formulas in unique colors, designed specifically with lamp workers in mind. Thus Creation is Messy was born.

Messy Color is 104 COE compatible so that you can use it with Effetre, Vetrofond, and all the colors currently in your palette. We are not looking to replace any of the Italian or US made glass, but instead we want to supplement it by bringing unique and fun colors to the market. I saw one vote for pink (already working on it… any specific requests for Bubble Gum, streaky, hot? Other?). Any other requests? Please shoot me an email.

We are certainly sensitive to the concerns that many have expressed about purchasing glass made in China, as we share many similar concerns. We also appreciate that, as consumers, we all make choices in our purchasing. We absolutely respect any choice that you would make with regards to purchasing Messy Color, and we want you to be able to make the most informed decision possible. If you ever have any questions, concerns, comments, problems, or you just want to chat, please feel free to drop either me or Kathy an email. We’d love to hear from you.

There are a couple of things I’d like to mention here about Messy Color and how it’s produced, and I’ll post a more expanded discussion of the subject in the other thread.

First of all, we have a seven year working relationship with the family run business contracted to produce Messy Color. We visit the factory regularly and freely discuss any subject with anyone. We see what's happening: we're involved. While things could always be better (even at home), we feel that the factory we work with, and our business there, is providing much needed opportunity in a developing country. We are delighted to be able to have a positive impact, and find the endeavor as rewarding as it can be challenging.

Regarding the quality of the product, we are doing everything that we can to ensure that the product we deliver is of the highest quality. We have implemented stringent testing measures and maintain high standards about what we will accept from the factory.

However, we are aware that there is always room for improvement. If you ever have any suggestions for changes that you would like to see please feel free to drop us a line and let us know. Also, we are working on compiling test results and information about working with the glass (annealing temperature, etc…) and as this information is available we will post it publicly on our website. The end goal of this is twofold: first, we want to have a steady flow of feedback, and second we want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to use Messy Color.

Anyhow, very nice to meet you all, and as I’ve mentioned please feel free to contact us any time.

Thanks!

Dana

[sleekbeads]

Welcome! Well, I'll jump right in here.
I'm happy to see that you're involved and asking questions and know what's 'really' going on in production. I think that's a major importance for a company wanting to sell to an artist market!
I have no problem with purchasing chinese glass especially if it opens up my palette a little more... but am happy to see that you are taking charge of your company and really watching what is going on... especially these days.
So, I'm always happy to try something new!
Welcome and best of luck to you.

Joanna

[Gelly]

Welcome to LE!

Yes, PINK! PINK! PINK! A good pig pink is what I NEED!

Can you tell us what the first 3 colors are? I know the one Mike was handing out was green, I'm dying to know what the other 2 are!

[CiMWebmaster]

Hi Gelly,

What cute Pigs you've got!

Mike had some Celadon at Bead & Button, and we've also got two colors called "Ginger" and "Butter Pecan"...

There are some paddle pic's on our site here:

http://www.creationismessy.com/html/Products.html

[Gelly]

Thanks Dana. I love the name of your company, it fits me to a T!

Ginger and Butter Pecan both look like they would be awesome "real" pig colors, lol!

I saw a bead an LE member made with the Celadon, and I think it's gorgeous! Of course, green is my favorite color.

Do you have any idea when you will be offering other colors?

If you ever need any glass/frit tester, sign me up!!


Good luck with your new glassy endeavor!!

[Candyann]

I personaly dont think the butter pecan looks like a creamy caramel.

[brimmy]

I would love to see a good burgundy. The entire red palette is rather sad for Moretti.

[Magicfire]

I like the ginger especially....I have wanted a darker beige for a long time now!
-Patti

[Three Muses Glass]

Welcome and thanks for the info! Hmmm, the ginger looks like peach on my monitor. Is it? I would love a rich peach color.
I just want to reiterate...I would have no problems buying Chinese glass...just as I have no problem buying Italian glass. The places I order glass from are American companies with American employees (I assume), thus my small contribution to our economy. Of course that's a gross oversimplification but I have stuff to do. ( I also use BE)
I applaud you for being hands-on and caring about the workers over there..let's hope it's catching.

[adovbs]

I like the three colors I see on your website. Are any of them reactive at all?

[drnihili]

Welcome, I wish you great success in both the business and social aspects of your new endeavor.

As a friendly suggestion, you should pay close attention to the color presentation of the glass on your website. Currently the thmbnails are hard to see and the stark black background make it difficult to determine what the colors really are. You might consider linking the thumbnails to larger pictures and using a graduated gray background to show them off better.

[stealthpaws]

Hi and welcome to LE...and congratulations on your company. Personally, I'll be looking forward to trying your products. I enjoy trying out new stuff and if it's good, clean, workable glass, it'll be in my palette. If it cracks, shoots across the room, turns muddy in a good flame or won't anneal properly, it won't be. I'd love to see a really nice deep burgandy also. Moretti mustard has disappointed me terribly...so a nice deep rich spicy mustard would be nice also. Looking forward to watching your development and good luck.
CC

[loco]

Dana, Welcome to LE the land of Glass Ho's! Could you please show a LARGER picture of your paddle's? I am a blind lampworker and can't see the colors! Well, I can see but I can't really see the colors. Ahhh To heck with trying to explain LOL!!!!

[SuzyQ]

Oh goodie! More glass colors!!!

My wish list

Pastel Peach
Pastel pale butter yellow
Pastel light brown (without red tones)
Pastel Navy Blue

Transparant pink that is pink not peach (I want a Bullseye erbium in 104!)
Transparant Mint green
Transparant pale yellow without brown tones

I'm not asking for much am I? lol.

[Julabula]

Dana, welcome to LE! I personally would have no problem buying glass manufactured in China. The products we purchase as beadable items (wine bottle stoppers, letter openers, etc.) are, for the most part, manufactured in China, Taiwan, Malaysia, etc. I personally see no difference. As for the artist v. import beads, well, knock offs happen in every industry. It's a matter of educating your clients/customers. Sometimes people can only afford the imports, and if they want them, I don't begrudge them at all.

As for COLORS: like Bek said, a dark peach would be fabulous! And a good pink pastel (several shades, hot pink, light rose, etc.) and also a hot pink transparent (brighter than rubino). I would like a good olive pastel (Lauscha's is nice). A good maroon, a deep ocean blue (moroccan blue)....uhm....wow, better stop, I could do this all day!!

BTW: I couldn't pull up your line on the Frantz site?

[DesertDreamer]

Welcome Dana!

Larger pictures would definitely be great!

My color wishlist: transparent garnet. I know there's more but that's the color I've been pining for for 9 years. Actually, two...one leaning towards a dark purple-red and one leaning towards brown-red (since natural colors go both ways too ).

Actually, a stable transparent orange would be a good thing, too. I know Effetre sort of has it, but batch for batch it's a gamble.

LOL and one more...a pastel creamy orange, like ripe cantaloupe.

I'll be watching.

[silkys]

ok..im totally missing it . Where is it on Frantz site ?

[Tink]

Again, welcome!

How does the viscosity compare to the other 104 COE glasses on the market, and will you be posting technical info on your site (such as calculated and measured COEs)?

[shawnette]

Welcome. I buy things made in china all the tie. (And so does everyone else, even if they don't care to admit it).

I'd like to see a real Chocolate Brown. Dark like Hershey and not red tinged. A nice rich Caramel color would be great, too. Basically, we need more colors that can be used as skin tones. (Opaques) Not everyone is Ivory or Black, lol.

Oh. And a Pink that starts out pink and stays pink. Crayola Pink. Hot Pink would be nice, too. (Opaque and transparent)

[Tink]

I'd like to see more saturated colors than we typically see in Asian palettes. So many are "milky" or washed out looking.

[nagibeads]

Hi there-
woohoo! New Glass!
I am interested in this glass if the colors are of good quality and different colors than what is already available....
The images on the site are a bit small for me to see the color--is there a way we can get a close up? thanks!

Also, has anyone who was lucky and got some of this glass tried it?
If so, what do you think?
Specifically:
Do you like it encased?
Is it reactive?
Do you think it is very different than what is already available?
thanks so much!

[Kevan]

Oh, Mike showed me this at Frantz a couple of weeks ago and I missed that it came from China.

The celedon was pretty and the ginger. He only had like 5 or 6 colors and none of them were what I would call intense or bright so that's all I know about them. The celedon was alot like the sea green vetro odd.

[playswithfire104]

Hi, I have to say I'll buy pretty much any glass that is sparklie. Reds, blues, greens, whites, transparent or opeque. I'm a magpie. What can I say? Make it sparklie and I buy some. I also love reactive.

[Renee]

Hi Dana! I'm with Tink - more saturated colors! Frankly, if the colors are similar to ones already available, I don't know if people would readily change unless there was a good reason (like $). We definately need colors that we don't have or ones that work well to replace current ones that give us fits.

Good luck! I'm anxious to see what's ahead.

[*MAR*]

Dana, I got a sample of the Celadon at B&B, and I love it. It fills a colour gap for me, personally. I thought it was close to copper green to begin with, but it doesn't reduce like c.g. and it does get a lovely marbling in it by just working it in the heat. I am glad Mike had samples of it.

[shawnette]

Prices?

[Kevan]

I think Mike said it would be a bit more than Effetre, if I recall.

Hey Mike, weigh in!

[debkauz]

I didn't realize that the celadon wasn't Moretti! It's a beautiful color and I liked the way it worked. I'll definately be looking!

[Pat]

I'm always open for new colors to add to my crayon box. I too would love a nice peach for flowers and opaque burgandy or eggplant which by the way is in the pallet colors for fall.

[kandice]

Pastel magenta, please!

Also, transparent medium pink, a real opaque dark purple (one that doesn't reduce or devit).