The Blue Brick | Photography and Handcrafts by Shireen Nadir

I set my pants on fire in Monday night lampworking. I can’t help but feel that it was a rite of passage; I now have the right to produce decent beads. (I’m exaggerating, actually my glass ‘shocked’ in the torch and hot glass shrapnel landed in my lap. It hurt though, in that ‘surprise pain’ kinda way. Let’s face it, ‘on fire’ sounds way more dramatic.)

Anyways, having paid the requisite fee to the gods of glass I went on to have a pretty decent night. They’re almost always round now!!!

My fellow Monday night lampworkers recommended “Passing the Flame” by Corina Tettinger. It’s a pretty good read, and I decided to try the simplish looking ‘Rainbow Bead’.

Nailed it?

I actually feel pretty decent about the attempt, I learned a lot and I’m looking forward to giving it another go. My biggest disappointment was the fact that the clear I used for encasing got this ‘scorched’ look.

Here is my first take at encased florals – for the encasing I used a clear amber, you can see the difference in how clear it came out.

I also tried the same effect with an amber-light yellow combo. For some reason my colours didn’t blend like hers did. I’ll have to find out why.

Next week I’ll be trying to build on the same skills ;) In other news I’ve finally got a sewing machine! Quilts, customized hand bags and clothes that actually fit… I can’t wait. Begone, hole in my crafting arsenal!