November 2024 Recap: Beads, Beads, Beads

On November 27, 2024November 27, 2024 By ccglassartIn Photos, What's Happening NowLeave a comment

We had our first rain of the season this week… After such a long and hot summer, we really needed it. It won’t be long before the dry, brown hills all around us begin to turn green again!

In the meantime, I will be enjoying more time at the torch experimenting with some brand-new glass colors I recently received… and, of course, making more beads! 😀

Here are some photos of recent beads I’ve made. I’ve also included links to a couple of my most recent YouTube videos as well…

Thanks so much for subscribing to my blog and for your interest in my glass work!

Christina 🙂

P.S. For the latest updates, BTS videos, photos & announcements follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccglassart_ or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ccglassart

October 2024 Recap: Beads, Murrini & Latticino

On October 31, 2024November 27, 2024 By ccglassartIn Photos, What's Happening NowLeave a comment

Thanks to my amazing husband, who installed a mini air conditioning system in my studio this year, I was able to torch all the way through the hot summer months. Including this month, which brought us record breaking temps that hovered around 100 degrees most days in October! 😛

Lately I’ve been focusing on my favorites… Encased murrini beads! I’ve also spent some time creating new murrini designs and latticino. I’ve even added a new DEMO video to my YouTube channel. 😀

You can catch up with everything I’ve created this month through the photos below:

Thanks so much for subscribing to my blog and for your interest in my glass work!

Christina 🙂

NEW XL Marble-Style FOCAL Beads

On September 6, 2024October 31, 2024 By ccglassartIn Photos, What's Happening NowLeave a comment

After my disappointing experience attempting to make paperweights, (which I will get the hang of eventually!)…. I am back to making what I know and love –> encased murrini BEADS!

This time, instead of small bracelet sized beads – these are nice BIG FOCAL-size beads with LOTS of embedded elements including handmade murrini & latticino. PLUS, sparkly extras like color-shifting dichroic glass, shimmering goldstone and real GLITTER!

Focal sized handmade encased murrini glass beads.

The goal with my encased murrini beads is to create TONS of visual interest so there is something new to look at from every angle. I want my beads to be a kaleidoscope of color & design that look just as good indoors as they do in full sun!

You can view additional photos and learn more about these beads on Etsy.

Thanks for looking!

Christina 🙂

Broken Glass & Lampwork Challenges…

On August 22, 2024October 31, 2024 By ccglassartIn Photos, VideosLeave a comment

The learning curve never stops – even after being a lampworker for over 17 years!

For a long time, I have been wanting to take my encased murrini bead designs and turn them into paperweights.

But when I tried to do this….it was like learning to ride a bike all over again!

The MOST challenging part has been learning how to transition the large gather off the punty (glass rod used to hold the gather while creating the design) and transferring the paperweight safely into the kiln to anneal.

The main reason the paperweight you see in this video is broken is because of thermal cracks. This happens when the glass cools off too quickly.

It’s a delicate balance between the final shaping of the glass and soaking it with enough heat to handle the transfer from flame to kiln – but not so much heat that will distort the glass during this transfer.

I’ve ordered a few more tools which will hopefully help me manage this part of the process more successfully… I will keep you posted! Wish me luck! 😀

Springtime in SoCal + NEW Beads – 3/18/2021

On March 18, 2021February 23, 2024 By ccglassartIn Photos, What's Happening NowLeave a comment

Who else is still waking up an hour late after the time change…? 😮

On the bright side, we now have nice long days because of daylight savings – AND it means Spring is right around the corner! Woo hoo! 😀

Here in SoCal everything is starting to bloom! We have several fruit trees in our yard; plum, apple, nectarine, lemon and orange.

The lemon tree has been producing fruit already. And while the nectarine and apple trees are in bloom, (see pic), we probably won’t have any fruit until mid-summer or so.

The plum tree hasn’t quite blossomed yet so it will be a while for that tree to produce anything.

We’re crossing our fingers that we’ll be able to get to the fruit when it’s ripe before the birds do this year! Haha! 🙂

Thankfully the weather has been be perfect for making beads. So I’ve been able to spend some time on the torch – which has been so much fun.

Here are a few NEW beads that I’ve made recently (photographed outside in natural light with my iPhone) that you can now find in my Etsy shop…

Handmade glass art murrini bracelet beads

Cambria Reef – rustic shades of olive green, bronze and amber with touches of dark turquoise blue.

Del Mar Reef – misty colors of seafoam and soft blue with ivory and shimmering goldstone

Waikaloa Reef – tropical purple and lavender with aqua blue and spring green

Bora Bora Reef – contrasting shades of purple and orange with a bit of sparkly goldstone

Thanks so much for looking!

Christina C.
CCGlassArt

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