Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Since Yesterday...

No coffee yet (where are the damn beans?!? she demands querulously), no music either, nothing written yesterday but more about the detailed photography shot list--and more to do on it today. The table did fail (HUGE bubble on the surface) and I am taking that project out of the book: If I can't get reliable, predictable results with copper inlay, then neither will a beginner. The bubbles are just too random a factor.

The gold and silver leaf dish also failed. I could have saved myself some work there by just checking the warmglass archives first, but I had to do it on my own. Much of the leaf vaporized (which I knew could be a problem on the surface, but this was sandwiched) and what was left was too faint to be interesting in the clear glass--except for the black and brown gloppy-looking mess in the middle where air sealed in and oxidized the silver.

Now it's 7:30 am and I already have the first two of four kiln loads in. The first is a replacement project (another one) with gold and silver mica, light blue irid and clear irid glasses. If it turns out well it will be the perfect project because it teaches use of contact resist, demonstrates a painting technique (pouncing) and incorporates micas. Fingers are crossed. The other load is the first of two slump loads to get the last gallery order of the week out.

Yesterday was shipping hell here. If I could hire someone just to do my shipping I would. I ran out of peanuts halfway through the Art Institute order and had to run out to the UPS store and pay double the usual rate. Then there was a snafu with the UPS driver picking up the packages because I had two different pick-up times scheduled so I had to call customer service and get him back out at 6:30 to get the last shipment. It was stressful and hairy, and I was sweaty and exhausted at the end. I shipped 260 lbs of glass out yesterday in six boxes. And I had to process a claim for breakage on one of the samples that went to the Art Institute last week.

Whoopsie Daisies! It is 7:49. I am already late on my schedule. Got to get the Sprout up and ready for school.

3 comments:

Barbara Muth said...

silver and gold foil are better options. Or layer the leaf. Leaf will always disappear in a single layer sandwiched. For surface firing of leaf and foil just don't full fuse, go only to about 1300-1350.

Anonymous said...

Caffeine addict!

Brenda Griffith said...

Hmmm. I guess I could do a full-fuse on a blank and then partial fuse on the leaf on the surface, and then a slump. Or I could try again with more precious metal. I had scrapped this one because I didn't want to make it too expensive (either from foil or multiple sheets of leaf). But I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it one more time... of course I still ahve to deal with the gloppy mess in the middle if I get air and oxidation...