Images on Glass course – Glass Powder

Posted on 02/05/2015 by AnnaGoAnna

My second week on this course our tutor showed us to apply images to glass using powder. Using different mesh levels we saw how to use objects to create an image. Sticking paper to the mesh, drawing with wax crayons and freehand sprinkling of powder. Al these methods give different results. Thickness of the glass powder. Layering colour and depth. Refined sharp edges and gently smooth, smokey sprinkling.

Below are images of our tutor demonstrating a couple of techniques and the middle picture is the fired glass with the images burned into the glass.

Below are a few of the classes attempts prior to firing. You can see we’ve used different methods and differing levels of artist expertise too!

Post firing below. I was pleased with the orange powder over black bullseye glass – I hadn’t been sure if it’d disappear into the black. However the same orange powder did disappear into the red striker glass to leave just a solid fired red tile!

My attempt at creating an image by drawing with wax crayon onto the mesh (red bottom left picture). Then the powder was gently applied (orange and yellow – top left picture). The other two images show the fired finished glass.

Images on Glass course – Decals

Posted on 25/04/2015 by AnnaGoAnna

I started a new glass making course at Richmond Adult Community College – “Images on Glass”. No surprise but I’m already loving the course and it’s only week 1. Three more Saturdays of exploring and experimentation with different methods of applying images to glass.

First and foremost a quick introduction for ‘newbies’ to types of glass to use (Bullseye or Float), compatibility and how to cut glass.

This week we rummaged through an old box of decals and found our images to practice with. I selected poppies as I loved the vivid red but was unsure whether it would remain so vivid once fired. (I did say there was experimentation, right?).

We painted on other glass with enamels (mixing with acrylic media (water based and gloss)).

Another method was by using leaves and grass. We made prints from them by rolling ink over the leaf/grass and then rolling this over the glass to leave the image on the glass.

One further experiment was to see if we were able to create our own ‘transfers’ using enamels, contact paper and leaves. We printed a leaf onto paper. Then covered this with sticky paper. With the back of a spoon we rubbed the image right into the sticky paper. Next we ran it under water and rubbed the paper away, leaving the image on the (now not) sticky paper. Once dry, the stickiness returns. This was then stuck onto glass, like a homemade transfer/decal.

A selection of images prior to being fired in the kiln.

Below are photos of our glass images after firing. As a group we used different decals, painting techniques, colours and depth. Sadly (and oddly) the experimental own transfer/decals didn’t work – the images had disappeared. I’m going to try it again before the end of the course as this SHOULD work so we’re not sure what happened. Watch this space.

I was also intrigued to see what would happen to some of my images if I stacked them and refired them. I stacked (with 2 layers) some handpainted glass tiles. I stacked (with 3 layers) butterfly decals. And totally as an experiment I didn’t think would work was 7 layers of poppies!

Below top left is the firing tray loaded with stacks and the remaining pictures are post firing. The one that worked best was the poppies. Next job is to grind and polish the edges and then I’ll show you the 3D element to the stack.

Crocheting

Posted on 21/04/2015 by AnnaGoAnna

Whilst in Washington I attempted to do a few rows of Andi’s crochet project. Actually I found it really rather addictive and so rewarding when it looks great. Sadly I clearly needed a little more practice as I dropped a few stitches on Andi’s piece – but hey she’ll know the bit I ‘helped’ with!

So I decided that I’d try to crochet a small blanket for Andi. Either as a throw over for a bed or to snuggle up with on the sofa. First things first was to find some wool and crochet needle. I found a wonderful little shop nearby StitchUp and naively went in to source supplies. I left with a bag of wool and a new crochet hook… a little nervous as I can’t remember how to do it.

YouTube. I found a fabulous channel Bella Coco and managed to get to grips with creating granny squares in about 15 minutes!

Another YouTube Video to find out how to do the outer edge.

And finally another video to learn how to join them together.

And the finished present for my lovely friend Andi.

Can’t explain just how proud I felt when I wrapped up a parcel for Washington with my handmade blanket. Between the folds I snuck in a few extra little gifts for both Andi and Sam. Homemade card, decoupaged heart, British chocolate and sweets, crazy mini tic-tac boxes that I thought Sam would love and finally a bracelet each for Andi & Sam from the wonderful company Rebel Rocks.

Loved the message I received from Andi and Sam when the package arrived in Washington. “Received a wonderful package from @annagoanna1 !!!! Kept digging hoping to find Anna in there! What a great day!”

There’s something so very special about making gifts for people. Made with love and care.

Golfing… again

Posted on 12/04/2015 by AnnaGoAnna

After dusting down the golf sticks, cleaning up the golf shoes and finding my glove, I’m back.

Well when I say ‘back’, I mean I’m attempting again to learn golf. A friend’s girlfriend has decided to learn at the course across the road from me and I’ve joined her for beginner lessons.

So we’ve finished the series of 4 beginner lessons and are now on our way to an ‘improver’ course which starts in a few weeks. I was actually surprised how much I remembered and am still able to hit the ball – and for it to be roughly where I was aiming for it to go! I’m loving it.

Another local friend has also joined the golfing revolution and is taking the beginners course now with the hope of finishing that course and joining us on the improver course. Hehehe soon there will the three novice golfers out on the course! Watch out world.

Visiting Andi and Washington DC

Posted on 08/04/2015 by AnnaGoAnna

It’s difficult to describe my trip to Washington DC without gushing too much so I’ll try to make it brief (ish).

It wasn’t about visiting Washington DC. Exploring the City during my trip was a bonus but it was more about who I was exploring with.

My trip was booked over 9 months ago. The reason was to see a very dear friend of mine. A friend who I had (until this trip) only met in person once at the C4YW Conference in Orlando. But someone who I consider to be one of my best friends.

New Years Eve 2013/2014 I had been driving up to visit friends Nr Cambridge. My phone beeped to say I’d got a Messenger message from Andi. I glanced at the message and knew I had to pull over to read it in full. Andi told me that she had just seen the oncologist who had told her that her recent breathlessness was because she now had a metastases of Phyllodes in her lung. We exchanged several messages and agreed that as soon as I got home tomorrow we’d Skype or Facetime. In the meantime I knew I had to do some research into spindle cell sarcoma mets to lungs (preferably from a phyllodes tumour, if the research existed). One thing I was sure about though was what the oncologist wasn’t taking into consideration was the strength with which Andi has dealt with cancer for many years. Andi was first diagnosed many years ago and has had continued recurrences and many many surgeries. There was a point in 2013 when she was ‘growing’ new tumours at a rate of approximately 1 every 6 weeks! Every time they’d appear, she’d face it head on, deal with it, the surgery and the ‘fear’ and pick herself up, put on a fabulous pair of shoes, lipstick and a smile and be back out before anyone knew she’d been in hospital… some occasions having surgery between dropping her daughter at school and collecting her at the end of the day!

As soon as I got home, I got the laptop fired up and spent an age looking through research papers and medical journals. Pah! Found it.

My message “Re the 1 yr! Soooo not happy about them saying that.. all the info I’ve looked at for spindle cell sarcoma mets in lungs is 80% 5 year survival after resection. And that means you’re in the 80% of the 80% with a 126 year survival!!! I mean who am I going to have to misbehave with when I’m really old and cantankerous? YOU!!!!”

Shortly after New Year, Andi spent a great deal of time in and out of hospital receiving treatment. Through it all, Andi faced it head on and to most people ‘watching’ you would assume everything was a breeze. But there were truly rough days and only Andi (and her family) probably know the full extent. However what fabulous and amazing people like Andi have in spades, is friends. She had lots of visitors who stayed with her, looked after her and her family, shopped, cooked, cleaned and kept her company. Our friend Trish, turned up and surprised her on her first day of chemo in the hospital – there’s a great video of Andi’s utter surprise and delight at such an amazing gesture for Trish to do this. I hated being in the UK. Too far to turn up briefly and I wasn’t sure that this Brit who’d only met personally once was the right person to be there to take care of things for an extended time. All I could do was send cards, chat online and make sure she knew I cared.

In August last year Andi was over the worst of the chemo but still had some way to go… and British Airways kindly sent me an email with suggested flight destinations, including to Washington DC. Well what’s a girl to do?

I found flights that worked and messaged Andi to check she’d be at home over the Easter break. If I’m honest I didn’t give her much chance to say ‘No’ as the flights were booked very quickly! For the intervening 8 months friends on Facebook will have been a little confused about several posts that simply have countdown numbers in them – 135days, 4hrs, 13mins and 44seconds etc. But these countdowns were the exact timing until I touched down in Washington DC and knew that shortly after we’d meet again.

I loved our countdown. I also loved the excitement that this brought with it. The evening before I flew out was the first time I thought, eek what happens if we don’t get on? (Turns out Andi had the same thought).

I walked through the gates at the airport to be greeted by Andi and her fabulous daughter, Sam and two mahoosive hugs. And then the laughter started! For my entire trip we laughed. Laughed until we cried (or as one of us put it, “peed, just a little”!).

Here’s a few photo highlights from my trip:

We took a trip into Washington DC to do some site seeing… Love this picture of Andi and Samantha. So cute.

Incredible iconic buildings in Washington DC. Stunning city with some truly inspiring monuments. The respect and acknowledgement to ancestors who have fought for the US is heartfelt and real.

Such a special bond between Mum and Daughter.

We came across a park with some art and sculpture… errr anyone explain the one on the right? No?

I was also taken to the place ‘where my people first landed’, Jamestown.

Samantha was somewhat bemused that I knew little of our British history in the US but I don’t recall being taught much about it at school. Were we?

And Williamsburg where the whole town has been ‘preserved’. History scenes were acted out in the streets and you could visit the stores who were still making hats (milliners) bakery (breads), silversmith etc using the original tools and working as they would have in the past.

BUT as I said earlier, we didn’t stop laughing all week… on our tourist days we were also giggling at so very much.

Cheeeeter! (Andi and Sam will get that!)

We found a maze and some stunning gardens. What a shame I didn’t capture our, ahem, hide and seek on video!

We also discovered that Andi has a little difficulty working hand-dryers. Sadly we didn’t get her ‘air stewardess’ impression on video. We did wonder what it’d do to your face in a highspeed hand dryer.

During my stay we had a LOT of games of Clue (the US version of Cluedo. Samantha insists that anyone playing this game has to play in a British accent and was delighted that a real Brit was going to play.

Andi in her best English accent. The call of the Peacock also came in very handy when I got separated from them in a Smithsonian Museum. I heard the call from a long way away and ignoring all the people looking oddly at me & Andi, knew it was for me!

Andi’s husband Lane was on tour with the Washington Capital Ice Hockey team and only got home on the evening of PJEaster (Easter Day in PJs). Poor chap returned to find us 3 in our PJs, playing Clue, hair unwashed, no makeup and giggling like a bunch of crazies at daft and silly stuff. Only 10 minutes before he walked through the door, Andi had been tapping her forehead with the end of the pencil thinking is it Peacock or Plum in the Library? Only she missed and tapped the pencil into her eye. Sam and I couldn’t stop laughing and told her in no uncertain terms that it was self-inflicted!

A bandage (err headband) was found. Andi put this over her eye, glasses and pencil propped into the bandage and continued playing. Well actually I think we were still laughing at her when Lane walked in!

On the Monday, Lane wasn’t working so the four of us headed in to Georgetown for a wander and lunch. We found a fabulous spot by the river.

How fabulous is this family?

Oh and me and Andi.

After lunch we headed to Iwo Jima Marine War Memorial.And then on to see where Lane spends his time with the Washington Capitals, coaching them utterly brilliantly.

In the training room!

Samantha, the uber fabulous gymnast

and Lane

My final day, we went along to watch Washington Capitals training session. What an amazing experience as a newbie to understanding the sport. Incredibly fast and so skilled. I loved that anyone can attend training sessions and see their sporting heroes working so hard. If only we did this for our sports in the UK, youngsters wouldn’t assume you can rock up on a Saturday and earn a fortune without knowing about the many many training hours our sportsmen and women put in.

I was so very very sad to be heading off to catch a plane home. I wanted to put Andi, Lane and Samantha in my pocket and bring them home with me. It was so very weird being on a plane and not laughing and giggling or doing silly stuff.

Ooh and here’s your bonus video of Samantha singing. That child has such a beautiful voice.

What an amazing trip. Amazing in so very many ways. To be part of such a close and incredibly supportive family for just a short moment in time. We all know that laughter is the best medicine.. we filled our bathroom medicine cabinets this week. Loved my time in Washington DC but most of all loved my time with the family.

Decoupage reindeer heads with Kaffe Fassett material

Posted on 26/03/2015 by AnnaGoAnna

As you know I fell in love with the material of Kaffe Fassett at the Handmade Fair.

What I probably haven’t confessed to is that I’ve been purchasing small pieces of his material with a little project in mind. Although I did confess to the project in my Affordable Art Fair post.

Finally all the pieces have come together. I first practiced with a heart.

Then I sourced the papier mache heads, glue and together with the pieces of material and YouTube, I’ve been busy decoupaging. How fabulous is this method of crafting. For the most part everyone said to use paper and looked at me very oddly when I suggested material. So I wasn’t quite sure what would happen if I used material. In fact I suspect it’s easier as it stretches beautifully around corners and edges.

This fine fellow looks amazing on my living room wall.

But I felt he needed a girlfriend….

Great fun making them and easy to do. Perfect crafting with small people or to make something colourful and fun for yourself.

Update on the red and black glass piece

Posted on 26/03/2015 by AnnaGoAnna

My previous post showed you the story of my ‘drop’ glass piece and keeping our fingers crossed as the kiln cooled down.

My task today was to carefully finish the edge neatly so that it was even and with no sharp edges. I used lots of different machines to finish the piece. Great experience and I’m sure in time I’ll get more confident. At the moment I’m very cautious and I’m sure in some instances this hesitancy isn’t good for the glass work.

So here it is, the finished piece.

Like it?

Yet more glass…

Posted on 26/03/2015 by AnnaGoAnna

Two weeks ago I decided to experiment with some float glass. Cutting and shaping different pieces and then layering them up.

I positioned them carefully and left them to be fired flat. Last week, I spent some time shaping and finishing the edges of the flat piece. Then once again, fingers crossed, I positioned the piece on to a ‘wave’ slump mold and left it to our wonderful technicians.

Today I collected my piece. I love my wave!

Rachmaninoff: Inside Out at The Royal Festival Hall

Posted on 25/03/2015 by AnnaGoAnna

Beautiful concert this evening. The London Philharmonic Orchestra were, as ever, enthralling, engaging and amazing. There is something so incredible that transports you to another world whilst the Orchestra plays. We were treated to Mozart Symphony No. 36 (Linz) which is always criticized as being written in haste but I certainly didn’t get that impression when I listened to it tonight.

Followed by the young player, Dmitry Mayboroda, performing Rachmaninoff’s First Piano Concerto. My Oh My can that boy move up and down the ivories at speed! Incredible performance. We were treated to a couple of additional pieces as he was called back more than once, for encores!

The concert finished with an old favourite, Dvořák Symphony No. 8. I remember listening to this many times as Mum had a recording of it. Envoked some wonderful memories.

The Royal Festival Hall is also becoming one of my favourite classical venues. From the outside a fairly non-descript concrete lump. Inside it’s a jewel of Scandinavian design, wood and simplicity. The seats comfortable and from every seat a view of the stage. Certainly somewhere I would happily (and do) buy the cheap seats and still feel like I’m ‘in’ the best seats.

All in all, another truly great concert.

Update on my glass making

Posted on 21/03/2015 by AnnaGoAnna

I’d best first tell you about my disasters of last Saturday. Having spent an age crafting, cutting, shaping, etching the wax model.

The next step is to create a plaster mold. No mean feat for a small object but something of this size it’s a huge task. I found the right plastic edging and clipped it together, using clay, I set the plastic edging to the board and hoped it’d take the weight of the massive amount of liquid plaster and flint. And it probably would have done absolutely fine had I not heard someone suggest I move the clip out of the way. Quick as a flash I did and quicker than I could imagine the plastic edging slipped closely followed by a fair bit of the 8 litres of liquid plaster!

Thank heavens for sensible people in the room who quickly were able to stem the flow and save the day. What an idiot I am. All week I’ve had nightmares about it and honestly I have no idea if the plaster mold has really worked at this point.

But the glass must go on. The next step was steaming out the wax from the plaster mold. It’s a little Heath Robinson but it works (top right). As there are some very thin pieces of wax, I steamed it for quite some time to get right up into the plaster mold.

Today’s step was to finish steaming out the wax. Then select the glass (Gaffer) and, in my case, liquid enamel. Clean each piece of glass and then position the pieces with the enamel into the mold for firing. Fingers crossed, one more time, that the firing goes well.

Another small piece that I started last week and finished this week was a small ‘wonky’ bowl with some small hearts and a ribbon stand. Below is a picture of the wax mold and then after the firing whilst it was still in the plaster mold.

A fair bit of cold working on the saw to remove the base, lathe, flatbed, hand lapping and engraving inside and out.

I’m quite pleased with how it’s worked out. It’ll be a beautiful birthday present for someone special very soon.

I also was able to fuse some pieces of glass that I cut a couple of years ago, following my course with David Mitchell. It was fired first flat (fusing) and then fired again this week in a slump. I’ve learned more in that I need to be more careful when using ‘batt wash’. Batt wash is used over ceramic molds before firing and needs to be approximately 7 layers, straight across, diagonally, and again. What I learned was that I should made each layer thinner and with more care… there’s a few small blobs on this piece because of it!

Here’s the finished article.