Unique Glass Jewelry – Unique Modul

To tell you the truth, I do not like glass litter, especially considering that Bullseye (our glass supplier) is jut about to raise prices. I know that not all firing will be perfect especially not at the first time, but unused glass scraps are a waste of money. For this reason we used to collect these scraps in out studio for later use. This is perfect for making one of a kind design, but if you make several pieces of one design it is no help at all. Being an architect, who constantly uses modules, I realized why can’t I have an own modul system. While designing in a modul system is not a big deal, cutting is faster and there is hardly any waste. So I created my own modul system. We also found out a new production system to match: first we cut modular width strips that is chopped to smaller pieces (the grammatic here might not be correct L) Yesterday we did work with the new system. It was great, fast more effective. The only thing that did not change is the style!

I've Been Tagged!

It seems that I have been tagged by MissX and now I need to share 7 facts about myself – some funny, some strange and some secret facts.

Here they are:

1) I love to cook.

2) I love to speak.

3) I cloth diaper.

4) Housework is not a priority for me.

5) I have a Swiss Army knife in my purse since I was 14.

6) My indoor plants hardly survive, but the oudoors ones are georgeous.

7) I did not eat mushrooms until I was 21.


The rules are:
1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blog.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Here are the ones I am tagging:
Vadjutka
Ledanna
JennSki
syko
Jellybean
Karlita
LaPomme

Glass Fusing and Lapmworking

Many people ask why don't I offer glass beads if I do glassworking anyway. There are a wide range of wish list in my blog comments and other feedbacks: some people would like some long ones and others wish to have somehuge ones or even tubes. There are many great ideas and inspiration in these comments, but fusing and lamworking are two totally different things.

Fusing
Fusing means cutting and layering some glass sheets and fuse them in a kiln at about 1500F. The end result is determined by the temperature and time spent in the kiln.




Lampworking
For lampworking you need a special torch to heat the glass rods until melting point. Then you "twist" it on preaheated stainless steel rod. These rods are previously covered vith a special liquid, that helps to separate the rod and the glass from each other.


Both of them has to be annealed. Annealing is a way of slow cooling method to minimie the stress inside the glass. If it is not sow enough, the glass will break.

Christmas shopping

As a member of European Street Team of Etsy, I do promote to shop early for Christmas. I usually shop early too. This has lots of great advanteges:

• you not have to shop in crowd
• you will have plety of time to order from Europe
• you will have plenty of time to bake cool cakes and cookies for Christmas
• you will not be dead tired on Christmas Day

This is what I do every year, believe me it worth it!

Rigblogger

There is a blogger, who blogs on rings. She recently found my rings and blogged about them!

HERE THEY ARE!

Craft Fair and Rice Souffle

As I was at a fair this week-end I had to take care of the lunch for the family. Usually there are two menu that is easy to make, the kids love it and easy to serve. They are:
A. potato boid egg dish with sour creme
B. rice souffle
I have chosen the second one this time:

És a recept:
17.5 oz. rice
8 cups soy milk or regular milk
2 2/3 cups water
grated lemon peel
some sugar
2 tbsp. flour
3.5 oz. butter
8 eggs

I bring the water, milk and rice with some grated lemon peel to boil. (DO NOT blog at this point, otherwise it will spill out!). When the rice is almost done, I put a lid on and remove from the gas, until it cools down. This time I add flour, egg yolks, sugar and butter. I beat egg whites until stiff and mix it in with the rice. I filll int in a greased pan andbake it on 340F for 30 min. If the top gets red too fast I usually put a piece of white paper on top.
It tastes the best with some apricot jam (that is why I use very little sugar!)!

Murgatroyd & Bean

Tell me a bit about Yourself!
Hi, I am Kathleen, the person behind 'Murgatroyd & Bean'. I live in the beautiful rural county of Herefordshire, England, with my partner and two cats. I find Herefordshire a very inspiring place - it is home to apples & cider making, historic churches and strange customs; 'pressing the blessing', Morris dancing and ancient green men carvings. The local landscape, wildlife and folklore all inspire my work. I love colour and things with a twist.

What you do apart from creating?
As well as designing and creating for 'Murgatroyd & Bean', I am studying a qualification in creative embroidery part-time and I do voluntary work for Oxfam. Sometimes it feels as if there aren't enough days in the week to do everything I want to!


When did you start crafting?
As a child I could usually be found either drawing, painting or reading! As a teenager I used to make caricature dolls of my friends. After completing an art degree I found myself on a totally different career path for 12 years working with young people who needed help and advice, so the creative process was put on hold. My interest in textiles has remained constant and about 12 months ago I started to sew and create again, thus 'Murgatroyd & Bean' was born!

How do you work?
I have a studio space at home with a desk which looks out onto my garden. From here I can watch the birds coming and going and the crazy antics of the cats. I usually work with the radio on or my ipod playing.

What is you favourite part of creation?
I love working with colour - putting different combinations together to see what works and I love the rhythm of hand sewing. I am starting to work a little more with free machine embroidery, which is definitely quicker, but my first love will always be hand sewing I think. I enjoy working with tactile fabrics such as felt, wools and velvets and love it when I can 'reclaim' material which had a life as something else, i.e. a jacket, and turn it into a strange creature instead.

Any favorites?
Place: The folk art collection at Compton Verney, Warwickshire, UK Artists: Andy Goldsworthy, Clare Woods Textile Artists: Tilleke Schwarz, Maxine Sutton Books: 'Wuthering Heights' Emily Bronte, 'Rosie Goes for a Walk' Pat Hutchins (super illustrations), 'The Velveteen Rabbit' Margery Williams, Grimms Fairy Tales

How do you promote yourself?
I sell a lot of my work through Art Fairs & craft markets across the Midland region of England. I really enjoy the direct contact with customers. I also have a selection of my smaller items for sale on the Etsy website, i.e. brooches & decorations. Occasionally I sell through local galleries and gift shops and there is a gallery of Murgatroyd & Bean images on Facebook, , where you can also join the mailing list for the latest news.

Tell me about Kathleen in 10 years!
I hope to continue working with textiles designing & making, maybe taking some of the creatures I have created into their own story / books. Um. Watch this space!

He is 40

He is 40. I organised a huge suprise party for the week-end. The hardest thing was to keep it in secret. If I make him a surprise it is really hard not to tell. I am so excited what he will say. Believe me I had a really hard three weeks, but he did not even thought about this party!

It was so much fun. He had 48 friends there. I made a powerpoint presentation of his life, all the way from birth to now.

Now I am tired, bt it really woth to be tired!

Contemporary Glass Jewelry 3...2...1... start!

Talking about Christmas has two aspects for me. One is the personal. I do start Christmas shoppong in August. (Yes, you read it well!) I do not like (might say hate) to shop in mid-December, when most people are in a hurry and impatient. I do not enjoy that. By end of October I am mostly done.

Considering the business part end of October is the time when our business starts to go fast, really fast! The panyizsuzsi contemporary glass jewelry line is real Christmas treasures and they make perfect stocking stuffers! We will not run out or have a low stock by December. In spite of this we will announce our deadines here. Deadline for commision and last shipping day for Europe and the rest of the World. This way we can make sure that you have your presents on time! That is part of the panyizsuzsi guarantee.

Until then we have many local fairs. The next one is:
WAMP
12th October, 2008. Gödör Klub (It will be inside, thanks God!)