Firelady’s Blog

SAVE BIG ON THIS YEAR’S LAUSCHA TOUR!!!!

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:51:48 -0400

Due to a last minute cancellation, two spots are available on our upcoming Lauscha Tour. You’ll save $300 on the tour if you sign up now!!! Listen to what previous travelers have to say on the audio/slideshow above. Check it out!

Find Out More About the Tour (Including Itinerary): Click Here
Register for the Tour: Click Here

New Podcast! Build Your Dreams with Tim Macfarlane

Thu, 20 May 2010 08:24:47 -0400

Build your dreams in glass!

Engineer Tim Macfarlane shares a bit about the complexities of determining the stress, strain and structural strength of our favorite sparkly material. He brings architects' visions to life, an accomplishment that is no small feat!

You may recognize his work when treading upon sculptural glass staircases at Apple stores around the world. Or climbing the ruby red staircase at Times Square to usher in the New Year. Perhaps you heard his inspiring address as the Glass Art Society Keynote Speaker in Corning, 2009.

But it's not all about the modern application of glass as a building material....

He's also working on the restoration of a historic building in Virginia, circa 1769. Replacing missing sections with glass makes it "clear" to all the separation of the old from the new. A conservators dream! Or is it? Find out more in this engaging interview.

Bethlehem Barracuda On Sale!!!!

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 12:37:16 -0400

The Cudda is still my all-time favorite torch!

Here’s what the website has to say about it:

Playful and powerful, you'll use the torch as an artistic component in creating beautiful work. By varying the atmosphere of your flame, you can use your torch like a fiery paintbrush for shading and highlights. Reduce! Oxidize! Bring out brilliant colors that you never thought possible. Premixed burners just don't hold a candle to surface mixed when it comes to refining vivid and subtle hues. The razor-sharp center flame is excellent for defining meticulous details in your decorative work. The outer flame transfers heat to your glass at lightning speed and with low line pressures. For marbles, sculpting, monster beads and vessels, this sleek, sizzling torch is cost-effective and fuel efficient. Order yours today!

Tropical Wildflower Honey Back in Stock

Wed, 7 Apr 2010 01:05:22 -0400

This was the coldest winter in forty years, relatively speaking. Personally, the weather was absolutely gorgeous....but not so for the bees. They don’t fly if the weather is below 55 degrees. But one thing I hadn’t realized is....if the nighttime temperature dips below 60, the sap, or nectar, within the plant does not flow. So even if the bees are flying, the flowers have no nectar. Pollen yes, nectar...no.

And so for the first time in living memory...the bees drank up all their honey. We actually ran out. It was awful!!!

But now the weather has warmed up, the girls are buzzing busily, and the scent of honey hovers in the air once again. We’re bottling up this new batch even as we speak, and we’re quite grateful to be doing so...

Want some honey?  Click Here

Better Births in Native America

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:58:59 -0400

In Tuba City, Arizona, in an underfunded hospital run by the Navajo Nation, C-section rates are low and VBACS (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean) thrive. Why is it that in this impoverished community the C-section rates are significantly lower than the national average and successful VBAC rates are higher than in many more affluent communities?

Read the NY Times Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/health/07birth.html

Watch the Audio Slideshow:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/03/06/us/20100307-BIRTH/index.html

It’s been awhile, but I had one hospital birth and one home birth with a midwife. The home birth was a highlight life experience, empowering in myriad ways. And while that may not be for everyone, the midwife model for birth consistently scores higher and results in fewer hi-tech interventions and neo-natal and maternal deaths than the standard American packaged birth.

Statistically, our country’s outcomes are horrendous. For a wealthy nation we lag far behind many less developed countries regarding birthing options that are safe for mother and baby. (When I last checked I think we ranked 23rd among developed nations. Might be different today.) The Netherlands still ranks number one with the lowest mortality rate of all, and more than half of their births are in the hands of midwives.

Anyway, check out the article and slideshow. Food for thought!

New Video Tutorial / Making a Dichroic Lightning Tabular with Pat Frantz

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:22:33 -0400

Pat Frantz is one of the artists that fostered the growth of the American beadmaking movement.
I remember when I used to have posters up of her work on my studio wall. And to think I would then be lucky enough to meet her and document her work for all time!

I’ve been thinking in dichro mode since the arrival of my new batch of Lauscha Styx last week. What better way to share the joy than to put together a new online tutorial on dichro beadmaking?

This is an excerpt from our “Making Dichroic Beads” DVD. If you like it, you can always get yourself a copy of the DVD so you can learn more.

Besides the Lightning Tabular, this DVD also illustrates how to create a:
Basic Dichroic Bead
2-Tone Bicone Bead
Patchwork Bead
Twisted Melon Drop Bead
Psychedelic Core Pattern Bead
Multi-Colored Watercolor Bead
Black Cherry Bicone Bead

Want a copy? Click Here

Lauscha Styx Back in Stock and Available at www.firelady.com

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 13:23:52 -0500

Ah yes, it seems like only yesterday (it was!) when the FedEx truck pulled out of the driveway, leaving my beloved batch of Lauscha Styx there on the front porch.

And so, they’ve been unwrapped, fussed over, inventoried, and are available at www.firelady.com under Glass Rods/Lauscha.

By the way, this photo is taken with them in transmitted light. In reflected light they look like a shiny clear with a reflective coating. Just FYI.

I’ll be bringing them up to the International Flameworking Conference next week.

FInd out more or buy some Styx:
CLICK HERE