If at first you don’t succeed …

Despite the fact that I don’t have a finished bead to show for it, I did spend quite a bit of time on my second New Years resolution, thinking and drawing up ideas and trying them out with clay. I hoped I would have something to show by now, but after experimenting with my ideas in clay (an activity that at least my kids could join me in!), I realized that most of them would be too bulky to be fired with a torch, so I had to rethink my approach. And I haven’t come up with something that I really love. But I have bought all the tools, except for the torch, so I am determined to keep trying ideas and to come up with something!

Looking back, it’s a bit funny that I mentioned in my resolutions post that I wanted something that didn’t require a flame, and yet a flame is required to turn metal clay into a metal bead. I could skip the flame if I shelled out for a kiln instead, but at this point the cost of a butane torch is a bit easier to stomach since I don’t know whether this will be a “dabble” or the start of a new obsession! Despite my earlier reservations about flames around my kids/pets, I think the torch will be manageable since it’s only a few minutes to burn the clay away so I can do it after the kids are in bed and without a helping paw.

And I guess I know what my first resolution is for the second half of the year!

1 Comment

  1. Ooh exciting! I must admit after having to buy propane for the bus, it did cross my mind that I had some of the torch kit now anyway ;)

    My shoulder’s still limited in movement so class is a no-go, but I’m tempted to book another taster to see exactly what is possible with my shoulder!

    I shall be interested to see your next steps with this if you decide to go ahead :)

    Mars xx

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