Jan Locander Lampwork Blog

This year is almost gone...

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:08:00 +0000

April? What happened to this year? I do have some new beads that I made several months ago but I am just now uploading them. My computer was sick and I had to uninstall all my software and reinstall it. Not an easy task for someone who knows next to nothing about computers. I was thrilled when it actually worked. No more surfing unknown sites for me!
The glass makers know how to entice beadmakers by coming up with new wonderful glass. Chalcedony is one of these. These beads were all made with one single rod of glass that produces multiple colors. The glass will "strike" to different stages depending on how many cycles of heating and cooling it goes through. Some of these are encased in clear which produces another element to the mix. I have more beads that I will post soon after I edit the photos. Have a great day!

New Venture

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:00:00 +0000

I have been gone for so long that it is hard getting back online again. After loosing my Mother, my creative energy took a hiatus. My life is still not my own due to family issues but I have managed to squeeze in a little ME time. I have been bitten by the fiber bug once again and I think I needed to go in another direction for a while. The glass will wait and I will get back to that soon I hope.
For now, I have been dyeing and felting which I had never done before. I stumbled upon a Felting Forum while searching for something and that opened up a new experience. I had actually purchased needle felting supplies a long time ago but what really interests me is wet felting. Getting my hands in those raw fibers and turning them into something using only water, soap and agitation is very rewarding. I have posted photos on my Flickr site and here are a few of my fist items. The following is a general explanation for Nuno or Laminated Felting: The silk chiffon and the fibers are hand dyed. The wool fibers are "laminated" to the silk using warm soapy water and by rubbing enough to migrate the wool through the silk. The whole piece is then rolled using bubble wrap until it starts to firm up. It is then dipped alternately in hot and cold water and thrown (yes thrown) down to cause the wool to shrink. This has been quite a learning experience since I am teaching myself. I still have a lot to learn but I am having fun in the process. There are other methods that I am using also which I will explain in another post.

Sad News

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:23:00 +0000

I know I have not posted in a long time. My Mother passed away on November 22 and her Memorial service was December 1 which would have been her 83rd Birthday. In the previous post, I mentioned that she fell and broke her hip. After having a partial hip replacement she was recovering nicely and then a staph infection showed up. They went back in, removed the prosthesis and left it out. The infection turned out to be a MRSA and even with multiple IV antibiotics, her body could not recover. It is tragic but I know she is in a better place and will not have to suffer any more. My Aunt and Uncle continue to have major health issues as well. My Dad ended up in the ER two days ago but it was stress related. He has been ordered to not do any more care giving for at least three months.

My art will have to be put on the back burner for a little longer as I help my Dad get things in order. My torch will still be there when I am ready but I also have to take care of myself during this grieving period too. Thank you to all who have continued to pray for us. We could not have survived without your prayers and support.

REVISED FALL SHOW SCHEDULE

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 01:21:00 +0000

My family is in a medical crisis at the moment. My Father's only Brother had major surgery and five days later my Mother fell and broke her hip. They are both in their 80's and require around the clock care. My Mother's only Nephew had Heart Bypass yesterday. I won't be doing the Market Street Show October 4th or the Trunk Show this weekend. I probably won't be doing any shows in October unless things drastically improve. Wish us speedy recoveries!

HURRICANE COMING!!!!

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:32:00 +0000

The trunk show this weekend has been canceled due to Hurricane Ike. This is a big storm and they are comparing it to Carla which I remember as a child. I have brought all the plants in and tied up the furniture. We are staying put and hopefully we won't have major damage. We could loose power so I am unplugging my computer as it gets closer.

Stay safe!!!

Fall is coming!

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:25:00 +0000

The past two mornings it has been in the high 60's and I can tell that the weather is finally changing. I can't believe another week has flown by and I have lots of shows to get ready for. I have been making more leaves and there will be a tutorial on my leaves in the upcoming HSGB Newsletter. Have a great weekend!

Whoever dies with the most wins!

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:30:00 +0000

Do you think I have enough beads? Yes, I made everyone of them and there is another shoe box full that I didn't even get to. I ran out of jewelry trays. Why is it that when I start getting ready for shows that I don't feel like I have enough beads made? If you have the answer, please let me know.

Color Choices

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:26:00 +0000

My color choices seem to go in phases. I tend to gravitate towards the earthy shades first. I love greens and shades of turquoise. This bead didn't turn out the way I planned but I like it anyway. I am going to take a group photograph of all the beads that are going with me to the upcoming trunk shows. I am not sure I can get them all in one shot but this should be interesting.

Upcoming Shows

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:28:00 +0000

Fall is right around the corner which translates into "busy". My ISGB chapter is doing lots of Trunk Shows at the local bead stores which are great fun. The Market Street Fine Art Show is the only outdoor show that I am participating in. The weather is always risky so hopefully it will not rain this year on that date. I am among the featured artists for the month of November at the Potter's Guild Shop and Gallery. We will be in our new location by then and I will send out an announcement when we move. Here is a schedule of upcoming events. Have a great week!

Antique Keys

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:59:00 +0000

My friend went to Canton and I asked her to pick up some skeleton keys for me. I now wish I had requested more. I am sure this is a trend but I think these would look great in numerous ways. I need to go antique shopping!

My first trunk show of the season is Saturday Auguest 20! Look for details tomorrow.

I wish I could sleep like this

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 03:09:00 +0000

My next door neighbor's kitty sleeps in the strangest places. He has wedged himself up next to the brick wall on the front porch and didn't even wake up when I opened the door. He is the sweetest cat and I brush him everyday to keep that long hair tangle free.

Silver

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:09:00 +0000

Silver reacts with glass and you never know exactly what you are going to get. I had to order some more and I hope I don't run out before it arrives. Lately, I can't seem to make a bead without picking up the fine silver. This bead is hard to photograph due to the iridescence from the silver but I hope I have captured some of it. Have a great weekend!

Something New!

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 01:24:00 +0000

I have had this idea in my head for quite a while and finally put it together. About 3 years ago, I took a PMC class and made the silver pendant. It was a fun class but I decided that I would stick with the glass and let others do the PMC. This is fun to wear because it makes little jingling noises when you move it around.

Gearing up for Fall

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 17:40:00 +0000

This time of year always creeps up on me and I start to feel panicked if I don't have a lot of work ready for Fall show season. Last week my son was here having his wisdom teeth extracted and I am glad we have that behind us. I missed a good photo shoot opportunity but I don't think he would have approved.

This is the beginning of more to come. I will post the show dates soon.

Monday

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:59:00 +0000

I am not sure what happened to the weekend but I did manage to get one bead made that I actually like. We are expecting a tropical storm to hit tomorrow so hopefully all we will get is the much needed rain and temperatures below 100 degrees.

What was I thinking?

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:28:00 +0000

Experimenting in glass is the way that I have learned what I know today. Sometimes they turn out fabulous and other times they turn out like this. This is a cab and not a bead and designed with a specific idea in mind for my friend the wonderful metalsmith. I think the concept has potential but this one is not going anywhere.
On the other hand, I have been playing around with a tutorial that a generous bead artist published and you would never know these were even the same type of bead because I put my spin on them. I am very happy with these.

Computers

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:59:00 +0000

My modem decided that for some unknown reason, it wasn't going to talk to my Internet Provider anymore. There is nothing more frustrating to me than a computer that does not work because unfortunately, I don't know how to fix it. My dear brother walked me through some diagnostic tests and that didn't work either. I finally had to call my provider and they were able to figure out what the problem was and get it going again by resetting something. All I knew was that for over 24 hours, I was without internet. It goes to show how much I depend on everything working the way it is supposed to work.

Enough of that, I have new beads and cabs! Torching in 100 degree heat is no fun but I do it in short spurts. Hopefully, there will be more beads later in the week.

Challenge

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:34:00 +0000

My bead group has challenges monthly and a themed Newsletter that is very informative. The theme for the next Newsletter is "The Dog Days of Summer". It was 100 degrees here yesterday so I think that qualifies. I made a dog bead inspired by my friend's sweet dog. The mismatched ears were on purpose because that is the way her ears really look!

Three Colors

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 21:47:00 +0000

Glass is amazing and that is why I don't think I will ever get tired of exploring. This bead only has three colors of regular Moretti glass. Can you guess what they are???

New Favorites

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:10:00 +0000

Thank you for coming to our opening of the new VanJan Collection! It will stay in place at the Houston Potter's Guild Shop through the rest of July.

This is a new set that I am very happy with. I used more shards from Janet's Glass on Etsy and I love the reaction with the silver on these beads. I actually made an entire set in one sitting which hardly ever happens.

Stay cool!

Happy Fourth of July!!!

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:44:00 +0000

New beads! I also have new cabs for my jewelry partner Vanessa. I can't wait to see what she does with them. Our new line of jewelry is called VanJan . We will be showing our collaborative work throughout July at the Houston Potter's Guild Shop and Gallery. Stop by if you are in the area.

July Show

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:24:00 +0000

During the month of July, Vanessa Parker and I are showing our collaborative work at the Houston Potter's Guild Shop and Gallery. We will have an open house with a drawing for a free necklace on July 12. Please stop by and take a look at our new work.

New Direction

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:29:00 +0000

I felt the need to take a small break from beadmaking and do something else creative. If I am having trouble getting the ideas to flow in glass, if I attempt to do something completely different it helps to get me back on track. I made this collage painting on watercolor paper and then cut it up to make cards out of. It actually turned out pretty well. The hardest part is putting the first stroke of paint down. More soon!

Silver Cored Beads

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:45:00 +0000

My bead group purchased a Retro Bead Liner and I got to bring it home to do a tutorial. It is much harder to use than I thought but these are the results of my first sterling silver lined beads. I had to complete them using dapping punches and a chasing hammer but I think they look pretty good for my first ones. I don't think I will be making too many of these because it is hard on my hands. I actually have to borrow my husband's hands to turn the wheel. We are also going to purchase the Jim Moore Bead Liner and I hope that one is easier to use.

Inspiration

j_locander@hotmail.com (Jan Locander) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:56:00 +0000

It is so hot this time of year that I have a hard time motivating myself to sit in front of a flaming torch. The plants start begging for water and shade but there are a few that love the heat. This hibiscus blooms in different colors. It must have been grafted but it is fun to see what color will bloom on a certain day. I have not had all three colors blooming at the same time but hopefully that will happen sometime during our long summers. Stay cool and I will have bead photos soon.