In a new gallery for 2013 !

Well, its been a while since I have posted up on any sites. I have recently found a nice new gallery in Bisbee AZ. Its called the Blue Tree Gallery.  Located in Bisbee AZ, a former copper mining town.

I have always thought Bisbee is a rather Seussical town. I say that because of the Dr. Seuss books with pictures of houses perched all caddywompus on the side of peaks. Thats what Bisbee looks like to me. Its a very neat artsy town.

The Blue Tree Gallery is located right next door to the Cafe Roka. Cafe Roka is a great resteraunt serving amazing food.

Growing up on the east coast, in Massachusetts, Bisbee reminds me of what Amherst and Northampton MA used to be like back in the day.

Right now the gallery is only up on Facebook. Here is the link

Blue Tree Gallery link here

I have some new bead totems, marbles, and a few necklaces in the gallery. If you are out and about, drop by and check it out.

Thanks
Matt

Fordite

Upon request for more info on Fordite.....

Fordite is the name for paint chips from the ford factory. I guess it has come to refer to any automotive paint that has built up and can be used like this.... You could have Dodgite, Chevyite, Subaruite.... etc...

Basically overspray from painting cars - which implies an older technique as now its all plastic and static bonded so there is no overspray....

Any old car factory that sprayed paint in theory could have this laying around... and I also guess not just car factories...

Maybe the Macco car paint shops, etc.... Boat shops, bike factories, anyplace the colored paint built up in layers and hardened.

Click on the title and it should take you to fordite.com

Hope that this is of interest.

Beads for Sale Again Locally

OK - well it was a nice overcast day here in AZ. Sun masked behind clouds and kind of cool, well at least not the sun beating down.

I have a new consignment arrangement lined up and beads on had at a new store. Crafted Luxuries located at 108 El Camino Real, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635-2808 (520) 439-4487. Its a neat store with lots of variety of crafting mediums.

Dropped off some beads and looking forward to having more on hand soon.

If you are looking for my beads, this is one of the locations that will have a fresh supply of handmade glass beads and will continue to get new ones hot out of the kiln.

Sierra Vista is a pretty long days drive from San Diego, and about 1.5 hours south east of Tucson AZ. If you come down there are lots of things to do in Sierra Vista asides from picking up a few beads.

http://www.sierravistachamber.org/

http://www.svherald.com/



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Glass billet table top- nearly finished.

Well, here it is, the finished table top. The whole project is done. I will say that at present the glass billet chunks or blocks simply rest on the rails and thats not working well. They tend to shift and drop through... I think a trip to the dreaded Home Despot or maybe Ace or Lowes will get me a very thin piece of plexi or some other clear plastic type sheet and that will go underneath all the blocks. Maybe even a drop of clear silicone to "glue" each block down to the sheeting.

Photo looking down through the glass



Im happy

welding table/cart project

Part homegrown brain child part inspiration from the miller welding site, projects area.

This welding cart has 2 wheels up front. Its got 3 removable welding shields on 3 sides. In the photo only the back side is up.

Top is 1/4 inch plate steel unpainted so you can weld without having to clamp each piece. Under the table top is a ground pin and 2 pipes for metal bending.


On the wheel end there is a "holster" for the mig gun and loop for pliers

The chain is welded to the card for holding in tanks of gas.

Fire table project

OK this is next up....

Here is a link to spark fires

Their outdoor linear burner system is kind of what I have in mind only down the center of a table.

Call it the modern smores table or something like that......

The glass top table

Been holding onto this idea for a while....

Here is a photo of the table all formed up, welded and rough ground.

I have some glass billet samples from Bullseye glass.
The idea was/is to have a small coffee table with the billets on top.
Initially I was going to make a small grid with a "tray" for each block of glass.

I drew this out a number of times, measured, pondered and mulled it over for a while.

Finally yesterday the idea burst forth and I didnt sketch or plan.




Just grabbed the metal, welder, cutter, grinder and went to work....

Here it is after a coat of black satin krylon paint. I will let the paint dry over night and then put the glass blocks on top to finish it off. I even was able to get some small plastic "feet" or end caps from Ace hardware. I will also pound those in just near the end.




Hope you like - it will be even better with the glass blocks on top... I will try and post a photo tomorrow of the project done....
Im kind of proud of it soo far. Maybe there is a future for me in making some furniture stuff...

Crazy goblets

OK so I am trying to make goblets. I have some here that I made a while ago.... using the same tube as the chandelier.




My sister give me some pointers over the phone, and I studied up in the glass mags to refine my technique.

I want to get decent enough at this to make an actual functional goblet.... or at least one that doesnt look like it was made by a craay person.....

Still they are getting better but kind of like a bunch of crazy drunk glass fairies made them.

The ones with the clear feet are the newer ones with better technique.

I want to get decent enough at this to make an actual functional goblet.... or at least one that doesnt look like it was made by a crazy person.....

Not bead related but poetry

A well known local kid reading her own poetry at the local elementary school......