The Cost of Handmade $ and the Metals class we took!

(this is a Long Post..Bear with me!)
The Cost of making handmade from tools and Lampwork..
there is alot more to everything than meets the eye..you would be surprised!!
But before talking about the price of tools etc.. This is the Class we took:

No Solder, No Glue
Instructor: Gwen Youngblood

Here was our great teacher 
Gwen Youngblood..

This is a tool Gwen designed for riveting.
And it was a heck of an ingenious tool 

I hope to get one as soon as she has them available..

Ok my husband and I took this very invaluable class at Blue Moon Glassworks in Austin Texas on Saturday. The class was a bit hard for a beginner like me, I seemed to be all thumbs and for a person who is very hands on I was surprised. I think it was so because there was so much information! Gwen really packed alot into this class 4 hours. It was really a GREAT class! Even tho we were unable to finish we now *know how to do what we were taught and some things will just have to be practiced. You walk away with so much respect for the knowledge of the teacher and all of the techniques and cost of the tools. A very renewed respect I will add! These techniques must be practiced until your work is good enough to sell. And that in itself alot. But we now know and can incorporate other ideas into what we have learned!

This is my and Ron's pieces, not finished and there will be practice that will have to be done for future pieces!

Ron's piece is here.

Is that not Sweet he made my name on his..

unfortunately he messed the bottom a bit. 

But when you mess up..

You learn!

 

Here is mine!
(and it is not great and the flower is uneven)

The fluted piece is ok but by no means perfect!

And this will take time to perfect. The 2 dots

are too close, but well hey

I did it! And..

can go on from here..

Tools.
Here are some tools that we 
bought while at Blue Moon..
these are for lampworking.

The economy's bad bad right now, but materials and the cost of tools is not cheap! It makes you really respect the cost and time that many talented artisans from Lampworkers to Metalsmiths put into their studios just to make beautiful things. We did receive a discount off of the glass bill below, but I am showing you what the cost is for many an artisan.

I'm thrilled Blue Moon Glass works had all of the glass in stock and I was able to see what we were buying.

This is price per pound on the glass we bought.

And these are about the going prices anywhere..

So do I respect my Craft? I sure do!

We bought many beautiful colours 

and CIM glass as well. Beautiful coloured glass 

is not for the faint at heart. The more brilliant and pretty the colours; the higher the price was told by a Lampwork distributor today on the phone (not Blue Moon) I see many Lampworkers just about giving their work away now. They must do this as a hobby. But why? A bad economy. I will continue to learn and strive..despite the times in this economy! I will be striving for One of a kind focals etc...

 Tools-We did not get this caliper from BlueMoon Glassworks, but this is to show what a very precise DIAL CALIPER runs. Need to measure beads precisely? Cost? $35.00. This makes me ever so thankful to be doing what I'm doing and learning to do!

This bead you can see is 12 mm.

Some of our Trip to Austin..

many parts of Texas are having a drout.

We were shocked to see all of the dead trees along 

the way for miles!

A small reproduction Texas town, but deserted and not operating..

The ever happy Jim and Rose. Lovely people and always so helpful! Their Shop is akin to a Candy land for many of us..

Here are a few of the many Showcased Lampwork in 

at Blue Moon Glassworks..

You know who this is!

This looks like Lauren Stumps work..

This? Heaven!

We had a great time!
Thank you for stopping by!