I just thought I would add to this post. So many of you have already left such kind comments. Thank you!
I wanted to photograph the lamps in the right setting to see how they looked. I was hoping they would look like marble. I am pretty happy with them.
Still no feeling back on that spot on my thumb.?
I have been busy working on all sorts of things. I managed to finish two lamps today.
They were more work than I ever could have imagined. There is now a spot on my thumb that has no feeling in it at all. It has been that way for three days. I hope it comes back to life. LOL
I bought the Blue Lace Agate Beads for the lamps on ETSY. I loved the color and the oval melon twist! However, there was a problem. They had a very tiny hole in them. I thought... No problem, I'll buy a diamond bead reamer. http://www.etsy.com/shop/EurekaEureka?ref=seller_info
I also bought solid brass heishe beads on ETSY. Same problem, I had metal reamers though!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/mintdestash?ref=seller_info
Then I decided I wanted 8mm Swarovski crystal black cube beads for the base... Same problem a tiny hole. Plus I was told you can't ream out Swarovski crystal beads without breaking them. I never listen to stuff like that, it went fine. I didn't break any and it went a heck of a lot faster than those blue agates!
I bought some metal findings thinking this would speed up the process. ALL of those had to be altered. Plus I realized suddenly I needed to have a metal tube run through all of these pieces. And they have to line up in all directions. UGH!
The GREATEST new find was the watch makers glue I bought. It has a built in hypodermic needle tip. It is for gluing watch crystals and any non-porous pieces together. OMG! That stuff is FANTASTIC! I was told it never goes bad and the needle stays clear.
I really wanted white shades but I when I held up all the white papers I had to the lamps it looked awful. So I made temporary shades out of black paper. When finished they looked funny next to that black crystal bead! I decided to spray paint them black for a deeper shade. Are there shades of black?
I will take some better photos of the lamps in a proper setting in a few days. I hope you like them, cause they really tried to kill me.
Catherine, They look fantastic for now and seem to have been well worth all of the pain to make!! I like the black shade....and yes....there are different shades of black!
ReplyDeleteLove them!
Things usually take more time and are much more complicated than you ever thought they would be...it's just how it is. But your lamps look great so all is well! I recently (like yesterday) was introduced to a new glue which sounds very similar to the one you are referring to...but I got it from a beader. Small tube, needle in teensy hypodermic-like applicator, stays clear, glues metal to metal and never clogs. We'll see....
ReplyDeleteCatherine you have the patience of a saint. The Lamps look great.. x
ReplyDeleteOh Lord! When you had told me you were making lamps I had no idea you were making everything from scratch like this. Duh, it's you....I should have known better. These lamps look wonderful Catherine. I swear you can do anything when you set your mind to it!
ReplyDeleteOK...now I MUST know where to get this glue!!!! Hypodermic needle sounds like what I need since I tend to ALWAYS get glue all over everything but the thing I'm trying to glue! :D
Catherine, your lamps are trying to kill you.... you are killing me ! You are such a perfectionist! In the most amazingly perfect way imaginable! From minute perfect stitches to minute perfect lamps! I am ALWAYS in awe of what you make! Your lamps are perfect in every way, including the black shades to balance the bases.... just perfect!
ReplyDeleteKristy,
ReplyDeleteI got the glue from Jar Jaf Miniatures. It is for non-porous items like glass and metal that you want to put together. I am sure it would be useless for working on little animals or fur. Not that that is what you had in mind! I just wanted to warn you so you wouldn't be disappointed.
Give it time to load there are more than forty pages. The glues are all together close to the bottom.
http://jar-jaf.com/wp-content/uploads/JAR-JAF-cat-7-07.pdf
Catherine, I envy you being able to work metal. I can't stand the feel of it, and it never behaves for me :/
ReplyDeleteThe lamp's lovely - natural stones with variations in colour and translucency are wonderful to work with, and you've done a marvellous job here!!
Yes, there are more shades of black than there are of white, or green. Lots!! Just try putting two of them side by side,or matching 'black' clothing. Most blacks have evolved from a primary or secondary colour (except perhaps soot or ground up black rock or obsidian) and it usually shows, depending on the light or surface texture, or fading. Colour can be fascinating, and frustrating :)
Glenda
Thanks Catherine! It would be too good to be true if it worked on everything, but still I could use some glue for metal (sometimes I use bits of this and that for my accessories). I'll check it out! Thanks. :)
ReplyDeleteDo you know what makes a good miniaturist....imagination!!! But a bucket load of 'skill' is also required....and you Ctherine seem to have been blessed with both!
ReplyDeleteThey look fabulous!!!
Do you ever sleep at night, or does your brain constantly dream up all these amazing miniatures??
Linda x
:-)
ReplyDeleteYou you can be poetic, even when you have a drill in your hands!
The lamps are really beautiful and original :-)
C'est très "chic" , belle lampe.
ReplyDeleteWhat ever you might have suffered, you did a great job and I love your lamp !
ReplyDeleteThey look really elegant already, can't wait to see them in a 'proper' setting - ok, I will wait until you have feeling back in your thumb...
ReplyDeleteCatherine...that is the same that I just discovered (G-S Cement). Glad to hear it works..I am always skeptical about such things until I see them in action.
ReplyDeleteKristy, according to my Bead Lady, this company makes a product (packaged in a similar fashion) for paper.
I have not time, I'll only say OMG OMG OMG. Rosanna
ReplyDeleteYou are so wonderfully creative AND patient too!
ReplyDeleteThese lamps are amazing! Well done!
What a funny horror story and you where soo patient,admirably that you bring it to the end.And the result like always,it looks great,as was to be expected ;-)!Jeannette
ReplyDeleteThey are sooo elegant! Great work, Catherine! And thanks for the tip about the watch makers glue! Need to see if I can find one like that here. ;)
ReplyDeleteCatherine, all I can say is:
ReplyDeleteWOW....they are perfect. You`ve done a wonderful work, I really love these lamps!
Hugs,
Karin
Your lamps are great Catherine. Did you make the metal bit that holds up the shade? I have bits to make a lamp or two but haven't got these parts.
ReplyDeleteThank you Everyone for all your kind comments about the lamps.
ReplyDeleteMargaret,
I LOVE this site http://jar-jaf.com/wp-content/uploads/JAR-JAF-cat-7-07.pdf
It is where I have bought the C-S Hypo Cement and lots of metal findings. Like the harps that hold up the shades. They don't come with that ruffeled piece that is over the agate. that is a finding I altered to fit through the tube. The harps have a screw on top. I am going to add something to. I am going to try and finish them tomorrow.
Buy yourself that glue. I really think you will LOVE it! Each time I order from Jar Jaf the bill is staggering. I try to get all I can from ETSY instead. Some of the Jar Jaf pieces can be bought one at a time. The smaller they are usually means you HAVE to buy 12 of them. The really nice thing about JJ's online catalog is everything you see on your screen is the exact size! That is very helpful.
Give the site time to load there are a ton of pages.
I was a little slow to realise that you added another photo of the finished items. They look so wonderful Catherine....really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteRosanna & I met again in Paris on Sunday and had a fabulous day at 'Paris Creations'. Met up again with Genevieve, Lea Frisoni....and more!
Linda x
(Bought a few pretty pieced....!!!!!)
Que maravillosas lamparas, te han quedado perfectas.
ReplyDeleteGracias por las instrucciones.
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