Denise Christmas-Gibson

Frit Molds are becoming increasingly more popular, especially with all the new styles of jewelry molds coming out. Getting a beautiful finished project can be tricky at times. Issue #1: Glass tends to stick; and create sharp daggers on the sides of the glass project. This can happen when the glass separator is getting thin or worn away. Boron Nitride MR-97 is the answer. It is a versatile product that can also be used on stainless steel molds as well. Think of it like teflon on your frying pan. It will not allow the glass to stick to the mold. Projects pop right out and are ready to wear. You do have to follow the instructions and reapply as directed. Watch a video on how to use Boron Nitride MR-97. However if you do get spurs on the sides of your project, simply use a wet hand sanding pad to clean up the edges. Issue#2: The frit is trapping a lot of air bubbles that you can see in the finished project. Thats frit for you. Air bubbles will happen, however if you change the soak or hold time based on the size frit you used, you may have better luck. For example, if the mold calls for a 10-minute hold for fine frit, then it might be 25-3

Did you know that Friendship Day and Sister Day are both on the first Sunday in August? Want to do something special for a couple of those special friends or family members in your life. How about making a friendship bracelet that you and your friends will love and cherish for years to come? Each person will get the same or similar bracelet, signifying the unity of people represented. This special friendship bracelet uses fusible glass to create beautiful 'lifesaver candy' beads from glass frit. Supplies you'll need: System96 Medium Frit - Clear, plus any other transparent or opaque colors you might like Nano Beads casting mold Here's how to make your bracelets: 1. Select a colored frit to represent each friend or family member(don't forget yourself) - the number of colors represents how many 'lifesaver beads' you'll make per color. For example, 5 people = 5colors of frit, and five bracelets will ultimately be made. 2. Prep the mold first by spraying with Boron Nitride ( see video ). 3. When using frit molds, it is very important to follow the suggested fill levels to get the best bead. With the Nan

Photographing glass objects is not easy, and yet, it's often the photograph that sells the piece. If you're advertising classes online or selling your work on Ebay, Etsy or ArtFire, good photography is essential. Here's what you will need: 1. A light tent. You can purchase one for about $100, or you can make your own relatively inexpensively. Read this article for step-by-step instructions on making your own light tent . 2. Light fixtures. You need at least one light for illuminating directly onto the object from above. If you have a desk lamp with an adjustable "neck", that will work. If you are getting too many shadows, or too much glare, you may need a set of lights to illuminate the sides of the box instead. Just make sure you're using "daylight" or "full spectrum" bulbs, and that all of your fixtures are equipped with the same type of bulb. 3. A Camera . Here's a great article by Steve Meltzer author of Photographing Arts, Crafts and Collectibles outlining cameras. Even your point-and-shoot will work better once you have your light fixtures and tent set up. Good luck! For more great photography resources, check out one of these great photog

I dont have just one favorite tool, but there is one that I use virtually every time I work on a project. As you know, having the right tool for the job, makes the job a whole lot easier. Beetle Bits Cutting System with the Flying Beetle Attachment This system provides the speed and precision glass cutting that a busy studio demands. Cutting strips, squares, angles and more are perfect every time, and this tool does it in half the time of other systems. Be sure to train your entire staff to use this amazing system and theyll all be anxious to use it. Plus, they now have a 35 bar to use with your system, so cutting large pieces of glass is fast and accurate. There is a video on the Business Center, under Studio Resources that demonstrates all the wonderful things this system will do!