Gaffer and Other Purple Rose Examples

I'm showing you the many purples in my life. The most important is the test run of the new Gaffer colors. I guess I really like the color because I seem to have plenty of it around.

The first bead on the left was my weak attempt to emulate Lara Lutrick's great twisted Purple Rose examples I mentioned from her blog. This bead is made of both colors over a base of opal white. I had a heck of time with devitrification and when I would clear that up I'd lose the color - that was annoying, but I don't think it was the glasses fault. It was user error!

The center bead was a squeezed example that is just beautiful and is encased with Gaffer clear. It did blanch out the rich tonal purples but it is a lush bead close-up that looks like layers of watercolor.

The bead on the far right - It was a mix. I used the purples, a luster clear, and blue chalcedony. I used the organic dripping process by super heating the bead and letting it flow. This bead has no encasement and was squeezed. Do I like the glass? - Absolutely...it works very easily.

I just need a few more sessions at the torch with it. And considering some of the silver glasses and their learning curve this Gaffer is a joy. But then, I like Gaffer - they make a nice glass. Considering how much Italian glass I have around here that's no small statement.

It's going to be a great a purple fall around here so I'm adding in pictures of my other current Purple examples:

Flowers sent my by youngest son and his wife for my birthday. I LOVE that deep rich burgundy purple on that Calla Lily.


And then, I guess my foot had to get into the act. I was so excited about torching I wasn't watching what I was doing in the fridge and knocked a shelf off of the door (in defense of my clumsiness it does have a broken attachment). It was like a three story crash - shit! This Vlasic pickle jar came down full force on the toes....the now purple rose toes. It's also looking like they could use some lotion - macro does NOTHING for feet.