Good Memories of a Great Dad

My Darling Dad would have been 81 years old today. It's kind of hard to imagine, as just under three years ago when he died he didn't look or act like someone with only a year to go before turning 80.
I still miss him dreadfully, but every now & then something happens to remind me that there is a reason for all of this. We grow, although we don't see it as such at the time, & we become stronger people.
I have always missed the sound of Dad's voice, quiet, calm & practical in times of upheaval & stress, but the rest of the time there was always a laugh not far from the surface.

He adored all of his grandchildren, big & small, & I have great memories of how those same children loved their 'Papa' beyond measure. A couple of months ago it was fabulous to discover that Mum had a couple of short videos of Dad with the two youngest grandchildren, Milla & Zoe. I can't begin to describe how good it was to hear his voice again.

Gaffer's Chalcedony Glasses

I'm grateful. I find it impossible not to get colour from Chalcedony & I know that I am fortunate in that. It doesn't matter whether I use a high oxy flame, neutral flame or a reduction flame, the colour just seems to want to come.

When I compare these to my early results, which I might add I was pretty darned pleased with at the time, I can see that perseverance has paid off. I guess that it takes a glass like this to encourage one to really learn their torch & the way different glasses behave in different flame atmospheres.

A twistie bead made in G-1095 Blue Chalcedony

G-109 Chalcedony - Beautiful Autumn Colours.

The G-1095 Blue Chalcedony etched.

Chalcedony Rod

Isn't this scrumptious? To me these look like core samples of agate that have been polished - they are so beautiful!
I don't think that I am going to able to bring myself to break them up. What are they - two beautiful rods of G109 - Chalcedony. These are what they *gasp* smash up into frit, or pull smaller canes for decoration down from.
No way I can bring myself to smash these babies.

G-109 Chalcedony

Comparisons II

It's always interesting to see how a new glass stacks up against its peers.
Having noticed a lot of similarities in results & the way I achieved them when working Gaffers G-1095 I thought it would be interesting to see how they looked alongside each other.

On the left G-109 Chalcedony & on the right G-1095 Blue Chalcedony.

Comparisons I

Now who would have thought that after working so hard to get good colour & a high shine in a striking glass, that one would want to etch it?

I'm not sure what made me etch the first Chalcedony beads that got thrown into the tumbler, aside from the usual Deb thought of "I wonder what would happen if ...."
I am so pleased that I did.

How fortuitous that I just had these two sets sitting here ready to list the other day when I got a custom request for a set of each!

Chalcedony Etched & Unetched

Suprise.....

I promise that I won't swamp you with this glass (well, I shall try very hard not to anyway).
A couple more images of the Blue Chalcedony test beads. The best of them are on their way up to Gaffer Glass on Monday & I shall start working on what else I can do with this wondrous stuff.

My first set of spacers made with it came out of the kiln before work this morning & I am well pleased with them. In a spacer size bead the difference between the first of Gaffers 'Chalcedony' glasses, G-109 & this G-1095 is there, but more subtle than on a bigger bead.

I'll try to get decent photo's of them when I produce something else 'show worthy'.
Lets face it - I'd far rather be playing with the glass itself, than trying to take decent photos of the stuff ;o)

What I can tell you is that using both Chalcedony's together produces some wonderful results!

Close Up's of Blue Chalcedony

Once again my photo's dont do this glass the justice it deserves. It seems that to get the colours to display as they do in hand & give a fair online representation of them, the only way to take them is outside in natural light.

It seems that no matter what I have my camera set on & regardless of whether I use one daylight lamp, two of the darn things of all four - there is always the undesirable yellow cast that just isn't there in hand.

Chalcedony.... I adore you as a glass, but gee it's hard to capture your true beauty in photographs!