In August I agreed to write a review on a tutorial DVD for ISGB. It involved working off mandrel - which is not something I do often (should read "much at all!") My beads have holes through them (I toy with the idea of trying to cover up that fact, as evidenced by the picture below, but yes - there are holes) - that keeps them from jumping off the mandrel onto my lap. But it had more to do with the fear of not being good at it.

I've been making beads now for seventeen years - sheesh. My youngest son is just a tad older than that - so - it's been most of his lifetime... that's a LONG time. I don't fail often OR publicly, and if I do, I recover so quickly - doubtful anyone would know.

So - under the gun - I finally decided it was time to tackle the tutorial. First thing was my torch wasn't as powerful - so working real-time along with it was near to impossible... and of course, I hadn't made a million of these as the teacher most likely had! I learned lamp working on my own, so the tried and true ways to do things aren't in my vocabulary... so I learned a lot, just seeing someone else do it the way it's 'supposed to be done'. : )

While YES, I did have issues balancing a larger than my norm glob (ahem "gather") of molten glass, that will come with practice, and I experienced the frustration of having it pop off my rod of glass onto my work surface, then I rescued the runaway pendant from the work surface - repuntied - and carried on. On the positive side, I made a very nice twisted cane from a large lollypop paddle, learned to make a glass loop for hanging (I've often admired those handles on essential oil vials, but knew surely I couldn't do it - but I now CAN)!

SO - news on the streets is that although some of us ARE old dogs, we most certainly can be taught new tricks! Maybe I won't ever make pendants as beautifully as the instructor... but everyone's got to start somewhere.

Next question is... while I thoroughly enjoyed the tutorial - I was asked to critique IT, uh oh, I see 'critical' in that word - I don't want to 'criticize' - I'm not mean spirited... how does one go about this and not sound critical? Well - I was honest - with regard to the good as well as what could be improved.... there wasn't as much on her end as what could stand improving on mine!! smiles, Jill