Attracked to the Flame...

...does that make me a bug? No wait - I already asked that question. I should keep quiet before someone actually answers it!

I thought some of you may find it interesting to get a little peek into Poladora's Lampwork Shop. There's so much to show and tell that I'm going to make it a multi-part series. ("Oh No - she's going to do the same thing she did to us with 'Verna'!!") Don't worry - Verna is alive and well sitting on my dining room table (no place in my home is safe from my projects). Oh, wait, my lampwork shop is in an outside garage/shop that I share a corner of with my hubby. There are NO torches, kilns, or Oxygen or LP fuel tanks in the house - thought I'd better clarify that.

Above, you can see my torch, my desk, and a few supplies and tools. You can also see my prescription safety glasses for lampwork. These enable me to look at my work in the flame. Without them, I could do serious damage to my eyes and, I would not be able to see my work when it is in the flame. Mine have a magnification because I'm old...

This is a picture of my kiln. It can open from the top or from the front - see the little trap door? I open the front door to place newly made beads and marbles into the kiln for annealing without opening the top and releasing all of the heat in a whoosh.

As you can see, the top also makes a nifty little "warming pad" to warm glass prior to using it in the flame (so that it doesn't explode!) This will be a discussion for another day - along with other useful safety tips...

Oh - the warm top of the kiln also makes an excellent spot for your cup of tea!