burned beads, soft beads, hole-less beads, and Convection Oven woes

So I've been pretty much, well, obsessed, with polymer beads! First day back, I made some 75 beads. Then I burned 1/3 of them in my toaster oven. Holy toxic fumes, Batman!

So I went to Lowes with my gift certificate and bought one fancy, if bumped and dented, convection oven on special for the whole gc. I brought it home. It didn't work. I took it back, and bought the cheap-but-new-in-the-box one. (Did I mention this is all in my ds' sports car with paintball skull decals in 100+ weather? I got tracked by CHP both times...me, the mom, putzin at 60 in the slow lane...heh heh). I now have a small oven that works, and $10 on my gc...

Cheap that I am, I did get an offer the next day from Freecycle , but alas, too late. I mean, I *could* return it, but I've reused this darn gc about 1/2 dozen times for various plumbing and assorted exchanges, and I feel guilty about it... it works, it's here, I don't have to drive in this Dante weather.

Here's one of the swirl beads that I made into a quick pendant.

I've put aside canes for now in the heat and having fun with swirl beads. I sit down to try one idea, and next thing I know, a couple of hours have passed, I have a dozen uncooked beads on my tray.

Sarah Shriver was right about fussing with the bead. It makes a HUGE difference in the final product. I'm still working on that. Made by hand or not, Sarah manages to make them as perfect as possible, and that professionalism shows in her work.

Heck, I'm still working on erasing fingerprints without distorting the whole darn thing...but I'm getting better!



Here are some raw beads that are slated for fussing...I still haven't gotten the skill of making 2 exactly alike, but I suppose in polymer it's not expected....but a gal can try.

UN-bead related, nl and I rode at 6:00am this morning trying to beat the heat. It didn't work. It was hot at 6:00am! Also a 'spare the air' day, tractors and trucks kicking up dirt in fields....
Stats: 34 miles
1 iced tea
passed by too many roadies to count
beaned by one dragonfly