Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry Blog Book Tour

Welcome to Day 14 of the Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry Virtual Book Tour!

It was back on April 27th of 2010 that I first met Barbara.

I happened across one of the many Etsy treasuries featuring Barbara's beautiful enameled beads and clicked to find out more.

I found her tutorial in her shop and immediately purchased it, printed it and read it through.

From there I found her blog and Painting With Fire Ning group which I joined on April 28th.

On April 29th I came back and bought the bead pulling station.

I remember writing to Barbara full of excitement over this newfound medium and in so doing found that we had a lot of things in common, one of which was our background in clay.

What initially drew me to this process was it's simplicity and the immediacy of results, the colors and textures you could obtain and the sheer beauty of the finished beads.

I was hooked! Or as Barbara likes to say, I have gone to the dark side!

You can read about my first PWF workshop with Barbara in Oct. of 2010 here and the second one this past July 2011 here.

It was a joy to follow along with her on the road to creating her book and I am thrilled and honored that she invited me to participate in this book tour to celebrate it's release.

Thank you Barbara for your confidence.

Now let's fire it up!

When I first received my copy of the book, knowing that i would be reviewing it for this post, I sat and read it from the beginning as if the process was new to me to see how well it could be followed along for someone who was totally new to the medium.

Barbara has done an excellent job at really starting at the beginning from explaining the process, setting up your studio, sections on tools, tips, techniques ( including etching copper sheet) and basic jewelry skills, terms and basic troubleshooting.  The first page I dog-earred was the one with the drill bits demystified which translates drill bit sizes to wire gauge sizes and mm and inches. Priceless!

There are so many projects in here to get your creative juices flowing but the one that I knew immediately I had to try was the  No Solder Bezel - Of Space and Time.

I followed Barbara's directions for making the domed copper cabochon blank and bezel and ended up with 5 sets to play with in one sitting.

The above shot shows all 5 sets, firescale and all.

I ended up enameling 4 sets, each trying something different.

The top piece has an enameled cab set in a bezel enameled in clear to showcase the copper.

The middle one has an enameled cab set in just a heat patinaed copper bezel.

The bottom one has an etched and antiqued cab set in a bezel enameled with transparent copper.

All of the cabs are enameled in place using the method described in the book.

The 4th piece is also an etched and antiqued domed cab set in an enameled bezel using several layers of opaque and transparent enamels which I used for my completed piece.

There were so many ways I could have gone with this one piece, more organic with leather and silks and other natural elements but in the end I chose to work with copper wire, beads, components and chain along with blue crazy lace agates, carved turquoise beads (which i have been hoarding for just such an occasion) and lampwork rounds by Julsbeads.

While I was working with these bezels so many ideas for filling them came to mind that i know I will be playing with these for some time to come!

Barbara will be doing a no solder bezels workshop at Art and Soul Virginia Beach in March 2012 and you can always check her website for all other upcoming workshops.

Now for the Giveaway!

Barbara is going to be giving away these enameled porcelain beads, yes ceramic beads, (a new way to play with torch fired enamels)  How cool or should I say hot is that?

Here's how to enter-  

1. Leave a comment on this post and become a follower = 1 chance

2. Tweeting, facebook or blogging about the giveaway and leaving a comment at the original Virtual Book Tour Post= 1 additional chance

3. While you're at Barbara's Blog, become a follower or saying that you already are a follower in your comment = 1 additional chance

You can earn up to 3 chances per giveaway. A winner will be selected by 10 p.m. eastern time and announced the following day.

You can check at Barbara's blog or here at mine for the name of the winner.

But wait- there's more!

To thank you for following along, we will have a BONUS PRIZE at the end of the book tour! All of the entries will be included in the drawing for a kit containing all the elements of "Floral Cascade," one of the projects in the book. You'll receive everything you need to make the necklace, including the chain, jump rings, clasp, enamel beads, and head pins!

For a chance to win the Grand Prize - a Torch-Firing Kit (or $110 shopping experience at http://www.paintingwithfireartwear.com/) - please leave a review at Amazon.com by November 24. Remember, leave an honest review... the book must stand on its own.

P.S. Unfortunately, we have to restrict the giveaways to U.S. residents. Winners should contact Barbara with their name and address through her author website: http://www.torchfiredenameljewelry.com/ so that you can receive your prizes!

There are still 3 more days to travel along on this book tour, don't miss any of these great stops!

October 6, Mary Jane Dodd, http://www.mairedodd.blogspot.com/

October 7, Gaea Cannaday, http://www.gaeabeads.blogspot.com/

October 8, Linda Larsen, http://www.objectsandelements.typepad.com/

October 10, Andrew Thornton, http://www.andrew-thornton.blogspot.com/

October 11, Lori Plyler, http://www.waterstonejewelry.blogspot.com/

October 12, Diane Cook, http://www.rosa-josies.blogspot.com/

October 13, Lori Anderson, http://www.prettythingsblog.com/

October 14, LeAnn Weih, http://www.summersstudio.blogspot.com/

October 15, Jen Judd Velasquez, http://www.jenjuddrocks.blogspot.com/

October 17, Melissa Meman, http://www.melissameman.blogspot.com/

October 18, Lisa Crone, http://www.abeadaday.blogspot.com/

October 19, Shannon LeVart, http://www.missficklemediacom.blogspot.com/

October 20, Cindy Wimmer, http://www.sweetbeadstudio.com/

October 21, Laura Twiford, http://www.souvenirsfromlife.blogspot.com/ *you are here*

October 22, Erin Prais-Hintz, http://www.treasures-found.blogspot.com/

October 24, Jennifer Cameron, http://www.glassaddictions.com/

October 25, Sharilyn Miller, http://www.sharilynmiller.blogspot.com/

Thank you for visiting!

*****WE HAVE A WINNER!!!! LISA PETRILLO OF LUCID MOON STUDIOS!!!
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU CAN CONTACT BARBARA WITH YOUR SHIPPING INFO.

A BIG THANK-YOU TO EVERYONE WHO STOPPED BY,LEFT A COMMENT AND BECAME A FOLLOWER. DON'T FORGET THERE ARE 3 MORE STOPS AND MORE CHANCES TO WIN PLUS THE BONUS PRIZE DRAWING AT THE END CHOSEN FROM ALL THE COMMENTS!!!