Precious Porcelain Beads In this project I used the Radiant Rain Pure Pourable kits ™. Available form Creative Imaginations.us in 24 brilliant colors. Radiant Rain is a hybrid which means a cross between watercolor and acrylic. As water evaporates, the acrylic left behind bonds to surface.Designed by Leslie Blackburn Ohnstad, assemblage by Kimberly Madrigal   In preparation for CHA hobby show I was designing a demonstration of how to make your own custom kitchen tiles and noticed the surface of the Fire Mountain porcelain beads was similar to the tile. In the craft industry we’re all too familiar with those happy accidents. By applying my tile technique to the beads, look what happened! As a beading enthusiast, I have a huge collection of crystals, glass beads, seed beads- you name it. However finding a focal bead to match my collection is not that easy. Now I can make my own beads to match anything I can imagine. Perhaps you have a special outfit for that important occasion and need that special piece of jewelry to coordinate. Incidentally another artist was present the day we shot these finished pieces and commented she wanted to borrow the necklace, earrings and bracelet set to accent an outfit for her next cruise! Leslie Blackburn Ohnstad ~ President Dreaming In Color Materials: DreamingInColor Materials: Radiant Rain Pure Color Concentrate Daubers Craft sticks Eye dropper Fire Mountain Beads Materials: Porcelain Beads General Materials: Styrofoam block Craft Cups Wooden Skewers Protective table covering Play clothes Heat Gun Project (1) Apple Blossom & Solar Gold Step 1 Uncap Apple Blossom  Step 2 Stir up product well, mica and pigment settle to bottom  Step 3 Pour a little bit in craft cup  Step 4 Trim down craft stick to fit inside bead  Step 5 Insert craft stick into bead  Step 6 Fill eyedropper with Solar Gold and drizzle over bead into craft cup  Step 7 Use heat gun to begin to roll color around  Step 8 While bead is hot from gun, continue to roll excess color droplet wrapping bead with brilliant stream of color  Step 9 Using tip of skewer tip, move last bit of wet color around, you may pop a bubble to release all the final paint left on bead  Step 10 Pat excess moisture with finger  Step 11 Drop Apple Blossom onto bead  Step 12 Heat bead, turning so color will move  Step 13 Use stick to move color around. The bead should stay hot enough to dry color as it moves  Step 14 Apply more heat when necessary Step 15 Bead is done, put on stick, insert stick into Styrofoam cube to cool and dry  Project (2) Stargazer, Rich Cobalt & Solar Gold Step 1 Apply Stargazer to bead with eye dropper over a craft cup  Step 2 Heat bead with heat gun a few seconds  Step 3 While the first color is still a little moist, quickly roll color and draw rich cobalt onto bead , as you apply the color the warm bead will grip the paint.  Step 4 Continue adding color to bead  Step 5 If bead cools too much warm bead again  Step 6 Draw Solar gold on with tip of skewer  Here is your finished bead  Step 7 Important note: Bead must be cool to touch before applying any type of sealant. Apply clear nail polish or spray fixative. Make sure and dry 15 minutes in-between applications. Make sure all applications are a 'thin' layer, whether a spray fixative, or clear nail polish   Step 8 To dry, insert bead on stick into Styrofoam cube  |
