In The Studio

I'm slowing up a bit this week and focusing on a challenge in the GOG Group on Facebook. It is an "Ocean Bottle Challenge" which began on March 3rd and ends May 3rd. We are supposed to keep our sharing of our progress to a minimum on Facebook, but here on my blog I will share as I normally would. Those of you in the challenge, if you would prefer not to see my entry, click away now!

Actually this is my first attempt and may not be the final entry. As I work on it, I like it more but it has been a bit of a bad start. I'm making a lighthouse which my grandson sees as a rocket. Now it is all I can see too. So, a rocket surrounded by water may have to stay with me while I attempt a 2nd one for the challenge once this one is grouted if I can't unsee it.

I tried putting glass on tape using the indirect method and add it to the bottle but it didn't work mostly because the tape was in small strips and not one big piece.

It fell apart during the transfer, so I attempted to get what you see above on the bottle without the tape. Nope.

Next, I put mesh down over my pattern and did the lighthouse without much trouble.

My only concern was in getting the mesh used on the see-through glass to disappear since I was placing this on glass. My solution was to cut away the mesh and add the top on my own after placing the lower part of the lighthouse on mesh, on the bottle.

Placement is wonky but it's on there and I like the bottom section a lot. I'm thinking I might do another one when this one is finished just to be able to compare. Then I can choose which one I'll enter in the challenge. Some things I do are really awesome and others are so-so in my opinion. This fits into the 2nd category. I don't hate it but I really don't like it either.

For those wondering what I've put over the bottle before adding the stained glass, I've primed it with glue. Once dried, this roughs up the surface and gives it some "tooth" so pieces don't slide when they are placed down. It's not necessary to do this for flat glass surfaces but with circular glass projects, like this bottle, it is recommended.

I have noticed it does add to the drying time as the primed glue and the newly applied glue meet both become wet. I pulled off a piece of glass 24 hours after applying to the bottle and a whole entire section of primed glue came up with it. I reapplied glue to that area and allowed it to dry. There is a bit of a waste to factor and patience is required in using this method but it is still one of the best ways to keep the tess in place.

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Stay peaceful,

Cindy