"A good puzzle, it's a fair thing. Nobody is lying. It's very clear, and the problem depends just on you." ~ Erno Rubik

Incalmo = this week's puzzle.  

This technique is very cool because it allows you to make horizontal stripes of color in glass.  Maybe you just has two colors, or tons... but the steps are the same.  Here are our instructions:

 The top part is the pipe with a cup shaped piece on it.  But, there is a hole leading to the pipe... so it wouldn't hold any water if you were to take it off.  The bottom is a real cup shaped piece, you fit them together (perfectly) and voila! you have a bubble with two colors!  Then you marver it and smooth the seam and blow it into whatever shape you want!  Easy-peasy!  

On a different note, Monday was another beautiful day! Fall is in the air!!! 

 I made this on Monday, it is a bowl but I forgot to take a picture from the side so you could see the shape.  But the top layer is clear with a nice blue bottom.  Not too bad for one of the first attempts...

 This was the second attempt.  It was supposed to be a plate... I won't tell you what Vegard said it looked like from the top.  It wasn't pretty.

Tuesday I managed to make these two fairly horrible plates:

 Purple with dots and stripes in the color and I got the foot a little off center (it was really hot!).  But a plate all the same I suppose.

 Then I made this big ass plate! I gathered an extra time over the encalmo and ended up with a cake that barely fit the glory hole!

 In fact it was so big that I did bump the glory hole once :( But it was fun and nice for a different sort of challenge.  The incalmo is so incredibly frustrating! 

 Wednesday was all day in the cold shop.  Back to normal around here!  

I finally finished this deep cut crystal bowl which I quit like.

 I also worked on this big plate.  I had originally thought I would hand engrave the bamboo trees but it turns out this week is for sand blasting so I did that instead!

 This is the front.  The arrows were for the tree that was supposed to be the most deep... I don't know if I managed to make it look deeper or not but here is what it looks like minus tape:

 And here is the back all taped up.

 I blasted the back in an attempt to give it more depth and play off the green.

 I think it looks kind of cool.

 I will engrave on it some for some finishing touches but I like it so far.

Also, exciting news! Some of my crystal came back from the acid bath all shiny and pretty!!!!

 Look at it sparkle!

 And gleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam!

 Today, Thursday, was more incalmo.  In the afternoon after Marianne (the teacher) went away for the day Vegard and I played some.  We tried doing three layers of colors instead of just two and also using different techniques on opening the top/pipe bubble.  The morning had been a bit rough for us.  I think when you see the things we made you will understand the struggle.

Wednesday evening I had a jumping lesson on Posiedon who was really good! A little bit excited but that is better then stopping at the jumps! I also get to ride him in the blueberry jumping on Sunday doing 80cm (2'8" sort of).  I will also have a lesson tomorrow afternoon :)  Hopefully I won't be sore from going to the gym today... I tried bench presses again... I did pretty well but it felt a bit funny, maybe not so natural haha!