Menorahs

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Jackie Beckman
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Menorahs

Post by Jackie Beckman »

Given all the Hanukkah talk . . . have some pictures to go with the theme

http://dell.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67 ... 5986c30538
Ross
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Post by Ross »

They are WONDERFUL!
Image Ross
Amy Schleif-Mohr
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Post by Amy Schleif-Mohr »

Those are really cool. Very nice.

Amy
Amy on Salt Spring
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Post by Amy on Salt Spring »

Jackie they are wonderful! Makes me wish I was Jewish!
Amy
Chip
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Post by Chip »

Jackie, they are wonderful. :D Have you been to Israel? Your clear menorah is strikingly evocative of the lower interior of "The Shrine of the Book," a part of The Israel Museum. This is where the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient biblical texts are housed. The colors also call to mind the "Tomb of David" found in Jerusalem. What fascinating, captivating and beautiful art!
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Chip
Micah 6.8
Jackie Beckman
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Post by Jackie Beckman »

Chip wrote:Jackie, they are wonderful. :D Have you been to Israel? Your clear menorah is strikingly evocative of the lower interior of "The Shrine of the Book," a part of The Israel Museum. This is where the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient biblical texts are housed. The colors also call to mind the "Tomb of David" found in Jerusalem. What fascinating, captivating and beautiful art!
Hi Chip - thank you. No, I've not been to Israel . . . yet. But I do have a plan. I never became Bas Mitzva as a child so when Morgan begins to prepare for hers, it's my intention to prepare for mine as well and go through the experience together with her in Israel. We have very little family, so having a big celebration here would be silly. Better to share the joy in that with her there than throw a party here, in my opinion. So - eventually I'll get there and be able to see all those magical things.

Jackie
slats
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menorah

Post by slats »

nice work............May I ask is the base and top semi-circles fused to main piece or glued? If glued, what do you use? Also, is the bubble one float glass?
Jackie Beckman
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Re: menorah

Post by Jackie Beckman »

doctac wrote:nice work............May I ask is the base and top semi-circles fused to main piece or glued? If glued, what do you use? Also, is the bubble one float glass?
For these the base and top are "chemically fused" to the main piece, but I've been thinking quite a bit these past few days of fusing the next ones together in the same fashion Ron C fused together his boxes in the past. Just so I can say they are entirely kiln-formed, I guess, because the GE Silicon works just great. And no, the bubble one is also made from Bullseye. Float and I don't get along too well for some reason.

Jackie
SAReed
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Post by SAReed »

Jackie - How did you get the bubbles in between the glass? Or is that a secret? 8-[ I, unfortunately, don't have a problem getting the bubbles between the glass :roll:, but I'm not sure how one would go about doing it on purpose and in a uniform design.

They are all beautiful, BTW.
Stacey
Jackie Beckman
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Post by Jackie Beckman »

SAReed wrote:Jackie - How did you get the bubbles in between the glass? Or is that a secret? 8-[ I, unfortunately, don't have a problem getting the bubbles between the glass :roll:, but I'm not sure how one would go about doing it on purpose and in a uniform design.

They are all beautiful, BTW.
Oh no, no secrets - I'm in a sharing mood! That was so simple. I took a sheet of clear, placed clear stringers on it going up and down, then another layer of clear stringers going sideways, then a top sheet of clear. The air gets trapped where one chooses to trap it. But . . . I understand that one can just use two sheets of clear reeded glass to achieve the same effect. I haven't tried it that way, but I'm sure it works the same.

Jackie
slats
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menorahs

Post by slats »

I would be interested in hearing more about "how to" fuse the pieces together . I have also made quite a few this season and not finding a glue that is really strong enough to take the abuse when cleaning off the wax from the candles. Both GE and uv come apart. Would appreciate any help. Happy Hannukah!
Jackie Beckman
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Re: menorahs

Post by Jackie Beckman »

doctac wrote:I would be interested in hearing more about "how to" fuse the pieces together . I have also made quite a few this season and not finding a glue that is really strong enough to take the abuse when cleaning off the wax from the candles. Both GE and uv come apart. Would appreciate any help. Happy Hannukah!
Someplace in the archives Ron goes over this in detail - even had pictures if I remember right. Perhaps he'll find the link for us. But - essentially what he's done is glue the pieces together using elmers, placed the piece in a refractory box he's built, covered the entire piece in sand to hold it together and then fuse. Naturally it obtains quite an interesting surface texture, but I'd like that as a design element.

As far as getting the wax off after Hanukkah, this is what I suggest. Place the menorah under running luke-warm water and gradually increase the temp until the water is hot enough to melt away the wax.

What have you tried to do that has caused the bond to fail? (I'll make sure I never do it :wink: )

Jackie
Jackie Beckman
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Post by Jackie Beckman »

oh! and one more fantastic little thing I found for keeping the wax off the Menorah to begin with!! The temple gift shop had these Hanukkah candles that have a little cup around the candle, about half inch up from the bottom. The cup collects the wax as it melts down, and you just throw it out. I was thinking of buying a bunch of those candles to sell packaged right along with the Menorahs so nobody has to struggle with that damn wax. I've got Menorahs I refuse to use for just this reason. One very beautiful one carved from stone of Moses coming down with the 10 Commandments. I'm too afraid to use it. :)
Tony Smith
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Post by Tony Smith »

Amy on Salt Spring wrote:Jackie they are wonderful! Makes me wish I was Jewish!
Amy
You don't need to be Jewish to have a Menorah. Think diversity!!!

Tony
The tightrope between being strange and being creative is too narrow to walk without occasionally landing on both sides..." Scott Berkun
Lisa Allen
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Post by Lisa Allen »

I'm with Amy, makes me wish I was Jewish! They are gorgeous and surprise, surprise, I like the colorful ones the best. Menorah or not, I think they would look fabulous decorating anyone's home. Or maybe that would diminish their significance.....I am not very familiar with Judaism.

Lisa
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Jackie Beckman
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Post by Jackie Beckman »

Lisa Allen wrote:I'm with Amy, makes me wish I was Jewish! They are gorgeous and surprise, surprise, I like the colorful ones the best. Menorah or not, I think they would look fabulous decorating anyone's home. Or maybe that would diminish their significance.....I am not very familiar with Judaism.

Lisa
Oh no Lisa, I agree - everyone should have one . . . make that two, everyone should have at least two - Then I'll retire early and travel the world with a little sack of Hanukkah decorations making sure that every public school is properly outfitted. :lol:
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Re: Menorahs

Post by Dani »

Jackie Beckman wrote:Given all the Hanukkah talk . . . have some pictures to go with the theme

http://dell.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67 ... 5986c30538
Don't show these to Wendy Rosen, she'll have you selling wholesale faster than you can say, "right now"! They're marvelous. Are you selling these at your galleries or just making them for yourself?
Jackie Beckman
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Post by Jackie Beckman »

Don't show these to Wendy Rosen, she'll have you selling wholesale faster than you can say, "right now"! They're marvelous. Are you selling these at your galleries or just making them for yourself?

Hi Dani - Thank you.

Kinda funny how these came about. I had a man I met at Pilchuck call me up to buy some Mezuzot and during one of our phone conversations he asked if I made Menorahs. I had made A menorah for myself once, so I didn't really think it was a "big" lie to say "Oh yes, of course." He said that he collected Menorahs and wanted one of mine - price wasn't a factor. He asked if I had any right then, and I explained I was in the process of making some as Hanukkah was coming right up and this is the time of year I generally make some Judaica. He asked if I'd email him pictures and he'd select the one he wanted and forward the rest to various collectors he's friendly with and a person he knows who volunteers at the Jewish Museum near him . :shock: Needless to say I got busy that very day. Making them has sparked several ideas though for things I'd like to try in my "secular" :wink: pieces.

Jackie
Amy on Salt Spring
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Post by Amy on Salt Spring »

Jackie Beckman wrote:
Lisa Allen wrote:I'm with Amy, makes me wish I was Jewish! They are gorgeous and surprise, surprise, I like the colorful ones the best. Menorah or not, I think they would look fabulous decorating anyone's home. Or maybe that would diminish their significance.....I am not very familiar with Judaism.

Lisa
Oh no Lisa, I agree - everyone should have one . . . make that two, everyone should have at least two - Then I'll retire early and travel the world with a little sack of Hanukkah decorations making sure that every public school is properly outfitted. :lol:
lol! I thought maybe it would be disrespectful to have one as a decoration--just to use as a candle holder you know? Like using a baptismal font to store your beer in or something...
Amy
Tony Smith
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Post by Tony Smith »

Amy on Salt Spring wrote: lol! I thought maybe it would be disrespectful to have one as a decoration--just to use as a candle holder you know? Like using a baptismal font to store your beer in or something...
Amy
Well, you probably shouldn't use one to hold candy canes or anything like that. :wink:

Tony
The tightrope between being strange and being creative is too narrow to walk without occasionally landing on both sides..." Scott Berkun
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