DO YOU BURN YOURSELF?...

My friend Jennifer Ionta says that she never burns herself when she's torching... I, on the other hand, walk away from the torch each session w/ new fingerprints, maybe a new mark on my arm (from glass flying), etc...

When I was @ Michael Barley's class, I was pulling a stringer @ the end of my mandrel as I was in the middle of making a bead & for some reason, the stringer slipped & swung down & touched my arm! I have a 3" long burn "line" on my arm. LOL. As I was showing someone what I did, I burned the back of my hand... I don't remember w/ what!! Michael says it's "user error", LOL. Well, duh. I think being in a class situation is a little distracting... easier for the glass to get away from me.

Tonight I didn't prewarm a thick rod of clear & when I put the tip of it in the flame, it was okay... started heating up & then decided to thermal shock on me, sending hot pieces flying & a piece went down the neckline of my shirt, landing just above my bra. I have a nice 1/4" round mark there now. While I was in the middle of making a bottle stopper, I decided that I needed to look @ the burn, so w/out thinking, I ended up somehow hitting my fingernail (the bed) w/ the hot bead........OUCH. Dang-it. Yes, it hurt... & it stunk, too! I now have a little brown burn mark on my nail. Crazy.

I thought I got over my clumsiness in my teens...

Battle scars... that's what they are. :o)