That's a classic browning reaction with those colors. I read an old forum post about how the manganese in amber purple and the cobalt can just cancel each other out and turn brown if you cook them too long. For a deep violet, I've had good luck using a light amethyst as a base with just a tiny hint of cobalt on top. You have to work it hot and fast, get it shaped, then stop. Keeping the heat time way down is key.

Exactly, flat fees just get more people in the door.

Our flat team works great because we trust each other to make quick calls.

My buddy had a similar thing with a new drywall patch in an unheated garage. The cold made the mud pull away before it could cure. He ended up using a setting-type compound, the 90-minute kind, and made sure to heat the space with a salamander just while it dried. Said the key was warming the wall surface first.

A book I read said the 300th piece often reveals hidden skill growth.