Ceramic & Glass Pendant.

I came up with another design experimenting with my glass and ceramics. I liked this one so much that its actually in my etsy shop. Click here for details. The process involved with this is me hand-forming my clay into a heart shape and carving out the center for the glass to go in. I then bisque fire the heart in my kiln. After the piece has cooled in the kiln, I then glaze the outside of the heart (this one with a white glaze) and put tiny pieces of different colored glass in the center. The 2nd firing melts and fuses the glass into the clay and when it cools, the glass sometimes crackles leaving a pretty cool effect. I've actually made quite a few different pendants and the outcome has been fascinating. Its like Christmas when I open my kiln - I get so excited because I never quite know how the piece will turn out. This one is one of my favorites!

I Got Sucked In!

As you may have seen through previous posts, I've made a few fused glass creations from the Twilight series, only really hearing about Twilight through my 13-yr. old niece and loads of other people. I really thought it was more of a teenage plot (which, I guess it is), and not until I read Christy DeKoning's blog over the weekend and saw her post on the book and her painting of "Edward" did I decide to break down and get the book. Christy sounded just like me being an avid book reader and not really sure about this series. I had a gift card for Barnes and Noble from Christmas and decided to bite the bullet and get the first book in paperback yesterday, figuring if I couldn't get into it, then no harm done. I mean, I even tried to get on the bandwagon with the Harry Potter series, only to read the first few chapters of the first book and knew that was not for me. I thought "a book about vampires, surely I won't get into this series either." So, I broke open Twilight this afternoon and haven't put it down, but to start making dinner, while stirring spaghetti with my book in hand and reading while I ate! Now, Christy warned me to buy the second book when I bought the first, because I wouldn't be able to stop after the first. Did I take her advice - no. So..............looks like tomorrow I'll be back at Barnes and Noble buying the 2nd book! I'm almost finished with the first and I'm sure I will not fall asleep tonight until its finished. Yeah, well..... its that good! Gotta run and get back to Edward and Bella!

More Twilight Fused Glass!

I think I just officially hopped on the bandwagon with all you twilight fans! The more I see and read about this series, the more intrigued I become!

Here's my newest framed fused glass piece from the Twilight series, "Breaking Dawn". You can check it out in my etsy shop here.












And here's a cute fused glass Twilight inspired pendant made by me for all you Twilight lovers! This is also in my etsy shop, here.

Here's to a great 2009!!! I've been on a hiatus from crafting over the holidays, but like any person addicted to crafts like me, I couldn't stay away for long. So watch out for some of my new creations in the new year - especially you Twilight fans - I have a few things in the works!
Cheers and have a safe and Happy New Year!

Free Comments and Graphics

Yummy!

Here are my newest fused glass cupcake pendants I just made. Don't they look yummy? And don't let the sprinkles on the cupcakes fool you - they are indeed glass also! For more info, they are posted in my etsy shop - click here to see!

Combining Ceramics with Glass

As some of you know, I first started out doing ceramics and then moved on to glass. I think the biggest attraction with the glass is that it does not take as long from start to finish as ceramics does. I am all about instant gratification - when I want something, I want it NOW and I hate to wait! With ceramics, the process of making something can take from 3 days to a week or more, depending on the size of the piece. First, making the piece out of the clay and letting it completely air dry. Then, the bisque firing (another day). And finally, glazing the piece and firing it again (another day). With glass, I can cut the piece, put it in the kiln and then its done. I can make something and have it done in literally one day. But although I love working with glass, I do admit missing the feel of the clay and getting my hands dirty, so to speak. Well, this past week, I broke out the clay again and tried experimenting with firing glass into the clay. This heart pendant was fired 3 times. First, the bisque firing. Then, glaze firing. After that I put red glass frit (tiny pieces of broken glass) onto the glazed piece and fired it again to melt the glass into the glaze. Although a lengthy process, I really like the outcome. I like the way the red glass crackled against the glaze. This was my first try at this and I'm anxious to try out some more pieces and see what I can come up with.

Violin Cufflinks

I received a custom order from a gal who wanted a special birthday gift for her husband who is an opera singer and violinist. We opted for cufflinks, and although I was a bit leary of being able to cut a violin out of my glass that small, I think they turned out nicely! I love making musical pieces, they are so much fun and close to my heart, as I grew up playing the oboe and even played in the Columbus Youth Symphony Orchestra in High School. Although I don't play anymore, I still love to listen to classical music and it always brings me back to my orchestra days! For more of my musical fused glass instruments, you can check them out in my etsy shop here.

Twilight Fever

The 12 Days of Etsy was so fun. I loved picking some of my favorite etsy sellers and featuring them. Of course, I have so many favorites, I could list one every day for the whole year, but then I couldn't blog about my most favorite thing - ME! So, being that "it's all about me", here's my latest fused glass piece for all you Twilight fanatics (and there are so many of you!). Check it out here in my etsy shop!

The 12 Days of Etsy

On the twelveth Day of etsy, Niven Glass Originals brought to me:



12 DIVA brooches;






















11 Beadwoven Bracelets (Time2cre8);

10 Awesome Pictures (Lilleypics);

Kitty Cats with 9 Lives (Purrprints);

8 Snuggly Babies (Auntboosbabies);

7 Yummy Glass Treats (beadbrains);

6 Photo Bracelets (PinkPoochDesigns)

5 Illustrated Postcards (MillionMinds);

4 Steel Necklaces (TimothyAdamDesigns);

3 Ghosts of Manderly (StilettoHeights);

2 Rockers Rocking (The Black Apple);

and a goddess pendant custom made for me (Glasstastic Treasures)

The 12 Days of Etsy

On the eleventh day of Etsy, Time2cre8 brought to me:



11 Beadwoven Bracelets;













10 Awesome Pictures (Lilleypics);

Kitty Cats with 9 Lives (Purrprints);

8 Snuggly Babies (Auntboosbabies);

7 Yummy Glass Treats (beadbrains);

6 Photo Bracelets (PinkPoochDesigns)

5 Illustrated Postcards (MillionMinds);

4 Steel Necklaces (TimothyAdamDesigns);

3 Ghosts of Manderly (StilettoHeights);

2 Rockers Rocking (The Black Apple);

and a goddess pendant custom made for me (Glasstastic Treasures)

The 12 Days of Etsy

On the 10th day of Etsy, Lilley Pics brought to me:


10 Awesome Pictures;

























Kitty Cats with 9 Lives (Purrprints);

8 Snuggly Babies (Auntboosbabies);

7 Yummy Glass Treats (beadbrains);

6 Photo Bracelets (PinkPoochDesigns)

5 Illustrated Postcards (MillionMinds);

4 Steel Necklaces (TimothyAdamDesigns);

3 Ghosts of Manderly (StilettoHeights);

2 Rockers Rocking (The Black Apple);

and a goddess pendant custom made for me (Glasstastic Treasures)

The 12 Days of Etsy

On the ninth day of Etsy, Purr Prints brought to me:

Kitty Cats with 9 Lives;
























8 Snuggly Babies (Auntboosbabies);

7 Yummy Glass Treats (beadbrains);

6 Photo Bracelets (PinkPoochDesigns)

5 Illustrated Postcards (MillionMinds);

4 Steel Necklaces (TimothyAdamDesigns);

3 Ghosts of Manderly (StilettoHeights);

2 Rockers Rocking (The Black Apple);

and a goddess pendant custom made for me (Glasstastic Treasures)

The 12 Days of Etsy

On the eighth day of Etsy, Aunt Boo's Babies brought to me:

8 snuggly babies;





















7 Yummy Glass Treats (beadbrains);

6 Photo Bracelets (PinkPoochDesigns)

5 Illustrated Postcards (MillionMinds);

4 Steel Necklaces (TimothyAdamDesigns);

3 Ghosts of Manderly (StilettoHeights);

2 Rockers Rocking (The Black Apple);

and a goddess pendant custom made for me (Glasstastic Treasures)

The 12 Days of Etsy

On the seventh day of Etsy, beadbrains brought to me:

7 yummy glass treats;



6 Photo Bracelets (PinkPoochDesigns)

5 Illustrated Postcards (MillionMinds);

4 Steel Necklaces (TimothyAdamDesigns);

3 Ghosts of Manderly (StilettoHeights);

2 Rockers Rocking (The Black Apple);

and a goddess pendant custom made for me (Glasstastic Treasures)