Repurposed Molds!

Inspired by a thread in a glass forum, I went searching in my kitchen for alternative molds for fusing glass. Can you guess what the prior use of this cactus mold was? A wrought iron cornbread pan! It took many, many small pieces of glass to create this cactus paperweight and the detail of the mold is terrific! Go on - check out your house and garage and I’ll bet you find a funky object you can repurpose for a mold for fusing glass too!

(sorry about the cornbread mold, guys, you'll have to get your cornbread in a loaf now!)

Repurposing Glass: Another Reason to Love Flavored Extracts!

Here's a sneak peek into one of my kilns where I was slumping vanilla extract bottles.

I'll turn these into mini spoonrests when they're done and I plan to acid etch some for a matte finish and I'll keep others shiny, beautiful root beer brown!

I love off-time in the studio just experimenting with new designs and techniques and I look forward to using more of these upcycled little bottles in my work (next up will be those tiny syrup bottles you get at Cracker Barrel!) 

 

Another fabulous way to repurpose glass and keep it out of the landfills. 

Week-end Spotlight on Loving Anvil

Three words:

BIG HONKIN' RINGS

Now I've made thousands of fused glass cabochons in my life, but none so big as the ones I make for Coco of http://lovinganvil.etsy.com/

Her rings are truly amazing. A marriage of glass and metal like no other. Thanks, Coco, for making my glass look so damned good (and for always making me smile!).

Sprucing up your Online Shop - Part 1

From Handmade News http://handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1934

During my almost 3-1/2 years of selling on Etsy and also as a founding member of one of the original street teams, there have been many questions on the forums (or is it fora?) on how to make shops better and increase sales. In this series of columns, we'll take a look at some of these concerns and some possible solutions!

Your shop banner and avatar are the entryway into your shop and you have a few mere seconds to either catch someone's interest or have them click away, so make them professional looking and unique. Your avatar and banner are your personal calling card so make them pop and draw those buyers in! Think of some successful boutiques and shops and their entryways and facades to get an idea. In this highly competitive online marketplace, you need to toot your own horn. There are many talented graphic designers on both Etsy and Artfire who can help you design an avatar and banner if you need help.

Make sure you have your geographic location filled in. If you're worried about disclosing too much information, at least put a state and possibly a city close to you (if you're International, put your country). Many, many buyers will click away from your shop if your location is blank. People have different reasons for wanting to see a seller's location, such as to either support local artists or to judge how long an item might take to reach them after it's been shipped.

Are your sections options being used and are they clear? Personally, I usually have about 350 items in my shop and if I didn't use my sections, it would be a lot to wade through! Make it easy for your customers to zone in and target items they would have a high level of interest in. Maybe they'll click on your other categories if they're well worded.

Is your profile filled in to give potential buyers an idea of who you are as an artist and person? I'm usually disappointed when I click on profile and find it blank. While you don't have to write a novel, some info on who you are and also showing some humor can help. I love knowing who I'm buying from and their passion for their art! Keep it upbeat and proofread and proofread again so there are no spelling or grammatical errors.

Next time we'll look at some more tips for sprucing up your shop. Until then, keep creating and I'll keep a warm kiln!

Drilling Beach and Fused Glass

The following was published on Handmade News http://handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1617



Now that Summer is quickly approaching, visions of beautiful sea glass are on many people's minds, both jewelry designers and their buyers too!
On the Etsy and Artfire forums, there have been a number of questions on the best way to drill sea glass. Teams and Guilds are wonderful in the value they have as a brainstorming tool. Whether you're looking for advice on a new technique or just a better way to do something, they're a great resource for bouncing ideas around. Here's one of the questions I was asked as a glass team member:

Question: I have a collection of sea glass and I wanted to make a bracelet using the glass. My first question would be, what do I use to drill the tiny hole in the glass? And my second question is, would fishing line be fine to string these sea glass beads onto or would metal wire be better? Please keep in mind that I have no experience with glass or beads or any type of jewelry making.
Answer: I love beach glass, all shapes and colors and textures! I use a cordless Dremel drill with a diamond bit to get the hole you're looking for. You would need to drill underwater (hence the cordless drill, because combining water and electricity = yikes!). You'd be drilling underwater both to reduce stress on the glass and to keep the drill bit cool. Use either a piece of styrofoam or a piece of modeling clay on the bottom of a water-filled container to keep your glass steady. The water should cover your glass and the styrofoam will give you some grip and stability while you're drilling. You should be able to feel when you have hit the styrofoam or clay when your hole is completely drilled through.

Start the drill at a low speed which you can increase once you get started. Just go slow and easy and do some practice pieces first, with glass you don't absolutely love, just to get the hang of it. Try to drill on a slight angle at first to get the hole started; it will then be easier to continue from that point and your drill won't "skitch" as much. Take your time and with practice it will become easier to drill both fused glass or sea glass.

As far as stringing material, I'd keep away from fishing line because it is too brittle. You could use Tiger Tail, Acculon, or a similar type of beading cord instead, so your beautiful jewelry will hold up to wear. Most important, have fun with your new beading hobby and when you're ready to take your hobby to the next level, I'd encourage you to join one of the teams or guilds on Artfire or Etsy!!

Safety and Protection While Drilling Glass

The following was published on Handmade News http://handmadenews.org/article/index.php?id=1877

In a previous column on Handmade News, I shared tips on how to drill beach and sea glass. In part 2, we'll look at a question asked in the Etsy forum about how to protect yourself while drilling glass. One of the best things about posting in forums is there is always someone (or a dozen someones!) willing to help out, especially members of teams or guilds who can offer many viewpoints. Along with my advice is some terrific input from Mary of http://marstinia.etsy.com/ who is an accomplished enamelist.

Question: Since I am relatively new to fusing, I have a question on how to protect yourself from silica dust. I am at the grinder every day shaping my glass and noticed a lot of dust covering everything in my studio. So it's probably safe to assume that some of this is getting into my lungs, not good. I have read articles stating the little paper masks are not enough to protect your lungs from this sort of dust, so what do you do?

Answer: Good ventilation is necessary in your studio and work area, but sometimes ventilation alone isn't adequate protection. It's a good idea to wear a respirator or mask with a filter any time you're around airborne particles of glass (silica). It's the silica that can cause damage to your lungs and eyes. I use a respirator mask for grinding (even though everything gets soaking wet), for scraping kiln wash off shelves, for using powdered frits, if I'm vacuuming out the kilns or studio, etc. It's also a good idea to keep a bowl of water by your workspace to frequently dip your glass pieces in, both to keep the dust down and to cool off the glass. And remember not to bring food or drink into the studio!

Mary adds that ventilation and a good respirator is the way to go. Exposure to silica dust can cause very bad lung problems. As an enamelist, I'm working with powdered glass all the time, so I have to be extra careful. I would also recommend good cleaning habits in the studio. Areas where the dust builds up should be wet-mopped or wiped down with wet cloths. Never sweep glass dust as that will cause it to become airborne again.

So that's the glass pros advice on how to protect yourself while at the grinder. I know that whenever I have a question about pmc or art clay, I'll find the answer from a knowledgeable team member. Some wonderful collaborations have come from different teams joining together. So go ahead, ask those questions of teams and guilds!

Pantone Challenge for Glass Artists

The Etsy Glass Artists recently had a Creative Challenge to create a piece using the Pantone color forecast for Spring. The Pantone 2008 Spring color palette includes Golden Olive, Spring Crocus, Rococco Red, Pink Mist, Croissant, Freesia, Cantaloupe, Daiquiri Green, Snorkel Blue and Silver Grey. http://www.fashiontrendsetter.com/content/color_trends/2007/Pantone-Fashion-Color-Report-Spring-2008.html

Here are some fused glass cabochons using Pantone's palette of Snorkel Blue and Silver Grey, a pair of earrings using Pink Mist and a pendant using with Cantaloupe and Croissant as part of the color mix. I used Bullseye glass to create these glass piece and am happy with the results which are very close to Pantone's!

All available from Willowglass in my Etsy shop!