Long Time, No See

Okay, so I haven't written much for the blog lately. I confess, I've been focusing more on my Facebook page and Etsy lately. But remembered this long neglected space today and wanted to check in. I've been doing lots of shows this fall and creating lots of new pendants. I've tried some new things like adding embellishments and charms to the glass. This seems to work really well on simple dichroic pieces like the one below. This one is in my Etsy store as of yesterday.

I've also been doing some painted pendants using Glassline paint.

I love working on these little bits of winter. They seem so calm and peaceful. I also enjoy the way the snowflakes added on a topper of clear glass give them a 3-dimensional feel.

In the last couple of shows, I've also been working to make improvements to my booth set up. I was really happy with the booth at the show this weekend, but more in that in my next post.

 

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Hand picked pendants

I worked on a few new hand painted pendants over the past few days. I had forgotten how much I love using the Glassline paint to create these little floral pendants. As you can see, I had a little help while I was photographing them to post here. 

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Closer to Heaven

Climb a tree - it gets you closer to heaven. - Author Unknown

 

 

A Glassline Garden

This weekend, I downloaded and watched the entire first season of Downton Abbey. While watching, I was also working on a new set of Glassline painted pendants.

In mid February, I'm going to be a vendor at the Greater Greenville Master Gardeners Annual Convention, so I wanted to have some fresh flower pendants by then.

These are really fun for me. I usually start with a piece of black or brown glass as a base. Glassline paint is water-based and has kind of a gloppy, chalky feel consistency that can be thinned with water, but after a lot of practice I am starting to get a feel for working with it.

Sunflower with a Purple Background

Pendant Name

Pendant Name

Pink Sunflower

SOLD

Gray Sunflower

Pendant Name

Daisy Spiral

SOLD

Pendant Name

 

Sweet and Swift

The tile above was created especially for Kara. She wanted a redbird, but also requested a more muted palette than some of my other pieces. I tend to gravitate toward bright, bold color and pattern. This piece was created by hand painting a piece of black Wismach glass with Glassline paint. I love the wonderful way these paints handle - thinned with water they take on a lovely watercolor quality when fired.

This piece also reminded me of this poem by Robert Frost. It seems whenever I post a poem, it is by Frost. Something about his work resonates with me. I am always touched by the imagery he uses. I feel like I am there seeing and feeling what he saw and felt. After reading a short biography on him, I was also deeply touched by the hardships he endured during his life.

Looking For a Sunset Bird in Winterby Robert Frost
The breath of air had died of cold,
When shoeing home across the white, I thought I saw a bird alight.
In summer when I passed the place
I had to stop and lift my face; The west was getting out of gold,
A bird with an angelic gift Was singing in it sweet and swift. No bird was singing in it now. A single leaf was on a bough, And that was all there was to see In going twice around the tree. From my advantage on a hill I judged that such a crystal chill Was only adding frost to snow As gilt to gold that wouldn't show.  A brush had left a crooked stroke Of what was either cloud or smoke From north to south across the blue;A piercing little star was through.

Joyfully Adored - Saturday

 

Today's pendant is a profusion of colorful swirls called Joyfully Adored. This pendant was created using Glassline Paint on a piece of black glass. The image is hand painted onto the glass surface prior to firing and is permanent. The pendant is $25, and I will include a black cord and ship it anywhere in the Continental US for you for $3.50.

If you are looking for a gift for someone or a little treat for yourself, then contact me or click the Buy It Now button below. Make sure to click back through posts from this week and last to see additional featured pendants.

Joyfully Adored

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Time and Love

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.
- Peg Bracken

This past weekend, I spent some time on another batch of Christmas pendants. I made more of the snowflake pendants, experimenting with different types, textures and colors of glass. I also made more trees. I love playing around with these, seeing how many variations can be created on a theme. I did a few that were tack fused rather than doing a full fuse. This just means that I don't bring them all the way up to 1550 degrees, but rather hold them at a lower temperature. Tack fusing allows the glass to melt together, but it retains more texture and shape. You an see tack fusing in some of the pendants below.

A Helping Hand

The first photo is of this cool little helper tool I got at Harbor Freight. It only cost about $5, but has really come in handy. I don't do much enameling, but when I do get the chance, I usually solder the jump ring together. This little tool holds it for me, while I hold the solder and torch.

I've also included some of my more recent pendents. Even though I don't usually consciously decide to create seasonal pieces, it seems like I've drifted into more fall colors lately. All of these are glass, except the last three. These are enameled copper.

Swirling Color

A recent glass pendant. Black glass with Glassline paint swirls of color. This one just makes me feel happy.

New, New Things...

In my preparation for upcoming shows, I've been working like mad on pendants, larger pieces and even some earrings. Since Irene blew out the Cary show, I should be well prepared for fall shows and restocking my inventory in the various shops and galleries that carry my stuff, and I will probably put some of these on my Etsy and Yessy sites as well.

Here is a taste of some of new, new things...

Black glass hand painted with Glassline paint and fired without a clear glass cap.

This piece is stacked glass that has been tack fused.

A simple set of earrings - Glassline paint on black glass.

2 layers of black glass handpainted with Glassline paint and fused.

Dichroic pattern with clear cap.

Black glass with Glassline paint details.

Diagonal quilt-square inspired pendant in green, aqua, gray and black.

Since the festival isn't going this weekend, these are all still available. If you are looking for something in different colors, etc. Let me know, I probably have it.