Kristen's Creations Show and Sell

Today I am linking up with Kristen's blog. She is having a Show and Sell day every Thursday, where you can put things that you (or someone you know) hand makes and sells. Check out her blog if you have a chance.

A few years back, I started working in glass. I took a 2 hour class and got a basic introduction to the process. I was so intrigued that I began saving money from freelance graphic design work, and eventually had enough to purchase my own small kiln off of eBay. I've been fusing ever since. My first attempts were rough and often ended up in the trash, but slowly and surely, I began to get the hang of it. I enjoy experimenting with various materials and techniques.

I have been married for 24 years this July 4th, and I am the mother of two teenagers. I work full-time as the Creative Services Specialist for a local school district. I create printed materials, presentations, graphics for our website and TV channel, and do whatever else needs doing. During my spare time, I create fused glass and enameled copper pendants and artwork. I sell them to friends locally, at a few galleries and shops, on my etsy and yessy sites, as well as, in festivals in the Southeastern area.

This is a FusieDoozie - I enjoy creating these little glass characters that have there own mini biography.

This is a shot of the pendants I worked on while we were snowed in for a week this past January - a rare treat in sunny South Carolina!

A photo of my booth at the Chatty Crafty Indie Art Festival in Chattanooga, TN.

A glass tile created by hand painting lilies on a black piece of glass using Glassline paints (they can withstand the 1550 degree kiln temperature). The painted tile is then capped with clear glass and then fired.

This pendant was created using 4 pieces of red glass, on top of white and then layered on black glass. It was capped with a clear piece of glass and then fired. I loved how a small air bubble was trapped in the center of the petals. Really this was a happy accident. I wish I could say it was planned, but I don't have that much control of what happens inside the kiln. Notice the name of the pendant written in pencil along the side of the card. My husband names each pedant with it's own unique name. He says, "they speak to him."

I did these pendants on commission this past weekend. If you would like to hear more about them, see the post from Sunday called Pendants with a Purpose.

Smokey Sports a Pendant

My friend from work is a professional videographer, editor and photographer. He was planning a model shoot this past weekend, and I loaned him a few pendants for use in the photographs.

The session was delayed, but he recruited a substitute model and sent me a few of the final shots. I think I may need to start a new canine pendant collection one of these days!

Smokey, you look fabulous!

Pendants with a Purpose

Last week, I was asked to create 5 pendants in honor of someone who recently passed away from ovarian cancer. I was asked to incorporate the teal ovarian cancer awareness ribbon in my design. The photos below show the creation of these pendants from start to finish.

Enameling Turtles

I alternate between glass and enameling these days. I have also started experimenting with copper clay. I will post more on that soon. Last weekend, I sold one of the enameled turtle pendants at Atlantic Beacon Gallery on Tybee, and I got a request to send more. I just mailed a package with 6 new enameled and 2 fused glass sea turtles.

My 2 Moms...

If evolution really works, how come mothers only have two hands? ~Milton Berle

For many years, I've listened to friends telling horror stories about their mothers, or more often...mother-in-laws. Thinly veiled insults, back-handed compliments, turf wars, downright animosity, destructive manipulation - their stories will curl your hair!

And so, I know I am particularly blessed with the two most wonderful mothers on the planet - one by birth and the other by marriage.

My own mother is a true "steel magnolia" - strong and in control and yet warm, kind and compassionate. She is my north star. When I am tossed by the storms of life, I am comforted by the knowledge that she is there, steady and true. She is my cheerleader, example, encourager, advisor and friend. She has shown me what unconditional love is. If I can be half the mother she has been, I will be a success.

And, as recently noted, my mother-in-law is willfully oblivious to all my faults. No one can convince her that I even have them... so she refers to me as her "angel from heaven." From the first moment we met, she wrapped me in a warm blanket of love and acceptance and made me feel like her very own daughter. Tim and I have been married almost 24 years now, and I can truthfully say that in all of those years she has never been anything but loving and kind to me.

So, this is my Mother's Day tribute to my two moms. I am so grateful to both of them for demonstrating such grace and unconditional love. I am also thankful to God for the blessing of loving and knowing these two remarkable women!

My mom and mom-in-law at The Breakfast Club on Tybee Island - on our recent trip to the beach.

Atlantic Beacon Gallery

If you are ever in Savannah, GA and feel like going on to the beach, hop on Highway 80 and head East. Highway 80 dead ends on Tybee Island, Georgia.

Before or after you hit the beach, take a few minutes to visit Atlantic Beacon Gallery. It's right on 80, close to Arby's.

Last summer, my mother-in-law, who is also one of my biggest fans, went in the Gallery to look around and gave them her "you really should see my angel from heaven, daughter-in-law's breathtakingly beautiful fused glass pendants" speech. The next thing I know, the nice people there had agreed to carry my work in their gallery. I would like to thank them, as well as my mom-in-law for this arrangement. I have a tendency to be too timid to do this kind of thing in person, but hopefully It will get easier with practice.

On our recent trip to Tybee, I restocked my pendants there, and even sent down some of my new enameled sea turtles last week. I also got a request from them for a little information on how these are created. So, below, I am going to put step by step photos of the creation of a FusieDoozie Sea Turtle named Tybrisa.

Step 1
I use a glass scorer to "cut" out several glass shapes that make up the turtle's body head and flippers.

Step 2
I put a little dab of regular school glue on each of these parts.

Step 3
I add the shell - a piece of glass with "rounded" corners.

Step 4
Using Glassline Paint (this paint can withstand the 1550 degree firing temperature inside the kiln), I begin to paint on details that make my turtle resemble a turtle.

Step 5
I allow the paint and glue to dry completely. It is now ready for the kiln.

Step 6
The pieces are placed on a prepared kiln shelf inside the kiln. I turn on the kiln, and the temperature begins to rise.

Step 7
I monitor the firing progress through a small window on the top of the kiln.

Step 8
Once the kiln reaches about 1550 degrees, the pieces will begin to fully fuse. Once this happens, I open the kiln to flash cool the pieces into the 950 degree range. The pieces must stay in the range for a little while for the glass to properly anneal. The hot, red glow will fade and color will begin to come back into the pieces as they cool.

Step 9
I allow the pieces to completely cool inside the kiln. Once they are cool to the touch, I can remove them and affix the pendant bail.

Presenting Tybrisa - a lovely little fused glass sea turtle, soon to be on her way to the beach and Atlantic Beacon Gallery.

Green Springs

I am happy to announce a new shop carrying my pendants. Green Springs at 117 Ram Cat Alley in Seneca, South Carolina. The owner, Alison Springs, and I met during the Pendleton Spring Festival, and she was interested in carrying my glasswork in her shop.

Even better...I got word a few minutes ago that I had sold my first piece there and it's on it's way to Ireland.

So, if you are in Seneca, check out Green Springs. You an also visit the Green Springs website (http://shopgreensprings.com/) or Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Green-Springs/149626039292)

Put a Bird On It!

I got an email from Interweave publication today with a YouTube clip that I thought was funny. If you've spent any time at Art Festivals, you will understand why. There are birds everywhere, on everything...realistic, cartoony, cloth, metal, felted, printed, wood cut, recycled, upcycled...birds.

People love them and they sell!

If you glance back at previous posts, you'll see that I've created a few myself.

Anyway, the clip is from the television show "Portlandia" - I haven't seen it, so I can't recommend you watch it or anything. It sounds like it's a little out there. I think it was created by a SNL guy - the show "lovingly" skewers the 90's hippie, recycling manic, feminist, enviro wacko, slightly weird culture that is still going strong in Portland, Oregon.

Give Me a Hand...

Don't you hate when your hand falls asleep and you know it will be up all night. - Stephen Wright

A while back my mom cut her thumb on a tin can...really cut her thumb. She severed the tendon that makes it possible to bend the thumb and required surgery to repair her hand. The doctor was able to reattach the tendon, and using magnification he also reattached a nerve that would give her back feeling in one side of her thumb.

It has been a fairly long recovery for her. Just last week, she got out of the cast that kept her wrist and fingers immobile. She has been going to therapy once a week to help her slowly regain use of her hand. She recently asked me to create a pendant that she could give to her physical therapist as a thank you for her hard work.

I decided to do the pendant in copper enamel. I created a small hand cutout that I could use a a mask. I was able to sift the enamel on top of the cutout and then just pull off the hand to reveal the layer color below. It took some practice and several layers to get the look I was after, but I was happy with the end result. The pendant also has a reverse side with no hand.

Tybee

I had a chance to take a brief break and visit the beach last week with my mom and mom-in-law. The ocean was just lovely. We spent some time walking on the beach, especially late in the day when the sun was setting.

Below are a couple of photos from our walks.

A long stretch of highway takes you there...
Miles of marsh and salt-kissed air.

Around the bend the lighthouse stands...
Green gray water and warm white sands.

Little houses, tropical hues...
Brightly splashed, they welcome you.

Long walks, flip flops, sand and sea...
Tybee simply let's you be!

The Winner is....

Thanks to everyone who commented on my 100th blog post. I put all the comments in a basket and had Ben draw a winner out for me. To find out the winner watch the video...or, scroll down on this page.

Congratulations to Ruth Bartholomew! I will be in touch about getting your pendant to you.

www.etsy.com/shop/leisaworks

100

This entry marks my 100th post. Actually, I enjoy blogging more than I thought I would. In some ways it has become a way for me to journal my experiments and experiences fusing glass. I can look back and see what I was doing a few months ago.

I appreciate those of you that have come along with me on the journey. I love getting feedback and suggestions on projects. Thanks, too, for the encouragement you've offered!

In honor of making it to 100 blog posts, I will be giving away a pendant to someone who comments below. Next Monday, I will draw randomly from these comments. If possible provide your email so I can notify you in the event you win!

www.etsy.com/shop/leisaworks

Spring Jubilee in my rearview mirror

This past weekend was the Historic 34th Annual Spring Jubilee in Pendleton, SC. It was my first time to be a part of this festival, and it was a lot of fun. It was extremely well planned, the people that organized it were nice and helpful, and I would go back next year without question.

The weekend did get off to a rocky start when my iPad inexplicably failed to fully charge overnight Friday. Had to stop at Walmart at 7 AM and buy a $30 car charger. The iPad is my credit card "machine" - so I needed to make sure it was fully charged all day.

Then, when we pulled the canopy out of the pack, we found one of the roof beams was bent and in short order...broken. We did manage to get the canopy up and fairly stable with the three functional roof supports.

About noon, on Saturday, the big winds blew into town. I would estimate 50 mph gusts. Our already hobbled tent, was firmly bolted, tied and weighted with 45 pound weights on each post, but it took a beating. The broken rod eventually wore a small hole in the roof.

We ended up leaving the tent beside a garbage can when it was all over. My mom reported that the guy that was picking up the trash salvaged it and was taking it home to repair. He planned to make a nice shade for his wife, so she could enjoy sitting out in the sun. I was happy to hear that wasn't a total loss.

The good thing was that sales were fairly good, and that when things started up at 1:00 on Sunday, our tent was still standing, the winds were calm and the weather was perfect.

www.etsy.com/shop/leisaworks