turquoise and black necklace

This was an experiment that seemed to work. I used macrame cord and made a double strand necklace with a clasp held in place by macrame knots. The beads are mostly plastic, along with a few small glass beads and a silverplated dangly spiral (hard to see in this photo). I like it because it is light and hangs in just the right spot.

fused glass pendant necklace

Here's one of my latest pieces of jewellery. I made the pendant out of fused glass and strung it on a long chain of matching beads. The necklace is about 2 feet long and can be wrapped twice around the neck or just worn simply as is. I like the variety of beads.... the different colours, shapes, sizes and textures make the piece really stand out.

painted flower vase

I had an old glass vase and decided to paint it using ordinary acrylic paints. (I seem to get that urge with many things!) I bought some really well made fake flowers (no plastic)... and although I prefer real cut flowers... there's something about never having to watch them die that makes them really appealing to me. I love this bunch of fakes, they keep the room vibrant all year round!

painted toybox

I had this old box that I bought for 4$ at an auction, and I decided to paint it and use it as a toybox for my little nephews. In a previous (unpainted) life, it was a prop in a children's TV show. My nephews from an early age learned that it was the goody box... and never failed to run and open it every time they came over, to see what new toy or treat was awaiting them!

fused glass hotplate

This is a trivet, otherwise known as a hotplate... used for preventing your counters or tables from burning due to a hot dish or pot. The funky shape was cut and ground from a large square piece of glass. I then used rectangles of leftover glass to create the pattern. I stuck a few (more than a few) clear rubber nodes on the bottom... and it works quite well. Amazing what a bit of leftover glass and a lot of heat can create!

fused glass platter

This is a platter, done in the same firing as the last 2 posts. The mold for slumping the plate was created out of clay by my friend, and I really love the shape and depth of it. It's very hard to photograph glass, and the white parts you see are actually transparent.

fused glass tiles

These are 4" x 4" fused glass tiles that I made. I did 2 sets... thinking that I might use them as coasters. But now I'm not sure what I will do with them... I just love them and wish I had enough of them to tile my kitchen backsplash! They take quite a long time to make, and you're never quite sure of the outcome. I love when the kiln is first opened and you get a peek at your new creations!

fused glass bowl

While visiting friends last weekend, I got the chance to try some glass fusing. This is my first piece ever, and I think it's okay. (The white background is because I photographed it on white... the glass is actually clear). It's not hard to do but you need a kiln, glass cutting tools and of course the right kind of glass. My friend who has been doing it for a while, gave us a crash course... and I think I'm hooked! Stay tuned for more pieces in the days to come.

multicolour lamp

A friend gave me this old ceramic lamp base. It was originally plain white with a few thin light blue stripes. I took it apart, removed all the wiring, and painted the base with some porcelain paints. I then baked it in the oven to harden the glaze, waited until it cooled down to rewire the whole thing, bought a lampshade, and it now graces my front entrance way!

small red mosaic top table

I found this red table for sale at a liquidation department in a well known chain store. It was cheap and not very attractive... but the top had an inlaid mirror. I knew that if I could crack out the mirror it would make a great base for some mosaic work. When I got it home, I realized that it wasn't glass mirror, but some form of unbreakable plexiglass, and try as hard as I could... it wouldn't crack! So... I just did the mosaic right on top of the plexi... and I think it looks fabulous!