flat red terra sig bead necklace

This necklace is made using some of my handmade clay beads and some black glass beads on which I painted a copper spiral. The clay beads are made using a process whereby each bead is formed, left to dry, and then painted with a very fine clay substance called terra sigillata (terra sig for short) that has been dyed a red colour. The terra sig is polished to a high shine and the beads are fired in a smoke pit using sawdust as the combustible. The smoke gives the beads the blackened effect (almost making them look dirty). The process is very time consuming but the effects can be fantastic. Stay tuned for another necklace using almost the same clay technique, with a twist!

fimo transfer pendant necklace

Boy what a mouthful... "fimo transfer pendant necklace"!... but that is exactly what it is. I did a polymer clay (Fimo is a brand name) workshop and we learned how to transfer images onto the clay. I particularly liked this pendant and decided to make a necklace out of it (as opposed to a brooch). It's bright and fun and a real conversation piece!

art show and sale - a real success!

Thanks to all the people who made it out to our show, which was held on November 9th. Ronna and I (Ronna's in blue, I'm in red) had a great time and really enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones... We plan to do it again in the Spring... We'll keep you posted as to dates and times! In the meantime visit our blogs and get a glimpse of the good things to come!

fused glass pendant necklace2

Here's another fused glass pendant necklace in cool blues and purples. I've neglected my blog for a while because I've been busy creating stuff for a show that I am having this weekend at my house. I'll be showing and selling my handcrafted beaded jewellery along with my friend Ronna who does painted dishes. It's on Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm... And if you are in the Montreal area and are interested, email me for directions.

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.