Glass

December 17th 2018

Glass cocktail stirrer

The art of glass entered my life a few years ago and I can honestly say it has brought me joy.  From
the first scratchy cut on the glass to opening the kiln to see what the heat has done to my simple creations, there is nothing, nothing that I do not like about it.

Despite not having really made much this year, the Christmas spirit began to seep into me through the fusing of glass, from looking and searching out ideas, to sketching some thoughts down on paper and then tweaking the ideas once I began to cut has been so much fun.  Want to see my little creations?

The first Christmas haul included 'nisse' and some trees

From the three nisse in the kiln to before firing, look what the heat did...

I made little heart tokens in all shapes and sizes, some to hang, some as little pebbles and a few as stitch markers too.

Hanging hearts with frit and wire

Pebble token hearts with copper and
heart stitch markers

I made glass for the talented Kim at Little Hearts who has two cats, this was my version of her feline friends...

Cats in glass

And then I made some Christmas tree cocktail stirrers, before firing...

Cocktail stirrers in glass before firing

Christmas tree cocktail stirrers made in glass

A glass tree in tack fusing to give some texture

My husband is not kind to his cufflinks and losing them or treads on them, who knows what he does to them, so this year, he will have four almost identical pairs!

Glass boat cufflinks

Then finally we came upon the idea of trying to slump some bottles and see what that would do...

I added some copper hearts to one and thick
kiln paper in the bottleneck to keep the opening

Look closely you can see how I am trying to
keep the neck open so it will not fuse shut

It worked!  Fused bottle with an open neck so I could add flowers!

Can you see how the bottle has become flat!

Now if you will excuse me, I think I may go drink a few glasses of something so that I may make some more glass presents out of bottles... hic...

♥  Have you decided to make any presents this year?  ♥

Humble half term antics

February 19th   

This year for the first time ever my husband lept out of bed last Sunday mumbling he had to dash downstairs as he'd left my Valentines present in the study. A slow silly grin began to appear on my face as I thought to myself wow, we've never exchanged presents before... 

I should have known and he swears he did not say present but that he had mumbled card and within a few minutes tea and coffee in hand he produced (for him) a beautifully newspaper wrapped gift...

Still grinning from ear to ear I began to open. He had gone to so much trouble. What have I done to deserve such a man. What was my gift-cum-card...

... an engraved parsnip!

An engraved heart With blue food coluring

A 'V' for Valentine

See I am loved and we both had a good giggle whilst drinking our morning cuppas in bed. Hope you all had an enjoyable day last Sunday too. Oh how he still makes me laugh all these years on. 

What else has half term produced this year, well as always a much nicer me. I become less frantic and calmer not being ruled by the clock and the beginning of the week was taken up with dentist and eye appointments but with those out of the way the week has gone from strength to strength. 

My latest glass fusing antics this week have led me to decide I am going to produce an entire cake plate range throughout the year. My first cake plate I present to you now. 

Plate before firing

...and after firing

The inspiration to cake plate making was my
glass cake dome, it needed some 'wow', I think I may have found it

The week saw us also jump on a plane to visit mamma in Norway and despite the extremely mild winter the south of Norway have experienced this year, the weather gods were on our side and it snowed for us. We donned the skis and managed some sledging too all in the dark. Adds a frisence of excitement. 

Apologies for bad quality photos the
camera phone did not like the conditions!

Fun in the snow

And what would our visit be without eating traditional food, it has to be waffles as far as the children are concerned. Being with bestemor means they are spoilt and why not?

Home made waffles as soon as they were
off the waffle iron they were eaten,
I couldn't manage to photograph a whole stack!

Home made Bestemor strawberry jam
on some and chocolate spread on others!

And what would half term be for me without a little crafting... I finally began and finished the Shaun the sheep hat after a false start. Having begun the hat I frogged it not liking the yarn I had chosen and opted to buy the correct colour rather than using from my stash. I'm pretty pleased with the result although I feared it was too small half way through and thought it might need to be frogged again. But I continued my heart not really in it as I thought I was wasting my time. However I have been rewarded with a perfect fit. Just hope my husband likes it when he recieves it tomorrow.

I know it's half term when I'm knitting in bed in the morning

Beginning to grow but looks a tad on the small size!

Shaun the sheep beginning to shape up nicely

Apart from fastening off, it's done!

Ta-dah!

Joining in with  Amy  for the first anniversary of the beginning of 5 on Friday, do pop along and see what others are sharing and remember Amy has a giveaway this week too!


I must apologise for not having responded to all comments from last week yet, I will reply to each and everyone as I always do, but am a tad behind this week, sorry again!
Please do not let that stop you chatting with me, I love it more than you know x

Wishing you all a fun filled week ahead

xxxx

Christmas glass fusing and gifts

December 21st  

This year I have found a new love in glass fusing and since October we have been making glass gifts and decorations.  This is a photo heavy post...

Quick and simple to make are Christmas trees and over the weeks we began to perfect them.  Tweaking here and there is all part of the fun and you never really know what the firing process will do to the creations.

Great fun to make these Christmas trees

 

I think they are quite subtle and dress the window well

 

And glass trees in the kitchen, it has to be RED

I made about ten tree brooches in the end and wear different ones each day, I've given a few away already...

Even glass tree brooches, bad photo it looks so good in 'real'

Mistletoe brooch

Contemporary holly brooch

As well as going out to my weekly glass course, I have been making use of my birthday present, the microwave kiln.  I'm still getting to grips with it and intend to play much more in the New Year.

The microwave kiln came into it's own in making the
smaller pieces such as earring and cufflinks

 

A sneak look at the hot glow after firing

My biggest project to date other than large glass bowls was  a free standing angel, the idea being a candle is lit behind her to give an ethereal feel.

 

Unfortunately the angel was too high in the kiln and lost
lots of her definition, thinking I will have another go

I still like the angel though

She really wasn't meant to be, was she?

The children every year make their own Christmas presents for the adults in the family.  This year they decided to try glass fusing too.

Even the children have fused glass, making Christmas presents

The children's work needed two firings, one to fuse
together and the second to 'slump' them into the dish moulds

Coaster before firing

I may have become quite addicted , just look...

A kiln full of Christmas presents and goodies

And presents to give to hosts and hostess' over the Christmas period...

 

Christmas scenes fired but still warm in the kiln

Christmas scene in situ

We loved making the robins and the house cat seemed quite keen too!

Robins in the kiln

...and outside on my holly bush

♥  Have you made any Christmas presents this year?  ♥