Why I Love Dichroic Glass

Dichroic glass is amazing stuff. It was originally used in space applications, then someone discovered it made gorgeous jewelry...

Here is an unfired piece to show you exactly what happens with it when you change the lighting and angle viewed from.

I love it - you never quite know what you're going to get and even when you fire it and it doesn't turn out the way you expect, the result is often even better...

Getting Projects Finished....

I've been working on the glass for my front door for over a year. Things have come up so many times and I've just not had the time to be able to get it finished and installed.
Today was the day that pigs finally flew. My front door panel was installed.
I'll add that I still have to get the one finished sidelight 'sandwiched' in tempered glass and I have yet to draw and put together the other sidelight.

But....wow. So worth the work. A complete original.

New Puzzle Pieces!

So, last year I raised over $120 for Alpine Autism Center through sales of my puzzle piece pendants. This year I have an ambitious goal of doubling that.
I picked up a mould recently online for a puzzle piece, since I wanted to create some pendants that are a little different, and I also wanted to work more with moulds and frit (glass particles) anyway.
Here is what I came up with!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/176765588/green-and-white-autism-awareness-fused?ref=shop_home_active_4

Personally, I love it! I now have the flexibility to create many different combinations using whichever glass frit I have or can find.

I'm also still doing the etched pendants, which I love. I have some purple and orange ones almost ready and they're super cute. Autism Awareness that comes with ACTION. Now that's what I'm talking about.

2 Down, 1 To Go!

Well, it seems like my new year's resolution to actually get my front door panels finished has had some effect!

Aside from a little patina (the 'stain' for the solder - I don't like silver) touchup, it's ready to be sandwiched inside tempered glass and go into the sidelight!

Just one more panel to do - better get to drawing!

Making Pendants with Mum!

My mum's lovely work!

Recently my parents were out here in Colorado for a visit from the UK. Whilst here, my mum got to join me in making a few pendants for herself!

Mum and my little helper!

 It was really lovely to be able to do this with my mum and she loved the results, that were all her own!

Pendant Developments...

As everyone has seen, I've been making some pendants using an etching technique and have been somewhat limited by the availability of suitably small craft punch shapes I can use to mask off the glass from the etching cream. So, I decided to treat myself!

I just ordered this little beauty!

 

It's a Silhouette Portrait and I got a great deal on Overstock. They even gave me a $15 credit because apparently coupons don't work on 'electronic' items. Nice, huh?

So, what does this do? Well, it's similar to a Cricut, but, instead of only cutting the images on a cartridge (which are pricey) and inevitably have a ton of images on them I don't want, this little one enables me to design my own and also use logos, which could open up a whole heap of opportunities! Instead of cartridges, Silhouette has an online store from which you can download images in smaller quantities for much less money. Perfect.

In other news, my little room floor is now epoxied and I can now start putting some actual furniture in there. Woohoo!