What Time Is It? or... Mosaic What You Want!

I paid pretty good money for this clock from a mail order catalog

 which shall remain nameless. (Pottery Barn)

It was similar to this one, only, however many

years ago, it cost about $10 less.

The second hand would often get stuck, and time would stop.

If only it were that easy!

So one day I decided to make it into art... 

I started by glueing glass around the outside edge,

and worked my way to the center.

During this process I learned that the second hand would

always sweep freely when the clock was on it's back...ha!

After I filled in all the spaces there was nothing left to do but grout...



Go on....masaic something!



Stained Glass Picture

Frames

I love this picture of my mom and her older sister, with the strap of her little dress falling off her shoulder.  Their smiles are infectious!  

It looks great in this original design picture frame that I made from a piece of wispy stained glass which has light blue to turquoise and green to dark blue, and back again!  The wisps are continuous from one piece of glass to the next, except where I threw in two pieces of wispy yellow/orange. 

I've made my life easier by mouting it on a manufactured black metal picture frame.

These two frames are made with "mottled" glass, thus, the splotches.  They both have some "natural" edges, which I love for their randomness.  It comes from the glass being rolled out hot in the factory, like cookie dough.  Many glass artists discard these edges as unusable....what?  Iknow!

Sometimes I get out my scrap glass, left from cutting up pieces for specific designs, and see what I can make of it.  This time it was a little photo frame.

I also like to add buttons as accents,

 like this button that looks like a buffalo head nickle.  

 Or maybe a seashell...

 Each is unique and one of a kind...

Because I'm easily bored!

And there are endless pieces of really cool glass!

Really...there's no end in sight...

I'd love you to leave a comment, so I know you were here...

New Sun Catchers

Swirling Sun

White Clematis

Moon Shine



Simple Elegance in Wire and Glass

A few months ago I was delivering a package to a house, and saw a cool iron trellis in their garden.

It had some cool curves that I really liked.  So I made a crude drawing on a piece of scrap paper, and when I got home, pinned it up on the bulletin board in my studio.

More recently I made a purchase online of some little gems that caught my eye.

They are pressed glass from Germany in varied colors and designs..  After I opened them up and layed them out on my workbench, I looked up and saw the trellis drawing.  "Aahhhh!" I said. 

Soon I'll make some with a different shape, but for now I'm loving this one...



                Hammered Overlay Suncatchers

Sometimes I get a cool piece of glass that I just want to hang in the window, without cutting it up!

I just love the colors and don't want to take even a little piece out of it.

This mountain sunset is a perfect example...

After I figured out how to accomplish this task, I went a step further, because I've

also been looking for a way to make suncatchers I can sell for less by finding a less labor intensive

means of creation.  Aha!  Two birds...one stone.

No fancy patterns, so time saved on design and cutting and grinding. 

I gently form my design using 14 awg tinned copper wire.

Then I hammer, yes hammer it, flat.  I wrap my glass edges in copper foil,

and solder it all together. 

That's it...down and dirty!

Vintage Postage Stamps and Stained Glass

Many Years ago I collected postage stamps.  

 They were like tiny pieces of art with a functional purpose. 

Now I combine my love of stamps with my passion for 
stained glass to create Postage Stamp Keepsakes.

I sandwich the stamp between a piece of colored glass 
for the background, and clear glass on the front.

The marks from the stamp being cancelled at the post office

give each stamp individual character, lending itself to the 

"one of a kind" slogan I like to use!

Also, in the "one of a kind" vein, I add little bits of wire for

original embellishment and hanging, and decorative solder touches.

The result is a unique and one of a kind vintage postage stamp keepsake!

Hopefully this will not offend the real stamp collectors out there.

If so....sorry.

Feel free to leave a comment, either way...

Celestial Sky Stained Glass Suncatcher...the beginning...to the end!

Through February 7...

It may not be obvious, but this is the beginning of a beautiful Celestial Sky!

 

The sky will be made up of a combination of colors.  Deep gold, light gold, dark blue and light blue, purple, and a blue green swirl.  Throughout the sky there will be little clear marbles for stars.  All of this will seem to be in orbit around the clear glass moon with a smiling face.

I'll be sure to give you updates of my progress!

January 26....

I have been doing some cutting and grinding.  These pieces just need the little bits of glass removed where the tiny clear marbles will go. 

For these pieces, I will have to fire up the bandsaw...because the curves are quite severe. 

February 4

So now I've finished cutting out the curviest pieces, and started wrapping the edges of each one with copper foil.  This is what the solder will adhere to, keeping everything together.

I was playing around with the clear little marbles, but I just wasn't feelin it.  So I've decided to use colored glass gems instead...it's called artistic liscense.

February 5

I have soldered everything together.  Next I will finish all around the edge with a little decorative solder.  Then add jump rings and chain for hanging, and finally, finish the solder with black patina!

It will look alot better with the natural light from a window....then you will see the slight textures in the glass. 

So here is the finished panel

What do you think?

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Vintage Glass Bottle Bouquets

I guess I got my love of antiques from my dad.

I recently bought some antique medicine bottles....

Here's what I did with them.

Please leave a comment so I know you were here...let me know what you think.

Visit my online shop...
http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Tiny Panel Suncatcher

Here is my original design for this project.  First, I drew the edges of my little panel, and then layed out my agate slab and glass globs.  Then I traced around the edges, in order to make a pattern for the pieces of glass.   

Here's how it came out...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass