Cozy Beads

I am smitten with making flower beads and cabochons.

I have created a few each day for the last week.

I have some great ideas for using the flower beads in various creations.

Here is my first use -

My kombucha cozy is now bedazzled.

~ Julie

Crochet

When I was a child and teen I used to crochet. My grandmother taught me when I was very young. I always had my own technique, but it worked for me. Through my career I struggled with carpal tunnel symptoms, and crocheting aggravated these symptoms, so I put my needle down. I was looking for a good way to use my homemade beads and found drink/cup cozies. What a lovely way to use beads.

I love the idea of an item that is completly made by me. I crocheted the cozy, created the lampworked bead and put them together for a nice functional product. 💖

I then decided that my homemade kombucha that I brew on the counter was too cold this winter and needed it's own cozy.

This is my kombucha brewing on the counter. The large gray cozy that I made today just needs an ornament.

I have been making some new beads and flowers recently. I think I will find one to attach to this nice gray kombucha cozy.

Of course I needed an appropriately large bead to match the larger cozy. The new beads that I made this afternoon are annealing in the kiln. I should have a good choice to attach tomorrow.

Keeping the kiln warm.

~ Julie

A new use for beads . . .

~ Juliie

Flowers in January

I love glass.

I especially love the sun shining through glass. I love its luminescence.
Glass sun catchers are particularly wonderful when experiencing a Wisconsin winter.

Keeping the kiln warm.

~ Julie

New Year

2019 has been snowy in Wisconsin.
I was able to get out and continue walking which is good. I prefer snow over ice.

I have been both lampworking and fusing this past week.

I made simple beads for a new bracelet. The colors don't show well in this pict, but they are a pinkish with green - lovely. I am using a purchased frit blend from Val Cox to provide the color.

 

I created a recycled plate/dish with recycled glass and enamels for color. I think I'll call this one the starry night. It is dark with the black on the one side.

I finally slumped this dish and it turned out better than expected. I had created the glass round for slumping in a summer class that I took last August. I like how the colors work together.

Another project that has been sitting on the back of my bench was this vase. I created it by dropping glass through a drop out mold at least 5 years ago, but never cut off the top to make the vase.

I fixed my glass saw this week.

I loved it and was excited until is broke as I was smoothing/sanding the top to finish it off yesterday. I will have to drop another vase/glass now that my glass saw is fixed.

Keeping the kiln warm.

~ Julie

Unexpected

Some times the unexpected happens.

This past summer I purchased a beautiful yellow, orange and white piece of glass with a specific goal in mind. I wanted to create a strip cut bowl, a bowl made of strips of glass.

I cut the strips and assembled the bowl for it's first fusing paying careful attention to the pattern in the original piece of glass.

I had extra strips of glass and decided to use them to create a small square tile. 

During construction I was worried that the orange color might not present itself to show the pattern.

And.

This morning I pulled this from the kiln.

~ Julie

Saturday Wreaths and Glass

Today my husband and I were honored to be able to place wreaths for Wreaths Across America at the King Veterans Home. It turned out to be a beautiful day, not too cold with plenty of sunshine - perfect for walking the hill and placing wreaths next to grave stones.

 

I am smitten with sunflowers during this Wisconsin December.

Here is a new one in shades of blue and purple.

 

I love seeing the sun shine through it.

This sunflower will be in my Crystal Lake Glass Etsy shop either today or tomorrow.

~ Julie

Snowy Day with Flowers

Wisconsin is having a very snowy day today.

This morning I pulled a new sunflower suncatcher from the kiln. I love the bright colors.

 

I just need to get it cleaned up and wired for hanging.

~ Julie