New Season

Well here we are again 5 weeks away from the cruise ship season. So we have been digging in cupboards and drawers to find findings and molds we have been buying for the last 10 years and saving for when we had time. We made a conscious decision this year to purchase as little as possible and use up what we have on hand. The start of the year works out well no promises for later however.

Have done several new dichroic pieces.A smaller pendant that we will put on a leather cord. A large cast piece and some new hair clips. As well am using up findings we have on hand so have done some bracelets with memory wire, hematite beads and crystals. 

Then what to do with all the sea glass- some in cages and some in memory frames with sea glass and sand from Dominion Beach.

Mermaid’s Tears

Tomorrow is the third ship day of our season and from Sydney the ship is heading back to Europe. Sometimes I wish I was on it with them when it’s going somewhere I haven’t been. But if there is one thing I know for sure I am a true Cape Bretoner both from birth and more importantly because it’s where I want to be.

That being said these are being readied for the ship sales tomorrow. In sea lore they are known as mermaid’s tears and that story will accompany each piece sold. Every piece has been collected from a shoreline somewhere in Cape Breton. Other than drilling holes nothing has been changed. They are the real deal. It will probably not be to many years before there will be none left. We have become more environmentally aware and most bottles have become plastic.

These have been created by many years of being tossed around in the salt waters of the Atlantic Ocean among the rocks and sand and eventually washed up on the shores usually after a rough sea. The4 genuine pieces of sea glass have a pitted surface that only the salt water and sand can produce. The fake glass is tumbled and has more of a smooth etched surface.

Flickr Tags: Sea glass,jewelry,mermaid's tears,beach glass,Cape Breton Island

Fused Glass – February Project

To keep up with our challenge the kiln is full tonight. The mirror frame is hopefully being fixed, 10 small pieces in Our Town series either night lights or small wind chimes, whatever I decide in the morning as well as several larger pieces of the jellies. trying to get ahead so I can vegetate in front of the TV during the Olympics.

Flickr Tags: fused glass,wind chimes,fused glass night lights

Finally Winter and Some New Pieces

Winter finally came to Cape Breton yesterday, but really it’s the end of January. Another couple of months and it’s over. This is unbelievable for Cape Breton and scary at the same time.

Anyway I did manage to take myself to the shed and get some work done yesterday. The stars are still out there. The pieces of jewellery were a total flop but the clock base came out okay.

It is 3 layers of glass, the white is iridized with a transparent blue in the center. It is 5in x 5in so a good size for a desk clock. What you see scattered across the face of the blue is Inca gold mica powder. In person it gives it a nice effect.

I would love to tell you it was easy to put together and it should have been BUT it wasn’t. One of the screws didn’t fit right and by the time I discovered that, it was already on crocked and I ended up having to break up the clock movement. Of course the next one I picked up fit perfectly and was on in seconds.

The other new feat to allow me to make the clock was actually making myself learn to drill holes in glass. It is quite daunting sitting there with this drill and a piece of glass sitting in a container of water, all I could think of was electrocuting myself.

As you can tell that didn’t happen. Even did some pieces of beach glass (mermaid’s tears) that my Aunt Joan picked up on the shores of Cape Breton.

 

So now that I know how to do that no more excuses.

Flickr Tags: Fused glass,home decor,beach glass,fused glass clock,fused glass desk clock,Cape Breton Island