Adventures in teaching:making handmade etched dichroic glass pendants

My latest class at Maple Grove Cemetery was my most exciting yet! I had my students design glass pendants using Armour Etch Cream.

I was a bit nervous about actually hosting this class because the etching cream is extremely potent. After all, it's made to dissolve the outer coating on dichroic glass. You can get injured if it comes in contact with your skin or you breathe it in, so I had my students "suit up" with protective gloves, surgical masks and goggles.

This time, the class was so full, we occupied every seat in the conference room. Several attendees came from neighboring towns, which was really nice. Maple Grove is quickly gaining a reputation for its arts and cultural programs.

I did a demo and showed the students how to apply the etching cream. Because this stuff acts immediately, I like to lay down a very light layer to map out my design. After that, I gently dab a couple of coats onto the lines. The trick is to apply a thick coat of cream, but to not goop it onto the glass. I use thin brushes so I can keep the lines as fine as possible.

One woman hadn't realized exactly WHAT we'd be doing and was nervous about using the cream. Still, she gave it a shot. She was reluctant to add too much and her designs came out too light, but she had a great sense of humor about it and joked that hers were the "ugly pieces." I disagree! She need practice, but well, that's what the class is for -- and her pieces really weren't bad.

A couple of other students caught on right away and came up with amazing designs. I'm so proud of them!

Unfortunately, I screwed up in a big way. One of the most important things to keep in mind when fusing glass is that you need to give it time to anneal and harden. If you bake, you know that the cake needs to cool before you add icing or else the icing will melt over the top. Cooling glass too quickly leads to it breaking.

I'd warned the students ahead of time that I might have to fire some pieces at home, but I still got a lot of, "Is my piece done? Is it cool?" I really should've stood my ground and said, "No. It takes about a half hour." However, I wanted to please everyone and rushed the process. I stuck a few pieces under cold water to speed up the cooling ... and they all snapped in half. I'm so angry with myself.

Meantime, I'd put the hot lid down on a towel... and it burned a hole right through the cloth. Have you ever smelled burnt terrycloth? YUCK! A clump of black goop was left behind. It was so disgusting.

Fortunately, the students were understanding. The "Ugly Piece" woman burst into giggles. The others simply shrugged and glued their pieces back together. They were really nice about it.

The hosts, Helen and Carl, also forgave me for ruining their towel. "It's from the dollar store," Helen noted. Whew! I totally blame myself for these mistakes. As a teacher, it's up to me to stay in control and concentrate, and to keep everyone safe. I can't get flustered, even when the session is hectic. I'm still learning myself.

Happily, everyone had a great time. Several people told me how much fun they'd had and asked when I'll be having my next class. Since etching went so well, I'd like to try it again with stencils. This way, my students can create more complex designs.

Most people chuckle when I tell them I teach at a cemetery, but I'm so grateful to Helen and Carl for giving me this opportunity. I'm so proud to be a part of Maple Grove's programs.

Check out the rest of my work at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Teaching handmade jewelry making: my fused glass heart class at the cemetery!

First, some good news! My work has been accepted at Ridgewood Market's Nighttime Bazaar. Ridgewood Market is a monthly indoor market in Queens, NY and I've been trying to get in for a while. It's juried and is supposed to be a great place to sell handmade crafts.

Then on Friday, my birthday, I heard back from a store that wants to carry my pieces! I haven't yet hammered out the details of the deal, so I don't want to name the place just yet. But it's a really cute shop in upstate NY. This was the best present I could've asked for.

Yesterday I taught another glass fusing class at Maple Grove Cemetery. Since Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I had my students make mosaic glass heart pendants. Joining the class was my oldest friend, Lani, whom I've known literally since I was a baby and is like a sister to me. Here she is, showing off her work:

Lani loves Victorian history and old cemeteries, so we took a walk around Maple Grove before the class. She was intrigued with the historic graves and noticed that many people died in 1909. We'll have to do some research and find out what was going on during that year. The Spanish Flu came later and it was before WWI.

I knew that Lani would enjoy touring the administration building so I made sure we had plenty of time to look around. She had a blast going through the costumes and jewelry, and even wants to return to play a character in the annual "Spirits Alive" event. She also got a kick out of meeting Sky, the cemetery's canine mascot.

Soon, my students arrived and we got started. This group was a bit livelier than the last and I wished I had three hands to keep up. Firing the hearts was a bit tricky because I needed to make sure that they didn't overfire and turn into shapeless blobs. Also, a few students ended up making two pieces. So the firing process took longer than last time. Happily, everyone finished at least one piece.

Well, except for Lani. I'd warned her beforehand that if I didn't get to her piece, I'd just finish it at home since she was staying over. Sure enough, this was the case. I put her heart in the smaller kiln with another woman's but ended up taking out Lani's because I didn't want the hearts to fuse together. Unfortunately, the pieces came unglued and I suggested she re-do them so she could fire it again later on.

Lani was NOT happy. She's sitting right here as I write this, so I can say this to her face as I type it in this blog: she was being a big, ol' pain in the ass. She kept on whining about her messed-up piece as I kept on apologizing, and I tried my best to stay professional. She then complained that she couldn't glue her pieces back on, so the ladies started loudly chanting, "Glue it! Glue it! Glue it!"

Lani later explained that she couldn't glue the pieces because the women were shaking the table. Instead, she took a break and had lunch... and that seemed to calm her down. Lani likes free food!

A couple of the other hearts didn't turn out perfectly. One woman's was a little overfused and needed to file the top of the heart to get a deeper V in the center. Another lady's was underfired and asked me to give it some more time in the kiln. However, the rest turned out well and everyone said they had a great time -- even Lani.

Right after the class, I had to rush home, grab my flute and then hurry back up the hill to do a performance at a nearby coffeehouse. I've played there a few times, but since this is my birthday weekend, I'd prepared a special program: I performed all '80s songs, including hits from Bon Jovi, Queen, Debbie Gibson, A-Ha and Tears For Fears, among others. I probably shouldn't have scheduled the gig so close to my class, but I wanted Lani to see me play. I got a nice surprise when some college friends showed up for the gig. They don't live nearby and had spent all day at a teachers' workshop -- and they still came out for me. It was very sweet. A few other friends came, too, including the rec director at one of the homes where I play and my music partner, Judith.

I had a great crowd, a great playlist and was all set to go... and my speakers wouldn't work. I tried playing with my laptop at regular volume, but couldn't hear the backing track and butchered my version of "Baker Street." It was humiliating and I apologized to my friends for the technical difficulties.

They were understanding and the manager had a speaker on hand. Hooray! I was able to successfully finish the show and even managed to hit the highest note -- a fourth octave E -- in Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love For You." Whew! At least my friends hadn't come out for nothing.

It was a busy birthday weekend, but I had a great time. I got to do my favorite things and spend time with my favorite people. Oh, and Lani did finish her necklace after we came home from dinner. She even wore it out to lunch today.

For the record, Lani is a wonderful person and a great friend. There's a reason why we've stayed close for 43 years. She's a pain in my butt, but wouldn't be herself if she weren't. She's already planning to terrorize -- ahem, I mean "attend" -- my next class.

Check out the rest of my work at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Teaching Dichroic Glass Jewelry at the Cemetery!

Yep, you read that correctly: this past weekend, I taught a glass-making class at the local cemetery, Maple Grove, in Queens, NY.

Maple Grove was established in 1875 and is on the list of National Register of Historic Places. It's a non-denominational cemetery and among the many notable people buried there are singer Lavern Baker, aviation pioneer Charles Manley and Jacob Riis' wife, Elizabeth Riis. My good friend, Suzanne, who died in 2014, is also there.

Friends of Maple Grove (FoMG) offers various cultural programs, such as concerts, classes and even a murder mystery dinner, all which honor the history of those resting there or the Victorian Era. I was invited to teach glass-making as part of the latter. Decorative glass was trendy during Victorian times and many of the old homes in our area are adorned with elaborate glass windows.

Maple Grove isn't that big, but has two buildings: the old administration building and the large, modern art center. Concerts are usually held at the Center, but I had the class at the older building.

The place is amazing! The home is filled to the brim with historic knickknacks and costumes. FoMG puts on performances where players dress in old clothing and there's plenty to choose from.

We didn't dress up, but the organizers, Helen and Carl, set up the event so it was a class/tea party. We used beautiful China and snacked on an assortment of tiny cakes and cookies. Carl suggested we work in the back room, which is larger and a bit less cluttered than the entrance area. We were surrounded by historic pieces, including a Civil War-Era tea set.

Helen picked up two microwaves for me so I could fire multiple pieces at once. I also purchased a second kiln, which is about four times the size of my other one. There were nine students in this class, but I was able to fire six pieces at once and save a lot of time.

Since this was a beginner class, I had my students make simple mosaic pieces. I pre-cut the glass shards and black bass pieces, but I let each woman try her hand at cutting the glass herself. I love working with the seniors, but there's only so much they can do. These students were much more involved in the process.

Once each made her glass pendant, I taught them some very basic wire work and showed them how to make a spiral necklace bail. So they learned two skills for the price of one class.

I couldn't believe how quickly the two hours flew by! At one point, I was running back and forth between the two rooms as I checked the kilns and was also trying to help the women with their wire structures. I actually broke a sweat! We all had a wonderful time, though, and everyone was very pleased with her piece. I always enjoy watching my students' faces as they see the glass turn molten for the first time. They never quite believe me when I warn that the microwave kiln heats to 1500- degrees, but when they see the glowing, red glass, they get it.

A couple of funny things happened during our time there. Carl brought his little dog, Sky, along. He's adorable and was well-behaved, but at times, it seemed as if he wanted to join us in making art. Also, at one point, a couple of other Maple Grove members stopped by to check out costumes for a future event. I was by myself in the front room as I checked the smaller kiln and turned around only to see the two guys dressed in velvet robes and ornate crowns. "What do you think?" one asked, with a grin. "Too much?"

I was a little nervous about teaching this class, but no one was burned or cut (always a possibility when working with glass) and everyone had a great time. The students kept telling me how wonderful the class had been and a couple purchased pieces from me. One said that she might have another job for me, teaching glass to her church group. And Carl and Helen have invited me to return! The ladies were asking if we could do a class once a month and if we could also do a wire-wrapping session. I'd love to do more, but I'm not sure if Maple Grove had the time or space. I'd be happy to teach a few times a year.

It's funny because both of my parents were teachers and I swore I'd never follow in their footsteps. You know what? I love teaching. I'd never want to work in a traditional classroom, but I enjoy sharing my art with others. It thrilled me to see these women fall in love with glass.

Here are some shots from the day. You can see the rest of my work at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.