Silver wire wrapped jewelry set with fused dichroic glass necklace, earrings and bracelet

This weekend, Jon and I visited family in Brattleboro, Vermont. It's a small, artsy town filled with galleries and funky shops. We happened to be there for the monthly "First Friday" celebration, so we took in a ukulele flash mob (so much fun!), a chamber music concert, and then went on the gallery walk.

While on the walk, we stopped by an artisan gallery that's filled with handmade crafts made by local -- and out-of-town -- artists. Most of the work is stunning; there are clay vases, blown glass sculptures, paintings ... and jewelry. I was surprised to see how reasonably priced the jewelry was and ended up purchasing a pair of earrings. Jon then said to me, "You know, you should see if you can get your stuff into this store."

At first, I said, "No" because I was dressed very casually in shorts and a T-shirt, and figured that they only accept Vermont-based artists. But then I was like, "What the hell? I'm IN the gallery and the worst that can happen is I'm told, 'No, thanks.' It won't kill me to ask."

So I did and got an enthusiastic response from the clerk. She was impressed with my glass pieces and handed me an application, explaining that their submissions are juried. I'm fine with that. I just want the opportunity to try.

One of the pieces I plan to submit via photo is this abstract glass jewelry set. I actually made this to include in my application for the upcoming local art festival, but now it will serve a second purpose. Hopefully, it will yield positive results for both the store and fair:

I've made several other jewelry sets, but this one is more complex. This is seven layers of fused dichroic glass, both etched and clear. I carefully planned out how to place each layer, so I could get that particular abstract design.

The earrings and bracelet were harder to design than the pendant because they're smaller. I had to alter the pattern a bit so I could fit the layers into a tinier space. I also used fewer layers -- five for each instead of seven -- because I didn't want the earrings to be too heavy. Still, the designs work as one whole concept, even if the individual pieces aren't completely matchy-matchy.

Since so much is going on in the design, I went with a simple silver wire wrapped chain and band. I added in a couple of spirals to complement the pattern, but didn't want to go overboard with the crystals or geometric shapes.

A lot of people call my glass pendants "stones," which is incorrect. I have to explain that they're not actually stones, but glass cabochons, which I cut, shaped and fused. However, I really do think this pendant resembles a stone -- perhaps an opal?

This year has been all about stretching myself as an artist and businesswoman. My efforts have been paying off, but I still have a lot of work to do. It would be wonderful if I could get my jewelry into this gallery. I'd be in great company.

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

Silver and pink wire wrapped dichroic glass jewelry set: fused glass necklace and earrings

This week, I had dinner with an artist friend and explained to her how to set up an Etsy shop. I suggested that she create some smaller, less expensive paintings to round out her collection, which includes large, expensive pieces. Granted her paintings are gorgeous and with the months of work she put into them are worth the money she charges... but if she's selling online, she'll need to expand her market if she wants to make steady money from her art.

When it comes to my jewelry, I'm basically the opposite as my friend. I use inexpensive materials and charge pretty low prices for my items. I don't use real gemstones in my work and my prices reflect my pieces for what they are: fun costume jewelry.

However, I've been offering some bigger ticket glass items, mainly in the form of jewelry sets... and to my surprise (and delight), they've sold quickly. Each time I've posted a jewelry set on Etsy, it's been purchased within a month of being listed. My husband's advice: "Well, that means you should make more!" Duh, right?

I don't want to slap any old set together just to make money. These pieces take a long time to complete and I only sell the ones I'd wear myself. For all of the pieces I list, I have a lot of reject pile projects, as well. Sometimes my friends want those, so my effort wasn't a total waste!

I recently finished a new set using just two kinds of dichroic glass: mirrored silver and crinkle-cut pink. I call these necklace and earrings my Pink Lady piece:

When I have a pile of colorful glass in front of me, it's difficult not to reach for every shade and pattern. I like this simple striped design, though, and how only two glass layers are used. I've added another clear layer to the silver, but I don't like how it looks. Most colors turn shiny and sparkly when they're under clear glass, but the silver becomes muted. I prefer it when it has that metallic sheen.

I wasn't going to add the Swarovski crystals, but there's a tiny burn mark on the pendant. The piece looks OK when it's bare, but the pink crystals add some pizzazz -- and cover that imperfection. I then wire wrapped the earrings so they'd go with the pendant.

Because dichroic glass has so many unique patterns, it can be difficult to find jewelry that matches. Offering jewellery sets is the logical way to go! Check out my handmade pieces at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Adventures in jewelry making: silver wire wrapped fused dichroic glass jewelry set with necklace, bracelet and earrings

A few weeks ago, I got an interesting proposition from a potential customer. She asked if I'd be able to make her a custom, one-of-a-kind dichroic glass jewelry set featuring a necklace, earrings and bracelet. We discussed some ideas and I took on the challenge.

Making this set was a big deal for me, not only because this was a large order -- believe me, that's always nice! -- but because it was a chance for me to truly put my growing glass-fusing skills to the test. This woman was also the first stranger to order glass from me. I've already sold many dichroic items online, but they've all been to people I know. While I so appreciate my Facebook friends and acquaintances for supporting me, I'm happy to see my work making more of its way into the world.

This customer turned out to be a designer's dream. She communicated easily, was really nice... and had definite ideas for what kind of pieces she wanted. She went so far as to send me a colored sketch for the pendant. Now all I had to do was make this set come to life. Here is the finished result:

We began by discussing which colors she likes. She had some unusual ideas for combos: reds and purples, mixed with some patterns. She also liked this fuchsia and gold glass I have. The color is interesting, but a little odd: in some light, the glass looks neon pink, but in others, it appears to be yellow. I wasn't sure how well these colors would match up, but this woman had great ideas!

I first started on the bracelet, which was the easiest piece to make. Also, the links served as test strips so I could make sure the colors would fire properly. I made about 20 different color links and showed her the ones I thought she'd most like. She approved and the rest will be used to make other bracelets and necklace chains.

This customer really wanted red glass included in her design. I didn't have any on hand; plus, red is notoriously difficult to fire. When enameling, red tends to turn orange-y or brown, especially if you fire it for too long. However, I found two potential reds I could use: Candy Apple and Black Cherry. I hoped one would work.

Candy Apple was a dud. It's bright red before firing, but once it's put in the kiln, the glass turns orange. I tried to underfire it, but it still wasn't a pretty red. Happily, the Black Cherry worked and produced a nice, rich color. Even better, my customer loved it.

Altogether, she wanted six colors included in the piece, but also requested to keep the earrings small, at 12 mm each. I didn't want to cram six colors into such a tiny space, so I suggested that we do something funky and use three colors in each earring. They'd be mismatched, but they'd fit into the set as a whole. I came up with a design that would feature each color and prominently showed off the red she liked so much.

Now came the most difficult part: making the pendant. She'd come up with an abstract design, with the glass cut at specific angles and each color in a definite place. I made a few more test strips, making sure I knew exactly how long to fire the piece so the colors would stand out. I then set to work cutting and filing the glass. I was really pleased with the end result and said a little prayer before setting it into the kiln. I just hoped the glass wouldn't break or move during the firing process, or that the colors would end up being wrong. I was so relived when the pendant turned out just the way it was supposed to.

The customer had found me because she liked the way I wire wrapped my glass jewelry. She wanted a wrap on the pendant, so I came up with a very simple design that would frame, but not obscure the necklace. I used pink Swarovski crystals so they'd show up against the red and bring out the pink in the gold-fuchsia glass.

Now I'm just hoping that the set reaches her in the mail and she likes it in person! It took me a couple of weeks to finish this project, but the labor was worth it. I've learned so much just by making this one set. I'm now a lot more skilled at cutting glass into definite shapes and at firing the glass into definite colors. It means so much to me that this woman not only appreciated my work, but had enough faith in me as a designer to create a complex and original piece.

We just received applications for the annual art fair held in my town. Assuming I'm accepted once again, I'm excited to put my glass on display and to continue to get my name out there. I also got some good news from the rec director at the senior home: she says the women enjoyed my class and has invited me back for a second session. So far, this is turning out to be a good year for me on the jewelry front. I'll keep working as hard as I can to make the rest of 2016 a success.

Check out the rest of my handmade wire wrapped, fused glass and enamel jewelry at Naomi's Designs, MayaGirl Creations and Glass By Naomi.

Silver wire wrapped abstract necklace with spirals, squares and clovers

This past week, a customer made a really exciting and interesting request: he asked if I could make a replica of his girlfriend's lost necklace, which he'd originally purchased in Nicaragua.

He's not the first customer who's asked me to design a piece similar to a lost item, but this was, so far, the most complex and detailed "copycat" jewelry I've made to date. I love a challenge, though, and was happy to try my best!

He sent me the photo of the necklace on his girlfriend, while my version is on the mannequin:

While they're not exactly alike, I really tried to capture the spirit of the design. The original jewelry maker created smaller squares and tighter spirals, while mine are chunkier. I really wish I had the name of the specific person who came up with this pattern because it's a beautiful piece. I was just the cook here, but not the chef, so to speak.

I've been making wire wrapped jewellery for over five years, but am still amazed at how many different things can be made with wire. The possibilities are endless. I enjoyed following someone else's vision, but I much prefer coming up with my own creations.

Check out my jewelry at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Silver wire wrapped Victorian style pendant and necklace with Swarovski crystals and pearls

This December I'll be selling my jewelry at a Dickens festival. The two-day event is in Rye, NY -- a bit of a trip for me -- but it's going to be inside an old, stately home and seems like it'll be an interesting fair. I'll have to find out if they expect us to wear Victorian costumes!

In honor of this festival, I'm making Christmas ornaments shaped like Victorian homes, as well as some Victorian-inspired jewelry. There are many Victorian homes in Queens and Brooklyn, believe it or not, and I enjoy walking through those neighborhoods. I like living in a place that has history and I love the ornate and colorful Victorian touches.

I'm always trying new things when it comes to making jewelry so for this piece, I experimented with wire wrapping different elements together. I've used simpler versions of this technique, but this filigree design is made up of many sections. I had to make sure that everything was symmetrical and that each crystal, pearl and loop fit in exactly as it was supposed to. It took some trial and error, but I'm happy with the result:

After making the pendant, I had only a few pearls and crystals left, so I worked them into the chain. I made up for the lack of beads by adding in those spiral daisy links -- but I really like how they work with the design. I also like the little pop of pink that comes from the Swarovski bicones.

Is this true Victorian style? Probably not, but I think this necklace creates the feel of that time and is definitely eye-catching. Hopefully, these Dickens fans will appreciate my attempt.

Meantime, check out my jewellery at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Enamel Clouds In Sky Pendants

Though many of my designs are pretty complicated, I sometimes like to make simpler pieces. These can be just as pretty and eye-catching, especially when I use a nice, bright color. In my last enameling class, I made this pair of blue and white "clouds in sky" pendants:

For both, I simply used Aqua and Foundation White enamels, but I first put down a layer of silver foil on the heart. This is why the blue is a bit richer and has a sparkly finish. To be honest, I'm not sure I like the shiny background; it reminds me a bit of when I used to get shiny, sparkly heart stickers as a kid (hey, this was the '80s!). I like the square piece, though, which looks a lot more realistic. When I look at this one, I can actually imagine that I'm staring into a blue sky filled with soft, floating clouds.

In keeping with the simplicity theme, I finished off these necklaces by attaching them to black silk cords. I didn't want to add beads or crystals, or even a chain -- I just wanted the "sky" to stand out. It's been freezing cold in my area, but these pendants make me think about -- and long for! -- Spring.

To check out more of my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.

Enamel Pendant With Pink Flower Design

As expected, my enameling class is turning out to be a lot of fun. I like that I'm now considered to be an "advanced" student and am pretty much lft alone to do my own thing. Even better, everyone is really nice and we have a lot of laughs.

My teacher keeps a lot of old jewelry magazines around the studio -- partially so we can look at the designs and partially so we can use the pages. When sifting the enamel, you want to save as much of the leftover as possible (it's expensive!) so we sift over a torn-out magazine page. Once we're finished, we dump the excess enamel powder back into its jar. This way, we're not wasting any of the glass.

Anyway, this last week, my teacher had a German jewelry magazine that was simply called "Schmuck." Now schmuck means "jewelry" in German so that was the magazine's title: "Jewelry." But, well, it means something a bit more saucy in Yiddish (think a part of the male anatomy) and the naughty term has been picked up as such in English. So, of course, we all turned into 12-year-olds and laughed and laughed at this title. Silly, I know, but it was fun!

We then had a very spirited discussion about Dancing With The Stars and for whom we are all rooting this season. Most of us are impressed with Kelly Monaco. NO ONE in the class wants to see Bristol Palin win!

With all the joking around, I did get a lot of work done. I played around with some brown shades of enamel because I'm looking to make some warm, earthy pieces of jewelry. I also think I'd like to use those shades for my parents' tray. Meanwhile, I made this flower pendant for my mother-in-law, who's birthday is this weekend:

I was going for a natural look so I didn't use any cloisonne wire in this piece, but now I'm wishing I did. When the enamel is in its powdered glass form, the color doesn't look quite like it does when it's fired. So the light brown and pink looked very similar and I found it difficult to paint within the lines. I kept painting over the pink petals of the flowers or I'd be too cautious and leave too much white space between the flowers and the brown background.

Still, I think it's pretty and hope that my mother-in-law likes it. If anything, I think that she'll appreciate the fact that I made it for her. Next week, definitely back to using cloisonne!

To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations.