Adventures In Selling Handmade Jewelry: My First Exhibition

Before getting my glass mosaic into the Rockaway Artists Association's Studio 7 Gallery, my work was included in Independent Artworld's "Limitless" exhibition.

Independent Artworld is run by Lilly, an FB friend and former acquaintance from the 92nd Street Y, where I took jewelry classes. She puts together "pop-up galleries" around the NYC/NJ area. She invited me to participate in her October pop-up, "Limitless."

I once displayed a couple of my wire pieces in our local restaurant, but hanging glass jewelry in a shadow took some work. With the wire pieces, I could stick pins through the loops and hang the pieces that way, but obviously this wasn't an option with glass. Lilly and I spent several hours fussing with the layout until we managed to get a nice, clean look. She came up with the idea to pin the jewelry from the back, hang the chain, and then let the pieces drape. It worked!

The event was held in Jersey City, which I'd only been to a couple of times. It's actually an interesting neighborhood, with many Indian restaurants -- my favorite! It's also an up-and-coming area for galleries and artists. Still, I was a bit surprised when I learned that the pop-up "gallery" was actually being put together in the lobby of a take-out Chinese restaurant. Art and egg rolls!

Lilly had a decorating plan, though, and constructed a really beautiful space featuring about a dozen artists. The other pieces were stunning and I was in great company. As you can see from these photos, it really looked like a permanent gallery. If I hadn't told you, you'd have know idea that a take-out counter was only a few feet away!

To kick off the month-long exhibition, there was a reception for the artists, which included some live music. Lilly suggested I wear all black, so my colorful pieces would really stand out. It felt really good to see my jewelry professionally displayed along with some great art. I even sold one of my triangle necklaces!

Since we were in Jersey City, Jon and I took advantage of the neighborhood and enjoyed a delicious Indian dinner at one of the nearby restaurants. I unfortunately don't recall the name of the place, but there are dozens of great restaurants in the area. We'd love to return when it's warmer and explore more of JC.

Every artist has to start somewhere and I'm grateful to Lilly for giving me this opportunity. I admire her for supporting artists and for actually doing something to give them a showcase or their work. She proved that you can make any place beautiful if you add some art -- even a take-out joint.

Check out more of my handmade fused glass and wire wrapped jewelry at Naomi's Designs.

Fused Dichroic Glass Statement Necklace And Earrings: Making a glass jewelry set

Since I didn't keep up with this blog for a few months, I'm still catching you up on what's happened in my jewelry-making life. Well, last fall, my glass jewelry was accepted into Vermont Artisan Designs Gallery in Brattleboro, VT.

Brattleboro is a cute, artsy town that's known for its eclectic stores and galleries. On the first Friday of each month, there's a festival and gallery walk, where stores open late and attendees can enjoy free concerts, food samples, etc. We were fortunate to be there for First Friday in August when we visited my sister-in-law and her wife.

After scarfing down a delicious shake and fries at Brattleburger, we attended a classical music concert that was held in the atrium of a nearby mall. The musicians played antique instruments, including a flute from the 1700s. This was particularly interesting for me since I'm a flautist.

We then took in a different "concert" of sorts and joined the town's "Ukulele Flash Mob," which was held in the little park in the center of town. This was exactly what you'd imagine: about 200 people -- all with ukuleles -- played songs together or sang, as we did. It was really bizarre, but amazing, and I'll admit, I shed a tear when the group performed "Over The Rainbow" by Hawaiian artist, Iz.

We finally went on the gallery walk and stopped in Vermont Artisan Designs. The store is full of gorgeous pieces made by local artists, including glass sculptures, pottery and paintings. They also sell jewelry and I purchased a pair of dangling sun and moon earrings. Jon then said to me, "You should sell your stuff here."

Remember, this was the summertime, so I was in shorts and a T-shirt, with my messy hair pulled back. I also had a couple of stains on my shirt from Brattleburger. In other words, I wasn't exactly dressed to impress. Still, I figured I was IN the store, I might as well ask about selling my items. So I showed a few pictures of my work to the manager and she was impressed. She said that they do accept pieces from New Yorkers and suggested I send in some items to the owner. I'm all about taking chances and cold calling. And while I don't recommend "selling" yourself when you look like a mess, I do recommend that you speak up and go after a goal.

Long story short: I did, and he accepted me into the gallery! I made a few more items for the store, but wanted to have one eye-catching statement piece. That ended up being this "fingers" necklace with matching earrings:

This took me a few weeks to complete because I had to cut each strip and then make the chain. It's heavy! But I know some women who love substantial jewelry, and this is for that person.

No that the weather is getting warmer and the days longer, I'd love to return to Brattleboro and actually see my work in the store. Oh, and to see my sisters-in-law, of course.

You can find many more of my pieces on my website, Naomi's Designs.

Making fused glass jewelry: glass scenery pendants

For the last two years, I've mainly been working with shiny dichroic glass. Lately, I've been working with other types of glass so I can make different kinds of pieces. Now that I finally have a professional website, I need to increase the variety.

I really like plain, old Bullseye sheet glass. Bullseye is the glass-making factory where most outlets get their materials. They make every color imaginable and it's all hand-pulled. It's actually kind of cool to see it being made because it looks a bit like the artists are pulling taffy. Because it's made this way, each sheet is slightly different.

My favorite sheet glass comes from a series called "Streakies." When I first read that name, I laughed because I have the sense of humor of a teenage boy. But it's not called this after naked folks running through a field. The glass has streaks of color, which allows for depth and shading when making pieces.

The streaked glass works really well for scenery pendants. When you deep fire dichroic glass, it'll hold its shape because the dichro is actually a coating on top of the glass. So a thoroughly-fired square patch will still look like a square. However, the sheet glass melts more intensely and the colors bleed into each other. You can't quite mix them the way you would with paint, but you can set them up so they run together.

I had some beautiful scenic glass decals, so I decided to try my hand at making sunset pendants. I layered red, orange and pink glass to make my sunset sky and fired the piece until the glass was fully melted and blended:

I then added the decals to finish the scenic effect. I love the reds and oranges, but you can use blues to create an ocean scene or greens and rainbow colors to design a field of flowers. I'm not a great painter, but these scenic pendants are prompting me to arrange the glass in realistic color sequences. Most of my designs are abstract, but I've been looking at photos, as well as the actual outdoors so I can get a better idea of how to use the glass for shading. For instance, you can depict an ocean scene by simply having a blue bottom half of the pendant. However, it looks much more realistic if you combine navy and turquoise blues, and have a touch of white thrown in for the foamy tops of the waves.

Today at Stein Senior Center, I had my students play around with sheet glass. I first had them make an abstract pendant, arranging the colors any way they liked. I then had them arrange pieces in more natural color combos. I'm firing their work right now and am excited to see how theirs turned out. Once they get the hang of it, we'll move on to adding the decals.

The great thing about fused glass is it's so versatile. You can sculpt with it, use it in mosaics or use it almost as paint. I'm eager to try everything!

Check out my NEW website, Naomi's Designs, for my latest jewelry and art pieces, news and craft fairs.

Handmade fused dichroic glass farm animal pendants for Vegan Fest!

It's less than a week until the Long Island Vegan Fest -- and I'm getting excited! I'm so proud of the work my friend Christopher Jaie has done putting this event together. He's going to have nationally-known speakers, nutritionists, vegan cooks and holistic doctors on hand. He has about 30 booths ready to go at this point and has organized a quality festival for vegans and those interested in learning about veganism.

As for me, I'm mainly selling there due to nepotism, LOL. It helps to be close friends with the organizer, even though I haven't really made an impact in the vegan world. Still, I'm determined to use my jewelry for good, especially when it comes to this event. In addition to planning this fair, Christopher is raising money for the Broome Animal Sanctuary in Middleburgh, NY. He's visited the sanctuary several times and knows the owners Greg and Tony well, and also volunteers with several farms and animal shelters on Long Island. Rescuing and caring for animals is Christopher's passion, so his being vegan isn't just about him eating -- or not eating -- particular foods. He really walks the walk.

I've created a line of fused dichroic glass animal pendants, for which all of the proceeds will benefit Broome Animal Sanctuary. I'd made a series of African and wild animal pieces, but Chris, as well as Rhea from Woodstock Reveries, had both suggested that I do something with farm animals. So I found these adorable decals featuring pigs, cows, ducks, horses, etc. and turned them into these pendants:

So far, that psychedelic pig is the favorite! I love the pig, but I also really like the colorful chickens. I didn't decorate all of the pieces with crystals, but tried to adorn the pendants to fit each animal's personality. The pig already had so much color with that tie-dyed background that it didn't need a wire wrap, but chickens and roosters are "frilly" with their combs and feathers; that's why I added the wire wrap to their piece.

Christopher has described this fair as being a labor of love and it's the same for me with these pendants. It's taken a lot of work to make so many in time for this event, but I hope they do well in the auction -- and raise a lot of money for the farm. I'd love to visit there one day and actually meet the animals. Chris has promised to take me.

Meantime, I'm looking forward to learning more about veganism at this festival and to making some new friends. As I've said before, my jewelry is taking me on some interesting paths!

Check it out at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Selling handmade jewelry: Naomi's Designs is now at Woodstock Reveries!

As you may have guessed from this post's title, I have some exciting news! Naomi's Designs is now being sold at Woodstock Reveries in Woodstock, NY.

I was approached by the store in February, but we finally sealed the deal last week. They're now selling several of my fused glass necklaces and a pair of dichroic earrings.

Though I haven't yet visited the store in person, I really like and respect the owner, Rhea. She's a vegan and animal activist, and donates a portion of her proceeds to various animal shelters. Aside from making sure that the shop's items are beautiful, she also curates items that don't use animal products. That said, she especially liked my animal pendants, including that tie dyed elephant piece. I'm pleased about this because I designed that in honor of my soon-to-be-10-year-old niece, who's crazy about elephants.

My New Year's resolution for 2017 was to get my work into at least two stores and I'm up to three (four, if you count the fact that Chakra Shop has two locations). I remember how discouraged I felt when I checked into the boutiques near me and no one expressed any interest. So I went smaller and more specialized, and have found some success. I really don't think I'm the best jewelry designer out there -- I've seen some incredible work at fairs and online -- but I am persistent. So if you're looking to sell to a store or any other type of venue, that's my best advice. Keep at it, both in terms of improving your product and gathering a list of contact.

I'm proud to be a part of such a great store, but my work isn't done. I'm never finished! I plan to continue and see where else I can sell my jewelry, and what I can do to make my product even better. So far, I love what I'm doing and have met some wonderful people along the way. I'm not looking for fame, but if I can stay on this path, I'll be very happy.

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

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.

Making animal-themed dichroic glass jewelry for Vegan Fest!

Bushwick Vendors Market may have not gone as well as I'd hoped, but we're on to a new month -- and my friend Christopher has given me a unique opportunity to sell my jewelry.

On August 26, he's hosting the Long Island Vegan Food and Information Extravaganza. So far, he's lined up an incredible lineup of speakers and vendors, including doctors, nutritionists and self-made businesspeople... and he's asked me to have a booth at his event.

I wondered why he'd want a jewelry vendor at a vegan fest, but he explained that he wants his attendees to have a full experience, where they can get information, try new foods ... and shop. I was planning to go just to support him, so I was definitely on board.

Still, I don't just want to show up with my jewelry; I want to have a purpose for being there. So I'm making a line of animal-inspired glass pieces. All of the proceeds will benefit an as-yet-to-be-named charity of Christopher's choice:

I'm also making a point to learn EXACTLY what goes into every bit of my jewelry making and how I can make my pieces as eco-friendly as possible. I realized I didn't really know how the glass decals are made and did some research. The high quality ones are made of crushed glass, or enamel. They're "silk screened" onto the transfer material, though these days, the screen is almost always made of a polyester blend instead of actual silk.

I want to know as much as possible so I can answer any questions my customers might have. As Christopher told me, "Vegans tend to be a very inquisitive bunch." I do work small scale by keeping my studio in my apartment and by mostly using my hands instead of machines to do the work. I do use a microwave and will be honest about that. Ultimately, jewelry is a luxury and not a necessity. so one can debate whether we really need it. But I hope my work can raise some money for whatever organization Christopher chooses.

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

Tales from the craft fair: selling at Bushwick Vendors Market

This year, I've done more vending at craft fairs than I have in all of my other years of making jewelry combined. Though I've mainly sold at Ridgewood Market's monthly event, I've been experimenting with different venues. This weekend, I sold at the Bushwick Vendors Market, which was an interesting experience, to say the least.

Bushwick, Brooklyn is about a mile up from Ridgewood, which is right on the Queens/BK border. Both neighborhoods have reputations for being funky and artsy, and are the perfect places for hosting craft fairs. I figured that the BVM would be a similar type of event to Ridgewood, where local artists showcase and sell their work. I was wrong.

The event was advertised as a night market which would feature music, art and crafts. I figured it would be a fair that included some live bands. Instead, it was an immersive music/art/jam session... that just happened to have a few vendors present. Though the host was Brooklyn VENDORS Market, the vendors seemed to be an afterthought.

I really liked the space where the event was held: The Silent Barn. It's an open hall, which has an area for bands or parties, and there's a bar and backyard garden. Since it was such a beautiful night, I set up my table outside -- and was surrounded by fun and colorful graffiti art.

At first, I thought I'd be the only vendor present, but eventually four other sellers arrived. One couple sold postcards, another T-shirts, and a couple of women sold home goods. Like I said, though, these booths were an afterthought. Instead, most of the participants came to paint, drink and hang out.

This particular crowd was very, VERY young; I'm guessing that most of the people there were in their early 20s -- just old enough to drink. I'm 43 and Jon is 45... and while I consider myself to be "young at heart," this crowd made me feel ancient, lol! Jon was very amused when the bartender carded him. I explained that he was probably told to card everyone... and just wasn't expecting a geezer to show up. I thought I was on top of pop culture trends, but I didn't recognize any of the music played and the fashions weren't any I'd seen before. Apparently, I'm quite out of the loop...

There was a group of actual kids who arrived, probably around age 11-12 or so. Maybe they were with a summer camp? I'm not sure. They came early and engaged in the free painting that was offered. They did notice my table, though, and crowded around to admire my jewelry. "Do we have to pay for these?" asked a boy. I explained that yes, they're for sale and a girl sighed loudly. "They're all so pretty. I wish they were free!" Sorry, kids! I'm happy they liked my work. They had a great time painting and I enjoyed watching them express themselves through their art.

As the night went on, more young adults arrived. Many stopped by to check out my work, but the problem with selling to a younger crowd is that many just don't have cash. I can certainly understand this. Chances are, they're paying off college loans or have just started renting a place, or are at a new job. At this point, I accepted that I wouldn't be making any sales, but still wanted to see what the evening had in store.

To my surprise, I actually made a few sales. One was to another jewelry vendor, who'd arrived late. She's a fellow cat lover and purchased one of my cat rings. She was very sweet and gave me a hug after buying her jewelry. Of course, we showed each other photos of our kitties.

Around 10 p.m., the event host announced that it was time for some entertainment. I expected to hear some live music, but instead, everyone engaged in an open mic session. The host encouraged people to express themselves through poetry, music, rap, etc. A few people took the mic and recited poems or sang songs. Meanwhile, others continued to paint and the space filled up with the art. The host explained that they'd succeeded in making the space a diverse and integrated one, welcoming people from all backgrounds and race. Indeed, it was a diverse crowd, which is one of the things I love about New York City.

I have to say that everyone was extremely polite and encouraging to those who went up to speak or sing. Some shared some very personal stories, but the crowd applauded loudly and cheered them on. I really enjoyed seeing the next generation engage in art, literature and music.

In the end, I took a loss since my sales didn't make up for the registration fee. This obviously wasn't the vending event I'd expected and I didn't quite fit in. Still, I'm glad I attended the festival and am happy that my money went toward a great cause. I'm all for promoting the arts, especially to younger folk -- and I love that there's a free space where 20somethings can share their work.

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

Creating multilayered fused glass dichroic pendants with patterned and clear glass

I've written several posts about my attempts to make multilayered dichroic glass pieces. Many of these attempts have failed because the glass broke or didn't fuse correctly, but I'm finally getting the hang of it! I'm now creating pendants that have four, five, six... and even seven layers of glass.

Lately, I've been experimenting with clear dichroic glass. I haven't worked much with this material, but the clear glass is great for fusing onto colored base glass or for creating layers. It has patterns and textures just like the dichroic glass on black, but is transparent. Therefore, when you fuse patterned clear glass on top of patterned opaque glass, you get a combo of those designs.

The trick to layering glass is to make sure each layer is even. I always start with a piece of base glass -- generally clear, black or white -- and then top it with opaque dichroics on black. However, I make sure that all of the dichros are the same thickness. This way, the next layer of glass will lay flat across. If you add a piece of say, Wissmach textured glass, which is lumpier than most other dichros, it'll be harder to get an even fuse. I like to use a dab of Krazy Glue to keep my pieces in place. The glue keeps the glass still for working purposes, but eventually burns off in the kiln.

Next, I add a few small clear pieces, choosing ones that have interesting tints and patterns. I then top it with a piece of clear base ... and then this is where the fun begins: I add a couple more layers of clear glass, again mixing up tints and patterns.

So far, seven is my record; that large blue piece that's at the top of this post is my seven-layer one. I didn't like how it turned out when I first took it from the kiln, but fell in love with it after it cooled and hardened. It reminds me of an ocean scene and I really like the color combinations.

I've found that if you pile the pieces on too high, the colors will become muddled and the glass will lose its shape. Basically, it's a bit like building a pyramid; I use more glass on the bottom and then use fewer -- and smaller -- pieces as I build up.

To heat such thick pieces, you need the larger microwave kiln. I do an initial firing for 9 minutes, then do 1 1/2-minute intervals. There's no way that these items would hold up in the small kiln; they'd probably break after about a minute of heating. Low and slow is the way to go!

I'm glad I'm paying more attention to the clear dichros because I'm going to be having my students work with colored base glass -- and I plan to show them how to fuse them with clears. I think they're really going to enjoy this lesson. I'm certainly enjoying my glass experiments.

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

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.

Inspiration for making handmade glass jewelry: visiting the Chihuly exhibit at New York Botanical Garden

When it comes to making glass pieces, I'm still fairly new to the discipline. After all, I've only been doing this for about a year-and-a-half. I'm skilled, but hardly an expert. I'm always looking for inspiration from artists who really are experts -- and none has been more inspirational to me than Dale Chihuly.

Yesterday, my husband and I spent the day at the New York Botanical Garden , which is currently featuring a few dozen Chihuly glass sculptures. His medium is blown glass and if you're not familiar with his work, take a look at these gorgeous creations:

He's been working professionally with glass since the 1960s and his art has been displayed in parks and gardens throughout the world. We're fortunate to have him in NYC through October -- so if you're in town, definitely go to the exhibit.

Much of his work is inspired by nature, especially the sea. This is evident in many of his whimsical pieces, which resemble shells, seaweed or coral. What's really amazing about his sculptures is how well they blend into the real plant life. In some cases, it was difficult to tell which was real and which was glass.

The exhibit itself is present throughout most of the garden -- which is enormous. Jon and I covered over six miles walking around it! That said, it feels almost like you're on a scavenger hunt as you wander from section to section, searching for Chihulys. We could usually spot them by the huge crowds that gather around the pieces.

It was difficult choosing a favorite, but I think I'll have to go with those first three that are pictured in this post. I especially like that blue sculpture, which is appropriately named "Sapphire Star." It's simpler than his other pieces, but I love the vibrant colors.

When you get up close to these sculptures, you can see the details he puts into his work. For instance, his iceberg piece has actual cracks in the ice. Meanwhile, his glass "leaves" have the various shades of green that you'd see in a real plant. I know a tiny bit about glass blowing because they teach it at Brooklyn Glass, but I didn't realize you can add so much detail.

Jon would like to take a glass blowing class; meantime, I plan to show my photos to my students so they can see just what can be done with glass. His work has inspired me to be a bit more experimental and I hope it encourages them to be bold when coming up with their designs.

I'm no Chihuly, but you can still check out my jewelry at Naomi's Designs and MayaGirl Creations.

Making handmade jewelry: silver wire wrapped bracelet with pink dichroic glass heart charms and crystals

Hello, readers! I know, I've been MIA, but that's because I've been busy creating... and teaching. I recently started a glass class at a third location: the Atria Senior Residence. I've volunteered as a musician there for the past two years, but they were looking to hire some people for "different" kinds of programs. No one had ever taught a glass-making class, so I was their pick!

I'll write more on that later, but for now, I'd like to share some photos of my latest custom-designed item: this Queen Of Hearts bracelet, made with silver plated wire, crystals and three pink dichroic glass heart charms.

This bracelet actually developed from me making a ring. This week, a friend is in Vegas renewing vows -- with Elvis officiating! -- with her hubby of seven years. She asked if I'd design a ring for the event. When I asked her what she was looking for, she replied. "Anything you want. Something fun and cool." I told her I needed more information and showed her some photos of my rings. She fell in love with the ones made with dichroic glass and liked the idea of featuring a heart. She also requested that I use her favorite color, pink.

Since she didn't have a clear idea of a design, I made four versions of the ring, using pink and hot pink glass. Each had a different heart decal fired onto the surface. She ultimately chose a plain pink ring with a simple heart. Unfortunately -- or fortunately for her, anyway -- she lost a few pounds between the time I made the ring and the time she left for her trip, so my piece ended up being too big for her traditional ring finger. She's been wearing it on her thumb, which is a little odd for a wedding ring, but as she said, "It's fine for Vegas."

She felt badly for only choosing one of my four patterns, but I assured her that all of the pieces would be used. I decided to turn them into this fun and colorful wire wrapped bracelet. I'd originally planned to use one shade of pink crystals, but went with a bunch of different pinks, as well as some purple and lavender.

I'm hoping that my friend will allow me to share some photos of her ring. More importantly, I hope she's having an amazing time in Vegas!

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