I try to learn a new skill every year. It keeps the brain cells on their brainy little toes. The skills range from basic cake decorating to learning how to ride a motorcycle. There is usually a bag of small skills or things that I learn that make my life easier, and, of course, I add new skills to my repertoire to create new, unique jewelry and art glass. I've had my eye on trying out enamels for a while, and finally did enough research to give them a try. If you aren't familiar with enamels, they are very finely ground glass formulated as a powder. The powder can be sifted onto a design over a stencil or mixed with a special media and painted on glass. The piece is then fired in the kiln. It takes some experience to understand how the colors will meld or blend together during firing; a design may need to be achieved by painting and firing multiple times. I've done this with other pieces when I've painted with frit. When the box of enamels arrived, it was like having a new box of crayons. I had to look at each one and appreciate the color names like "merlot", "rubber ducky", and "majestic". I had cut a few pieces of white art glass, gathered my brushes and paints, and started to work. Painting on glass is very forgiving. If I don't like it, I can wipe it off with a damp cloth, clean the glass, and start again. I was combining this effort with application of 22k gold decals of dragonflies and sea critters, so I wanted the background to have a watercolor look. I heeded the advice of the experts that said not to load on too much paint in one firing. I was a bit nervous that the color was applied so light handed that it might be too faint after firing. To my relief, the pendants came out of the kiln with a perfect watercolor background, and I noted for future reference how some details blended into the background. I had done a successful test run with hi-fire decals, so I rolled ahead with the 22k gold low fire version. Instructions always come with all the warnings about what not to do, but rarely say "If you follow these directions and fire it within the recommended range of temperatures, you will have a beautiful creation". I love the look of the 22k gold dragonflies and sea critters that resulted. What do you think?
Post created from this item

Click to Comment

 

My mother taught me how to clean at a very early age.  She maintained kitchen floors that were so clean you could have eaten your dinner on them.  She mixed cleaning chemicals for maximum cleaning power with total disregard to potential fumes or safety.  In my training as a scientist there was also a high value placed on cleanliness that encompassed equipment, laboratory, and record-keeping.  And so, in glass fusing, the degree of attention to cleanliness can be the difference between a lovely , perfect plate or one that is marred by imperfections.   Unless you are a glass fuser, you may not know the amount of time spent cleaning glass and subsequently handling each piece to avoid fingerprints or other contaminations that will ruin the piece.  When scoring and breaking glass for my design, there may be marks where I've drawn the pattern, oil from the glass cutter, or fingerprints from (carefully) handling the glass.  Then some pieces may need grinding which adds more fingerprints and a white film from the  combination of glass dust and water;  I usually put the pieces together again to give the  design a final critical eye and make sure I don't have to cut more glass .  When I'm happy with the design, I take the glass to the sink to begin the cleaning ritual.  I'm a soap and water gal, so the glass starts with a soak in soapy water.  I scrub off any marks from the markers and wash each piece.  Sometimes that old standby-white vinegar- helps remove the marks.  The pieces are rinsed well to remove the soap, rinsed again, and placed either in a plastic colander or on a lint-free towel.   I handle small pieces with forceps and larger pieces by the edges, also taking care to avoid cuts.  Some resources recommend wearing latex gloves at this point, but I haven't tried that yet.  I handle the glass as little as necessary and only by the edges.  In the design the pieces can be moved and adjusted using the forceps.  

  Washing the glass is the most time consuming and boring step in the process, but certainly as important as any of the other steps.  After spending the time to design and create a plate or pendant, time at the sink is a necessary evil to avoid having a fingerprint or grease mark ruin a masterpiece.

Click to Comment

 

 I truly  enjoy watching makeovers whether the subject is  hair, make-up, clothing, kitchen design, or outdoor spaces.  I love to see the transformation from outdated, worn out, or just plain ugly to a new and beautiful form.  And often I learn something from the makeover process.  Ru Paul's Drag Race is not a makeover show per se, but each of the contestants transforms himself  from mere mortal to an incredible fantasy Diva/Goddess for each challenge. Often the contestant transforms himself into the doppelganger of a recognizable star , and I stare because the resemblance is uncanny.  They are truly illusionists, and there is a lesson there about confidence and moxy.  I admire the outrageous hairstyles and over to the top jewelry.  I admire the contestants' confidence, campiness, and talents.  This diamond and satin glamour  inspires me as I think about new designs for the Swarovski crystals and crystal pearls that are sitting on my studio bench. I've taken a delicate approach with the crystals in the past, but watch this space for  bolder and bigger designs featuring crystals and other materials.    

 

Click to Comment

My studio is in the "finished" half of the basement in my house. My commute is short, and some days, especially when the weather is bad, it takes an act of congress to get me out of the studio. I work alone, and there is plenty to do. There's the delightful stuff-- having so many ideas that I can hardly put the pieces together fast enough. And there is the " have to do" list--equipment maintenance, prepping the molds and materials, cleaning my workspace---all critical activities that cannot be ignored or postponed. The radio is tuned to classic rock which keeps me moving. I enjoy this solitary work, but I must confess that I am not alone. The Studio Dogs keep me company. Faithful companions that chew on a treat or snooze quietly on the mat while I work. Targa, an Australian Cattledog, was the first studio dog.

Even though he was blind, he could find his way down the stairs and setlle on the mat. Spyder would sometimes join us, but mostly stayed upstairs on the sofa. When Targa went to the Rainbow Bridge in late 2008, Spyder, also an Australian Cattledog, silently took over as the Studio Dog, as we shared the pain of missing Targa from our lives.

She already knew the duties of the Studio Dog, so the transition was seamless. We both enjoy our time together, although she is very opinionated about the designs. We adopted a puppy, Carrera, the day after Christmas and my first priorities are training her to be a responsible family member and a good citizen.

 

She is energetic, funny, mischievious, and independent; it will be a while before she will be ready to apprentice as a studio dog and not make me crazy!Enjoy,

Q 

Click to Comment

Making Over a Five-Year-Old

A five-year-old business card design, that is.  When I launched Q by Dezine in late 2004, I needed a logo and knew that I would use purple as my “business color identity”.  An identity, a trademark, distinguishes you from the rest of the pack.  I was smart enough to know that even though I can design jewelry, I needed professional help to design my business card and logo.  I had just met Yvonne Reeves, the owner/graphic artist of blueyDesign through a mutual friend, and I had seen her corporate work.  She is a jewelry fanatic so we get along quite well! She looked over my jewelry designs, we discussed some ideas, and within a few weeks, arrived at a card that I totally loved and represented my business beautifully.  Fast forward to 2007, and I added functional fused glass to my collection, and in 2009, launched a website.  My business card needed a makeover.  Yvonne, who wears many hats, including best friend, is always scouting new design techniques and shot me an email with samples of my logo in what appeared to be glass and metal. I chose the glass look—it’s amazing!

 She is always scouting and testing new design options to provide the best service to her clients. In addition to my business cards, Yvonne designed greeting cards, a trifold, and other marketing materials for Q by Dezine.  They are featured on her website, http://www.blueydesign.net/BlueyDesign/BlueyDesign_Graphic_Arts.html along with work she has done for other clients.  The flip side of my card features photos of my work and best of all, it is purple!

 

  

 So, many thanks, Yvonne for your creativity and expertise. 

Ciao,

 Q

+1 replies

It’s difficult to concentrate—60 degrees and sunny here in northwest NJ.  A short two weeks ago we were slogging through knee-deep snow.  My chives have started to poke through the ground.  It’s a good sign!  It caps off a general warming trend that inspired me to create ankle bracelets with gemstones. The color turquoise is said to be the color of 2010, just as yellow was the color for 2009.  So I celebrated by creating SunSpirit, an ankle bracelet featuring turquoise nuggets and faceted fire polished Czech glass beads in deep purple. 

Of course that led to others with tiger eye and aventurine. To me, there is an earthy sensuality in gemstone ankle bracelets that unleashes your inner Earth Goddess, and may inspire a summer adventure or at least a fantasy or too.  Xena the Warrior Princess (remember her?) would have worn “Confidence”, the design with tiger eye nuggets, and Joan of Arc would have worn “Tranquility”, with its smooth aventurine beads.  My signature ankle bracelet features amethyst and silver beads. After a day like today, I’m ready to start my summer now!

Click to Comment

I’d like to say that my inspiration for jewelry and glass art flies into my head like a lightening bolt that directs my hands to create a thing of beauty.  That may have been the case once or twice, but more often the materials themselves give me inspiration.  Last fall I found myself inspired by crystals.  Swarovski® makes beautiful crystals in a wide range of colors, sizes, and shapes and the most luscious, luminous crystal pearls.  Maybe I was a victim of advertising of the new colors and glimmering coatings.  Maybe I wanted to use materials that I had on hand, although I did buy crystals and crystal pearls in new colors.  Maybe it was fate, because in early 2009 I received an invitation to participate in a bridal expo.  Whatever it was, I now have a collection of necklaces, pendants, and ankle bracelets in crystals and pearls.  

When I finished “Beautiful”, the double-strand crystal and crystal pearl necklace, I wanted to get married again.  Note-definitely to the same man because it would take too long to train a new one.  (He didn’t think that was funny, but he did say I would look beautiful in the necklace.) I’m preparing to push the envelope a bit more by beading with the crystals.  I’ll let you know how that turns out. 

Ciao, Q

Click to Comment

Mom’s Rule #36 and Business Gifts

One of my mom’s rules was “When you are invited to someone’s house, never show up empty handed.  Bring a thoughtful gift.”

I found that etiquette extended to business, too.  When I was working for a big corporation, I gave or received token gifts—pens, fans, souvenir art- that either were souvenirs representative of the country or items emblazoned with a corporate logo.  The gifts with the big logos have since been donated or found their way to the trash.  A logo product may remind your customers of your business, but it is unlikely to fit in their decorating scheme.  A great solution for a business gift is a custom design.  It is more personal than a pen set in a wooden case with your company logo.  It says, “I value our relationship.”

A client and friend of mine recently became a rep for a home party business.  She wanted a special hostess gift for the ladies who host home parties for her.  If you have never hosted a home party, it includes cleaning, providing food and drink, and making sure all of your friends and their friends attend.  Last Christmas she had bought one of my little bowls, and loved the design.  From that bowl I created an overall design that can be crafted with differences in color and other features, so each hostess receives a one-of-a-kind, hand crafted fused glass bowl. 

    The “D-Dots” Collection, which is exclusive to this client, draws on her name and a feature of the design.  

If you are a business owner and want a special gift to show appreciation to your clients, consider a handcrafted art glass bowl, plate, or winestopper.  I can create a design that will be exclusive for your business. 

+1 replies

I am fascinated in how to make glass move to create beauty and utility. I love to experiment, putting shapes of fiberboard between pieces of glass to see what kind of shapes result. The Wallflower wallpocket was a planned design--it had to be to be able to contain water. That bouquet of daisies that your child picked especially for you would look lovely in Wallflower hanging on the wall in the kitchen or family room.
Post created from this item

Click to Comment

My friend “Y” has loved koalas since she was a kid.  A couple of years ago she even had the opportunity to hold one during a vacation in Australia. She ends her emails with the phrase, “Have a koala-t day.”  I totally understand her obsession for “anything koala”, since I am obsessed with “anything purple.”  When people know your obsession, it makes it easier for them to find gifts for you. My favorite aunt once gave me a pair of fuzzy purple dice that were too large to hang from my rearview mirror.  I’m not a fan of fuzzy dice, but they were purple.  Ya’ gotta love that!  What is the perfect birthday gift for a koala-phile who has everything “koala”?  A handcrafted glass koala nightlight.  I created the koala on clear glass and added a background of blue sky and green grass. I thought it might be a suncatcher or fused on a plate.  I showed it to “Y” when she stopped by last Saturday, and she thought it might be a great nightlight for her new kitchen.  And so the koala nightlight was born, and it looks spectacular lit from behind. 

                           

 I was not willing to lose the element of surprise for her BD, so I made a cake and decorated it with the same koala design, but surrounded by flowers. 

                           

 

It was her first koala cake, and my first attempt at food imitating art.  So happy BD, “Y”, and many more.

 

Enjoy!

  Q          

+1 replies

For me, summer starts the day I can wear an ankle bracelet that I can see and is not hidden under the hem of my jeans.

This year I created an ankle bracelet that mixes wire swirls with Swarovski crystals. The photo shows the 12k GF version with Swarovski crystals in a sensual "Gold Shadow". There is also a sterling version with the crystals in sexy "Clear Crystal". The ankle bracelets have a handforged clasp and an extender chain to adjust the length. The swirl style can be modified to include gemstones like amethyst, jade, tiger eye, or lapis, instead of crystals.

For ankle bracelets, it is always recommended that you provide your ankle measurement when you order your ankle bracelet to be sure of fit. An easy method is to measure a favorite ankle bracelet; another is to put a string around your ankle at the area where you like to wear your ankle bracelet and measure the string. I've created ankle bracelets for clients that measured as small as 7 1/2 inches to 11 inches, so it is worth including your measurement to ensure a good fit.

The primitive Colors of Summer ankle bracelet with colorful wood beads and porpoise charms expresses you  inner "wild child". It's fun to have a wardrobe of ankle bracelets that can be sporty or elegant.
Post created from this item

+1 replies

 

It’s a common expression, and too often, so true.  The cobbler is too busy to make shoes for his own children.  I try not  to be the artist who is too busy to create beautiful art for her family to enjoy.  When I was setting up my booth at a show, my husband picked up a dish from my sexy iridescent collection “Desserts @ Midnight” and said, “You should make us something like this.” It occurred to me that while I had made us tropical fish coasters that we use all the time, and created a fused dichroic glass money clip as a gift for him, I hadn’t made any plates or bowls for us.  That will be my next project.  Last year I did make something unusual that I love—a doorbell plaque.   We have been slowly converting our house from a style best described as “Adirondack Nightmare” to something more contemporary and eclectic.  The doorbell plaque on the side entrance featured a drawing of a deer. I like deer, but not on my doorbell.  When I painted the exterior of the house, I removed the doorbell and couldn’t bear to re-install it.  Finding nothing to my liking at the local home centers, I decided to re-design the plaque myself. 

I painted away the deer, cut copper flashing to fit in the base, and designed and fused glass to add color.  Green and blue—leaves and sky.   It’s the perfect pop of color on the chocolate brown siding, and I enjoy it every day because this is the door that we use the most.  My next challenge: create a plaque for the front door bell to replace the tiniest plaque I’ve ever seen!   Enjoy! Q

Click to Comment

Well, at least in art there can exist the perfect marriage.  For me, the Brazil line of pendants is the perfect marriage of my favorite elements-- glass, wire and beads—all in one pendant.  The path that led to designing this line of pendants certainly wasn't linear. I had been making rectangular pendants, crosses, and the open diamond shape that came to me in a dream one morning.  I was ready for a new challenge. While creating a custom pendant with PMC (precious metal clay) for a client celebrating her 10^th wedding anniversary, I needed a way to include a larger shell. I was inspired to crochet sterling wire into a fish net.  I’ll write more on that pendant in a future entry. After crocheting the fishnet, I tried crocheting a pendant, and soon had my prototype.  Then I used the brightest purple dichroic glass in my supply to create fused glass pieces that could be sewn onto the pendant.  I knew the prototype would be mine, so I might a well personalize it with my signature color!  The dichroic glass pieces were fused in the kiln, cooled and cleaned, and sewn onto the pendant with sterling wire. Those sewing skills that I learned as a child came in handy once again.  The pendant looked good, but maybe a bit sparse. The addition of hematite beads, and of course, a sterling bail, gives it a luxurious look. Now it was the perfect marriage!  That prototype pendant reminded me of the colors and spirit of Brazil, and hence, the Brazil Collection was born.  The pendants in the Brazil Collection are created in sterling silver or 12k GF. Each pendant is a one-of-a-kind, just like the cities in Brazil, and each carries the name of the beautiful city that inspired it.  Enjoy! Q    

  Brazil Collection:  "Rio de Janiero"

Click to Comment

There’s a great quote stating that Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did, except that she did it backwards and in heels.  Crafting a design is very much like this—going backwards from the finished design to identify the appropriate steps.  The process is not always linear, and sometimes you need to think through each step to ensure that it doesn’t negatively impact something else in the design.  I love this kind of challenge-- the “engineering” part.  The “Independence” plate from my Patriotic Butterflies collection was an idea that flew into my head one day and created this type of challenge. 

 Honestly, I don’t know how or were the inspiration came from, but I recorded it in my design notebook and thought about it for quite a while before I got serious about the “engineering” part.  I had been experimenting with kiln casting butterflies and was happy with the technique.  So I made my four butterflies.  The plate was fused and slumped, and I was ready for the final nerve-wracking step—tack-fusing the butterflies on the upwardly inclined edges of the plate. I wasn’t even sure I could position them with fuser’s glue long enough to put them in the kiln.  I held my breath and patiently worked the fuser’s glue and butterflies to position them on the plate.  They stayed in place as I put the piece in the kiln.  Okay, I cleared the first hurdle.  I started up the kiln and said a little prayer. Would the fuser’s glue burn off and the butterflies slip out of position before they would be tack fused? I paced nervously, and opened the kiln door to take a peek at about 500 degrees.   The butterflies were still in place.  All I could do now was close the door and allow the program to run. This part of the design process is an exercise in patience.  Hours later I opened the kiln to find “Independence” just as I had envisioned it.  I contain my joy long enough to carry it safely from the kiln to my workbench.  Then I danced around my studio like Ginger Rogers doing some kind of wacky hip-hop victory dance.  Enjoy (and dance every moment that you can!), Q        

Click to Comment

 

Thank you all for the good karma you have sent me in response to the grand opening notice.  Establishing the Q by Dezine Online Gallery was long overdue, but sometimes it was difficult to pry myself out of my studio.  The gemstones and beads are like a treasure trove, each stone waiting to be chosen for the perfect piece. And my glass inventory is like a box of crayons just begging to be used.  How can I resist?

 I often buy stones, beads, and glass because I am attracted to some quality—their color, sparkle, texture—and without any specific design in mind.  I consider them like seeds that are planted somewhere in my mind, and from which the flower of a design will grow.  The necklace “Galaxy” is a great example. 

 

      I bought six flame worked beads, each a  different color and design,  from a fellow artist that I met at show and barely looked at them for two years. One day when I picked up the grey and black bead, the ideas just flowed to create “Galaxy”. The flame worked focal bead is framed with sterling wire in a manner that accents the bead without obscuring its beauty. The obsidian and hematite pick up the colors in the focal bead to create a strong image. A lovely statement piece!  In January I was again inspired and created very different necklaces from two more of those flame worked beads.  I promise to post photos soon.  Enjoy!  Q

Click to Comment