Category: Markets

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View from my studio

I’m spending as much time in the studio as I can (in between everything else).  I’m getting ready for my final market of this year!  It’s on Saturday, in Unley.  It’s the Etsy Made Local market, and it’s going to be massive.  I’ll have all sorts of new and old pieces available on the day, and if I don’t have what you want/need, then I’ll post it to you for FREE the next week!

studio view

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View from my studio

I have been running this business for nearly 8 years now, and I’m still surprised at how busy things get in November!  I tend to do more markets in November also, and that seems to add to the general busy-ness.

I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how grateful I am when people choose to buy my work.  There is a LOT of choice when it comes to jewellery, and I am always very humbled when someone makes their choice my jewellery.

studio view

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Penny Lane Market

I haven’t been able to do this market for a while now, so I am really looking forward to heading to Mount Barker to be part of the Penny Lane Market.  The Christmas Pageant is also on Saturday, so this makes a good option for those people who don’t want to watch the pageant…or want something to do after the pageant ends.

penny lane market

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Recycled glass jewellery

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed…but I love making beads from recycled glass!  It’s quite a process going from the empty bottle to the finished necklace, so I thought I would list all of the steps for making recycled glass bead jewellery here:

  1. Empty the bottle!  My husband quite likes a bottle of beer, so he takes care of my beer bottle needs.  I’m quite partial to wine, so I am happy to take care of those wine bottles.  I have a few friends who drink gin, and donate their empty bottles to me (thanks everyone)!
  2. Clean the bottle.  This includes removing the labels, and making sure the inside is clean too.
  3. Smash the bottle.  I carefully wrap the bottle in a pillow case, and then I smash it with a hammer.  All of the shards are collected and stored in containers.
  4. Make the beads.  To do this I need to heat the glass on a hotplate, so that when I put it in the flame it doesn’t explode!  I then pick up the warm glass with tweezers and using the flame and all sorts of techniques I am able to make the glass beads.
  5. Anneal the beads.  Once I have made the beads, they are placed in my kiln to go through an annealing process.  Glass is temperamental, and it like to be heated up and cooled down slowly.  Letting it slowly cool down in a kiln is essential when making strong, resilient beads.
  6. Clean the beads.  After the beads have cooled down (usually overnight), I then take the beads off the mandrels, and clean the core of the beads with a diamond drill bit.

And voila!  This photo summarises the process:

Bombay Sapphire Gin recycled glass jewellery

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View from my studio

Well, after a week of not feeling 100%, I’m getting back into things in the studio.  I have several markets coming up in November, and several galleries to get some new work to.  I feel kind of lucky that I can work whenever I want to (sort of), but when there is a lot of work to do…things get tricky.  Luckily the view from my studio at the moment is stunning, so it’s a pleasure to be in there.

studio view

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View from my studio

Thanks to everyone who visited me at Gathered on the weekend.  It was such a lovely market to do!

I’m finishing off some work for Kirra Galleries at the moment, and I’ll be able to show you some photographs soon.  Their annual Flame On exhibition starts September 8, and runs until October 8.  If you are in Melbourne, and you like glass – this is the place to go!

Studio View