little red watering can

I've decided to open another etsy shop - it's called 'more toffee'. My fused glass jewellery all works nicely togther as it's own little story or collection. My other creations they will all be placed in the new shop, this will include my hanafuda range, my little character cards and magnets etc as well as some of my one off creations like the little watering can above. I'm aiming to make 'more toffee' a place to showcase a wider range of my creations.

inspired by seasons

These images are of some work I created for 'Unleashed' at Artisan earlier this year. They are made from thin sheets of plastic and have been saw pierced. The imagery is based on the flora from spring and summer. They have been designed so that they can be worn with either the red or white surface to the front. I'd like to play more with the printed plastic (the small circle) and am thinking of creating some new work using multiple circles.

courage my love

There are some amazingly talented people in the world and sometimes I come across an artist that is able to share the magic of life in their creations. These photographs by Madelyn Mulvaney are exquisite to say the least. The Tempest in a Teacup is the image which first caught my attention when I spotted it on the front page of Etsy and enticed me to take a closer look at Madelyn's work.

production in process

I love lining things up as I make them - it gives me a sense of achievement to see the item lined up at different stages of the making. These earrings are simple and striking. There are a couple of pairs available in my made it shop. The full range is available on my website.

citrus burst

If you're after colour than these juicy orange drops and orange burst lolly cubes are just for you.
The above shot was taken yesterday after a firing of lovely red and orange glass.

bubbles of bubbles

This is a close up of a glass soap dish a Japanese friend made for me. There is so much work in it. Each of those little circles has been made by combining crushed glass with water and fusing glue and then forming it into circles. This alone takes some time. The circles were then fired in the kiln to fuse all the little pieces of glass. For the 2nd firing all the little circles were placed near each other so they would join together. The whole piece was then fired a 3rd time in a mold to create a concave dish shape that the soap would sit on. This is one of my favourite possessions - I love the tiny little bubbles in each circle, the space between the circles, the colours and the fact that this sits in the bathroom with soap on it just seems so fit for bubbles!!

old meets new

In Japan there are so many times when the modern world and the traditions of the past exist side by side. This picture was taken at a local festival and while most of the other onlookers were watching the parade I was watching from a different angle and captured the juxtaposition of people wearing traditional hand woven shoes walking against the zebra crossing.

spring wings

I love this colourful enamel jewellery by Tina Rice. Tina fuses ground glass onto copper or fine silver using a hot kiln. Each piece is fired several times and is completely unique due to the magic that happens in the kiln. Find more work, including earrings by Tina in her Etsy shop.

kiln magic

I've always been attracted to texture. Fabric, ceramics, glass, paper,wood..when I'm shopping I'm forever reaching out and feeling things. The above sake cup is one which I made during my stay in Japan. I've only glazed the inside and the lip. The outside remains quite textural and is rough under the finger tips. I made a whole series of work using pale clay and the above white glaze, each turning out differently due to the hot and cold spots in the kiln. This process and the fact that it's a stage in the making that you don't have full control over is what I absolutely adore about ceramics. Kiln magic!

Be outrageous!

People who achieve mastery have the ability to be outrageous.

GITA BELLIN