Miss Molly's Supplies...

A couple of months ago I opened a new Etsy shop called Miss Molly's Supplies so I could have a place to sell some of my extra "accumulations" (or junk, as my husband so affectionately refers to it). Right now, all I've got out there are fused glass cabochons (I seem to have a million of these sitting around the house), but I plan to put some other overstock out there as well.

Check it out when you get a chance!

.

Summer Jewelry Challenge: Project #8

Between waiting for layers to dry on the mosaic project I am working on, I decided to work on the 8th project in Deryn Mentock's Summer Jewelry Challenge: "Silver Watch Bracelet". My version, however, does not include a watch, as I didn't have any on hand. Instead, I used found objects, etched copper and one of my fused glass cabochons. The result is a very eclectic bracelet with a lot of eyelets and patina.

In addition to the bracelet, I wanted to share some pictures of the progress I am making on the mosaic. The piece is 18" in diameter, and features what will be a very colorful butterfly. Surrounding the butterfly will be clear broken and grouted glass covering decoupaged definitions of the word "hope". I have decoupaged the definitions down, sealed the paper and then antiqued those areas to add some visual interest. Right now, I am letting the decoupage medium and sealant cure for a couple of days to ensure it has a tight seal before I start gluing on the glass.

So...back to work - I'm going to start with the colored glass this evening!

Thoughts on glass...

I am fascinated with glass and its remarkable, perfect, reflective surface. It can be clear or colorful - any color really. It is everywhere I look, reflecting impulses of light - versions of reality depending on where I am standing. A powerful yet fragile surface that, left on its own, can stand for a while, eventually revealing every chip and scratch, slowly growing tendrils that inevitably shatter the whole into tiny unrecognizable pieces. What is left is a pile of something that used to be beautiful, but is now considered by many to be unworthy and disposable. Each little piece has razor-sharp edges that will injure any who try to pick it up without protection.

Putting the pieces back together to recreate the whole as it was is impossible. Pieces will always be missing. Only by taking the pieces and rearranging them into something new can the possibility of being whole again be considered. Even then, it cannot stand on its own – it will need something to fill in the cracks – something to surround each piece, giving it stability and structural integrity.

Only when the pieces of glass are carefully arranged and glued down in a new way – a new creation – can the piece be completed. Filling in the spaces around the pieces with grout gives the artwork structure, unity and purpose. The transformation is remarkable. The artwork is not complete with the glass or grout alone. Only with the one relying on the other is the new creation possible.