New Additions to Website

I have added some new coasters to my website - these are the Doodles range, available in black and white with contrasting patterns.
The Fusion range of dichroic glass pendants were looking a bit wish, so have added some more designs, available here. These are one-off designs, full of vibrant colours and patterns. The Tree of Life pendant, which is hand etched, and the Orb have also been added.

Kathryn, Lazy Daisy Glass xx

Dichroic Glass Pendants - New Designs

I have been busy gluing and sticking recently - these are my newest designs and will be added to my website over the next couple of days.

The photo shows one pendant with a sterling chain and one with a leather thong - which one do you prefer?? Let me know what you think.

I'm edging towards the leather thong, simply because it hangs better in the bail. Plus I don't make many thong pendants (apart from the sliders), so would make a change.

This heart pendant is not a new design, but the colour is new - I will be adding this colour to my website as well. This colour is electric blue:

Have to pack some glass goodies to a new gallery in Dumfries and Galloway today and will be making more large Lazy Bones fish.

Kathryn, Lazy Daisy Glass xx

Dichroic Fused Glass Jewellery - New Items on Website

I have added some new items to my website, the heart pendants above, some more slider pendants, the wave bangle and fused glass coasters.

Don't forget, I'm running a summer giveaway and you can still enter:

http://lazydaisyglass.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-giveaway-summer-sizzler.html

I'm giving a huge array of glass goodies, so what are you waiting for.

The main reason is to try and reach 100 fans on my Facebook business page - so far it 71, which is good going. So if you fancy keeping up to date with more business stuff, become a fan on my Facebook page. You will find a link in the giveaway.

Kathryn, Lazy Daisy Glass xx

New Dichroic Jewellery

I have been waiting for my new jewellery findings to arrive so I can add new designs to my collection. I am very pleased with them and have been busy making cabochons to add. They look great and a little different in design. The triple pendant was soon to go at the Black Isle Show. I had to take some quick photos before the show, so the quality of them is not good. I will be taking more professional looking photos over the next day or so and then they will be added to my website.

Update on the Black Isle Show - arrived Wednesday afternoon to set up and the weather was sunny. We traded Thursday night from 4pm and packed up at 9pm. We camped in the marquee overnight and it wasn't at all comfortable! Trade was also very slow.

Thursday - up at the crack of dawn, weather was hot and sunny once again. Trade was better, but not great.

I had a last minute pitch in the retail trade area - not the best for a handcrafted trader, but it was the only available space and have been trying to get into the show for a few years. Hopefully next year, there will be a better opportunity for space.

Oh, and we were placed next to:

Yep, the sweety stall - not good for a little girl!!

Kathryn, Lazy Daisy Glass xx

Portsoy Boat Festival

What a busy weekend and fantastic weather. I attended the Portsoy Boat Festival yesterday and today and had a great (although tiring) weekend AND both days were sunny and hot. The event usually suffers bad weather and is often a washout.

Saturday morning started slow and we (my crafting buddy and I) both thought it wasn't going to pick up, but we were busy in the afternoon and today was exactly the same.

I was thrilled that my 3 piece slumped set sold - it's now going to take pride of place on someone's mantle. I took lots of fishies, but it was the dichroic glass jewellery that was more popular - people even buying Christmas presents!!.

It was an eventful weekend, with lots of races taking place, pipe band, local heritage marquee, craft marquees and traditional crafts (spinning, weaving, knitting etc).

Wood Carvings (above)

Boatbuilding Skills (above)

Our friend Sue of 'Ewe can Too' spinning (above)

The setting in Portsoy is beautiful around the harbour side and take a look at this view in the restaurant marquee:

Restaurant overlooking the bay

I did of course indulge in the local strawberries and the famous Arbroath Smokies - absolutely delicious!!

Arbroath Smokies (above)

Another busy weekend next week - I will be attending Cullen Craft Fair.

Kathryn, Lazy Daisy xx

Hot, Hot, Hot - then Not!!

Totem Pendants

I have recently made a batch of Totems - back by popular demand. So many people have been asking for these lately, but I had lost my creative juices for making these. They take a bit of thought and I couldn't get my head around the designs, so haven't made any for a while. They will be added to my website over the next couple of days.

Well, it's certainly been hot, hot, hot lately - too hot to be couped-up inside my studio, when the kiln has been on! You can imagine the heat the kiln gives off - together with the sunny weather we've been having. I tend to work mainly in the evenings to avoid so much heat.

It was 28 degrees today, very sunny and hot - We (daughter and I) have been having picnics in the garden every day. It's great to be in the garden, but, it doesn't get my orders done! We were enjoying the weather this afternoon when the heavens opened, and we had torrential rain, with thunder and lightening. It was mad. Can't say that it has cleared the air though - now it's quite clammy.

Flooding - from the torrential rain today (above)

I'm now looking out of the window and there is a pinkish sky, so perhaps the good weather will return tomorrow (yes, it's 10.45pm and it's still daylight!!).

One of my customer orders (well part order, the rest has been packaged) - this lot was sent to Somerset:

Pop Art Pendants and Dinkies

Kathryn, Lazy Daisy xx

Slimming World - Weigh-in Results

Just a quick post.

Weigh-in
I'm back from my weekly weigh-in and have stayed the same. Well, after losing 4 pounds last week, I couldn't expect much could I? I have had a good 'eating' week, if anything, I probably haven't eaten enough. With Slimming World, they encourage you to eat loads (of the right kind of food of course). Some of the advice doesn't make sense in theory, but in practice, it really does work. Well, I'll look forward to next week now. I think next week will be a toughy though as I have a few easter eggs to eat in the meantime! But I do not intend to splurge out too much because I've been good and don't want to undo what good I have done.

Glass Goodies
Sorry I haven't posted much glass work lately, I've been extremely busy concentrating on the Aviemore Trade Show. The exhibition is at the end of this month, and I've been frantically working away on new designs, which will be showcased at the trade show. Hopefully over the next few weeks, once my catalogue is printed, I will be showing off some of my designs.
Kathryn, Lazy Daisy xx

Out of the kiln - Dichroic Glass Pendants

These are my latest pieces out of the kiln - a batch of pendants and some cute and colourful hangers. I get so excited when I load the kiln, even more so when I open the lid. I'm like a kid in a candy shop. On the otherhand, you can sometimes be disappointed with some of the pieces. During the firing process, many things can happen; glass can slip, burn, overheat to name but a few. If a piece of top glass slips from, say a pendant, the resulting item can look messy and uneven. Sometimes the dichroic glass metallic surface can burn off, leaving a grey chalky appearance and if the glass is over-heated, you will be left with spikey edges. So as well as pleasant surprises, there can be disappointments too. But, the surprises far outweigh the bad experiences! I still love my creations and spending time designing new items.

I'm glad to say that today looks like it will be bright and sunny. After posting that Spring is finally here, it turned absolutely horrid - high winds, sleet and snow and brrrr, it was damn cold.

Today I look out and see the sun and feel better already.

Kathryn, Lazy Daisy xx

Pop Art - Fused Glass Cufflinks and more

Cufflinks (above)Ring (above)

Pendants (above)

These are my latest creations for the website; Pop Art range. I have made cufflinks, pendants and rings, with earrings coming soon. A matching set, even covering his 'n' her items. They are vibrant and retro in design.

Talking of my website, I have updated it and given it a more modern look. Take a look http://www.lazydaisyglass.co.uk. I now have ranges ie., Pop Art, Labyrinth, Fusion and many more and they are easier to view because there are pictures displaying each range.

The layout is much better than previous with easier navigation. Hope you like the new site.

Kathryn, Lazy Daisy xx

Tutorial - Glass Tile Pendant

This tutorial will show you how to make glass tile pendants (as above).

Materials required:

Glass tile (7/8" x 7/8")

Paper (scrapbook paper, scraps, photo)

Dimensional glaze (Diamond Glaze, Glossy Accents)

Bail

Square cutting template (made from card)

Pencil

Glue (to fix bail)

Scissors

Paintbrush

Step 1 - Choose your pattern paper. I have chosen Japanese pattern paper in the pendants above, but you can use your scraps of paper or even print a photo for a personalised pendant (great for mothers day, fathers day, birthdays etc).

Japanese Paper

Step 2 - Make your square cutting template by measuring a 7/8" square from card (I recycled a food cardboard box), cut out the square using a craft knife. This will be used as a 'viewfinder' over your patterned paper. Move the viewfinder over the paper and select an appropriate section that makes a pretty frame. Try to select near the edge so as not to waste paper :

Square Cutting Template (Viewfinder)

Step 3 - Draw a square on to the paper, cut the paper square out and snip small rounded corners (because the glass has rounded corners, your paper will need to match):

Step 4 - Apply a generous layer of glaze to the back of the glass tile (the flatest part of your tile). Make sure to coat all the surface and slightly over the rounded edges. Place your piece of paper over the glass tile (remember to place the paper face down on to the glass), move the paper into place with your fingers and turn the tile over. Push down firmly on the tile to rid of any air bubbles that may have occurred. Leave to dry. Your tile may slide over the paper slightly, if so, move it back into place. TIP - use a grip seal bag as a base, this will prevent a sticky mess on your work surface:

Step 5 - Once dry, apply another generous amount of glaze on top of the paper. Spread the glaze over the paper, paying particular attention to the corners and edges. TIP - lightly glide your brush over the paper to minimise brushstroke marks in the glaze. Let to dry and set. Once dry, the texture is very smooth and shiny, like glass.

Step 6 - Apply glue (suitable for metal) to the back of the pendant and apply your bail. Let to dry/set.

I used E6000 glue for attaching the bail - this is an industrial glue I use for my glasswork. There are a couple of options for bails. You can use a flat bail (right in the photo) or an Aanraku jewellery bail (left in the photo). If using the flat bail, you will need to attach a jump ring to hang from a chain, the Aanraku bail already has a loop for a chain.

Two different bails (above)

(two bails - front view)

You can create all sorts of pendants - here are some examples:

You can even add a touch of your own artwork or personalise by drawing on the prints. You can see from the pendants below that I have added the word Diva in bright pink. I used a Sakura glaze pen for this as these are very bright and do not run when the glaze is added:
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.

Kathryn, Lazy Daisy xx

Breast Cancer Auction - Dichroic Glass Pendants

I have donated two of my dichroic glass pendants to Helen, who runs http://www.triagefromhome.com/. Helen is trying to raise as much money as possible for British Columbia Cancer Foundation and she is also competing in a walk for the charity later in the year. Helen has asked for people to donate their handmade products to her auction, hence my donation of the dichroic pendants. I saw her ask on Twitter a couple of weeks ago and thought it would be a worthy cause. If you would like to help towards her charity auction and would like to view my pendants, please have a look here: http://www.triagefromhome.com/?p=375

Helen, as well as being a Triage Nurse, is very talented in the craft world. She makes Juicy Bags:

They are bags made from recycled and sanitized juice pouches and recycled denim. They are very colourful and well made. You see more of her handmade bags on Etsy, where she has a shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6256441. Aren't they creative fun items?

A big thank you to Helen for running her online auction to help raise funds for the Cancer Foundation.

Kathryn, Lazy Daisy xx