Chloe's Designs Jewellery, Findings and Beads

Happy New Year!

2012-01-16T05:31:00.000-08:00

A very happy new year to everyone. Just into 2012 and we are already approaching Valentines Day! What will you be getting for your loved one this year? These attractive red heart necklaces & earrings are the perfect combination for any Valentines day, and are also available in pink!

All necklaces & earrings are gift boxed, making them the perfect sparkly gift for Valentines Day.

Siam red necklace featuring a Swarovski heart crystal just £15.99

Siam red earrings featuring Swarovski heart crystals just £6.99

Rose AB necklace featuring a Swarovski heart crystal just £15.99

Sparkly Christmas Gift Ideas!

2011-11-28T09:16:00.000-08:00

Available now on Ebay are these beautiful sparkly necklaces & earrings made with Swarovski crystals in various colours and shapes. All necklaces & earrings come gift boxed, making them the perfect little treat this Christmas!

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Chloes-Designs-Dichroic-Glass

Add a little sparkle to your Christmas gift shopping...

2011-11-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

Swarovski Wild Heart & Briolette Necklaces & Earrings

2011-11-02T03:29:00.000-07:00

These beautiful wild heart crystals from Swarovski elements are simply stunning. The pendants are quite a large chunk of crystal but they are still very elegant to wear. The faceted Swarovski crystals sparkle and shimmer in the light and look amazing worn with matching earrings.

The pendants are available on 18" sterling silver curb chains with gift box. The earrings also come gift boxed and have sterling silver earring hooks.

Available to buy now from Chloe's Designs Ebay Shop and Etsy Shop.

Cute Sparkly Stud Earrings

2011-10-18T02:23:00.000-07:00

Here's just a few of my handmade sterling silver stud earrings with dichroic glass and cubic zirconia gemstones. They measure approximately 5mm - 7mm wide, making them a nice little size for everyone to wear and to add a little sparkle to your outfit.

The dichroic glass stud earrings have been kiln fused and are all 'one of a kind'. They each come on a gift card with a brief description about dichroic glass and a space for you to write a personal message. Each pair of stud earrings comes in their own organza gift bag, perfect to treat yourself, family or friends, or even as a stocking filler!

Available now from Chloe's Designs Etsy Shop.

Just £6.99 a pair plus delivery from Chloe's Designs.

Friendship Bracelets

2011-10-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

Beaded Friendship Bracelets

I have really enjoyed making these beaded friendship bracelets. Using macrame weaving with wax cotton cord and beads, they look great on and also combined with other colours.

They have a silver ring at one end and a loose strand at the other end which ties around the ring to fasten in place.

Check out more of my friendship bracelets in my Etsy Shop.

Animal & Halloween Pin Brooches

2011-10-04T07:03:00.000-07:00

Animal Pin Brooches

My latest creations are these cute little plastic pin brooches with cats, dogs, seahorses, bears, fairies and more. Featuring my own artwork, these lightweight brooches have a metal pin on the back and come on a lovely little gift card.

I've been working on some spooky Halloween brooches and will be adding some more animal brooches too. Priced at just £2.99 each plus delivery, these brooches are the perfect little addition to any jumper, cardigan or scarf!

Available from my Etsy Shop.

Amber the Fox Plastic Pin Brooch

Crystal the Seahorse Plastic Pin Brooch

Shadow the Bat Plastic Halloween Pin Brooch

Faux Suede Cord

2011-07-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

Faux suede cord is a lovely soft cord to use for making necklaces and hanging pendants from. The cord is 3mm wide and comes in 5 metre lengths, so you can make plenty of necklaces and cut each piece to your required length.

There are 15 colours altogether to choose from including some of our new colours pictured below.

Available from Chloe's Designs Online Shop, and also on Ebay!

Colours from left to right: Cerise, Cornflower Blue, Thistle, Dark Red and Cyan.

Glass crackle bead mix with handy storage box

2011-06-07T09:14:00.000-07:00

It can be tricky sometimes picking exactly which beads to buy when there are so many pretty beads about. If you like your glass crackle beads, then take a look at these new bead kits available from my ebay shop. I have selected colours that will compliment each other and included different sizes for you to try out.

The beads come in a handy re-usable storage box, so you can easily refill it when it's empty. More colours coming soon!

Chloe's Designs Jewellery, Findings & Beads

Ebay Shop

Hand Etched Dichroic Glass Cat Pendants

2011-04-13T03:11:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of my latest hand etched dichroic glass cat pendants. I etch the cats by hand using a pointed diamond tip drill bit. After a day of etching, the drill bits can start to go blunt leaving double lines on the glass, so it's always handy to have a few spares. I usually buy the large multi packs of diamond tip drill bits and work my way through the pointed ones!

I etch the cats straight onto 2mm thick dichroic glass. I then sandwich the dichroic glass between a piece of black glass and clear glass. The clear glass goes on top and will give a nice glossy shiny finish to the pendant.

The pendant is fired in the kiln on a 'tac fuse' firing program. This heats the kiln up to 1400 - 1410 degrees fahenheit and holds this temperature for 10 minutes. Tac fusing the glass will allow all the layers to merge together, but will still leave fairly straight edges for me to grind afterwards. (A full fuse program will make the glass slump down more and the edges will start to round off.)

After the kiln has held it's temperature for 10 minutes it rapidly cools down to 950 degrees fahenheit where it begins the annealing process. The annealing process is very important and allows the glass to relieve any internal stresses. Glass that has not been annealed could break or crack.

The kiln must be allowed to completely cool down to room temperature on it's own, before the door is opened. Absolutely no peeking is allowed as this could completely wreck the glass inside!

It takes a good 9-10 hours for the kiln to cool to room temperature on it's own. This will definately test your patience, but is well worth the wait when the kiln door is finally opened and you can see all the glass pieces sparkling away : - )

Chloe's Designs Dichroic Glass Jewellery available on Ebay

Jewellery Making Findings Kits

2011-04-12T05:59:00.000-07:00

Check out these fantastic little jewellery findings kits at just £4.99 each plus postage from Chloe's Designs.

These kits are perfect for beginners and are also an ideal refill kit containing a variety of metal jewellery components, wire, thread and a basic guide to jewellery making to get you started.

The only additional things you need are some pliers and some pretty beads to start making your own jewellery creations.

Making your own brooch...

2011-04-08T03:21:00.000-07:00

Making your own brooch is very easy to do and only requires a few items. There are lots of things you can turn into brooches, such as coins, plastic/fake flowers, flat cabochons, gemstones. You could also make something using polymer clay, silver art clay, inkjet plastic shrink paper or even fabric.

When you have chosen your brooch piece, you will need to attach a brooch back with a small amount of glue. If the back of the brooch is shiny, you may want to lightly sand/scuff the area you intend to glue. This will help the glue bond better.

It's always handy to have some blu-tac lying around too. If your brooch has an un-even or domed surface, you can rest it on some blue-tac while it's drying. (I have often come back to my brooches and found the brooch back has slipped while drying!)

Silver & Gold Plated Brooch Backs from Chloe's Designs.

Basic Earring Making Technique...

2011-03-31T01:44:00.000-07:00

Tools & Materials:

Cutting Pliers, Flat Nosed Pliers and Round Nosed Pliers.

2 x Earring Hooks

2 x Head Pins

Selection of beads / seed beads / Swarovksi crystals.

Instructions:

1. Thread your chosen beads onto the headpin (Fig 1a).

2. Use your cutting pliers to trim away any excess headpin wire. You will need to leave approximately 1cm of wire to make a loop (Fig 1b).

3. Using your flat nosed pliers, bend the spare piece of wire to a right angle (Fig 1c).

4. With your round nosed pliers, hold the tip of the wire & rotate to form a loop (Fig 1d).

5. Attach the ear hook to your earring by opening the loop you have just made, or the loop on the ear hook. Remember to close your loop after attaching the ear hook. (Fig 1e).

Earring head pin & loop illustration. Fig 1a-e.

Visit Chloe's Designs for your jewellery findings and beads.

Handmade Dichroic Glass Discoveries...

2011-03-01T02:57:00.000-08:00

I am always spotting new and interesting creations with dichroic glass, and I usually find Etsy a good place to start browsing. There are alot of unique handmade jewellery and gifts available from all over the world on Etsy.... a good place to look for that unusual present for your family & friends.

Check out these amazing dichroic glass pendants, paperweights and figurines from VortexGlassWorks:

Below: Amazing dichroic glass ring featuring the skull fused glass by zulasurfing. This ring looks stunning in the photo, but I bet it looks uber cool in real!

Making Jewellery with Swarovski Crystals...

2011-02-23T05:22:00.000-08:00

Add a touch of elegance to your jewellery creations using Swarovski crystals and pearls. I made the two necklaces above using 4mm bicone crystals with a mixture of pearls and a large crystal teardop pendant. The pendant is fitted with a sterling silver pinch bail which will keep it firmly in place. Alternatively silver plated jewellery findings can be used which are alot cheaper to purchase.

There are alot of Swarovksi crystal suppliers out there, and it's definately worth looking around to see what colours and shapes suppliers have available. I find it easy to get carried away when I'm looking for new beads. If you are wanting to have a go at jewellery making and not sure where to start, then I recommend looking for a project to follow. There are several good jewellery and craft magazines which give detailed tutorials and sometimes include free bead samples too.

Making Jewellery

2011-02-22T06:53:00.000-08:00

I've just finished working on my website and have recently added in a new selection of glass beads and jewellery findings available to buy online. I plan to make some more dichroic glass pendants and gift sets later in the year and am hoping to introduce some new etched pictures for my pendants too.

Unfortunately my handmade glass jewellery is only available to buy from my Ebay shop. This is because each piece is one of a kind and cannot be exactly reproduced.

I've also been working on my Facebook business page and will start to include regular pictures and updates. If you'd like to follow me on Facebook or Twitter, please come and say hello ...

Glass Crackle Beaded Necklaces

2011-02-17T02:22:00.000-08:00

A few necklaces I have made using glass crackle beads along with my kiln fused dichroic glass pendants.

Bead Inspired

2011-01-27T04:29:00.000-08:00

Check out our new range of glass beads at Chloe's Designs Jewellery, Findings and Beads online shop.

New beads coming soon!

Have fun making your own pendants

2011-01-20T01:38:00.000-08:00

It’s easy to make your own unique pendant to wear. To make your pendant you need an object that has a flat back, like a cabochon, piece of glass, or perhaps something you have made from polymer clay?

You also need a leaf type bail as pictured below. These bails also come in heart shapes which look very cute. If your pendant object has a nice smooth back, you ideally need to scratch it up a little bit. This will help the glue stick when attaching the bail. (A hand-held drill with a sanding attachment is ideal if your object is glass, otherwise a small file or piece of sand paper should work well.)

You will need a strong glue like an epoxy glue to attach the bail to your object. If you’re object has an un-even front, then use a piece of blue-tac to keep your object in place while you attach the bail.

Place some glue on the bail and then put the bail onto your object. You may need to pick your pendant up and check you have the bail in the correct position. Leave the glue to dry and then check out your new creation!

Leaf and heart bails available from Chloe's Designs Jewellery Findings and Beads.

Glass Beads

2011-01-19T06:27:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since my last post, so I would like to wish everyone a very happy 2011!

I have worked with dichroic glass for a few years making unique pieces of jewellery to sell. I always enjoy the moment when I open my kiln to see how the different colours of glass have fused together. I usually always look for glass beads to go with my dichroic glass pendants and earrings, and have decided to also start selling glass beads and findings so you can create your own stunning jewellery.

My personal favorite are the glass crackle beads as they come in an array of mixed colours and really do stand out. I'll be adding more beads shortly.

Visit Online Shop: Chloe's Designs Jewellery Findings and Beads

Christmas Gift Ideas from Chloe's Designs

2010-11-16T02:36:00.000-08:00

It's been a very busy few months building up to Christmas. I have several new gift sets and lots of new dichroic glass jewellery sets that are now available from my ebay shop.

Please come and take a look for lots of unique jewellery gift ideas ranging from wine glass charms to earring sets & necklace gift sets...

Unique handmade dichroic glass & silver jewellery by Chloe's Designs.

Visit Chloe's Designs eBay shop to browse my entire collection.

A busy summer making jewellery...

2010-08-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

I have been keeping myself very busy this summer making lots of new jewellery. My next big craft fair is just around the corner and I have been working on a new selection of dichroic glass pendants, sets, bangles and more.

Pictured below is one of my most recent handmade dichroic glass bangles. I kiln fuse these bangles and I also shape them inside the kiln too. It takes several firings and a few days to finish each bangle.

I also make my own dichroic glass pendants with hand etched pictures on them. I find that the cats are the most popular, but are also the hardest picture to etch on the glass!

My next craft fair is at Milton Keynes Central Shopping Centre. The fair is in Middleton Hall just outside John Lewis and is on from Thursday 16th September to Sunday 19th September 2010. Please come and say hello if you visit the craft fair : - )

2010-06-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

Mouse with cheese necklace...

2010-05-25T01:19:00.000-07:00

Last year I made a sterling silver pin brooch for a very special present. I wanted to make a mouse and somehow attach a piece of cheese to him. I made the mouse & cheese from some small pieces of clay which I used as moulds to cast into sterling silver. I was really pleased with the result, but still not sure how to link the two pieces together.

My first idea was to hang the cheese from some chain, but I wasn't very keen on this idea. After pondering for a couple of days the idea struck me ... I would wrap the mouse's tail around the piece of cheese. It didn't take long to make the tail and solder all the pieces together. I have several silver mouse's lined up ready for my next piece of jewellery, but here is one of my necklaces I made in a similar style:

Handmade Sterling Silver Jewellery by Chloe's Designs

www.chloesdesigns.com

New Dichroic Glass Earring Cards

2010-05-24T00:31:00.000-07:00

After I got back from my last craft fair in March, I was buzzing to make some new earring cards. When I did my first few craft fairs a few years ago, I would hang all my earrings on one big sheet of card. This wasn't the best idea because it wasn't easy for customers to pick up the earrings and have a good look at them.

So I decided to design an individual earring card for each pair of earrings to hang from. I found this worked alot better as customers could easily pick up each little earring card and have a proper look at them.

My new earring cards are very similar to my old one's, execpt they are slightly bigger and the design of the cards now matches my logo and business cards. Here's a picture of my dichroic glass stud earring cards:

If you'd like to check out my current range of dichroic glass earrings available to buy online, please visit my website:

www.chloesdesigns.com

Necklaces by Chloe's Designs

2010-05-19T01:31:00.000-07:00

I have been working on some necklace designs this year and really wanted to try and add in some new elements such as gemstones and pearls. The first flower necklace pictured below includes a pearl. I started out by sawing 2 flowers from a sheet of sterling silver and then soldered these together. I made a sterling silver bail which I soldered to the back of the pendant and the pearl was added at the very end after I had finished polishing it up.

The picture below is very similar to the necklace above, but I included a pink square cubic zirconia stone to this pendant...

More jewellery creations available from Chloe's Designs online Ebay shop.

Handmade Sterling Silver Rings by Chloe's Designs

2010-05-12T00:46:00.000-07:00

Over the last couple of months I have been busy making a selection of sterling silver rings. I wanted to incorporate some gemstones and pearls in my new designs and I also had a couple of new tools ready to try out.

The first ring below is a very simple sterling silver ring band with a 5mm pink cubic zirconia gemstone.

The next ring below includes a pearl stone...

After all my rings are finished, I will send them to the Birmingham Assay Office to be officially hallmarked. I always love getting my jewellery pieces back from being hallmarked.

Here are just a few more of my latest handmade sterling silver rings...

My Dichroic Glass Jewellery Stand

2010-03-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I had my first craft fair of the year. January & February have flown past while I've been busy making new jewellery pieces. My first craft fair was at Central Milton Keynes indoor shopping centre and the next fair will be in September 2010.
I was really pleased how my stand looked, but I came home with lots of new ideas for my next fair. One of them being a new logo and banner design which I have been working on.
I've just made a start on some new dichroic glass pieces and hope to have some new pictures soon!

Handmade Dichroic Glass & Sterling Silver Adjustable Rings

2010-02-03T00:41:00.001-08:00

I've been working on a new range of adjustable rings using dichroic glass & sterling silver. I originally looked online to buy my ring blanks, but I didn't like the styles of adjustable rings that I found. In the end I decided to make my own adjustable rings and started by making a template ring on some card. Once I had made my template, I copied this onto a sheet of sterling silver to saw out. It can take a while to finish making each ring as they all need sanding by hand and polishing. I shape the ring around a wooden ring mandrel and gently hammer it into shape with my mallet. The rings wrap around the finger and can be adjusted to fit any size.

I make the piece of glass seperately by kiln fusing several sheets of plain glass & dichroic (di-kro-ik) glass together. This usually requires several firings before it can be attached to the sterling silver ring.

More dichroic glass & sterling silver adjustable rings available from Chloe's Designs online Ebay Shop.

Happy New Year from Chloe's Designs

2010-01-05T01:14:00.000-08:00

I would like to wish everyone a very happy new year for 2010.

I have been dying to show off some of my handmade Christmas presents. I was expecially pleased with my dragonfly ornament and mouse pin brooch. I started the dragonfly last August and got him finished a few days before Christmas. I had to learn a few new techniques to make the dragonfly, but it was all good practise.

I made his body and tail section from solid sterling silver and made his wings using dichroic glass and sterling silver. I think this is probably my best piece I've made so far, and am really chuffed how it turned out...

I made my mouse pin brooch also from solid sterling silver. At first I made the mouse & the piece of cheese, but couldn't decide how to link them together. I sat watching the telly for many nights re-arranging the mouse & cheese to come up with a new idea. Then I thought about wrapping the mouse's tail around the cheese and really liked that idea....

Merry Christmas from Chloe's Designs Dichroic Glass

2009-12-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year. This year has gone very quick and I am looking forward to making some new jewellery pieces in January.

Please visit my online Ebay shop to browse my range of handmade dichroic glass & silver jewellery. All jewellery items come either in a lovely gift box or a pretty organza gift bag, making them the perfect Christmas presents and stocking fillers.

I have a range of handmade jewellery items including matching gift sets, beaded gift sets, necklaces, bangles, braclets, brooches, rings and much more.

Please visit Chloe's Designs Dichroic Glass shop on Ebay to view my items available to buy now. All items are dispatched on the same day of receiving payment, or the very next day. Returns accepted.

New Dichroic Glass & Silver Jewellery Video on Youtube

2009-11-12T04:56:00.000-08:00

Please check out my latest dichroic glass & silver jewellery video on Youtube:

Stunning Jewellery for your Christmas Party Dress

2009-11-09T14:32:00.001-08:00

If you are looking for some eye-catching jewellery to go with your Christmas party dress, then why not check out my handmade dichroic glass bangles. Each bangle has several layers of glass fused together and require about 3-4 kiln firings before they are ready to wear.

I have a variety of dichroic glass bangles available to buy from my Ebay shop, along with a selection of handmade sterling silver bangles.

Visit Chloe's Designs Dichroic Glass online Ebay shop now.

Dichroic Glass Stocking Fillers

2009-11-08T06:53:00.000-08:00

These pretty stud earrings come in a variety of sparkly colours, and would make the perfect little stocking filler. Just £5.99 a pair plus delivery available from my Ebay shop: Chloe's Designs Dichroic Glass. Each pair of earrings are handmade and all the glass used is cut by hand.

Handmade Dichroic Glass Jewellery for Christmas

2009-11-07T08:04:00.000-08:00

I've been very busy making lots of new dichroic glass jewellery pieces and have been gradually listing everything in my Ebay shop. If you are looking for a special unique Christmas gift, or a piece of jewellery for yourself, please check out my online Ebay shop: Chloe's Designs Dichroic Glass

I have a range of handmade dichroic glass matching gift sets along with beaded sets, necklaces, earrings, bangles, cufflinks, bracelets, rings and more.

Bangles, Bracelets, Dichroic Glass Jewellery Sets, Beaded Sets, Cufflinks, Earrings, Necklaces, Pendants, Rings, Glass Giftware

Just back from a big craft fair...

2009-09-17T00:35:00.000-07:00

I'm just back after doing a 4 day craft fair at Middleton Hall in Central Milton Keynes. The fair finished on Sunday 13th September. I was really pleased with my display and added in a few new extra things this time such as a curtain for the panels at the back of my stand, and a couple of new display features. I have always made my own 'Chloe's Designs' banner, but I would really like to get a bigger and more professional looking banner made for my next fair.

I will be back at Middleton Hall in Central Milton Keynes for their Christmas Gift Fair, Thursday 29th October to Sunday 1st November.

This week has been very busy for me getting my Ebay shop back online. I have been listing lots of new pendants, bracelets & bangles, and will be listing some more of my new handmade pieces today.

Here are a few of my latest handmade sterling silver bangles...

If you would like to browse through my jewellery items currently for sale, please visit my Ebay shop: http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/Chloes-Designs-Dichroic-Glass

A busy August Preparing...

2009-08-28T07:04:00.000-07:00

I've been keeping myself busy this month trying to make as many new pendants, earrings and other jewellery bits. I've got my next big craft fair coming up soon and I'm starting to panick a little. I think I've got nearly everything sorted. Just trying to get my last few jobs done.

The craft fair is on at Central Milton Keynes indoor shopping centre between Thursday 10th to Sunday 13th September. The fair will be in Middleton Hall right outside John Lewis. If you're passing by, please come and say hello : - )

I've made lots of pendants and really want to put some of them on beaded necklaces. I'm not very good when it comes to beads and have been really struggling to find one's that I like. In the past I have used Cats Eye (fibre optic) beads, but I would like to try something a little different.

August was also a busy month for me as I had a few birthday pressies to buy & make. I made this sterling silver & dichroic glass dragonfly bracelet for my mum along with a matching necklace & earrings set. I was really pleased how well the bracelet came out and definately want to make some more of these.

Working with Sterling Silver & Cold Enamels

2009-06-23T04:34:00.000-07:00

Over the last few weeks I've been busy practising my soldering skills using sterling silver sheet & metal. I finished making several sterling silver bangles which I sent off to be hallmarked at an assay office. I was so excited to get my jewellery pieces back officially hallmarked. I'm now working on my next set of bangles and rings which I will also send away to be hallmarked.

To add a little colour to my jewellery, I've wanted to try enamelling for ages, but I've read it's a little tricky, so I opted for a cold enamel kit which I've been testing out. I've had great fun with my cold enamels, and my soldering technique is also coming along.

I've only had 1 small accident while sawing some sterling silver sheet, when I left my hand in front of the saw and ended going through my finger. Ouch!! It wasn't too bad, but bad enough to learn to keep my fngers out of the way!!

I finished this ring a while ago also using sterling silver sheet for the heart and rectangle silver wire for the ring shank. This was my first ring using the cold emamels.

I've been a little side-tracked working with silver lately, although over the last few days I have been back on the case with my dichroic glass jewellery pieces. My next big craft fair is in September at Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre, so I really want to try and make as much as possible to take with me. My jewellery items are currently for sale in my ebay shop, so please come by and take a look.

Check out Chloe's Designs Online Ebay Shop

2009-06-03T02:30:00.000-07:00

Father's Day: Sunday 21st June 2009

It' not long until Father's Day and if you are looking for that special gift this year, then why not check out some of my handmade gift ideas:

Handmade Glass Bowls Gift Boxed with Wrapped Werther's Sweets:

Click here to view the full range of glass bowls available.

These attractive glass bowls are handmade and one of a kind. All of the glass has been hand cut, so each bowl is different & unique. The glass bowls come gift boxed with a packet of wrapped Werther's sweets, making these the perfect present to give to someone special.

Handmade Dichroic Glass Cufflinks:

Click here to view the full range of Dichroic Glass Cufflinks Available.

These dichroic glass cufflinks come in a pretty silver gift box with a white cardboard sleeve.

Handmade Dichroic Glass Clocks:

Click here to view details about this clock.

This handmade clock includes dichroic glass and is one of a kind. The clock has a hook on the back so it can easily be hung on the wall and comes in a pretty gift box.

Don't forget Father's Day: Sunday 21st June 2009

Handmade Dichroic Glass Pendants

2009-05-19T06:20:00.001-07:00

Here's a selection of my latest dichroic glass pendants which have been kiln fused. I hand cut all of my glass, so each pendant is unique and one of a kind. The pendants require several firings in the kiln before they are finished and can take several days to complete, but the final results are usually worth waiting for!

Shades of Blue & Green:

Rainbow Colours:

Bullet Shaped Pendants:

Hand Etched Pendants:

I have a wide range of pendants and other handmade dichroic glass jewellery available to buy now from my Ebay shop. If you would like a custom piece of jewellery making, please drop me an email to: anne@chloesdesigns.com

Click here to visit my Ebay Shop.

Fine Silver Jewellery made using Silver Art Clay

2009-04-21T07:22:00.000-07:00

It was such a gorgeous day yesterday that I decided to take my work outside and finished polishing some of my latest handmade jewellery pieces. I have made these earrings & pendants using silver art clay which have been fired in my kiln leaving just .999 fine silver:

I have a couple more pieces waiting to be polished, so hopefully I will have some more pics soon. Just got these jewellery bits listed in my Ebay shop today, so please come take a look : - )

A couple of froggies in our pond .. enjoying the lovely sunshine...

Working on some new dichroic glass & silver jewellery pieces...

2009-04-15T08:43:00.001-07:00

I've been wanting to make a sterling silver bangle for ages now, but my soldering skills are not the best. I havn't done much soldering, so I think I could do with a little training and lots of practise! I decided to jump right in and several soldering attempts later, I managed to solder a sterling silver bangle and also a matching ring. I wanted to keep the design fairly simple, to see if I could finish the bangle without noticing the join:

I don't think they are perfect ... but after alot of sanding and polishing, I was quite pleased with my first attempt and have decided I will keep the bangle for myself. I've ordered some more sterling silver wire this morning, so am eager to have another go!

I've also been working on some new dichroic glass jewellery gift sets. I have just finished these sets which feature pretty dragonflies:

I have been listing the sets pictured above plus some additional new pieces in my Ebay shop, so please come & take a look.

Back from my first craft fair of the year...

2009-03-24T01:23:00.000-07:00

I've just finished doing my first craft fair of the year at Central Milton Keynes shopping centre. I arrived at the shopping centre last Wednesday evening to set up my jewellery & glassware stand which took several hours. The craft fair was on for 4 days and I really enjoyed myself. There was a good variety of stands to browse in the shopping centre and some really beautiful handmade gifts. Here's a picture of my stand just after setting up on the Wednesday...

I have been working on my display for some time now, and am alot happier with my lights. I bought a couple of 150 watt lights to hang over the back boards which worked very well. At about mid-day the sun would shine right onto my stand and that really did help make my dichroic glass jewellery sparkle : - )

I was so chuffed with all the lovely comments I received and was even more pleased when a couple of customers were wearing jewellery they had bought from me before. I sell my handmade glass pendants for £5.00 each or £9.99 on a sterling silver snake chain and they went down a treat.

I'm going to have a look for a few more craft fairs to do, but I am returning to Central Milton Keynes for their next Craft Fayre from the 3rd to the 6th September 2009. I have lots of ideas for some new jewellery pieces and am hoping to make my display look even better next time : - )

Getting ready for a craft fair

2009-03-12T03:37:00.000-07:00

I have got my first craft fair of the year coming up next week. It's at Central Milton Keynes shopping centre in Middleton Hall and is on from Thursday 19th March to Sunday 22nd March 2009. I really hope it will be busy that weekend and I have been busy making lots of new dichroic glass jewellery pieces for Mother's Day.

There will be over 100 exhibitors in the hall, so a good variety of handmade crafts. I will be taking along all of my dichroic glass & silver jewellery plus my glass giftware pieces. I have lots of new handmade dichroic glass pendants, bangles, bracelets, brooches, necklaces, matching gift sets, cufflinks and more. The last couple of weeks have been really busy as I have been working on a new layout and getting some new display items. I hope it all comes together okay.

My stand will be by a shop called Woolfe. If you are in CMK between the 19th - 22nd March, please pop over and say hello.

Lots of new jewellery in my Ebay shop

2009-02-20T07:18:00.001-08:00

I have been busy all week taking pictures of my dichroic glass jewellery so that I can get them listed in my Ebay shop. I have lots of new pendants plus bangles, bracelets, necklaces, cufflinks, earrings, rings and more. All of the jewellery in my Ebay shop has been handmade and all of the glass is cut by hand, so each piece is unique and cannot be exactly reproduced.
Pictured above are just a few of the pendants and necklaces available to buy now from my Ebay shop. Click on the picture above or click here to visit my Ebay shop.

I am always busy making new things in my workshop, so please check back for new updates.

Wire Wrapped Dichroic Glass Pendant

2009-02-11T03:44:00.001-08:00

I've been working on some new wire wrapped dichroic glass pendants. The pendant pictured above is the latest one I have just finished. I have used 5 purple cord strands to make the necklace and finished it with a pretty heart toggle clasp. I have used several layers of glass in this pendant which creates some very vibrant colours as the light hits it.
I've got a few more wire wrapped pendants to finish off, so I'll hopefully have some more pics soon.

Shaping Glass Stringers Demo

2009-01-29T06:51:00.000-08:00

I've been busy making a few glass bowls and earlier today I recorded a short demonstration on how to shape glass stringers. I first of all cut my glass to make the base of my bowl, and then shape the glass stringers under a blow torch to add a spiral design.

I have never really been that confident in front of a camera, and could definately do with alot more practise. I am okay when the camera is switched off, but as soon as it's on, I feel silly and usually get the giggles if other people are watching! Anyway, here goes...

I've discovered Twitter...

2009-01-26T00:25:00.000-08:00

I followed a friend onto Twitter last night and started my very first twitter. I love going into the forums on Etsy.com, but I'd never been on Twitter before. I instantly found lots of cool Twitter pages through the forum in Etsy and was suprised when I logged in this morning to see I now have 17 followers : - )
Here's a link to my Twitter page: http://twitter.com/chloesdesigns. I'm going to try and keep it updated as often as possible. If anyone else is Twittering, please drop me a message. I would love to read them : - )

New dichroic glass jewellery designs

2009-01-22T03:53:00.000-08:00

I've been working on some new dichroic glass cross pendants this month and have just finished some of them. The white sparkly cross pendant pictured below is probably one of my favorites and took me the longest to make.

Here are a few of my other dichroic glass crosses that I have just finished making...

This week I also discovered a cool site that is building together a website for crafts and other items that are handmade in the UK. The website address is http://www.handmade-crafts.co.uk/. I think these kinds of websites are brilliant for people making crafts and also people looking to buy crafts. I have often trawled through endless search engines on the internet trying to find that extra special gift for someone, or just something that's a little different.

I've got my first craft fair at the end of March at Middleton Hall in Central Milton Keynes shopping centre. It's going to be on from Thursday 19th March to Sunday 22nd March (Mothers Day). I have lots of preparation to do before the fair, so I have already made a start and hope it will be a successful event. If you are in the area around Mothers Day, please come over and say hello : - )

Handmade Christmas Glassware & Jewellery Gifts

2008-12-28T09:08:00.000-08:00

I have been dying to show a few of my Christmas gifts that I made this year. The pictures below are 3 dichroic glass bowls that I made. They have been kiln fused and placed over a slump mould to create the shape.

I used coloured glass stringers in all 3 bowls, and also added some dichroic glass into the 2 black bowls.

The medium sized bowl pictured below also has some glitter fused between the glass. This was a new thing I decided to try out. I think I will try using a little more glitter next time and see how it comes out.

I made a red & silver dichroic glass bangle for my mum along with a matching necklace, bracelet and earrings. I was really pleased how the bangle turned out. The colours are so striking and eye catching.

I couldn't resist making an extra couple of pendants for my mum for Christmas, and this one was my favorites with the green and purple colour mix....

I had a fabulous Christmas and am looking forward to seeing what 2009 brings. I really want to do alot more work making glass bowls and glassware pieces. I also have some ideas for some new items which I hope to add to my online shop shortly.

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas, and I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year : - )

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year...

2008-12-18T03:47:00.001-08:00

I'd like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I really can't believe how quickly this year has gone. I hope everyone has had a good December. This was my first year at doing craft fairs and jewellery parties and I have really enjoyed myself and learnt alot along the way. When I look back at my first craft fair, I think my designs and displays have slowly developed and improved, but I have lots more things planned for 2009 and hope it will be a good year. I have received so much support from so many people this year, that I would like to say a massive thank you, and hope I can continue creating attractive jewellery & glassware.
Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year! From Chloe's Designs.

A Double Layer of Dichroic Glass...

2008-12-11T03:35:00.000-08:00

I've just finished making this dichroic glass jewellery gift set using 2 layers of dichroic glass. The set is pale pink and silver underneath and has a layer of transparent red dichroic glass over the top. I love the depth in this necklace & earrings set, and especially love the way it sparkles in the light. I had to fire the glass pieces several times in my kiln and I also shaped the edges so they are nice and flat.

I have a few new jewellery gift sets available which I will be listing in my shop today: http://www.chloesdesigns.com/. You can also check out some of my jewellery pieces in my Ebay Shop.

My kiln is back on again this morning and I'm fusing a glass bowl. I'm not quite sure how this one is going to turn out, but I will post some pics when it's finished.

In the Jewellery Party Spirit...

2008-11-21T09:02:00.001-08:00

I'm just back from doing another jewellery party for a good friend of mine in Milton Keynes. I've not done many jewellery parties, but I am really getting a buzz for them. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I hope I made it enjoyable for all the guests too. I also held a raffle with a few prizes which went down a treat. Below are just a few of my latest jewellery sets that I have just finished making..

I have lots of new pieces listed in my online shop and delivery is just £2.00 regardless of the order size. Please come and check out my dichroic glass jewellery & glassware at http://www.chloesdesigns.com/.

My stand at the CMK Christmas Gift Fayre

2008-11-03T10:49:00.000-08:00

I've just got back home after doing a 3 day Christmas Gift Fayre at Central Milton Keynes. The Gift Fayre was held in Middleton Hall just outside John Lewis. I arrived on the Thursday afternoon to set up and was really pleased with my overall layout. However, I did let myself down a little by not getting some better lights sorted. I am going to get this sorted for next time. I'd like some halogen lights, but I need to think about how to set them up first.

Here's me at my stand on Friday 31st October '08...

I met lots of lovely people over the 3 days and was really pleased to sell some of my favorite dichroic glass jewellery pieces. I got back home last night and have been un-packing everything this morning. My online shop is now back online and available to buy from. I have lots of new items not yet listed, so will be adding new jewellery pieces to my shop shortly. http://www.chloesdesigns.com/

I've just been tagged..

2008-10-21T07:50:00.000-07:00

Woohoo… I’ve just been tagged by Alison of BeaDangles Jewellery. Here’s a quick run down of the rules…

1. Link to your tagger and list these rules on your blog.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by including links to their blogs.

4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs.

Here goes….

1. I just love old VW Campervans, and a couple of years ago we drove our 1965 splitscreen camper to Rome & back which was an ace experience. We covered just over 3000 miles in total. (.. and I still can’t believe it got us there & back without breaking down once!)

Here's a pic of us at the leaning tower of Pisa (This was as close as we could get)...

2. We’ve got a gorgeous 8 year old cat called Chloe which I named my business after.

3. I’m addicted to watching Neighbours!! Can you believe Harold is still in it!!

4. My favorite album is ‘The It Girl’ by Sleeper.

5. I’m petrified of spiders. (Money spiders are okay… anything bigger is just scary!)

6. I only started working with glass last December and wish I’d started years ago.

7. One sunny day I was driving to pick up my boyfriend. I put my sunglasses on thinking I looked well cool. When I picked up my boyfriend he looked at me funny & asked if everything was okay. I didn’t realise that one of the sunglass lenses had come out, and I’d been driving around with only 1 lense in my sunglasses! I felt such an idiot! lol

And here’s my tag list:

1. DAiSYS & dots Blogspot
2. Glass Kanvas Blogspot
3. Hemp Creations Blogspot
4. KMC designs Blogspot
5. Keepsake Kollections Blogspot
6. Sweetz Shoppe Blogspot
7. incy wincy stitches Blogspot

Handmade Dichroic Glass Jewellery

2008-10-14T01:54:00.000-07:00

I have been updating my website lately and adding in lots of new handmade dichroic glass & silver jewellery pieces. The glass bangle pictured above is my latest creation and will be listed in my shop shortly.
I have lots of dichroic glass jewellery gift sets which would make the perfect Christmas present for that special person. (UK delivery is just £2.00)
Please come & check out my handmade jewellery & glassware at www.chloesdesigns.com, alternatively you can come & see me at the Central Milton Keynes Christmas Gift Fayre in Middleton Hall from 31st October to 2nd November '08.

Cats in Glass...

2008-10-10T06:23:00.000-07:00

As a avid cat lover, I have been wanting to make something that included cats for ages. I have recently been fusing copper between glass and thought this would be a perfect way to incorporate a puddy cat design. I drew my cat on a plain piece of paper to make a stencil and then copied this onto some copper foil. I cut my cats out of the copper foil and fused this between some bullseye pattern glass. I've made a candle holder and a small bowl...

I'm halfway through making another small bowl so that I will have a matching set...

Flower & Heart Jewellery Designs...

2008-10-09T01:40:00.001-07:00

I've been working on some new flower & heart pendants and have just finished making this .999 fine silver pendant using precious metal clay...

This pendant took me a few days to complete and I am really pleased with the finished result. The pendants are tumble polished and then I finish them off by hand. I love setting gemstones in the silver as I just love anything sparkly!!

I've also just finished making this heart pendant which is definately one of my favorites...

I think this pendant would also look gorgeous on a silver torque necklace.

I'm getting ready for my next fair which is at the end of this month in Central Milton Keynes. I've got a stand at the Christmas Gift Fayre in Middleton Hall and am looking forward to it. I'm trying to get some more glassware pieces made to take with me too. The fayre is on from Friday 31st October to Sunday 2nd November. Please come & say hello if you're in the area.

Copper inclusions in glass...

2008-10-01T03:03:00.000-07:00

I've been fusing some copper inclusions in glass recently and was really pleased with my latest octopus design. It's just come out of the kiln this morning. I'm going to put it back in the kiln later today and shape it into a bowl. I've got some more copper inclusions in the kiln at the moment and can't wait to see how they turn out.

I've also done a few heart designs too ...

I just need to attach a couple of bails so these can be worn as pendants.

A few new dichroic glass pendants...

2008-09-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of my latest dichroic glass pendants that I have just finished listing in my online shop. I especially love the pink glass pendants on the top row. I've also made a couple of matching pendant & earring gift sets in the pink too. I've been busy this week trying to list as many new pieces in my shop as possible. I've also been working on some new glass bowls, so I hope to have a picture of them soon.

I've booked a stand at the Central Milton Keynes Christmas Gift Fayre. It's on from Friday 31st October to Sunday 2nd November '08. There will be around 100 exhibitors at Middleton Hall, CMK and should be a very good event. I am really looking forward to it. If you're in the area, please come & say hello. Middleton Hall is in the main central Milton Keynes shopping centre, right outside John Lewis. I'm not sure exactly where my stand will be just yet, but I will update my blog as soon as I know.

Milton Keynes Craft Fair

2008-09-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

I'm just back from doing my first big craft fair in Milton Keynes. The fair was on for 4 days and in the Milton Keynes main indoor shopping centre. I arrived on Wednesday night and spent several hours setting up my stand. This is the only photograph I took just after setting up...

I was really hoping to have more glass bowls and plates to take with me, but decided to concentrate mainly on jewellery. There were over 100 exhibitors in the hall and quite a few jewellery stands. It didn't help that we had such a lovely weekend ... (I think it's the only time I've ever wanted it to rain!! lol)

Thank you to all my family & friends that came to see me at the fair. It was lovely that so many people popped over the say hello. Being my first big craft fair, I wasn't too sure what to expect and was having last minute nerves that my stand would look quite amateurish against the other stands. I was pleased with the overall layout, but have got lots of new ideas to try and improve my display.

I've got lots of new pieces that I am currently listing in my online shop, so please come and check it out: http://www.chloesdesigns.com/.

2008-09-04T10:55:00.000-07:00

Pink Sparkly Dichroic Glass Bangle

2008-09-03T11:45:00.001-07:00

I just love making these glass bangles and especially love this sparkly pink bangle. I have used some transparent dichroic glass along with pink fusing glass to create this bangle. It is quite difficult to capture a good photo as the dichroic glass sparkles vibrant pinks and purples and is just stunning. Unfortunately I've nearly finished using all my pink fusing glass, so I think I will be placing another order for some more soon!!

I've got a few more bangles ready to be shaped at the moment plus a load more waiting to be fired for the first time. My workroom is filling up with glass pieces waiting to be fired. I've been a little side-tracked the last couple of days working with silver art clay and making some new pendants and rings. I'm still working on these but will update with some pics very soon : - )

Just finished making these...

2008-08-29T09:47:00.000-07:00

I've just finished making a few silver, glass & beaded jewellery pieces. I am currently making lots of new dichroic glass & silver jewellery for the Milton Keynes craft fayre in September. It's the biggest craft fayre I've done so far and really want to make sure I have a good variety of jewellery pieces.

I am also working on some new brooches which I hope to have ready for the craft fayre. I've got a 4m by 2m shell style area and have been outside in the garden today mapping out my stand design on the ground ... (the neighbours probably think I'm barmy laying pegs all over the ground!! lol)

The craft fayre is being held at Middleton Hall, Central Milton Keynes indoor shopping centre between Thursday 18th September and Sunday 21st September. I will be in one of the corners by Boros bag/luggage shop. If you are in the shopping centre, please come and say hello. There will be over 100 exhibitors in total, so there will be lots of different arts and crafts to look at and buy.

Here are just a few more of the pieces I have finished this week...

Just back from Cornwall...

2008-08-23T08:51:00.000-07:00

We arrived back home yesterday after spending 5 wet & sunny days in Cornwall. It's a shame we didn't have sunshine & wind, as we had taken our VW camper to Cornwall for a spot of wind-surfing. We camped at Stithians Lake in Redruth which had lovely views, but unfortunately the weather was quite dire! One of the highlights of the week was visiting the Eden Project. The massive Biomes that dominate the scenery are very impressive. Walking around the Biomes, you wouldn't believe that Eden was only 7 years old!

There are 2 Biomes to explore, the Rainforest Biome and the Mediterranean Biome. I personally preferred the Mediterranean Biome as it wasn't so hot & humid inside! The Rainforest Biome was extremely busy and it didn't help that people were blocking the narrow walkway to photograph paintings that had been drawn on some of the large rocks. (I could probably understand if they were paintings from the stone age!!)

We've had a lovely break, even if the weather wasn't that good. I'm going to start concentrating on preparation for my big craft fair coming up next month in Milton Keynes. It's come around really quickly. I've got lots to do and lots of new glass jewellery pieces to make, so I will be very busy over the next couple of weeks.

Ebay Shop re-vamp

2008-08-07T04:31:00.000-07:00

I've been working on my ebay shop for the last couple of days as it has been a little neglected lately. I have been so busy making jewellery and doing craft fairs that I have done little work on my ebay shop. I set up my ebay shop several years ago selling my own artwork & photography of VW Camper vans, beetles, 356 speedsters and Vespas. I have a range of A4, A3+ and A1 posters along with gift cards and cotton t-shirts.

I had already designed a new page layout and have just spent this morning updating some of my posters. I hope to have the rest updated with the new layout over the next few days.

I'm getting ready for next months big craft fair in Central Milton Keynes. (Thursday 18th - Sunday 21st September at Middleton Hall, CMK). I am really looking forward to my first big fair, but I know there's not much time left to get everything planned. I'm spending every day with the kiln on just hope that everything will fit in the car when the time comes!!

Please come and check out my ebay shop. Any feedback on the new layout would be greatly appreciated.

... you aint seen me ... right!!

2008-07-29T02:31:00.001-07:00

I love watching the fishes in our garden pond, especially at this time of year when the flowers are out and the plants look their best. However I always feel like there is someone watching me!!! We did have frogspawn earlier in the year, but unfortunately the fish ate it all. We tried to protect it, but these were very determind fishes!!!...

Dichroic Glass Forum

2008-07-23T02:49:00.000-07:00

The Truly Handmade craft fair last Saterday went really well. The event was organised by Caroline of LittleGemsUK and ran very smoothly. Even though it rained for most of the day the event was extrememly well organised and there was a very good turn out. I was very pleased with my table display and met alot of lovely talented people. It was actually quite difficult trying to keep my purse in my bag as there were so many unique and beautiful crafts to look at and buy.

I also met another very talented artist who was Sam of incywincy crafts. Sam makes stunning button jewellery including personalised gifts and much more. I saw one of Sam's button bracelets at the weekend and it really is beautiful. Sam introduced me to the Dichroic Glass Forum which I have recently joined. This is a great site which offers lots of information, news links, advice, tutorials etc... The website address is http://dichroicglass.co.uk/

I have just finished making a pink & black chequered bangle this week to match the necklace & earrings set I made last week. I've also just finished making a few bangles, so thought I would show off my new jewellery pieces...

Latest Dichroic Glass Jewellery Designs...

2008-07-16T02:57:00.000-07:00

I've just finished making my latest range of dichroic glass jewellery with a chequered design. I made a white chequered bangle a few weeks ago and was very pleased with the result, so I decided to make another chequered bangle along with a range of dichroic glass earrings and pendants. I am just finishing off the pendants, but here are a few pictures so far. I will be adding some of these jewellery pieces to my online shop.

Truly Handmade Craft Fair Saterday 19th July 2008

2008-07-15T08:44:00.001-07:00

I've been a very busy bee the past few days. I bought some new dichroic glass colours and have been making up lots of new jewellery sets, earrings and pendants. I wanted to get a really bright electric pink and this is how my first piece turned out using the new pink dichroic glass along with grey fusing glass...

I'm really pleased I have some new colours to take with me this weekend to the Truly Handmade craft fair. The craft fair is being held this Saterday 19th July at St James Church Hall, Mere Green Road, Mere Green, Sutton Coldfield, B75 5BW. If you are in the area, please stop by and say hello. There will be a variety of arts & craft stalls with free admission & parking. (Opening times will be 10am-3pm)

I have also made a pair of dichroic glass stud earrings in the same electric pink colour. Please come & browse my website for lots more handmade jewellery. www.chloesdesigns.com

The Day of the Triffids!!!

2008-07-09T00:45:00.001-07:00

I walked down our driveway last week as normal on my way to the local shops. It was a lovely warm evening and everything seemed fine. However, something rather strange had happened while I was gone. I walked back home to find this massive plant on the side of our house had just fallen down and completely blocked the drive. My partner had watched the plant slowly fall to the ground while he was working on his car. I'm pleased it happened on such a nice day!! The plant had been climbing the side of the house for many years.. I wonder what caused it to fall when it did?.....

Dichroic Glass Clip on Earrings

2008-06-30T12:02:00.001-07:00

My newest range of dichroic glass clip on earrings with removable comfort sleeves. Please browse my online shop for more clip on earrings, and other dichroic glass & silver jewellery. Delivery is just £2.00 on all orders. http://www.chloesdesigns.com/

When you fall in love with a piece of jewellery...

2008-06-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

I was at Bakewell Craft Fair in Derbyshire this weekend selling my dichroic glass & silver jewellery. I had been busy all last week making up lots of new jewellery pieces to take with me. I had made lots of little glass stud earrings along with some more silver & glass adjustable rings. I was just so delighted when a this lovely lady saw the ring pictured below and instantly fell in love with it. She was from America and just about to head back home. I'm so pleased they decided to stop at Bakewell first : - ) The lady could not take the ring off and a few minutes later the ring was sold. I was really pleased the lady bought the ring as you could tell she really loved it. She even decided to keep it on...

2008-06-25T03:40:00.000-07:00

I ordered some more sterling silver adjustable ring blanks which arrived this week. This is my latest adjustable ring. I handmade the front piece using precious metal clay and dichroic glass. The glass piece has 2 layers of dichroic glass in it which gives it an amazing sparkly effect and the colours are so vibrant. This is then attached onto the sterling silver ring using a 2 part high strength epoxy glue.

I have also been busy this week making up lots of diddy dichroic glass stud earrings. These have been really popular at the craft fairs. They are about 7mm by 7mm and all have sterling silver studs. I have listed a few pairs in my online shop and will be listing some more soon.

White Chequered Dichroic Glass Bangle

2008-06-20T01:41:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to show off my latest white glass bangle which I handmade with a chequered dichroic glass pattern in it. I don't think the photograph above quite does this bangle justice as it's just beautiful when the light catches it. I have made two white bangles so far, but will definately be making more of these : - )

Fine Silver Wrap-over Ring

2008-06-19T07:46:00.000-07:00

So I decided to have a go at making a wrap over ring, and here's how it turned out. I thought I would add the hearts around the ring band as it looked a little bare on it's own. I am thinking about making my next wrap over ring with gemstones set in it. I added a patina to this ring to darken the silver and then gently wire brushed it. I finished off by polishing the little hearts to give them a nice shine.
I'm currently making some more adjustable silver rings which should be finished tomorrow. Will post a picture as soon as they're done : - )

My dichroic glass & silver jewellery takes centre stage...

2008-06-16T00:58:00.000-07:00

I was a little nervous this weekend when I was put on the front centre table at the Bakewell craft fair with my dichroic glass & silver jewellery and glassware pieces. The organiser of the craft fair rotates the front table so that everyone can have a go if they want to. It took me a little longer to set up in the morning as I had to re-think my table layout and I like to group things together so that all the earrings are in one place etc. I was really pleased with the final layout and was even more chuffed when another crafter commended me on my table display. The first picture below was taken just as you walked through the front doors of the craft fair...

I decided to put my glassware pieces around one side of the table and my earrings and pendants on the other side. The pendants are displayed in a carry case box that my boyfriend made for me. I was so pleased how well the case turned out, and it works very well for displaying my glass pendants...

I have recently updated my website with craft fair dates that I am currently doing. I will be adding to this list as I get more dates booked. Please click here to see my craft fair dates.

So this week I will be making up new stock. I especially need to make some more dichroic glass stud earrings which are very popular. The stud earrings are just £4.99 each and all come on sterling silver ear studs. I made a pair for myself which I always wear and they certainly attract alot of attention as they sparkle away. I will be listing some of my stud earrrings on my website shortly.

Website re-vamped...

2008-06-13T04:07:00.001-07:00

I've spent the last couple of days updating my website which is nearly finished. I have just a couple more pages to complete, but the majority is now uploaded. I have a selection of dichroic glass and silver necklaces, bangles, earrings, rings etc all available to buy online from www.chloesdesigns.com/.
I can also make custom jewellery pieces. I have a few sets of cufflinks which I will be listing in my online shop today. These are my first lot of cufflinks which are sterling silver and dichroic glass. The computer has been a little slow uploading everything this morning, so I am just off for a quick coffee break. The necklace pictured above is another one I finished making earlier this week.

Fine Silver & Dichroic Glass Pendants

2008-06-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I made these fine silver & dichroic glass pendants. I had already made the glass pieces a couple of weeks ago using fusing glass and dichroic glass. The glass pieces have been fired several times to achieve the final result. The pendant on the top lefthand side was made using a cork clay burnout. The shape is made with cork clay and then left to dry overnight. I then used silver clay in a syringe and piped all around the outside of the cork clay. I've included 4 pink gemstones in this pendant which add an extra little sparkle.
I have just listed these necklaces in my Etsy shop today.

2008-06-09T04:42:00.001-07:00

Matching his & hers dichroic glass sets...

2008-06-09T03:26:00.000-07:00

This is my first matching his & hers sets that I have just completed. The cufflinks are sterling silver with dichroic glass and come in a lovely grey & satin presentation box. The pendant is made from 99.9% fine silver and dichroic glass and comes on 18" sterling silver snake necklace. The necklace also comes with a matching pair of earrings on sterling silver ear studs. The necklace & earrings come in a pretty purple & silver magnetic gift box. The bails & jump rings on the earrings are also sterling silver. The pendant also features a pretty crystal clear sparkly gemstone. This set was made handmade as a wedding gift for a very special couple.
I have made up a few matching sets which I am currently finishing off. Will post a picture of them very soon!!

Just gotta have it ...

2008-06-04T04:05:00.000-07:00

I was so pleased when one of my friends saw this ring and just had to have it. I just love the vibrant pink glass stone in this ring. It was quite difficult to get a picture that showed just how bright and vibrant the colour is. The ring is 99.9% fine silver and also features a pretty pink gemstone. I think this ring looks absolutely stunning on my friends finger and I was delighted when she bought it. I'm so pleased I got a picture of it now so that I can add it to my gallery.

My bling bling galaxy rings ...

2008-06-03T04:42:00.000-07:00

I have recently finished making my third fine silver galaxy ring. The latest addition is the ring in the middle with the purple gemstones. This ring is the most chunkiest of the three. My personal favorite is the galaxy ring on the left. I was trying to think of a name for these rings for ages. I thought that the spiral shape around the ring reminded me of a galaxy and hey presto! I'm not very good at naming my jewellery, but I do enjoy trying to think up some cool names!
I'm not sure if I will do anymore in this style just yet. I am currently working on some more rings with dichroic glass so hope to have a few more ready soon.

My latest dichroic glass bangles

2008-05-29T04:23:00.001-07:00

These are my latest dichroic glass bangles that I have just finished making. I particularly like the sparkly white glass bangle on the bottom row. I just love making these bangles and am in the process of making another white bangle with a checkered sparkly pattern in the glass. The bangles are 100% fusing glass and dichroic glass. They are fired several times in the kiln before being shaped in the kiln when it reaches about 1330 degrees fahrenheit.
I will be listing these bangles in my Etsy shop shortly.

2008-05-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

Making chunky fine silver rings ...

2008-05-23T03:17:00.000-07:00

I was really chuffed last week when I sold 2 of my adjustable silver rings at Bakewell craft fair in Derbyshire. I have heard alot of people saying they would like even bigger chunkier rings. I thought I had made a few that were pretty chunky, but I've just finished making the ring above which is definately my most chunkiest yet. It measures 4.3cm from the back of the ring to the front. I have embedded 7 different coloured gemstones in the ring to give it that extra sparkle. The whole ring is 99.9% fine silver with gemstones. The circular piece on the front is 2cm in diameter. This is probably the funkiest ring I've created so far and I am so thrilled at the way it turned out. If you have any comments good or bad about my latest ring, I would certainly love any feedback : - )

My First Jewellery Party Blast

2008-05-14T07:17:00.000-07:00

I did my first ever jewellery party last week and had a fabulous time. My friend hosted the party at her house and I bought along all my jewellery & glassware pieces and set up everything on her table. The night was a great success, but there are definately areas where I can make improvements. My organisation wasn't the best and my sales log was very muddled, although I managed to sort it all out in the end. One of my friends suggested using a carbon copy receipt book to record sales in which I thought was a brilliant idea. Especially if people are browsing and looking to buy several items.
I also did a raffle, but again I wasn't very organised with that either. I had spent all week making new pieces to take with me, that I neglected to spend more time making sure I was better organised. I think everyone had a good night though. I got several requests to make custom pieces of jewellery which I've already made a start on. I've also had a couple more enquiries for jewellery parties. I had such a great time last week that I hope I get to do more.
I was at Bakewell, Derbyshire Craft & Collectors fair last weekend and will be there again this weekend. The craft fair is just off the main town in the Scouts building. Signs for the craft fair are put up in town on the day. I've had a table at Bakewell a few times now and really love this venue. There is also a great selection of other craft & collectors gifts on every week.
I hope to have finished my first few clip on earrings this week which I will take to the Bakewell Craft Fair this weekend.
Just a reminder that one of my necklaces are being auctioned online at the moment. All proceeds go to animal welfare & rehoming. Link to online auction: http://www.rykat.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=37864&st=0&#entry689304

Fine silver rings I made this week...

2008-04-24T03:18:00.000-07:00

I wanted to show off these fine silver rings that I finished making this week. The ring on the far left also includes dichroic glass. I made the glass piece from several layers of bullseye fusing glass and dichroic glass. There are actually 2 layers of dichroic glass, so you get an array of colours including reds, pinks, oranges, blues, yellows, purples, greens. Unfortunately it's so difficult to capture a photo showing all these colours. The colours sparkle as the light hits it and can constantly be reflecting different colours. It will certainly draw peoples attention to it as the ring sparkles away.
I have made all 3 rings using silver art clay. This is also available as precious metal clay, or PMC. Silver art clay is tiny particles of real fine pure silver mixed an organic binder. I've got a Skutt kiln which I just love. I've got my own timed programme I use for firing silver clay which will burn off the organic binder leaving you with 99.9% fine silver (or .999 fine silver).
.925 Sterling silver is made up of 92.5% pure fine silver and 7.5% of other metals usually copper.
My own personal favorite ring is the middle one. I like the way the grooves are darker and stand out more. I've just listed all 3 rings in my Etsy shop. Click here if you would like to take a closer look.

The Magic of Paint Shop Pro

2008-04-22T06:24:00.001-07:00

I thought I would show off some pictures I have taken and then jazzed up using Paint Shop Pro. The picture on the left is the original picture I took...
The cream cat is our own cat Chloe, and the black cat is a stray that we have named Bramble. It was probably a bad idea naming the stray as I'm sure he thinks he lives here! Paint Shop Pro is just great though for creating really cool banners and graphics and for creating special effects.

I've just joined the Creative Glass Guild of Etsy

2008-04-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

I was recently contacted by another seller on Etsy recommending the Creative Glass Guild of Etsy. (http://www.cgge.org/) I'd not heard of this website before and immediately went for a look. The seller that contacted me was FormFire Glassworks who has some absolutely stunning pieces of glass lampwork in their shop. (http://www.formfireglassworks.etsy.com/)

The cgge has promoted some lovely work on their website and feature additional information about Etsy sellers too. They also have their own forum covering many different issues. I immediately sent a request to become a member and have just received my membership confirmation this week which I am really thrilled about. I've discovered so many glass shops since joining the cgge. It's always amazing to come across so many different shops with glass, and each shop is unique and has their own feel, own style, and their own creation. That's exactly what I've been trying to do with my Etsy shop. I think that some of my jewellery pieces are a little bizairre... but hey, I guess it's still my very own creation and no-one else will have one!

Please take a moment to browse on the CGGE website. You will definately find lots of beautiful glass pieces on there & lots of interesting information.

Here's just a few pieces from my own Etsy shop. The stripey earrings were my first cool creation by accident. I made them with 1mm glass stringers, and Bullseye fusing glass. The plan was to make a small bowl, but something went wrong and I ended up breaking the glass into smaller pieces. I fired the smaller pieces again with some clear glass over the top, and they came out like little droplets. I thought they would make a lovely pair or earrings.

The Refuge - Auction to raise funds for animal welfare.

2008-04-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

I was contacted by a friend the other day that helps run http://www.therefuge.org.uk/. I have copied the message I received as it explains what they do really well...
'The Refuge is an animal welfare and rehoming internet forum which has over 2,000 active members and in the last 2 years raised over £30,000 which went directly to different animal rescue charities and organisations, both in the UK and abroad. Our most successful fundraisers are online auctions, where members donate and bid for items with all proceeds going to rescue.
In order to try and make this auction as successful as possible and of course to benefit two very worthy causes, I am writing to ask whether you might be able to donate an item to our auction. No matter how big or small, all items donated will go a long way towards helping animals in need and by way of a thank you, we will of course publicise your company on the forum, we average 800 – 900 posts per day and around 2.8k page views per day which will rise considerably during the auction period. Our own members are donating items and all the staff on the forum are running the auction in their own time. '
I have just donated the glass necklace pictured above which will be in the auction. The auction starts on the 8th May: http://www.rykat.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=37864
I think this is such a great cause that I just had to blog about it. If you are interested in donating an item for their auction, I'm sure the people at The Refuge would love to hear from you.
http://www.therefuge.org.uk/

I'm featured on Etsy Favorites Blog

2008-04-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

My dichroic blue glass bangle has just been featured on Robin Lynne's Etsy Favorites Blogspot which I am really chuffed about. Robin also has an Etsy shop selling handmade one of a kind jewellery & other baubles which is just gorgeous. Click here to check out Robin's Etsy shop.

My dichroic blue glass bangle is currently for sale in my Etsy shop priced at $38.00. I have several other dichroic glass bangles in my shop aswell as necklaces, pendants, jewellery gift sets, fine silver rings, sterling silver adjustable rings, earrings and bracelets.

Derbyshire Craft Fair, Matlock on Sun 4th May 2008

2008-04-09T07:31:00.000-07:00

I will be having another table at the Derbyshire Craft Fair in Matlock in May. The fair is being held on Sunday 4th May at The Whitworth Centre in Darley Dale, Matlock. There will be a variety of crafts for sale. I am going to have my handmade jewellery and some glassware items on my table. If your in the area, please pop in and say hello. The organiser Paula had a craft fair at this venue in February which I also did. It was a fabulous day and attracted many visitors including the local newspaper.... (newspaper pic is on one of my blog posts below!!)
I'm also thinking about doing a jewellery party. I've been reading some write ups from people that have had jewellery parties and they seem to go down really well. I've just emailed some friends to ask for their feedback. I feel completely at ease hosting a party and showing off my jewellery, and talking about it, but not all that great getting a good crowd together to begin with. If anyone has any advise, I'd love to hear from you : - )

Just made these glass earrings this week...

2008-04-09T03:34:00.000-07:00

I just finished making these dichroic glass earrings this week and I am really pleased with them. I've called them 'Rainbow Twizzler Earrings' and just added them to my etsy shop.
They are made with 2mm black glass and some pretty coloured rainbow dichroic glass. The glass has been layered together and then fused in a kiln. I have left the dichroic glass exposed which gives it this lovely vibrant colourful effect. You can fuse clear glass over the top which would give you a really glossy finish, but I love this this particular dichro glass being exposed on it's own.
I've put them on sterling silver ear hooks and the bails are also sterling silver.
www.chloesdesigns.etsy.com

www.mycamper.co.uk... Posters, Tshirts, Gift Cards & more

2008-04-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

I thought it was about time I mentioned my other work that I do. I originally started this blog to talk about my jewellery & glassware. However, my work originally started many years ago with Volkswagen Camper vans. We bought our first VW splitscreen campervan a few years ago and have been to many shows and even travelled as far as Rome one year. I started to make posters and prints to hang on our wall and decided I would try and sell some of them on ebay. I was very pleased when they started to sell : - ) I've recently added in mens and ladies t-shirts aswell as gift cards and framed prints. All of the photography and artwork has been done by myself. I have A4, A3+ and A1 posters available. Come and check out my website at www.mycamper.co.uk

My Latest Creations... Silver Rings

2008-03-24T05:31:00.000-07:00

These are my latest handcrafted rings. I just finished making these yesterday. The one of the left is my favorite. I listed them in my Etsy shop last night and have been trying to think of some good names for them. They are .999 fine silver and made entirely by hand. The ring in the middle and on the right also includes some dichroic glass. I made the glass piece by cutting the dichroic glass to size. This was then fused in a kiln with clear glass over the top to give it a lovely sparkly finish. The glass piece has then been shaped and re-fired.
The rings are handmade using silver art clay. Firing the rings in a kiln burns off the organic binder in the silver clay leaving you with .999 real fine pure silver.
The ring on the left includes 5 lovely gemstones. I have used a mixture of colours which I thought resembled springtime. It was late last night that I thought of a cool name for this ring: Springtime Galaxy : - )
I've listed all 3 of these silver & glass rings in my Etsy shop.

Handcrafted Fine Silver Jewellery

2008-03-12T02:04:00.000-07:00

These are my latest fine silver jewellery creations. I made these using silver art clay. I just love working with silver clay and the effects you can create are stunning. Silver clay is made from fine silver dust and a non toxic binder. You create your piece with the clay and then fire it in a kiln. The non toxic organic binder burns away leaving you with 99.9% real fine pure silver. After firing the silver it then requires polishing and hand finishing. I have recently discovered Etsy.com and just opened a new online shop where I have all these silver jewellery pieces listed. You can click here if you would like to take a look around my Etsy shop and see some of the other jewellery I have made.

Handmade Silver Adjustable Heart Ring

2008-03-07T00:49:00.003-08:00

This is my silver adjustable heart ring that I just finished making yesterday. I am really pleased with the way this ring turned out and couldn't wait to post a picture on my blog. The 2 hearts on the front of the ring are made from silver art clay. Once the silver clay hearts have been fired in kiln, you are left with 99.9% real silver. I have then attached the silver hearts to a sterling silver adjustable ring. I really like these rings. They wrap around your finger and can easily be adjusted without pinching your skin. I have just listed this ring in my Chloe's Designs online jewellery & glassware shop along with some of my other handcrafted rings. If you want to view more of my handcrafted rings, you can click here to go to my shop.

Something freaky is happening...

2008-03-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

I just had to write this post as something really freaky keeps happening to me. My partner has a replica kit car of a Porsche 356 Speedster. (Sounds nice... the replica is based of a VW Beetle Chassis). Anyway - I keep noticing the numbers '356' in things through-out the day. The main one is checking the temperature on the kiln and the moment I open the door and look at the timer, the temperature says 356 degrees! This has happened countless times!! The most freakiest one was suddenly waking up in the middle of the night and I looked at the clock and it read 3:56am. Has anyone else experienced this? I once started to read a book that was about how powerful the mind is, and if you keep thinking something will happen, then it will. I probably see hundreds of numbers every day, but maybe because 356 means something to me I take more notice?... It's very freaky tho. Would love to hear from anyone else who's maybe experienced something similar.....

Matching Jewellery set I made for my mum

2008-03-03T06:16:00.000-08:00

I made this matching dichroic glass jewellery set especially for my mum for Mother's Day. This set has to be one of my favorite jewellery sets that I've made. The set has been made with purple dichroic glass, pink glass, black glass and clear glass. I cut and layer the glass, then fuse all the layers together at high temperatures in a kiln. The glass is then slowly annealed to give maximum strength and ensure that the glass will not crack. After the first firing, I smooth the edges off and they go back in the kiln to be fire polished. I then handcrafted the silver bezel and bail to make the pendant. I made this using silver art clay. After firing the silver art clay, you are left with 99.9% real silver. The only parts that I have not handmade is the sterling silver snake necklace and the sterling silver bail & earring hooks. Other than the sterling silver findings, everything else is completely handcrafted by myself.
I especially like the glass bangles. These push on your arm and then slide down to sit snuggly over your wrist. They are made up from several layers of glass and shaped inside the kiln. The bangles are again slowly annealed to give them maximum strength, however they are 100% glass and could break if dropped.
I'm working on a new plate design at the moment. Will post a pic when it's finished.