One World - One Heart Giveaway

Hi! I'm participating in the One World - One Heart Giveaway event that takes place each year. This is a time in which people around the world visit each others blogs for a chance to get to know one another and enter giveaways.

This year I am giving away this beautiful Dichroic Cross Pendant that was created by me in my home studio.

• To enter yourself in this giveaway, please post a comment with contact information.
• The drawing will be held on February 12th.
• The winner will be contacted by me with a request for your mailing address and this pendant will be mailed to you anywhere in the world.
• Sign up in my blog if you would like future updates.
• You have January 19th through February 11th to comment for this giveaway. The drawing will be held on February 12th.

New Internet Shop!

You can now see my creations on the internet in two locations:

I just opened up a new shop: http://www.rwillisglassartist.artfire.com/
My original shop: http://www.rwillisglassartist.etsy.com/

If you are in the Cocoa, Florida area, stop by The Village Gingerbread House in Cocoa Village where over 300 glass creations are available for purchase. The Gingerbread House is a fun shop that sells retail items as well as items made by local artists and crafters.

Happy Crushing!

As many of you know, I am a fused glass artist - http://www.rwillisglassartist.etsy.com/ - and last year I came across this idea to create an inexpensive and productive way to make glass frit and thought I'd share it with you. The article is also posted in the blog at http://www.etsyglass.com/.

A friend of mine works at a local glass store, and she is always coming up with wonderful ideas. Well, her dad (an engineer) came up with this idea for a home-made frit maker. After seeing it, I made a quick dash to the Home Depot (Lowe's or Ace should have them too) so that I could make one for myself.

Materials from hardware store:

~ One 1-1/2" x 8" heavy lead pipe

~ One 1-1/2" cap

~ One 3/4" x 10" heavy lead pipe

~ Two 3/4" caps

From a glass supply company:

~ Glass Frit Sifter set (I love this set!!)

The coffee grinder just doesn't do it for me, and like many glass artists, I've been hammering the glass in plastic bags to make my frit. Now I just put my glass in the 1-1/2" pipe and use the capped 3/4" pipe to crush the glass. Then I poor the contents into the glass sifter set which separates the sizes of the frit. I then poor the frit into my 2-oz. storage containers (a gold-mine find at a local thrift store) or small zip-lock bags. The caps aren't flat, so I have to store the frit maker on its side. I'm sure you could flatten the cap. But, I'm not particular. I'm just thrilled to have this!

The weight of the capped 3/4" lead pipe makes it quick and easy for me to make my own frit, but to make the "crusher 3/4" pipe" even heavier I threw in some heavy fishing weights (a garage sale find). Rocks, lead balls, or anything else you can find to add some weight to it will work just as well.

:)

Happy crushing!