More pom pom earrings: handmade pom poms using yarns 

from Peru, Japan, and the US; lampworked glass, lasercut 

merino wool, and steel. These have gone to live in Barcelona.

I made this huge, hollow glass bead a long time ago. The diameter is about 2.5 inches, and I made it on a hothead torch. I wrapped molten glass around a core of kiln- washed extra fine steel wool, decorated it with more glass, and after cooling I removed the steel threads from the interior with tweezers.

Yesterday I realized that I could get this thick felted cord through 
the hole of the bead, and the color matched perfectly!

I made these glass beads and then earrings at Haystack, 
and the glass necklace was also made recently.

Some new glass beads I made in the class I recently took 

at Haystack with Kristina Logan!

Some new work, and new pictures of some other pieces. I flameworked all of this glass.
Photos by Graham Wheeler, hand by Jess Richards

A variation on the bubblecloud collar posted 

last month, this plays with those proportions

The tiniest seed beads in this are 24°, which 

are the smallest seed beads ever made, and

a very rare example of using beads that I did

not make myself.

I always love playing with gradients of color and size.

Glass chains for Calvin Klein

My brother finally persuaded me to start tweeting, as I made the glass chains that were worn as necklaces and belts in Calvin Klein Collection's FW2014 runway show today. The New York Times  covers it here!

Also, I put a few glass chain necklaces in my etsy shop. They do match everything.

Illustrators in FLOWERCLOUDS

GUNSHO illustrator James Quigley sports a Flowerclouds piece
gunshoisalive.blogspot.com/

Living legend Lynda Barry in a Flowerclouds headband
www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/magazine/cartoonist-lynda-barr...

Earrings

I made a simple and lightweight birthday gift for my friend.

I liked these so much that I made a heavier and more complicated version for me to test drive. These are of lampworked glass, steel, and silver.

A new video is in the works!

Yesterday Graham Wheeler and I recorded a new tutorial video: How to Make Glass Chains! We may need a few more shots and editing will take a little while, but check out this funny image of the back of my head.

2 mic packs hang on my back as the wires snake through my hair to microphones clipped on the arms of my glasses.

New Glass

I have never owned a car, but for a while between 2011 and 2012 I was borrowing a car from my family to help dear hearts in different states. For six months I drove 500 miles a week, to New York and back, and to Boston and back. I enjoyed seeing my relatives frequently & being present with loved ones, and I wrote a lot of songs in the car. I used the car to get to my glass studio in Central Falls, where I would also sing a lot. I was not home often. (note bene- Central Falls is the smallest city in the smallest state in the US!)

Exactly a year ago I was hit by a drunk driver just 2 blocks from my house in Providence. The other driver hit me and ran, but she "luckily" left her license plate in the intersection. I was not hurt, but it was the end of the car.

It was a relief to not drive so much anymore. Providence parking regulation enforcers are relentless, gas is expensive, traffic can sometimes be frustrating. Providence is so small and bikable anyway (for the most part.) 

Last week my extraordinary sweetheart of a friend was kind enough to help me move my glass studio back to Olneyville, and as a result I've done more lampwork in the past week than I had in the last year. Today was the application deadline for some RISCA Fellowships, one of which I won a few years ago. Here are some new pieces from today's grant application.

A lampworked glass and leather cuff

Floral gradient earrings in blues

Headband plus earrings

I only noticed after making the necklace

that the headband + the earrings

roughly equal the necklace.
(pompoms and lasercut fabric
on a computer cable)

Probably yes

I like thinking with my hands through play.

This necklace says MAYBE ANYTHING PROBABLY YES
Thanks to Kelly Eident for the acrylic, and Mike McCarthy for the photo.

More and bigger

I made another pair of pom pom earrings. To make them yourself, follow the technique demonstrated in my most recent tutorial video, but make some smaller batches of pom poms in a variety of diameters to create a gradient of sizes for the finished jewelry project. To build the earrings just tie the pom poms onto existing hoop earrings utilizing the longer belts that should still be hanging off of each pom pom. If you accidentally cut off the belts, use a needle and thread to securely sew the pom poms to the hoop earring (simply around the metal or plastic.)
Ask questions if you have any! 

A neat reference is the book,  Tassels: The Fanciful Embellishment by Nancy Welch.

How to Make Multiple Pom Poms!

WATCH THIS IN HIGHER RESOLUTION! Select 1080p under the cog icon!

Holiday gifts

I like making special orders for holiday gifts. Here are some flameworked glass and silver earrings , and a "Pollination" brooch.

When the pieces are worn, the glass bees seem to hover around the floral forms.

Ring of Fire

I and Lindsay MiŚ with Christopher McElroy's Ring of Fire

Jar Schepers models Ring of Fire

Mister McElroy and his marvelous ring--

I am at Haystack, surrounded by geniuses. Follow those links!

Hairrings

My hair has been very long three times in my life. Each time I cut it, I braided it and saved it. I recently made earrings from one of the batches. These are the simplest hair extensions, but it is my own natural hair.

Bigger Glass Chains

I've been flameworking larger glass chains. I plan to do some Pyrex padlocks for the thickest chains.

More Glass

Photos by Gisel Florez, except for the bottom one.

It took me a month to make this necklace.

I made some of these beads with vintage glass rods from 1950s France.

I etched the glass to look matte, like candy necklaces.