Fused Glass Friday! Drape Candle Holders

This new year has offered many opportunities to learn new techniques. My amazingly supportive fiance gifted me a much needed kiln for my birthday/Christmas and I will not take it for granted! I have been stuck on knowing only two ways to fuse glass- tact and full, bumpy or smooth. My eyes stay wide in excitement at my list of ‘things to do’ as it grows, yearning to know new techniques. I rush out of bed in the morning and before I kiss my daughter or mumble the first “good morning” my hand is on the kiln, peaking inside at my latest creation cooling underneath the lid. (Don’t worry. My kid is four and already understands that mommy doesn’t like to talk before breakfast. She isn’t offended.)

The first new-to-me technique I’ve learned is how to make a draped candle holder. It is a seemingly easy idea to comprehend yet I have witnessed fails many times with my peers. The process is easy- put a piece of glass on a metal cup, heat for what seems to be a lifetime, then remove the cup. My first attempt took eighteen hours in the kiln and the glass I used was too large for my liking. My results took me back to my research, and I tried again. The following four attempts, twelve hours each, came out about as perfect as I’d like them. Since I can’t leave things to be easy, my next attempt is to add a design or accent pieces for the candle holders to have their own unique touch. I also want to find alternative ways to use the “candle holders”. So far, I have personally used one as an Important Mail holder, a marker cup, and a cell phone holder. I may not put my phone in there again, though, because I temporarily forgot it was there and lost it for awhile.

What would you use these for?

If you are interested in having one of these beauties as your own, click around this Etsy link as I have different colors available!