For this post, I’m combining two classes into one, simply because I didn’t have enough photos from each individual class, too busy teaching. The first class included Brenda and Cindy — their liability forms and free gifts are shown in the top row of photos. Since Brenda doesn’t wear jewelry, I made sure to set out a selection of fused glass magnets and stirrers for her as gift options instead. The second class was with Meg and Kim — their liability forms and free gifts are in the second row of photos. (And a fun side note — Cindy came to the second class too, making it even more fun and lively!)
For Brenda and Cindy’s class, we jumped straight into creating — no tour needed this time!
Since they’ve both taken so many classes with me before, they’re already very familiar with the studio layout and process.
However, for Meg and Kim’s class, I gave my usual quick tour to spark a little extra inspiration and help them feel even more excited to get started! As a reminder, my studio includes three main areas (not including the working studio itself):
- The Finished Room — filled with a wide variety of fused glass pieces available for sale.
- The Finishing and Inspiration Room — where I work on the final touches of my pieces and display some of my personal favorites that bring me joy and creative energy.
- And of course, the Gallery Area — where every piece is available for purchase, offering students even more ideas and inspiration for their own creations.
By the way, Meg ended up purchasing a pocket vase and a votive to give as gifts! I’m always so grateful when my students choose to take home a piece of my work — it truly makes my heart happy.
First, let’s focus on Brenda! She’s taken several classes with me over the years, and it’s always so much fun to see what she decides to create next. This time, Brenda wanted to make casted pieces — specifically dragonflies that she could use for plant stakes. To get her ready, I prepared the dragonfly molds and had her workspace all set up so she could jump right in and start creating her beautiful pieces!
As we talked through her ideas, Brenda mentioned that she might want to attach some of the dragonflies to knives, like I’ve done before. I also showed her a special mold that could be used to create a plant stake, where she could add even more design elements to personalize it. Brenda embraced the idea beautifully — she added millefiori, murrine, and vitrigraph to her plant stake mold, and the results were absolutely stunning! The combination of textures and colors made her piece so vibrant and full of life.
In addition to the dragonflies and plant stake, Brenda also made one of my little Easter bunnies.
It meant so much to me — I was truly touched that she liked my Easter bunnies enough to make one herself. Moments like that remind me how special it is to share my love of fused glass with others.
When Brenda came over to pick up her finished pieces, she came into the studio, and we spent a little time finishing them off together. She decided to prepare her Easter bunny to be attached to one of her knives, just like she had envisioned. One of the dragonflies was also attached to a knife, while another was glued onto one of the plant stakes she had made. She also decided to save another plant stake for a future class — she already has ideas about what she wants to create next for it!
Below are a few examples of the types of projects I thought she might want to do with her pieces — and honestly, everything turned out beautifully. It’s always so much fun to collaborate with students like Brenda and help bring their creative ideas to life!
Next up is Cindy! She wanted to create flowers for two more fused glass nightlights she had in mind. Because the flower designs were a bit more complicated and detailed, Cindy came to class with Brenda to start working on them. During that first class, she made two large flowers and three smaller flowers — carefully shaping and layering the glass to create beautiful, delicate designs perfect for her nightlights.
It’s always exciting to see Cindy’s ideas come together — she has such a great eye for color and composition, and these flowers are going to be stunning once they’re fired and finished!
Watching Cindy create her beautiful flowers inspired me too — so I decided to make a few of the little flowers alongside her! Here are some of my flowers that I made during the class. It’s always so much fun to create together with my students — sharing ideas, encouraging each other, and seeing how everyone’s pieces turn out just a little different and special.
During the next class, Meg planned a special session for herself and her friend Kim. While I sadly forgot to take a picture of Meg’s finished piece before she left, she was kind enough to send me a photo of it later, plugged in — and it turned out so beautifully! In addition to her nightlight, Meg also made a magnet using some of my fused glass decals and cabochons, adding her own personal touch to create a fun and colorful little piece. It’s always such a joy to see how each student brings their own creativity and style into every project!
Kim was such a trooper during class — she’s actually allergic to cats, so she kindly wore a mask throughout the session. I felt so bad, but she handled it with such grace and positivity! For her project, Kim chose to make glass stirrers — and they turned out absolutely beautiful. She created six stirrers using stunning blue aventurine glass, murrine, and even incorporated touches of iridized glass for a little extra sparkle and shine.
Not only were her pieces gorgeous, but they’re also functional — perfect for adding a splash of color and style to any drink!
Cindy also finished her nightlights during this class, using the flowers she had made earlier with Brenda.
They turned out absolutely beautiful — full of color, texture, and charm! I especially loved how she incorporated murrine into the designs — it added such a wonderful touch of detail and whimsy.
Seeing her vision come together so perfectly was such a joy!
With one of her small flowers, Cindy decided to create a stirrer — and it turned out absolutely adorable!
I even made one alongside her, so we could compare the two techniques. The difference between the two was pretty dramatic — my stirrer was full fused, which gives a smooth, fully melted look, while Cindy’s was tack fused, which preserves the texture and dimension of the flower. Clearly, I prefer the tack fused look — the extra texture really makes the flower come alive! It’s always so much fun to experiment and see how different firing techniques completely change the final result.
Each class, whether big or small, brings something so special to my studio — new friendships, fresh creativity, and so many beautiful, fused glass pieces. I’m always so grateful for the chance to work with both new students and those who have been with me through many classes — it’s an incredible feeling to watch creativity grow and friendships deepen over time. Thank you to everyone who joined me for these fun and inspiring sessions. It’s such a joy to share creativity, laughter, and learning with every student who walks through my studio door — whether it’s their first project or their fiftieth!
I can’t wait to see what we’ll create together next!
If you’d like to see more of my fused glass work, please visit my website: Elegant Fused Glass by Karen.
While you’re there, be sure to explore the full site — and don’t forget to check out my Elegant Fused Glass by Karen YouTube for even more inspiration! If you’d like to stay up-to-date with my latest projects, classes, and special offerings, you can also sign up for my monthly newsletter, published on the information on my site. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a private class, feel free to email me at elegantfusedglass@gmail.com. I’d love to help you create something beautiful!
Keeping my kilns warm,
Karen
