I just finished working on a production order of 50 silver, black, and white soap dishes, and projects like this always keep me on my toes. While I’ve made hundreds of soap dishes over the years, this particular design is one of my favorite. Once all 50 pieces are prepared, they are carefully arranged in the kiln for their first firing—a full fuse that permanently bonds the glass together. Seeing a kiln completely filled with neatly arranged glass is always exciting because it’s the first major step in transforming simple sheets of glass into beautiful, functional soap dishes. After the full fuse, each piece will be slumped into its final shape, creating durable pieces ready for everyday use.
Slumping is where these soap dishes really come to life. After the full fuse, each glass blank is carefully placed into its own soap dish mold and returned to the kiln for a second firing. This firing is much gentler than the first, allowing the glass to slowly soften and settle into the mold without losing its beautiful design. I always enjoy opening the kiln after a slumping firing because this is when the flat pieces are transformed into functional works of art. It’s amazing to see how a simple rectangle of glass becomes an elegant, durable soap dish that will soon be used and enjoyed by hotel guests every day.
The slumping firing is complete, and the transformation is finished! Opening the kiln to see the soap dishes perfectly formed is one of my favorite moments of the entire process. Each dish now has its graceful curves and raised edges, making it both beautiful and functional. At this stage, they’re ready for a thorough wash to remove any kiln wash dust or fingerprints before their final inspection.
And here they are—all finished, inspected, and ready to be packed for delivery. There’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing an entire production order come together. Although every soap dish is made using the same process and pattern, no two are exactly alike. The streaky black, white, and silver glass creates its own unique design in every piece. Some have more white, others feature more black, and each one has its own personality. That’s one of the things I love most about working with fused glass—it gives me consistency where I need it while still making every piece one of a kind. Before packing, I carefully inspect each soap dish to make sure it meets my quality standards. Once they’ve passed their final inspection, they’re individually wrapped and boxed for shipment. Knowing these handcrafted soap dishes will soon become part of a hotel’s guest experience makes all the cutting, cleaning, firing, slumping, and finishing worthwhile. It’s one of my favorite parts of production work—creating beautiful, functional art that people will use and enjoy every day.
No order is complete without a little surprise. As a thank you, I always include a handcrafted gift with every commercial order. For this shipment, I chose one of my favorite designs—a small fused glass dish made with black glass and the same beautiful streaky glass used in the soap dishes. While it’s perfect for holding jewelry, coins, or other small treasures, it also makes a lovely soap dish, tying the gift perfectly to the rest of the order. I believe it’s the little unexpected touches that people remember. It’s my way of saying thank you and letting my customers know how much I appreciate their business.
Every commercial production order is a little different, and I truly appreciate each one that comes my way. While I love creating one-of-a-kind art pieces for my students and collectors, there’s something especially rewarding about producing handcrafted fused glass that will be used and enjoyed every day. I never take for granted the trust my commercial customers place in me to create consistent, high-quality pieces that reflect the care and craftsmanship of handmade art. From cutting the first piece of glass to packing the final box, every soap dish is made with pride and attention to detail. To all of my wonderful commercial clients, thank you for supporting my small business and allowing me to create beautiful, functional glass art for your spaces. I can’t wait to see what the next production order brings!
If you would like to see more of my fused glass work, please refer to my website Elegant Fused Glass by Karen. If you get a chance, check out all my sites and my Elegant Fused Glass by Karen YouTube. If you would like to stay abreast of what I’m up-to and learn a little more about jewelry, check out our newsletter. It is published the last day of each month
Keeping my kiln warm,
Karen
