When I create these small, fused glass pieces, I didn’t know what they’d eventually become—a nightlight, suncatcher, votive, or simply a little piece of art. I just start creating and see where the glass takes me! The first piece shown here was made using pressed glass and colorful glass dots, while the other two use glass confetti to create those fun, whimsical flowers.
Once I decided these little garden pieces would become nightlights, they took on a whole new personality. I love how the soft white glass provides a gentle background for the light while allowing the colorful flowers, greens, bees, and tiny details to really stand out. When illuminated, the transparent and translucent glass will catch the light beautifully without being overly bright. That’s what I especially love about fused glass nightlights—they’re pretty little pieces of art during the day, but at night they give off a soft, warm glow and become something completely different. Perfect for a hallway, bathroom, kitchen, or anywhere you want just a little light and a happy pop of color.
I absolutely love bears, so I wanted to experiment with a special fused glass technique to create a few little bear pieces—and I couldn’t be happier with how they turned out! I kept the backgrounds mostly clear so the rich brown bears would really stand out, then added just a few colorful glass details, greenery, and accents to give each one its own personality. I especially love that the three bears are different poses, including that wonderful standing bear in the center. These were another experiment where I created the little glass art pieces first without deciding exactly what they would become. Once they came out of the kiln, though, I knew I had to do something special with them. Sometimes an experiment turns out even better than you pictured—and these little bears definitely did! 🐻❤️
Once I saw the finished bear pieces, there really was only one choice—they had to become nightlights! I love the clear glass because when the nightlight is turned on, the light can shine through while highlighting the bears, trees, greenery, and little colorful details. And I added one more surprise: some of those moons glow in the dark! During the day they’re charming little pieces of fused glass art, but after dark they get an entirely different personality. I think these may be some of my favorite nightlights I’ve made so far! 🐻🌙✨
One of the things I love most about creating these smaller fused glass pieces is that they don’t have to become just one thing. As you can see from my examples, I can turn them into nightlights, suncatchers, votives, or simply leave them as little pieces of glass art to display and enjoy. Sometimes I know exactly what I’m making when I start, and other times I let the glass decide! That’s part of the fun of fused glass—one little creation can have so many possibilities. Whether it’s glowing softly as a nightlight, sparkling in a sunny window, illuminating a votive candle, or sitting on a stand as a tiny piece of art, I love finding just the right way to finish each one. And judging by this latest batch, I think there are going to be a lot more little bears and flower gardens coming out of my kiln! 🐻🌸❤️
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 site 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
