Years ago my youngest son gave me a mirrored disco ball. There. that says it all, huh?

It’s been so many different places in my home. (Sometimes I struggle to keep this glass oriented - but bear with me…) I chose this house because it has so many east/northeast facing windows - which makes for very pleasant mornings. I DO believe that each day should start of with an infusion of whimsy and magic. So - the mirrored ball has always allowed little dancing spots of light to grace the walls of my home.

A few years back a couple moved in next door… I was so happy when I saw festive lights go up in their back porch… they are a Godsend. Anyhow… come to find out that Kathleen has a mirrored ball as well - but hers lives outside… hanging in a tree… and so does mine now. I get surprise visits of flashes of reflected light as I torch or sometimes just inside having coffee… it’s magical.

So - #1… we have established that magical light brings joy.
Years ago - my father began importing Lausha glass - and our worlds merged - suddenly he knew most of my fellow lampworkers and often times many others I didn’t know. For the uninitiated, this formerly Eastern German glass factory has some of the most incredibly clear glass…. its beauty is not only that it is so beautiful, but can be worked hotter than most other glass AND it maintains that wonderful quality. Lots of sparkle.

#2 - sparkle brings joy as well.

So what can be done when a glass is so beautiful on its own? We let it shine! Less adornment, more untarnished beauty. This shaped my journey in glass… and I started creating things with unbroken planes - few adornments and I dreamed of ways to showcase the glass itself. Of late, I’ve been mulling a series of pieces that are made solely with the colorless clear.

This would rely only on ways to bounce the light…

A few years back I decided the bead with a hole had certain purity distractions - and I have reached a point where I’m happy to say it’s gone. These are beautiful, they are the little black dress of earrings. I’ve made smaller, larger, singles, triples…

I’m always conscious of how much the glass weighs, and the limitations of what we can comfortably wear… it’s an ongoing constant exploration for me… and now with Autumn/Winter (supposedly) on the way - I am thinking of clear in more icy tones… wonder what will lie ahead in the coming months. smiles, and little bits of joyful light - Jill