Blog

31 days. 31 stories. 31 beads. Each one made from glass that might’ve been forgotten, thrown away, or left behind — transformed with flame, patience, and a little bit of…

The last day. Today’s beads were made from a broken Christmas tree ornament — one that fell from the tree, snapping off at the hook. I couldn’t bring myself to…

Today’s bead comes from one of the quirkiest bottles in my collection — a bright blue glass fish! This little gem is a reproduction of 19th-century bitters bottles, originally used…

Moët & Chandon — French champagne and the bottle I keep coming back to whenever I make champagne bottle beads. I can’t quite remember how I landed on using Moët…

I think this one started life as a big glass light cover…and when another artist at T’Arts asked if I could use it, I couldn’t say no. One of my…

This green jug was given to me by my mum about 16 years ago, when I started experimenting with recycled glass — just after my daughter was born. She gave…

This bead comes from a Mr Mick Clare Valley wine bottle — part of my first efforts to make flower sticks from recycled glass. I’d been using Italian glass for…

These beads began as… another bead. I’ve often been asked if I can remelt my own beads, and I’ve always said no — I didn’t think it would work. But…

Tanqueray Gin — another favourite in the Gin and Tonic collection. The green is so vibrant and fresh. And the best part? The bottle melts like a dream. Smooth, reliable…

This bright orange jug caught my eye — such a bold, joyful colour. I had to give it a go! But as I’ve learned, sometimes glass loses its colour in…

Skyy Vodka — that unmistakable cobalt blue! This bottle is a stunner, no matter how many times I melt it. Deep, rich, and saturated with colour, it’s one of those…

This bowl had been sitting in my collection for years — bold, pink and beautifully patterned with pressed swirls. It had that frosted satin finish you often see in mid-century…