Tuesday, November 24, 2009

There is still time to purchase glass fusing decals


Due to popular demand we are keeping our website AAEGlass.com open. To show our appreciation we are also offering 30% off your entire order with coupon code BLOG30. There is still time to get your decals and make beautiful glass jewelry for the Christmas season.

We HAVE NOT restocked as of yet so our selection is limited until January. We just can't restock at this point due to moving our studio from Chicago to Florida. But we still have several Tree of Life glass fusing decals (not the original) available.

Our new decal images are being printed right now and we will be releasing them in January. We promise you will love these new decal images. We will be posting pictures of these decals shortly on this blog.

Again, thanks for all of your continued support. We are here to work for you. If you have any questions, contact us at info@aaeglass.com

AAE

Friday, November 13, 2009

Dichroic Glass Fusing Decals for Dark Glass - Final Weekend


AAEGlass.com "15FIRST" is the coupon code for 15% off your order.

We would like to thank each and everyone in the artist community for trying our glass decals and fusing supplies. We have seen some beautiful and unique creations all over the web.

We are getting so close to our moving date and we are very excited. Unfortunately, we have to shut down for a couple of weeks as we move our studio from Chicago to Florida.

THE LAST DAY TO PURCHASE FROM AAEGLASS.COM WILL BE MONDAY NOVEMBER 16TH!!!!!!


This will allow us to expand and open again in January with even more, never before seen, glass fusing decals. These decals will work with dark glass. We have listened to many of our artists and will be creating what you want. We will be releasing these new images shortly on our blog, so be sure to check back often.

Thank you again and if there is anything we can do for you, please email us at info@aaeglass.com

AAE

Monday, November 9, 2009

Glass Fusing Decals - One Week Left


AAEGlass.com
There is still one more week to purchase glass fusing decals. These decals can be fired on dark glass. We have re-stocked a few designs for you, Fairy's, Hibiscus, Calla Lily, etc. Now is the time to stock up for the Christmas rush! We have seen our finished jewelry selling at a higher clip, so we know the sales are coming. If you have any questions, send us an email at info@aaeglass.com.

We thank you all for your support. It is because of your support that we will be able to open our new studio in January with brand new glass fusing decal images. Mermaid, New forest scene, butterfly, etc. These new decals have never been produced before and are sure to enhance your jewelry. Check in periodically for release dates.

AAEGlass.com

Monday, November 2, 2009

Only Two Weeks Left For Glass Fusing Decals


AAEGlass.com still has some great glass fusing decals left for the Christmas season. As Stated in the previous post, we will be closing our glass fusing decal shop on November 15th in order to move our current studio from Chicago to Florida. We are sorry for the inconvenience, but we promise we are coming back strong in January. We have plans to release several new glass fusing decals, which by the way, can be fused on dark glass. We hope you all have a successful and profitable Christmas season. If you have any questions about decals or jewelry making in general, please email us at info@aaeglass.com.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Important Announcement for Christmas Holidays



This is a special announcement for our glass fusing decal blog followers. Some of you may know that AAEGlass.com is in the process of relocating from Chicago to Florida. This is a very big move as we have to pack and unpack our entire studio. This is obviously going to take some time.

In order for us to make this move we have to close our decal store from Sunday, Nov. 15th until after the new year in January. We apologize for any inconvenience! We hope you understand that we can not attend to orders while we are upgrading to a much larger studio.

What does that mean for AAEGlass.com? We are not going to be re-stocking our decals until January. We have several new, unique decal designs we will be releasing in January (mermaid's, butterfly's, dragonfly's, etc...). These images are being produced right now and will be delivered to our new studio ASAP. These particular images have never been seen before and are sure to be popular.

What does this mean for you? We wanted to let our loyal blog followers know first. Whatever we have available at AAEGlass.com is it. We are going to sell all of our inventory in Chicago and refresh it, PLUS add several new items once the new studio opens in Florida.

We would suggest stocking up on all of your holiday decals ASAP. If you need a particular decal that is currently out of stock we are willing to work with you if at all possible. We will require a minimum of 25 pieces, per decal, on any special orders.

Please email us at info@aaeglass.com with any questions.

Again, thank you for your patience while we make this move. We promise to make AAEGlass.com bigger and better for you in our new studio.

AAE

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Finished Dichroic Fused Glass Jewelry




http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5446929

We wanted to share some finished dichroic glass fused jewelry. These are a few ideas we came up with using our fused glass decals. www.aaeglass.com

If you would like to share your jewelry with the group, just email us at info@aaeglass.com

Have a great day

AAE

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Fused Glass Artist of the Week - Melissa Balusek



This was a very thoughtful submission to Artist of the Week. It is our first nomination from a 3rd party and we love the jewelry. Melissa's website is www.bdazzlers.com and you can purchase jewelry direct.

Melissa Balusek first began to notice dichroic glass jewelry and was excited about the lustrous colors and patterns some 10 years ago. She has always loved things that were beautifully colored and could hardly wait to experiment with the glass - and she still constantly looks for new fresh things to try. Walking into her workroom, you first see many beautiful patterns and colors of glass and Melissa cutting and fitting glass to make creations like the ones she offers on her website. Each presents her with a new, exciting adventure. Recently, Melissa found these wonderful fired decals that come in many different designs and sizes which actually become a part of the glass. You will find those listed on her website in the section called "A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA" because they really are something extra to enjoy.

Melissa is also a PMC Guild and PMC Connection Certified Level 2 instructor and you will see some of that work on her website also. She teaches small hands-on classes on how to create jewelry with Precious Metal Clay, how to fuse glass, and other advanced instruction techniques and ideas. She does this in her home where she can give more individualized attention to her students. Melissa often says she does these classes "Because I like helping others find joy in creating wearable art." Melissa has presented examples of her artistic creations at various craft shows in Texas, since 1999. She works with dichroic glass, glass beads, and precious metal clay to create beautiful jewelry; some of which you will want to add to your accessories. Now that she has retired from teaching 5th grade math, she finds she has more time to "play" with my glass.

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Thank you so much Emil for sharing Melissa's work with us. Again her website is www.bdazzlers.com

If you know an artist and would like to share their work with our readers, please email us at info@aaeglass.com.

If you would like to purchase from our huge selection of glass fusing decals, visit our shop at www.aaeglass.com

Have a great day!

AAE

www.aaeglass.com glass fusing decal update


We have had several inquiries as to when certain decals will be back in stock. We have received such a positive response and sold over 1,500 decals in the past week. Our printers are working with us as fast as they can to help us restock. We appreciate your patience and we are anticipating being fully restocked by the end of next week.

We will also be releasing some new, never before seen, glass fusing decals in the very near future.

Thank you everyone!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Save up to 40% on Glass Fusing Decals




Hello Dichroic Glass Jewelry makers and lovers! We are happy to offer our biggest sale yet. We are offering 40% off some of our most popular glass fusing decals and 20% off all of our glass fused decals. This is the perfect time to stock up for the Christmas push. Don't forget your bottle stopper blanks. This was one of our best sellers last year.

Coupon Code FUSE20

Visit www.aaeglass.com for all details.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Glass Fusing Artist of the Week - Phyllis Hains



My name is Phyllis Hains and I live in Miami, Florida. I have been working with glass for more than 10 years, starting with stained glass. I love fused glass and I started buying some pieces and then I realized that I could make my own. I took a basic class at our local stained glass store and the rest is history! I love to fuse glass!! I make jewelry, suncatchers, plates and more. I sell my work locally and to anyone who is interested in buying! I teach classes in my studio and I also teach glass fusing at Miami Dade College in their community education department. I haven't really gotten my Etsy store up and running yet (I'm a typical artist, I love to create and hate the business end!). I am also working with metal clay and fusing fine silver. I do have a website and it would love to have visitors, so check me out at www.phusedbyphyllis.com
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Thanks Phyllis! Love the work. I also love the fact that you are passing on your knowledge in the form of teaching others. I think that is very important.

If you are an artist who would like to be featured as "Artist of the Week" please email us at info@aaeglass.com

If you are looking for fused glass supplies, please visit our store at www.aaeglass.com

AAE

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Big Savings on Glass Fusing Decals Coming Soon


We will be having a sale at AAEGLASS very shortly!!! Certain glass fusing decals will be up to 40% off. Stay tuned for more details.

If you are looking to stock up on glass jewelry making supplies for Christmas, this is the time to start making your jewelry. The recession is dwindling away and people are getting ready to spend their money on Christmas gifts. Happy glass working!

AAE

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Dichroic Glass Artist of the Week - Cindy of Beadnik Boutique



http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7456023

My name is Cindy and I live in a beach community (on the shores of Lake Michigan), with my husband and two cats. I've always had an interest in art, but never really found my niche until one day when my daughter-in-law gave me the tools to start making jewelry. I had no idea what to do with them, but they were a gift. So I bought a couple of how-to books and went at it. It didn't take me long to realize that I found my new love or, I guess you could say, obsession.

With a little prodding from friends and family, I decided it was time to share my creations. And so after weeks of thinking and talking, Beadnik Boutique was born!

Cindy
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You make great jewelry Cindy! You will receive 10 free decals with your next order. Thank you for sharing your glass jewelry with us. If you would like to work with dichroic glass jewelry decals that fire on dark glass, visit www.aaeglass.com

Be sure to send your entry for artist of the week to info@aaeglass.com

AAE

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month


National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a very important time of year for www.poetrygift.com

Breast cancer hit very close to home several years back. We saw, first hand, how this unforgiving disease can beat a person up. We then saw an even stronger person defeat this disease. We at www.poetrygift.com have stood behind this cause 100%. We want to extend a very special poem to you called "God Heals."

God Heals

Remember when you heard the words -
and your mind went blank - you were in another world
God heals
Remember in your darkest hours -
when all that surrounds you is pain and sorrow
God heals
Remember friends' prayers - your family's encouragement
- glimmers of hope from everyday angels
God heals
Quiet...you can hear Him now -
always there - yet never this close
God heals
It's just another day -
yet everything has changed - and you hear yourself say
God heals
Birds are singing -
the sky is a beautiful blue - flowers are blooming...
God heals
Truths that you knew as a child -
awakened again with new understanding
God heals
Remember when others can't -
that life is a gift - each day to treasure
God Has Healed

(Example of optional closing)
Laura, this poem comes to you with all our love and support
Love, Joe, Maria, and Kenny

The poem "God Heals" was written by one of the owners of PoetryGift.com, a breast cancer survivor who openly and honestly recounts her thoughts and emotions upon learning of her illness as well as living with the day to day reality of it. The recurring message of God's healing power serves as an inspiration to anyone experiencing a crisis in his or her life. The poem's author continues to see each day as a gift and truly believes that "God Has Healed."

All profits from the sale of the Poetry Gift "God Heals" will be donated to the Dr. Richard G. and Carol Caldwell Breast Center at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital located in Park Ridge, Illinois in order to help women who have been newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

The Caldwell Breast Center is a cutting edge leader in the field of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. The Breast Center provides a multidisciplinary approach of medical and surgical specialists plus state-of-the-art equipment in one convenient place.

The Breast Center was recently renovated and expanded to three times the original space. The Caldwell Breast Center's goal is to provide a definitive diagnosis within one week of service. The additional space will help achieve that goal by bringing together specialists in a variety of disciplines including medical oncology, radiation oncology, plastic surgery, genetics and social services.

Lutheran General Hospital is part of Advocate Health Care, based in Oakbrook, Illinois, which has been ranked as one of the nation's top health care systems for the past three years.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Another way to showcase your dichroic glass jewelry

http://aaeglass.blogspot.com/

We wanted to give you another avenue to showcase your glass pendants, earrings, bracelets and whatever else you create with glass or dichroic glass. As we all know, there is tremendous competition in our line of work. Our goal is to help you sell more jewelry at a higher profit margin. Sound good? We thought so. How can you accomplish this? Simple, get more people to view your glass jewelry. This blog alone has 70 followers who are very active and helpful. The feedback we receive is excellent. Since this blog has taken the shape of tips and supplies, we wanted to create a blog that is only focused on finished jewelry. Now we have a new blog dedicated to this and we want you to share your jewelry with everyone.

We post a new piece of glass jewelry daily or bi-daily on this new blog. How can this new blog help you? Simple!

1-Just click on the link above
2-"Follow" the new blog
3-Email info@aaeglass.com the pictures you would like posted along with a link to your shop and anything else you would like to say.

We at AAEGlass use several outlets to promote our site and the sites of others. It is very time consuming to do this, but yields results. We understand that the average glass artist does not have the time to do this. We do!

So if you participate with us on our new blog (or this one) your work will automatically be part of our marketing campaign. It is a win-win situation for you. We will do the time consuming part for you. All you have to do is post a comment as often as you want. We just ask to keep it tasteful. Other than that, you can post anything you wish.

If you have any questions, email us at info@aaeglass.com

AAE

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Dichroic Glass Artist of the Week - Sheryl Brink



I am a self taught glass artist. It all started in the year 2000 when I retired from being a optician for many years. My husband bought me my first kiln and we went to the local stained glass store and purchased my first glass pack and a book and everything else I needed to get started. At that point I had never even cut glass Off we went home and set everything up and I started reading, cutting, fusing and never looked back. Glass is truly amazing. I have learned so much from trial and error. There is nothing like the joy of opening the kiln and having all that gorgeous glass looking up at you, or the lessons learned when you open up the kiln and have a big flop stare up at you.
I love working with your decals, they are a wonderful enhancement to the glass. I have been working with decals for quite some time but yours are truly unique and wonderful to work with. When you are working with glass everything is magical, it is truly a passion for me. I am constantly reading and learning every day. My goals for the future are to keep expanding my knowledge of glass and to keep having fun.
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Thank you for your submission Sheryl. Your pieces are lovely. Be sure to visit Sheryl's store at
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=110588&ga_search_query=jochris12&ga_search_type=seller_usernames

These glass fusing decals can be found at www.aaeglass.com We have several original and unique designs available. Stock up for Christmas today!

AAE Glass

Friday, September 18, 2009

White Tree of Life Fusing Decal is now Available



WWW.AAEGLASS.COM
We wanted to let our blog followers know that the new white tree of life fusing decal is now available. Only at www.aaeglass.com

We have also introduced a 5 pack of our best selling, original tree of life collection. You now have 2 choices when purchasing your tree of life glass fusing decals.

We are in the process of stocking our store to the gills for the upcoming holiday season. We anticipate a frenzy.

Don't forget to submit your email for artist of the week. info@aaeglass.com

Have a great weekend

Thursday, September 17, 2009

New White Tree of Life Glass Fusing Decal


Our new white tree of life, glass fusing decal will be released to the public on Saturday. This decal will only be available at www.aaeglass.com We have started producing jewelry this past week with this new glass decal and it is stunning.

This white tree of life will compliment your dark colored glass perfectly for autumn, winter and most importantly Christmas. So get your glass ready artists. This is going to be fun.

Take advantage of our 15% off first time buyer incentive.

Please direct all questions to info@aaeglass.com

AAE

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Dichroic Glass Jewelry Artist of the Week, Leah from Luv2have



LUV2HAV

I have been fascinated with making things with my hands since I was old enough to hold a pair of scissors and a piece of paper. I have dabbled in just about every craft out there, including sculpting with polymer clay, sterling silver wire wrapped jewelry, beaded jewelry, quilling, card making, cake decorating, rubber stamping, and painting.

I fell in love with fused glass two years ago when I decided to take a class at a nearby studio to make a few pieces for Christmas gifts. My instructor showed me the basics of cutting and breaking the glass, and I happily sat for two hours cutting little pieces of glass and made about 15 pendants! I started out by buying a small amount of glass and renting kiln time at the studio until I was so obsessed I finally had to break down and purchase my own kiln. I am almost completely self taught, I spend a lot of hours reading and I find trial and error to be the best teacher of all. My house is now overflowing with sheets of glass and containers of dichroic glass, along with all the fun accessories I can find! I hope to add a proper studio when we build a new house in a year or so, and that will allow me some more space to add some new equipment. I have a long list of things I would love to buy!

Working with glass has brought me more joy than anything else I have ever tried. I love the tedious work of putting the glass pieces together like a puzzle, and then the excitement of opening the kiln to see what they turned into. I hope to expand my glass work by combining some of it with Precious Metal Clay, silver smithing, and lamp working in the future. There is always something new to learn!
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Thanks Leah! I'm sure these pieces will be flying out the door in no time.

Be sure to click on this link to view the Luv2hav studio.

If you need to stock up for the Christmas rush, visit www.aaeglass.com today. We have limited bottle stopper blanks, both round and hard to find square. Cords, high fire and low fire fusing decals and bails. If you need something that you don't see on the site, just ask and we will find it for you.

AAE

Monday, September 14, 2009

New dichroic glass jewelry blog

http://aaeglass.blogspot.com/

We have developed another blog, strictly devoted to finished, dichroic glass jewelry. If you would like to leave a comment with pictures of your glass jewelry, please do. If you have any questions about how to do something or if you have experience with similar glass jewelry, please share with us. Simply click on the link above.

We always love seeing your new creations.

AAE

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Glass Fusing Decals

We wanted to get your feedback on your experience with our glass fusing decals. If you have had success or trouble using them, please share with us. If you ever have any questions at all, you can email us at info@aaeglass.com. We will be releasing a new, must have, fusing decal very shortly. This fusing decal will be sure to increase your Christmas sales.

Visit www.aaeglass.com for our full assortment of glass fusing decals and supplies.

AAE

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Dichroic Glass Jewelry Artist of the Week Cynthia Valenzo



Cynthia's Etsy shop: http://ccvalenzo.etsy.com


I have been in love with glass nearly all of my life. About 20 years ago I decided I wanted to make stained glass panels for my Kitchen Cabinets so I went and took lessons at a local shop. After making lamps and many commissions later I decided I wanted to do a contemporary piece with fused glass pieces for my foyer Transom and side windows so I went and took a class in fusing.


There wasn’t a lot of information available. They primarily explained the chemicals, glass and rough fusing cycles and the rest was experimenting on your own. This was about 12 years ago. Since that time I have designed Glass Tiles, started playing with making jewelry with all of the scraps and working a full time job. In 2002 the company I worked for was bought out in a merger so with my severance package I ended a 30 year corporate career and went into the glass business.


A few years ago I had a B&M shop where I taught and sold fusing supplies. It was great fun and I met many wonderful people, but I spent more time teaching and managing the business and had little time left for creating. I closed the store and moved the studio to my home and since have had more time devoted to creating and working not only with glass but precious metals and semi precious stones. I work more hours than I did in the corporate world but the fulfillment in being able to work with glass and the challenges of continually creating new things is a constant joy. My husband is a retired electrician and serves as my quality control, maintenance and shipping department. I don’t know what I would do without him.


Working with glass is such a joy and challenge and every time I open the kiln and see what comes out it’s a roller coaster ride. There are a lot of disappointing moments when the kiln Gods have decided to laugh at you, but the joy of a beautiful piece really outweighs the disappointing moments. Being able to enhance the glass with Decals, Etching and Sand Blasting just to name a few makes it even more rewarding and keeps me pushing the envelope looking for the next plateau. Best of all are all of the people I have met all over the world with my internet business.

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Thank you Cynthia for sharing. If you would like to submit yourself as "Artist of the Week" please send us an email at info@aaeglass.com Include 2 pictures of your jewelry as well as a blurb about you and your company. We look forward to hearing from everyone. \


Also, we have a new decal coming that will knock your socks off. Hang tight!


AAE

Monday, September 7, 2009

Tip #5 - Craft Show Season


With Christmas just a few months away, craft show season is upon us. Labor Day typically kicks off a long stretch of craft shows across the country, which culminate with Christmas. We have done many craft shows and fairs in our day, but haven't done any in a few years.

We get questions every week about tips on how to best prepare for a craft show. To be honest, we are not the best source of information, because we don't participate in craft shows as often as other artist friends.

So for this weeks tip, we are asking for your help. If you have any tips or suggestions on how to run a smooth booth at a craft fair, please click on the comment button directly below and share with us. I understand artist don't want to give away any secrets and we understand. We are just looking for suggestions on organization, display techniques and other general information.

If you are in an upcoming craft show, click the comment button below and tell us when and where. We have a diverse group of artists on our blog and I'm sure they would love to see local artists if at all possible. So take advantage of the FREE promotion.

Be sure to stock up on your dichroic glass fusing supplies and decals for Christmas season. www.aaeglass.com It will be here before you know it.

AAE

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Glass Fusing Decals Released - Limited Quantities



We have released two new floral, glass fusing decals today, only at www.aaeglass.com. These fusing decals are available in different colors (turquoise, purple) and sizes.

These are limited editions and limited in numbers. Once these sell out, they are gone. They CAN NOT be reprinted. Set your dichroic glass jewelry apart with these unique decals.

If you are looking for finished dichroic glass pendants, earrings or bracelets, visit our artfire store to take advantage of coupon code 5OFF. You will receive $5 off EACH item you order from http://www.artfire.com/users/AAE-artglass

We hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.

AAE

Friday, September 4, 2009

Glass Fusing Artist of the Week, Russ Colwell of Helix Elemental Studio



I’ve dabbled in creative endeavors most of my life. Trying my hand at photography and writing and eventually digital art. I did alot of 3d modeling in programs such as Bryce and Cinema 4D, creating very detailed spacecraft and sci fi scenes which I posted in several internet galleries. I don’t have much time for this time intensive hobby anymore so I’ve preserved much of my sci fi work in one of my blogs (helix3d.blogspot.com). For a while I made metal furniture, incorporating mosaics into the tabletops, mirror borders, etc. Christina, my folk artist wife and Helix Elemental Studio partner would help me with the designs and work on these projects. Then one day I took a stained glass class and then followed it up with a glass fusing class. I became hooked on glass immediately. I did some lamps and mirrors and slumped some plates and bowls but resisted the idea of making fused glass jewelry because the market is so saturated.

Eventually I gave in to the temptation and started putting together some dichroic glass jewelry. I then realized why so many folks are making jewelry. It’s a fantastic creative outlet. There’s seemingly unlimited mediums and design ideas that one can incorporate into this wearable art form. Along the way I’ve allowed my designs to evolve, incorporating gems into glass and using fusible decals to embellish my pieces. I hope to eventually find time to try my hand at precious metal clay, silver work beading and wire wrapping. But it’s so easy to get stretched too thin when you’re trying to promote an Etsy shop and be active at craft fairs. So it’s best to take it easy and have fun. Christina and I spend nearly every waking moment on our creative adventures and we have no intention of looking back. We have many new ideas to start work on and I have some new directions I plan to take in my jewelry designs very soon. It’s time to move out the old and make room for the new!

-Russ Colwell

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Thanks Mr. Colwell. Your jewelry is fantastic. Be sure to click on the links above to view Helix Elemental Studio.

Email us for your chance to be artist of the week: info@aaeglass.com.

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the release of our 2 new, limited edition glass fusing decals. They will only be available at www.aaeglass.com

Thursday, September 3, 2009

New Glass Fusing Decal - Peacock




We have a new glass fusing peacock decal available on our website. www.aaeglass.com. This white peacock, outlined in 22 kt gold can be used on dark colored glass. A surrounding butterfly and floral scene accents the peacock. Don't forget to combine your decals to create unique wearable art and jewelry.

We are featuring a new artist of the week tomorrow, Russ of Helix Elemental.

Saturday, we are releasing 2 NEW glass fusing decals. These purple and turquoise floral decals CAN NOT be found anywhere else. We only have a limited number in stock. When they are gone, they are gone. These decals will be available through our website only. www.aaeglass.com

We hope you and yours have a great weekend.

AAE

Friday, August 28, 2009

Dichroic glass artist of the week Judy Anderson



I am a retired family counselor. I moved from Arlington Heights, IL to AZ a couple of years ago with my husband and my 2 Pembroke Welsh Corgis. My son and daughter-in-law and my 2 adorable grandchildren live here also.

I love glass fusing and use art glass and dichroic glass in my designs. It is so exciting to open the kiln and see what it has created. I cut the glass and layer and fuse it, but the kiln has a mind of its own. The new decals I have been firing into my glass are beautiful and add a whole new dimension to my glass work. I especially like the decals that reflect nature.

My other joy is that my grandchildren are fascinated by my glass. When they are old enough I know they will want me to teach them the process and nothing makes me happier than spending time with them.

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5219638&ga_search_query=firefly&ga_search_type=seller_usernames
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Thank you for sharing Judy. Your 10 free decals will be in the mail on Monday.
Judy will also be named in our news letter. Please take a moment to click on the link above and view Judy's work.

If you want to be featured as an artist of the week, email us at info@aaeglass.com with 2 pictures and a blurb about you and your business. We are having a great time with this.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Tip #4 Coldworking with Dichroic Glass Jewelry


Cold working: Revolution XT Tile Saw review
I usually save all my cold working on my dichroic glass jewelry for one day of the week and do it for about 8-10 hours straight. Cold working is not my favorite thing to do. I often receive emails on how I shape my pieces since my fused glass pieces are so thick.

I would not be able to have such thick pieces and cut them without some serious equipment. I thought I would share with you my personal opinion on the Revolution XT Saw by Gemini. This saw allows me flexibility with my pieces. I have been using this saw for 2 years. It is a workhorse and can cut through anything, however, this is a high maintenance saw. I paid 1350.00 for the saw. The replacement parts are hard to find and they are expensive. A blade costs about 150.00, replacement kit is about 300.00 and I would suggest replacing the saw blade 3-4 times a year. www.hisglassworks.com has most of the parts. There customer service is excellent and they have fast shipping.

Cleaning this saw, is not fun. It is a major chore, but doable on your own.

The good stuff...this saw can cut through 6 and 7 layer pieces with precision and little glass chipping. The diamond blades last a long time and I usually cut 100 pieces or more. It is very safe and comfortable to use. In addition, this is a heavy, sturdy piece of equipment and has a self contained water pump. What does this mean? It means I use it INSIDE my studio with little water mess.

Does anyone else use this particular saw, or a similar one? Please comment if you do. I would love to hear your experiences.

Visit www.aaeglass.com to view examples.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Refer a friend for 15% off your next order


AAE Glass would like your help in recruiting more followers to our blog. So, for a limited time, if you refer a friend who signs up and follows this blog, you will receive 15% off your next order of glass fusing decals.

We will also give your friend 15% off their first order of glass fusing decals. It is very easy. Just mention the coupon code "blog15" and tell us who you referred and we will adjust your total. If you want to email us and let us know, info@aaeglass.com will work as well.

We hope we are providing helpful information and products to you. We would love to hear what you have to say as well. Click on the "comment" button below the post and tell us what you think. If you have any tips that will help other artists, we would love to hear those as well.

We will have a new tip for you in the next couple of days.

AAE

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Limited edition, only 500 available, never to be printed again, glass fusing decal



Only 500 of these white iris decals will be in circulation. When they are gone they are gone. They can only be found at www.aaeglass.com

We are releasing this brand new glass fusing decal NOW. White iris garden can be used on dark color glass. Visit www.aaeglass.com to purchase your decals today. These decals are sure to enhance your dichroic jewelry and pendants.

If you have used these fusing decals, you know how fun they can be. We enjoy looking through artfire and etsy each day to find new creations made by you.

If you have any questions email us at info@aaeglass.com

Check back in a day or so for tips on coldworking.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Dichroic glass jewelry Artist of the week Elisabeth from www.glisteningglass.etsy.com



Our second Dichroic Glass Jewelry Artist of the week is Elisabeth from www.glisteningglass.etsy.com

Elisabeth makes some beautiful dichroic glass jewelry using fusing decals. These are some pictures of her work. We love it Elisabeth. Thanks for sharing. Decals were purchased at www.aaeglass.com

Elisabeth will be featured in our next newsletter and will receive 10 FREE tree of life fusing decals. Here is some information about Elisabeth's business:

What a privilege to be a featured artist! My name is Elisabeth. I live in Southwestern Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh, a full time mother of two girls.. and a chocolate lab that I consider one of my children also :) I really enjoy peace and quiet when the kids go to bed!! That is my time to concentrate on glass. I am a perfectionist and quality is very important to me. Each piece is a fine balance of colors, textures and shapes. When combined, expresses it's own unique story. Creating and sharing these stories is my inspiration :)

Side Note~ I am currently taking classes at the Pittsburgh Glass Center to expand my knowledge in glass and to learn new techniques. I have just started a new line of Earth Friendly, Recycled Glass. I was so excited to use these decals from A.A.E. on my Recycled Glass Pendants and they look beautiful!! Thank you!! www.glisteningglass.etsy.com

To enter your business for dichroic glass jewelry artist of the week please email your information to info@aaeglass.com. We look forward to learning about your business.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

New website is done!!! www.aaeglass.com

We have been working day and night for 3 weeks to get this site completed and here it is... http://www.aaeglass.com/

This site is much more user friendly and easier to order from. We invite you to take a look and tell us what you think. We have built websites before, but this is the best one by far.

We will be adding custom jewelry as soon as possible, but we wanted to get the fusing decals up ASAP. Again, we are very excited to share this with you and we hope you find it worth your while. If you have any questions, shoot us an email at info@aaeglass.com

Thank you all for your continued patronage and we look forward to doing business with you in the near future.

AAE

Monday, August 17, 2009

Firing instructions for glass fusing decals

Application Instructions:

  1. Clean the glass surface where the decal will go.
  2. Remove any wax paper barrier, if any, from the decal surface.
  3. If desired, cut decal to desired shape using xacto knife or scissors.
  4. Soak the decal in a shallow pan of warm water until they easily slide off the paper. It is easier to apply decal directly from the paper to the glass piece. Leaving them in water too long will result in them floating off the base paper and it will be difficult to apply.
  5. Use a paper towel to blot excess water and gently smooth out any wrinkles or air bubbles. If air bubbles are not gently rubbed out, a tiny hole will pop through the decal when fired.
  6. Change water frequently after soaking several decals to remove impurities.
  7. ALL MOISTURE MUST BE REMOVED PRIOR TO FIRING. OVERNIGHT DRYING IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Firing Instructions:

Preheating is particularly important in decal work. Materials from the medium on the decal must be burned off gently. Good ventilation allow for a clean final product. Leave the kiln lid open 1-2 inches, plus any peepholes. Preheat slowly to 1000 degrees to prevent pinholes or blisters and then procede with normal ramping. Heat-soak the decals at top temperature for approximately 8-10 minutes. THE FIRING SCHEDULES PROVIDED ARE FOR A REFERENCE POINT ONLY! GET TO KNOW YOUR KILN! Need additional assistance? Email us at artisticaccentsetc@yahoo.com with any questions you may have. Remember, it is always better to under fire than over fire!


Low-fire schedule

250 DPH to 350 HOLD 20 minutes

500 DPH to 1000 HOLD 10 minutes

AFAP to 1034-1074 soak 8-10 minutes


High-fire schedule

250 DPH to 350 HOLD 20 minutes

500 DPH to 1000 HOLD 10 minutes

AFAP to 1280-1320 soak 8-10 minutes

Saturday, August 15, 2009

New glass fusing decals available today!!!



We have released a new TWO color tree fusing decal. This is the best one yet. We also have gold and silver plated bails as well as several cords. Square and round bottle stopper blanks are located in the supply store as well. Not to mention several other fusing decal images. This supply store can be your one stop shop. http://www.artfire.com/users/AAE-artglass

Again we congratulate Mandy Codd as glass artist of the week. Get to know a little bit about Mandy and her store below. Get your emails in asap to be the next featured glass artist of the week. info@aaeglass.com

We will be sharing tip #4 this week which will review different cold working machines and how they work best.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Dichroic Glass Jewelry Artist of the Week Mandy Codd




Our very first dichroic glass jewelry artist of the week is Mandy Codd of www.dichroic-creations.com

Mandy will be featured in our weekly newsletter and she has also won 10 tree of life decals. You can visit her store by clicking on the above link. The pictures seen here are dichroic glass pieces Mandy made using fusible decals from our store. If you would like to be considered for artist of the week, simply send us an email at info@aaeglass.com. We will randomly select a new artist from the submissions we receive.

Here is some background info from Mandy about her and her business. Congratulations Mandy!


***My name is Mandy Codd, I'm a glass artist living on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.
I have an extreme passion for dichroic glass.
A lot of thought for colours and design goes into each one of my handmade
Dichroic Creations.
I would have to say I am very addicted to glass and don't think I could ever lose the excitement that I feel when I open the kiln after each firing.
I am a stay at home Mum and have been creating my pendants for 2 1/2 years now, I work around my three Children, their ages range from 3 to 13.
I am always learning something new and just having fun experimenting too. I was so very excited to have been able to purchase these new decals and look forward to creating more beautiful pendants with them - my next lot are already in the kiln LOL.***

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Tip #3 Keeping bubbles out of your dichroic glass jewelry pendants and decals


AAE GLASS DECALS
One of the biggest enemies to any dichroic glass fused pendant jeweler is the dreaded bubble. No matter how hard we try, sometimes a bubble creeps into our pieces and is it unavoidable. It is frustrating when working with fusible glass water slide decals and a bubble appears just above the decal. Hopefully we can offer you a few tips on how to avoid the curse of the bubble in your decals. While there is no sure fire way to avoid a bubble, following these 4 steps should help.

1-Once the decal is applied, blot out any excess water with a paper towel.
2-When the excess water is removed, wrap the paper towel around your fore finger and GENTLY brush the entire decal design after the excess water is removed. Be sure to smooth out any wrinkles or folds in the decal.
3-You must let the decal dry for at least 12 hours before firing the glass.
4-***HOT TIP*** If you are in a hurry and can't wait 12 hours to fire, use a blow dryer at close range for 20 minutes.

If you have any questions, feel free to email us at info@aaeglass.com. 

***Stay tuned for a complete new style of decal that AAE Glass has developed.  They will be released in early 2014!  We have received the proofs and Tanya has adjusted to her specifications.  They are currently in print and when available, will be announced to all.***

AAE Glass