Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Robbie Daly Featured by AAE Glass




AAE Glass presents Robbie Daly, a featured artist.  Robbie has been a great customer and friend to AAE Glass and she has only good intentions behind all of her work as you will see below.  Thanks for sharing Robbie.  You can check out Robbie's work at the links provided below.


I have always loved glass for as long as I can remember!  I started working with stained glass then moved on to fused glass which lead to making jewelry.  Within a year of learning glass art I was showing my work as a member of a co-op gallery in the Washington DC area where I stayed for 5 years.  My interest in learning everything you could about glass, I moved on to making my own glass beads which I sell on ebay and have since become a Power Seller under the name of Bubbie Beads, which I even registered as a trademark!  


I have always loved animals and my favorite breed the weimaraner has brought me almost 500 friends on facebook all over the world!  This past weekend I held a 3 day fund raiser for a rescued weimaraner in Florida named Maddie.  She spent most of her life in a crate with the exception of 4 hours a day.  Maddie needs knee surgery so she can run again and be pain free.  I sold my glass art and jewelry donating 100% of the proceeds which earned $467.50 during those 3 days to my friends on facebook - one large sale going to Canada with another to England!!  Today I added my money to the $467.50 to bring my donation up to $500 which I transferred to Maddie's Mom for her surgery next week.  


As you'll see I love to wire wrap and taught several classes, several years ago, for a local gallery near me in Northern Virginia.   The wire wrap designs I'm showing you are simple designs I learned from a book years ago but my interest has since branched out into my own designs.  I love bracelets but hate struggling to put them on so I came up with a one piece design that can be hooked with one hand!   A few years ago a friend of mine had a weimaraner that she brought to nursing homes to visit the elderly and when the dog died she was so heart broken she asked me if I could come up with a jewelry design that would hold her dogs ashes.  I made a hollow bead sealing the ashes inside and wire wrapped it into a pendant!   My dog friends on facebook always talk about Rainbow Bridge and how when a dog dies they cross that bridge into heave so I came up with a design for a plate where I write the pet's names in gold.  The small pieces of dichroic glass going across the bridge represents the souls of the departed dogs while the small golden hearts represent a piece of each owner's heart that goes with their dog.  As you can see I do a very wide range of glass work and I pour my heart and soul into each piece I make!  


I have a web site I really haven't had much time to fill with goodies to purchase but mostly sell on EBAY  as well as ARTFIRE.    

Tanya Veit at The Vinery





Tanya Veit of AAE Glass just completed 2 sold out glass fusing workshops at The Vinery, in Madison Wisconsin.  Tanya's energy is always off the charts, but when the students get pumped up like they did this weekend, it makes for a very entertaining and informative workshop. The hands on experience that is offered in this workshop really seems to bring the glass artists to another level.



A special thanks to Denney Berkery for providing a great weekend for the students and an excellent environment for both teaching and learning.  The Vinery hosts many different classes and if you love glass, they will have a class for you. Be sure to check out their website.


Here is a list of Tanya's upcoming workshops.  There are only a couple seats available at each venue. Be sure to contact the studio directly to reserve your seat today.  We look forward to meeting you wherever our paths may cross.


AAE Glass

Friday, June 24, 2011

Canadian Post Office Strike Update

I wanted to update our Canadian customers and anyone who does business involving the Canadian post office.  I was just informed at my local post office that they will not accept any packages to Canada as the strike has intensified.  No mail is going from the USA to Canada or Canada to the USA. 


I apologize to our Canadian customers who's packages are being delayed because of this strike. We have your orders ready to ship once things are resolved in Canada.  Here is a LINK I found from a Canadian website about the strike and proposed legislation. 


If there is anything we at AAEGlass.com can do to help you out, let us know at info@aaeglass.com


Thanks,


Mark Veit

Thursday, June 16, 2011

15% Off Silver Settings and More at AAE Glass

AAE Glass wants to thank all of our supporters, boutiques and students with a 15% off supply sale.  We are not going to limit this sale only to silver settings.  We are going to include all products (except 5 and 12 packs).  90 and 96 COE scrap packs hand picked by Tanya Veit.  These are fresh new packs and are sure to produce beautiful dichroic jewelry.  In stock silver settings, silver chains, bails and of course ALL of our original fused glass decals.    



These popular silver settings found their way to our studio last week.  The large oval pictured above is used in Tanya Veit's EXTREME GLASS FUSING WORKSHOP.  Check her schedule for a workshop near you.  There are a few open seats left at a couple locations.

COUPON CODE:
THANKS15 (no spaces)

AAE Glass features Leslie Gibbs Studio



AAE Glass has had the pleasure of getting to know Ms. Leslie Gibbs.  Leslie owns Leslie Gibbs Studio and has been a great supporter of AAE Glass and the glass world in general.  If you have a chance to visit her studio, you must. If you are lucky enough to meet Leslie out and about, hold onto your hat, you are in for a treat.  Leslie never fails to make us laugh and blow our minds!  Did I mention that is a Charger Cub in the photo?!?!

Leslie Gibbs began her artist's journey roaming around the United States, Mexico, and Europe. She finally landed in South Florida, where she set up her easels, crates of glass, and plugged in the kilns.

Since then, she has published numerous articles for glass art magazines and eleven books of stained glass patterns. Exploring new techniques helps Leslie convey her vivid mental images into colorful art glass. She approaches glass design with serious, studied drawings and a wicked sense of humor.

You can check out her website in detail HERE

Have a great day.

AAE

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Tanya Veit's Extreme Fused Glass Jewelry Workshop



By now you may have heard about Tanya Veit's Extreme Fused glass Workshop.  Word is spreading fast.  I wanted to share some information on what is offered in Tanya Veit's 2 day, Extreme Fused Glass Jewelry Workshop. Contact the studio you would like to attend directly and they will reserve your spot today.


Are you ready to get serious about your fused glass jewelry?  Published glass artist Tanya Veit of AAE Glass presents a 2 day workshop teaching advanced fusing techniques to create gallery worthy fused glass jewelry. Some of the projects offered are; how to create 5-6 layer glass jewelry pieces along with dichroic shading and design, and creating your own patterned dichroic glass.  Intricate etching techniques are taught along with creating your own frit blends and using glassline paints to create your own landscapes. As the creator of those cool new decals you may have heard about, Tanya demonstrates serious decal work!  You will learn cold working techniques that are essential to producing quality work, including how to shape and set your pieces in silver settings.  Marketing and photographing your jewelry to sell will also be discussed.  Cutting skills are preferred and stained glass artists are welcome.  

This is everything you need to take your jewelry to the next level and more.  Tanya's class schedule can be found HERE.  If you would like to view some of Tanya's finished pieces, view her GALLERY.  All of these techniques and tips are taught with extreme enthusiasm that only Tanya can provide.  Classes always fill up and they fill up fast.  Be sure to contact the studio near you to reserve your seat today.  The results are in and here are some comments from students who have taken the workshop.


"Tanya, you made me excited about fusing again. I feel like I have learned a whole new craft and I have been fusing for 10 years. WOW. Thanks Tanya." -Dawn H. Buffalo, New York

"Hello Tanya,just a word this morning to thank you again for the great week-end you gave us all. I've dreamed about everything you taught me and I'm very excited to try all your techniques as soon as I get home to Canada. I'm still in awe about your class. I just can't believe it." -Diane P. Canada

"WOW! I was floored after day 1 and could not wait for day 2! I want to follow you home after class to see what you were going to say next. This is the best class I have EVER taken. Thank you Tanya!" -Claudio O. St. Louis MO

"By far the best bang-for-your buck workshop that I have ever taken! Tanya is a creative genius, and loves to share her knowledge and skill. Her workshops are fast-paced, fun, and informative. If you have the opportunity to take one of her workshops, do not miss the chance!" -Sharon K. Venice, FL

"My feet still haven't touched the ground!! You were absolutely AWESOME! Your ideas and techniques were great. I loved the relaxed atmosphere you invoke. Your passion for what you believe in definitely is apparent. I learned so much and had so much fun I can't begin to thank you enough for all your time and patience." -Janice R. Premier Glass Fusion

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

AAE Glass on Twitter



Good evening and thanks for taking a look at the AAE Glass blog.  We want to invite anyone who uses twitter to take a look at our PROFILE and follow @AAEGlass for tips, tricks and announcements.  We would love to follow your tweets as well.  We will actively "re-tweet" any tweets that we think will help other glass artists.  The sharing of information is encouraged.  It is a great way for you and your jewelry to be seen by other glass artists, as well as potential customers. 

In our quest to provide fast customer service, as well as new products, we have found many people use twitter to retrieve their information first.  We WILL NOT send repeated and outdated tweets.  We will only tweet relevant information and maybe a joke we heard that day.  "Why did the chicken cross the road...Oh never  mind..."


If you have been on the fence about using twitter or any type of social media, give it a try.  It doesn't hurt to open an account and click a few buttons.  Play around with it for a week and see if it can be useful for you.  If not just delete your account.  There are so many positives for your business that can come from social media marketing.  It is worth the try.  Oh, I almost forgot, it is FREE.

If you have a question about using social media, please post it below.  I will answer it to the best of my ability.

Mark Veit 

Popular Silver Settings Re-stocked


Back by popular demand, the drop circle, large oval and wavy pendant settings are back in stock. 


These are three of our most popular settings and we are happy to have them back.  They are a perfect way to accent your dichroic glass jewelry and set yourself apart.  We are letting our blog and facebook followers know first.  We appreciate all of the support you give us and want to make sure you have all of the tools you need to succeed as a glass artist.


Don't forget to check out Tanya's hand picked dichroic scrap packs and frit blends.  These will constantly be updated as we have so many combinations we want to give you. 

Friday, June 3, 2011

How to Avoid Bubbles in Your Glass Jewelry with AAE Glass

 
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 piece and it is unavoidable. Nothing is worse then when a bubble forms just above your glass decal. Hopefully we can offer you a few tips on how to avoid the curse of the bubble. 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.
 I hope this helps.
Tanya Veit

How to Apply AAE Glass Fusing Decals

I wanted to share a technique that I use when making dichroic glass jewelry with water slide decals.

When I first started working with these decals I would center them on the glass and complete the piece. The decal looked great and I could change the color of the background. But after making hundreds of these it began to get repetitive. So I asked myself, "Self, how can we get creative with these pieces?"

I experimented with combining 2 decals on the same piece of glass. I remember it like it was yesterday. I put a tree of life decal on a pendant, I cut out some birds from another decal and put them above the tree of life. I used 2 decals for awhile and then I introduced a 3rd decal. Now whenever I look for inspiration, I lay out several different decals and put together a scene that I think people will like. Remember to be aware of your background colors when picking out your decals. Some decals may fit best with a blue or green background, or you can get really creative and make the background a sunset or sunrise . 
If placed correctly on the glass, you should not be able to tell it consists of 3 separate decals. It should just look like one complete image. It takes some practice to perfect this technique, but once you do, you will have a trick up your sleeve that other artists do not. It will separate your work from others.

Tune in next time for tip #2, how to photograph your jewelry to sell.

I look forward to seeing the fruits of your labor.

Tanya Veit 

Photographing Dichroic Glass Jewelry with AAE Glass

The business of making and selling dichroic glass jewelry has many steps. None more important than photographing the jewelry so it sells fast and for a good price. Many times the difference between making a sale and not making a sale is the quality of the photo. I wanted to share some of my experiences with you, what works, what doesn't.
FREE SHIPPING ON NET ORDERS OVER $200 (lower 48 States only, excludes equipment)
I have tried everything I can think of to improve my pictures. I have taken thousands of pictures over the years. I have spent hundreds of dollars on photo domes, photo cubes, cloud domes etc, and I wasn't happy with any of the pictures. After talking to a family friend, during Thanksgiving dinner, he gave me the best picture taking advice I have ever received. I started doing this 2 years ago and it has never failed...You can reach in the couch cushions or under your car seat to come up with the $2.99 it will cost you to purchase this top notch photo apparatus. Don't laugh. Are you ready? I purchased a gallon of milk, ate a few bowls of cereal and followed these five easy steps:
1.) Soak the labels off your empty milk gallon.
2.) Cut the milk gallon in half all the way around.
3.) Place your jewelry piece on your desired background.
4.) Place the milk carton over the jewelry piece and your background, place the lens of your digital camera in the top of the milk carton and click away.
5.) Take your photos outside. The best time of day is 2-5p.m. when it is slightly overcast or even a little shady. Direct sunlight is not good, it will only over-expose your photos.

So if you have a taste for Lucky Charms and need an apparatus to take great pictures, head out to your local grocer and pick up a gallon of milk. You won't be sorry :)
Tanya Veit

Tanya Veit's Frit Blends are Here



Tanya Veit has been perfecting her most popular frit blends over the past couple of months, 6 to choose from.  These are the exact frit blends that she uses to create her own dichroic glass jewelry.  They are 90 COE and these particular frit color combinations can't be found anywhere else on the web.  If you have had an opportunity to attend an "Extreme Glass Fusing Workshop" you know how important frit blends can be when creating your dichroic glass jewelry.  Tanya has done the hard work by combining her favorite frit colors, all you have to do is open the container and get fusing. 


Also, Silver and Gold designer bails are in stock.  These popular bails give your dichroic glass jewelry a classy finish. For a tip on how to firmly secure these bails to your dichroic glass jewelry, read this step by step tutorial.


Don't forget to use some of our new decals and decal sheets to create a one of a kind scene on your dichroic glass jewelry.  Or if you want to add your own color to your decals, take a look at our "Color Me Bad" glass fusing decal sheet.  You can paint them with PEBEO paints and permanently fuse them to your glass jewelry the same as you do with all of our decals.  The colors wont fade, wear or rub off.


Finally, if you want to surround your wearable art glass in silver, take a look at our silver plated bracelets, pendants and earrings.  These findings are very popular and is a great way to set your dichroic glass jewelry apart from your competition.


AAEGlass.com is constantly working to provide supplies that we know will work for you.  We understand not everyone has time to be a full time glass artist.  We also understand that glass art is a passion to so many of our clients.  We want to help as many people as possible realize their passions as we know how fun and satisfying glass art is.  If you would like help or ideas on how to sell your finished wearable glass art pieces, visit this BLOG POST and leave a question or comment.  Mark will be happy to answer your question and point you in the right direction.

Have a great weekend and we look forward to developing a lasting relationship with each and everyone of our blog followers.

AAE



Wednesday, June 1, 2011

90 and 96 COE Scrap packs and Dichroic Glass Making Tutorials

  

   

 

Tanya Veit hand picked these brand new 90 coe and 96 coe dichroic scrap packs.  These are the combinations she uses in her own dichroic glass jewelry as well as in her "Extreme Glass Fusing" workshops.  If you are familiar at all with Tanya's work, you know how well thought out these scrap packs are.  Here is a LINK to a video tutorial using dichroic glass scrap packs.

Several of our clients encase their glass art in our silver plated settings.  These silver plated settings are the best quality on the market for the price.   These findings are sure to add style and value to your glass work.

Our vast combinations of glass fusing decals have been a hit.  The combinations are endless when combining single decals and decal sheets with your wearable dichroic glass art. 

Be sure to take a look at our post about selling your dichroic glass jewelry using social media marketing. .If you have any questions, please post to the blog entry and Mark will answer your marketing question ASAP.

Also, the last tutorial I will share with you today is a very popular one.  I have received several questions regarding gluing bails, findings, etc.  Here is a LINK to a trick Tanya uses to secure bails to glass. 

If there is anything else we can help you with please let us know at info@aaeglass.com.  Be ready for some new products and services in the near future.  AAEGlass.com keeps striving to bring you new products that are streamlined for your every need.

Have a great day!

AAE