Stained Glass panel - Flying Duck

A South African Shell duck depicted in glass.

This stained glass panel (1m x 1.5m) was also commissioned by a client and here I tried something new, doing it in 3D, which means that the one wing sticks out from the panel.

Stained Glass panel - Kalahari scene

In the early 80’s, I was the proud owner of a Craft & Gift Shop, offering lessons in various crafts, one of them being working with stained glass. During this time I was commissioned to do a stained glass panel for a Game Lodge in the Kalahari and the owner was very specific about what she wanted, describing the area in great detail, with me frantically taking notes – low mountains, a scarcity of vegetation, dry, hot and dusty landscape, the colours at sunset and little troops of buck and zebra eking out a living on the seared landscape. And the size – 3m wide by 2m deep! I had never made anything this big, except for a couple of window restorations and I must say I was a bit overwhelmed.
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I worked on this piece for two weeks and finally the customer flew up to Gauteng to come and view the finished article. I think I chewed my nails down to the bone waiting for her arrival. But I needn’t have worried, much to my delight she was ecstatic and my work now proudly takes pride of place in the reception area of her Game Lodge in the Kalahari

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Lilac Stained glass pendant

Step out of the box with this lovely Lilac stained glass pendant, encased in silver solder and surrounded by silver wire. Hanging from a silver rope chain.

When one works with stained glass, you have a lot of off-cuts, a LOT! I just love making stained glass jewellery out of these lovely pieces of glass. There is something about the process with its many, many steps done in a certain order that I find very relaxing. It's a really satisfying creative process, as no two pieces can ever be the same.

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"The Milky Way" Pendant

Round, milky-white stained glass surrounded with silver solder and finished off with a half-moon shaped glass bead. Suspended from a silver chain.

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"I can see clearly now" Pendant

I can see clearly now the rain is gone.
I can see all obstacles in my way.
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.
It's gonna be a bright (bright) bright (bright) sunshiny day.

Clear, textured stained glass pendant with a clear glass jewel, suspended from a silver chain.

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Cigarette box holder

Made out of copper, coated with silver solder and then paginated, this cigarette box holder has a hinge at the back for easy lifting of the lift. Made to hold a box of 30 cigarettes.

Hinge at the back of the cigarette box

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Goggo/Insect range - Button Spider

This Keepsakes range consists of insects (for the insect-lover!) to display as ornaments but some of them can also be fashioned into brooches. Hand-crafted with silver, copper, pewter, glass jewels and silver wire, each Goggo/insect can take 3 or more hours to make. Only materials of the highest quality is used and great attention is given to detail.

Although the items should be treated with care, each item is strong and sturdy. Taking care and cleaning of your unique insect is as easy as scrubbing gently with a toothbrush and Sunlight Liquid and giving it a good rinse with cold water, drying gently with a soft cloth. A natural patina develops over time, adding charm to the item. Each insect comes with its own descriptive card.

Button Spider (Latrodectus)
The only potentially deadly spider found in South Africa. The male is small and harmless. The female's body is 10-15mm long, black, often with a red marking above the spinneret at the rear of the abdomen. Will only bit if accidentally pressed against the skin.

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Copper Necklace and earrings

A necklace/choker made out of copper wire, inter-laced with large dark green striped beads. This necklace has a copper chain and matching earrings.

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Shell pendant on Silver chain

A shell with a black pebble hanging from a silver chain

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Hoe om met koper te werk

Koperplaat, Soldeeryster, Soldeeryster houer (stand), Staaf soldeersel, Flux met borseltjies, tanjetjies

Om met koperplaat te werk is pure plesier - dit kom in rolle van ongeveer 50cm wyd en ongeveer 10 meters op 'n rol. Koperplaat is beskikbaar by meeste arts en crafts winkels. Dit is uiters buigsaam en werkbaar en ook maklik om te sny met 'n gewone skêr, alhoewel jy nooit weer die skêr vir gewone huishoudelike gebruik sal kan gebruik nie!

En deur koper bedoel ek COPPER, nie BRASS nie. Koper is rooierig en brass (geelkoper) is geel. Ek werk partymaal met geelkoper, maar baie min.

Ek gebruik koper nie alleen en op sy eie nie, met ander woorde, ek soldeer artikels aan die koper vas. Koper is 'n wonderlike hitte-geleider en baie maklik vatbaar vir soldeersel. Ek omlyn die koper ook met die soldeersel om 'n afgewerkte voorkoms te gee en om die skerp kante te bedek.

'n Mens kan omtrent enige iets uit hierdie koper ontwerp - vierkantige, ronde of enige vorm plat collages, waaraan jy dan items soos kristalle, stukke glas of krale kan vas soldeer as 'n muurbehangsel teen die muur of in die tuin.

Ek gebruik dit baie vir my juweliersware, asook om items soos sigaretaansteker-houers, asbakkies, borde en pierings, omranding vir 'n spieël, besigheidskaartjie-houers, 'desk tidies', sneesdoekie bokse (tissue holders) en nog vele ander te maak - gebruik jou verbeelding.

Koper en Glas saam gebruik - die koper is gepatineer met 'BlackIt' om 'n antieke voorkoms te gee

Om artikels uit koper te maak, sny 'n stuk koper van die rol af ongeveer so groot soos jy dink jou projek gaan wees. (As jy te klein sny, kan jy altyd 'n stuk aanlas met soldeersel.)Maak dit plat met 'n roller (Dit is ook beskikbaar vanaf kunswinkels) en wees versigtig vir die skerp punte aan die kante. Gebruik handskoene as jy kan. Jy kan met 'n spesiale koper "scribe" (dit is 'n tipe pen met 'n metaal punt) jou vorm op die koper teken en dan uitsny. (Ek gebruik baie maal sommer 'n ou BIC pen om mee te teken.)

Stuk gesnyde koper en 'n soldeerstaaf

Jy kan ook vry-vorm stukke koperplaat neem en dit met die hand buig en verwerk in 'n abstrakte vorm. Ek gebruik ook 'n klein platneus- of ronde-neus-tanjetjie om te help met die buigwerk.

Voorbeelde van Koper gebruik in vry-vorm - borsstukke uit Koper met Glasjuweel. Die koper en soldeersel is gepatineeer om 'n antieke voorkoms te gee.

Om items aan die koper te soldeer, sal jy 'n soldeeryster nodig hê - ek gebruik 'n Weller temperatuur-gekontroleerde soldeerbout met verwyderbare punte, wat in allerhande diktes beskikbaar is. Maar enige soldeeryster is goed genoeg, en maak seker jou koop ook 'n houer waarin die soldeeryster rus wanneer dit nie in gebruik is nie. Werk versigtig met die soldeeryster, dit kan verskriklike brandmerke veroorsaak.

Weller Soldeeryster op houer 

Soldeersel kom in stawe of rolle en dan sal jy ook "Flux" (dis 'n vloeistof) nodig hê wat die katalis is tussen die soldeersel en die koperplaat. Neem 'n klein borseltjie (daar is spesiale flux borseltjies beskikbaar), dip dit in die flux en smeer dit aan die rand van die koper. Vat dan die soldeerbout en die soldeerstafie en soldeer klein stukkies soldeersel aan jou kopervorm. Dit gee die eerste lagie en enige items wat jy nou gaan aan soldeer, sal maklik verbind.

Soldeerstaaf (solder stick) koper en soldeeryster

Om te soldeer, hou die soldeerstafie of rolletjie in jou linkerhand, hou dit so na moontlik aan die koper en, met die soldeerbout in jou regter hand, verhit die soldeersel en laat dit op die koperplaat drup - maak dit dan gelyk deur dit met die soldeerbout liggies oor die plaat te "trek". Wees versigtig vir soldeersel-spatsels en gebruik 'n beskermende bril.

Alhoewel die koper sigbaar is in baie van my projekte, bedek ek meesal al die koper met die soldeersel om 'n silwer voorkoms te gee. Die rede hiervoor is dat die koper koperkleurig is en die soldeersel is silwer. Derhalwe kry jy twee kleure. Ek patineer ook baie van my ontwerpe om dit 'n antieke voorkoms te gee en wat die silwer in amper swart verander.

'Bloekomblaar' - 'n Stel oorbelle gemaak uit koper en liggies gepatineer met 'BlackIt'

Jy kan enige plek werk met jou koper, maar 'n ideale plek is 'n spesiale kamer of studio wat jy inrig spesiaal net vir al jou kunswerk-aktiwiteite. Ek het 'n 4m x 2m kamertjie ingerig met 'n L-vormige sementblad met rakke onder en bo dit waarop ek al my benodigdhede pak. Ek het ook hakkies aan die houtrakke aangebring om draad en soorgelyke goeters te hang. 'n Vereiste is 'n elektrisiteits-prop vir jou soldeeryster en dalk ook 'n lamp as die beligting nie te goed is nie.

 My 4m x 2m Studio waar ek al my kunswerk doen

 My 4m x 2m Studio waar ek al my kunswerk doen

My 4m x 2m Studio waar ek al my kunswerk doen 

LYS VAN BENODIGDHEDE :
- Koperplaat
- Roller
- Soldeeryster met houer
- Soldeersel - rol of stawe
- Bottel Flux
- Flux borseltjie
- "Scribe" of pennetjie om mee te teken
- Handskoene
- Beskermende bril
- Skêr
- Platneus- en/of rolneus-tanjetjie
- Groot tafel of werk area

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Rose Quartz Place-name Holder

Rose Quarts set into a shell with silver solder border and a silver wire stand. Can be used as place-name holders at a dinner party or just to hold an inspirational message next to your bed!

Rose quartz is pink quartz that is often called the "Love Stone." It is a stone of unconditional love that opens the heart chakra to all forms of love: self-love, family love, platonic love, and romantic love. The high energy of quartz gives rose quartz the property of enhancing love in virtually any situation. In turn, this lowers stress. All in all it is a very soothing and happy stone.

Emotionally rose quartz brings gentleness, forgiveness, compassion, kindness and tolerance. It raises one's self-esteem and sense of self-worth. It helps balance emotions and heal emotional wounds and traumas, even grief, bringing peace and calm. Rose quartz removes fears, resentments and anger. It can also heal and release childhood traumas, neglect, and lack of love, in part by enhancing inner awareness. It can help with reconciliation with family and others. Overwhelming or unreasonable guilt is eased by rose quartz.

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Green Stained Glass trinket box

A trinket or jewellery box made out of green stained glass, with a hinged lid and a little chain to hold the lid when it’s open. The legs and stretcher are made out of silver wire, patina-ed to give it a vintage look.

From my range of “Glass Art”.

Read here "How Stained glass is made".

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Goggo/Insect range – Baboon Spider

This Keepsakes range consists of insects (for the insect-lover!) to display as ornaments but some of them can also be fashioned into brooches. Hand-crafted with silver, copper, pewter, glass jewels and silver wire, each Goggo/insect can take 3 or more hours to make. Only materials of the highest quality is used and great attention is given to detail. Although the items should be treated with care, each item is strong and sturdy. These little animals are unique, one-of-a-kind designs not to be repeated.

Taking care and cleaning of your unique insect is as easy as scrubbing gently with a toothbrush and Sunlight Liquid and giving it a good rinse with cold water, drying gently with a soft cloth. A natural patina develops over time, adding charm to the item.

Each insect comes with a descriptive information card.

Ground-dwelling, these hairy spiders are among the world's largest, ranging from 2-6cm (body length). Various species exist in South Africa, all of them living in burrows. They have large fangs which can inflict an unpleasant bite, but without serious envenomation.

A collection of a few Goggos.

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Black Stained Glass trinket box

Easy to make, this stained glass trinket box is constructed purely of flat panels of glass and soldered together, no curves or intricate patterns. The lid consists of one sheet of glass cut at an angle into four pieces and then soldered together, the bottom is one sheet of glass and the four sides are cut into strips and soldered onto the bottom sheet.

A single long hinge, constructed out of a copper metal tube with copper wire inserted through it, is attached to two copper wire rings soldered to the back of the box.

A flat piece of copper covered in solder is soldered to the front panel with a little wire hook for keeping the lid closed

A trinket box is also known by other terms such as jewel case or casket and has been used from medieval times on dressers to store anything from jewelry to all those little mementos such as photos and beads as well as precious ear rings, rings and anything else that has a priceless personal value to you.

You can read here on How Stained glass is made

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