Carnival Glass

[SarahBee]

One of my friends has a lid that is made of Carnival glass...it got broken, but she would like to keep it for sentimental reasons. She'd like me to make it into jewelry...or beads....any suggestions for something neat?

[sculptorgirl]

Carnival glass is usually made of a base glass that is fumed to get the "oil-slick" coloring. If you try to re-melt it, I'm afraid you will lose the "oil-slick" and expose yourself to unwanted metal fumes.

If this is what your friend has, then the best thing to do might be to cold-work it. Cold-working is basically either sawing or grinding or drilling (using the appropriate tools and LOTS of water).

It might look great to cut a small oval or circle or square, grind the edges, drill a hole, and make a necklace. Otherwise, you could cut your shape, and make a pendant (with bezel) out of PMC, and set the glass in the PMC after the PMC has been fired.

If I misunderstood what you meant by carnival glass, then please disregard my suggestions. :biggrin:

[chrissij]

I agree, cold worked...if the pieces are relatively large, you could grind them, copper foil it, and solder it all back together, drill holes in it, and dangle beads, fused glass, and crystals from it...a wind chime! and it would still look like her lid cause it is her lid...just a thought...

Chris

[SarahBee]

Those are both really great ideas! I never would have come up with the windchime idea. Know anybody that would feel like giving this a shot? I don't have any tools for cold working. :smile:

[MegannsMom]

If any of the piece(s) are fairly flat, you could glue one to a piece of Lacy's Stiff Stuff and do beadwork around it, then incorporate that pendant into a necklace. Examples can be found on my website; not sure if I can post that here? Why don't you PM me if you are interested and I can give you a link, just to be on the safe side.....
~Cindy