Pet Galaxies

To create these, you will need sheet glass, frit and powdered glass. I use Bullseye glass, so I will be using the Bullseye names for reference. I also use three different powder sifters, and jeweller's tweezers for placing coloured zircon gemstones.

Step 1

First, cut yourself a couple of circles, one in opaque blue, one in clear - make the clear slightly bigger than the blue. Set the clear circle to one side.

Start adding your powders. I start with black opal at the very outsides.

Step 2

The next powder is blue-black, followed by blue aventurine. The powder is applied in such a way as to give the impression of an oval left in the very centre.

Step 3

A significant amount of opaque white powder is now used to fill the central oval, and is also scattered over the aventurine and blue black powders, to give a graduated effect.

Step 4

Now you get to go to town, using garnet, fuchsia, emerald green, petal pink, violet striker and any other colours you would like, added as thin lines scattered cross the central oval. In addition, fine frit in opaque white, deep red and aqua blue can be added to the disc.

Step 5

If you want to add a bit of extra sparkle to catch the light, put on some coloured and clear zircons. This is the only gemstone that will survive the firing, and is most easily placed by being settled into taller heaps of powder.

Once the disc is complete, place carefully over the larger clear disc as centrally as possible, and get it in the kiln on a full fuse, with a good long anneal.

No one knows what it'll come out like, but that's half the fun

End result

And this is the finished piece - you can add extra powders and frit if you are not happy with what comes out of the kiln the first time, but avoid firing the piece more that twice if you can. Make sure to increase the anneal time on any subsequent firings.

The Glassy Witch