DIY Cloche

Okay, if you have read any of my previous posts, you probably 

saw that I {L O V E} to decorate using glassware.

I have been looking for a cloche for a while now 

and I cannot seem to find one.

While I was out thrifting a few weeks ago, I picked up several 

glasses that are the perfect shape for creating my own cloche.

...just turn the glasses over and viola!  Well, almost viola!

These glasses have a flat bottom.  They also have a thick area of

glass in the bottom (which will become my top).

....but we all know how I love a challenge!  ;-)

So, I thought about all of the different opportunities that lie

ahead in creating some really pretty cloches from these glasses.

Today, I will show you the first in what will soon be a series.

My first medium for the handle of the cloche is polymer clay.

My mom is very crafty with this stuff, so I thought I would give it a try.

Here are the pics and the process.

You can see the thick bottom on the glass.  I rounded up some jump rings,

rhinestones and a few other jewelry making pieces along with my clay.

Make sure it fits before you bake it.  Once it bakes, there is 

no turning back.  

After making your perfect little jewel to top the jar, you are ready to bake.  See the baking 

instructions on the package of clay.... and be careful when it comes out!  Let it cool before you

pick it up.   Also, remove the rhinestones before you bake it.  

The heat will make the rhinestones turn a cloudy color (which will remove the "bling" effect)!

-Don't ask me how I know this, but replacing the rhinestones is not fun!-

You can't really tell because of the angle of the picture, but I slid a pin down the center of

the bead/ball so that I could add a glass bead on top...(you'll see).

In between the lovely rain, I took my new cloche top outside to

spray paint with silver paint.  You can see the raindrops on the 

inside of my container, proving that I wasn't as quick between the showers 

as I'd liked to have been!  

(You can see the pin here... and the glass bead I am adding).

I had to use super glue to replace all of the dulled rhinestones.

Live and learn!

I also learned that because of the thickness on the bottom of this glass, 

there was a reflection of the bottom of the "cloche top".  So, I printed a 

picture of a bird and glued it to the bottom of the glass and then I glued 

the cloche top to the picture.  

It actually was an accident, but I {L O V E} it.  

This is a view looking into the glass.

See in this next picture how it looks like there are three layers?

1.) The bottom of the cloche (filled with my pretty beads and keys, and

shredded music, etc).  

2.) The reflection of the bird 

3.)  The cloche top made from clay.

So, here we have the first in a series of homemade cloches.  

I can hardly wait to fill them with more of my treasures and display them!

I may try using a lamp finial next time as the cloche top. :-)

I hope this inspires you to create things that you love.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

I {L O V E} comments.

I'd also {L O V E} for you to follow me via Google Friend if you like

what you see in my blog posts.

While you are here, check out my older posts!

Until next time, be blessed!

:-)  Tonya

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