It took Grace quite a while to finally put down roots, and it was a derelict blacksmith’s forge and cottage that eventually pulled at her heart strings. Home means stability, love, family, food, shelter, celebrations, routine, warmth, friends. It holds memories of the past, and dreams of the future. It doesn’t matter how big or small, how modern or fancy. It is our home, whether permanent or transitory. But at its best, home comforts and encourages us, brings out the best in us, and makes us who we are. From the forge, now a contemporary fused glass studio, Grace makes a range of hand-crafted glass, all of which, she hopes, will add something special to the home of whoever receives it.

What is fused glass? Also known as kiln-formed glass, fusing involves cutting, grinding and layering specialist sheet-glass when cold. It is placed in a kiln, which is like an oven. The glass is slowly heated to very high temperatures (up to about 800 degrees Celsius), when it melts and ‘fuses’ to itself, then carefully cooled down again for strength (known as annealling), before the door can be opened. This is a craft that requires patience, and a little belief in magic! The fusing process takes between 13 hours and 72 hours, depending on the size of the kiln.