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I decided to try and make this project using only items I had in my studio – or things I found. I didn’t want to have to go out and purchase anything special. This made it a bit tougher, but was a good brain workout.

For the body of the kaleidoscope = Spectrum opal orange and white swirl for the two sides, and pink and white swirl for the bottom.

For outside decoration of tube = I had an stash of old Wasser glass, I combined this with dichroic and clear Bullseye and made some fused tiles to put at the back of the scope near the eye piece to weight it down, since the front is so heavy.

For hummingbird wings/tail: I fused clear dichroic; because I wanted them to appear light and airy looking since they are so small – the hummingbird body I painted with “metal flake” green gloss paint, and black beaks and eyes.

For inside the body of the kaleidoscope: front surface mirror.

*Fused glass was all done in my rapid fire kiln

Base: old barn wood. I wanted the contrast of the smooth glass textures and the rough wood.

Color Wheels: made with glass jewels and cathedral glass scraps.

Flowers: have a fused glass center, and are copper foil and attached to twisted wire, as are the leaves (Youghiogheny glass)

Measurements:
The Wood Base: 13 inches tall by 5.5 inches wide
The Kaleidoscope: 14.5 inches long by 4 inches tall [front] and 3 inches tall [rear].
(3) Color Wheels: each are 4 inches across

   
   
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"Hummingbird Pond" consists of three major parts- the birds, the bowl and the base.

The cast bodies are painted to resemble the Broadbill Hummingbird, with greenish-blue feathers and a black-tipped beak. I used Rub N Buff and Color Magic in shades of blues and greens, red, black, and white.

Their wings were done in three different styles using dark iridescent glass, blue/green/red stipple glass, and green/blue/purple wispy opal glass. The wings and tails made from iridescent and opal glass are cut to small pieces and wrapped in narrow foil to give lighter lead lines and a more delicate appearance. The larger pieces were cut from the stipple glass so that the ripples in the glass simulated the natural shape of the wings and tail..

Mosaic Bowl:
The mosaic pieces were cut from cathedral and wispy glass in shades of blues and greens.

The lighter colored cathedral glass was concentrated in the bottom of the bowl to increase the illumination from the mirrored base. The bowl was finished with black grout and a spray sealant.

Base:
The hummingbirds are suspended from wires soldered onto a base that consists of a round mirror surrounded by wispy green leaves. The bowl lifts out of the base so water can be added or poured out easily. Floating candles bring life to the suspended hummingbirds and highlight the beautiful colors in their iridescent wings.