How CookedGlassCreations got started
Introduce your Etsy shop and tell us your story. How did you begin and decide on what to sell on Etsy, and how do you create your products?
Hello! I am Bruce Cook of Cooked Glass Creations, the creator of handcrafted fused glass earrings, pendants, and bracelets.
Cooked Glass Creations started as a hobby and blossomed into a business following my retirement, thanks to the encouragement of my wife and business partner, Elaine. I first learned the art of glass fusing in San Diego, in 2000, and studied under several accomplished fused glass artists. My early works—glass plates and bowls of bold geometric designs—were featured at Lowery's Hot Glass Studio, displayed alongside their blown art glass pieces.
After relocating to San Antonio, I furthered my craft skills by studying art glass jewelry design at Wired Designs as well as at the Southwest School of Art and Craft. Now that I live in Georgia, I focus on designing unique fused glass jewelry and other "Cooked Glass" creations for sale at craft shows and on Etsy.
while my wife manages the business. Together, we thoroughly enjoy working as a team to provide unique, high-quality creations at an affordable price and provide excellent customer service.
I begin my creations by designing the glass piece. When the design is complete, I then cut the pieces from glass that is especially designed for glass fusing. Typically, each piece is designed to have two layers of glass. The color, texture, thickness, and other characteristics of the glass can vary greatly. Once the glass has been cut, it may need to have the edges and corners smoothed, which is accomplished by using a glass grinder. After the glass has been cut and cleaned, it is placed in a kiln, where it is heated to approximately 1460 degrees Fahrenheit. It is then allowed to cool to room temperature. The original two layers of glass have now been fused to become one inseparable piece of glass.
If the corners of the piece I have created have not been rounded off to my satisfaction, I will do a second kiln firing. Various findings are attached to complete the piece. Sterling silver ear wires are used for my dangle earrings, and titanium posts (which are free of nickel, cadmium, and lead) are used for my stud earrings. Bracelets are made using silver-plated steel findings.
Favorite items
What are your favorite items? What makes these so special? Why do you think these items might be selling well?
My favorite items to make are mosaic pendants, because each one is so unique. I begin with very small pieces of various colors of glass that have already been fused once, and then design on top of a base. I design as I go, so it allows for the most creativity. Time slips away when I make these pendants because I get so involved in the process! I really get into a state of flow. As a result, they are time-consuming to make, so I do not have time to make many mosaic pendants during my busy holiday season. When I make them during slower times of the year, they sell well because my customers appreciate the time and effort that went into them. My mosaic pendants always get the nicest reviews!
Getting sales on Etsy
How long did it take for you to earn your first sale and how do you currently attract customers to your Etsy shop?
The very first day my shop went live on Etsy, my wife and I were setting up our booth at a craft show. She logged in to the shop just to see if there was any activity, and I had sold a bracelet to a customer in Denmark! It was very special to me because my first customer had purchased the most time-consuming bracelet I had ever made. I called it "Mardi Gras," because each 12" fused glass square on the bracelet was made up of four smaller squares of different colors. The result was a very colorful bracelet, just like the colors of a Mardi Gras parade.
Although I have recently tried Etsy ads, many of my customers come to my shop through referrals from their friends who are customers. Word-of-mouth has been a major part of my business because of the compliments my customers receive when they wear my creations. Many of the 5-star reviews mention the compliments they have received, and that always makes me feel good!
Elaine writes my listings for me, so she attracts customers with quality descriptions and tags.
Managing CookedGlassCreations
How do you manage your shop? Are you running solo or do you have any team members? What tools or services do you use to run your shop and how do you handle fulfillment?
Elaine really enjoys doing the photography, listings, and managing the shop, as well as shipping orders. Aside from me replying to Etsy messages and writing personalized notes included in each package, she runs the shop for me. Elaine also runs the financial and business end of things, which frees me up to create my fused glass jewelry. We make a great team and really enjoy running the business together!
Etsy makes it very easy to purchase shipping labels at a discount, so all shipping is done through the site. Fortunately, jewelry is small, so I can put outgoing packages in our box each day for USPS to pick up.
The future of CookedGlassCreations
What goals do you have for your shop in the future?
Since Elaine and I are retired from our careers and view Etsy and craft shows as enjoyable (and profitable!) hobby, our goal is to continue providing beautiful-quality handcrafted jewelry at a reasonable price and providing excellent customer service. We enjoy the relationships we have built with our customers and want to continue the personalized service we give to each one.
Advice for new sellers
What’s your advice for a new seller starting an Etsy shop?
Treat your customers the way you would want to be treated as a customer. Provide a quality product at a fair price with excellent customer service!
CookedGlassCreations
Cooked Glass Creations
