Some years ago, Maria made a headboard with glass panels that held pressed flowers. She loved the look, but realized it wasn't that practical to make lots of headboards, so she scaled back the project and came up with a pressed flower pendant that she pairs with her own recycled glass beads. Materials: flowers clear glass glass-cutting tools solder soldering iron base metal beads brown suede cord with magnetic clasp container of silica crystals copper foil tape jump rings recycled glass torch and tools for lampworking

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Figure D

Steps: 1. Collect many small flowers. Put them in a container of silica crystals to dry for a few days (figure A). 2. Cut (figure B), grind and wash two matching pieces of glass. 3. Press flowers between glass (figure C). 4. Wrap the copper foil tape around both pieces to seal the edges. Solder the edges with a soldering iron (figure D). Add rings for hanging and dangling. 5. Carefully wash the finished charm. 6. Fire up the torch and melt down (lampwork process) some recycled glass into beads. 7. Put the beads into a crock pot of vermiculite to anneal (cool down slowly so they don't crack). 8. When cool, the beads need to be cleaned out with a little file and then washed. 9. Put the beads on a cord, string some seed beads with it or just dangle them, and then add the flower charm.