Fused Glass Bolo Tie & Cuff Links - Blue & Black Available
Bolo ties are back, and are better than ever. If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind piece that truly represents YOU, you've come to the right place. I made this set for an equestrian, for an upcoming event. The tie and cuff links will be the very cool accessories to a black shirt that includes a panel of human skulls/bones.. her entire ensemble will be black,white & red…she's sure to be the "belle of the ball". All pieces are created in fused glass; the glass has been properly annealed during the firing so that it is very strong. In addition, I made the cuff links 1/4" thick (you don't know what she may hit as she goes racing by on her valiant steed). The glass that forms the tie is 2"h x 1.75" w (at the top); it has a Bennet-style slide with a clasp, so that it can be locked down onto the cord. A leatherette cord of silver and white is finished at the ends with silvertone caps. Cuff links are actually "button covers"; the hinged metal back flips open so that you can slide them over any button… snap them shut to secure. This makes them very versatile - they can be worn with any shirt with buttons. I made this set a "right and left"… but if the design was "neutral", you could also wear these on the front of your shirt… a single one at the top, or several all the way down… and they could all be different - the sky's the limit!! Dimensions of the cuff links are 1.25"w x 1"h x .25"d Custom orders can specify the color/length of the cord, as well as the cord ends and other hardware. Tie can be ordered without cuff links (and links without tie) The price shown is for the set; the tie alone would range from 35+; the cuff links/button covers 18+
Finish
- white
- black
Material
- glass
Material
- silver
Base
- metal
Meet the Maker
Karla Ely
Karla Ely Glass
The mainstay of my shop is fused glass creations…. this can be a stand alone piece of glass, a mixed media composition (sculptural or wall-hung), or a functional piece of work (light fixtures, plates/trays/bowls,inserts for doors or cabinets, etc).
I most enjoy making custom pieces for folks… Because I am intuitive, after a short conversation I am able to "get that person" and design a piece that is "theirs".
While many glass artists began with stained glass and later transitioned to fused work, I have 20 years experience working in fused glass. I prefer fused glass for the following reasons:
- it is STRONGER than stained glass. Art glass is 1/8" thick; a stained glass pieces consists of a lot of 1/8" pieces of glass soldered together… which means that it is thin and with all of those joints, it has the potential to come apart.
Fused glass, on the other hand, is a SINGLE piece of glass; while an individual composition is comprised of as many (or more) pieces than a stained glass piece, everything is assembled in the kiln and fired into a single, final piece. Additionally, fused glass can be made as thick as you want…so, depending on the application, multiple layers of glass can be fused together (think "glass sink"). Really thick pieces are more expensive to produce because the firing process (bringing the heat up, ramping it down, and annealing) takes far longer - it is not uncommon for a firing process to take 20+ hours with a thick/large piece of glass.
Stained glass pieces have distracting solder lines which can detract from the overall design composition - fused glass has none of these distractions!
With fused glass, you have a larger "palette" to work from. You can "make your own glass" by pre-firing different glass together (to make polka dot glass, for example) and then cut it up for your design.. glass can be fired over and over in most instances.
All of my designs are from my own original drawings; if you have something specific in mind, I would be happy to work with you to create a working drawing for a project.
Technical excellence is evident throughout my pieces; I am a perfectionist when it comes to my work, and am willing to do "whatever it takes" to have a design materialize into the physical.
Customer Reviews
Nancy Deal
May 11, 2016It was a pleasure working with Karla. She asked great questions so she knew exactly what I wanted. I am so pleased with the letters she made for me. They will make my project look better than I could have expected. I would highly recommend her for any of your projects.
Pamela Buckhave
Oct 4, 2021Karla was so personable and caring. We had lost our dog after 15 wonderful years, to have this beautiful piece of art of him is beyond meaningful. Karla even used some fur of our beloved baby making this art piece so meaningful to us. I can’t thank Karla enough??
Janice McKee
Jan 3, 2018This is my first time on Custom Made. I reached out blindly in search of how to best help a friend who had recently lost his sister. I had no idea what to expect and giving only a vague idea of what i hoped to achieve. Karla contacted me almost immediately with an in-depth reply asking pointed questions, trying to narrow down my request. From that moment on, despite my cloudiness and confusion, Karla's ability, artistic vision, and supreme kindness led the way. She devised the absolute perfect plan and carried it out with a speed and professionalism that astounded me. I am overwhelmed at what she created, and the entire process since first finding your website. I feel a bit of divine intervention in how it all happened. I am so grateful to Karla, and to Custom Made, for creating this opportunity to honor his sister, also an artist. The finished project is one my friend will cherish, and this experience i would cherish as well. Karla, you are an amazing person and artist.
Dennis DuBreuil
Jul 29, 2019Karla, was friendly, professional and very commutative. She is a very good artist that I would use again and highly recommend her.
Rich Hoftiezer
Jan 31, 2014I started with an idea; Karla turned it into a work of art. I cannot adequately express how pleased I am with the end result. The quality is unsurpassed, and the workmanship is flawless. Her professionalism, imagination and skills made this a thoroughly enjoyable and learning experience. From concept to completion, Karla kept me apprised of every facet of the project, providing frequent communication, explanations of the processes and pictures of the piece. If you would like to see an idea come to life, ask to see her Creation Story of what became affectionately known as "Mr Penguin". With my deepest thanks and admiration, Rich H