Here is some history on how I began the artistry of creating glass purses. I first became interested in creating purses from glass after discovering some glass blocks salvaged from a fallen building in Los Angeles. My initial thought was to create bookends from these heavy glass blocks, but when I found an 8-inch high rounded glass block, I realized that if I could cut it in half, it could potentially become a purse.

After two years of trial and error, during which I had the rounded block professionally cut and polished, I took on the challenge of transforming it into a purse. My husband gifted me a drill press and a grinder for Christmas, and I began experimenting with diamond tip drill bits to drill through the nearly half-inch thick glass. By drilling holes into the sides of the glass block, I was able to attach a chain, creating a shoulder-style “glass” purse.