The fused glass in my Merged by Heat collection is created by cutting glass shapes, arranging the pieces, adding optional elements such as glass strings or pebbles or frit (ground glass), placing them on specially treated platforms, setting into the kiln, and firing the kiln. Firing is done in up to 8 stages, with the temperature and length of time in each stage being controlled..  Most of my artisan jewelry is fired at up to 1475 degrees and takes about 15 hours in the kiln.  And then…magic!  Opening the kiln is like opening presents…and sometimes the result is beyond what you had hoped for!