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Global Travel + Jewelry Stories

Colorful handmade Murano glass pendant with gold chain on women model with white shirt.

The Story of Murano Glass, Italy

This spotlight is on the story behind our Murano Glass pieces, global treasures from beautiful Italy brought to our site!  After glassmakers were forced out of Venice due to destructive fires from their glass furnaces, they all moved to the island of Murano which has become known world-wide for its rich, color-infused glass!  We visited the island to see their beautiful glass artwork but most of all to shop for gorgeous unique glass jewelry-making materials and pendants, and we were so excited with what we found!  Sure enough, almost every shop lining the cobblestone walkways over the canals showed off shelves of colorful and sparkling Murano glass.  

Italian glass maker and artist waving in her workshop and blowing Murano glass beads. Friendly smile

The coolest workshop seemed like it was overflowing with boxes of handmade glass beads, and in the attached room a woman was making the glass beads that we were about to buy.  She dipped long thin rods that held small colorful balls of glass on their ends into the furnace and sat patiently twisting the glass in the small fire below her hands.  (See pictures below!!)  We walked out with bags full of unique beads to make the jewelry you see today, and beautiful pendants that capture all the colors of the Murano buildings themselves to give you all a little taste of Italy!  If you ever visit Venice, I highly recommend that you take the short trip to this island and rather than just going to the stores, find the workshops themselves and watch this astounding process! 

Fun Fact:  In Italy, the word “allora” is used as a filler word such as "so, um, well, then..."  So in every conversation with an Italian local, the response to my questions would start with “Allora…” which sounded just like “Ellora”!  In the short time before I figured this out, I stood there wondering how these strangers knew my name.

Italian glass maker and artist blowing colorful Murano glass beads in her furnace in her workshop.
Glass maker materials with colorful glass rods, beads, and bags full of glass and tools.

All of her glass rods and pieces - those rods on the table have blue beads on the end!

Italian canals on the island of Murano with boats, tourists, and colorful buildings.
Gelato ice cream in blue cups on a boat in the Italian canals of Venice with old architecture.

Can't forget about the gelato :)

Italian glass maker and artist sitting in his workshop surrounded by tools on the island of Murano.

Another glass-maker in his workshop surrounded by all his tools

Beautiful, colorful old architecture and building in Murano, Italy with balconies and flowers.

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