Martin's Glass House Blog

WOW! ART SHOW - RATED "M" FOR MATURE ARTISTS!

2011-06-25T11:15:00.000-06:00

Here are some photos of pieces that will be shown at the RATED "M" art show at the Laramie Civic Center - Opening June 30th, and running through the whole month of July.

Morning Reverie

This piece (glass only) is almost 12" square, so it's pretty large/tall in the display stand. It's very cool, though, I think. You should go down to see it in person!


'57 T-Bird: White with Pink Interior

This is one of my favorites! I like it even more with the diamond plate stand! This is a "pattern bar" piece. The "striped" pieces that form the echelon shape are wafer-thin cross-sectional slices from a glass tile that I made, then arranged to formed a repeating pattern on the whole fused piece. The tall aluminum bars sticking out above the glass are "antennae". I still hope to get to the salvage yard to find some old, but good condition, car antennae to insert into the posts.

Blonde Bombshells

OK. I love this one, too! It's a 9" wide bowl, about 2" deep, constructed with repeating pattern bars to form the "blonde" ladies holding red and yellow shopping bags. You can tell which is the bottom of the piece - the ladies are wearing red shoes!

Coliseum

This is the smallest piece in the show - only about 5" x 9", another pattern bar piece. The bottom is where the blue water is... sort of reminds me of a Venice canal.

Ikebana Sunrise

This was a fun piece to create. I made it with "vitrigraph" - pieces of glass that I made by "melting" scraps of glass in a clay flower pot, then pulling the melted glass through the hole in the flower pot to create twists of stretched glass. It's my impression of an Ikebana floral arrangement, just from what I learned about Ikebana by searching the web.

Potential Energy

This was another FUN piece of art to create! The green, white and clear "stripes" you see in the photo are really strips of glass that are turned on edge, arranged into a circular pattern. Within the circle is a tile that I made, also turning strips of various colors of glass on edge and forming the zig-zag pattern. Once all of these pieces were arranged - a very time intensive process, the whole thing was fused together into one beautiful piece. I love it!

Hope you enjoyed the photos!

For this show, I collaborated with Josh Meranda who made custom-welded display stands for me.

There are some new items in the WOW! gift shop, as well. Ya' all get down to the show and buy something! I have a lot of display stand expenses to cover! :-)

c@

ZIPPER FLIPPER SEASON

2011-02-02T17:23:00.000-07:00

IT'S ZIPPER FLIPPER SEASON at MARTIN'S GLASS HOUSE!

I don't know what the weather is where you live, but here at Martin's Glass House we've been having some severely frigid temperatures this week - like 38 below this morning! It sure looks sunny, but it sure isn't warm! Even the dog doesn't want to go outside!

If one is brave enough to venture out in this weather, the possibility is great that a Zipper Flipper might be necessary on your jacket. If the wind and snow are blowing, you'll want to be able to zip your jacket ALL the way up as fast as you can! If you have gloves on, you can do this easily if you have a Zipper Flipper on your zipper pull. You'll find it right away - and up it goes!

If you're not out in the cold now, though, you might be headed that way when the temps get warmer... Say, above 0? Maybe skiing or snowshoeing... or ice fishing? When you're exercising and get too warm, you still don't have to remove your gloves to move your zipper down just a little, quickly and easily if you have a Zipper Flipper!

And even f you're not an outdoor person, you might be headed to go out shopping for ingredients to make some nice hot soup! A Zipper Flipper is great for your jacket, too - when you get to the store or when you're leaving, it's easy to quickly flip the zipper up or down so you can be on your way without fumbling with shopping carts, bags, coupons and tasks at the cash register

Are you planning to stay indoors in the cold? Say, sitting by the fireplace catching up on some reading? How about a Zipper Flipper for your hoodie or Bible cover?

While the Martin's Glass House Zipper Flippers are not designed for children under 3 years old because of the small parts, you will find that they have been made with quality construction for others. No Zipper Flipper leaves our studio without extra twists on metal findings to hold parts securely.

Double split-rings are used so that the ornamental parts of the Zipper Flippers are easy to move or rotate slightly, and the rings are sturdy enough to withstand a great deal of pulling.

Get one for yourself! Give some as gifts! Zipper Flippers are great!

Jewelry Blues!

2010-11-03T18:15:00.000-06:00

These are just some of the sets and pieces of jewelry that I have made in blues, shades of blues/related to blue, or containing some blue. A drop in the bucket!

On black velvet... shows some teal...

On bare skin... a little transparent... looks different on everyone, and with whatever you are wearing.

Unfinished blobs have a lot of potential!

Earring options: French Hooks/Wires, Posts (dangling or not), even clip-ons.

Many with multiple earring options.

Earring Extenders are also optional.

Sizes generally are within 1-1/4" x 1-1/4". This one is approximately a 1" square (slightly longer).

These pieces are made from pattern bar scraps.

These pieces are a little longer - maybe about 1-1/2". The silver dichroic glass reflects a little lavender.

Many are cabochons with dichroic glass inclusions.

Some have crinkled dichroic glass.

Each pieces is a unique, one-of-a-kind creation. Even earrings will have slight differences.

These have millefiori inclusions.

Many are layered. This is a combination of dichroic and plain art glass.

There is no end to the variety of shapes available.

This pendant is about 1-1/4" round.

Pendant bails and ear wires/posts are available in silver and gold plating, or sterling silver.

Assorted pendant bail types are available.

A pendant (about 1"x1-1/4") and earrings with extenders (wire balls).

Dichroic glass reflects and transmits light. The peach color above is from what I am wearing.

Some jewelry pieces are mounted on beaded chains. Beaded chains can also be purchased change pendants.

Triangles are often overlapped in my jewelry designs.

Add extenders (the square links above, or other styles) depending on the length of hair and personal preference.

Most pieces are sold as sets. Some pieces are sold individually.

Design your own pendants, choosing metal color and earring type.

Custom designed specifically for your tastes and preferences.

Don't see what you like? Custom orders/designs available.

2nd Round of Ornaments for the National Christmas Tree!

2010-11-03T17:44:00.001-06:00

The Forest Service offered an extension of the deadline to get ornaments submitted for the National Christmas Tree this year. They needed to be sure they had at least 5,000 ornaments for the tree!

So, I tried to recruit some more people to make additional ornaments to add to the batch that I had already delivered to the Forest Service Office. (I heard later that they exceeded the 5,000 necessary ornaments!)

Leslie dropped everything and stopped cleaning her carpets to come over to make ornaments. Phil ran next door and recruited nearly the whole family - Kim and kids Erik (10) and Ryan (8), as well as their grandmother Mary, and cousin Katie (8).

Katie's ornaments are above. The rest are below!

Phil and I made some extras to fill up the kiln. Phil made his out of the scraps just laying on the table after everyone else had gone home!

Western Snowmen by Erik!

Ryan's Snowmen & Penguin!


These are Kim's creations!

Mary's Snowman!


Leslie's Forever West Ornaments


This is Phil's ornament.

Cat's ornaments.

ORNAMENTS FOR NATION'S CHRISTMAS TREE!

2010-10-09T10:32:00.007-06:00

This week, a small group of Laramie artists gathered at the Martin's Glass House studio to
make ornaments for the Nation's Christmas tree in Washington, DC.

Yesterday I dropped off the ornaments at the Forest Service office in Laramie.

We thought that yesterday was going to be the deadline - but the newspaper yesterday had an announcement from the Forest Service in Casper that there is a one-week extension on getting all the ornaments turned in to the Forest Service. So, today - Saturday - we will be creating more!

This first ornament (above) is one that I created.

It is a 9" clear circle with glass scraps on both sides. Can you see the star on it? I am hoping it's easy enough to see!

The 9" and larger ornaments are supposed to be displayed on the 67-foot tree that will be the main tree in Washington - I think at the White House (?). There are several other smaller trees that will be in offices around Washington, DC, so smaller ornaments are supposed to be used on those trees.

Here are the rest of the ornaments we made. After everyone left, Phil and I created a few more ornaments to fill up both kilns.

These are the rest of the 9" ornaments...

Lisa's Ornament.

Can you see the star? Look for it!

Lisa said her sister lives close to Washington DC, so she's hoping her sister can get there to make sure that huge tree has her ornament on it!

I hope her sister will take photos of ALL our ornaments on the huge tree!

This is Patty's large (9") ornament.

The theme for ornaments this year is "Forever West".

This one looks, to me, like a mountain with clouds in the sky and a lot of rivers or lakes...

What do you see in it?

Here is Patty's smaller ornament.

The size is about 5-6".

Dots and Frit...

Red, White and Blue...

Cool!

This is Julie's large ornament.

Sort of an abstract Christmas tree. White frit for snow on the green boughs.

Julie had never done anything like glass fusing before.

Great job for her first time, don't you think?

This is Julie's smaller ornament. The small ornaments are made out of 4" circles.

Another great job! Very colorful!

(So much excitement for Julie at our house lately... She was here last week when our epiphyllum bloomed - again. The epiphyllum bloomed in early August, and again last week. So cool! I'll post some photos of that later.)

Julie brought her friend Jenny with her...

This is one of Jenny's large ornaments. I don't know when she found time to do two of them - and a smaller one - but, she did!

Isn't this great? Using scraps of glass, Jenny found a piece that had had a tree cut out of it! So, there is is right in the middle - a Christmas tree on an ornament!

Good job, Jenny!

This is Jenny's other large ornament.

I see mountains, clouds, lakes... a golf course, too... in it.

What do you see?

This is Jenny's small ornament.

A tree on one side - with frit snow on the tree.
The other side is red and blue - sort of a starburst effect. With the snow, it looks Red, White and Blue.

How creative!

And speaking of creative... Look what Phil made!

He found a piece lying on the table that was a rejected shawl pin. Clarifying with me that I wasn't going to be using it, he used it on this small ornament. Cute, huh?

I really like it when he gets involved in these projects. He really has some creative ideas for a comical (I mean chemical) engineer, don't you think? :-)

Trying to make up for destroying a 24"x24" piece of amber glass for one project by using a scrap laying around on the table....

This is a small ornament that I made.

Supposed to be the sun and sunset, over mountains, amber waves of dry grasses, a lake, a river, a few green trees ...

This is Wyoming. This is the West.

This is another small ornament I made.

A tree with a star... and the sun... and some splashes of sunsets.

The West.

This is one of the snowmen ornaments (small) that I usually make.

The traditional image with the corn cob pipe and a stove pipe hat. Later for Christmas this year, though, I think I'll work on making some with western hats.

This particular snowman has brown eyes instead of eyes made out of "coal".

I will never forget the year that I made a snowman with blue eyes. It looked just like Bing Crosby.

I wonder who has that snowman now...

And this is another ornament I made - just to fill up the kiln quickly. Just pieces of scrap glass. No particular "meaning" to it.

Maybe you see something I don't see?

Cat's Basket Weave Cake - Before the Collapse

2010-09-29T11:54:00.003-06:00

Fortunately, we took photos of this cake before it left Michael's!

This was my first attempt at making a basket weave cake. Looks pretty good in this photo; but by the time I got home, the basket was pretty much pulling the cake off the sides. Probably too much weight from all the frosting, as I drove very carefully and there was very little traffic going home.

Pretty much the same flowers as used in the tiered cake (previous post), with the addition of daffodils on this cake.

The blue birds were made from gum paste. I'm going to try putting some powdered "dust" on the birds (and other items) in the future to make them stand out a little better - look fancier.

This is a carrot cake with sour cream-raisin filling from a recipe I found in an old cookbook I checked out from the public library. Caramel Penuche Icing mixed with Buttercream Icing for the frosting.

The cake isn't going anywhere... it's a mess!

Flowers, Butterflies and Birds

2010-09-29T11:06:00.006-06:00

Inspired by the new colors I'm using in the living room, I created this 9"x16" window hanging.

I used "my version" of the technique I learned from Richard LaLonde when I took a class he taught in Boise, Idaho last year.

This is made primarily from glass frit, which is ground up glass - most of this was from powdered glass frit... some from finely ground glass frit.

There are also bits of dichroic glass in the butterflies. Too bad we didn't realize what the piece looks like from the other side... the dichroic really stands out much better from the reverse side.

The piece is currently hanging in the window at Gallery West/ The Frame Plant in downtown Laramie - for sale! It is gorgeous! You need to go see it from both sides. If it doesn't sell, I'll get it back again in a few months to enjoy it on display in my new living room "gallery," as I've run out of room in my studio gallery!

Continuing the color theme... Here is a photo of the first tiered cake I've ever made.

I call it "Cross Training" for my glass art - I have been taking some cake decorating classes at Michael's in Cheyenne, WY. I like the colors in my living room, so carried it over into my cake decorating colors for this cake.

The top is a 6" cake, the middle is 8", the bottom is 10".

The cake is from a recipe called "Italian Wedding Cake." It contains pineapple, coconut and pecans. I was aiming to find something "sturdy" so that the layers would stack well.

The filling is pineapple curd - a recipe I found in a fairly old book that I checked out from the public library.

Part of the fun of baking cakes is finding new recipes.

The photo below is the top of the cake. The flowers are all made of Royal Icing. The butterfly is gum paste.

I got the idea for the butterfly from something I saw on You Tube. I never found a butterfly gum paste press, so I used a cookie cutter to cut out the gum paste.

I'm not a big rose-making fan... still need some practice. The other flowers are a lot of fun to make, though. I actually like the challenge of trying to make them as small as possible so that they can be used on cookies - or even sugar cubes, if anyone remembers when people used to decorate sugar cubes. Does anyone still even sell sugar cubes to do that anymore?

This (below) is the arrangement of flowers under the top tier.

Can you see the butterfly wings? (You can click on the photo to make it larger for viewing.)

When I added the orange color (a combination of burgundy and yellow coloring) to the gum paste, I didn't knead it all thoroughly because I kind of liked the marbled effect of the two colors together.

I dipped the edge of the wings in Royal Icing, then into yellow colored sugar sprinkles just for fun.

And, here (below) is a photo of the bottom layer - so you'll know it was there! - with some of the decorations on the side of the middle layer.

The biggest problem I had with this cake was trying to figure out what to do with it all when I got it home (safely, by the way).

We still have the bottom layer here at home. The other two layers went with Phil to where he works. I wonder if they're going to get tired of having cake there ... Phil is going to take the next cake class segment with me, so we're going to have twice as many cakes! Next time with fondant!

JULY CALENDAR

2010-07-04T16:21:00.004-06:00

JULY CALENDAR!

July is packed with things to do - whether you have a project to finish, or whether you'd like to start something new.

Just click on either of the images in this post to see everything large enough to read and print!

REALLY NEW THIS MONTH!

Martin's Glass House is probably the only place in Laramie currently offering you an opportunity to Paint Your Own Pottery!

This is a great opportunity for you to do something quickly for gifts - whether for weddings, baby showers, birthdays... even gifts for pets! It's always great fun to personalize a gift for someone special in your life.

Our stock of bisque ware is limited right now (see photos and costs, below); but if you want to do something special that we don't have, we can special order it for you. (Please plan ahead!)

There are plenty of times scheduled this month, too, to finish up projects that you have in the works - or you can start something new.

MELTING POTS!

This started out as an experiment to see what would happen if I just melted some glass over a flower pot. I kind of liked the results - and think you might, too.

So, come join us to play around with some glass and heat - and see what you can make. You can be certain that every piece will be a one-of-a-kind original! You never know what you might end up creating!

See you at the studio really soon, I hope! Remember to please reserve spots in classes and for Fusers at Work Studio Times - at least one day in advance!

RECAP: 2010 Garden Objects of the Month!

2010-06-01T17:22:00.004-06:00

Yes, it's been ALL YEAR since I've put any photos on the blog of the Garden Object of the Month Workshops!

Part of the reason is because some of the fusers haven't finished their projects at the studio, but finished them at home instead - and I never get to see the finished work! So, you don't, either! We've been having a great time, though...

We've been busy - and even though I thought I would be getting Spring Cleaning done in May, it hasn't completely happened! A lot of twists and turns in the weather made me feel like it was still winter, so not much got done. Maybe this month???

We have some really cool new (to us) glass shelving, though, that I picked up at a thrift shop in Denver that was closing its doors to become a collection center for the Salvation Army. They look fabulous - and probably already need to be dusted again! You need to come by to see them! If you don't have time to come up to the studio, just drive by... You might be able to see them through the windows!

These photos don't show everyone's finished projects, but it will give you an idea of what we've been doing. Just click on the images to see them in a larger format. I hope seeing the photos will entice you to come join us before the year is over!

There are still several months left in the year... Remember: the people who come to the GOOM (Garden Object of the Month) Workshops pick the projects that they'll be doing the next month. So, if you're waiting for something in particular to come along to make for your indoor or outdoor garden, you MIGHT just have to BE HERE to make sure it gets picked as a project!

Hope you enjoy looking at the images in the blog from February through May! Feel free to tell your friends and family to check the blog to look for your work here!

JUNE CALENDAR

2010-05-31T00:01:00.006-06:00

Join us in June on some new days for glass fusing in the Fusers at Work studio times - and for some great new Kids' Crafts Workshops! These additional days and classes have been added on a trial basis for June. If class attendance is popular, we'll keep them comin' through the summer. Remember ...

You must make your reservations for "Fusers at Work" at least one day in advance! Otherwise you may show up and find the studio closed!

All children attending the "Kids' Crafts" workshops must be accompanied by an adult!

Pre-registration and Pre-Payment for all workshops is required. A minimum of four students is required for reach workshop, so invite others to join you to make sure the class can be held!

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS AND FEES:

FUSING BASICS:
Designed for those new to glass fusing. Class covers an explanation of what glass fusing is, types of glass used for fusing, basics of cutting glass and using glass tools - including some power tools, and illustrations of different kiln firing results. Students will create up to four different projects depending on time. Class fee: $75, covers all materials, kiln firing, use of equipment and education.

KIDS' CRAFTS WORKSHOPS:
A different project each week, simplified for children with pre-cut pieces, shapes and materials. Each child must be accompanied an adult. Class fee: $25, covers all materials, kiln firing and use of equipment.

GOOM (Garden Object of the Month) - GARDEN GLOBES:
Each month GOOM participants create a different project for their home garden. This month we will be creating Mosaic Garden Globes out of bowling balls!
You may provide your own mosaic tesserae (pieces of tile, stone, china, mirror, or other found objects to cover approximately 2 square feet of surface area) or you may purchase these at the studio. If you plan to purchase these at the studio, you must order and prepay for them at least TWO WEEKS in advance of the class! Bowling balls will be provided (for up to 10 people only), or you may provide your own.
Please come prepared with mosaic design ideas for your Garden Globe. There are a lot of books at the library for inspiration, or create something out of your imagination!
Extra time is allowed for this special workshop to give you time to work. If you need more time, you can finish your project at home, or are welcome to attend a Fusers at Work studio time for no additional fee. Healthy snacks will be provided if you don't have time to eat dinner before you come right after work!
Class fee: $35, covers use of tools and equipment, supplies (such as adhesives) and education. All design materials/tesserae purchased at the studio will incur additional fees. Some Garden Globe stands are available for purchase at the studio, or you may provide your own.

FUSERS AT WORK:
Fusers at Work Studio Times are made available for students who already have basic glass fusing skills to create any project of their choosing. You may use all the tools and equipment, some supplies (such as adhesives and cleaning products), reference materials and studio space for a $10.00 fee per visit. Glass materials can be purchased from the studio, and kiln firings will incur additional fees.

May Calendar

2010-05-05T04:54:00.004-06:00

Just click on the calendar to view it in a larger scale!

Please note new time for Fusers at Work. We will be meeting from 6-9 PM (no longer starting at 5:30).

We NEED to get some Spring Cleaning done the first week in May, so there won't be any classes while we're cleaning.

However, if you need to shop for gifts - for graduations, Mother's Day, weddings or other occasions, just contact us for an appointment to shop at the studio.

We've got some great gifts! From small... jewelry, belt buckles, soap dish sets -- to large... salad serving sets, platters, plates and other bowls. We're certain you'll see lots of things that you love!

You may now also purchase Martin's Glass House Don't Throw Stones Collection giftware in downtown Laramie at Gallery West-The Frame Plant on Ivinson, and also at the Wyoming Territorial Park Gift Shop on Snowy Range.

If you happen to be in Copper Harbor, Michigan, you can purchase our giftware at the Naga Moon Gift Shop.

You never know where you might find us next!

GOOM: GARDEN OBJECT OF THE MONTH
Remember to pre-register and pre-pay for this popular workshop! This month we'll be making bird bath bowls or bird feeder bowls, your choice. See the calendar for details!

2010-04-06T14:07:00.002-06:00

Finally - the April calendar is posted! Sorry about the delay! It was ready and I forgot to have it post automatically.

So many of the birds are returning to Laramie - it's almost like we're actually going to get summer this year... and maybe even more than two days of spring before summer!

April is full of potential for fun and exciting things to create at Martin's Glass House! I hope you get a chance to swing by to play with the glass! We put FUN in FUNctional fused glass art!

This coming Saturday is the Spring Bazaar at Albany County Fairgrounds. Be sure to stop by to say "hi" if you're out there! Last year there was a huge snowstorm the day of the bazaar... it would be nice to have better weather this year. If nothing else, my booth will be decorated for spring (and summer, too!), so come see all the really fun new items I've been creating!

On Wednesday, April 14th at the GOOM (Garden Object of the Month) workshop, we'll be making house number signs - so, if you're planning to participate, be sure to call me far enough in advance if you want me to order wrought iron number display stands for you to display the glass tiles. What a fun ornament to display in your garden and enjoy all summer as you work out in your yard! Remember - when you come to a GOOM workshop, you get to help pick the next month's project! So, if there is something you really really want to make out of glass for your garden, you need to come to make the next pick!

(I'd love to post photos of everything that people have been making, but I can't keep up!)

On Wednesday, April 21st we're going to get to play with recycled glass! I think the most exciting part about this workshop is that you never know what we'll be creating until everyone shows up! So, be saving your recycled bottles and other glassware that you might want to turn into something new and bring it with you on the 21st! What a great way to celebrate Earth Day 2010!

Please remember that you must call at least one day in advance to reserve a spot for most workshops and Fusers at Work times (previously called "open studio") at Martin's Glass House. Your pre-payment is required to confirm your reservation. Any exceptions will be noted in the workshop descriptions.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

c@

March Calendar

2010-03-01T17:00:00.010-07:00

Here is the schedule for workshops and Fusers at Work times in March! Just click on the calendar to enlarge it for viewing and/or printing!

We WILL be open during Spring Break, so if you are around and wanting to do some glass fusing - especially if you haven't had a chance to try fusing yet, grab someone else you know and let's schedule a Spring Break Party!

Can't wait for Intro to Fusing? We can schedule a special class for you as long as you have three other people who want to take the class with you!

FUSERS AT WORK

The Fusers at Work times are scheduled to allow you to work on any project you choose. You may also use these times to come to the studio to put finishing touches on projects that you have made in a workshop. There is very minimal instruction at Fusers at Work. Students attending these times are expected to know basic cutting and fusing techniques. Intro to Fusing is a requirement to attend any Fusers at Work scheduled date.

Please remember to always call in advance to schedule your time for Fusers at Work!

GARDEN OBJECT OF THE MONTH (GOOM)
Wednesday, March 24, 6 PM - 9 PM
Workshop Fee: $50.00
No minimum class size; maximum 14 students.

Each month at the GOOM workshop, participants select the date and project for the following month. The Garden Object project selected for March is Garden Chimes!

Here is a photo of a set of Garden Chimes that I made last week, which is currently on display and for sale at Gallery West - The Frame Plant downtown on Ivinson (between Jeffrey's Bistro and The Bead Shop). You'll want to hang your chimes in a sheltered area, or in a window to look out at your garden!

We have some patterns available at the studio for your project, or you can design your own. We also already have a hefty supply of aspen branches for you to hang your chimes, in case you were wondering what you could use. You can, however, use many found objects if you use your imagination! Now all you need to do is sign up to come and make your project!

Please reserve your spot at least one week prior to the workshop. Payment of the fee is required in advance to confirm your reservation. We accept checks and credit cards. If paying by credit card, please call 307-399-6441. Checks can be mailed to Martin's Glass House at 2315 Douglas Dr., Laramie WY 82070.

INTRO TO FUSING
Saturday, March 27, 9 AM - 3 PM
Workshop Fee: $75.00

Minimum of 4 students required for class to be held, so recruit a friend to join you!

I've included some photos here of a few pieces made by past students - Carrie's square plate, and Laura's draped bowl.

Intro to Fusing is a glass fusing class designed for beginners. You will learn basic designing skills, glass cutting techniques, what happens to glass when it is fired in the kiln, and what types of glass are suitable for fusing. You will also make up to four projects to incorporate different surface textures on your pieces, as well as learn two techniques for hanging glass pieces.

Several hours have been scheduled to make sure you have plenty of time to finish your pieces, though you are welcome to leave sooner if you finish your projects early! We will take a lunch break, so please plan to bring what you would like to eat for lunch (fridge, microwave available). Snacks and beverages will be provided.

You must register at least a week in advance for this workshop, and pre-payment is required to confirm your registration.

We accept checks and credit cards. If paying by credit card, please call 307-399-6441. Checks can be mailed to Martin's Glass House at 2315 Douglas Dr., Laramie WY 82070.

FUSING MOLDS
Wednesday, March 31, 6 PM - 9 PM
Project Fee: $35.00 includes one 10"x10" mold; additional molds $15.00 each

Minimum class size: 2 students, so be sure to invite a friend to come with you!

Learn to make bisque fusing molds for your projects. We will be designing unique molds out of clay - carving or stamping designs into the clay to make our own individual designs. These molds can be used multiple times for firing your projects so that you can use the same design on several pieces to make a matching set. If you have items that you want to use for creating your design, please bring them to the workshop!

For an example, I slumped a large bottle on the mold you see in the photo above.

The calender photo shows bowls that I made using a different mold that I made.

The finished result shows the design "carved" into the bottle.

Think of the possibilities for your very own design being embellished in a complete serving set, or set of plates for salads and desserts - or maybe even some holiday ornaments, night lights... or ???

The workshop fee includes one fusing mold that is 10" x 10". You may create an additional mold if time permits for only $15 more.

Lots to offer this month! Looking forward to seeing you!

c@

GARDEN OBJECTS: JANUARY - FINALLY!

2010-02-15T17:44:00.002-07:00

Finally! Here are photos of only some of the Garden Objects of the Month that were made in January! A few people took theirs home before I got photos of them, but I think you'll enjoy seeing these, at least. You can click on the photos to view them larger.

Kristi's Dragonfly

Patty's Heart

Linda's Fish

Kristi's Butterfly

Patty's Butterfly

2010-02-02T10:30:00.001-07:00

Here is the February 2010 calendar! Just click on it to enlarge it for printing. Many of this month's activities are suitable for beginners, too!

All the descriptions and costs were sent directly to those on the email list.

Please contact us for more information and to register for a workshop.

Watch for photos from the January Garden Object of the Month workshop!

Please stop by Martin's Glass House on Friday, February 5th any time from 9 AM - 6:30 PM to create your heart sun catcher or jewelry to celebrate heart health awareness month!

Each heart purchase that you create in fused glass ($15.00 cost) will result in a $2.00 donation to the American Heart Association! Also, 15% of all other studio sales that day will be included in the donation!

Remember to wear red that day! Hope to see you!

c@

FUSING INTRO - JANUARY 2010

2010-01-18T16:21:00.011-07:00

What great projects everyone made at the Intro to Fusing workshop that we held this past Saturday! I've put photos together for you to see... Click on a photo to enlarge it for closer viewing... Enjoy! c@

Project I

Everyone began by making a square design... with individual pieces put under a clear cover. Options were given to fuse the piece flat to use as display art, or to slump the piece in a mold to use it as a plate.

Precision cutting techniques with strip cutter and hand scoring tools, together with color planning (not to mention mechanical coordination to flip the piece over to add accent pieces to the top) were skills in high demand. Everyone was encouraged to try using a repeating pattern and/or vitrigraph for motion in their design.

The project was challenging - but everyone did quite well, as you can see from the photos above! I think everyone learned many techniques that will help them on future projects.

And a huge round of applause, please, for Laura - who is color blind and put together a lovely piece of display art!

Project II

While all the square projects were being designed, each person had an opportunity to cut a circle to use for their second project. All the circles came out perfect - on the first try! Excellent work, ladies! And, congratulations to Kristi who even cut a second circle for her project!

Circle cutting accomplished, each person was to design a piece that could be draped over a mold. Some chose to make their bowls textured by including some coarse frit and having the pieces fired using a contour fuse, Kristi chose frit and dots to create a design, and Carrie and Suzanne experimented with frit to fill in spaces between their designs.

Such cheery, colorful pieces that were created!

Project III

Then everyone learned a few techniques to hang glass by creating some pendants. We used fibers to create channels and fine silver wire to make pendant bails.

Everyone had a chance to experiment with dichroic glass and learn about dichroic glass.

All in all, I think everyone will enjoy their creations for a long time, and should feel proud to use and display them!

JANUARY - CALENDAR & ANNOUNCEMENTS

2010-01-05T10:26:00.034-07:00

Here is the January 2010 calendar of events! Just click on it to enlarge and print it.

I've been working diligently to come up with some new ideas and fun projects for this year, so hope to see you all at one or more of these class offerings!

Coming this year... New Project Ideas, AND New classes for Intermediate and Advanced Fusers! Watch the calendars for these new classes!

I have the workshop descriptions, together with a few reminders and some other updates - especially the new "????" of the Month Workshop - below.

Here are suggestions we received for the next "????" of the Month:

"Flower" of the Month *

"Snowflake" of the Month *

"Fungus" of the Month *

"Garden Item" of the Month (which could include flowers and fungi) *

Since I already have some fun projects in mind for “Garden Object of the Month,” I’m going to go with that, and as usual we always come up with other good ideas when we get together! Regardless of the project, it will be great to get together to just enjoy glass fusing with other enthusiasts! And, by the end of the year you will have learned quite a bit if you stick with it! So, let’s see what happens!

(*If you want to make a specific "Flower," "Snowflake," or "Fungus" of the Month, we suggest that you attend the Fusers at Work times scheduled.)

JANUARY WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

Reminders:

> If you see a class that you like, but you are unable to attend, we can schedule an additional time and date for the same class that works for you as long as you have a minimum of four people who plan to attend and pre-pay for the class.

> If you have an idea for a class, please contact us to create it for you. We also arrange parties with special projects for groups. Just give us a call!

1/13 Dabblers' Delight - Beginner Projects, 6 PM - 9 PM

Come make new friends and meet other new glass fusers! This class is designed to give you a sampling of fused glass projects and techniques. You will be introduced to very basic glass fusing techniques to produce a small selection of projects, and to learn some basics about creating and hanging fused glass pieces. Projects: two - or all three, if time permits... sun catcher, night light, and cabochons.

A minimum of four students is required, so bring a friend! Fee: $50.00, includes all materials, firing and instruction; findings are extra depending on student's choice and design for using cabochons as bookmarks, jewelry or magnets. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required.

1/16 Intro to Glass Fusing, 9 AM - 1 PM

Note: This class is designed for beginners with little to no glass fusing experience.

Now that you have a taste for glass fusing, you'll want to know more about how to design and predict results for your fused glass projects. This class will give you some in-depth information about glass fusing, including: terminology, techniques, types of glass, methods of constructing projects, basic design, layering and texture options, cutting and shaping glass. You will create a plate, a bowl and two hanging objects.

Minimum of four students is required. Fee: $75, includes all materials, firing, instruction - and snacks! Pre-registration and pre-payment are required.

1/20 Fun with Garden Objects, 6 PM - 9 PM

Note: This class is recommended for students who already have some basic glass fusing experience, but is open to all regardless of prior experience if you are willing to learn as you go.

This is it - Garden Object of the Month! You'll have a great time creating and, by the end of the year will have learned multiple techniques and methods for glass fusing, made a lot of new friends, and have a lot to show for your efforts!

This first class will include construction of a fused glass ornament to display on a copper wire hanger . The hanger is designed so that you can rotate the ornaments seasonally and for holidays. Once you have your copper wire hanger, you can continue to make more hanging objects each month - such as seasonal designs, during Fusers at Work! We will have patterns available for you to use to design your ornament, or you can come with your own ideas!

Minimum of four students is required, so bring a friend! Fee: $45, includes all materials, firing and instruction. Pre-registration and pre-payment are required.

1/30 Photo Frames & Dichro Jewels, 9 AM - NOON

Note: This workshop is designed for advanced beginners and intermediate glass fusers.

Valentine’s Day will be here before you know it! Seems like we just did a lot of gift exchanging, and you might be a little shy on new ideas. This class is just time for you to learn new techniques, and then have some fun gifts for yourself or to give away!

You will make a minimum of two photo frames - or a photo frame and a mirror. If time permits, you can make a pendant/earrings set for yourself or a gift! You will be learning to use not only art glass designed for glass fusing, but you will have the opportunity to create using recycled glass, too.

Minimum of four students required! Fee: $50, includes all materials, firing and instruction. Pre-registration and pre-payment is required.

Fusers at Work!

“Fusers at Work” was originally called "Open Studio" time. Though the name has changed, you still must call at least one day in advance to schedule your use of the studio and equipment. During Fusers at Work you can make any project you like – as few or many projects as you would like.

When you schedule time to use the studio, we expect you to have a general understanding of glass fusing, as well as a fairly good handle on being able to cut glass and design your own projects. There will always be someone here to answer unavoidable questions and to offer suggestions if needed. You also have access to reference materials and project ideas offered in books and other publications.

There is a $10.00 fee for every session of Fusers at Work that you attend which covers use of the studio, tools and equipment. Glass and other fusing materials will cost extra, depending on what types of projects you make and materials you choose. There will be an average price guideline available for you to determine what your project would cost, also depending on the types of materials you select.

DECEMBER CALENDAR

2009-12-02T09:37:00.005-07:00

Here is the December calendar!

Please note that the time correction has been made on this calendar for the December 5th holiday bazaar. The time was incorrect in the email sent on December 1st!

Hope to see you on the 16th!

c@

FRUIT OF THE MONTH - NOVEMBER: PASSION-FIG-PERSIMMON

2009-12-01T16:23:00.010-07:00

NOVEMBER - FRUIT OF THE MONTH

PASSION-FIG-PERSIMMON

Welp, here it is... the last of the Fruit of the Month workshop series photos... for now. It's hard to believe that we've inspected, tasted, constructed at least twelve different fruits in glass this year.

As I look back over the past twelve months, I can only say how impressed I am with the progress that each person has made as they've learned new glass fusing techniques. We've learned to use all sorts of scrap glass, made frit - and used "store bought" frit, mixed colors... cut circles... put a lot of thought into our creations, trying to imitate fruit in glass. It has been quite an experience for all of us, and as if that wasn't enough - we've made a lot of new friends, too!

I don't know which was more fun - making the plates, learning about fruits, how they look inside - and which way to cut them to make them the most interesting in appearance, and how good they taste, or making new friends. And I can't think of one fruit that we tasted that we didn't like!

And there are still so many fruits left to try! In November we pulled a pummelo into the studio, too ... just to taste it.

When you're in the store, you'll see this giant green thing that looks like a grapefruit. The label says it's sort of a cross between an orange and grapefruit, but it didn't actually taste like either.

Maybe you'd like to check it out yourself.

As far as I'm concerned - it's pink inside... and we already did pink with the grapefruit!

Dorothy demonstrated one way to eat a pummelo (see photo at left).

If I were to do it again, I think I'd slice it across the middle and section it the customary way for eating a grapefruit. Not knowing what we were in for, we just divvied it up among us to get to the pulp.

Unfortunately, there weren't any passion fruit at the grocery store for us to use for research in our construction of glass fruit this November. Really a disappointment, but we did the best we could using the photo from October.

When I realized that we wouldn't have a passion fruit for November's workshop, I picked up a Fuju persimmon for us to examine and taste.

The photo at left is a thin section of a persimmon. We were surprised to find that, unlike most of the other fruits we'd inspected, the persimmon had eight seed spaces instead of five... more like a daisy design inside than a star like the apple, pear and papaya.

I found this picture of a pomegranate - cut in half horizontal to the stem. Even the seeds of the pomegranate are arranged in a 5-pointed star pattern! I had to run downstairs to cut the pomegranates in my fruit bowl in half just to double check to see it in real life!

I hope you find this as exciting as I do... at least if you're reading this far, maybe you do! Now I want to keep looking for new fruits, to see what they look like inside, and to see how they taste. Maybe even try to duplicate them in glass.

But, in the meantime, for our November Fruit of the Month workshop... without any passion fruit, we had figs, persimmon and pummelo to use for research.

Before and after photos are below - and Sara's will be forthcoming, as she was unable to attend the workshop in November.

NEW YEAR SPECIAL! And, just a reminder to those of you who participated in the Fruit of the Month workshops: If you have made twelve dishes by January 31, 2010, you can make one larger piece (serving bowl size) for 20% off the normal price! If you haven't finished all twelve, you can still catch up just by coming to open studio times in January!

And watch for the December calendar coming out next! There will be a Fruit of the Month workshop reunion at the Studio Open House on Wednesday, December 16th. Everyone is invited - and those with fruit dishes are invited to bring them in for one massive group photo with everyone's dishes and artists in it! Hope to see you there!

Enjoy the before & after photos!

FRUIT OF MONTH - OCTOBER: CITRUS

2009-12-01T15:27:00.010-07:00

Wow - the pages of the calendar are flipping by so quickly and I still haven't posted photos of the Fruit of the Month workshops for October and November yet! So, here is the first...

OCTOBER: CITRUS FRUIT

Even though the early October snow storm a week kept us from meeting on our originally scheduled date, we finally did get together (still in October!) to sample nearly every citrus fruit we could find that month (except for one, which you'll see in November's photos). We even included a few other seasonal fruits that we found at the grocery store. In photo at left, clockwise from 12 o'clock high: orange, lemon, lime, key lime, passion fruit and fig.

Fortunately, we did get the passion fruit in the very short window of time it was available, as Dorothy has been waiting ALL YEAR to get to look at the inside of the passion fruit and to eat it, as well as to introduce the rest of us to it!

The photo at left is a little out of sequence, but I just wanted you to see right away the passion that drove Dorothy to lick the passion fruit juice from the sample plate when we were done with the workshop!

I have to admit, although the inside of the passion fruit does not seem very attractive (see photo below), it was quite tasty. And really, it is not all that slimy to eat as it looks in person ... the photo does not do justice to the real fruit. Especially the slimy-ness!

However... IF you ever happen to see the passion fruit at the grocery store - unless you are fortunate to live where it grows and you have greater access to it, I highly recommend that you try it.

It is somewhat pricey for its size ... a little larger than a golf ball, and very wrinkly on the outside (when it's ripe), but worth the experience. And, hey. The cost of one passion fruit from the grocery store is certainly a whole lot less than a trip to Hawaii! So, splurge a little if you get the chance!

We also sampled figs. Now we just need to find the right glass colors that will work well with some of these pink-ish fruits.

Here I thought it was difficult to get pink grapefruit color way back in the beginning of the year... try matching glass colors to passion fruit and figs!

Actually, I think we're getting pretty close... See the photos for November Fruit of the Month!

But... back at the ranch... it was still October...

Kathy brought her orange place mat for inspiration and reference, and she also brought a plate of lemon bars that were superb.

Sorry... I neglected to get a photo of the lemon bars, and I still need to get the recipe for them! Trust me... they were beautiful and tasty, and I'm hoping to add them to my Christmas cookie trays this year if she'll share her recipe with us.

I'll post the recipe here when I get it!

Now... take a look at the dishes that were made...

The photo at the left shows the finished pieces. "Before" photos are below.

In photo, clockwise from 12 o'clock high: Patty's lemon, Sara's lime, Kathy's orange, Dorothy's orange.

Dorothy's orange - before.

Kathy's orange - before.

Stringers used to divide orange into sections.

Patty's lemon - before. Note the use of stringers for the pulp in the flesh of the lemon. Frit used to divide lemon into sections.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER CALENDAR

2009-11-03T14:38:00.006-07:00

Wow! It's hard to believe that it's November already (except for the snow that we had last week)!

Here is our new calendar that includes some important information for December, as well. Just click on the calendar to make it larger, especially if you want to print it out.

Do you have all your holiday glass projects planned?

Not only is gift-giving season quickly approaching, but the eating season is officially upon us now, too. Do you have enough serving pieces for your holiday entertaining?

Plan to include some glass fusing in your holiday plans! It's a fun way to brighten your home and table with all kinds of beautiful glassware - from the table to the windows and walls!

Do you have out-of-town guests visiting Laramie? Think about bringing them by to join in on the fun of making treasures to take home with them as souvenirs of their visit. It only takes a few hours to create something wonderful that they'll remember for years to come!

More days available for Open Studio! The next several weeks are going to be busy, busy, busy, so I have scheduled a number of dates that I will be available if you need time to work on your projects. There is no time indicated on the calendar for those dates.

You must call at least one day in advance to schedule a time with me to work in the studio for these special dates.

I have also scheduled "regular" open studio times from 5:30 - 9 PM on Nov. 6, 11 and Dec. 2. There is an additional daytime open studio scheduled on Friday, Nov. 6 from 1-4 PM. Remember that you must also call at least one day ahead to make sure I know you are planning to come!

ARTS & CRAFTS SHOWS COMING UP! If you don't have time to get away to create your own projects, please feel free to stop by any of the numerous shows I have coming up in November and December - nearly every Saturday for the next several weeks, with the exception of Thanksgiving weekend. But, there is something FUN planned for that Saturday - with details below.

TREE HUNTING WITH MARTIN'S GLASS HOUSE! You are invited to join us on our annual trek to the forest to get our Christmas tree on Saturday, November 28th. Phil will be hauling his trailer to bring back everyone's trees. A number of people are already planning to join us. We hope you will, too!

We'll start at our house at 7 AM with breakfast (waffles, egg dish, ham, fruit, juice - and COFFEE). At 8 AM we will head up to the forest (our probably "not-so-secret" tree-finding spot) to look for trees. Be sure to bring your tree permit that you must purchase beforehand at the Forest Service! We will car pool so that we don't need too many cars all going to the same place, and should hopefully all have our trees and be back on the road home around 11 AM or before.

So, BUSY AS USUAL! Please come join us! See you soon!

c@

OCTOBER 2009 CALENDAR

2009-10-05T09:45:00.004-06:00

Here is the calendar for October 2009. Wow, it's a busy month! Just click on the calendar to make it larger and to print it out.

Please note the change for the Fruit of the Month Workshop. It will now be held on Wednesday, October 28th from 6-9 PM.

The schedule change is due to the fact that I made a last minute decision to participate in the Svensk Hyllingsfest Arts & Crafts Show in Lindsborg, Kansas when I found out that they still had an opening. This show - and Swedish festival - is held only every other year. If you're on the road in Kansas, please stop by to shop!

There is one brand new workshop scheduled for Saturday, October 17th from 9 AM - Noon. This is open to beginners - you do not need to have attended the Fusing Basics workshop to participate!

COPPER INCLUSIONS WORKSHOP: Learn how to use copper inclusions in fused glassware. You'll be thrilled when you see how beautiful it is when it is fired, and you might even be inspired to create a special serving piece for your fall entertaining - especially Thanksgiving!

You'll be making one 6" square piece to learn the techniques that you'll need to create projects during open studio times. If time permits you may make additional pieces for an extra fee.

Saturday, October 17th - 9 AM 'til NOON

Pre-payment is required! A minimum attendance of 4 people is required for the workshop to be held, so invite a friend or two to participate with you! If minimum attendance is not met, the workshop will be canceled and your pre-payment will be returned to you.

Workshop Fee: $50, includes all materials, instruction and kiln firing; additional pieces $22 each. Students will receive a 10% discount for the workshop fee only.

FRUIT OF THE MONTH WORKSHOP - CITRUS:

Join us to create beautiful citrus-like dishes! If you've been participating every month so far this year, by now you have a great collection of dishes that look like fruit. Check past blog posts to see photos of everyone's dishes.

Besides the benefits of just getting together to relax, have fun, closely examine the design and colors in fruits... and eat treats, everyone is learning new techniques to use to create designs in glass. Participants are getting great at cutting circles, too!

Another great benefit - if you've created a dozen 6" dishes by the end of the year, you will receive a 20% discount to create a larger serving piece to go with the set of dishes! If you're behind and don't have close to a dozen dishes yet, you'll want to get into the studio to work on more projects (you can make more than one during open studio times) to take advantage of this great discount!

Wednesday, October 28th - 6 'til 9 PM

Workshop Fee: $40 for first-time fruit fusers, $30 for past fruit fusers. If time permits, you may make additional fruit plates for a special reduced fee of only $15 each! This is a great deal you won't want to miss! And, it will give you an opportunity to catch up to have a dozen plates by the end of the year so that you can take advantage of the 20% discount on your fruit serving bowl!

OPEN STUDIO TIMES:

Please call at least one day in advance to let me know you plan to come to open studio. There is a $10 per visit fee for use of the studio tools and supplies. All glass and other materials require additional fees depending on what you choose to use in your project.

WE HAVE APPLES & PEARS!

2009-09-15T09:57:00.007-06:00

SEPTEMBER FRUIT OF THE MONTH: APPLES & PEARS

Wow! We're winding down the year and the Fruit of the Month dishes are piling up!

This month we made TWO dishes - an apple and a pear - so that everyone will be on target to get their 20% discount on a larger serving bowl to go with their sets of individual dishes.

It is getting more and more difficult for me to keep everyone's dishes identified from table to kiln and out again, but I think I got it right (again - double check before & after photos below) this month. Fortunately, each person's plate was a tiny bit different one from another. Some were dramatically different, such as Dorothy's red apple plate with a bite taken out of it... with a fly on the bite, and Patty's red apple that shows part of the outside and part of the inside all on one side of the plate.

Check out the bottom of this post to see all the Before and After photos for each person who attended the workshop. (You can click on any photo to see it in a larger format.)

We began the workshop by having Dorothy cut open several pieces of fruit so that all could be inspired. (She did so well on the peaches last month!) We had a variety of apples - Gala, Jazz, Granny Smith and Fuji...
and pears - Bartlett, Bosc and Red (do these have another name besides Red?)... they look like Bosc, but red... they were might tasty, whatever the case!

The fruit was sliced in many directions, but everyone pretty much made their decisions to create their plates using a crosswise cut of the fruits which showed the "stars" inside the fruit.

Eventually, Dorothy took a bite out of her apple to create that design in her plate. I think she ate the rest of the apple because it was pretty tasty, but not "Delicious!" (Oh - that was bad! :-) )

It was also noted that the pears we had on hand seemed to have seeds that were better organized in twos within each point of the center star design than apple seeds.

The apples we had on hand seemed to have seeds piled into the centers of the stars, a little less organized.

Check this out at home to see if you find the same thing about seed organization in apples and pears. Let me know what you find!

Then everyone got to work... deciding what color glass they wanted to use... picking out colors of frit... mixing colors of frit... deciding how to make seeds...

Kathy even wore her "apple shirt" for inspiration. You can see from the Before and After photos, below, that it must have worked for her!

Hoping to see more of you as we finish out the year of Fruit of the Month workshops with CITRUS in October... and whatever we decide for November! Come be part of the fun!

WE HAVE PEACHES! FRUIT OF THE MONTH

2009-08-29T13:27:00.016-06:00

PEACH: August's Fruit of the Month!

Probably one of this year's most challenging fruits to reproduce in glass, I think; but everyone did a great job on their plates! (Photo above, top row left to right: Dorothy, Patty, Sara; bottom row left to right: Cat, Kathy.)

Dorothy (above) was the recipe contest winner with her TEN SEASONS dessert - which included BACON as an ingredient! Definitely a unique recipe, as Dorothy made it up just for this contest! Yummy, too, with the whipped cream on top and blackberry/mint garnish. Here is her recipe - photos of the dishes are at the bottom of the post. (I was only able to get photos of the steps that Dorothy completed in my kitchen.)

TEN SEASONS (Makes 6 pastries)

Ingredients

Puff Pastry Shells
below)
Fresh peaches, peeled and sliced (Dorothy recommends Colorado peaches)
Bacon, cooked crisp, then crumbled
Cinnamon-Sugar (Dorothy also added cardamom)
Whipping Cream
Mint Sprigs & Berries for garnish

Set oven temperature according to puff pastry package directions. Remove a portion of the center from each pastry shell, being sure to not open the hole all the way through the shell at the bottom. Bake the shells for about 15 minutes.

Pour some cheese filling into each partially baked shell; bake another 10-15 minutes. The filling needs to be cooked, but don't let the shells become too dark! Allow shells to cool before proceeding.

Arrange sliced peaches (as artistically as possible) on top of each cooled pastry shell.

Top with bacon bits,

and sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar-spice mix.

Place pastries under broiler

until the sugar forms a crust - but do not burn! (We set the timer for 2 minutes, but it took less than 2 minutes for the crust to form, so watch it carefully!)

Whip the cream until stiff. Using a pastry bag, pipe the whipped cream attractively on top of the sugar crust.

Garnish each with a mint sprig and a berry (Dorothy used blackberries).

Cheese Filling

2 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 C. sugar
1 egg
3/8 C. whipping cream or half & half

Cream together the cream cheese and sugar.
Add egg and cream; beat together until smooth.

Here are the before and after photos of the dishes... You can click on the image to make it larger.

SEPTEMBER CALENDAR

2009-08-26T21:58:00.002-06:00

Here is the calendar for September! Click on it to make it larger...

FUSING BASICS:

This month will be the very last Fusing Basics workshop offered this year! If you want to take the workshop, but the schedule doesn't work for you, you will need to find at least three other people to take the workshop with you and schedule a time and date that will work for your private group.

The fee for this workshop is $50 per person, with a minimum of four people required for the workshop to be held. The fee includes all costs for students to make a night light, sun catcher, pendant/cabochon, and 6" square or round plate or bowl. If you wanted to make these pieces individually, the cost would be substantially higher for all of them. Be sure to take advantage of this great offer!

FRUIT OF THE MONTH: APPLES & PEARS

Fee for Fruit of the Month (FOM): $30 for past FOM fusers; $40 for first-time FOM fusers. The fee includes all costs for one 6" round plate or bowl. Each additional piece is $15 on the night of the workshop.

OPEN STUDIO: The name "open studio" is a little misleading because if no one calls to let me know they're coming, the studio is not really open! You must call at least one day in advance to let me know you will be coming to use the studio for your projects. Anyone who wishes to work in the studio must have already taken the Fusing Basics workshop. There is a $10 fee each night to use the studio equipment and includes the cost of kiln firing.

AUGUST CALENDAR

2009-08-26T21:56:00.001-06:00

Late, but posted! Here's August's Calendar! Click on it to make it larger...

WE HAVE WATERMELON!

2009-07-19T20:53:00.010-06:00

During June's Fruit of the Month Workshop, we created watermelon dishes! Just sharing the photos with you now - a little bit later than anticipated, but knew you wouldn't want me to miss posting them! Shown in the photo above, from the top and going clockwise: Dorothy's inside and outside view, Sara's slice, and Patty's section with a seed being spit out to the side. Very clever creations by these ladies!

Patty Hansen also created a Watermelon Salsa recipe, too, which she brought with her to share with everyone to be eligible for the grand prize of the evening. Patty received a 50% discount on her watermelon dish for making the salsa and bringing it to the workshop!

Patty's Watermelon Salsa

Oh, my... it was good, and she made homemade tortilla chips, too! Everyone enjoyed it immensely - even Sara who, unfortunately, also had chips and salsa for dinner before coming to the workshop! Phil always enjoys participating in the workshops - especially when it comes to taste testing.

Here's Phil sampling the chips and salsa.

Here's Phil demonstrating how to clean the plate. Simply tilt the plate to let the remaining salsa juice slide into your mouth, then lick the plate starting from bottom to top!

And, just so you know that we did MORE than EAT watermelon salsa all night, here are a few photos of our results!

This was our research watermelon specimen, above. For some reason, there weren't ANY watermelons with SEEDS at the grocery store, so we worked with a tiny seedless variety.

I created a 6" plate (above)...

And a 9" bowl (above)...

And a large chip/salsa or cheese/cracker platter...

Here are the before and after photos for all the plates shown in the photo at the very top of t his post. Just click on any photo in this blog post to make the images larger.

FUSING BASICS - JUNE

2009-07-13T05:06:00.021-06:00

The last Fusing Basics workshop for the 2008-2009 season met at Martin's Glass House in June for a huge blowout session. Everyone tried to learn as many techniques and make as many projects using those techniques as could possibly be done in just three hours!

In photo from left to right: Joyce, Anne, Nancy, Jo Lynn, Karyn, Sue Ann and Kay.

Creations included 6" square or round plates... but Anne chose to shape hers into an oval persimmon, and Joyce made a very "outside the lines" abstract hanky votive out of many pieces of iridized scrap glass.

Clockwise at left, starting at "noon," are Joyce's hanky vase, Jo Lynn's contour abstract, Anne's persimmon and Karyn's contour flowers.

There were an assortment of other creative designs using all kinds of glass elements such as dots, stringers, noodles, vitrigraph and frit - you name it, it was used!

Some plates were full fused, some contour fused. Individual photos are shown at the bottom of this post.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take individual photos of the finished plates, but everything else is here!

In photo - from left to right - includes plates made by Jo Lynn, Nancy and Kay.

We ended up with quite a collection of very fun night lights and a sun catcher... Jo Lynn experimented with "weaving" strips - and there was a great assortment of imaginative designs by everyone!

Back row night lights, left to right, made by: Sue Ann, Joyce and Karyn. Front row night lights and sun catcher, left to right, made by: Anne, Jo Lynn, Nancy and Kay.

... and a handful of pendants were made with channels and fine silver wire for hanging, and cabochons to be hung on pendant bails.

Back row, left to right: Jo Lynn's dichroic glass cabochon with frit, Sue Ann's dichroic pendant with fine silver wire, Karyn's dichroic and iridized glass cabochon.

Front row, left to right: Joyce's transparent abstract pendant with channel, Nancy's dichroic glass cabochon, and Nancy's dichroic glass pendant with channel.

Enjoy the individual photos - before and after - below. Just click on each image to make it larger to view more detail.

Watermelon Recipes!

2009-07-08T21:33:00.004-06:00

Here are two recipes from tonight's Watermelon Fruit of the Month workshop:

Watermelon Salsa

Entered by Patty Hansen

Patty won the recipe contest for the July Fruit of the Month Watermelon workshop. She received a 50% discount on her project for the night - and we all very much enjoyed snacking on the watermelon salsa. It was great! Her recipe is below, followed by another recipe that I haven't tried yet; but it sounds pretty interesting. If you try it, please send your review to me at dts@martinsglasshouse.com!

4 cups chopped watermelon (remove seeds!)

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

1/4 c balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. lime juice

1/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup chopped red onion

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1-2 tsp. chopped jalapeno, or to taste

Combine all ingredients. Mix well and chill before serving. Serve with corn chips or with grilled fish.

Watermelon Summer Salad

This recipe came from the www.Allrecipes.com website ... they say, "Be prepared for a pleasant surprise!" If you try it, please send your review - and a digital photo, if you can - to me at dts@martinsglasshouse.com.

3/4 cup halved, thinly sliced onion
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1-1/2 quarts seeded, cubed watermelon
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup pitted black olive halves
1 cup chopped fresh mint
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Place the onion slices in a small bowl with the lime juice. The acide of the lime will mellow the flavor of the raw onion. Let stand for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the watermelon cubes, feta cheese, black olives, onions with the lime juice, and mint. Drizzle olive oil over it all, and toss to blend. Dig in and be prepared for a pleasant surprise!

JULY CALENDAR - WORKSHOPS, OPEN STUDIO TIMES

2009-07-06T11:47:00.002-06:00

Please click on each image to get more information about workshops and open studio times in July!

Remember:

1. Summer Studio Safety: Please wear closed-toe, hard-sole shoes and long pants.

2. The Fusing Basics Workshop is required before you may attend Open Studio times. Since there will not be another Fusing Basics Workshop until sometime in the fall, you may round up at least three other people to attend a private session with you. Call for appointment and more information.

COMING JULY 8th - WATERMELON!

2009-06-26T07:50:00.005-06:00

JULY FRUIT OF THE MONTH WORKSHOP
WEDNESDAY, JULY 8th, 6-9 PM

Fee: $40 for 1st time; $30 for past fusers; extra dishes, $15 each.

I know you hear this every month, but I still can't believe what a great time we always have at the Fruit of the Month workshops! If you haven't been to one yet, there is still plenty of time for you to catch up! You can make the monthly project and, when done with that, make one more ... then attend an open studio or two to make more.

Remember: Everyone who makes 12 fruit dishes - either at the FOM workshops or at open studio times - will receive a 20% discount on a larger serving bowl to make a complete set. If you want to make salad serving utensils, you can do that, too! If you want to make a whole set of just one fruit, you can do that, too!

We have held the last Fusing Basics until the fall; but as long as you are making the fruit dishes and know the basics of cutting glass, come to open studio to keep working!

If you have not taken the Fusing Basics class, round up at least three other people who want to take the class, and schedule a special Fusing Basics session for your group anytime during the summer. Daytime classes are welcome!

WATERMELON RECIPE CONTEST

Remember to enter the Watermelon Recipe Contest by July 3rd! Just find a recipe with watermelon as an ingredient - preferably a recipe that you have already made and sampled so that you know it is good. Then email your recipe to Martin's Glass House at dts@martinsglasshouse.com.

Marge and Phil - our very impartial judges (Cat will break a tie) will critique each recipe to determine which recipe entered is the most unique use for watermelon.

Please - only ONE entry per person!

WHAT DO I WIN?

If your recipe is chosen as the most unique recipe using watermelon as an ingredient, you will receive a 20% discount on your Watermelon Fruit of the Month project!

If you make the recipe and bring the dish to the Watermelon Fruit of the Month Workshop, you will receive a 50% discount on your Watermelon Fruit of the Month project!

So, now's the time to take on the challenge! We are all looking forward to eating watermelon at the Fruit of the Month Workshop!

WE HAVE STRAWBERRIES!

2009-06-18T14:20:00.017-06:00

June was "Strawberry" month for the Fruit of the Month workshop. This is a group photo of all the dishes - except for Patty's. Patty left town for a few weeks before I got a photo of her dish, so we'll have to catch up with her when she gets back!

Top Row (left to right): Sara, Dorothy, Cat
Bottom Row (all Cat's - including the tomato and banana).

Designing strawberries in glass turned out to be a little more challenging than we expected, but it was fun and delicious making the attempt! And what lucious research specimens we had to imitate! This is a close-up of some strawberries to illustrate the pattern created by the seeds in the flesh of the fruit. Designing strawberries in glass turned out to be a little more challenging than we expected, but it was fun - and delicious - making the attempt!

We discovered that strawberries don't seem to have a uniform number of leaves from berry to berry. In my original sample - made sometime before the workshop, there were 10 leaves. The berries we worked with at the workshop seemed to have 11 leaves. Since then, I've cleaned more berries and some had even more than 11 leaves! Next time you're cleaning berries - count the leaves! See how many they have.

Dorothy chose to create her strawberry with the inside showing. The photo on the left is her piece before it was fired. It was constructed with red glass over ivory. The details inside were created from stringers (almond color) and coarse frit (ivory and pink champagne). The tips of the leaves are just barely visible from under the berry, with a few of the seeds shown in yellow, which were made with coarse frit chips.

Sara chose a fairly challenging design. She wanted to create a piece that showed both the inside and the outside of the strawberry. The photo on the left is one layer - it is clear glass with stringers and frit arranged that, when this layer was placed against a red layer, it would look like the inside of the strawberry. This side would become the inside of her dish.

The outside of the strawberry was an opaque red layer with leaves and seeds, placed on top of the bottom clear layer. Sara arranged several bits of coarse frit in yellow and clear around the edge of the clear side of the piece. This created a little bit of space around the edge so that, when fired, air would escape between the layers as the top layer slumped onto the bottom layer - so there wouldn't be any bubbles trapped between the two pieces because of the frit and stringers inside.

Then both layers were carefully placed in the kiln to be fired with a contour fuse. After the first firing, the piece was slumped into what we call the "wide bottom fluted" mold so that the leaves became the bottom of the dish, the inside of the berry was the inside of the dish.

This is the bottom side of Sara's dish.

This is the inside of Sara's dish.

FATHER'S DAY GIFT IDEAS!

2009-06-12T18:40:00.010-06:00

Just the tip of the iceberg if you're looking for ideas for Father's Day Gifts! Many of the items shown in this photo can be made for $10-$20, some higher. (See image of Stand-Up Deer at bottom of this post.)

There are TONS of ways you can adapt these ideas to make them your own, and to personalize gifts for your Dad.

Many of these projects are easy for kids - so bring them on Saturday, June 14th, to make something for their Dad! Many will be completed with one firing, and some with a little more embellishment of your own after firing. All will be greatly treasured!

We have new patterns for all kinds of wildlife! So if your Dad is a hunter, fisherman, bird watcher, or wildlife watcher, he's sure to love whatever you make!

In fact, I think all Dads love anything you make - especially if they're delivered with a batch of homemade cookies... even the burned ones (cookies, that is)!

Shown above (click on image to make it larger, if you wish):

Stand-Up Fish... I also made a Stand-Up Deer, but it was still cooling in the kiln when I put the photo above together... So, there is a photo of it at the bottom of this list. The size is about 3"x4"... could be used on a desk, shelf ... or what about to decorate a cake? You can create any design you like... wedding figures, action figures... you are the creator!

Key Chain... If you do your own beading, you can complete it at home; or we have all the components (purchased separately) and tools here for you to complete it.

Fish Decor... Make the glass fish in the studio and either use it as a sun catcher alone, or create a unique hanger for it out of wood. We might be able to persuade Phil to dig in his wood scrap pile to find a piece of wood for you, or use something of your own... maybe even not wood, you are the creator!

Wine Bottle Stopper... Just two cabachons that are done firing and ready to be glued onto your stopper (available for purchase separately at our studio) in just a matter of hours!

Individual Chip & Dip Plate... Use our wildlife patterns, or come up with some ideas of your own. Individualize it for your Dad. This plate can also be used for fries & ketchup, veggies & dip... pretzles & mustard! In fact, the plate shown is 9"x12"x1" and would hold fries, ketchup AND a burger! It's awesome!

Magnets... Make dichroic or plain, smooth or textured... shapes, squares, circles... the sky is the limit! If you happen to deliver these with homemade cookies, don't let your Dad eat them!

Money Clips... A single cabachon embellishes the clip. Simple and quick! (When Dad takes out his cash to put it in the money clip, be sure to be there to ask for some! :-)

Night Lights... OK. Even though I think most Dads say they can see in the dark and won't stub their toes on anything when they walk through dark rooms (I really think they're trying to save electricity-but night lights don't really use much electricity), I'll bet any Dad would love to have something created by you especially for him. AND, he'd use it so you'd know he was proud of it. Remember to deliver it with some freshly made cookies for added impact!

Other Personalized Gifts... The boot plate shown can be adapted to include your own ranch brand! But, you can create any design you like... western, contemporary, you name it! In fact, what a perfect gift to complete by adding a pile of homemade cookies to be delivered with it!

If you are in need of a cookie recipe - especially if you need one with high altitude adjustments, just email me. Phil and Marge are the models used for the Cookie Monster, and have been taste testing my cookies for a number of years now. I have tons of great cookie recipes!

Need more ideas? Come to the studio to be inspired! Business card holders, paper clip holders, biscotti holders, tea bag holders... You'll probably be overwhelmed with ideas!

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE BAKE WITH RHUBERRY SAUCE

2009-06-11T21:31:00.013-06:00

Wow. Is it ever hard to be on a diet and be around dessert - let alone be the one to make it, too! However, I managed to test only a teeny little piece of the crust from the dessert I made for the Strawberry Fruit of the Month Workshop last night. Now I can confirm that, yes indeed, it tasted very good!

The original recipe calls for peaches. I substituted strawberries (it is not unusual at all for me to change ingredients in recipes!), and added my favorite recipe for using rhubarb: Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce. I call it "Rhuberry Sauce".

Doesn't it look just so yummy on this plate I made? Hard to tell from the photo, but the plate is an "apple" design for a future Fruit of the Month workshop sample.

OK... so the bottom layer is the cream cheese bake portion. Then a large scoop of ice cream was placed on top... and smothered in Rhuberry Sauce. You can click on the photo to make it larger if you really want to drool!

Dorothy and Phil were the first ones to sample the dessert, while Sara worked away on her very special creation. I'm not going to give away any descriptions of it right now - we'll see how it turned out in the final slump. I can tell you, though, that after the first firing, everything sure looked pretty good!

We had a great time. I wish you could have been here! Unfortunately, now Marge and Phil are going to have to finish all the dessert that was left over!

So... Here are some before and after photos of the Strawbery Cream Cheese Bake with Rhuberry Sauce... as well as the recipe at the very end! Enjoy!

Need to figure out the best way to pre-rinse handmade glass dishes?

Phil demonstrates how to clean the rest of the sauce off the plate.

And here is the recipe I promised so that you can make it yourself at home.

It is really, really, really good... even though that judgment is based on just the teensiest little bit of crust I sampled. It is just not very low-cal!

Strawberry Cream

Cheese Bake with

Rhuberry Sauce

Rhuberry Sauce:
4 c. thinly-sliced rhubarb
20-24 oz. frozen strawberries, thawed slightly
3 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch + water to bring up to 1/2 c.
4 drops red food coloring

Instructions: Place all ingredients in large saucepan; bring to boil, stirring often, until sauce is thickened. Reserve 1 c. sauce for making the cake, and about 2 c. sauce to serve with the cake. Place remainder in freezer containers to store.

Cake:
2 c. thinly-sliced fresh strawberries
1 c. strawberry rhubarb sauce
2-1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 sticks cold margarine or butter
One 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
One 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
2. Combine flour and sugar in large bowl; cut cold margarine into the mixture until very finely blended (mixture will be dry—or you may blend it with your hands to make it more crumbly). Reserve 2 c. for topping.
3. Press remaining crust mixture in 9”x13” glass pan that has been sprayed with non-stick flour spray. Bake crust for 15 min.
4. While crust is baking, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in the condensed milk until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix well.
5. After crust has baked, carefully (the pan is hot!) lay the sliced strawberries over the crust. Drizzle 1 c. rhuberry sauce over the sliced strawberries, then carefully pour the cake batter over the top. Sprinkle the remaining dry crust mixture over the top of all in the glass pan.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the crust is just beginning to turn brown.
7. Set baked dish aside until it has cooled a bit; then chill for a few hours to make it easier to slice and serve.
8. Serve with ice cream and more rhuberry sauce, or just rhuberry sauce alone.

c@

JUNE 2009 CALENDAR

2009-06-04T22:27:00.007-06:00

Click on the calendar to make it larger and print it out.

Be sure to note several new changes in the information that follows, including pre-payment for registration in the Fusing Basics class.

Reminder: SUMMER STUDIO SAFETY

Please do not wear shorts or sandals to the studio!

LA GRANDE FLEUR MASKS

2009-05-11T09:10:00.008-06:00

A few photos of the masks that I made for La Grande Fleur - shown here as window hangings, but can also be hung on a wall.

Enjoy!

"Margaritaville"
Into the kiln just before sunrise... as a result of my having too much caffeine the day before...

The parrot trimmed in dichroic glass was inspired by dichroic glass scraps that fell into the shape of a palm tree. The wing is "padded" for three-dimensional effect.

The lazy ol' sun (with black glass vitrigraph chin curls) was slumped over a bisque mask. With reflective mirror lensed shades... He's so cool.

Doesn't it just make you want to lie in the sun on the beach?

"The Pharoah"

Originally began as only a headdress to adorn a sun face slumped over a bisque mask, which isn't in the photo - but you can see it at the studio.

Became quite an elaborate piece... with frit-painted facial features on the almond glass face.

The headdress is cherry red glass sectioned by noodles of marigold and black. Plenty of dichroic glass accents on the headdress, which suspends the face with brass chains adorned with flashy glass beads.

These will both be auctioned at La Grande Fleur. I hope they go to wonderful new homes...

Don't they both just make you want to lie on the beach in the sun?
c@

WE HAVE PINEAPPLES!

2009-05-08T15:49:00.012-06:00

What a wonderfully sweet and juicy treat we had at the Fruit of the Month workshop this month! My, oh my... the pineapples were as delicious to see as they were to taste!

I made a trip to Denver a few days before the workshop, so I was able to pick up some "Honey Pine" pineapples from Sunflower Market. Oh, were they divine!

They were great references for the projects - and some of them even had seeds in them! Next time you have fresh pineapple, look for the little black seeds in the pulp of the fruit!

In the photo above: Top Center, Tracy; Second Tier (left to right), Lisa, Chris, Dorothy; Front Row (left to right), Patty, Christy, Sara.

We had chunks and slices of pineapple to use as reference, as well as whole pineapples that were very similar in appearance to Patty's whole pineapple dish in the photo above! :-)

Once again, each person had a very unique design, though I have to admit that I had to check now and then to see whose was whose as I was unloading and identifying each!

Dorothy created a dish with both the outside and the inside design of the pineapple on one plate - and added a cherry on top!

Patty made the full-sized pineapple dish and achieved a very clever design for the outside of the pineapple. Great job cutting the leaves on the ring saw, too!

We got the kiln loaded and fired it up that night. Now all the dishes are ready to go to their homes!

Enjoy the before and after photos, below! Click on the whole image to see it in a larger format. Better yet, come to Fruit of the Month workshops to see everything being created!

What Happens at Open Studio?

2009-05-08T15:10:00.012-06:00

I thought you might like to see some photos of recent open studio creations at Martin's Glass House.

Remember - you can create pretty much anything you can imagine at open studio sessions - but you must first attend the Fusing Basics workshop!

(Click on any image to see it in a larger format.)

DOROTHY AND ESTHER MADE BUTTONS

The sweater above is one that Dorothy made for Esther - not at open studio. We only work with glass here (and occasionally with clay)! They came to open studio together to create buttons for the sweater.

Both Dorothy and Esther have previously attended a Button Frenzy workshop. Great job, ladies! You learned a lot! They look mahvelous!

Dorothy and Esther made six buttons; only four were used for the sweater. What fun! Here are photos of the four buttons used on the sweater.

BARB'S CLOCK

It took Barb about four open studio sessions to assemble her clock inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright designs.

First cutting pieces... drilling a hole in the base... assembling pieces...

Then, assembling and gluing pieces in place... assembling and gluing more pieces in place...

Then assembling and gluing more pieces... and finally it was ready to fire in the kiln.

We did a tack fuse to just hold all the pieces in place without changing their shapes.

This is the clock - without hands. Barb strategically located four black rectangles to indicate 3-6-9-12 on the clock.

The hands will be installed at open studio tonight. I'll update this post with a photo of the finished clock when it's done.

I'm eager to see it. Aren't you?!

PATTY'S DROP VASE

I think Patty was inspired by drop vases made at the Pineapple Fruit of the Month workshop.

A little push and pull on the pieces at assembly to get them in the correct position to stretch upon dropping was all it took. It's always a surprise to see how these turn out!

This one is very pretty!

Here is a photo looking into the vase from top down.

PINEAPPLE SAMPLES!

2009-04-29T07:39:00.005-06:00

Holey Pineapple Slice, Batman! Am I excited about the up-coming Fruit of the Month Workshop!

We'll be making pineapples - and I have some samples now to show you! I threw these together somewhat quickly so that I could get the photos posted and an email sent out to you; but I'm sure with your own unique style, some time and patience, you will come up with something simply mahvelous!

The smaller round dish (6" diameter) is the primary project for the May Fruit of the Month Workshop. The full size dish (12" L x 6" W) is the "Bonus Dish" for the workshop, but you can choose to do either - or both - of the dishes. If you choose to make both, you will receive a discount of about 15% on your total cost! Cool deal!

I can visualize half a real pineapple, scooped out, with some kind of pineapple fruit salad inside, served on this clever dish. It was a lot of fun to make - and even more fun to see when it came out of the kiln! (Anyone have an idea how to scoop out a real pineapple? We tried a grapefruit knife to get the fruit out from the ends. It works pretty well. Pretty juicy, too!)

Coming up with ideas for making the smaller round dish (6" diameter) was fun. I'm sure you will come up with many more clever ways to design a pineapple slice. This small dish was made by cutting strips of yellow and light amber glass into pineapple wedges, filling in the spaces with a random mix of assorted frit sizes in ivory, yellow, white and amber. The edge was done with coarse frit in amber, yellow, olive and moss. With a live pineapple model at the workshop, you will see colors and structures to inspire your design.

So, have you figured out yet why I just love to do glass fusing? It's not just the feel of the warm, glistening glass that is alluring, but the surprise of how things look when they come out that keeps drawing me to the kiln in the middle of the night to see how things turn out! Take a look at the leaves on the end of the dish. What a surprise! Lots of leaves! These were made with three differenct colors of green.

And every piece will come out differently. I experimented with a technique to add more than one layer of leaves, which makes the dish look much different than I bet you thought it would look, didn't it? This dish has two leaf layers, but I'll bet with a little diligence, we could put three layers in there. On the other hand, maybe two layers is enough. :-)

MAY CALENDAR

2009-04-25T00:52:00.014-06:00

A little earlier than I usually get the calendar posted, but I wanted to give all of you a chance to plan ahead!

The Fruit of the Month workshops continue to increase in size, so be sure to sign up for it quickly! An additional day for Pineapples has been added in the event that Wednesday gets too full! Be sure to contact me if you prefer Tuesday, as a minimum of four people for Tuesday will be required to hold the additional class if Wednesday's is not full!

Descriptions for all workshops are below. Just click on the calendar and descriptions to make the image large enough to read. You should also be able to simply print out the calendar and descriptions, each on one page, without any problems this month (hopefully!).

We will again be closed for a week during April, so please plan accordingly!

See you in the studio soon!

FUSING BASICS - HANKY VASES!

2009-04-24T21:46:00.002-06:00

Thought you might like to see the project results from the Fusing Basics class held in April. What beautiful vases!

Top: by Angela
Right: by Linda
Left: by Cindy

Vases are just one type of project that you can make in the Fusing Basics class. Come check it out if you haven't taken it already!

The Fusing Basics class is required before you can participate in open studio times, so you won't want to miss out on all the fun!

Got the Blues... Berries, That Is!

2009-04-12T19:16:00.050-06:00

What a great time we had at the April Fruit of the Month workshop! Phil put some blues CDs on the stereo and we got busy workin' and swayin' to the Blues-Berries! You can see each of the individual pieces in the photos at the bottom of this post. Photo (left to right) - Front row: Barb, Patty, Rhonda; Middle Row: Lindy (vase), Sherrie, Katie, Lisa, Stacy (vase); Back Row: Minerva, Konnie (vase), Sara, Chris (vase), Dorothy.

We had plenty of "blueberry" dots for everyone (though a little short on the light mauve that many sought out), and once again everyone came up with a totally unique design of their own. It never ceases to amaze me! We even had one piece that was identified as "Not a Blueberry"! (I'll let you guess which one it is!)

This bowl is one that I made for a sample - just a clear circle with blueberry dots on it. I did a contour fuse and slumped the bumpy side down in the mold.

The bottom side of the bowl shows the contours of the dots.

And, oh boy, did we enjoy desserts: a gorgeous blueberry cobbler provided by Chris, and a cheesecake with glazed blueberries on top that I'd made. Too bad I didn't think to take a photo of the desserts. Phil took all the leftovers to work with him the next day - nothing went to "waist" here! And, after all was said and done, Phil went around the studio and ate the "research" blueberries that were left on the small dishes on the tables.

Since everyone had sketched out their designs and picked out a mold for their project, I was able to map out where everything went in the kilns to keep it all sorted and identified. There were 3 or 4 pieces that were constructed entirely of dots - and yet each person had picked a different color background, so they were still identifiably different from one another. They came out beautifully, and I think everyone is thrilled with them!

Here are the photos of the "Before" and "After" blueberry dishes. Just click on the images to see them in a larger format. Enjoy! Try to not get blueberry juice on everything!

APRIL CALENDAR & WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

2009-04-02T19:02:00.004-06:00

Here is the Martin's Glass House Calendar for April 2009! Just click on the image to make it larger and to print it out!

Remember - please call at least one day in advance to make reservations for any open studio times and workshops.

Please note: If you wish to make serving utensils at the April 25th workshop, you must order the utensil parts from me a WEEK prior to the workshop!

Looking forward to seeing you in the studio soon!

WORKSHOP AND CALENDAR EVENT DESCRIPTIONS

Saturday, April 4 – 9 AM to 3 PM
Xi Beta Spring Bazaar, Albany County Fairgrounds

Lots of ideas for gifts and entertaining! Shop for Easter, Mother’s Day, Graduation, Weddings… all coming up soon! Stop by to visit! Free pair of earrings to the first 20 paying customers!

FRUIT OF THE MONTH - BLUEBERRIES

Wednesday, April 8th – 6 to 9 PM

(Photo: Student grapefruit pieces from March workshop.)

Make a new fruit-shaped dish or plate each month—by the end of the year you will have a full set! Come to open studio and you can make as many as you would like. Make a set of twelve and receive a 20% discount on a larger serving bowl to complete your set!

Come test out your glass “gardening” skills— create a bountiful collection of glass fruit dishes more easily than you can by planting seeds! Think of the possibilities… strawberry, watermelon, orange, pineapple (guess where pineapple seeds are in the pineapple!), pumpkins… You will be limited only by your imagination!

FEE: $40 for first-time Fruit of the Month students; $30 for repeat students. Fee includes all instruction, materials, and kiln firing for one bowl. Additional bowls cost $10-$15 each, depending on the glass selected. Your small dish can become a spoon rest, saucer, plate, or bowl.

FUSING BASICS - BEGINNING LEVEL
Saturday, April 11th—1 to 4 PM

Don’t know anything about glass fusing, cutting glass? Or just want to see what it’s all about before you get too involved?

This is an introduction to glass fusing, offered on a monthly basis, designed to provide basic glass fusing processes and techniques.

This class is required before you may attend open studio times to create projects of your own selection.

You will learn about and gain experience in: Safety procedures; Types of glass used, and what happens to glass in the kiln; Fundamental glass cutting techniques and use of tools; The process of layering pieces of glass to achieve a finished project.

FEE: $45 for one 8” square project that can be used as a sun catcher, or formed into a bowl, plate or drape vase.

EARTH DAY SPECIAL
Wednesday, April 22nd – 6 to 9 PM

I am currently working on some projects using recycled glass to incorporate into a workshop. Watch your email for upcoming announcements with more details!

DICHROIC GLASS PENDANT PARTY
Saturday, April 25th – 1 to 4 PM

Great deal! Come learn to make dichroic glass cabochons that can be used on dozens of wonderful gifts and functional art pieces! But what are cabochons? Well, you might describe them as flat glass blobs with rounded edges that can be used for decoration or jewelry. But, when turned into wearable and functional art, you’ll be surprised how a blob can become so beautiful!

Below are examples of items you can make out of cabochons. You can learn to make any of these at this workshop!

· Pendants, Earrings
· Belt Buckles
· Bolo Ties
· Bookmarks
· Buttons
· Magnetic Clips
· Remembrance/Candy/Gift Tins
· Utensils: Cake/Bread Knife, Pie Server, Cheese Slicer, Condiment/Butter Spreader, Salad Serving Sets
· Wine Bottle Stoppers
· Zipper Pulls

FEE: $45 for the class includes all instruction, materials, and kiln firing for six cabochons that can be used for any of the above items. Or, you may choose to make two belt buckles, or two handles for serving utensil sets instead of the 6 cabochons. All metal findings and accessories require an extra fee. Orders for utensil parts must be placed one week prior to the workshop to be sure they are available for your use!

Sarah's Sushi Rolls!

2009-04-02T18:11:00.009-06:00

As promised, here are photos of Sarah's sushi rolls! Now... just don't ask me to recall what exactly was in each one.

All I know is that they were good, especially since everyone seemed to inhale them!

If you would like more information on the sushi rolls, Sarah does take orders for them. You can contact her by email at BsKneesSushi@gmail.com .

I have almost a dozen photos so that you can see everything that was served.

If you would like to see any of the photos in a larger format, just click on the image to enlarge it.

Seeing everything displayed on the kitchen island was quite impressive - very artistic! Amazing, actually! Pretty... but, that didn't actually stop anyone from eating everything!

However, since I am not a big fan of "nori" (to me, sea weed is sea weed is sea weed and you can't pull anything over on me on that one), Sarah made a special sushi roll just for me wrapped in chard (which I shared with Phil - it was rather large). I know for a fact that IT was very good! :-)

Phil especially enjoyed the heat of the wasabi... served with fresh ginger.

Make anything hot enough for Phil and he's happy as a three-legged dog getting itches scratched that he can't reach! This is the wasabi with fresh ginger...

The fruit salad was quite yummy - the fresh plums were delicious!

And there were some little tofu and rice rolls that were somewhat sweet - very pleasant to the taste buds.

I contributed a few items to the mix: wasabi peas, wasabi almonds and some homemade almond cookies with pastel sprinkles on top (sorry - no photos of the cookies, and they're all gone now).

I think the other cookies - just plain old white chocolate chip cookies with some dark chocolate chips in them - also were well-received.

And we had a nice display of chopsticks going on, too...

We wish you could have been there, but maybe we'll see you next time!

If you have another idea for a workshop or party - especially now that we know FOOD is a HUGE draw for a crowd - just let me know so that we can get it planned.

Thanks to Deb for suggesting this workshop theme!

Hope you enjoyed the photos!

ALL THINGS SUSHI - RESULTS!

2009-04-02T14:22:00.017-06:00

WOW!

That's about all I can say about how much fun we had at the sushi roll tasting and sushi platter making day last Saturday! Sarah Norek makes wonderful sushi rolls, which you can investigate further in the next blog.

Above, we all gathered around the dining room table and got to visit while enjoying the sushi rolls. Sarah (sushi chef) is standing in the center back of the photo.

It was a great time - and we'll do it again, especially for all of you who said you wished you could be here! For now, though, just enjoy the photos...

(Left) Deb contemplates her winged, fire-breathing dragon platter and sauce dishes. Don't tell everyone that Phil cut out the dragon on the ring saw for her, though! :-)

A little bit of mixing, matching and cutting out pieces with the mosaic wheel cutters, and soon the dragon had legs and feet!

A bit of stringers and noodles... and the border was applied!

Deb's finished project: 7"x10" platter; two 3"x3" dipping sauce plates.

Transparent light blue; green dragon with a red wing and red-yellow "flames" shooting from his nostrils! Red-yellow frit "scales" on his body. Borders on the 3" square plates tie in with the trim on the ends of the platter.

Sarah (left) and Mary diligently working on their projects.

Unfortunately, I remembered too late to get everyone's photos! Maybe they will come back again next time and I'll be sure to do that! There was one photo I couldn't use because Michelle told me if she looked silly, I didn't have permission. So, since she wasn't smiling...

Sarah's Set: Abstract design on turquoise with vitrigraph, dots and scrap glass. 7"x10" platter; two 3"x3" dipping sauce plates.

Probably won't be too long before these plates are filled with sushi rolls and wasabi! Remember to check out the next blog to see the photos of the sushi rolls!

Mary's Set: Cherry Blossoms, constructed on transparent cherry red with vitrigraph and custom-color frit (made at Martin's Glass House) flowers. Very clever use of the frit!

Results of Mary's project... 8"x8" platter; two 3"x3" dipping sauce plates. Curiously, the design in the dishes was also in the top that Mary wore that day!

The Megan and John Team (back right side of table in photo at the top) designed this abstract design set: two 6" square plates on transparent light blue with various dots, frit, vitrigraph and scrap glass, with accents in the 3"x3" square dipping sauce plates pickingup the colors in the serving plates.

FUN!

Jill's Set: 7"x10" platter and 3"x3" dipping sauce dishes, white with multi-color stringers and noodles.

In the top photo, Jill's face can't be seen. Clockwise, I think Deb (or Vicki?) was sitting next to John, then Jill was at the middle of the right side of the table between Deb (or Vicki?) and Michelle (in brown top, front right of photo).

Michelle loved everything in the studio, but fell head over heels in love with the blue in this glass, so she opted for the "swirl" design instead of making some other design. But - that's OK! It looks great!

Then she spent the rest of the afternoon sorting out the dots into separate jars by color! Boy... I am so tempted to put that photo of her here so you can see why she probably did that... but, I gave my word...

Patty's Set: 6"x6" and 3"x3" sushi and dipping sauce plates in transparent yellow with a celebration of assorted vitrigraph colors and dots.

Patty (in photo at the top, wearing a black top) is sitting at the left front side of the table next to Guyla (who is wearing the turquoise top).

Guyla's Set: 6"x6" sushi plate, black with Amazon green vitrigraph and dots in red and white; 3"x3" dipping sauce plate in Amazon green with black vitrigraph and dots in red and white. Fun!

By the way - I forgot to mention that I hope that I have everyone's plates photographed in their "upright" positions! Just goes to show you that they look good from any angle!

Vicki's Set: Paw prints everywhere, with inclusions of copper "leaves"! We ran out of light blue transparent dots, so Vicki used bits of stringer for the "toes" - but they came out looking like dots. Very cool!

All in all, I think the sushi rolls must have been pretty inspiring, judging from the creations these students made. We definitely need to do it again!

GRAPEFRUIT - MARCH FRUIT OF THE MONTH

2009-03-18T11:04:00.009-06:00

Just a reminder - it is not too late to start taking part in the Fruit of the Month workshops!
So far, we've made Kiwi (January), Papaya (February), Grapefruit (March)... and coming up in April: BLUEBERRIES!

The dish samples (above, left) are Cat's. There is a 9" round bowl at the top right, and a 5" round bowl in the wrought iron standing spoon rest. These were all done on a clear base, using glass frit for the pulp/fruit, glass "dots" for seeds, and glass stringers for membranes that section the fruit. Does anyone know what the white part is called?

The four small 3" square dishes in front were samples made to see what color combinations of glass frit might work to make the dishes look like grapefruit. They are edged with glass noodles.

STUDENT ART PIECES!

Students used a combination of glass frit, stringers and glass chips cut with mosaic nippers to create their dishes.

Front Row: Laura (left), Sara (right)
Back Row: Dorothy (left), Patty (right)

We've all been having a great time - and learning to overcome the challenges that come with trying to make glass look like fruit!

We've also been sampling some interesting recipes that call for the fruits we've made in glass. Last month we all sampled Kiwi Papaya Salsa - YUMMY! This month we tried Grapefruit Apple Crisp ... Well, what can I say about it? Maybe not the best use for grapefruit, but it was certainly an "interesting" recipe that probably should only be tried for the fun of it.

I am definitely looking forward to Blueberries next month. I like them just plain, but if someone has a good - or interesting - recipe for using them, we'll give it a try! Just email your recipe to me at dts@martinsglasshouse.com. If we use your recipe, we'll give you some kind of prize - or at least recognition for your contribution!

Hoping to see you at the next Fruit of the Month workshop! Be thinking of a fruit that YOU would like to make, and bring your ideas!

c@

WE HAVE A WINNER!

2009-03-03T15:08:00.005-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS - to Makenzie Marshall who won the drawing from the Martin's Glass House booth at the Bridal Expo in Laramie on February 22!

Makenzie selected the black "Fireworks" set which included an 11" cheese ball/cracker platter and four 6" serving plates.

It was Makenzie's "lucky" day at the Bridal Expo - she also won the grand prize... a choice of one of two cruises for their honeymoon!

MARCH CALENDAR

2009-03-03T14:23:00.010-07:00

Here is the latest version of the March 2009 calendar for Martin's Glass House!

Due to the number of closures this month, I have tried to incorporate more open studio times for you with both Easter and Mother's Day fast approaching.

Just click on the calendar to make it larger and to print it. Descriptions of all workshops are below.

Looking foward to seeing you soon! c@

MARTIN’S GLASS HOUSE – MARCH 2009 CALENDAR DESCRIPTIONS

Please phone or email AT LEAST ONE DAY IN ADVANCE to reserve a place for open studio time and workshops!

Phone: Cat Martin, Martin’s Glass House 307-399-6441
Email: dts@martinsglasshouse.com

HAVING A PARTY OR CELEBRATION? Bring your group to our studio – collaborate as a team, or each person can make a project of their own! A great idea to make a gift or gift set – from the whole group! Excellent idea for wedding gifts! Special pricing may be available for groups. Please call or email to make arrangements.

REMINDER: For your personal safety, please remember to wear long pants and hard-sole closed shoes to all open studio times and workshops.

OPEN STUDIO (Pre-requisite – Fusing Basics)
Please check calendar for dates and times.

Make a project of your choice. Come with your ideas and friends to enjoy a few hours of creating beautiful handmade fused glass items. FEE: $10 studio fee covers use of all tools, equipment and supplies; extra fee for all glass materials and accessories for projects, with cost determined by the size of your project and types of glass used.

FUSING BASICS
Saturday, March 7, 1-4 p.m.

Designed for those new to glass fusing, and required before you may participate in open studio sessions. Includes studio safety, types of glass used in fusing and their characteristics, and illustrations of results acquired by firing the glass at different temperatures. You will receive instruction on use of all glass cutting tools (including power tools!) and techniques for cutting strips, squares and circles. You will have time to create one 8”x8” square project that can be turned into your choice of final shape including a plate, bowl, vase or sun catcher. FEE: $45; includes all materials, supplies and kiln firing.

FRUIT OF THE MONTH – RUBY RED/PINK GRAPEFRUIT
Wednesday, March 11, 6-9 p.m.

No experience required. Anyone can take part in this workshop – you don’t need to have made previous fruit projects to be part of the “club.” All techniques needed for this project will be taught.

This month – the Ruby Red (or pink) grapefruit! The techniques you will learn in this class are applicable to many other designs besides fruit; but once you learn them, you can make virtually any fruit at any open studio time – either the 6” project size from the workshop, or even larger for a full-sized salad bowl. FEE: $40 for first time participants, $30 for repeat participants; $15 for each additional 6” piece. Fee for larger pieces based on size and type of glass used.

ALL THINGS SUSHI
Saturday, March 28, 1-4 p.m.

Sushi roll tasting AND make your own sushi set at one great workshop! A REAL DEAL! Come taste sushi rolls made by Sarah Norek, then each individual or couple will have the opportunity to create one of three package deals. This is a very drastically reduced fee based on the expected popularity and size of the group. You won’t want to pass up an opportunity like this!

PLEASE NOTE: A $25 DEPOSIT IS REQUIRED PER PERSON OR PER COUPLE

TO HOLD A SPACE IN THE WORKSHOP FOR YOU.

THE BALANCE OF $20 MAY BE PAID UPON ARRIVAL AT THE SUSHI TASTING.

DEPOSITS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25

PICK ONE PACKAGE DEAL – to be made per individual, or couples may work on one set together:

PACKAGE A: Sushi tasting AND… two 3” dipping plates, plus two 6” sushi plates
PACKAGE B: Sushi tasting AND… two 3” dipping plates, plus one 8”x8” sushi platter
PACKAGE C: Sushi tasting AND… two 3” dipping plates, plus one 7”x10” platter

PAPAYAS - A SUCCESS!

2009-02-25T18:02:00.006-07:00

Here are the photos you've been waiting to see! We have PAPAYAS!

Clockwise from top: Paula, Cat, Sara, Dorothy, Cat (standing spoon rest).

Another successful Fruit of the Month workshop - and this is what YOU missed!

Coming in March: RUBY RED GRAPEFRUIT!

This one is going to be challenging to get the color just right, but you might be surprised what we'll create!

Sure hope you will be there to join us! Check the March calendar that will be sent out shortly!
c@

Glassware, Giftware, Table Favors and Accessories

2009-02-25T17:49:00.006-07:00

YES!

We custom craft glassware gifts for your wedding or other special event!

If you have specific color requirements or designs in mind, we can accommodate your needs.

Take a look at some of these photos (just click on them to make them larger) for ideas.

If you have any questions, just give us a call!

JEWELRY FROM THE LARAMIE BRIDAL EXPO

2009-02-23T14:09:00.020-07:00

Here are photos of some of the jewelry that was modeled at the Laramie Bridal Expo on Sunday, February 22, 2009. The pieces looked simply amazing with the gowns! If you're interested in having custom pieces made for weddings or other special occasions, just give us a call! These pieces can be made in other colors and sizes for adults or children. We also make bolos and belt buckles for the guys.

Click on the images to make them larger!

This image illustrates the different look of dichroic glass when worn with dark and light colors.

Just a few samples of various jewelry styles in dichroic glass.

Pendants don't need to be beaded - they also look elegant just on a neck ring, chain or cord. These images show how to wear pendants with a neck ring.

These pieces looked great with bride's maid dresses, but would also be suitable for any guest at the wedding, or for the mothers of the bride and groom.

Some jewels for the Flower Girl! These can be made larger for the bride's maids - and bride's maids sets can be made smaller for Flower Girls.

Beautiful with a gown, or with a suit!

Earrings shown here are clip-on style. We can convert any earring to clip-on or for pierced ears.

A set for the bride in white... or with any gown!

A set for the bride in beige...

Another good example of the different look of dichroic glass when on white and black.

Keep this thought in your mind when you look at more of the images. When the light hits the dichroic glass, you may see a rainbow of colors.

VALENTINE'S DAY GIFTS FOR EVERYONE!

2009-02-12T15:40:00.003-07:00

We have some GREAT gift ideas for your VALENTINE at Martin's Glass House! Hurry in - Valentine's Day is this Saturday!

(Click on the photo to enlarge it.)

If you haven't seen the new SOAP ROCKS, SOAP WOODS, PALM STONES AND HEART GEMS at Martin's Glass House, come check them out before they're gone! We also have PURE & SIMPLE BATH BARS in Aloe, Lavender, Shea Butter and Tea Tree Oil. They make terrific gifts alone - or find a variety of soap dishes in our studio to complete the package.

These soaps are made by T.S. Pink in Oneonta, NY... All natural ingredients, and tested only on humans. They are beautiful - and look so realistic! The scents are divine... and the more you use them, the more the veins in the rock shapes, and rings in the wood pieces, are exposed. They're fun, intriguing, and something everyone will appreciate.

If you want more than soap, we have a variety of night lights, dichroic glass jewelry in heart shapes - and not heart shapes, as well as bookmarks, Everything Clips (you need to see these!), Remembrance Tins (for little keepsakes, or the jewelry you purchase), mirrors... oh, the list goes on and on! Of course, there are plenty of other glassware items and accessories that you can purchase from our studio shelves - and you really need to see the displays to see how much there is from which to choose.

Can't decide? We have GIFT CERTIFICATES for your Valentines who want to make their own beautiful glassware in one of our workshops or at open studio times.

No matter how you look at it, you and your Valentine will be very pleased with your Valentine selection! We hope to see you soon at Martin's Glass House!

WALL SCONCES ON DISPLAY

2009-02-06T21:41:00.002-07:00

These are the wall sconces that have just been hung in the living room for display.

What a difference they make in there when we have them lit!

Next time you're here, you can see them up close and personal.

Click on the image to view them in a larger format...

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

2009-02-06T17:42:00.002-07:00

Valentine's Day will be here before you know it!

Take a look at some of the things you can either purchase downtown at Gallery West; or consider these photos as inspiration - then come to Open Studio to make gifts for your loved ones.

Click on the image to view it in greater detail.

FEBRUARY CALENDAR & WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

2009-01-29T16:27:00.010-07:00

Here's what you've been waiting for: the MARTIN'S GLASS HOUSE

FEBRUARY 2009 CALENDAR!

Click on the calendar to enlarge it.

Following are short descriptions of what to expect from workshops and open studio times, as well as an invitation for you to form small groups of your own for special projects of your choice.

Please remember to contact me at least one day in advance to make reservations for all classes and open studio times:

Phone: 307-399-6441

Email: dts@martinsglasshouse.com

Looking forward to seeing you in February!

A NOTE ABOUT WORKSHOPS

Want to learn more about glass fusing? A group setting helps a lot - you can gain new ideas from other students working with you, and their questions might help you answer some of your own. Techniques are taught and/or demonstrated for students to learn about glass fusing at a drastically reduced fee. Workshop topics vary from month to month, oftenplanned with seasonal projects in mind. Workshop class size is limited to a maximum of 10 students per class.

A NOTE ABOUT OPEN STUDIO

Open studio times are provided for students who have already taken the Fusing Basics workshop, or who already have fusing experience and have learned appropriate safety, glass cutting and fusing procedures. Students may use the studuio workspace, tools and other educational materials to select and produce projects of their own choosing. The instructor is present to answer questions, as well as to provide guidance and offer suggestions so that the student can continue to learn about glass fusing while creating their projects.

There is a per visit studio fee which covers use of tools, some supplies and kiln firing. An additional fee is charged for all glass used and other materials that may be needed for special projects. The only glass that may be used for projects at open studio times will be that which is made available for purchase through the Martin's Glass House studio.

Please make arrangements to come to Open Studio times at least one day in advance to be sure there is room available for you to work and adequate tool supply.

A NOTE ABOUT PRIVATE PARTIES AND GROUP WORKSHOPS

We love parties - and FUN! Birthdays, graduations, bridal parties or other celebrations... Just give us a call to put together something special for your special occasion. Or, if you see an advertised workshop that doesn't fit your schedule, just round up a minimum of 4 people and reschedule for a time that works for you.

FEBRUARY 2009 - WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

FUSING BASICS

Don't know anything about fusin or cutting glass, or just want to see what it's all about before you get too involved? This class is for you - and it is required if you want to attend Open Studio times, too! This workshop is an introduction to glass fusing basics offered once a month. Designed for beginners. What you will learn:

Safety procedures for glass fusing.
Types of glass used for fusing.
What happens to glass in the kiln at different temperatures.
Fundamental techniques for glass cutting.
How to use all glass cutting tools in the studio.
How to layer glass to achieve a finished project.

PROJECT: One 8-inch square piece that can be used to hang in a windor, or which can be shaped in to a bowl, plate or vase.

FEE: $45, includes cost for all glass materials, supplies and kiln firing.

FRUIT OF THE MONTH CLUB

Make a new fruit-shaped dish or plate each month. By the end of the year, you'll have a fruit salad - or salsa! New members will learn the techniques, past participants get a discount!

February's suggested PROJECT is the PAPAYA - and we will be serving Kiwi Papaya Salsa! AND... we will also have a demonstration (with some student participation) on how to make vitrigraph!

Did you know that if you cut a papaya across the middle, you'll see stars? Come check it out at this workshop! You are invited to turn this delicious fruit into a 6-inch fused glass plate or bowl. If time permits, you may make more than one (an extra fee for each additional dish applies). Should you wish to create a large piece, cost will be determined by size.

PROJECT: 6-inch round fused glass plate or bowl.

FEE: $40.00 for new Club members; $30.00 for repeat Club fusers. Each additional plate, $12.50.

Techniques/Knowledge Base:

Cutting circles.
Making and using glass frit.
Combining frit with scrap glass to create a fusing layer.
Using dots, stringers and/or vitrigraph as design elements.
Making vitrigraph.

PUTTIN' ON THE GLITZ

Dichroic Glass Jewelry, that is! Plenty of time to make lots of jewelry for Valentine's Day! We'll teach you the basic techniques - then you can go wild! For example - for just the price of the workshop, if you work quickly during this TWO HOUR workshop, you can make cabachons for:

UP TO SIX pendants, or THREE pendants with matching earrings for each one

Other projects that you might want to consider making with your cabachons include:

Belt buckles
Wine bottle stoppers
Money clips
Bookmarks
Key rings
Letter openers
Bolo ties
Remembrance tins

FEE: $45.00 includes all glass materials, supplies and kiln firing. Extra fees for findings such as pendant bails, ear wires, barrette and buckle backs, tins, letter openers and key rings.

Techniques/Knowledge Base:

Scoring and breaking glass.
Cutting circles.
Layering glass for fusing.
Making channels in pendants for hanging them on cords/chains.
Sizing cabachons for specific sized project pieces.

SUN CHIMES WORKSHOP

Are you ready to see some color when you look out your window? You can bring some beautiful colors into your home by making these incredible beaded fused glass window hangins! Don't have any beading experience? We'll teach you how to do that, too, and all materials are included in this one price workshop! Choose from a variety of patterns that will be supplied, or create a design of your own.

FEE: $45.00 includes cost for all glass, supplies, beads, wire for hanging, and kiln firing.

Techniques/Knowledge base:

Scoring and breaking glass.
Using the ring saw (depending on design).
Drilling holes in glass.
Working with beading wire, planning a bead design and stringing beads.

FUSING OUTSIDE THE LINES

Do you sometimes feel like coloring outside the lines? Ready for a challenge? Want to try something new? We're going to break all those rules that you learned long ago about having to stay within the lines! We're going to aim for approximately an 8-inch x 8-inch free-form (maybe with an evident design) finished piece... NOT a CIRCLE, NOT a SQUARE. If you want to have some fun, let's give this a try!

PROJECT: 8-inch non-circular, non-square fused glass piece that can be slumped into a form, draped over a form, made to hang in a window, or maybe even turned into a lamp shade!

FEE: $45.00 includes cost for all glass materials and kiln firing. Chain for window hanging is extra, as are any other parts for making a lamp if you choose to make a lamp shade.

Techniques/Knowledge Base:

Using glass scraps.
Scoring and breaking glass.
Breaking or cutting curves in glass.
Overlaying glass colors.
Using the color wheel.
Drilling holes in glass (depending on project).
Using high temperature wire (for window hangings).

Fruit of the Month: KIWI - Success!

2009-01-28T12:14:00.008-07:00

Yes! We have KIWI! Quite a variety, actually... some saucers, some bowls and a drop vase!

I thought you might enjoy seeing the KIWI pieces that were done at Martin's Glass House this past week. So, here they are!

Clockwise, starting with Katie's drop vase (top right at 1 o'clock), Sara's fluted bowl (3 o'clcok), Dorothy's plate (6 o'clock), Sherry's two fluted bowls (8 and 9 o'clock), Dorothy's second plate (11 o'clock), and Cat's plate (in the center).

All of these pieces started out as a 6-inch clear circle. Everyone applied frit and/or solid pieces of scrap glass to turn their pieces into these FUN designs and shapes!

Katie decided she wanted to have her KIWI piece turned into a drop vase. It came out beautifully! See it below...

You won't want to miss the February Fruit of the Month workshop - We'll be making PAPAYA dishes... AND, we will be serving KIWI PAPAYA SALSA!

All those who attended the first Fruit of the Month Workshop will also receive a special discount now that they have become Fruit of the Month Club members!

So, be sure to watch for February's calendar coming out soon, and sign up as soon as you can for the workshops before they fill!

MIRROR AND FRAME WORKSHOP SAMPLES

2009-01-12T15:28:00.010-07:00

The Mirror and Frame Workshop is scheduled for:

Saturday, January 31, 1 PM - 4 PM

Be sure to invite your friends! You'll all have a great time! It isn't fair for me to be the only one having all this fun!

This "Four Pots" project (above) is not part of the workshop, but I thought you might like to see something else that can be created using the same techniques that you can learn at the Mirror and Frame Workshop.

The photos below, however, ARE a sampling of the possibilities you CAN create if you attend the Mirror and Frame Workshop! It was a LOT of fun to create these samples for you to see. I think you will really enjoy the results of your endeavors when you create your own with your own designs!

The square mirror frames below are 6" x 6". You will be able to make one of each - a mirror, and a photo frame - at the workshop.

The black frame is made with strips of glass adorned with corner flower arrangements made from dots, squiggles (vitrigraph) and frit (ground glass), and it has an easel type back. Isn't it just simply delicate and romantic? What a sweet gift to give, or to keep for yourself. :-)

The pink and white mirror frame (6" x 6") below is made from 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" squares, each topped with a daisy-type flower made by cutting strips of glass with a wheel cutter, then placing dots in the centers. Then the squares were sprinkled with coarse and fine frit. Green vitrigraph was used to represent flower stems. High temperature wire loops were inserted in the frame before firing it in the kiln; then ribbon was strung through the loops after firing to create a frame hanger, with a bow in the corner.

The heart-shaped photo frame below is designed on a 6" glass heart, and will accommodate a wallet size photo in the clear glass "pocket." Be sure to bring a photo with you that you want to put into your frame so that we can create it to fit! What a GREAT Valentine's Day gift! The photo I used was from our wedding. It sure makes me smile. :-) Think of the smiles you will bring to whoever receives this kind of gift from you!

I'm looking forward to seeing you here on the 31st! Remember - these are just some of the projects for January! Keep checking the blog (I'll also send out announcements) to see more projects that you can create this month!

c@