Got the Blues... Berries, That Is!

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!

c@

Martin's Glass House on the Road

We recently returned from a 10-day whirlwind trip to Michigan and back! It's taken me a while to catch up on things, but finally I am getting a blog online about our trip!

En route, some of Martin's Glass House products were left to sell on consignment at the International Vinegar Museum in Roslyn, South Dakota. If you want to do a taste test on some really good vinegars, this is the place you need to visit! The day we were there, we also stopped at the ice cream shoppe where we experienced a vanilla milkshake with tequila lime vinegar in it. It was great! This is something that you can try at home - as long as you buy the tequila lime vinegar!




Ethel Mitchell was our tour guide for the day we arrived. However, since Phil and I had already been to the museum a few years ago, we were just plain eager to buy some of the wonderful vinegars that are available in the gift shop.

This is Ethel - standing by a display of vinegar clay pottery that Lawrence Diggs, The Vinegarman, the founder and President of the International Vinegar Museum, made. The Martin's Glass House "Don't Throw Stones" collection of glassware is in the photo - the pheasant salad set (photos below) and two 12" platters made with the blue opal art glass.







Here are some of the pieces from the pheasant salad set...



















After leaving Roslyn, South Dakota, we headed northeast to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan - by way of the first and only Frank Lloyd Wright Gas Station in Cloquet, Minnesota, and the 3M Sand Paper Museum in Two Harbors, Minnesota.

We arrived at Copper Harbor, Michigan, a few days after we left Roslyn. After dinner at The Mariner North in Copper Harbor, I toured the gift shop at the restaurant. Seeing that they didn't carry any glassware like I make, I asked if they would be interseted in looking at some of the items I had with me, hopefully to sell them at their gift shop. Peg, the owner, was pleased to take a look - and she liked what she saw, I'm pleased to say! So... now you will also be able to buy Martin's Glass House "Don't Throw Stones" Collection glassware at the Nagamoon Gift Shop of The Mariner North, too! The photos below are just a few of the items that we left at the Nagamoon Gift Shop...



A pasque flower salad serving set...















a water lily salad bowl....

















a fracture streamer salad serving set...
















...and we also left the sun setting over Lake Superior before heading to other parts of Michigan over the next several days....

It was a long trip... but I love Michigan... We didn't have cell phone coverage for four days in the U.P., but it was fun looking for agates on the shores of Lake Superior, and we saw the locks in operation at Sault Ste. Marie. The cherries were wonderful in Charlevoix, as was the blueberry pie at South Haven.


We just didn't get to stay long enough...