March....Full Steam Ahead!

A float glass train created in the Studio for a relative, who works for the Union Pacific Railroad.

And just like that, the March winds are blowing right through us, (literally) right up to the end of the month. You have to be tough to deal with the high desert winds that blow through Idaho this time of year. We have a relative who fits that description. He's about as tough as they come, and fits right in with his job at the Union Pacific Railroad. Our nephew asked Russ if he could come up with a glass design to fit the railroad spike/knife. It was to be gifted to our brother-in-law. Since our nephew has been a great supplier of the float glass, sending us old used window glass, we were happy to help out on this project. Another great example of "up-cycling".  Russ used topographical contouring to create the train's shape, and the wheels and front were scored with our glass saw. We think it will be an heirloom for generations to come. 

Screen printed glass Owl accented with glass enamels.

We managed to fit in a trip to Boise this month to visit our son and his family, and celebrate his birthday a little early. The owl pictured above was a house-warming gift that we thought could go alongside a computer-generated piece of artwork he had already created, using his graphic design skills. This project is one of the first attempts at screen-printing on glass. We will be showcasing more screen printing on our blog in the future. There is still a lot to learn, but we have the basics down, and it looks like a promising medium to add to the repertoire.

Spring is blowing into our Studio, new life everywhere!

 We have been involved in many different glass projects this month, that will spill over into April. Special requests are a constant now, and keep us on our toes. But there is always time to stare out into the backyard at the sure signs of Spring around here. (Besides the wind!) And when the Mallard ducks arrive, we know warm weather is just around the corner. Happy Spring and Easter weekend to you and yours!

The ducks always come back to our little pond every Spring.

New Spring Colors and Projects

Colorful glass eggs accent a real bird's nest we found in our yard.

Bird's nest completes our birdhouse outside

Time for us to check in again with our monthly blog. I'll keep it short and sweet this month. We are both ready for Spring color, and ready for March to be over. The winds are howling outside right now and it can grate on one's nerves after days on end of the same windy weather patterns. Just like the predictable winds, March was no exception to our pattern of staying busy in the Studio. 

While we had plenty of orders to take care of, I had been wanting to do something with this bird's nest I found in our yard. It had fallen from one of our trees. Russ created some colorful eggs, and I spruced up one of our bird houses outside with the recycled bird's nest. A fun project to create on the side.

Below are projects completed in the Studio while the March winds were whipping. The glass is hand sculpted in our lamp work flame. Some of the glass, like the crosses, are made using slumping and fusing techniques. There tends to be a wider variety of color when working with soft glass, as compared to the hard blown glass.

We've added a customized label to some of our ornaments this year.

Colorful balls remind us of an Easter basket full of colorful Spring eggs.

Glass crosses and a variety of other ornaments created for a customer.

Flowers were still in demand this month, and we had a variety of special orders to finish, like the anemones and tulips pictured below.

Our first try at a new flower

A pretty bouquet of Anemones

Glass Tulips are a perfect gift this time of year.

A completed glass tulip arrangement

One of our new baby chicks tip-toeing through the tulips

 Now that March is coming to a close, we are pondering which project to complete next. Hmmm, April showers bring May flowers. Maybe it's time to start thinking about doing some wedding bouquets.

Spring Sprouting

Spring Tulips, blown, sculpted and sandblasted glass

Deer frequenting the garden area in typical Spring weather

Last year's chickens free- range by the greenhouse

 You know how we can tell it's Spring up in High Country? No, it's not the burst of colorful tulips popping out of the ground like you would most likely enjoy at lower elevations. Quite contrary... it is the howling winds of March that screech through the Snake River plains all the way through April, May, and sometimes even June. Spring up here is such a tease. You have a beautiful sunny morning reaching into the 50's and 60's, and then Boom! Mother Nature drops a bomb and the winds sweep in a Spring storm all over the valley floor. 

Well, we have news for you Mother Nature, we've caught on to your conniving ways, and are one-upping you with our weather proofed greenhouse/chicken coop!

Our latest hobby really "sprouted" out of necessity when it came to growing a successful garden plot in these harsh Spring conditions.  

Greenhouse lit at dusk

 Russ wanted to build something sturdy and strong enough to stand up to all kinds of Idaho weather, and would also serve to shelter our egg laying hens from the elements. So he drew up his own plans for the most amazing greenhouse/chicken coop that I have ever seen, complete with a root cellar. First, a space was dug out and electrical wiring was run out to the building area. An extra deep hole was dug out under the chicken coop area that would store our potatoes and onions in the colder months.

Railroad ties are the foundation of the greenhouse and are an excellent support system. The poly-carbonate panels are framed with construction grade wood, and we even sided and roofed portions of the outer shell. It's just another step in self sufficiency that we feel is critical in this changing world we live in. There is no better feeling than knowing we can truly live off the land with hard work and dedication to clean living.

Veggies growing in gutters

 Now we can start planting crops in February in our rain gutter designed planting beds, and have a fresh salad by late March-early April. It's only the first week of April, and already we have Swiss chard, kale, spinach and a variety of lettuce coming on strong. This could never be possible without the clever design of our rock-solid greenhouse.

My favorite part is the hen house. Russ put a lot of thought into the laying area, where all we have to do is pull a latch and grab the eggs of the day. He even installed a pull-out floor box to where we can easily clean out their pine shavings off the floor, even in the dead of winter.

Egg Laying box door

Inside greenhouse area

The sun's light is reflected through the poly-carbonate panels. This creates enough warmth, even on cloudy days, to allow everything to flourish.

Inside view of the greenhouse/chicken coop

 Everything is coming up nicely. Even on a blustery Spring day, things are nice and toasty in the Greenhouse/chicken coop.

 It's funny how life keeps changing even for a couple of old timers. Interesting to note that what started out as a hobby 25 years ago, glassblowing, has now turned into a full-fledged business. So a new hobby has "hatched" in what little down-time we have. The greenhouse/chicken coop is a great addition to ensure  we get the most out of our new hobby, gardening. In spite of the harsh Idaho environment, we enjoy watching everything "Spring" to life!

New Spring Chick with blown glass eggs