Dog Days of Summer

The month of August ends on a high note for us. We found the perfect addition to our family with our new adopted dog, Bella. She needed to be re-homed and Russ happened to find her at just the right time earlier this month. She was oh, so skinny, and in need of a lot of tender loving care. We haven't had her for quite a month, so she is not 100% yet. But she is getting as much love as we can give, and returns it ten-fold with puppy licks and gratitude. Bella was just what the Doctor ordered for our family, as we have had a bit of a rough year ever since our dear Wilson passed away in January. Maggie and the cats have accepted Bella into the pack, for the most part. We still have some work to do in that area. All in good time. What I love most is she's helped me to smile again. Such a sweet dog, and good for our souls. 💕

Our new dog Bella enjoying her new found freedom with our old dog Maggie.

We got away with the dogs for a quick trip to Bear Lake. So much fun. 

Bella is already looking much better since the first day we got her, when she was skin and bones.

The summer days are coming to an end, and harvesting in the garden is taking place. Not quite as good as year's past, as we had a terrible issue with grasshoppers and aphids this year. But enough of a harvest to enjoy the fruits of our labor. And we were able to enjoy the roses again this month, even though everything seemed to struggle in the extra hot heat of the summer sun. 

Beautiful sunrise morning.

My favorite color of rose.

This one reminds me of ice cream sherbet. 

The month of August also saw another shipment of Blown Glass Wildlife headed out the door to the Yellowstone Park Stores again. 

Blown Glass Yellowstone Wildlife

After that order was wrapped up, Russ got creative and "upcycled" some window glass onto some kaowool in the large kiln. The end result was a curvy decorative dish, seen below. It turned out so well, he slumped another one to be auctioned off at his family's reunion. I upcycled some bottles as well to finish off the trays.  The end result can be seen below. 

Firing Float Glass onto Kaowool in the Kiln.

The end result

Another upcycled piece of art was auctioned off at a family reunion.

Colorful blown glass dragonflies were also created for a customer this month.

And the last blown glass to head out the door is a Unicorn wedding cake top made for our niece's wedding in Virginia. So now that the dog days of summer are just about over, I'd better get packing now. I have lots of orders that need to be shipped today in order for us to begin the next big venture. Until next time, stay safe, and be well. 

Blown glass Unicorns with gold accents.

Spending some time with Family this March

A rainy day at Zion's National Park

 March was the month we were able to quickly slip away from our Studio for a few days, and enjoy family time at Zion National Park. (What a national treasure!) We also went down to Arizona to celebrate Russ' Dad's 82nd birthday. It was a quick trip down in a rental car, (Our cars are showing their age) but we appreciated the time away, even if only for a few rainy days. The Southwest's scenery did not disappoint.

We hiked in the rain, but still enjoyed the scenery.

One of many arches in Zion.

Lots of red rock to explore.

We saw a number of mountain goats.

Meanwhile, many different projects are going on this month, many Yellowstone wildlife glass works, alstrom drops for a Non-profit Organization, never-ending Etsy orders, and some new art that I'll highlight next month. In the meantime, this month I am highlighting some past glass pieces that were created in our Studio over the years. Well, I'll keep the blog short this month, I need to get behind the torch. Russ and I will be working nonstop the next little while to catch up on orders. Until next time, enjoy Spring...

Sculpting glass at the torch

Spring Florals for a wedding cake top

Slumped wine bottle with florals and dragonflies.

Blown glass Bass on Manzanita wood

Slumped and fused "Seasons" on wood base.

All the Feels in February

Our luster pink glass roses are on display in many forms this time of the year.
(This one was created in the past for a family member, for her wedding.)

This February turned out to be quite different than year's past in the Studio. Normally we promote our "Hot Date Night" for Valentine's Day. Couples sign up for an hour long session and learn how to make glass rosebuds. But thanks to our latest bundle of joy and 5th grandchild arriving a few days before, the lessons were put on hold this year. (Which suited us just fine! We loved welcoming him into the world. He's just perfect, and our little Valentine!)

💘💘💘💘💘

Our fifth grandchild born in February

 When we came back from our visit with our kids and grandchild there was actually time to create some new pieces just for kicks. The decorative slumped and fused glass plate below is my new favorite. The light captures a new color every time I look at it, thanks to the iridescence. 

Multiple fused layers of Iridescence 

This upcycled bottle was slumped onto one of my favorite molds. A nice trivet or piece of kitchen art.

Slumped "Bon Appetit" Glass Bottle

Russ worked over the microphone from last month's blog, for a client's wedding cake top. It was sandblasted for the finished touch.

Sandblasted Glass Microphone

He also experimented with another scene, but is not quite happy with it. A few more trees painted with glass enamels should add the finishing touch to the first picture. Another customer requested a special winter scene plate that could hold a picture of her beloved pet. I added a picture of two of our furry friends for display purposes. Russ used glass enamel paint for the snowflakes.

Winter scene accented with Enamels and an added picture frame.

Winter scene, not quite finished.

Believe it or not, it is time to look ahead to the next holiday season, as we already have clients across the country asking for new ornaments. We are happy to oblige, as it's always fun to come up with a new pattern, like pictured below. Enamel paints are used as highlights to the glass.

New Slumped and Fused Ornament Creations 

Meanwhile, I am enjoying the quiet solitude of winter up here, along with the many varieties of  birds like the chickadees pictured below, that like to frequent our back yard feeders. I can't complain about being snowed in, as the winter has been fairly mild for an Idaho winter. There are already vegetables sprouting up in the greenhouse. Hopefully, we can fit in a cross country ski trek in the mountains before the snow melts. Until next time, enjoy the little things in your life, they really add up!

Chickadees like to hang out in our bushes when they aren't at our bird feeders.

Wedding Bliss

We just experienced another lovely family wedding this past June weekend, celebrating our nephew's marriage to his lovely bride. Weddings are such a beautiful display of love and unity. The union of two people in the first throws of love is a wonderful thing to witness. And we are always honored to take a small part in the wedding ceremonies with our unique glass wedding cake tops. Our nephew and his bride requested the sea turtle cake top below to match their wedding colors, and also  to symbolize their union. 

A unique request from our nephew and his bride for two sea turtles coming together over glass ocean waves.

For many years now, we have made cake tops for a number of brides and grooms.  A wide variety of mammals, animals and birds are very popular, as they display the sentimentality of the happy couples, saying their vows for the first time. Our frosted swans below are simplistic, yet elegant, and get the message of love across to the wedding party.

Frosted blown glass swans, a simplistic yet elegant cake top.

Not only do we make custom cake tops for the wedding day, but we can also make custom glass gifts for the happy couples, such as the pastel vase below. The colors can match the color schemes of the weddings, to add sentimentality years after the wedding has taken place.

A customized slumped and fused vase makes for a unique wedding gift.

Wedding Bliss is achieved when the small details are worked out long before the "I Do's" take place. We'd love to help the future brides and grooms out there check off  one of their little details with a unique, hand crafted and blown glass cake top or glass gift. Contact us if there is a wedding in your future. We can make a glass cake top as unique and detailed, or simplistic and charming as you wish. We are always happy to work on new wedding ideas created out of glass and requested by the happy couples. And we like to think of our glass cake tops as the "icing on the cake".

Our Blown and Sculpted Glass Cake Top accents this lovely cake.