May Project for the Garden

Is it the last day of May already? I'm beginning to wonder how time keeps slipping away from me, the older I get. Time has had a way of eluding me lately, and I'm not sure how it slips out of my grasp so easily. Well, one last day to get the monthly Blog in. I'll make it short and sweet. 

Our garden sign from a couple years ago looked new, but needed a face lift this year.

This month has been so busy around the yard, sprucing up the trees, bushes and lawns, and planting the seasonal flowers and garden. After Old Man Winter has had his way with our landscape, it takes a lot of determination and effort to stay on top of such a large piece of property and the work that comes with it. Russ was busy with his own projects this month, so I managed to create a glass project of my own to spruce up the garden blocks. I was tired of repainting the garden sign every year, because of sun damage, so I decided to go with glass this year to see if it would last a little longer. 

Sanding old paint off the wood block.

First I had to sand down the old paint on the wood blocks. Then I re-stained the wood blocks. Next, I used our glass cutters and cut letters out of pieces of glass scrap left over from previous projects. I fused the lettering in the kiln overnight.

Cutting lettering from glass scraps.

Then I coated the glass molds with MR 97, a mold release spray used to help the glass frit come out of the molds, once they are fused and slumped in the kiln.

Glass molds need to be sprayed before use.

Next, I used a variety of crushed glass frit to fill the molds. I used butterflies, dragonflies, ladybug and flower molds for this project. 

A selection of crushed glass frit was used to fill the molds.

 And the picture below is the final project. Kind of whimsical by design, and hopefully will stand up to the harsh high desert climate for more than a year this time. 

Completed whimsical Garden blocks made with glass.

Well, that's about it for this month's blog. Now I'm headed out the door to ship more orders we processed off the website this busy month of  May. Until next time, happy gardening!

Boo-tiful Creations

Halloween Decorations on the front porch

It's almost time for the ghouls and goblins to come knocking at our door. We'll manage to take a breather from the Studio for just a bit to treat the little masked monsters. After that, the fires will be burning round the clock, and I'm not talking the kind of candles you would use to light your little Jack-o-lanterns either. Oh no, they will burn much hotter than that! There's lots to get done before our art show next week, so I'll keep this blog spookishly short. Mwaa-ha-ha-ha!

Denver Bronco Football Custom Glass Gift

We recently completed 2 unique glass gifts for a customer. They have a football theme and incorporate blown and sculpted glass with slumped and fused glass. Another challenging "outside the box" project, but we're happy with the outcome.

Custom Order  for a Miami Dolphins Football Theme

With this project behind us, we can get on to carving our pumpkins and tricking the little ghosts and goblins that come our way. We hope you get to do something spooky with your friends and family. Happy Halloween!

Have a howling good time with your friends this Halloween!

May Flowers

Flower pots for the backyard patio

A floral arrangement by the pond

 I've been outside quite a bit this month, planting all the May flowers around the yard. The punches of color were just what the yard needed to come alive again, after a long windy Spring. Gardening has become a passion of ours since moving here, and we really enjoy digging in the dirt every Spring. This year we are taking extra special care to plant, as the final Lewis wedding will take place in our own back yard in August. We hope the added colors will give a nice touch to this special occasion.

Hanging  Blown Glass Hummingbird and flower

We like to create a variety of glass flowers in the Studio too, along with hummingbirds, butterflies, and dragonflies. I took a few quick snapshots of some of the items already on display in the shop. Maybe they will spark some interest in a unique piece of your very own. We have made a wide variety of glass floral arrangements, and would be happy to create something that fits your own individual taste. Keep us in mind for a special gift of  glass floral art. They work great for any occasion. Now I'd better get back to gardening, there is still much to be planted. Until next time...

Slumped vase with blown glass flowers and dragonflies wall art

Fused Vase, Blown Glass Calla lilies, Hummingbirds Wall Art

Recycled bottles cut into glasses, engraved floral pattern added

A Joyful and Triumphant Year

Well, it's the end of the year and I'm finding the time for one last entry in 2013.  As I gaze outside my window I observe with delight, at how our tree branches have transformed into shiny ice crystals. Jack Frost spread his magic across our town the night before. Makes me glad we are nestled in and cozy next to the hearth fires. But still, outside the crystallized flakes are a beautiful and mesmerizing treat for my eyes to behold. Our piece of  property on the hill, along with the presence of Nature's beauty, has continued to help bring out the creative juices while working with our chosen art medium, glass. Another year of  unique and gratifying projects have drawn to a close in our glass studio. Probably the highlight of the last quarter was being selected to create the official Idaho State Capitol Ornament. Below are some visuals on the process used to create a blown glass ornament with pine bough inserts for the Idaho State Capitol. We finished it off with a bright red ribbon draped around the blown ball. We were honored to be the chosen artists this year for a custom glass ornament project.

Our glassblower at work creating blown glass balls

Hundreds of balls waiting for  ribbons and pine boughs for completion.

Inserting pine boughs into Idaho State Capitol ornaments

Adding decorative ribbons

Finished ornament

Of course, we were also busy creating some of our tried and true ornaments for the season, like our slumped and fused crosses adorned with blown glass flowers.

Slumped and fused glass crosses

And once again, our hand sculpted poinsettias and other colorful blown balls were in high demand.

Colorful blown glass ornaments

 We collaborated on this fun chimney candle holder with a cheery Santa looking on. It was fused and sandblasted to create a fun candle centerpiece.

Santa's Sandblasted Chimney Candle holder

We also came up with some new slumped and fused ornaments that almost looked good enough to eat!

Glass gingerbread ornaments

And some more slumped and fused ornaments that were well received by our customers.

Slumped and fused snowman ornament

Fused red stocking ornament

Fused glass presents

 And we always seem to have music enthusiasts who love to purchase our treble clef and other musical ornaments.

Blown glass treble clef

We experimented with vibrant colors on our slumped and fused plates and vases.

Slumped and fused artistic glass plate

We also shipped off various customized glass chess sets across the country this year.

Custom blown glass chess set

And of course, the "upcylced"  slumped wine bottles are always a hit for a holiday get together.

Upcycled wine bottle art

 We'd like to thank our many loyal and returning customers for supporting us once again, this past year. It has been another banner year for A Touch of Glass Studio, and we have you to thank for that. If you are just stumbling across our website and haven't gotten to know us yet, keep us bookmarked for many new and interesting works of glass art that will be custom made in the new year, 2014. Maybe something will catch your eye and lift your spirit. We strive to instill a sense of beauty and thoughtfulness in our glass works, and hope you get as much enjoyment out of the finished project as we get from creating the pieces. Our sincere gratitude to all of you who have given us your patronage. Season's Greetings from our Idaho Glass studio, and may you have a very happy and prosperous new year.

View of an Idaho sunset through one of our blown glass balls