a new pendant..

I've been so busy with everything else, that I haven't been out in my shop lately. But this morning I braved the crazy thunderstorm and played with some fire.

I really like how this one turned out. Just stinks that I don't have a kiln so everything I make has a very high chance of cracking and breaking. Oh well. It's fun practice... some day I'll get a kiln!

studio work

As well as crocheting this week I've also been playing in my new studio. It's really exciting to see what you can make with just a rod of glass. How smooth it is and the way it transforms like molding honey. 

I'm really trying to work on the closures. This one came out terrible. I know exactly how I want them to look, but I can't figure out how they are done. But I'll get there, don't worry!

The second is something I was screwing around with. I saw a video on youtube of how to make a mushroom pendant. While I would never wear one, the concept and trick  of how to make them is really cool, so I attempted it. Well.. it's wasn't a full on success, but it wasn't an utter failure either.

I ended up with a half of a head of a mushroom. Not too bad for my first try. It was so cool sticking the glass inside the clear glass. I didn't finish off the pendant or shape it, I just was trying to trick of making the mushroom, so the actual shape of it is kinda wonky. 

Again, I can not explain how much I love working with glass. I think it's my "calling" While it's really challenging (they make it look so simple if you watch videos or take a class) There is a lot of skill behind it, I just can't wait to get the basics down and move on to the even more challenging stuff.

glass update

I am officially a pool of snot. (nice image, huh?) I thought I was getting better yesterday and spent the day in my studio for Day 2 of vacation. But then around dinner time last night. The flood gates opened. I'm talking double ear aches, sore throat, headache, body aches, runny nose. The whole shebang. I barely slept last night and now that I'm up and walking around my head just feels like a fog. I think I need to wait a few hours before I decide if I should be operating a torch!

But I wanted to show a little progress and my first few pieces I did on my own. Plus I still have all my hair and haven't caught anything on fire! Pretty impressive.

These are far from perfect but I was pretty impressed with my first go. Especially seeing that I haven't touched glass in over a year since my few classes I took. (was it crazy to spend crap load of money building a studio when I had only taken a few classes and really have no idea what I'm doing!?) 

My dad somehow sees Elvis (or Donald Trump) in this one. He even got out a magnifying glass and was holding it up to the natural light last night. He's like, "it's there! see the swooshing hair?! there's the chin...." I have no idea. I still don't see it. K said he did but I don't know if he was just trying to be nice to my dad seeing that both my mom and I were looking at him like he was crazy. 

The next one came out really nice. Well really nice for me anyway, being only my 4th one I've ever made! I spent a lot of time with it and really wanted it to be as perfect as I could get it. This one I decided to give to my mom for her birthday for this weekend. They are going down to DC to visit my brother and she wont be home Saturday, so we stopped by last night to give it to her. I really liked how it came out. I put it on a chain and even in a little box for her.

Hey, if this is me on my second day of having a glass studio - AND being sick, I think I'm doing pretty darn good if I don't say so myself. A few more weeks of practicing and then I need to try to do a kickstarter project to come up with the money for a kiln. We financially can not swing it, and I don't see us being able to anywhere in the near future. Kickstarter is my only hope to be able to produce these and open a shop. (I can't sell anything unless its been through a kiln because there is potential for it to crack)

Hope everyone is having a good Wednesday. I'm almost half way through my vacation and have no where near what I wanted to have accomplished. Isn't that how it always goes?! I guess it doesn't help that my brain is a pool of mush though. I'll push on! Garden posts to come (but don't get too excited - there hasnt been much progress due to me being sick)

studio update

I am up and running! While there are still a few cosmetic things that need to happen to the inside of my studio, it is now a fully operational mini hut!!! My torch was set up today and everything is running beautiful. Which means tomorrow morning instead of me going to work - I am going into my studio. While it looks like a have a lot of glass, I really don't so I will have to order some more asap. But I also have long rods wrapped up in bubble wrap that needs to be cut to length. I can't even explain how excited I am. A little terrified in a way too. I will be on my own, in my hut, with a torch. I already joked that I may come back to work next week with a shaved head. Kevin said he sees himself coming home from work tomorrow with me standing in the back yard, with a hose and my hut in flames. haha hopefully that is not in my future!

It's been such a long time coming, I almost don't know what to do with myself. I see many burns in my future. As long as my hair doesn't go up in flames I will be all set.

I hope everyone enjoyed my first installment of Buy Handmade, Behind the Scenes. I am already booked through May 20th. If you know a shop (or have your own handmade shop on Etsy) and would like to be featured, please leave a comment and get in touch with me. I'd love to have you.

my beautiful studio

while there is still some work to do on the space. i was so excited and had to move in my furniture today before all the moldings were finished! i have some framed art work that i need to hang up, and i need to find a small table or tiny bookcase or shelf next to the chair to complete the space. (well you know beside my torch and kiln!)

my industrial metal work table i got for 10$ from Craigslist - it was out in Rochester (about 2 1/2 hours from my house) but SO worth the adventure mister and I had going out there last summer. the old industrial metal chair (super super squeaky) is from Bouckville Antique Festival - Bouckville is about a 20 minute drive from my house and all year around has many many antique shops (we go all the time) but during the summer they have a HUGE week long show with vendors from all over the country. The chair is from one of the vendors. K got a great pair of old industrial green porcelain lights from the same vendor. we got a "bundled deal" The lights are also vintage cage lights that K hardwired into the ceiling. and the windows and door- also from an amazing woman named Fury who owns a HUGE red barn full of antiques. Those windows were a labor of love. many many hours went into those. I have pictures of the whole process and before and afters. (if you are wondering - the tubing coming out of the wall is my ventilation system for when i hook up my torch. its hooked up to a crazy fan that is outside the "hut"  

super awesome 50's red chair- another 10$ craigs list find! this was a little more local only 15 minutes away. antique door that i worked hard on fixing lots of cleaning up, scraping, replacing glass panes, cutting my own glass, and finding antique hardware.

and there is LOLA!! 

mister cleaned this table- i can't take credit for that- it came out beautiful.

some how i have lost my outlet cover?! so just another thing to get!

i can not wait to begin working - soon soon soon..

i LOVE this space...