New piece on first fuse tonight

I have a new piece in the kiln tonight and will post pics tomorrow. It is red/white/blue with some clear in a 12" circle. It is going through the first fuse prior to slumping into the bowl. I have a new schedule to try for the deep 12" bowl mold. highest hopes that it turns out better than my last wonky bowl ~ 
I just hope I can always learn from my mistakes and move forward in this humbling glass craft.
~Julz

New Fuse just out of the kiln

My newest piece -

The colors are more subtle than I thought they would turn out. It has nice texture, but the squares that make it up aren't consistent. Something to strive for if I do this again. I used textured/grooved glass and sprayed it w/ hairspray and then put red frit in the grooves. Either the hair spray or my frit placement or both need work. :-)
Cooking for the 2nd Thanksgiving w/ my family tomorrow. Homemade rolls and stuffing - carb heaven. yum!
~ Julz

Happy Thanksgiving

I do have much to be thankful for.
Today I am giving Thanks!

I call this my plaid dish.

I finally got it slumped yesterday as I went to Chicago to see The Addams Family and take in some art at the Chicago Art Institute. I loved soaking up some Monet, Renoir, and some contemporary art. My favorite work is here .

Thanks for my family and my ability to create.

Today my responsibilities for the food are minimal, but I am looking forward to the traditional meal with pumpkin pie for dessert. Yum!

I also was able to slump two small black dishes for my first order -

I think the stripe might be too much for the size of the dish. I need to play with this and should have some good glass working time tomorrow.
Thanks.
~Julz

Bowl - first try

Okay - after my great expectations for this weekend - some were realized.

I was able to complete a number of projects in the last few days.



I unloaded my first bowl from my new mold this morning, but I am only at the beginning of this learning curve. I would call its shape - organic. In other words my 1st bowl is slightly wonky.
Okay maybe a bit more than slightly.

The glass that I created and slumped was too thick for this deep of a slump and/or my schedule was too aggressive for this mold. I will have to practice this one. I love my bowl, but I'm afraid I may be the only one.  (I do have a soft spot for wonky results. . . results that could never be sold and are one-of-a-kind blunders. . . ah, err marvelous treasures ;-)


Soldering never got done. I always found other things to do - laundry, wash the outside windows, cutting glass for this project -

I haven't gotten this one slumped yet, but I love the plaid results. This project was on Spectrum's website. It was mentioned on a glass discussion board that I read. I made a few changes & love the results. I don't even have this in the kiln slumping because I have a different project in the kiln tonight.

A friend has started a jewelry business and needed some glass trays to display her silver jewelry. She approached me and asked me to make her some trays - I didn't think I was ready, but after I thought about it - I decided to give it a try. I showed her this piece -

and I am in the process of creating & selling my first glass order. Oh happy day!

~Julz

Saturday - a day of expectations

It's Saturday morning and I have many great expectations for my day.

I slept in late . . . well past the time my husband left to go hunting the Whitetail. This being opening day of gun deer season the hunter had to be in the woods at the crack of dawn. literally

The dog and I took a walk, but couldn't walk our normal route through the fields - one never knows who could be lurking in a tree - awaiting their whitetail. I want no confusion on this even though I was wearing blaze orange (this is not my color of choice except during this time of the year to save any incertitude).

The lake was calm.

Today brings glass time. Yea! I will be firing the kiln with glass for the new mold and finishing the solder on the bevel piece. By the end of the weekend I could have a new bowl and a new piece for my front window ready for a frame.
Happy weekend to you. Hope you will have time for your passions.
~Julz

New Challenge

I have wanted to create a fused bowl w/ a smooth texture for a long time. I have some stainless steel dishes that I have slumped over, but I haven't been happy with the finished texture.

Behold my new splurge -

~ wow~

I can't wait to slump some glass in this baby. . . . and now I am packing to be gone to a work conference for two days.

darn

I would love to spend the next few days working with glass and trying out this new slumping mold, but it is not meant to be. I did prepare the bowl so that when I return it will be ready for glass.

So the next few days I will be away from my passion . . . instead I will be staying at a hotel and learning how to better do my job. Okay I have to admit that my job allowed me to buy this, but it is getting in the way of my glass right now.

~Julz

Almost done with this piece -

Almost done with the stained glass piece with bevels.

I just need to clean up my solder. I haven't soldered for months and this is one skill that if you don't use, you lose. I really had a hard time getting my solder to flow the way that I wanted it to.

I like how the piece is turning out. I can't wait to see it hanging in the front window.

~Julz

Happy Saturday -
This weekend brings a full day for getting the house in order/laundry/bulb planting/glass work (both warm and stained)/grocery shopping/etc. . . . . I can't wait. Oh I love to get all these small jobs done - It makes me feel centered.

This is the stained glass project I'm going to finish today.

I have never worked w/ bevels in a stained glass project and wanted a panel for my front window that was larger than my small piece that has been there for years. I have all the glass cut and placed as well as all the pieces foiled. I didn't have enough solder to finish this, but now I do.

Fail

Okay - the kiln was fired last night and this morning I peeked - and found my failure - 

The beginnings of a bowl with 3 large bubbles. I need to adjust this fuse schedule so this doesn't happen on the next firing, but this can't be saved.

darn

~Julz

Wednesday

Week has gone fast ~ feels like it should be Thursday . . .

Glass tonight - I will get the kiln heated up tonight. I will get the kiln heated up tonight. It has been too long. I will share pics of my next project; I do need some more photos on this site.

~Julz

Weekend gone

Here it is Monday and I didn't get to any glass over the weekend.

Saturday spent w/ mom an hour away and closing night of my daughter's high school musical. Good day, but didn't get anything done around the house.
Sunday spent trying to catch up around the house w/ laundry/dishes/shopping for the next week - plus I went to an auction that had a piece of furniture that I was interested in. No purchase, darn.

. . . sure wish weekends were longer.
~ Julz

Job

Okay - I had a realization this morning. . . I know that this is not a biggie for some, but it was for me.

I love my job - - it pays the bills, is exciting, keeps me on my toes, is varied and challenging, and I am never bored (which is a really good thing). . . once I get to work - it gets my full attention, but I don't like going to work. Darn!

Okay - that's the realization.

Have a great Friday:-)
~Julz

Welcome

Welcome to my process. I'm just getting started. I have loved glass my whole life, and have been dabbling w/ creating stained glass suncatchers for about 10 years. A little over a year ago I purchased a kiln to melt some glass and have done a little basic torch work. What fun!
~ Julz

~ a small dish I created w/ BE ~