April

The weather has been nice this week, so not much glass. I did finish a fused and stained glass garden piece last week. I used float glass and enamels to create the circles and then put them together with copper foil and solder. I think it turned out really nice.

 

I also played with murrini and created a small round of just murrini. I'm not sure if I will create a bowl with it or not. Right now it's hanging in my studio.

Other News -
Both bee hives are still alive this far, but one is very weak. I ordered another package of bees just in case I loose my weak hive. I still want at least two hives going into summer. We, my husband and I made new hives and I painted them last week in the warm sun.

We are still sheltering in place except for groceries. I got my sewing machine out and dusted off to make masks for myself and my husband so that we could be a bit safer in our travels outside the house.

We are fostering a dog from the local Humane Society. I may fail at this foster business. Sam, our foster dog, is very easy. He stays close to me on walks, doesn't get up on furniture, rarely barks and is somewhat calm.

He may have to stay with us.

Spring is here. The frogs are singing. Some flowers are blooming.

Stay healthy!

~ Julie

Garden stake - fused

It's a beautiful day in Wisconsin. March 14th and the temperature is in the seventies.

Unbelievable.

I took advantage of the weather and took a picture outside of my newest completed garden stake.

and . . . I'm posting this sitting outside in the garden.

:-)

~ Julz

win some, lose some

Well the new concept in a garden stake has proven to be a bit of a challenge. A challenge in the form a few large bubbles. . . . I like the idea so I tried again -

My new design was a mosaic, fun color panel.

After firing - I realized that I didn't secure the copper edge pieces properly for a full-fuse.

(notice the lower right corner) 

~darn

I like this idea - hence the next piece - 

I hope I have better luck fusing this one.

:-)

I did take some left-over glass and make this nice bowl.

(same bowl in both photos - different angle)

Win some - Lose some.

That's the story today.

~ Julz

glass -

My office window still doesn't have a mounted stained glass piece. The glass piece is done and waiting in my office to be installed. I thought I would get pictures of the finished piece installed, but never thought that the installation would take this long. Soon, I hope.

My kilns have been warm again. . . . which feels good.



I was gifted a box of thin float glass that I am making everyday plates for the kitchen. No color or ornaments - just function, but I love the blueish, tin color, of the float glass once it is fired. I can't wait to remove my old plates and use my new ones.






I have a new idea for a garden stake that is in the small kiln now. This one will be larger. It will still be framed with copper, but will have two stakes to push into the ground. I saw an example of one similar to this at a shop last week and thought I could adapt it to my design. I am excited to give this a try.

and -


I have made a new small round box. I created a mix of colored frit to create the box.
The dominant color was Grenadine Red -

I also took the time to finish this blue box that I had left unfinished sitting on my shelf - 

The box really looks different cleaned up, polished and sitting in the sun.

~ Julz

New Garden Stake

One new garden stake finished!

Yesterday we had a beautiful spring day. My daffodils are finally starting to bloom.

This year's spring has been non-existent. We still have a pile of snow at the end of our road. Getting the kiln running again and successfully completing a new garden stake feels very good.

I am optimistic that May will bring better weather.

Garden stake resting on the ground.

Garden stake with light shining through it.

This garden stake has been donated to a charity auction to benefit special needs students.

Fusing - this morning in the kiln . . .

Black w/ a yellow bottom and multi-colored detail.

:-) Happy Saturday.

~ Julz

Friday - going in many directions

My last kiln run has been done for a few days. 

I liked it, 

but it wasn't what I wanted.

I now realize that I shouldn't have taken this piece to a full fuse.

I have placed it in my basement window to ponder 

and I'm re-creating it now in a smaller version with a partial fuse rather than a full fuse.

It's sharing the kiln with a piece for a garden stake.

I weeded the garden this morning and found my mystery lily in bloom. I love the ethereal qualities of this flower. The leaves show in the spring and then die back until late July when the flower blooms.

I am also attempting a new design using some fused circles.

I feel as if my muse is on vacation with this design, but if I ponder long enough . . .  either I will put it away or something with come to me.

:-)

Not an exact science.

~ Julz

Garden stake w/out the stake

One large bubble in the middle

darn

and . . . 

another in the kiln this morning.

This is a new idea - I put a bit of copper wire in a spiral at the center.

My hope is that when the glass heats the copper will sink and create a great flower center with depth.

I will know tomorrow morning when I open the kiln.

:-)

~ Julz

garden stake

Enough with the small dishes. 

My next project is a garden stake made of copper and fused glass. The glass is out of the kiln - now for the copper and wire decoration.

Pictures soon . . .

Hope your spring gardens are bursting w/ green,

~Julz