bad with the good

Okay - the new kiln and the old kiln proved to be challenging recently.

I fused blanks in each of them and experienced huge bubbles. Double yuck and ruined glass.
I am not sure if the bubble problem was my schedule - which I changed, or the fact that I moved my old kiln when the new kiln arrived and I may need to do some better leveling.

Discouraging.

My next fire in the new big kiln was just a recycled glass blank for a bowl slump. It turned out fine. I'll post pics after the slump tonight.

My small kiln did a great job with a new glass quilt.

Glass quilt on table.

Glass quilt in window.

It always amazes me how the glass colors change depending on how a piece is lit. I wanted to see if glass quilts are too heavy to hang in a window. I drilled holes and threaded a ribbon for hanging. I really like to see the depth of glass and hanging a piece in a window with bright sunlight shining through it is a great way to show off a piece. (I will try it in a carpeted room in case it falls.)

~ Julz

More.

More dishes . . .

recycled glass
w/ small amount of amber frit
slumped into square mold

recycled glass
small amount of red glass powder
slumped into square mold

red glass
w/ red dots
slumped over a stainless steel bowl mold

More kiln . . . 

small original kiln in back
new (for me) kiln in front
so exited to get the wiring done (it needs 240 service)
can't wait
exciting times

~ Julz

Small dishes - process pics

Kiln load after full fuse - 

This kiln load includes a small amber/red round with deep red dots 

& two recycled glass blanks with minimal decorations for small dishes.

Here is a view of the kiln just prior to the 2nd fuse to slump the dishes - the red one over a stainless steel bowl and the recycled one over a small dish mold.

Rubrum Lily from my garden.

Zucchini anyone? It is amazing how many pounds of zucchini a few small plants can produce.

There is a possible new, larger kiln in my future. I should know in a few days.

Happy summer!

~ Julz

small dishes - and more . . .

My last kiln fire was a few flowers, some dots for future projects and  w/ some blanks for a few small dishes.

I have since slumped the blanks onto a stainless steal mold

and like the final results.

My rationale is that small dishes will sell better than large items.

I hope I am right.

I also am enjoying creating a number of different designs and using up some scrap glass.

My next kiln firing has a few stars and a new idea for a garden stake.

I like to test and see how new ideas work out.

I don't think I would be good at production work if it was the same thing with every kiln firing.

I am too attention deficit for that.

Hope you are having a great weekend.

~ Julz

Summer half full

as opposed to half gone.

I agreed to share my glass this fall at a Ladies Night at a local gardening/landscaping business.

The event isn't until October, but I need to create a few pieces of glass to present.

It's hard to think of Fall ideas now in the middle of summer.

I am already a bit apprehensive because I have never done a public showing/selling of my glass. This will involve a table of wares and a bit of a demo.

Ponder - 

 How does one demonstrate fused glass?

I started making a few new pieces.

Here is the glass portion of a plant stake.

I did a partial fuse to try to give it some dimension. 

I need to work on this technique.

Since last blog post - 

a graduation -

a 4th of July celebration w/ parade - 

a birthday for my oldest -

Sorry for the blur,
this is the best pic I have of the
zucchini pancake in the shape of Mickey
served up for birthday breakfast.

I started the kiln today with a few flower/nature pieces.

Fall seems far away.

Happy summer!

~ Julz

Vase

My new vase warm from the kiln -

This piece was very difficult to photograph.

I am pleased with my successful drop vase.

This isn't my first attempt at this project, but it is my most successful attempt:)

Red (my fav. color) & white.

Yum.

My experiment with the etching in glass was successful, 

but I am not sure that I like the quality of the writing.

I need to figure out a way to do this project and make the script neater.

My kiln is heating up tonight with three more blanks for drop vases.

And it was a great Spring day today. Filled with sun and mild weather.

I like that.

Happy Spring!

~ Julz

Glass Quilt

I really like the concept of creating a glass quilt. 

The finished product not only looks cool w/ the sun shining through it, it also is very tactile and I find myself drawn to touching it often.

I want to repeat this project w/ a bit more color and texture planning.

I placed a new glass and tools order last night.

It should get here in the next few days. 

:-)

I can't wait.

Spring, is not here. 

It was cold and cloudy on this Monday.

A very difficult day to stay optimistic and moving in a positive direction.

I really want to work outside and plant some things in the garden.

Even my spring bulbs are not blooming yet.

Working with glass helps.

A project in the works - 

My goal is to etch John Lennon's 'Imagine' lyrics into a glass panel. 

I will then rub black glass powder suspended in oil into the etched letters - 

removing any extra black glass.

After firing, the words should stand out 

and the panel should be able to be displayed on a wall or in a window.

I hope my plan works. 

I started etching the lyrics and then I thought. . . 

I better move a bit slower.

I created a one word test.

'Imagine' on a scrap of glass is in the kiln tonight.

Determining if this is going to work prior to putting in many etching hours.

This is the choice I made for tonight.

My 'Imagine' test fit in the kiln along side my first fuse of a white bowl with red dots.

~ Julz

Black Dish

Black dish w/ multi-colored stripe and yellow back - -

front

back

On display - 

New work in the kiln - a bit of experimenting. . . 

This is a project that I have wanted to try ever since reading about it on Cynthia Morgan's blog.

Here is my pre-fire picture of my 1st attempt at a glass quilt.

:-)

~ Julz