February 2013 - glass

February 2013 
What I am working on now. . . 

Staying warm.

Temperatures in Wisconsin have gone from below zero with -20 windchills to 40 and back in the last 5 days. Today it is sunny and a cold 14 degrees.

The above two pics are a bit of fusing that happened around the holidays. I really like these stars hanging in my front window. They catch the light and sparkle on sunny days.

(Perhaps permanent, front window ornaments.)

We had 9+ inches of snow last week.

With my studio in the basement, 

my glassing view is now up and out over snow banks.

I am trying my big kiln out on some recycled glass with enamels today.

I'm hoping for the best on their first run through the kiln. 

Enamels can drastically change color when they are heated.

The small kiln has an enamel blank that I am slumping on a, new for me, mold -

I don't really like the blue-dot design, 

so I decided to try slumping over this mold that I have had for more than a year 

and not used yet. I will be able to figure out the mold without using expensive glass.

It's good to be dabbling with glass again.

~ Julz

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

Window installed

Finally . . .

Lights Out!

~ 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 project

The new year brought a new office in an old day job. Not a choice, but a necessity due to fire damage in an old building that housed my old office. Arg. The new office is a much smaller space with no windows to the outside and it has a door window into a very public hall. I have designed a stained glass piece that will cover this door window and still allow light through.

Light, but not a full view of me working.

I also wanted to use these fused circles that I made a long time ago.

I have worked this weekend on getting it soldered.

My next challenge will be how to get it to stay securely in place without damaging the office door.

~ Julz

Purple flower magnet.

~ Julz

learning new things

Blogger session at a conference.
Learning new things.
:-)

~ Julz