September 7

I'm finally going to use my deep bowl mold. First I'm fusing a two layer disk, then I will slump it in the mold. This is a tricky one (bullseye glass, the manufacturer of it said so) I have to put on special green glasses and look in the kiln to stop the slump when the center hits bottom. That will be tomorrow when the disk comes out of the kiln.

The pictures were taken this morning with poor light, it is pouring rain here, and the camera needs to be recharged.

Bottom layer - sliced to let air escape.

Top Layer

THE Mold

UVA colors made by a HOKIE!

Halloween is coming!

A little geometry!

New kiln!!!!!!!!

My new kiln arrived this morning. I was so excited I was up extra early and gave a cheer when the UPS man arrived.Here it is just out of the box. The inside diameter is 15",  weighs in at 25 pounds, and is fast.

My old kiln did this last week:

Tickle those ivory keys!

I've been experimenting with different fusing schedules and really wanted these keys to look and feel like the "real thing". If I went too hot or too long I knew I would have a big white stretch with black streaks so I have anxiously been waiting to open the kiln lid. Good kiln day!

Back in town with Halloween glass pictures.

I got back from Nancy's late last night. After our show on Saturday I stayed on. Had to take Nancy to Bethesda to see the opthomologist she woke up seeing flashing lights, we were concerned that it was a detached retina but it was some of the gel breaking off as it liquified and must have hit the optic nerve.

Nancy will be coming in tomorrow so we can set up tomorrow night at St. Christopher's for their bazaar. There is a preview night on Friday the open to the public on Saturday. If you can come by and say hi to us I know Nancy would love to see all you.

When she was small Nancy was going to a farmer - that didn't work out but she grew some glass pumpkins. What do you think?

 My cats are waiting their turn to go into the kiln.

Heading for Dulles Expo in November

Exciting news -we will be taking our plates, trays, dessert sets, sun catchers, windchimes to the Northern Virginia Christmas Market at the Dulles Expo Center mid November.

Getting ready for Saturday's Market Faire.

I'm spending a lot of time in my studio getting ready for upcoming shows.

This Saturday I'll be at the River City Knitters Market Faire at Imperial Plaza (1717 Bellevue, 23227), along with about 14 other vendors. The show is open to everyone so grab a friend and shop! You will find goodies to indulge yourself and get a start on holiday or birthday shopping.

I have some new shawl/scarf pins - they are also good to close up sweaters with. Here are a few of the new pendants and one pair of earrings. You'll have to come to the Faire on Saturday to see more!

August 28 & 29 Nancy and I will be in Portsmouth VA for the Sewall Art Show. You will find us in Booth #79. It is always fun when we go out of town - I'm just hoping Nancy's new knee is up to a two day outdoor show.

Here is a link to our business blog Art In Glass by TG Designs

I will keep updating the show list as I get final dates in.

Two festivals for May!

We just got back from Staunton where we participated in the Hot Glass Festival. It was so exciting to be with glass artists from all over the country.
We have to get that kiln fired up tomorrow because we shows the next two weekends. This Saturday (May 1) we will be at St. Michael's Episcopal School for Magic Dragon Day - that sounds like fun. Then, while Nancy is flying off to England, I will be in the Fan for the Strawberry Street Festival. I love strawberries so I'm hoping one of my friends comes by so I can run out and by some berries and those goodies made with them that I have read about.

I'll post pictures as things come out of the kiln!

Busy little kiln

The center of this one was made from torchwork that Nancy did - I put on the border and cooked it. It's not done yet!

Waiting to go into the kiln for its first fuse- wonder which way the torchwork will fall.

Just out of the kiln

 

Busy week and DAR invitation

Last weekend I did my first two day and one night show flying solo at St. Aidens in Alexandria. Lucky for me Bo helped me set up and take down and he did all the lugging in the rain so I could stay dry. Both last year and this year the weather has been rainy for this show but it did not stop people from coming out. Gina Lee, the organizer, did a great job and had wine and cheese for shoppers and vendors on Friday nite. Lucky for me Bo was able to help me set up and take down the booth. I stayed so busy I never got to take a picture of the booth but here is a picture of the show at St. James - it was the last one Nancy and I did together, a few days before her surgery.

Nancy has had her stitches out and can move around on crutches - but only for 5 minues each hour - she has to have her foot elevated at waist height the other 55minutes.

We had an exciting invitation, from the DAR in Alexandria, to participate in their Christmas Bazaar. It seems their Regent saw us at one of our previous shows and liked our work. So the first week of December will be a busy one with two shows in 5 days and my dentist appointment in the middle.

So far this week I have two trays out of the kiln and cooling right now are two candle plates. I have a load of "jewels" waiting their turn to go in.

Earrings - circles, squares and triangles.

A friend, who bought one of the red pendants I made, wanted a matching pair of earring that don't match. Well she wanted different shapes. I finished them and am waiting to hear if she likes them so I can mail them.

I got inspired and made a second pair - I have not decided how to orient the little square so the findings are not yet attached.

Black cats and Glass shopping

I know it's late but after selling out of all our black cat pendants and pins I got a jump start on next year, with this new litter. I have to put pin backs and necklace bails on them.

On Friday I had the most exciting day. Gerald and I went to Vitrum Studio for their annual Bullseye glass sale. At first I was so overwhelmed there was so much. We left about four hours later with my car loaded up with beautiful glass. It was neat to see original works of glass art by their on staff designers, who were more than willing to share "secrets" of how they created such wonderful pieces. What a great bunch of people.

Fishy tray, Crozet festival and the Blue Ridge

I came back in town last night and will be leaving again tomorrow since we get to set up for Saturdays show at Lake Braddock HS tomorrow evening.

Nancy made this neat Fish tile as a commission for a friend. She has the patience to bend stringer in a flame for the tenacles.












I took this shot while Nancy she was setting up our "booth" at Fort Belvoir - she doesn't know I took it! The Potomac is outside that window behind us.












Sunday Gerald and I went to an early church service then went to the Crozet arts festival where a vendor offered to take our picture. We had a great time. When we finished there we went to Carter's Apple Orchard and picked apples. We also ran into some friends, the Parker's, that we had not seen in a while - we had a great visit.











Blue Ridge from Carter's Orchard.

Turquoise! I loved those red rocks and thought that I would be making red glass but it was the turquoise that grabbed me and inspired my newest tray in turquoise, maze and hints of those purple sunrises out there. Picture coming soon.

Nancy and I had a successful show here at the officers club on Fort Belvoir. It is such a pretty setting - the back wall is a window overlooking the Potomac, where eagles are often seen soaring . I'll be heading home tomorrow morning and returning Friday morning to set up for our Saturday show at Lake Braddock HS. It is a juried show in its' 24th year. If anyone is up this way come see us - we've added a new component to our display.

Weekend Craft Fair

It was a great weekend - first of all my sister Nancy was here which always guarantees fun.

My knitting guild, the River City Knitters , had a Craft and Art Fair for this months meeting. It's always great to see people enthusiastic about what we do and since these customers are our friends we'll have the opporutnity of seeing them wear our creations.

We really appreciate all the hard work our friend Cathy did of putting this show together - she did an amazing job.

Viking knitting, band aids, and roses.

Monday was good - went to Williamsburg for my lace group meeting. We did Viking Knitting, we had all taken the same class (although we did not know each other at the time) three years ago but none of us had done it since then. It is done on a dowel or hex wrench. The tape at the end just holds the wire on. When finished you pull it through a hole in a dowel in everything evens out. Once you get the first couple of rows done it is easy. Check out page 2 of this link and see the end results http://www.fineartbyrocio.com/vikingknitdirections.html
Late afternoon I went to Glitz and Tommy gave me a great haircut - 3" off feels so good.

Tuesday - this is where the week started to go downhill - if I picked it up I dropped, spilled it or broke it. Not exactly the day I was looking forward to getting blood work done.... but I went to Labcorp (read that as vampire center) on Midlothian signed in and started reading a Janet Evanovitch. About 70 pages later (and trying not to laugh out loud) I looked around and everyone was still there. 2:30pm, an hour later and no one had left the waiting room - there was only one technician. Now I have really tiny veins so I decided by the time it was my turn that would be one grumpy technician so I checked out. I went across town to pick up a piece of glass I ordered and decided to try the the location on Forest Avenue. I only waited only a few minutes and and everyone was pleasant - the technician had "the hand" because I did not even feel the pinch of the needle going in. If you need blood drawn go there. I started to get a migraine on the way home as the barometer was dropping for the evening thunderstorm. I decided to make something to go in the kiln but wound up with 3 band aids from glass cuts. I did not make it to TNK.

Yesterday got better after playing in the garden and cutting roses to bring in I put the designs elements on a plate I had fused and experimented with a new firing schedule so that it would remain 3 dimensional - took it out this morning - success! Here it is - I need to take a better picture but I want to get started priming the hall wall. Wish you could smell the roses.

Nancy sent me a picture of a windchime she is working on - there is a caterpillar on the leaf but I can't see it in the picture. Today she is having a root canal but is here on Friday for a weekend of "fusing fun."

8 More Rows, Beads and Raindrops on Roses

Every time I stop I know there are only 8 more rows to go but some imp must come and undo my work at night. I have been knitting this never ending shawl for my church group and hope to have it done soon. After a long winter I dug out my torch to make some glass beads -after not doing it for so long I was out of practice (see the good, bad and really bad below) but finally got back in the swing of it. I decided to put a topper on the end of a rather short silver shawl pin - now I normally use a rather long mandrel to lay the glass on and discovered that short piece of silver gets hot rather quickly.

I made this shawl pin for my good friend, Cathy, with these sticks. I hope she will let me know how they work out - especially the one with a lot of glass on it. If it is too heavy it can always be stuck in a potted plant or the garden!

Here are the pictures of the good, bad and really bad

When I waved my DH off to work I noticed the raindrops on my very best favorite rose that is just outside my dining room window. Mirandy is the most fragrant flower that faithfully blooms in a spot where no rose should be expected to even survive - it is in the shade most of the time. One flower will scent the entire room.

Row Counters

My sister and I made some neat row counters that can be clipped onto anything. Nancy likes to clip them to the welt on her sofa cushions, I clip them on my sweater or knitting bag. Here are some of the picture. Send me an e-mail if you are interested in adding some of these to your gadget collection. They are made with very nice glass beads, with the exception of the Ultra-Lites at the bottom of the page. For more pictures and details visit my flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/20434219@N07/

Ultra-Lite collection:

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