Tiles

Whenever we visit our family in Arizona, we love to go to craft shows and artisan shops and always get inspired. We have been lucky to find glass artists who are happy to share their discoveries. One such generous artist at a Fountain Hills craft show introduced us to the concept of glass tiles. Each tile has three layers: base colour, dichroic glass and a clear top. 

Each tile is cut to make matching pendants, bracelets, earrings, etc.

Jewelry Sets

When glass is melting in the kiln, it will stretch as it melts. The dichroic surface cannot stretch so it has to fracture. It fractures into patterns that cannot be duplicated.

In order to have matching pieces, the glass must be fired at the same time. (Like snowflakes, no two are alike).

New Stuff

There are endless possibilities when working with glass. Ron is always open to travelling down new paths. He is self-taught, loves YouTube, and is inspired by customers' suggestions.

Upcycling is not new, but this year we have expanded our selection.

These baubles are blown from beer and wine bottles, then wire-wrapped.

The chimneys are the necks of the bottles that were used for glassware. (we hate to waste anything!) They protect tealight candles from the wind.

These glasses, cut from beer and wine bottles, are annealing in the kiln.

The spoon rests are made from all types of jars and bottles. As with the glassware, we look for interesting shapes and textures.

These pendants were formed using lampworking techniques. This involves shaping the glass in a flame.

It is often difficult to manipulate a bracelet clasp by yourself. Not with these bracelet helpers!

Farmers' Markets, 2015

From May until September, our lives are occupied with Farmers' Markets. Three days a week. Thursday through Saturday. This year, the markets were in One Hundred Mile House, Clearwater and Barriere. We love the Loon Bay market, which we sold at for many years. However, now that we have an arthritic dog, we prefer the hours of the Clearwater market. We have also come to love this area and its' people.

Our theme remains the same: glass, handmade paper and pressed flowers. But we are always discovering new methods and creations.

Last year I was told about the amazing qualities of wasps' nests in my paper pulp:

2014 entry on wasps' nests

 This year I was asked to make cards with a coffee scent for The Bicycle Tree. The coffee scent evaporated, but I liked the bumps the coffee grounds made. So coffee grounds get thrown into my paper pulp with the nests and whatever else I have on hand.

The cafe also asked for Christmas cards. New for me, but they were fun to make. My friend suggested I add glitter to each card and that was really fun to do.

Latest Version of the Studio

Our original vision of the studio has undergone many changes, and has yet to have an actual opening to people other than ourselves.  

Its' main function this past two years has been for Ron to upcycle beer and wine bottles into glasses, spoon rests, etc.  This entailed a lot of flying glass particles.  

Last summer Ron constructed a partition between the display area and the work area.

I painted it white.

We are just beginning to arrange the product.  And deciding what to feature.  So it is still a work in progress.

This is a very comfy chair just to sit and read, and dream...

We painted the siding to match the house.

And, in the spring, we can put out our sign  :)

Summer Markets

This summer has been our busiest.  Most weeks, we are doing three markets.  Our regular markets have been the Cariboo Farmers Market in 100 Mile and Loon Bay Resort.  This summer we added the Barriere and Clearwater Farmers Markets.   We have been meeting new fellow vendors and enjoying new customers.  So, making lots of product....

The kiln is loaded with pendants, bracelets, earrings, rings - to be.  Three pendants got a little too close - no problem, Ron can fix that

Handmade Paper utilizing Wasps' Nests

I love making paper.  My original recipe was a simple one from a recycling newspaper, aimed at children - which suited me perfectly.  I have changed the methods over the years, but what remains the most fun is deciding what goes into the pulp.  Any scrap paper, even the ones with glossy finishes (which we are told not to use), all kinds of plant material, especially flowers that keep their colour - and now, wasps' nests!

A few weeks ago, a customer at the 100 Mile Farmers' Market was telling me about her homeschooling experiences, one of which was making paper from wasps nests.  Somehow, I had never heard of this.  As last year was the Summer of the Wasp, our barn was full of nests.  And as I began telling everyone who would listen,  wasps' nests (empty ones) are being donated to me.

Lucy is very curious

All kinds of bugs, unidentifiable things, black dots (eggs?) reside inside these wasps' nests.  I peeled off the outside, which feels not surprisingly, exactly like paper, and threw it into the pulp.  The resulting paper doesn't look particularly different, but it feels very different.  The only adjective I can think of is substantial.  

Thanks to the Internet, I have begun learning a lot about wasps.

I enjoyed this link, though not sure that I will ever think of a wasp as a possible pet.

http://www.lookandlearn.com/childrens-newspaper/CN210625-009.pdf

                                                      

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