Forever Flight

One of the last things my Grandmother said to me was to make every moment count and always use the gifts God has granted us. This was the true inspiration behind this piece. I dedicate this to you and your beautiful life, entitled "Forever Flight".

"Forever Flight"

Maiden Of The Sea

When I took my very first stained glass class 17 years ago I was super excited. I didn't know a thing about it and had not idea what was in-store for me. All I knew is that I wanted to create.....Create something I could be proud of and call my own. Little did I know that I would fall in love with the entire craft. 

At our first meeting the number one item on the adgenda was to choose a pattern. Now, I had a lot to choose from and had a hard time deciding on what type of statement to make on my first piece. Amongst the many to choose from, I ran across this exquisite pattern of a mermaid. Now for those who know me know I absolutely love mermaids: the colors, the shapes, the stories behind each one. I was hooked! The down side was that it was a challenging piece and not a very good pick for a beginner. But I purchased it anyway and promised myself that when I got to be a pro I would create my masterpiece. 

I proudly call this piece "Maiden Of The Sea"

Well, with years of practice behind me and a knack for color and design, I finally said "Go For It!!" 

I am so proud of My Maiden. No other piece can compare. I now can say I truly feel accomplished as an artist and can't wait to continue my love for stained glass art.

Piecing Together Our Most Chilly Season

Well, the weather here in Portland, Oregon has been anything but a Winter Wonderland. It's been cold, grey and very, very wet. But that hasn't stopped me from getting into the spirit of the season. I've found a few special projects that have kept me pretty busy while still remembering what winter is all about.      

I decided to experiment with bevels. This snowflake, entitled "Winter Imprint", is made up of 18 1 1/2'' glass diamonds and 6 small gem nuggets. The center, circular bit was cut from frost-like textured glass I had leftover from projects I did for the show. This piece certainly took patience. I decided, because of the crevices that would occur, I decided to put a thin layer of solder over each piece before putting it together. Otherwise I would have had a lot of hard-to-reach places to work with. (And I'm so glad I did!!) Yes, my fingers did get awfully warm and the flux made it messy. And it was difficult handling the hot iron with such small gems but it was well worth the process. I would recommend using protection gloves like I did.         

I named this one "Winter Imprint"

I then used a handful horseshoe nails to ensure the placement of each connection was just right. After that I had to carefully unite each piece with a small dot of solder trying to keep everything in it's place. Once that had cooled, I finished with soldering the channels twice. First for the initial contact, and then a more polished, complete line. Remember, it's very important to allow the project to completely cool in between each step.

Not only was I inspired by our most chilly season but I ended up with a fabulous piece of art to give to my loving Mother-In-Law!!!

                                     

Holiday Marketplace Success

When I found out I was invited to show my work at the Holiday Marketplace I felt many things. I had never sold at a craft fair before and had a lot to learn. I decided the best way to start things off was to get organized so I came up with a mission statement.

 Mission Statement....

"My mission is to create unique, high quality glass pieces for art lovers that are rich with color accompanying a modern twist. I will share my designs with enthusiasm and will enjoy the feeling of pride with every finished piece. To me, My Craft Kicks Glass means fun first and profit second."

Seasonal Designs

Unique Window Art

I kept this affirmation in mind everyday while creating pieces, advertising my business and preparing my table display. I had been thinking what a successful show would look like. Success means different things to different people. To me, having a successful first craft fair would mean selling first-class handmade products, hearing compliments from customers, receiving custom orders, gaining new blog followers, learning from other artisans, making my friends and family proud, and sharing my talent with others.

I am happy to announce that all of these came true.



A Craft Fair Selfie

My Favorite Black and White Tree Decoration

 

 

I achieved my goals and honored my values. It feels good to do a job well done. I've proved to myself that I do have a true talent and that others appreciate it. I'm just excited to see where all this will lead.

 

Only creativity will tell!

 

Holiday Panel Designs For My Show

Here are just a few of my holiday designs I have created for my show.

I call this geometric piece "Christmas In Bloom".

This one made of all pastels is named "Angelic Faith".

This wild design is called " Wicked Santa".

I titled this one "Simply Green".

More Of My Best Work

I wanted to share more of my favorites that are going into the show.

This one is called "Crystal Wings".

I just happened to have the perfect scrap glass to use for this piece. This pretty shade of turquoise makes a great body. And the highly textured, clear glass imitates a true set of dragonfly wings. Do you see them shimmer?   

I named this one "My Oriental Dream".

I've always wanted to do this design. I find it classy and sophisticated while still being creative. This would be a great addition to any modern home.

Your Official Invitation

Here is an official invitation to my show! The craft fair will feature my Stained Glass Art along with 125 other creative vendors. I really hope to see you there!

Joined At The Heart

I was recently asked to create some art for the LOOM International Annual Fundraiser. LOOM is a Portland, OR based charitable organization. Their mission is to bring people, resources, training and information together for the benefit of women and children at risk. They are committed to bring change by working with others in hope and interdependence.

After learning more about them, I was moved to help. Since their association brings compassionate, giving people together to do humanitarian work I thought that creating a special piece in the shape of a heart would be fitting.

The heart shape symbolizes many things but is most familiarly known as affection and
love between two people.


I call this piece "Joined At The Heart".
 

For more information, visit their website at LOOM International to see how you can help bring change.

In Hushed Cathedrals, A Stained Glass Poem

IN HUSHED CATHEDRALS

In hushed cathedrals

vivid images dance on ancient
stone floors worn smooth by kneeling.

Sunlight through

bits of colored glass
weaving patterns
on faces of worshipers.

Singing praises to the sun.
Colors dance,

soothing eyes and warming souls.

In hushed cathedrals

vivid images dance on ancient
stone floors worn smooth by kneeling.

Someone.
Unknown.
Craftsmen of ages past,

leaving legacies of
beauty in glass.

Generations blend

in timeless marches,
worshiping, awed,

inspired by ancient glass.

Generations sharing unknown bonds,

embraced by arms of colored light.

Two New Favorite Pieces

I wanted to show-off a couple of my favorite pieces I've done for my show so far.
 

I titled this one "Pretty Pink Lily Pad".

I really love how this one turned out! The textured, clear glass reminds me of rain which is perfect for this piece. I found using slightly tinted glass for the outside really brings out the characteristics of the green glass. It shows the "imperfections" that a true lily pad would have. I can just envision these leaves floating in a pond supporting the beauty of a flower during a storm.
 

This one is called "Put A Bird On It".

This is a simple design I found of a blue bird. I decided to keep the colors as natural as possible but decided to use a pop of yellow to stand out giving it statement. I wonder what my feathered-friend would say about this.


Fundraiser Success

The Bet For Pets fundraiser was a huge success. Animal Aid raised thousands of dollars and I'm very proud to say that both my cat and koi art pieces combined raised $140 of that. Thank you Becca Fergueson! 

Becca, a volunteer at Animal Aid, is the proud new owner of "Afternoon Cat Nap".

I received a lot of wonderful positive comments from the crowd about my work. People not only seemed impressed by what I can create but appreciated my donation. It makes me happy to know that I helped my favorite cause by doing what I love. 

"Transverse Waters"

Christmas Crosses

As you know, I've been busy everyday preparing for the upcoming craft show. I've decided to focus on producing three different types of items: 9 Inch Square Panels, Christmas Tree Ornaments and Crosses. The crosses are fun for me to make. I'm finding myself using ornate glass I otherwise wouldn't use and being creative with my choice of color combinations. They are relatively easy to make, don't take up much time and use a limited amount of my supplies.

Soft and serene blues.

Bright and bold naturals.

All the crosses are unique. But they are also uniform in the way I'm using colored transparent glass for the base and embellished opaque glass for the decoration. I wanted them to have a feeling of sophistication and style without being too busy.

Contrasting colors with blues.

Pretty purples and pinks.

Creating My Mission Statement

I've never done a craft fair before. So when I was invited to be a part of the exciting Holiday Marketplace this November my mind began to spin. Product amount? Price tags? Forms of payments to receive? Presentation? There is just so much to think about. The more I imagine how I want the entire package to be, the more I realize that there is a lot to this business venture than I thought. I truly want this to be a success. But more important, I want this to be fun and rewarding. So how do I begin...By creating!

This is the beginning of something beautiful!

So every day I've assembled new pieces to showcase. And while doing so, I've been establishing my brand. If I lay a strong foundation, everything will fall into place. I came up with a mission statement that will not only state what I stand for but also to remind me why I do stained glass and call myself an artist. 

Mission Statement....

"My mission is to create unique, high quality glass pieces for art lovers that are rich with color accompanying a modern twist. I will share my designs with enthusiasm and will enjoy the feeling of pride with every finished piece. To me, My Craft Kicks Glass means fun first and profit second."      

I'm having fun trying new patterns while using unique looking glass.

Success means different things to different people. To me, having a successful first craft fair means selling first-class handmade products, hearing compliments from customers, receiving custom orders, gaining new blog followers, making my friends and family proud, and sharing my talent with others. I'm so glad I am having this experience.     

Art For Animal Aid's Bet For Pets

When I'm not creating stained glass art or designing a new studio, I spend much of my free time at Animal Aid, a free-roam/no-kill animal shelter which is actively working to better the lives of pets and their families through adoption and outreach. I just love volunteering there. It is one of my favorite places to be. So when they asked me to produce some art work to be used in a silent auction for Bet For Pets, their biggest fundraiser of the year, I was thrilled. So being being what it is, I naturally went with an animal theme. 

I call this "Traversing Waters". 

This one is titled "My Afternoon Cat Nap".

Not only did I practice my skill but I supported a great cause. Who knew I could do what I love while doing it for the animals I adore. It's the perfect combination!

For more information on Animal Aid and their events, such as Bet For Pets, check out their website. 

   

My New Stained Glass Studio

For years I have been developing my craft in the garage at my home. It's been a dark, cluttered, and inconvenient location to work sharing space with my husband's novelties and inventions. It has been uncomfortable and not the ideal place to create. I have always dreamed of having my own place to establish myself and my work. A type of sanctuary to be inspired and to work off of those inspirations.

The "before" photo. My previous work space.

Today that dream came true! My former computer room from inside of our home has been converted into a new working studio. I now have a clean, spacious, and well-lit place to create and call my own. I completed the space with details that would make my area more organized such as using pegboard and tool magnet strips and more functional by placing my glass near the natural light. I now have an additional table set up just for miscellaneous use so I can accomplish whatever task that comes my way. 

The "after" photo. My new stained glass studio.

Today I have the confidence that I can turn out pieces faster and complete more quality work....Which makes me a happy artist. I am looking forward to making more unique, one-of-a-kind arrangements for people to enjoy.