New FB Page!

Since I've become a little more entrenched in the local craft network, I've noticed that lots of people have their own Facebook page for their businesses, so, I've jumped on the bandwagon. It's very easy to keep everything organized that way, especially for cross-posting to other groups and the likes.
So, if you want to see the latest offerings, take a look! And don't forget to share with your friends!

http://www.facebook.com/dragonglassusa

New Craft Fair Group

After our initial craft fair experience we decided that it would be great if there were a local version of Etsy, that you could advertise craft products you have made, but without the shipping and advertising costs of Etsy. There are a couple of great groups for selling used children's stuff here in the Springs, so we decided to create a group in the same way and so was born the Pikes Peak Online Craft Fair group.
It's a group where people can advertise their hand-made craft items and businesses to other locals looking for unique gifts or items and so far it seems quite popular (over 160 members in 3 days!). There are some really talented people in the Springs and it's great to be a part of a group that is supporting local, small enterprises.

Craft Fair Recap

So, my friend and I did our first craft fair today. We had some sales, which was good, but the fair itself wasn't well attended. I think there is such a thing as craft fair saturation in Dec and there are too many fairs and too few people!
But, like I said, I sold a few pieces and was happy to get off the mark! I have officially covered all my firing and material costs (probably since I started) and have a bunch more stuff that I can now sell via etsy, or another craft fair if we decide to do another.
I have also got some money to put towards my own kiln, which I am thrilled about. It doesn't bother me to pay to use one at all, I like the social aspect of going to the store, but I would like to reduce my firing cost a little, especially if I do decide to do another fair.
But yay! I'm officially a business. I have officially made some money for this year.

Craft Fair!

My friend Laura and I are going to be doing our first Craft Fair in Dec! So excited! She makes the most amazing cards and I'm going to try and sell some pendants for some Christmas spends. Eeek!!!

Finished!

My second project is finished! I'm so proud of myself.
I finished up the soldering, framing and patina today and brought the new baby home.  I think it looks really cool and I have plans to put it in an interior door at some point.

Please tell me it does actually look like an aspen?!

Next to come will be some Christmas ornaments I think. I want to practice my soldering and glass cutting and at the same time make something I can give to my family and friends.
After that, I have a really big project in mind...

Foiling Complete!

I finished the foiling of my panel today, so, when I get to it, I'm ready to start soldering! Yippeee!!
It looks better even just cleaned up a little with the numbers missing.

Cool or what?!

If you're wondering why the piece must be 'foiled' first, it's because I need to solder it together, and, solder doesn't stick to glass, so the adhesive-backed foil provides that metal to metal contact to hold everything together.

New Stained Glass Piece!

This is the progress I've made thus far in my second stained glass piece. I figured I would actually take a couple of 'in-process' pics with this one to show how the piece is done. These were taken with the camera on my phone, so you'll have to excuse the poor quality. The first shows the panel with all the pieces cut, ground and fitted into the pattern.

The next pic shows my progress today on foiling the pieces - I got about a third of it completed. I think it fits in pretty well with the season right now. I can't wait to see how it is when it's finished!

Stained Glass!

I've been slowly adding some pendants to the Etsy shop, but this post is more to showcase another little project I've been working on. I'm very proud of it, since it's my first piece, I've never soldered before and I actually like it!
I've been taking a stained glass class, which consists of one sampler project (this one) for which you choose your own glass and colours and another independent project, where you take everything you learned from doing the first and apply it to something that you have chosen for yourself.
There are a bunch of steps involved with constructing a stained glass piece. Here they are, very roughly of course -

- Choose a pattern
- Choose your glass
- Transfer pattern to glass
- Cut glass
- Grind glass to fit exactly in your pattern
- Foil edge of glass (solder doesn't stick to glass)
- Assemble and flux
- Solder both sides
- Cut frame and solder together
- Clean flux off
- Patina
- Clean patina off and polish.

And - ta-da!

This is what you get -

My first stained glass piece - otherwise known as "Sauron". And yes, I know I'm a dork.

I finally think I've found a hobby in glass work where my ever so slight tendencies towards anal retentiveness are useful....