New Moon Glass

Celestial Sky Stained Glass Suncatcher...the beginning...to the end!

2012-01-23T16:04:00.016-07:00

Through February 7...

It may not be obvious, but this is the beginning of a beautiful Celestial Sky!

The sky will be made up of a combination of colors. Deep gold, light gold, dark blue and light blue, purple, and a blue green swirl. Throughout the sky there will be little clear marbles for stars. All of this will seem to be in orbit around the clear glass moon with a smiling face.

I'll be sure to give you updates of my progress!

January 26....

I have been doing some cutting and grinding. These pieces just need the little bits of glass removed where the tiny clear marbles will go.

For these pieces, I will have to fire up the bandsaw...because the curves are quite severe.

February 4

So now I've finished cutting out the curviest pieces, and started wrapping the edges of each one with copper foil. This is what the solder will adhere to, keeping everything together.

I was playing around with the clear little marbles, but I just wasn't feelin it. So I've decided to use colored glass gems instead...it's called artistic liscense.

February 5

I have soldered everything together. Next I will finish all around the edge with a little decorative solder. Then add jump rings and chain for hanging, and finally, finish the solder with black patina!

It will look alot better with the natural light from a window....then you will see the slight textures in the glass.

So here is the finished panel

What do you think?

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Vintage Glass Bottle Bouquets

2011-12-11T20:58:00.001-07:00

I guess I got my love of antiques from my dad.

I recently bought some antique medicine bottles....

Here's what I did with them.

Please leave a comment so I know you were here...let me know what you think.

Visit my online shop...
http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Tiny Panel Suncatcher

2011-10-15T14:12:00.003-06:00

Here is my original design for this project. First, I drew the edges of my little panel, and then layed out my agate slab and glass globs. Then I traced around the edges, in order to make a pattern for the pieces of glass.

Here's how it came out...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Summer Mosaics

2011-09-12T17:49:00.015-06:00

This summer I decided to do a couple projects for myself....Yay!

We have a paver stone patio on the side of the house...it's where the cool mosaic table is that I blogged about previously.

I saw this done on brick pavers in a book some years ago, and that's how long I've been planning to do it.

I replaced three random pavers in the patio this summer...

Each is it's own unique little piece of art...

I'll probably do a couple more next summer, but I don't want it to get too busy out there.

My other summer mosaic project was my kitchen window sill, also on my to do list for a couple of years!

(don't look at the wall...paint is next!)

Oh, if you're new here you may not know...I love color!

...and texture!

I made two rocks and a cool fossil part of the mosaic...
I sat on the edge with my feet in the sink for three days...owe my back!

Then I had to cover some of it up with my stuff...

I love my stuff...

I have quite alot of it!

So, these were my summer projects for me.

Of course I made stuff for other people, and for my shop.

Check it out...
http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

...and please feel free to leave a comment!

It Aint Nuthin But A Ring...

2011-07-16T20:15:00.002-06:00

If you're new here, you might not be aware of my penchant for putting things in rings!

Like the awesome Colorado Columbine...

Swirly bits of wire with colorful glass gems rolling about...

Small ones...

And large ones...

Heavenly ones...

And Naturely ones.

Blue ones...

And pink ones....

Autumn inspired...

And love inspired.

All this ring reminiscing is making me want to put some more stuff in rings!

Check out my shop!...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Breaking Plates

2011-06-14T21:11:00.001-06:00

I'm a Fed Ex courier, and there used to be a Hobby Lobby on my route. I would frequently spend my lunchtime walking around in there. Nothin but trouble... One day I find some cool textured plates on clearance, and as is my custom, without knowing what I will ever use them for, have to have them. I used the first two plates to create very dimensional pieces, the first with flowers on a vine with a hummingbird. The second I made as a wedding gift with flowers and butterflies...

First I made each individual flower and butterfly, and then attached them to the plate at various angles with e6000 adhesive. It's good stuff. Though it's difficult to see in the photo, I used wire winding in and out of the flowers like a vine.

I sell my art online, and rely on getting good photos to do so.

Unable to get a picture that really shows the quality of this piece, I have not made another.

After a time, the rest of the plates tucked away in a drawer, I decide to get one out and try something with it. I open the drawer, and the top plate has broken. Hmmm...

I take it out and put it on my bench, where it stays for some time. Finally, one day, I see it. I get out some scrap glass left from other projects and make this...

I put the first one on a plate rail in my livingroom, and when Barbara sees it she says emphatically..."You should break more plates!"

So I do.

But if you know me, you know I don't stay on any one thing for too long. Easily bored...

So, more recently I broke a plate and made this...

I used a blue polished agate slab at the center of this cool flower sun catcher.

The petals are mostly from the curved part of the plate, which again is difficult

to capture on film. I bought this particlular plate at the Salvation Army on my route.

And yes, I bought more plates...

All I need is time!

Thanks for stopping by...feel free to leave a comment!
& Please visit my shop...
http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass?ref=ss_profile

Forget the Stained Glass...have a look at my bloomers!

2011-06-01T17:46:00.007-06:00

Holy Moly!
Spring is already gone and summer is here.

I neglected to get any pictures of my Spring blooming stuff,

But here are some of my early summer bloomers!

Red Clematis...

The first one open on this vine.

But, there are a bajillion, that's right, a bajillion buds ready to burst.

It's gonna be a sight!

The Lovely Columbine

My Bleeding Heart...

Salvia..

I think..if I'm wrong let me know!

This is Soapwort..

with a little Ivy creeping underneath.

My Awesome Colorado Columbine!

Along with some woodbine, hosta, and an evergreen Boxwood.

This is our Bloomin Bear!

Unlike regular bears he stays out in the open in the colder months,

and goes into hiding when the woodbine goes crazy...

White Clematis

Honeysuckle

Creeping Veronica
(I call it creepy veronica..)

This young squirrel was under the impression that I had a peanut in my pocket!
Feel free to leave a comment...

and become a follower of my, usually, stained glass related blog!
...and when your done with the outside pretties,
have a look at some pretties for the indoors...
http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Glass and Wire...

2011-05-09T09:59:00.003-06:00

It's Saturday morning, and there are a number of things I could be doing. O.K....should be doing.

Laundry, digging dandelions...

My time is limited because Mike and I are going to lunch and then opening day at the county raceway.

What I want to do is make something. I don't have any projects in the works because sales have been slow, and I have limited space for storing finished pieces.

Well...I'll just make something really small.

This fancy glass cabochon has been laying around for quite sometime, and I love working with wire, so...

It's 4 1/2" long and 1 3/4" wide...

Well...what do you think?

Go on...leave a comment...

Thanks for reading my blog...

Check out my shop...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass?ref=ss_profile

Buttons...in mixed media

2011-04-05T08:53:00.001-06:00

I recently bought a bag of buttons with no particular plan. That's what I do. I buy the materials first and then come up with a plan for it later. Because I love all the colors and shapes. I've bought loads of beads, marbles, garage sale jewelry, agate slices, sea shells, and other miscellaneous items that appeal to me. After I have them around and look at them for awhile, I begin to visualize the possibilties.

In this case the buttons went from this....

some became flowers...

Some became a part of mixed media art...

And finally, some became very organic brooches...

I think I'll wear this one on my jean jacket!

O.K....I think I got the buttons out of my system for awhile...

Mixed Media Assemblage Art

2011-03-13T08:46:00.002-06:00

So I buy some artist's canvas and stick them in a drawer in my studio. I have been researching mosaic and read about a lady who does mosaic on canvas, and it looks pretty cool. I'll have to try this out one day...when I have some extra time. Ssshhhyyaaa! So now, a couple years later, I pull a 5" x 7" canvas out of the drawer and go to work . The result is far from the traditional mosaic I had originally intended, but I figure that's artistic liscense. Which means I can do whatever I want!

Have I mentioned that I'm all about color and texture?!

I'm not sure that I've ever seen anything quite like it...not really mosaic, not really collage...I'll have to go with mixed media wall art.

I used too many things to list, from polymaer clay tiles I made years ago, to buttons and beads and agates and sea shells and on and on!

It's also quite demnsional, which I find very appealing.

Thanks for stopping by!

Let me know what you think...

Here's where you can check a couple of my traditional mosaic projects..

http://newmoonglass.blogspot.com/2010/07/mosaic-sunshine.html#comments

Jeremy's Spider

2011-03-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

My son, Jeremy, turned 29 last month.

That makes me....old.

He may be a grown man, but he's still a young man.

He likes skulls and South Park, and hopefully spiders.

For his birthday I made this cool spider with a burnt out light bulb,

some 14 guage wire, and a little E6000 adhesive.

It was a hit with him and his friends...

even the young ladies!

Creative Flow

2011-02-19T10:15:00.021-07:00

I recently turned down a commission project because the proposed window was too large for my work space to accomodate. When I realized that I felt a certain sense of relief at this outcome, I wondered why. In retrospect, I see that whenever I make stuff requested by others, I not only feel anxious about completeing it to their satisfaction, I also become unhappy that I'm deterred from the creative process that gives me such great satisfaction. Having a spark of an idea, choosing the glass and other materials, putting it all together, creating a finished piece of glass art. This is truly my passion.

"Color in Motion"

I recalled the first piece I sold when I opened my etsy shop, when I was creating art solely from this process. And others I made during that time frame.

"Moon Dreams"

"Blue Dreams" Corner Window

"Tiny Window"

"Wizard's Window"

"The King's Agate"

Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed making pieces requested by others. I get a great sense of staisfaction from that challenge. Here are some of those projects...

"Celtic Knots" Cabinet Door

"Colorado Columbine"

Old Church Glass from Braddock PA...reborn...

Braddock Church glass corner rebuilt

Braddock PA zip code

"Hummer and Trumpet Vine"

After having this revelation, I hauled out a bunch of "scrap" glass left from other projects, and purchased directly from the scrap bin at my local glass shop. I can't help it, for me it's all about color and texture! I proceeded to do what I love. Here are a couple things I came up with...

I also realized that sales in my etsy shop have dropped since I, for reasons unknown, moved away from following my creative desire and started making stuff because I thought it was what would sell or it took less time to make. Regardless of the outcome in sales, I'm determined to continue making what moves me.

Feel free to leave a comment...I enjoy your feedback!

Also feel free to check out my shop on esty...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Check out the  1st part of the Braddock Church glass story here...
         http://newmoonglass.blogspot.com/2010/06/church-glass-adventure.html
And the 2nd part here...    http://newmoonglass.blogspot.com/2010/08/church-glass-adventurethe-rest-of-story.html

Antique Bottle Bouquets

2011-02-06T18:30:00.007-07:00

I guess I inherited my appreciation for antiques from my dad...he always had them around. He gave me some very cool pieces, and I collected others as well. I got some of the bottles pictured above from my dad.

I had plans to incorporate one or two of the smaller ones into my stained glass art. I've seen them used in some cool panels, the whole bottle surrounded by stained glass, with flowers spilling out, or one where the glass around it was a medicine chest it was inside of. Very cool, and creative!

I had two or three bottles sitting on my bench for a couple months, and I would see them everytime I sat down to do something.

But then I began picturing them as something more dimensional than a flat glass panel....

I decided on bouquets made with wire and glass cabochons, with the stems incased in epoxy to hold them in place, and to look like water.

But then, after making a few of those, I started seeing beads instead of cabochons...limitless variations...and that's what I'm about! Because I'm easily bored...

And at some point I decided it might be cool to add some color with beads in the epoxy....

I could go on....but really....it's endless! These and others will be rolling out in my etsy shop one or two at a time.
Check it out! And please leave a comment with your thoughts...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Here's What's Happening...

2011-01-15T13:12:00.001-07:00

I'm starting the new year trying to add inventory to the shop! That means trying to spend time in the studio of an evening after work, and of course any spare time on the weekend.

I started with a few simple Candle Covers. I made them triangular, usually with three different colors or types of glass. I used a decorative solder technique and the edges are scalloped, which really dresses them up a bit. Both ends are open, so instead of having to put a candle down inside, you just lift it off to light, or to replace the candle. I.m including a tealite candle in a clear glass holder with each cover.

Then I made a few pencil holders, some just like the candle covers, but with clear glass for the bottom.
Again, I used the scalloped edges and decorative solder. Oh yeah...I almost always finish my solder with black patina...

Then I made a few pencil holders using strips of glass left over from previous projects. If you're new here, you may not know that I don't like to throw any glass away! I used those strips for one side, and complimentary pieces of glass for the remaining sides.

O.K...this one is laying on it's side, I'm calling it artistic photography...you can see them upright in my etsy shop! Then I made a larger one with an agate slab in one side, to hold bigger things than pens and pencils, like big markers and paint brushes.

I also decided that I need more stuff in rings...as I've said before, the possibilities are endless and each piece is, as usual, totally unique and one of a kind!

I call this one The Minimalist Tree. It's a very simple design with clean lines, and multi colored glass cabochons at the end of each branch, with a cute little wire cloud to hang by. The roots are wrapped around the ring and kept in place with decorative solder.

Last of all is another heart ring, filled with swirling silver wire and glass cabochons. These have sold well in the past, and with Valentines day coming up, I'll probably make a couple more!

So, that's what's been happening here...

Check out the rest of the cool new stuff in my shop, New Moon Glass on Etsy!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Feel free to leave a comment...it's fun to see who's been here...

Holy Cow!...Christmas is almost here

2010-12-03T19:53:00.002-07:00

Ahhh...it's that time of year. I haven't really enjoyed Christmas since I started as a courier at Fed Ex, almost 16 years ago. I know...it's a sad story.

Gone are the days of stringing popcorn and cranberries, one year I even made my own wrapping paper by carving holiday designs in potato halves...yes I said potato halves...and printing them on tissue paper.

No more fancy wrapping jobs and frilly ribbon everywhere.

There's just no time for it.

But I did have time in November to make some Christmas ornaments...

I love making these stars. Endless variations in glass and decoration!

A lady bought this Paw Print Ornament in memory
of her dog who had recently passed away.

This is a patchwork star made from pieces left over from

the more traditional stars....

These are the more traditional stars.

In this photo the stars are

on my light table. It shows the colors nicely,

but doesn't show the textures of the glass.

Here's the texture!

Have a great Holiday season, however you choose to celebrate it!

If you'd like to see more Christmas ornaments, click on this...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass?section_id=7258519

This is my son with my mom and dad last year around this time...

Puppy Love Stained Glass Night Light

2010-11-13T19:12:00.006-07:00

When my nephew Ryan and his wife Jennifer had their first baby, Julia, I made for her a night light. It was a teddy bear with a blue ribbon around it's neck and holding a red heart. Cool...

This past summer they had their second little girl, Victoria. I wanted to make a night light for her that was comparable, but different. I found a pattern of a puppy with a tennis shoe in it's mouth, and voila!

Puppy love.

Jennifer was interested in the process involved, and guess what,

I just happened to take some pictures along the way!

Here is my design, and the pattern after tracing it with carbon paper onto half of a manila folder, which I cut out and glued to the glass. Then I cut the glass to individual pieces......

...and grind them to their exact shapes.

I wrap each piece with a strip of copper foil,
which has an adhesive backing.

After burnishing, this foil is what the solder flows on,
to hold everything together.

Now I tack it all to the pattern to keep things in place while I solder.

Next I apply some flux to the seams,

which helps the solder flow smoothly, and solder...

You'll notice that their is a tab at the puppies feet...

this goes in the slot of the wooden base of the night light.

I also used black glass cabochons,

which are rounded on the top, for the eyes.

There's alot of washing after soldering to remove all the flux and finger prints.

I am also prone to finishing most solder with a dark patina,
instead of leaving it shiny silver...that's just how I like it.

Sweet dreams!

Feel free to leave a comment!.....please?

And do come see what's new in the shop...

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

More Things in Rings!

2010-10-21T05:51:00.011-06:00

Did I mention that I don't care for straight lines? I think there are way too many sharp edges and angles in the world! I prefer curvy and roundy every day of the week.

And on that note, quite awhile back, I started putting things in rings.

Large rings...

Medium rings...

Small rings...

oval rings...

Even heart shaped rings.

And if there' something I haven't put inside a ring...

Just give me time...

And I probably will!

Check me out at

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

New Agate Sun Catchers

2010-09-18T13:30:00.005-06:00

I always have a bunch of agate slabs on hand. So...I went on a jag...just a small one.

I like to take photos with backlight and frontlight. With glass it can be like night and day!

I usually trace around the slab on a piece of drawing paper and then draw the "appendages" in a way that, to me, seems like a natural sort of continuation of the agate.

I believe I called this one "Blue Lava Flower"

I can usually see part of a heart in just about any slab of rock...let's not analyze it.

Below is a heart that, after adding the spiraly wires, made me think of Dr. Seuss. In my Etsy shop I titled it "For the Love of Dr. Seuss".

I call this colorful little abstract "Bring Me the Head of Bozo the Clown". Perhaps someone SHOULD analyze that...
When I was making it, the agate was vertical. But when faced with adding the hanger it ended up horizontal...that's when I saw Bozo.

This one is mine...

But the rest are available...until someone buys them, in my shop.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Please feel free to leave a comment...I enjoy some actual human interaction!

Check out this Rustic Art Panel!

http://newmoonglass.blogspot.com/search/label/Rustic%20Art%20Panel

Church Glass Adventure...the rest of the story

2010-08-23T16:14:00.002-06:00

I recently completed an unusual and unique commission piece....if you have not read the post, you should check it out. Here's the link http://newmoonglass.blogspot.com/2010/06/church-glass-adventure.html

Even if you just look at the pictures...

Go ahead...I can wait. OK...there is a l o t of information there! But it's a great human interest story.

And then, just when my church glass adventure is becoming a fond memory, I get an email from Gisele. She says the workers found two stained glass corners. ( that's what a sponser like Levi can do for you...give you workers!) She wants me to work my magic. (my words not hers) She ships them right away.

They are very dirty with a lot of breakage, but I won't know how exstensive the damage is until I get them

taken apart and cleaned up.

So I head to my "studio"....which was once my son's little bedroom. If you have not seen it, but would like to, just click on this link. http://newmoonglass.blogspot.com/2010/04/this-is-my-studio.html

But don't forget to come back...

So I head to my studio and disassemble the corner pieces.

Now, even though it's still dirty, I can see that there are enough undamaged pieces to reassemble only one corner. I'm a little bit amazed by this good fortune. Other than the pieces for a corner, there is only one other piece unbroken. Now I start the process of cleaning old dirty church glass. I learned a little something about how to accomplish this with the first church glass project. There's alot of soaking time involved, some household ammonia, fine grit steel wool, and patience.

In the end, I'm quite pleased with the reassembly.

Now I still have quite a bit of glass left, even though it's all broken, including some clear textured glass from the original church glass adventure. I can't remember if I mentioned it in the previous post, but Gisele had stated at the very beginning, that if there was enough glass, it would be cool to have the zip code of their town made with the glass from their future community center.

Well, now I have enough! So I get out my pattern book with numbers in it and make the pattern.

Here are the numbers and the glass that remained. You may be wondering "You just sent her the numbers?... all loose like that?" Don't be silly...I frame them with the afore mentioned glass left from the first project, of course!.

Then I add two lengths of chain. I'm pleased once again!

But I still have the one remaining unbroken piece. I should do something with it...or I could just send it with the zip code...

There is still just a bit of that textured glass that I framed the numbers with.

I'll just make a little sun catcher...

I guess this is truly the end of my Braddock church glass adventure...

It's been great!

Hey! I love getting comments from....anyone!

Mountain Backsplash

2010-08-08T15:34:00.010-06:00

We're heading to Rocky Mountain National Park to do some camping! So I thought I would share a project with a mountain theme. I wanted something under the mirror in my bathroom, kind of a backsplash, over the sink.

I measured the space I wanted to fill and came up with a layered design. Mountains in the background to make up the bottom layer, with a stormy sky made of some beautiful wispy opalescent glass.

Here is where I layed out my background panel and made patterns for trees to be layered on top, and also chose some rocks and agates.

I added two mountains to the foreground layer, and then cut out all the pieces for my trees. I decided not to solder them together, but to adhere them to the background, along with the rocks, using E6000 adhesive... Hey, it's my project, I can do whatever I want! I finished the edges with some brass uchannel left over from another project.

You'll notice that the tree on the left is over the edge...sometimes I like to color outside the lines...

To see any of these photos enlarged, just click on the picture...I suggest this one...go on...

The center tree is made up of multiple layers of mottled green glass. It changed quite a bit from the original pattern...that's part of my creative process...

I found a mirror hanger at Ace and then Chica was happy to pose for the final photo!

I've gotten mixed reactions when people see this piece, but as long as the client is happy with it, (that's me) it's all good!

Feel free to leave a comment...I love hearing from you! And, did you ever see this post?
http://newmoonglass.blogspot.com/search/label/Windows%20and%20Wall%20Art

Mosaic Sunshine

2010-07-30T20:05:00.007-06:00

This was one of my first mosaic projects...that't right. I jump in with both feet! I had this gawd awful table on the patio with a glass top. In my own defense, it looked great in the store...anyway, after I'd cursed and cleaned that table top a bajillion times, that's right...a bajillion...I went shopping for a new one. You might ask..."who goes shopping for a table top at their local sand and stone company?" By this time I hope you see that as a redundant question. And, of course, the answer is..me.

I found this perfect slab that had a sort of crevasse at one end....that's right...a crevasse. Aha! If I do a mosaic on that end, it will be level with the remaining surface....the rock god's have smiled on me today!

Here's what I found out for sure. That slab is heavy! "Duh!" you might say. "It's a rock." Point taken. Mike estimates it at around 125 pounds. He should know, he had to help me carry it. O.K...I helped him carry it. I took this picture with me when I went to see my chiropracter. He just shook his head...

Then, Russell from nextdoor helped Mike get it into my "studio", which has changed alot since then. If you'd like to check it out,click on this link... http://newmoonglass.blogspot.com/2010/04/this-is-my-studio.html

Once I had it in my work space I cut a piece of paper for the pattern to fit within the crevasse, and made my sunshine design. Then I transfered the design to the slab using carbon paper. Sadly, I didn't take any pictures between the beginning and the end. Hey, I was new at it.

The one thing I don't really like about doing mosaic is the grouting. It's messy and, as my photo's testify, I need to work on my grouting skills. When you're making it for yourself, though, it doesn't have to be perfect. As a matter of fact I keep all my "prototypes" because the first time or two is usually a learning experience. You should try it at least once...you might like it and even be good at it! I do suggest you start with something smaller...

Feel free to leave a comment...I like hearing from you!

Visit my Etsy shop here... http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Church Glass Adventure

2010-06-18T19:16:00.006-06:00

It's March 17, 2010...a Wednesday. A great day to start an adventure!

"Hello! Your work is beautiful and I think you would be perfect for the project I have in mind."
Wow! Excellent! I can always use a little validation. You want something unique and one of a kind, and you provide the glass?.........I'm in!

Now we're both excited...the glass is from an old Presbyterian church that is important to her husband. The piece will be a "just because" gift for him...surprise!

She ships the glass right away...

The glass is really dirty from countless years of weather and, eventually, neglect. That's ok, I can wash it.

I wash it as I wash all my glass...hmmm...still dirty. I scrub it really hard. Still dirty...Arrg!

It's April 27, 2010...a Sunday.
Not to be bested by some old church glass I search the web for professional stained glass restorationists. I shoot a message to two different sites, and get a response from one. Michael, at Mezalick Design Studio http://www.mezalick.com/MDS/Home.html is gracious enough to reply to my inquiry and gives me a few tips.

Cool! Except the glass is s t i l l dirty! I make a face! Maybe if I tried the final and most extreme tip, given with much caution....but I'm not getting mixed up with any kind of acid!

I send an email..."I cannot get the glass clean.....can I add some other glass to brighten it up?" No...she wants to respect the integrity of the church.

I lay the pieces out on my work bench, touching them, moving them around, trying to picture the pieces in some new form. But suddenly I'm worried, I'm thinking that I have no idea what these people would really like...or dislike. Well...I just have to go for it.

It's somewhere around June 1, 2010...on a day that ends in y. I've completed the piece. It lays there, finished, on my bench, for something like a week. What if she doesn't like it? She likes the stuff in my shop....so does my mom, but I doubt that this piece would appeal to her. There's only one way to find out. I shoot a couple photos... I wait a couple more days...I'm a very busy person!

It's June 13, 2010...it's a Sunday. I send a short email. "I've finally finished your church glass." I attach a couple photos...I'm still nervous, but it's a relief to send the message.

"Janet! I love it! And it's right on time for my husbands birthday!" H u g e sigh of relief! I ask her for additional information about the church...this might be good blogging material! She responds....

"A little more about our church and what it means to us."

"My husband bought this church to save it from being razed. Our community is very poor - the poorest in the state of PA and has already lost 90% of its buildings, homes, business and people with the decline of the steel industry. (we're a rust belt town) The church was so beautiful and important ... we wanted to save it. The dream was that one day it would become a Community Center for the community, although we were unsure of how that dream would actually come to fruition. The previous congregation sold all the stained glass windows and really stripped everything in the church. Left behind was one small broken window and the glass pieces were the ones I mailed you."

"Our community is Braddock, PA and my husband is its Mayor, John Fetterman. A little bit more here." http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/us/01braddock.html

"Our dream for the Community Center is now finally coming true. The church is being featured in a national campaign for LEVI jeans that will be public July 1st, and can be seen at length on their website as of that date."
"And so ... our little church has life again."

Thanks Gisele...for a most excellent adventure!
Gisele was kind enough to forward a photo of her family....now my curiosity is entirely slaked!

"Hi Janet ...Here it is!
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/images/200905/sm_braddock01_500.jpg
There is also a video on youtube that has a few great shots of the former church ... when you see an empty church window behind John ... you will see where the glass came from.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhhQmrUKMsg
All our best!
And here's the communities website http://www.15104.cc/
gisele"

Please feel free to leave a comment below...I'm interested in your thoughts...
I'm not sure I can ever top this! But please check out my shop anyway! ....http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass....thanks

little Heart Rings

2010-06-12T18:06:00.002-06:00

O.K.....so...if you didn't already know, I'm prone to what I refer to as going on a jag. I make something I've never made before, and say "hey...cool!" And then I keep making them until I tire of it. Way back when, there was my pencil holder jag...a picture frame jag...broken church window jag...moon ring jag...well, you get the idea. This piece of history is simply to explain my latest jag...little heart rings. As usual, they are all similar while each is unique. I've made half a dozen thus far...I'll show you some here. All will eventually be listed in my shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/newmoonglass

Mosaic on Tables

2010-05-29T16:52:00.006-06:00

http://newmoonglass.etsy.com/
Someday...when I find those extra hours I keep searching for in every day...I'm going to do more mosaic!

This table is in my Living room.....the roots are wire from coat hangers my mom gave me. Sturdy ones like they used to make! The tree trunk is three pieces of glass, the leaves each have two pieces, the border is made of wavy strips of glass, and the rest of the pieces I painstakingly cut. Very time consuming...

I did this sunshine design on a huge piece of flagstone.

. That's right...it's mine.

Feel free to leave a comment...I'd like to know what you think!

What the heck have I been doing?...

2010-05-16T13:05:00.017-06:00

http://newmoonglass.etsy.com/

What the heck have I been doing instead of keeping up with my not so famous blog? I've been very busy proving that there are just not enough hours in any given day! I'm fantasizing about the day when I no longer have to schlep boxes around everyday, and can just do what makes me happy....glass. And...I've been making all the cool stuff you see here!

I love making these little windows!

I use pieces of glass
left from previous projects...

....pretty cool!

I made these beautiful pieces with opaque glass.

This means that you can display them in a window and the colors will take on a warm glow.....

or you can hang it on the wall for an entirely different, but also beautiful result!

Morning Visiter

2010-05-02T17:28:00.015-06:00

I have been sorting through old photos today,

and thought I would share a project I did in 2007.

It's still hanging in my living room today.

Unfortunatley the photos don't really show the

dimension created by layering the glass.

The bottom layer consists of the sky, hills, bridge, and water.

The hummingbird and flowers are individually attached on top of the bottom layer at varying angles, and wire swirls through the morning glories as the vine.

I bought the frame from a catalog. It had a mirror in it, but I new that I would eventually put stained glass in there!

A year or two later...voila!

I prefer it to be round!

2010-04-19T15:09:00.005-06:00

http://newmoonglass.etsy.com/

I really don't like straight lines...they just annoy me. I much prefer something round or curvy! Here are just three examples. I love putting stuff inside these rings. You could literally put anything in there....and I plan to do just that. I've only just begun.

My Studio

2010-04-12T17:00:00.003-06:00

If you ask my son Jeremy,

he will tell you that it's true...

"You can't go home again."
This used to be his little bedroom.
Now it's my little studio....all mine!

Celtic cabinet

2010-04-07T17:22:00.003-06:00

This is the Celtic panel after installation...I like it!

The Finished Celtic Commission

2010-04-05T04:50:00.001-06:00

Here is the finished piece installed in the cabinet door. I think it will look nice in the buyers kitchen, as they have installed some lighting inside the cabinet.

2010-04-04T18:35:00.002-06:00

Here is the copper u channel I attached to the edge of the panel...
It won't really be seen, but it adds to the structural integrity of the piece.

2010-03-29T18:37:00.001-06:00

Today I was able to apply the patina. I read somewhere that adding white distilled vinegar to the patina made it darker and shinier. Not so. Anyway, I always like the look after the patina. Next step will be attaching the u channel around the edges before installing it in the cabinet door.

celtic commission con't....soldered

2010-03-28T17:51:00.001-06:00

Today I was able to complete the soldering on this project. But hold on a minute...it isn't finished yet!
The next step will be applying black patina to the
solder. This will make the solder lines really stand out and show off the design. It makes a huge difference in the overall look of the piece. After that step is complete, I will attach copper u channel to the border. In this case, since the panel will be inserted into a cabinet door, it won't be for decoration but for structural integrity. That's all for now....

The meaning of these Celtic knots...

2010-03-27T15:14:00.001-06:00

One Heart was curious about the meaning of the Celtic knots in this commission piece, so I did a little research and discovered this...
It's not clear that Celtic knot drawings were ever meant to sybolize anything, but lots of modern people think they contain spiritual concepts. The knots are incredibly popular with followers of new age religions, magic societies and all sorts of other groups who want to draw an association with the oldest traditions of Ireland. They also look pretty cool on T shirts.

Some historians think the Celts drew these symbols because they were prohibited from drawing any other pictures. One of the more widely accepted theories to explain the Celtic knot meanings says that Celtic religion, like Islam, may have prohibited realistic depictions of living creatures. This rule may have given birth to the complex Irish knots.

The small knots at either end of my commission piece are a "Triskele" or Triangular design. The larger center knot is one of the Circular designs. Some view these as symbols of cycles of life or eternity, but they are also seen as a sign of unity. The "endless" quality of Celtic knots seems to make lots of people assume they symbolize time without end.

We'll never know if these meanings were there for the Celts. A key reason the knots are associated with religion is that after the Christians came to power in Ireland, they adopted the knots to their own religious purposes. And to further complicate the issue, many scholars believe the knots may not actually come from Ireland, but were simply brought into Ireland when Norsemen conquered the Celts. Designs that seem similar to the Irish knots have been found in old Italian and British manuscripts, and on pottery and architecture in other parts of Europe.

The best historical explanation may be that from the sixth to the eight centuries a long series of wars took place between British, Irish, Scottish, and Scandanavian tribes, which meant that both winning and losing groups of warriors wound up living in each others countries for considerable periods. The Influence of all these cultures on each other may be what really gave birth to a style now called Celtic Interlace.

I found that to be very interesting! Thanks to One Heart I'm a bit more knowledgeable...

celtic commission con't

2010-03-24T05:58:00.001-06:00

I've completed the copper foiling process on the celtic piece...
next I will bw soldering it together.

Celtic Comission

2010-03-21T15:45:00.001-06:00

I recently started this simple but beautiful commission piece for a kitchen cabinet door insert. The client provided the design, so I just had to make the pattern. It's my first celtic project, very standard by defenition, so no imagination or creativity is required. I will post my progress as it goes along.

Pencil Holders

2010-02-20T17:23:00.004-07:00

http://newmoonglass.etsy.com/

I've made quite a few pencil holders...

I went on a jag a few years ago when I made the first one. I've made a number similar to this with the agate slab. They made good guy gifts! This one though, is for sale in my shop. The next one down is one I made for Mike. He likes to fish...I used an anctual fly from his tackle box. I impressed myself with that one...

picture frames

2010-02-16T06:53:00.001-07:00

I recently went on a picture frame jag....thats what I tend to do. Make something...think "cool!"...make a bunch...ok...bored....make something else...think "cool!"...make a bunch...ok...bored.......

Some of these will be available in my shop...

2010-02-15T06:53:00.001-07:00

Here's is a simple little picture frame I made for my Valentine...those are his grandkids! I don't really think less is more, but sometimes it's enough.

Glass and Light

2010-02-12T18:55:00.003-07:00

http://newmoonglass.etsy.com/

I made this panel to fit this barnwood frame that I've had around for ages. My inspiration came from two photos from a catalog that you'll see below.

Note how different lighting totally changes how the glass looks....

Autumn

2010-02-06T14:13:00.003-07:00

http://newmoonglass.etsy.com/ OK...I know it isn't even spring yet, but I love Autumn! So I made this autumn Maple leaf and put some wind and autumn colors swirling around it...

Valentine

2010-02-03T21:00:00.002-07:00

http://newmoonglass.etsy.com/

I made this little valentine with a chunky glass heart inside a wire wrapped bronze 3" ring. I added a cascade of iridescent beads and a delicate red ribbon for hanging.

Using Agates

2010-01-30T17:59:00.000-07:00

I love rocks and fossils...they're very cool! I have them on book shelves...in bowls...here...there and everywhere. I enjoy incorporating agates in my glass pieces. Also very cool. You'll even see a couple of sea shells.

new little windows

2010-01-22T19:07:00.002-07:00

http://newmoonglass.etsy.com/

I'm adding two new "church windows" to my series. I don't have titles yet...but will have soon, as I plan to list this weekend at my online shop....check em out!

Each is shown with back light and then front light. As you can see, a variation in light creates a variation in what you see! I especially enjoy making these pieces because it gives me the opportunity to use leftover glass from previous projects that might otherwise be discarded. This makes each piece totally unique, as I fit the pieces together....like a puzzle.

Moon Ring

2010-01-16T18:49:00.007-07:00

http://newmoonglass.etsy.com/
I call this a moon ring.
I've made a few....all similar to....yet different from each other.

I'll probably make a few more...

Elegant Church Window

2010-01-16T12:49:00.002-07:00

http://newmoonglass.etsy.com/

This is a piece from my Church Window series. I've puzzled over the fact that this is the one that hasn't sold. As with the others, I used pieces of left over glass and some glass gems and framed it with u channel. Although I used copper u channel to frame it, I still used black patina to finish the solder. It measures 7 1/4" x 3 1/4". And as always, I included varying textures of glass.

Color in Motion

2010-01-14T05:53:00.004-07:00

http://newmoonglass.etsy.com/

This was the first thing I sold on etsy. I was kinda bummed because it sold the same day I listed it. It was a personal favorite and I really wanted to show it off. It is my own design using left over bits of glass from other projects along with some glass gems. I loved the different textures and colors. I like to use it as an example of the vast difference in the character of glass when viewed with backlighting as opposed to front lighting. Night and day! I called it Color In Motion.

The Fish

2010-01-10T18:06:00.001-07:00

This colorful fish is not my own design..... but every time I looked through this pattern book I was drawn to it. The center part with the fish is the design from the book, then I added the rest to make it bigger. I'm not sure why. I knew that I had no place to hang it, and I did'nt know anyone that was really into fish...or a Pisces. I just really wanted to make that fish. That was a while before I started trying to sell my work. Now I have it listed in my shop online. I love the colors and motion of it!

Trinket Box

2010-01-10T10:22:00.002-07:00

This a sea shell trinket box. The design is not my own. I used a textured turquoise glass. I plan on making some small affordable trinket boxes for my esty shop.....ah...the time's the thing.

Bejeweled Miniature

2010-01-08T21:14:00.002-07:00

This little jewel is only 3 1/2" x 2 3/4". I used some pieces of glass left over from previous projects. I don't like to throw good glass away. Add to that some glass gems and a bit of wire and there you have it. It sold on my web site to a lady at Berkeley. It was a part of my fourth sale on Etsy...I was very excited!

Candle Cover

2010-01-07T19:15:00.001-07:00

This is a candle cover. I call it a cover becuase it has no bottom, and fits over a tea light sized votive. It looks pretty cool when the candle isn't burning as well! I used a crepe textured glass of wispy orange and white. The glass gems are of various size and color. I plan to make more of these but of course they will all be unique and one of a kind. This one will be listed for sale on my website this weekend....check it out.

How'd you do that?

2010-01-02T19:35:00.002-07:00

2010-01-02T19:35:00.001-07:00

Make your pattern...

2010-01-02T19:35:00.000-07:00

Choose your glass

2010-01-02T19:34:00.002-07:00

Put your pattern on the glass

2010-01-02T19:34:00.001-07:00

Use these tools to cut the glass....

2010-01-02T19:34:00.000-07:00

Use this to grind each piece to the perfect shape

2010-01-02T19:33:00.001-07:00

Get the pattern off the glass...

2010-01-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

Put it all together

2010-01-02T19:32:00.001-07:00

Wrap each piece with copper foil

2010-01-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

Solder it together

2010-01-02T19:31:00.001-07:00

Wash it....alot

2010-01-02T19:31:00.000-07:00

Voila!

Lets get started

2009-11-29T17:23:00.001-07:00

Holy cow! This cyber stuff is so not me. But here I am...I'll give it a shot. I mainly want to have a forum for things associated with my stained glass art. I will be posting photos of glass pieces I have made that I'm just proud of, and of items for sale in my online shop at newmoonglass.etsy.com. I love the whole process from the first thought of a design, through every step, and to the finished piece. What can I say...I can always use some validation!

O.K....lets get started!

This is the first, and so far, only lamp I've made...it's mine!

The next thing I'm going to post here is a series of photos intended to show people the basic process involved in creating stained glass art. I sometimes forget that the general public has no idea how it's done.

Until then....