...And so it begins

...and trying to make it work as a business is not always easy.  But Hey!, I'm up for the challenge.
Also, being quite a private (shy) person makes it difficult to know what to say or actually do with a blog.
My challenge to myself is to 'get myself out there more', whether or not this will work who's to say.
It helps greatly if the computer is working - productivity as far as anything on the Internet goes in this house is ZERO unless the computer is working properly, as posting anything on a tablet is currently to fiddly for me (can't see enough for my liking if I'm trying to write more than a few lines). 

After several months of computing problems 'COMPUTER SAYS NO' too many times for my liking recently, and I finally gave in and had it fixed. (YAY!)  A new stick of RAM and clean out of fan later, and it seems that my problems have disappeared (just keeping my fingers crossed at the moment though).  So now I have no excuse not to post, except I can't remember where I filed those photographs, and I'm sure I tried to re-organise my photographic filing system more logically just a few days ago!  Oh well, I know I'll get there eventually.


In the meanwhile.... back to glass the main reason for the blog.  I have so many photographs it's difficult to know where to start.  I thought I'd show you my favourite piece of copper foiled glass I made based on a pattern I found on the Internet  about 8 years ago.  I think it was called moon maiden or something like that, anyhow I interpreted it in colours I liked at that time.

I enjoy copper foiling, in fact I enjoy most things where I do something with glass.  My current glassy obsessions include lamp work ( I get to play with fire!), and fusing.  I learn something every day (even if it's not to be overly ambitious, or not to overload the kiln)!
Recently I made a few Plantpot palz - insects and animals intended to decorate your plant pots ( or pen pots, or anything really).  These were all made on old used lamp work mandrels that had seen better days, and weren't running true a way of upcycling my old mandrels.

Bees and ladybirds are popular, but I have every intention of expanding the range to owls (yes there is one here, but alas he had a mishap!), perhaps cats, rabbits, dogs  and others.  It's just making sure there's kiln time available in amongst the mound of other stuff I want to try out.  Perhaps I "need" another kiln ;)

I even made some cake-stakez, lamp worked cupcakes on shorter, brand new mandrels, that could be used to test if your cake is cooked. ( or put into your plant pot as a decoration.)

They came out quite well too.
Lots to think about and lots to do, and after a long glass free weekend I am suffering from glass withdrawal symptoms and need to get back to my workshop and do something glassy.

I'll update you soon with my next, newest glassy adventures. TTFN!