Saturday, November 28, 2009

Looking For the Unique?


Unique is where it's at when it comes to Artfire! If you need a little help finding that one-of-a-kind gift for your special someone, then Artfire is the answer. We are so excited about the Holidays that we've put everything in our Artfire studio on sale! Take a look and see if you don't agree that Artfire is the best place to shop!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Coming Attractions!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The Art Of Stained Glass 101 - Applying Patina



Your final step now is to apply a good polish to your completed piece. There are many quality polishes for stained glass on the market . I have used Kem-O-Pro Finishing Compound for years and have never been unhappy with it. There are many car wax products that would do a nice job as well; however, with some of these products you may end up with a bigger mess and more work on your hands than is necessary. If you decide to try this route I would suggest trying it in a small area first. If it works well there then gradually increase the size of the area as you go.

Here is a video on how to polish your piece using whiting compound. It’s a method rarely heard about, but one you might like to try.

Well pat yourself on the back, you’re finished! If you chose to frame yours in wood, then a frame shop will be able to assist you with that, unless your handy enough to do it on your own. In that case, you can find many stained glass places on the web that will have the supplies you need.  If you choose to hang yours up, then just apply a nice looking chain (never use suction cups!) and hang it from a cup hook screwed into you window frame, or a nail tacked into the top portion of your outer window frame. The latter will keep any holes to your window framing out of site.

Now just sit back and enjoy your creation! Don’t forget to let us hear from you and know how your projects turned out. Heck, send a picture of your project to crywnd@yahoo.com , and we may just feature it in our blog!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

The Art Of Stained Glass 101 - Applying Patina

O.k. now your staring at your completely soldered piece wondering “what is patina, and should I apply it to my piece?”. Well maybe this will help you make up your mind. According to Webster’s Dictionary, ‘Patina is a film or incrustation, usually green, produced by oxidation on the surface of old bronze and often esteemed as being of ornamental value.’ The look of patina can be applied to many different surfaces other than bronze. In stained glass work there are many types and colors of patina you can apply to your piece to achieve this aged look. Most of the patina applied to stained glass is for achieving the black or dark bronze look; however, there is also a copper patina, as well as a green patina to achieve the weathered copper look.

With all patina’s you will need to wear gloves. Having a long sleeved shirt on would be a good idea too. You should always have some form of protective eye wear on while doing stained glass, and this holds true while applying patina as well. Before starting, you should always make sure you have good ventilation. Use a fan to keep fumes away from your face. Most patinas have an odor, though slight, some people can be highly sensitive to certain smells. If you are sensitive to the smell and it gets to be too much, then use a mask to help alleviate the problem.

For small pieces, I suggest applying the patina with a cotton ball. It absorbs a lot of the liquid and makes it easy to get into small spaces. Also, I recommend applying the patina to the entire piece, glass and all. If you just apply patina to the metal portions of your piece, you will end up having a halo effect around each piece of glass. This is where the liquid touched the glass when you applied it. If you apply the patina to the entire piece, glass and all, then this halo effect will be over the entire piece and add a slight iridization to all your glass.

After your entire piece is patinaed, let it sit for a few minutes, then wash the patina off with cold water. Dry your piece with a soft cotton clothe and let it air dry for a while longer to get it ready for polishing.

Here are some videos on applying patina. You‘ll notice that everyone has a slightly different approach. The choice is yours as to how you will apply yours. Just remember, patina is an acid and it does burn and can cause harm to you if handled incorrectly.
Applying patina 1, 2, 3, 4 .

Now all you have to do is polish your baby up, then hang it. Next entry we’ll discuss polishes. Come on we’re almost done!

Thursday, October 1, 2009

The Art Of Stained Glass 101 - Making Your Hook

Now your at the point where you need to decide if your going to hang your piece, or frame it in wood. If you decide to hang it, then you will need to solder on a hanger. For that you will need two pieces of 16-gauge wire approximately 2 1/2-3“ long. This can be tinned, thick copper wire, three strands of smaller gauge wire twisted together and tinned only on the two ends, or 16-gauge stainless steel wire.

Using a pair of needle nose pliers, gradually bend one end to form a small circle. On the other end of the wire do the same thing with the circle going the other way. You should end up with something that resembles a fancy “S” shape for your hook. If your wire is tinned on both ends, this is the time to finish the tinning process. Completely tin your wire starting from the middle and working out. This will keep if from unraveling and losing its shape.

If your using the pre-tinned pieces of wire, then flux the hook and the area where you want to apply the hook to your piece, and solder it on. If your using the 16-gauge stainless steel wire, hold the hook with your pliers and pre-tin the two areas where your hook will be applied to your piece. Repeat this pre-tinning process twice to get a good amount of solder in those two areas, then solder your hook to your piece.

Now just wash your piece real good in Ivory dish soap and cold water. Then dry it off good and let it sit out to completely dry for 24 hours. To prepare it for a good patina finish, polish the solder with 0000 steel wool. Remember when polishing, don't press too hard, you don't want to break all your hard work.

Next entry we'll discuss applying patina. So until then enjoy your handy work!

Saturday, August 15, 2009

The Art Of Stained Glass 101 - Soldering Part II

Place your soldering iron in its holder and plug it in. If you have an iron with a built in rheostat you will need to set it around 3 ½ to 4 for soldering solder. For zinc, copper, brass and lead, your rheostat may need a different setting. If your solder doesn’t seem to be melting and flowing like it should you can always adjust it higher.

Make sure your pieces are secured to your board. I find using small pieces of wood with holes drilled in them, or scrap pieces of lead came used as spacers between the glass and the nails helps tremendously, but whatever you choose as long as it is not a nail against your glass is fine. After checking the alignment of all your pieces and verifying everything is in its right place, dip your brush into your small bottle of flux (NOTE: don’t saturate it, just wet it and press it against the side to drain the excess) and brush the flux on a small section of the copper seams. You should notice the copper becomes brighter as the flux cleans it.

Take your solder and unroll about 4 - 5 inches and slightly curve the end in a “J” so that it will easily touch onto your iron. Now holding your solder in your gloved hand and your soldering iron in your ungloved hand turn your iron so the flat edge is vertical (or straight up and down). Holding the iron above the seam to be soldered apply the solder to the iron. When a small drop of solder slides from the iron onto the seam gently set the iron down into that drop and gradually run the iron down the seam while feeding the solder to the iron at the same time. (NOTE: First, when soldering try to keep a small ball of solder on the seam where the iron is sitting. This ball of solder will gently flow down the seam as you feed more solder to it. Secondly, if the solder starts to splatter this means you have added too much flux and need to burn off the excess. DO NOT leave your iron on one spot for too long or your glass will crack! Go over this spot, then let it cool down and come back to it. You may have to reflux lightly when you come back to it.) When you have finished soldering your seam stop feeding your iron with solder (you should do this just before the end of the seam) and gradually pull the iron off the seam at a 90 degree angle. Now go on and do the rest of your piece.

Once you have completely soldered the front then flip the piece over and do the back. For the edges you will need to “tin” all three sides of the copper foil, then bead them. Tinning is applying a thin layer of solder to the copper foil, and beading the edges means turning the piece on its side and lightly applying small drops of solder to the edge. The drops can then be touched lightly with the iron and will flow into a hard rounded edge, or when left as drops they form a beautiful decorative edge. This may take some experimenting, but isn’t too hard to master.

For tinning, apply flux to the outer edge on all three sides. Unroll your solder so that a length of solder is sticking up. Leaving the unrolled solder laying on your table, hold the fluxed piece to be tinned in your gloved hand and take a small amount of solder onto your iron. Run the hot solder along one side of the copper foil adding more solder as needed. Turn the piece and do the same to the back side and the edge. When all three sides are silver from the solder and there is no copper showing you have just completed tinning your piece.

One more note, some people prefer to "tack solder" their pieces first. This is especially helpful when you just can’t find anything to hold your piece together. Tack solder just means fluxing the area to be soldered and applying a small amount of solder to basically “tack” that area together. Place your soldering iron in its holder and plug it in. If you have an iron with a built in rheostat you will need to set it around 3 ½ to 4 for soldering solder. For zinc, copper, brass and lead, your rheostat may need a different setting. If your solder doesn’t seem to be melting and flowing like it should you can always adjust it higher.

Make sure your pieces are secured to your board. I find using small pieces of wood with holes drilled in them helps tremendously, but whatever you choose as long as it is not a nail against your glass is fine. After checking the alignment of all your pieces and verifying everything is in its right place, dip your brush into your small bottle of flux (NOTE: don’t saturate it, just wet it and press it against the side to drain the excess) and brush the flux on a small section of the copper seams. You should notice the copper becomes a bit brighter as the flux cleans it.

Take your solder and unroll about 4 - 5 inches and slightly curve the end in a “J” so that it will easily touch onto your iron. Now holding your solder in your gloved hand and your soldering iron in your ungloved hand turn your iron so the flat edge is vertical (or straight up and down). Holding the iron above the seam to be soldered apply the solder to the iron. When a small drop of solder slides from the iron onto the seam gently set the iron down into that drop and gradually run the iron down the seam while feeding the solder to the iron at the same time. (NOTE: First, when soldering try to keep a small ball of solder on the seam where the iron is sitting. This ball of solder will gently flow down the seam as you feed more solder to it. Secondly, if the solder starts to splatter this means you have added too much flux and need to burn off the excess. DO NOT leave your iron on one spot for too long or your glass will crack! Go over this spot, then let it cool down and come back to it. You may have to reflux lightly when you come back to it.) When you have finished soldering your seam stop feeding your iron with solder (this will usually be done just before the end of the seam) and gradually pull the iron off the seam at a 90 degree angle. Now go on and do the rest of your piece.

Once you have completely soldered the front then flip the piece over and do the back. For the edges you will need to “tin” all three sides of the copper foil, then bead them. Tinning is applying a thin layer of solder to the copper foil, and beading the edges means turning the piece on its side and lightly applying small drops of solder to the edge. The drops can then be touched lightly with the iron and will flow into a hard rounded edge, or when left as drops they form a beautiful decorative edge. This may take some experimenting, but isn’t too hard to master.

For tinning, apply flux to the outer edge on all three sides. Unroll your solder so that the length of solder is sticking up. Leaving the unrolled solder laying on your table, hold the fluxed piece to be tinned in your gloved hand and take a small amount of solder onto your iron. Run the solder along one side of the copper foil adding more solder as needed. Turn the piece and do the same to the back side and the edge. When all three sides are silver from the solder and there is no copper showing you have just completed tinning your piece.

One more note, on those occasions when you just can’t find anything to hold your piece together so you can solder it you may need to “tack solder” it. Tack solder just means fluxing the area to be soldered and applying a small amount of solder to basically “tack” that area together. Some people tack solder their entire piece prior to soldering it. Others only tack solder when they have to. It’s up to you. Experiment. Try a few things. Try it on some things before you use it on your project. The sky is the limit!

Next entry we’ll discuss whether or not to patina your piece and give it that rich black color that everyone loves, and how to apply polish. I’ll also tell you how to make your own hook and how to apply it your piece. In the meantime, here are some videos on soldering stained glass that might help answer some more of your questions: How to Solder 1, 2, 3. Boy we’re almost there, are you as excited as I am? Remember to have fun and keep “kicking ass with glass”!

Saturday, August 1, 2009

The Art Of Stained Glass 101 - Soldering Part I

We have finally reached the point of no return. That beautiful moment when you get to solder all your hard work together to finally see what beauty you have created. When you’re soldering, just keep a few things in mind. First, be calm, pay attention to what you are doing, and think ahead. Those three things can save you not only your hard earned money, but your sanity too!

Now there are a few guidelines to remember before you jump right in. Apply bandaides to any cuts on your hands or fingers. Lead is poisonous and can gain access to your bloodstream this way. Turn on a fan and place it behind or to the side of you. You don’t want to be breathing the fumes of any of the items used for soldering, each is hazardous in it’s own right, so have the fan placed so that it will blow the fumes away from your face. Wear glasses or protective goggles. Solder, when heated can splatter, so protect your eyes!

Unless you are using a flux that states it is not harmful to your skin I recommend wearing a glove on your left hand if you are right handed, or on your right hand if you are left handed. You will be holding the soldering iron in your other hand and will not need a glove on that hand. The gloved hand is the one you will use to pick up your fluxed piece when you need to move it. (TIP: If you have problems with the glove sliding down or coming off while working try cutting an old pair of panty hose into rubber band like pieces. These pieces can be stretched out to give you added length, and are soft and comfortable against your wrist. I have a lot of these in my shop that I use just to hold my gloves on.) There are a lot of good fluxes on the market and there are some not so good ones too. Most of them contain zinc chloride which is something you do not want to get on your skin. Some of them have other ingredients that are just as bad, so take precautions and wear the glove.

Set your soldering station up with all your supplies within an arms reach. Pour your flux into a small marked jar that you can easily dip your brush into. This jar should have a lid so you can cap it off to use for your next soldering project. Never pour this flux back into your main bottle of flux, it will contaminate your main bottle and weaken it. You should have your solder, flux and iron as your main items on your soldering station.

Make sure you have plenty of paper towel and a spray bottle of alcohol close by. The alcohol is an excellent glass cleaner. Use this to clean the flux off your soldered piece once you have finished soldering it. If you are going to patina your piece I recommend you wash your piece with Ivory dish soap and rinse well after soldering. The Ivory soap is an excellent flux remover.

Now that your soldering station is set up in part II we will get down to soldering. Are your hands just itching to hold that soldering iron yet? Well hold on, we're almost there. Patience is a virtue my friend, and in this business you must have patience.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

The Art Of Stained Glass 101 - Copper Foiling


In this entry you are going to be learning how to apply copper foil to the pieces of glass that you just cut out from your pattern pieces. For this process you will need your roll of 7/32” black backed copper foil and a sharp straight edge. I find packages of straight edges at my local Dollar Store that are usually 5 for $1.00, but you can use any straight edge you have as long as it will cut the copper foil.

The next hi-tech tool I use is a crimper with a roller attached to it. There are several different brands on the market, I use a Foil Burnisher with Edge Smoother Handle from "Anything in Stained Glass". If you are just starting out and need to save your money for the more costly purchases stained glass has you can use half of a wooden clothes pin. Just remove the metal spring in the middle and you have one to use and a spare for later.

Hold your copper foil in your left hand, paper side up, foil side down. With the foil end pointing away from you peel the paper back about two inches, now take a piece of glass and turning it on its side center the last 1/4 inch of the end onto the copper foil and press it into the foil, then continue centering the copper foil down the next side of glass, pressing and peeling as you go. **Note: The first side of glass will only have the 1/4 inch piece of tape on it until you finish it as instructed below. This procedure ensures a complete circle of tape with no open ends.** Follow this process all the way around the glass until you get to your original 1/4 inch piece of copper foil. Once you get to the side you started on continue your copper foil down that side covering your original 1/4 inch piece of copper foil and taking the foil to the end of the piece of glass then use your straight edge to cut it even with the edge of the glass.

Once your copper foil has been cut take your burnisher or wooden clothes pin and burnish (softly rub) the edges of the glass all the way around. When completed, then take your crimper and run the groove of your crimper around your entire piece. If you only have a wooden clothes pin you will not be able to crimp; however, you can gently rub the edges of your piece (on both sides) with the clothes pin to help smooth the foil down for better coverage. Now lay your piece down flat and using the roller roll your edges flat on both sides. Don’t get sloppy on this step, when you hit it with a hot iron it will show here first!

Now it’s at this point that I always take a wooden clothes pin and gently burnish the edges down flatter. This helps with assuring they do not lift up once I start to solder. It’s taking time to do the small detail work now that will pay off in less headaches later on. Here's a video that will help with some of it.

That’s it for foiling your glass pieces. Was it as hard as you thought? Well next time we’ll begin our venture into soldering. We’ll start out with tinning, then move into tack soldering. So remember to keep your eye on the prize and keep thinking about all the beautiful things your going to make after you learn The Art Of Stained Glass 101!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

The Art Of Stained Glass 101 - Cutting Glass


Now that you have your work area set up, your pattern picked out and your glass chosen the next step is cutting out your pattern to attach it to your glass. You will be doing the first piece in the Tiffany style known as the “copper foil method” created by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Since you will be doing the copper foil method only, cut each piece out by cutting down the center of the patterns black line. If you were doing a leaded panel you would need to accommodate for the width of the lead, so the amount removed when cutting would be more. But that is something you don’t need to worry about until you start on a panel, and when you do, they have special scissors you can purchase for that. **Note: prior to cutting out any of your pieces number every piece in your pattern.

Now that you have all your pattern pieces cut, separate the pieces according to the color of glass. You should have the same number stacks of pattern pieces as you do colors of glass. Now pick a color of glass to begin with, take a few of your pattern pieces for that color and place them on the glass, with your black fine tip sharpie outline the entire piece and write the number of that piece on the inside of it. (Tip: Try using poster tack putty to hold down pattern pieces. A small amount in each corner will hold the pattern down even through mild grinding.) Do as many pieces as you can to fit your sheet of glass. For my beginning students I tell them to give themselves no less than 1 ½ inches of glass between pattern pieces. This allows for plenty of room for both sides of the pattern. As you become more experienced you can shorten that distance a little.

When placing the pieces onto the glass line them up so they form a straight line on the glass. Latter as you get more comfortable with stained glass you will start to place your pattern pieces in more specific ways to make certain pieces of glass stand out, but for now keeping them in a straight line will help make your life a lot easier! If all your pieces do not fit, DON’T FORCED THEM. Give yourself plenty of room around each piece. If you run out of glass and still have pieces left, get another piece of glass. If it is a small amount of glass that you need, maybe you could switch some of the pieces around with one of the other colors that didn’t require as much glass. Before running out to buy anymore glass see if there are any changes in the way you have your pattern colors set that you may be able to redo. This can save you valuable time and money, and the only time you can do it is NOW! Once you start cutting your glass you’ve pretty much made your commitment.

O.k. you’ve made it to the hand sweating, nerve racking, glass cutting part. Just remember on all stained glass the smoothest side is the side you cut on (sometimes it’s hard to tell), hold you cutter up so your cutting wheel is straight, make sure you keep your cutting wheel oiled (put oil in the reservoir if you have one that requires it), start cutting as close to the edge as possible without going over, stop cutting as close to the edge as possible without going over, keep even pressure on your cutter throughout the entire cutting process, do not go back over your score line once you have scored it, do not press too hard when cutting, you should hear a low hissing sound. Watch these to help you out! How to cut glass, straight lines, curves and circles.

First start cutting your pieces out in strips or rows. Once this is done, cut them out individually. Take your time. If you do break a piece, then pull that pattern piece to the side, and once you have all the pieces cut you can go back and recut that one. Take your individual pieces and cut each one of them along the black line you drew with your sharpie.

Now you should have all your pattern pieces cut out! How was it? Below is the complete process in a list format to help you remember more easily. It is always easier to practice on clear window glass before you use your expensive stained glass. (Tip: Usually frame shops, galleries, or any type home décor shop will have a framing department that has salvage glass to get rid of. Plus there is a lot of salvage glass in dumpsters behind window and door shops. Be creative, look for it, it’s out there!)

Number pattern
Cut pattern
Outline pattern on glass
Practice cutting on clear glass first
Cut glass out in strips first
Cut glass out in individual pieces
Cut glass out along black lines

With each piece cut they are going to be very sharp on the outer edges so handle them with care. You should grind each piece now then you’ll be ready for the next entry when I’ll tell you how to apply the copper foil. Have fun and keep thinking of all the new gifts you can make after you get this one made!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

The Art Of Stained Glass 101 - Supplies


In our last entry we went over a quick, but very complete list of everything you will need to get started in your venture into stained glass. Now in this entry I'll list the supplies you'll need in order to get yourself organized and started in the wonderful world of stained glass!

The first thing to do is to decide on a pattern. For my students I always have a selection of easy starter patterns for them to choose from. If you go here you will find a site that has three simple and easy patterns for you to choose from. Any one of these would be a great pattern to start with because of the small number of pieces required and the low level of difficulty involved.

The second thing you will need to do is choose the glass for your pattern, about 2 to 2 1/2 sq. ft. Stay simple. There's time enough later for you to become bold and brave with your glass and color choices. This is the time you need to stay simple and learn the basics of how to use your tools and cut the glass. So remember that old "kiss" saying, "keep it simple stupid!"

The next items you will need are a roll of 7/32" black backed copper foil, a 1 lb spool of 60/40 solder, and water soluble flux for stained glass. There are several different varieties of each on the market, each with their own pro's and con's. The only one I am really a stickler about is the flux. I prefer to use Novacan Old Masters Flux because I've had better results with it in the past. But since I haven't tried every single one on the market, I can't say you won't find another one you like better.

The last items you will need to get will be the patina, that is if you intend to blacken your piece, and the polish to shine it to a beautiful black/bronze shine. These two items are like the icing on the cake in my book. They are the finishing details that make stained glass so beautiful.

Now your ready to start setting up your work surface and cutting your pattern out next. On your work table keep a supply of fine tipped black sharpies and silver sharpies along with a white and black china marker. These are for your glass later on. I keep a large spray bottle of alcohol and a roll of paper towel on my table that I use to clean my glass with and disinfect any cuts I may get immediately. Band aids are just the nature of the beast when you work with glass, so keep plenty of them on hand too.

So with scissors in hand I'll see you for our next entry to start cutting out your pattern. Oh, and if your wondering who's stained glass panel that is in the picture, well that's my first piece of stained glass I did over 25 years ago. My how time does fly!

The Art of Stained Glass 101

I can't tell you how many times I have been asked the question, "What equipment do I need to make stained glass with?" Well in this entry I will cover all the basic tools you will need to buy, in order to get you started on your way to making beginner stained glass.

The first thing is a good soldering iron. I recommend a 100 Watt Weller soldering iron as a good beginner iron, however, there are many others that are equally as good.

The second is a good oil glass cutter. I use a pistol grip glass cutter because the grip helps with the arthritis in my hands, however, a good pencil grip would do just as good.

Next, you will need a good grinder. I use an Inland grinder with a 3/4" grinding bit. Again, there are many other grinders on the market that are equally as good, so take your time and find one that you are happy with, it is a small investment.

Lastly, you will need a good pair of glass breaking pliers. There are plastic ones and there are metal ones. I have used both and honestly I have seen a difference in certain brands. So I would suggest going with the metal pliers, or spend some extra money and getting good, higher quality plastic pliers.

There you now have your tools, my next entry will cover your supplies. Come on, you can do it, before you know it you'll have a beautiful window created just like the one above. You'll be creating stained glass for your soul!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

A Sneak Peak


I've been doing several new things lately that I plan on getting on the site eventually, but since I just finished one of my favorite ones a couple days ago I can't stop going back and trying it on. Already I've had many compliments on how "cool" it is. So I thought I would give you a little sneak peak at a new line of macrame' bracelets I will be doing. They will be called "Dream Catcher Cuffs" and each will be truly one of a kind, because as you can see, there is absolutely no way any two could possibly alike! They will be coming soon, as soon as I can dream them up!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Do You Use ReUsed In Your Jewelry Making?

I didn't start doing jewelry until after I got out of the Navy in 1999. I started out with my first love, stained glass. Once I had my stained glass studio up and running then I experimented with some jewelry ideas, and that's when the jewelry just fell into place. It was a natural progression.

I loved finding anything unique to work with, stone, wire, bottles, and nuts and bolts...just anything! You name it; my motto is "I can do something with that!” I am always storing things around the house just waiting for the right project to use them on. My husband is always threatening to throw them out, but never does. It's fun to go through the hardware drawer and just look for items that I think I might be able to use. The items that I have collected have come in very handy in my designs.

I also collect and recycle electrical wire, copper pipes, drapery cords, belts, and various metals. All electrical wire can have the rubber coating removed leaving you with workable wire. Sometimes you get lucky and the look and color of the metal is enhanced by the rust or discoloration on the surface. Copper pipes can be used in both jewelry and stained glass for various purposes, as can be numerous other recycled metals that otherwise would be thrown away. Cording can be reused as necklace or bracelet cording or braided into macrame'.

Once I realized the beauty and versatility of using recycled items along with my precious stones and stained glass I never turned back. It was like a new world of creativity had opened up for me. I have always believed that if you can recycle something, then do. Mother Nature is the first and our best recycler, so we should all heed a lesson from the teacher herself! Reuse every chance you get, because you may not get that chance again.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Are You Sick Of Winter?

If your as sick of winter as I am then join me in this last bon voyage to that cold, wet and sometimes white stuff. This is a short adiós to Winter and hopefully a fast, hurry up and get here to Summer!

For all of us who have ever wondered, is there really a winter wonderland out there. Well folks, yes there is. Hyde Park, London is the location of the "official" winter wonderland. The official winter wonderland website is here. So go there and check it out!

Did you know that the tallest icebergs tower over the surface of the ocean at a height corresponding to a 15-storey building, while the smallest are only about the size of a hut. This was only too true for my husband and I while we were in the Navy and stationed in Gander, Newfoundland, Canada and had the pleasure of seeing some of the most beautiful icebergs. These icebergs came from Greenland, and we were told, occasionally a polar bear would get trapped on them as they broke away from the mainland and floated down to Newfoundland. When the iceberg would get close enough for the bear to get on dry land it would get off and stroll into town looking for food and a place to relax at the local McDonald's dumpster. The RCMP's (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) would eventually tranquilize and transport him (or her) back up into the Labrador area where it is much colder and hopefully much more appealing to them. What a beautiful country it is up there! For some great photos of icebergs of Greenland and other areas click here. If you would like to see some information and photos on Gander, Newfoundland, Canada click here.

That's it I'm done. Hope your Spring is sprung!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

How Do You Like Our New Digs?

Sometimes you just have to dust off the old stuff and rearrange it to see what you have. Yes, it's the same stuff on the walls still, but just wait! We haven't got around to rearranging the pictures yet, so cut us a break, moving into new digs aren't easy. You need to take your time, hire a decorator, ask a lot of "what do I do with this" questions. We're still at the take your time step, so paleezzze cut us a little slack (there's a lot of boxes to unpack!). In the meantime, how do you like the new wall color I choose? I did get that done! Plus, I'll be sending some new designs in soon (like in 24-48 hours), so you can see what I have been really working on. So don't sweat the small stuff guys, life is too short! See Ya!

Friday, February 13, 2009

I Promised I'd Be Better In 2009!

I started off with a bang, but the bang went down hill fast this past week. On Saturday I must have come in contact with some nasty little creature of a germ that has taken out some horrible revenge on me this past week. I am still not over the little monster yet, but after going to the doctor on Tuesday and getting the necessary pills to combat the beast, I am confidant that day will be here soon.

Monday, February 9, 2009

I Was Out Shopping On The Internet Last Night...

Now that's a phase we wouldn't have heard much of twenty years ago. But today it seems it is a pretty common thing to hear. I wonder, do a large part of those who shop and buy end up buying handmade items made by artists like you and me? Are those shoppers aware that they can buy beautiful, handcrafted, reasonably priced quality gifts directly from the artist?

Today I came across a site that is working hard to inform shoppers all over the Internet to BUY HANDMADE! The site tryhandmade.com is one worth checking out and passing on to your friends and family. This truly is the time of the starving artist, so pass it on and help support one or two.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Click Here to visit Crystal Wand Creations on Artfire.com!

ArtFire - Buy Handmade - Sell HandmadeArtFire - Buy Handmade - Sell Handmade


Since the snow is still falling in the streets of historic Kokomo, Indiana it seemed like a good time to join a great website we had been hearing such good things about. Artfire.com is a new website I recently came across and haven't shut up about since. We are the new kids on the block at Artfire.com, but they don't treat us that way. We've been very impressed with the quality of the website and the versatility of all the tools. We highly recommend it to all you artists out there looking for a place to sell your wares without breaking the bank doing it. You can try their website for free and continue to use it for free if that's what you like, or if you choose you can upgrade for $7 a month and get a all you have plus a lot more to make your shop work even better for you and your customers.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Welcome to 2009!

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We are looking forward to the new year and all the opportunities that it brings. We are planning a new line of jewelry and some unique glass ornaments. Keep checking back as we will have our upcoming art & gallery spring and summer shows listed soon. Thanks for your continued support! Crystal Wand Creations.