ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

I completed the church commission in Iowa and the windows were installed! A dedication ceremony will be held next weekend. The photos will be uploaded as soon as my laptop heals from it's "black eye!" 
I head out today to another new client in New Glarus, Wisconsin. She has chosen a hexagon pattern containing oak leaves to adorn her front porch! I'm looking forward to this commission. It is smaller (26 inches) so it will give me some much needed instant gratification. I enjoy the large commissions but now and again it is nice to do a piece and be done in a week or so. LIFT UP YOUR ART! With gratitude, Laurie

gRain Ponchos (TM) stained glass feeder covers

Good Afternoon Readers! I'm trying out some different names for my bird feeder covers. I thought gRain Ponchos (TM) is a hoot! What do you think vs. Made In The Shade? Today I'm sharing photos of the beginning stages of the stained glass process as I create a medium size shade. I was contacted by a buyer recently and thought this would be a good example of a custom order request. I thought some of you may enjoy the educational process and/or be a bit curious as to just "how" these babies are made. The photos here include the pattern (which is duplicated six times for this particular cover), the glass that was chosen and the pattern pieces adhered to the glass . Then shown are the beginning stages of cutting each piece to size. From here, each individual piece will be cut to the exact size and then grinding the edges ensues. (NOT my favorite part of the creative process) I'll send updated pictures of that also but for now PLEASE send me a comment about my name idea. I think gRain Ponchos (TM) is such a fun play on words but would really love my readers input! With gratitude, Laurie B.

Hyde Park Project Stage Three

Here are two pictures of the process of cutting each pattern piece to size prior to grinding. One photo shows the scoring process. I routinely use a green running pliers for all straight cuts and use the grosing pliers (shown in photo two) to make the breaks on any scores that are not straight. The deeper the cut, the more chance there is of an unintentional fracture. Deeper cuts take several narrower scores and nipping of the glass in several stages. My next post will show the pieces all cut down to size and ready for the grinding process. With gratitude, Laurie B.

MY MIND IS IN A TRANSOM STAGE 5

Hi Friends,

If you've been keeping up with my blog the past few days you'll be expecting this post. I believe we're on Stage 5 today.

Once each piece has been trimmed and burnished with the copper foil it is ready to be reassembled and prepped for the soldering process. Here are a couple of pictures that give you an overview. Once the piece is reassembled you can see how the copper foil edges each piece. A liquid chemical called Flux is then brushed on the foil to prepare it to "take" the solder bead.

I'll update this weekend with a picture of the soldering process if I have enough hands to do all at the same time!

Here's hoping everyone has a wonderful weekend! With gratitude, Laurie B.

MY MIND IS IN A TRANSOM STAGE 4

Hi Friends,

I've shown you the basics for the first few steps in creating a stained glass piece and today is Stage 4-the copper foil method. After each piece is ground around the edges and cleaned and dried you then burnish them with copper foil prior to soldering. It is the copper foil that actually binds your solder bead, which in turn holds the pattern together. It's an important step and one that needs to be done with precision. Beginners usually use a wider copper foil as it is easier to apply and burnish but as you get use to handling the foil you can move to a thinner width and/or one that is suitable to the thickness of the glass piece. These photos show a black-back copper foil being adhered to the pattern piece, another shows the width of the foil and what the foil roll looks like. There are contraptions out that that hold the roll for you and "feed" the foil as you need it but I've always done it by hand. I just recently purchased a burnishing tool. Prior to that I used a tongue depressor and it worked just fine! Whatever gets you through the night. So, this is stage four of the Transom. Tomorrow I will show you the pattern assembled with foiling complete and then on to the soldering process! Enjoy. With gratitude, Laurie B.

IN A GEOMETRIC STATE OF MIND

Hello Friends,

The glass work is humming here. I just finished listing a couple of geometric pieces and decided to share one of them here on my blog. I'm working on two other abstracts also that are bubbles! (of all things)

Prudence, my new six toed kitten is settling in nicely and seems to be growing by the second. I've also been very busy getting new advertising in place and am hoping I can figure out how to post it! Cross your fingers. With gratitude, Laurie B.

FEATURED ON WICKEDLY CHIC!!

What an honor!!! I've been featured on Wickedly Chic! Please check out my interview at this great site:http://www.wickedlychic.com/693/funky--fabulous-through-the-looking-glass---april-24-2008

This is a wonderful group of Artists and Editors. I am so honored to have been featured by this group!

As noted, I am starting a new line of more abstract, deco designs, one of which was featured in this interview which I have named "Fun, Funky and Fabulous in Wickedly Chic Colors!"

Thank you Liz Nonnemacher and Gabreial Wyatt!

Wickedly Chic is a wonderful potpourri of artists!

With Gratitude, Laurie B.

THE DOCTOR IS IN

I've been thinking about this post all week while planting my garden. I didn't quite know how to approach it so I'm just going to let the story tell itself. Please take the time to read this. It made my heart melt and I'm sure it will melt yours also.

I'll begin by telling you that Jamie Lee and I have been friends since we were 15 years old. We sang in choir together. I'll also tell you that I pushed his truck out of huge snow bank when we were 17 years old while he sat behind the wheel laughing hysterically! He's been one of two guys that probably saved my life during my high school years and I consider him my brother. Maybe not by blood, but surely by love, history, care, and protection. He's a piece of work, let-me-tell-yah.

From here, I will post this recent article that CHI published, featuring my dear Bro along with the letter that was sent to CHI by one of his clients. Jamie and his client have been generous enough to send me a copy of the original letter. It says it all......

Here is their story.....

THE LETTER FROM HIS CLIENT TO CHI

Jamie Lee has been there for me for so many years, through so many of life’s ups and downs, but his care, expertise and love got me through one of life’s biggest hurdles possible. The hurdle I speak of was the day that arrived on "May Day! May Day!" - May 1st, 1996. On this unforgettable day, I found out the reason I was losing feeling in my left side of my face when I turned it. It was because I had a slow growing, rare tumor. My family and I searched the nation for doctors who could remove the tumor. My tumor was behind the left eye, in the carotid sinus cavity, with the carotid artery running right through the center of my tumor, and many other nerves wrapped around it. Our search led us to Johns Hopkins, the one hospital that could do my surgery and leave me as ME. My surgery was July 30, 1996 and they took only the hair on the left side of my head, where the surgery took place. Knowing all the hair is usually shaved before brain surgery, Jamie immediately went into action. He told us how, if needed, he would have a wig made for me so nobody would know I had surgery. He said he knew how to create a wig that would look exactly like my hair, and he would show me how to care for it. Returning to Jamie in Madison, he saw my half a head of hair and simply said "They did about the worst haircut I’ve seen! They should never be hair stylists!" Instead of doing what so many other hair stylists do and shave off the other half of hair, he worked with the hair I had left. He also used deep conditioners and other products to heal the damaged hair. I was thrilled and relieved not to need a wig. Besides that, I ended up looking better than ever! When I returned to college less than a month after surgery, instead of having people staring at me giving me those "oh poor you" looks, I was complimented on how awesome my hair looked. Instead, people thought instead of wearing my hair up like I always had, I was wearing my hair down. What Jamie did was bring some of the hair I have on the right side of my head over on the left side where I had no hair. When I returned for my first appointment back at Johns Hopkins, all the doctors were stunned at my hair. They informed us usually the patient returns with a shaved head, even though the doctors left hair. The doctors leave as much hair as possible as they know how much it helps the patient to not stand out with their hair screaming out, "I had brain surgery". They sent huge kudos to Jamie, asking if he could do all the patients’ hair! It’s so important to make the patient look as normal as possible as nobody wants to be stared at. Many patients who do not have someone like Jaime ever get their hair back. While my hair slowly grew back, Jamie was there for me; caring and not feeling I was not going to make it. He kept making the changes needed with whatever hair I had, helping me appear normal. Besides that, he always had humor for me and my family by getting us laughing, while always caring. He never quit on me. He always was there for me and I was the best looking brain surgery patient. He smiled with each person who never could tell I had surgery and radiation. His presence and help gave me so much hope and inspiration each time I brushed my hair in the morning. He’d keep helping. People may say it is just hair, but they obviously have not been through such a life changing event, knowing how many others looked afterwards. This really showed in my mind at my last appointment at Hopkins when I saw two patients coming for their appointments with their shaved hair and their scars so easy to see. I could see how the stares hurt them. I remembered and could see how nobody could see mine and I appreciated Jamie even more. Jamie even went so far since my surgery to be careful with the seven bolts I have in my head by making sure he did not hit them with the brush or scissors and letting me know how feeling these bolts show how much fluid my body needs. He even had much humor about this. It has been over eleven years since my brain surgery and expressing how much Jamie has given us is hard. He’s changed my life by making sure I have a life while my life is being saved. Looking normal and changing your hair as needed, teaching you what to do and leaving you with a hug after each appointment means more than I can state. Jamie is more than my hair stylist; he’s been my confidant, my comedian, my teacher and my friend. To that, all I can say is thank you. God sure has blessed me with a new life after my tumor and with Jamie. These are my blessings.

Now, is that an amazing story or what? I'd say that's what the word "artist" is all about!

So here's to you Jamie Lee! To one of the kindest people to ever walk the earth and ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE ARTISTS I ADMIRE!

With MUCH gratitude, your sis Laurie

NEWEST ADDITION TO I CAN SEE CLEARLY

This panel is my newest installment in my I Can See Clearly section. It is made with antique, recycled, textured clear glass as the background with touches of lavender,and green in the leaves and acorn pattern. It is an extremely elegant piece with a simple design that will lend itself well to any sunny window. This glass was from a church in Apple River, IL and I am proud to be using it in my recycled line of glass art. Purchase this beauty now, before April 26th, or its going to the big Recycling Event at our district Arboretum! Going, going, gone in a flash! The panel measures 10 x 17 inches, is finished in zinc channel and comes with a chain for instant hanging! Don't let this beauty pass you by!

DO YOU HAVE A WEDDING GIFT TO BUY??

With spring and summer upon us there are wedding bells in the air! If you have a wedding gift to buy please consider a piece of custom stained glass I can create for you! It makes a one-of-a-kind keepsake that will be passed down in the family for years to come. Here is an example of a piece I did for a dear friend's daughter...it's one of my favorite patterns!

I hear wedding bells! Do you?

HARRY FINALLY MET ALEX!!

Hi readers! Well, Harry finally met Alex! I think he was jazzed! At first when he opened it I think he thought I was giving him a stained glass angel (he knows I make those) He had that sweet little nine year old face that says "oh,okay, I'll act like I like it" but then his whole face changed, and he looked up at me and said, "Is this Harry Potter???" He was soooo excited. My sister and I went to a friend's recital and when we got back two hours later he was sitting on the couch hugging it watching tv....it was wickedly cool!!! So, I think it was a hit! Thanks for all of your supportive encouragement to those who comforted me by telling me YOUR kids liked the picture! It really helped....So, here they are, Alex & Harry!

INTO THE WORLD OF COPPER FOIL

When I disappear from cyberspace it is most often due to delving into my art world. I've been busy foiling hundreds of pieces for three of my most recent projects. After I was done I tossed the roll of foil and here is where it landed! I thought it was an appropriate expression of how I felt at the moment. It's SUCH a process but one that I love. I remember asking...what is the Tiffany style of stained glass? I know the answer now! After each piece of the pattern is cut and the edges ground smooth, each is wash and dried and then lined with copper foil. There are different widths, and backing types. The one pictured here is the thinnest (hardest) to work with. The foil is then burnished on the edges and THIS element is what is soldered together; the foil pieces. Burnishes is a very important step.

I could go on but there are many online places to get the information. I wanted to share a little of my process along with a picture just for fun! I've made great progress the past few days and should be listing some new pieces along with finishing a consignment project by weeks end! Here is hoping that you are able to make the most of your day!