Answer to Gnat

Sorry it took me so long to follow up on Scott's question. We (my family) own and operate Italian JIm's Pizzeria. We just had our 10 year anniversary on March 6th, 2006. Our pizza is great. I will hopefully be posting some photos - before & after - of our new space. Maybe just the "after" photos.

I hope to post some new photos of what we did last night before the weekend is over.

CM

Bowl with copper in the glass

Here is a really neat bowl/platter. It is a piece that I blew for a lady named Britton. She wanted a light blue with a "curry" lip wrap and copper foil up around the edge of the bowl. I was pleased with this one on a couple of different levels. I love the blue and shape and size of the bowl was what I wanted to make. The lip wrap came off well. Micah did a great job with the color bit! We took about 8 sheets of copper foil and folded them and folded them and folded them until they were only about 1/2" wide and put them in a line about 2 lengths long. We then rolled them onto the piece from the marver and heated it in via the glory hole, then we gathered a thin gather over the top to seal it. The copper on the inside of the bowl stayed "copper" colored but the copper that was exposed to the glory hole turned red! If you look close at the pictures you can even see how thick the copper was in spots. I have some pictures posted so you can see. Britton really liked it and we did too.
It was nice to meet Era the other day and look forward to working with her as well.

We are still really busy with the Italian Jim's Pizzeria remodel. We are on pace to break record sales 3 months in a row by a substantial amount each month! We haven't had time to blow much glass or post to the web site, but when things get caught up…

I may take Gnat's que and start making my artifacts other worldly.

See ya,
CM

Artifacts Photos

Picture #1 is the Opal Nile Green on the inside and G-50 Black on the outside with #3 Opal Nile Green Frit sprinkled on the outside also. The tallest one is about 8" and the shortest one is about 5 inches.

Picture #2 is the same series with the funky flower/leaf thing that coordinates with it.

Picture # 3 is 2 vases with the G-50 Black base and R-120 Curry body and lip wrap. I love the curry/black combination. I call it part of the "Tiger Stripe" Series. They are both about 12-13 inches tall. The bigger one is about 5 inches wide at the mouth.

Picture #4 is another artifacts series with G-103 Latte on the inside with G-50 Black on the outside with specks of #3 Frit sprinkled on. ( I may retake some of these pictures. After looking at them, I don't like the angle I shot them from. I think it would show them better from an angle not so high up.)

I want to do some more different things of the same color combos to add to each series.

Artifacts Again!

The last 2 nights, Linda, Micah, and I had some success with the artifact series again. When tonight's' work comes out of the annealer tomorrow @ about 3:30 - 4:00 pm I am hoping to see 2 sets of the "Artifacts Series". On one set I blew a Opal Nile Green on the inside and G-50 black solid with #3 Opal Nile Green Frit applied sparingly on the outside. The other set is "Latte" on the inside and Gaffer G-50 Black with #3 spots on the outside to coordinate with the Latte on the inside. If you can't picture it yet I will hopefully post pictures in a day or two or three or four.

The Gaffer G-50 Black vase with the "Diablo Red" body wrap and lip wrap that I posted recently was really liked by a few people. I have already sold it to someone and could have sold it about 4 more times. So tonight I made a G-50 Black vase with a "Curry" lip and body wrap. Did some more platters for the fancy wall at the restaurant. Blew my wife a pen holder for her desk. I can't wait to see them tomorrow. I can't wait to take their pictures and post them. Very Cool!

See ya,
CM

Some New Work

Picture #1
Here's a vase with different colors on outside and inside.


Picture #2
Here's a vase with a new technique Micah and I have learned. It's called "Threading".


Picture #3
Here's a red platter.

I'm getting ready to revive "The Artifacts" Series. Coming soon. Not much for words today. Really busy!
Thanks for reading.
CM

Bruce Ferguson!

I'm just now getting around to posting this, but about 3 weeks ago, Micah and I were honored to have Bruce Ferguson down from Virginia to our humble studio and show us some new techniques. Bruce is an accomplised glass blower and teacher. He assists Bill Gudenrath on occassion @ the Corning School of Glass.

Here are some pictures.

Update On What's Happening

Micah and I went over to Andy Boatman's Studio, "Blue Sage Studios" last week and saw his new furnace. A very fine piece of equipment! It was really good to be over a Blue Sage once again. That is the nicest studio! We got to meet Bruce Ferguson, an accomplished glassblower and glassblowing teacher from Virginia. Bruce works at the FAA and is in OKC for a week or two doing whatever it is the FAA people do to stay current. Bruce showed us some new techniques, some of which we have tried with a small measure of success already! Bruce is supposed to come over to Bella Forte Glass Studio and check out our place and do a little bit of glass blowing over here. We can't wait!

I have been so busy at the restaurant. I've been putting in about 85 - 90 hours each week. My workout time has gone to a big fat ZERO for the last 4 weeks. Looking forward to getting back in the gym and getting lean again! (Sometime soon I hope) March 6th was our 10 year anniversary! We just finished March and it was our biggest month in our 10 year history! A NEW RECORD! Who-aaah! As I have mentioned earlier, we have doubled the square footage of our restaurant and are in the process of doing the remodel. Micah and I have done all of the remodel ourselves with the exception of the electrical and some floor work. Most all of the kitchen part is complete and we have been working on the dining room area.

I am going to have a new retail area for Bella Forte Glass Studios in the restaurant. It is going to be really nice and attractive. We are going to do some innovative things to display the glass. I have taken a few "before" and "during" pictures so far and will take some "after" pictures when it's done and post them. But you really need to come see the progress when it gets done. Last night Micah and I did more drywall and we started painting. That new airless paint sprayer is worth the money!

I blew some commissioned light fixtures for some very nice folks in the "Rivendale" addition in Moore. I've sold some more things in the restaurant. Micah and I have been blowing glass to decorate the new retail space at Italian Jim's Pizzeria in between commission pieces. I just got some new dichroic glass in yesterday and will be doing some commission pieces with it. Can't hardly wait.

If you get a chance stop Italian Jim's at 342 S. Mustang Road @ Reno and Mustang Road in the Yukon area, have a look at the glass and eat a pizza or a sub or a pasta or a dessert or a etc…

See ya later.
CM