Getting crafty with glass.

Why is it that when you vow to keep your blog up to date, things get very busy?  Not that I am complaining, far from it.  I am pleased to say that due to wedding and prom season coming up, orders are coming thick and fast.  I am also thrilled with the response I have had for the 'Cherished Bouquets'.  But it is about time I got down to writing!

Shaping the hot glass by hand.

Now enough of business and onto something totally different.  A couple of weeks ago I took time out as promised to spend some time getting to know a different style of artistic skill.  Luckily for me I live by a fantastic glass blowing workshop so I requested a three hour course from hubby as a Christmas pressie.  I would have to say that I was not sure if three hours was really going to be enough time to produce anything recognisable to show off to family and friends - how mistaken was I!  

One of my pendants.

The course started with a very overdressed me (jumpers and fury boots are not ideal when working in front of furnaces!) looking into the flames with more than a little trepidation.  Stuart the founder of Freeform Glass asked me what I fancied making and after deciding I wanted to have a go at making a glass pendant I was assisted in melting, colouring, twisting and shaping my first leaf shaped object.  At this point I would have to confess that I was so relieved that I had not burned myself and chuffed with my little pendant that I would have been more then happy to have called it a day and run off happy.  But instead Stuart and his helper Dan patiently took me through the same process two more times, telling me to hold things this way, not that way and by the end of the pendant making they had created a glass blowing monster!  There is something very magic about holding molten glass (on a pole) in the middle of a red hot furnace, watching the glass getting so hot that you are able to let it start falling from the pole but last minute catching it and turning it onto itself to form stunning patterns.  With Stuart's guidance I went from being terrified of the furnaces to loving them and the poor man then was stuck with someone who wanted to make anything and everything and using more colours, the better.

Check out the vase.

Tumblers made by me.

By the end of my three hours I had made three pendants (which also make lovely sun catchers), four tumblers and the most amazing large architectural glass bowl and vase ever.  I also came away feeling really proud of myself for finally trying out a skill I have always been in awe of and always wanted to try out.  If ever you get the chance, give it a go as it was three hours I will never forget and now I can annoy anyone who comes to my house by boasting how I made the glass that they are drinking from.

Thanks Stuart and Dan for an unforgettable experience.

Louise x

To find out more about courses, glassblowing demonstrations or to buy beautiful glassware visit Freeform Studio Glass, Weymouth, Dorset.