Wednesday, March 11, 2015

feast or famine


Same as it ever was. We've had one etched glass job since we finished all that work last June and that was in the fall. We don't usually get work in the summer as everyone has kids home or are on vacation and it usually picks up in the fall only last year it didn't. Nor in January or February neither. Now, here in the first two weeks of March, we have received three deposit checks and a fourth client is ready to get started and I got another inquiry yesterday from a repeat designer so that will be coming up also. Each job only consists of one piece of glass so it isn't an overwhelming amount of work for a change and it will still allow me time to work on the cast glass.

the final approved design of the cabin and mountains

And speaking of the cast glass, the last four Botanicas came out of the kiln last Sunday. I returned from my cook and chauffeur stint yesterday afternoon and washed them in vinegar so now I need to get the cold work done and get the frames ordered. One casualty though. Sometime during the night a crack appeared in one of the 6” x 6” ones. You can't see it unless the light hits it just right but it is definitely there and I can't, in good conscience, send a piece out for sale that I know is cracked. It may be stable now or it may continue to to spread. So, bummer. I'm not through. Now I have to do another big one. I won't re-do this one. Still have lots of good flower pictures to choose from but I have lost my enthusiasm. I may go for the simple anthurium.

cyclamen

poppy seed head

iris

don't know what this is


It rained the last two days, enough to see if my roof leak repair worked and I'm happy to say it is holding though I know that it is only temporary. Eventually, given the heat and humidity here, it will fail. I have a couple of other products to try on the next section which, I imagine, will also be temporary because the only real solution is a new roof. Especially if the weather continues the way it has been.

It's been a very disappointing spring so far, constantly overcast, wet, and cold, even though all the flowering trees are in full bloom and others are popping out in their spring green. I put my silk long johns on today! It's nearly mid-March, that should not be happening!




12 comments:

  1. sorry about the crack, but they sure look beautiful. and glad you've got work starting up again! yes, i'm ready for spring and SUN!

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  2. The Iris is my favorite. Oh my!
    It feels here today as if we've been launched right over spring and have landed in summer. I swear.

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  3. Like Ms. Moon, the iris is my favorite. I'd love to see a bird of paradise.

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  4. I like them all and the cyclamen the best. And best of all is a small stream on work commencing.

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  5. The iris is unique. I have to replant a bunch this year. A few trees are showing buds, but still winter around here, but is warm.

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  6. All of those botanical glassworks are beautiful. Do people hang them? I do like the Iris because it has such vivid color. Spring seems to be coming in here...so it should spread your way.

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  7. I do like the poppy seed head Ellen, what is the vinegar wash for? And shame about the crack - cooled too quickly?

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  8. What a test of integrity. To my ignorant eye that crack is invisible and it would be so tempting to send it along, especially because the piece is so beautiful.

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  9. Thanks Ellen - I didn't know vinegar helped with that. There is really so much, science too, to know about in your process. Glad to hear about the work coming in - very good news.

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  10. Bummer about the crack. This Botanica Erotica series feels to you like Bleeding London feels to me -- it WON'T DIE! Having said that, these designs are fabulous.

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  11. I like the Iris the best.

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  12. I'm glad you are getting enough work to be happy with it, and not overwhelmed. We all need a bit of that. Sorry about the cracked flower. ;-(

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.