Stained Glass Mosaic Candle Holder

july 2015 upload 167

Hi everyone, I am back. I know I have been out of touch for awhile but its been a busy year so far. I was out of commission with my back again, but hopefully that is over with it sure interferes with my Stained glass and Mosaic projects.

The past month or so I have been very busy trying to get back in the swing of things so I should have a few things to post about. I just completed this awesome Stained Glass Mosaic candle holder approximately 7.5 x 7.5 x 7.5. I am so excited about this one I will definitely be making more of these for Christmas gifts this year. I just love this piece I was making it for a gift but now thinking I may have to keep it for myself.

These candle holders are fun to make. I cut all the glass with my saw (sure glad I have that) and grinded the edges down smoothly. I glued the pieces on with the E6000 clear glue, the flowers on all four sides are from the jewelry section at Michaels.  I used the pre mixed grout (Black) from Home Depot. After all the grout clean up and allowed to dry for a day or so I sealed the grout and added some shiny varnish. The varnish part was a bit tricky for me because I got it on the glass, pretty messy of me. The varnish on the glass is not easy to get off if you let it dry on there. So lessons learned for me lol don’t be so messy with the varnish. These can also be made for purchase upon request.  That’s it for now I have to go make something else. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

The Tiffany Angel

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I am back with a new article, I have been out of commission for a bit with this crazy back pain, so I am sharing a article and photo from Natchez Mississippi. My mother just visited The Trinity Episcopal Church in Natchez, MS and sent me some awesome photos so I thought I would share this with you. Its a lot of information but I found it to be very interesting hope you will too. The stained glass piece is actually is in 3D. I hope to go see this myself and maybe this will inspire you to visit also. Hope you enjoy this article.

The message of the 1890s Resurrection Angel window on the north side of the Trinity nave relates directly to its 1960s counterpart on the opposite side of the church where Jesus addresses the sisters Mary and Martha of Bethany.  Following this incident with Jesus, when Martha went out to meet him after the death of her brother Lazarus, Jesus’ response to her included this phrase, inscribed in the base of the Resurrection Angel window:

I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”  John XI:25

Above this inscription, in the main body of the window, an angel stands before the empty sepulcher (tomb).  With one hand the angel holds a palm branch, the Roman symbol of victory that was transformed by the Christian story into a complex indicator of martyrdom and glory. Many images of Christian saints throughout history carry palms to indicate their death as martyrs.  Of course palms also remind viewers of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of Holy Week; in the Episcopal tradition, the celebratory fronds of Palm Sunday will be burned to create the ashes to mark the foreheads of the faithful at the beginning of the following Lent to remind them of their mortality.

With the other hand, the window angel points upward to heaven where the women visiting the tomb will be able to see Jesus again.  The gesture may also be one of reassurance to the frightened women at the empty tomb.  From the earliest accounts in Genesis of Abraham’s encounters with God’s messengers, their effect on those they meet is often terrifying, so their first words are often, “Fear not.”

The artist of the Trinity window has provided a traditional white-robed angel in the form of a winged figure, though none of the gospel accounts makes any reference to wings.  But wings have throughout history been depicted on angels, seraphim, cherubim, and on the symbols of the four evangelists as indicators to the viewers of their divine mission.

The Trinity angel hardly seems terrifying in the Old Testament sense.  He is more tastefully tame, with his handsome Grecian profile, sculptural three-dimensional folds in his robe, and neatly hewn marble sepulcher, framed by a pair of columns topped with classically carved capitals of acanthus leaves. A similarly classical border of acanthus and lotus surrounds the heraldic cross at the top of the window.

This is one of two windows in the Trinity nave attributed to the workshop of Louis Comfort Tiffany, the most acclaimed American stained glass artist at the turn of the twentieth century, noted for the monumental classical elegance of his figured pieces, the multicolored luminescence of his glass, and for his technique of layering and sculpturing the glass itself – all of which are clearly visible in the Trinity window.

Interestingly, though, the composition relates less closely to other Resurrection Angel windows installed by Tiffany in American churches than it does to an 1862 drawing in the Tate Gallery, London, for a church window in Brighton, England designed by noted English artist and designer William Morris. The drawing shows a remarkably similar empty sepulcher and hand gestures, though the angel in the Morris drawing is seated.

This window was dedicated to the Glory of God and in loving memory of George W. Koontz (1816-1876) and Mary Roane Koontz (1827-1895). The quote below the window is appropriate to a memorial dedication; it is the opening line of the Prayer Book service for Burial of the Dead in both Rite I and II.  The window’s image is a reminder and a comforter that departed loved ones no longer reside in any earthly box but have obtained the ultimate freedom and joy in heaven above.

Beveled Eagle in Flight Stained Glass Panel

Beveled Eagle in Flight

I love the Bald Eagle and so does my father, after I purchased these bevels I knew I just had to make one for him. At first I wanted it just to have a blue back ground, but cutting those large pieces are very difficult. Just so happens the glass broke right across the right wing I was so disappointed, My husband looked at it and said no big deal just add some red and white and then you have your own design. So as you can see that’s what we did. We added an all wood oak frame to dress it up. My Husband he is so smart and of course he was right and my Father loved it. Hope you will too.

See below some interesting facts about the Bald Eagle as the National Emblem

It is said the eagle was used as a national emblem because, at one of the first battles of the Revolution (which occurred early in the morning) the noise of the struggle awoke the sleeping eagles on the heights and they flew from their nests and circled about over the heads of the fighting men, all the while giving vent to their raucous cries. “They are shrieking for Freedom,” said the patriots.
Thus the eagle, full of the boundless spirit of freedom, living above the valleys, strong and powerful in his might, has become the national emblem of a country that offers freedom in word and thought and an opportunity for a full and free expansion into the boundless space of the future.
–Maude M. Granttes was , surmounted by a blue field with the same number eagle The Eagle became the National emblem in 1782 when the great seal of the United States was adopted. The Great Seal shows a wide-spread eagle, faced front, having on his breast a shield with thirteenght talon the eagle holds an olive branch, in his left a bundle of thirteen arrows, and in his beak he carries a scroll inscribed with the motto: “E Pluribus Unum.”

Stained Glass Craft Blocks And Mosaic

Stained Glass names and Craft Blocks

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year. Nice long holiday but now back to working and blogging.

Holiday is over so now I can share some of my gifts and commission work with everyone. I decided to try to make something a little different for my grandson’s rooms. I found this nice craft blocks at Micheals and decided to make a Mosaic with their names in it.

I purchased some letters, glue and A row of Christmas lights and used my scrap glass to make these awesome nightlights. After I made 2 I had a few more request, and I have to say they were very enjoyable to make and the grandkids and Mom’s loved them.

I also tried a little painting on a couple of blocks and adding Mosaic and lights to them. You can see these below. These are so fun and easy I am going to do a few more. These can also be ordered for purchase, Just send me an email and I will get back with you ASAP.

Craft Blocks

Chalk Painted Furniture

Chalk paint before

Red chalk paint tablesI thought I would try something new and see how I liked it. I have a friend who does chalk paint and she walked me through my first project. Check out her Facebook page at the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/junkjunkies2.

I found these tables at a garage sale for 8 dollars and paint and supplies for maybe 25 dollars. This was really fun and not hard at all. Just clean, paint, sand lightly and wax. Now to get some new glass to add, something fancy I think. This was only a test to see how difficult this might be for me, but this was so easy I am sure I will be doing this again real soon. This being my first chalk paint project and not sure how they would come out I was planning to sell in a garage sale or something, but I like them so much I think I will keep them. I hope you like it.

Main Street Blues Festival 2014

Blue Q Festival 10/25/14

October the 25th Main Street is gearing up for the BLUES Q & BREW Festival in Picayune MS. Lots of things lined up, Music, Antique Car Show, Arts & Crafts and plenty southern cooking. Get ready to have a little fun.

My Mother has a booth with all of her beautiful handpainted oil paintings. I sent a few items I have been making to add to her booth, so I am pretty excited this being the first booth sale I have participated in with some of my own items. Wish I was there to work the booth and enjoy the fun maybe next time. Hope everyone will come out and enjoy.

Grace Cathedral, San Francisco stained Glass Windows

Grace Cathedral Church San Francisco California

Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day weekend. We spent our weekend exploring San Francisco, we finally went to the Grace Cathedral Church to see the awesome stained glass work. Talk about great pieces and a lot of them.

Here is a little history about the church.

 

The cathedral has become an international pilgrimage center for church-goers and visitors alike, famed for its mosaics by De Rosen, a replica of Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise, two labyrinths, varied stained glass windows, Keith Haring AIDS Chapel altarpiece, and medieval and contemporary furnishings, as well as its 44 bell carillon, three organs, and choir.

Contained in the cathedral are 7,290 square feet of stained glass windows by noted artists that depict over 1100 figures ranging from Adam and Eve to Albert Einstein. 32 windows or window groups, dating from 1930 to 1966, were designed by American Charles Connick and his Boston studio. Connick windows include The Chapel of Grace and baptistry window series that contains over 32,000 pieces of glass and covers nearly 833 square feet. The Cathedral also contains 24 faceted windows by Gabriel Loire of Chartres, France, including the Human Endeavor series depicting John Glenn, Thurgood Marshall, Jane Addams, Robert Frost, and Einstein. Between 1995-1998 several of the cathedral’s choir and aisle windows were restored by Reflection Studios of Emeryville, California.

Stained Glass Fluer De Lis

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I have been working on this project for a couple of weeks and finally finished a few to share. Its very hard to work a full time job 60 hours a week  and work at your hobby. I would much rather work the hobby all the time insteaad of working all the time. Anyway enough of that, I wanted to make this blog post before the football season gets really going. I had already made a couple of Fluer De Lis and posted them,  but then I thought I would make a few more in a larger size. I have had a few people say they were interested. I also found something a little exciting, I found theses Who Dat stickers that I could place in between 2 pieces of glass and added them to the Fleur De Lis piece. Hope you like them.

Anyone interested in purchasing one of my pieces please let me know by email.  The sizes and prices are listed below. I will also take special orders.

Small                          6 x 4.5     30$

Medium                      10 x 6      40$

Large                          10 x 8      45$

We Love Them

SAINTS

WHO DAT WHO DAT WHO DAT

Stained Glass Fleur De Lis

I am A WHO DAT fan

Well it’s almost football season and I have been wanting to make a Fleur De Lis since I started stained glass. I have made a couple that are nice, but not my favorites. So I searched for patterns online and clip art, but I wanted something a little different. I finally found one in clip art and made a couple of adjustments to my liking.  I have finally made the Fleur De Lis’s to show our support. These are 6.5 inches long by 4.5  inches wide and are the perfect suncatcher’s to hang in a window from the little suction cup hooks. If anyone would like to purchase one for 30$ just send me an email and let me know what colors you would like.

We love the Saints and Drew Brees and are definitely WHO DAT fans.

 

WHO DAT SAY THEY GONNA BEAT THEM SAINT’S

Stained Glass Lantern

Stained Glass Lantern

I finally completed my new Lantern for the bathroom. I found this lantern on clearance for 10$, what a deal.This one took a little while, I was on a little vacation visiting the grandkids, so my project had to wait.

I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to do with this one. My husband drew the pattern and I chose the glass. I love taking something plain and making it something special. I hope you like it, I have to say that I love it.