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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Where's the Snow?

In the Pacific Northwest, we've had a week of dry cold with another on the way.  The frost has been lovely but I would love to see a few inches of snow just for fun.  I'm getting so tired of waiting that I'll just make some snow of my own!  If you want to join me, here's what to do.  Find some glass in your basement, cut out some shapes and throw them together on a kiln shelf.


Heat the kiln to about 1425 degrees F. and voila - snowflakes. (Glass fusing is the new macrame/stoneware throwing/slip cast painting. If you can bake cookies, you can fuse glass) 

Now go outside and pretend that they're falling from that sunny sky.  I think they're sticking to the tops of cars.

That first snowfall on the ornamental grasses always makes one wonder if they'll remain standing or topple over under the weight of the snow.
When enough snow falls, the landscape looks like this, they close schools and I get to sleep in. See why I like snow?
"Winter" by my pal Florence Welborn hangs in my front window. 

36 comments:

  1. Your glass snowflakes are beautiful! I think they are prettier than the real thing - although sleeping late gives the real stuff the ultimate advantage!

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    1. Thanks. We can sleep late on the three day weekend coming up which is even better than a snow day because we don't have to do a make up day in June!

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    2. I would like to purchase the pattern for Florence’s’Winter’. How can I get a hold of her?

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    3. You can contact Florence at Mandarin Stained Glass. (253) 582-3355. She'll be out of the store for a few more weeks. I don't know if she sells this pattern or not.

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  2. Stunning snowflakes you've made! I admire your skills, Peter.

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    1. Thank you Satu. It's really very easy once you learn how to do it.

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  3. Wait...you have your own kiln! We had a day this past week where we got light flurries most of the day downtown while I was at work. It didn't stick at all, but was so beautiful from our office on the 6th floor...it made the whole city look like a snowglobe.

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    1. Yup. It's lots of fun and adds a nice warmth on these cold winter days! Your snowfall sounds beautiful! I love watching the stuff.

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  4. I think I must be wishing harder than you, because I've been hoping for the opposite. Frost I can deal with, but snow can just stay where it belongs, which is up in the clouds. At least you have a long weekend coming up. Your snowflakes are so pretty! Cool that you have your own kiln.

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    1. You must have some sort of in with mother nature. I love the way snow looks but dislike trying to drive in the stuff but black ice is the worst. Finally got my own kiln a few years ago after spending way too much time firing stuff at the glass place where I work. It's great to have a kiln at home so I can be doing other things while firing.

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  5. Those are beautiful!

    Funny you mention glass fusing as the hot new craft as I was just looking over the list of classes at the glass shop. I have given most of those things on your list a try as well.

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    1. Thank you. I think you'd really like working with glass. It's a little spendy up front to buy all of the tools but you'll use the same ones for years to come.

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  6. While I disagree entirely with the sentiment, your snowflakes are beautiful!!! You should make agaves!!!! And then hang them from the windows.

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    1. Thank you. I'll have to do some agave drawings & see what I can do.

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  7. They are pretty, and would rather have those than the real thing which we have now...

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    1. Thanks. I'm sorry about your snow. In reality, I don't long for snow; I'd rather just have spring.

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  8. Oh my gosh, your glass ornaments are beautiful! Thanks for showing them to us. I must learn how to make them.

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  9. And a bonus of your glass flakes is that they don't damage plants, yay! I like the agave idea and can't wait to see them!

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    1. I don't know, glass is pretty dense and I bet that an inch or two of glass falling on a plant would beat it down pretty well!

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  10. Oh, those are wonderful! Colored glass is so gorgeous with light streaming through!

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  11. I like your snowflakes. Didn't know fusing glass was the new macrame. We're having a snowless winter also. Though too much snow makes me grumpy (shoveling driveway and sidewalk), I miss it now. You might not be as fond of snow if you lived here, it takes a real blizzard to close the schools.

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    1. I remember living in places where we had to shovel snow and don't miss that at all. We usually don't bother shoveling snow here as it's usually gone in a day or so. What makes snow special is that it doesn't often happen here in te lowlands.

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  12. I bet you will be less embarrassed by your glass fusing phase a few years hence than am I by my macrame.

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    1. Perhaps but we sure made some groovy plant hangers! I thought that one of those hanging chairs (you know made of the white silk cord) would have been the most far out thing ever but never made one. What were we thinking in the '70's? There's nothing wrong with burnt orange, avacado, brown and harvest gold but appliances and shag carpet and those acetate shirts with the wide collars. Don't even get me started on the hair.

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  13. We didn't have a single snow day last year and were just cheated out of a storm that blasted Mississippi but not us. I'm dying for a blizzard. Love your snow flakes!

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    1. We don't even need a blizzard just an inch or so sticking to the road would cause schools to close. Doesn't seem to be in the cards for the next couple of weeks. I hope you get the blizzard for which you're longing. You were talking about the weather and not the treat from Dairy Queen, correct? Thanks.

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  14. Thanks for visiting my blog Peter. Wonderful snowflakes and I like the last shot of Winter. Our front door has an oval of glass and when the sun hits it, it reflects different colours, its not stained though.

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    1. It's great fun to experience summer through your blog during our winter.

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  15. Beautiful. What a great idea. If it doesn't snow, make some of your own.

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    1. Thanks. It seems like this may be the only snow we see this year.

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  16. ''''"Winter" by my pal Florence Welborn hangs in my front window. ''' ...... I just love it, love it !! It looks just the way over here in Japan, right now !! Actually I was thinking of making a piece like this, the scenery we have here ....... It will snow all day today, and this piece just made me happy. Thanks for sharing !!

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    1. It is a beautiful panel and it reminds me of my home state of Alaska. I'm so glad you enjoyed seeing it and that it made you happy!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.