I have a brand new tool and it’s a winner!

Recently got a pair of Seabell glass nippers. I am not exagerating when I say these are the best ever glass nippers that I have used in my fused glass studio. I am so impressed for so many reasons. My favorite feature is the rubber wheels behing the nipper wheels that keep the glass from flying! You can see them and all the great features in more detail here: https://witsendmosaic.com/seabell-wheeled-glass-mosaic-nippers.html

I have several other nippers in my collection but I just wasn’t happy. My first one was the cheap red-handled one that most people start with. They are heavy and have a wide spread. My hand started aching quickly.

Next I got a smaller Leponitt one. It was lighter, had a closer spread, and in general was more comfortable to use. Unfortunately the spring kept falling out. I had to jerry rig it to get it to stay in. These are good if you are on a budget and were my favorite until now.

Then I tried the Silberschnit, which is a well known top of the line expensive brand name. Has to be good… right? Wrong. These are my least favorite. They cut well, but they are so uncomfortable in my hand. They handles have squarish edges, not a great idea.

I bought my new nippers online from WitsEnd Mosaic (https://witsendmosaic.com). These are the best I have used and I think they are well worth the money.

Several years ago I noticed that every time I was outside there seemed to be an abundance of dragonflies flying around. I first took this as a sign that I needed to incorporate dragonflies into my designs. As I researched it I read that dragonflies symbolize change. My first thought was – I hope not! I was really enjoying my life at that moment. It so happens that things did change. Most significantly, both of my octogenarian parents battled illness and passed. One had melanoma; the other dementia. It was a long journey that consumed much of my physical and emotional energy.

In the aftermath, I am rethinking much of my “before” life. The reality that life is finite becomes, well, more real! Add to that the fact that our bodies start to break down as we age, and you definitely get more introspective. I find myself seeking simplicity, more focus on family and experiences rather than things, and spending time where it matters.

One area I am simplifying is my glass business. Listing products and keeping inventory straight in two online shops was time consuming. Going forward, my website shop will only sell downloadable products (patterns and tutorials) and print-on-demand products (tshirts, mugs, etc.). I will sell my actual glass items on Etsy. What I sell will also be simplified; focusing on best sellers and custom requests. I can’t give up my glass business completely. I need this creative outlet. It is how I recharge my battery. Ask my husband. I can get pretty grumpy when I don’t get studio time!

I am also discontinuing my newsletter. Despite my goal to send out a quarterly newsletter, I was lucky to do it once a year. It was one of those to-do list items that stared me in the face quarterly that I never had the satisfaction of crossing off.

Which brings me to the really good news. I am having a sale! For now I will keep Christmas items on my website shop. All Christmas items are 40% off. Now is the time to snag a deal and a one-of-a-kind gift.

One of the most common questions I see on fused glass sites is, “What is the best glue to use for glass?” Everyone seems to have their own favorite. I have used several different glues depending on the application. For me, I am particularly interested in a glass to metal bond.

I have been creating glass garden art for many years. As of today, my very first prototype piece still stands in my garden. It has weathered temperatures from the single digits to triple digits. It has survived torrential rain, blistering sun and hail. However, I do take it inside for hurricanes. Obviously, a glass projectile would not be a good thing in a hurricane.  Over the years, only one piece has ever failed, and that was totally my fault! I did exactly what I tell my customers not to do. I held the glass when I pushed the stake into the ground instead of holding the stake.

So you say… great!  Stick with that. I am embarrassed to admit I don’t remember what it was. My recollection is that it was a GE Silicone type adhesive. I do remember it smelled bad and dried in the tube quickly.  I have used several other silicone and marine glues since then. All seemed to work just fine and I eventually settled on Amazing Goop Max II for it’s UV resistant properties.

Glue Test Inspiration

A few weeks ago I ran out of my favorite glue. The only marine glue available at my local hardware store was DAP Marine Sealant. I assumed all marine glues were the same. At about the same time, I saw a video by Jamaison Schuler evaluating several glues. (If you are a new glass fuser, you should definitely check out his channel on YouTube. He is very generous with sharing information and taking us along on his glass journey sharing the lessons learned.) After watching Jamaison’s video, I was inspired to do my own tests. It was something I have wanted to do for a long time.

Admittedly, my test was not quite as detailed as his. He had a special tool to see how much force he could put on the join before it came apart. I just tried to twist and pull my pieces apart with as much might as I could muster. If it didn’t fall apart, it was a winner in my book! Also important to me were the application instructions. Sometimes (okay, well really most of the time), I am not patient enough to do the “apply wait 2 minutes”, “join and clamp”, “rough up surface”, etc. I just want to put the glue on and put it together. Done! So, that is exactly what I did in my test.

Glues I Tried

• Gorilla Max Strength
• Amazing Goop Marine
• Amazing Goop II Max
• E6800 Industrial Glue
• DAP Marine Sealant RTV Silicone

The Highlights

Some smelled bad. A few were very runny. After the glue dried, some cleaned up easier than others. I read the spec sheets and directions on each glue and was surprised by what I learned. The most surprising was that the DAP Marine Sealant spec sheet said, “Not recommended for use on or near brass, copper or copper alloys, zinc, iron, galvanized metals or other surfaces prone to attack by weak acids.” That’s a problem for me. Threw that one in the trash immediately!

The Glue Winner

I second Jamaison’s vote for Gorilla Max Strength. A close second though was the Goop Max II.

The differences between the two.

• Goop didn’t smell quite as bad as Gorilla Glue
• Goop was easier to clean up after it dried. It stayed softer and I could use an Exacto knife to cut off the excess. Gorilla Glue dried harder and was hard to cut.
• Gorilla Glue seemed to form a quicker bond. Or at least enough of a bond that I didn’t worry about the stake sliding off the glass.

Another key difference was the application instructions. As I mentioned, I am impatient. I applied the glue to the metal and then placed the glass on top. The Gorilla Max Strength said apply to one surface and wait 10 to 30 minutes. I did not. Amazing Goop Max II said to rough up smooth surfaces, apply to both surfaces and wait 2 minutes before putting the two surfaces together. I did not. Even though I did not follow the directions verbatim, both of these glues had exceptional hold. After 72 hours, I cut not pry the glass off of the metal. All of the other glues failed.

My Conclusion

Based on my testing, I am going to go with Gorilla Max Strength. Mostly because if I am doing several stakes, I can apply the glue to all of the stakes and then go back and apply the glass. It does not say it is UV resistant but does say you can use it outdoors. Amazing Goop which is UV resistant is a good alternative especially if I want the ability to clean up after the glue cures.

I am glad I finally did the test and encourage you to do some testing as well. Let me know if you find any other glues that work exceptionally well. You can find my garden glass art here: Garden Art.

Today, I am sharing exciting news about what’s been going on in my world. Specifically my new Shop for a Cause merchandise.

Last year, quite a bit of my time was involved in setting up a nonprofit called Dream Big Kids. This all came about because I wanted to become an affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. I first heard about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library after the birth of my first grandchild who lives in another state. Through a partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, children can receive a free book each month. It is addressed to the child and mailed directly to their home. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library brings high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five. The program is designed to inspire a love of reading from an early age and to help children develop the skills they need to succeed academically and in life.

I loved reading to my children at bedtime and on long vacation car rides. Our vacation favorite was the Hank the Cowdog series which kept both the children and the driver entertained. I believe strongly that reading is a foundation for success in life. It opens new worlds and possibilities, sparks the imagination, and inspires creativity. Reading to a child also helps build a strong bond between the child and the reader, whether it be a parent, grandparent, or other caregivers. I want to ensure that every pre-school child living in my community has access to books and the chance to discover the magic of reading.

To become an affiliate of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the affiliate has to be sponsored by a nonprofit. I didn’t find a local nonprofit that I could work with so I went about starting my own. You can read more about Dream Big Kids and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at our website. To date, we have 148 children enrolled. Our goal is to double that number by year-end. In addition to signing up children and spreading the word, our job is to raise funds to pay for the books that are mailed each month. I have recently started selling T-shirts and other merchandise in my shop. The industry calls these Print On Demand products. I create the design and then a print provider prints and ships the items. The profits of these sales will go directly to supporting our mission to get books into the hands of preschoolers in our community. The items will cover a variety of themes that I am passionate about. Everything from reading to glass art, and even to pickle ball! I will be adding more items in the months ahead. So please take a look, and shop for a cause.

This need/obsession also extends to my glass studio. As any glass artist will tell you, we usually collect way more supplies than we can ever use in a lifetime. I am finally ready to let go of some of things. I am starting off with some vintage hand spun rondels that I inherited from my father’s glass studio. My guess is they are from the 1960’s or even earlier. The box says they are from West Germany. There is probably a whole generation of young people now that don’t even realize there once was a West and East Germany.

So if you are a glass artist, check them out on my shop page. Apparently rondels are not all that easy to find any more. I have used them in the past for suncatchers and panels. They definitely add some old world charm to any stained glass creation.

Glass Studio in the Beginning

In the beginning, I had a box of tools in the garage and a small stash of glass. I used two saw horses and a piece of plywood as my work table when I wanted to work on a stained glass project. I placed this in a breezeway between the house and the garage. Not ideal, but it worked. Until the day when I was putting things away and discovered a big snake coiled up under the table. I have no idea how long he was sitting there by my feet as I worked! That is when I decided I needed a dedicated space in the garage.

Work Surface

The most important part of the studio is the work surface. I am fortunate to have a handy husband who built a work bench for me. Here are the things I love about my worktable:

• It is free standing so I can work on any side.
• The height was made to suit my height for cutting glass.
• It is on wheels and can be moved if necessary.
• It has two shelves below the work surface. The top one, which is easily accessible has plastic bins with tools and items for different tasks like, soldering, cutting glass, etc. The bottom shelf stores my lead came, patterns, roll of fiber paper. There is also a space where I can fit four kiln shelves.
• One end has strips of wood attached on top of the table at a right angle. This is great when building a stained glass panel.

Glass Storage

The second most important thing is storage. Storing glass was the priority for me. Since I was on a budget, we retrofitted and old computer desk. We turned it upside down, and added a few dividers. It worked fine for several years. As my glass collection grew, I needed a different solution. My husband built a larger glass rack that accommodates both large and smaller pieces of glass. The old storage rack holds my overflow glass. Smaller pieces of glass are stored in a plastic bin. When they get even smaller, I store them in plastic boxes from the container store.

Shelves and Larger Tools

Next, are wall shelves. You can never have too many wall shelves. My shelves hold my grinder, molds, frits, and more.

If you have the room, having one table to cut on and another to work on is a very nice setup. I have a folding table up against one wall that has my Morton cutting board on it. It is raised on some blocks to make it my ideal cutting height. Also on the table is my smallest 8-inch kiln which sits on top of a heat proof surface.

Eventually I added a tabletop sand blaster. It sits on top of an old computer printer stand that went with the aforementioned computer desk.

As I acquired other larger tools (tile saw and wet belt sander) my husband built more rolling stands. They are placed to the side of the garage along the walls. I roll them outside when I work with them. My two kilns are also on rolling stands though I rarely move them.

What I Would Add to my Glass Studio

If only I could have a source of water and a utility sink to clean things! Unfortunately, that is not a possibility. Instead, I keep two large plastic laundry detergent containers filled with water on a shelf. I use this for quick cleanups, to mix up shelf primer, or for grinder fill-ups. They are the type with the push button spout. I recommend storing these with the spout up when not being used. I did have one leak after two years.

Here are pictures of my workspace.

At the moment, I seem to have a Colorado theme going on with my stained glass patterns.

The Inspiration

I am expanding my offerings of stained glass patterns in my Etsy shop. That means I am always on the lookout to see what is popular. What might a stained glass hobbyist want to make? Recently, I asked a fellow stained glass artist what her biggest seller was. Her answer surprised me. It was the marijuana leaf. I thought about this and remembered a friend of mine who sells CBD products. A stained glass marijuana leaf might be the perfect gift for her. 

The Pattern

The marijuana leaf pattern is simple enough for a beginners. It uses a small amount of glass. The smallest size could probably made from scrap glass lying around the workshop. The pattern set includes 4 different sizes: from 7.25 inches tall to 4.75 inches. Find this pattern and my other patterns in my Etsy shop.

A friend of mine has a beautiful view of Quandary Peak from her home. It is breathtaking. I could sit there all day snuggled on the couch watching the sunlight play across the mountain. I wouldn’t call my mountain stained glass sun catcher “breathtaking” but it does look great hanging in a window. It too changes with the moving sunlight.  Every time I look at it I am reminded of the wonderful majestic mountain view and the wonderful time I had at my friend’s Colorado home.

There are many mountain stained glass suncatcher styles. This is my version. Well, actually, I made several versions. I created three different mountain patterns, plus two variations for a total of five patterns. The size is 8.5 wide by 6.5 to 7 inches high depending on the pattern. I, of course, made mine in blue and green, my favorite colors. But, I think it would look great in almost any combination of colors. All clear textured glass could have a very interesting look as well.

This is an easy beginner pattern. As an added bonus, it is great for using small stained glass pieces as well as scrap glass leftover from other projects. Don’t we all have a box full of that!

This pattern is for sale in my shop as a digital instant download here: Mountain Patterns. It includes 2 pdf documents. One has all the patterns. The second PDF file has many of the helpful hints and tips I have acquired over many years of experience. It is not an instructional tutorial and assumes you have a basic knowledge of how to create a stained glass copper foiled project. My patterns are for personal use only. Please do not make or distribute copies of the pattern or teach the project. You are welcome to sell pieces made from my patterns, but if you post a picture online kindly credit the design to Glass Art by Margot.

Help! What Colors Work Together?

It got me think though! Surely, there must be an app for that. Searching online I came across an app by Adobe called Adobe Capture which is a good option. Similarly, you can achieve the same goal by going to the Adobe Color website. Of course, you use your phone to work on the website.

Unfortunately, neither the website nor the app is very intuitive for the simple way I want to use it. I basically want to upload an image of a piece of glass and then see what the complementary colors are. A bit of time experimenting and I eventually figured out how to create a palette and save it to a library. The app and website have many features. It is definitely geared towards photographers and web designers. Without a doubt, it is overkill for what my needs are, but it was the best I could find and it is free. Int the end, I found it genuinely helpful.

Help! What Colors Work Together?

If you look at my store, you will see much of my work is in shades of blue. It is my comfort zone. When I try to venture out and buy a piece of glass in a different color, I often have it in my studio for a long time before I use it. I get stymied on what colors to coordinate with it. Two of the colors I have sitting in my studio waiting for creative inspiration are Persimmon Opal and a Caledon Opal. And so, I gave the the Adobe Color Wheel website a try to see if it could help me.

Briefly, here are the steps I took:

• On the Oceanside Glass website search for the color
• Click on the image of the glass and save it to phone (or desktop if working on a computer)
• On Adobe website go to the Create section and upload the image
• Navigate to the Color Wheel where there is a drop down arrow that has 9 different palettes based on color wheel theory
• Save the preferred palettes to a Library
• Use the created palette to help choose glass

As an example, here are some pictures of the color palettes generated by using a picture of the celadon green and persimmon glass as well as the glass I chose based on them.

I now feel more confident moving forward with these color combinations.

I have a new tutorial for sale. This one is all about how to make fused glass Christmas tree ornaments.

Over the years, I have made a variety of Christmas ornaments. In this tutorial I share five, tried and true, fused glass tree ornaments that I have made. You could certainly figure out how to make these on your own. But as with any new idea I try out, I find it takes quite a bit of experimentation to get them to look just right. Usually, I will make something in several sizes before I find the one that is not too big, not too small, but just right.

It is often the little things that make the difference. Do I use two layers or three layers? Do I face the points up or down? I wrote this tutorial to give beginners a jump on making fused glass ornaments. The templates, pictures, and explanations, along with some tips and hints will help beginners make beautiful holiday ornaments on the first try. No need to experiment. I have done it for you. And, no wasted glass in experiments. Glass is getting more expensive all of the time!

After make a few of these ornaments, I hope they will be a springboard for you to come up with your own variations. As an added bonus, most of these can be made with scrap glass.

You can find this tutorial on my Etsy website. I am always open to feedback and suggestions for new tutorials.