Blogs about glassblowing from Pew Pew Laser Blog

Christmas Sucky Bowl.

This is an example of a very simple beginner's form - the sucky bowl. It's a bubble except that the top half has been re-heated and sucked back to form the bowl. I believe that I made this at an Art By Fire blow your own event in the second half of 2009.

As always, thanks to the husband for the photography.

Cube Glass Paperweight.

Two years ago, I made this paperweight in my first glassblowing class. I flattened the edges by letting the glass rest on the marver for a few seconds on each side. The inner blue color is twisted scrap color (pieces from other work which broke), and the red dots are frit on another layer of glass.

Even though they can be quite complex, abstract paperweights are popular form in beginner's classes.

In a paperweight, just a little bit of color will go pretty far. Different of color (or bubbles) can be layered onto a paperweight by dipping the piece into clear glass.

World's Fanciest Butter Dish.

This piece's original destiny was an oval shaped platter, but I liked the shape when it was half bowl / half platter, so I stopped flattening then and boxed it. The oval shape comes from using the cork paddles to flatten the piece (as seen before on Mr. Ugly) before transferring to the punty.

This color application was a base layer of K20 Brilliant Yellow, with a "hot cross swirl" in K61 Dense White. The gaffer touches the hot colored bit (white, in this case) to the moile, draws it around the piece to the opposite side of the moile, rotates the pipe 90°, and draws the color across the bubble again. I had a lot of space in-between one of my stripes, so I drew on another leg with the color bit. Unfortunately, the yellow and white colors burned together - creating the ugly brown smudges. My instructor says it's probably not the white that's the main culprit, but the yellow.

This piece is the perfect size for a stick of butter. Of course, it also holds candy.

As always, thanks to the husband for the photography. Except for the 3rd photo here - I deserve all the blame for that out of focus mess.

Tax Tips.

Tax season is upon us! Having finished my taxes for this year, here are some things I'd like to remember for next year:

• "Hobby expenses" can only be deducted if you made money from said hobby. (And, I imagine, you reported said income.)
• The purchase of your tax software can be deducted.
• The time (or "professional services") volunteered to a non-profit is not deductible.
• There is no need to file Schedule H if the household employee is self-employed.

I know that this is all very exciting information, but please remember that I'm a web developer, and you should consult an actual tax professional of some kind if you have any questions.

Mr. Ugly.

I made this piece during January of 2010, at the Beginner II class at Seattle Glass Studio. I used some some very cool techniques, which combined to make the ugliest thing I've ever made.

I love the tiny bubbles in this piece, which are more visible in the full pictures. This is done by quickly dunking the hot glass into a freshly stirred bucket of water with baking soda. You've probably seen this on countless Mexican-themed pitcher and tumbler sets, usually with a cobalt blue lip wrap.

The blue marks on this piece are cane drawing, where the gaffer "draws" on the piece using a thin noodle-like piece of colored glass. The cane didn't stick to the piece where I intended, and it cut my hand a little when it snapped halfway through. I haven't yet seen an application of cane drawing that I like; it always reminds me of a puff paint t-shirt.

The piece is oval shaped, rather than round. The gaffer does this using cork paddles while the assistant heats and flips the piece at the gaffer's command.

While I think that this particular vessel is pretty hideous, a lot of people like it. I gave it away during an "Ugly Glass Exchange" / white elephant party around Christmas. The person who got it seemed to like it. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, eh?

As always, thanks to the husband for the photography.