New page on Facebook

Hi again,

I am pretty new to all this but I have just created a page on Facebook and I am desperate to get enough likes so that I can get all the functionality. The address is as follows:

https://www.facebook.com/glasshopperssa/posts/158566464282648?ref=notif&notif_t=share_comment#!/pages/Glasshoppers/448887658488082

Please go there as I am going to be continually uploading new work.

Many thanks
Jen

New pictures

Hi there,

Just posted some new pics of what we have been up to on the pages headed Mosaics, Fused Glass, Stained Glass Doors & Windows.

Comments are always welcome.

Thanks for looking and enjoy your day.

Jen

Stepping Stones into the New Year 2012

Well that was 2011 and Christmas and New Year celebrations all done and dusted. I must admit that I took a bit of a break from glass and just enjoyed the hot weather and the swimming pool for a bit.  Unable to watch TV in the evenings without falling asleep, I felt the need to have something to do so decided on mosaicing some foot paving stones for the pathway outside the back door.  So when the gardener arrived, I had the whole pathway dug up and cleaned and ready for the plastic, pebbles etc only to find out that all the suppliers were closed over the holiday period..............ah well.......
Below are the pics of the foot stepping stones ready and waiting for the pathway now.

New Lamps for Christmas in the Berg at Drakies

Mosaic Lamps seem to be very popular at the moment so I thought I would quickly post some pics before they are gone again.  I didn't manage to take photos of the last lot.

New window @ Mount Edgecomb

Well what do you know?  Christmas is right around the corner and I haven't updated my blog for the longest time!. We have been sooooo busy with all sorts of different things and I haven't really been taking photies either so really and truly for a blogger I have been bad bad bad...............

Attached is a window that Wally has just finished for a home in Mount Edgecomb.  The home is still in the process of restoration and modification so the wood finish on the window has not been completed and the struts holding the frame in place are still visible. There is still a front door and staircase window to be done.
Hope you like it...

Note the wall effect with plaster...............ooooooh I love it !

Sunday Tribune Garden Show

Phew!  I haven't blogged for such a long time.  We have just unpacked and settled in after doing both the Hilton Arts Festival and the Sunday Tribune Garden Show.  Man that was hectic doing 2 shows in 2 weeks! But we survived and now the creative juices are kicking in again with so many compliments received and orders to make. Wally and I decided to take this last weekend off and spend it with friends and I am so glad we did that because the weather was great and it was good to just chillax for a change. This relaxing mode can't last too long though because Christmas is around the corner and we have much to do. I am attaching some pics of our stand at the Garden Show because I am so proud that we won the Bronze Medal along with Bobbi whose jewellery is amazing.  We were judged along with all the major retailers and so it is a very big deal for us to win something like this as we are just crafters and don't have enormous budgets to throw at advertising on a show! Enjoy your day!

Nikki's dishes

I was going to wait until after the market to see how they did but I am just far to excited to wait and really need to share them! Patience was never a virtue of mine.  Nikki came up to visit me for the weekend and got stuck into creating some dishes and I think maybe the bug has bitten.  I love them - well done Nikki!!!

Abstract flower shoe



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Launching the new oil burner

After having Sarah next to me at the ECR House & Garden Show, I can't wait to try out her fresh and tantalising oils in our new oil burners!  While we were at the show, everyone coming through the door wanted to know what smelled so good and it was the Apricot & Biscotti range from  http://www.thebodybarblog.blogspot.com/.

We think that the fresh aromatic smell deserves a beautiful container so we are launching these oil burners at the Hilton Festival on the 16,17,18th September! They come in 3 pieces and can be used in different ways.  For the oil burner, you put all 3 pieces together but if you run out of oil (hopefully not!) then it can be used as 2 pretty little candle holders.  Hope to see you at Hilton!

African Dream windows

Front Door with Acacia Tree, Aloe and hoopoe's

Phew! At last the windows have been installed in Pretoria.  I have been looking forward to this moment for quite a while now as we cut, ground and finished each piece of glass.  These are the windows that I was designing along with the owners in July and was excited about.  They are different and very difficult to photograph properly, especially the long staircase window as it is very tall and the sun streaming through plays havoc with the colours, but then again, that is what the magic of stained glass is all about. The colours change all the time as the sun moves through the sky and that is what captivates me and why I love it so much!  These are not the best of photos and the owners have promised to send me some which I am sure will be much better!

Botton half of staircase window

Entire staircase window

Top half of staircase window

Close-up of the highveld sunbird panel.

Mad Hatter Range and others

Wow!  What a weekend! My eldest daughter Nikki and family came through to spend the weekend with us and after looking at some patterns for dishes Nikki came up with an idea for a Mad Hatter range of dishes. Well this got us all fired up and we started getting the men involved with cutting and grinding and helping us achieve what we set out to do.  Here are a few photos of the results of all this creative energy which was surrounding me:

And then there was another bright idea for the continuation of the Bobbi range.

And then we also got in some new moulds to make some egg crazy goodies - 1 is a glass egg holder and the other dish is for devilled eggs.

Now for the next bunch of ideas..............................

Another lamp

Gosh it is so cold here today - definitely snowing on the Drakensberg mountains. I guess the warmest place for us to be right now is either in bed or in the studio where we have heaters and kilns going all the time.
We are gearing up for the Hilton craft market on the 16,17,18th September so I guess there will be quite a few lamps made before then.  I have finished quite a few mosaics but they are all waiting for grouting (horrible job - yuck) but will post pics when done. This is one of the lamps that I finished for a kiddies room.
The little fused birds are available at Caboodle if you would like to make your own.

Caboodle stock

How busy have we been? Jumped in the car on Monday night and drove through to Hillcrest to sleep over with Tarryn and family.  Then off to an early breakfast with Verena who has just got back from the UK (before the riots - thank goodness!) and then to Caboodle to restock some of the shelves.
 Some photos of the new stuff below.



Owl Lamp

Owl mosaic inserts



Bird dish

Another shoe dish with pearls this time.

Bird mosaic inserts

Parasol Dish

And the cupcake dish
There is so much more to see at Caboodle. Tarryn now making the most gorgeous lego T-shirt and we have lovely lovely woodwork stuff and dresses and and and..............