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As online shopping has increased tremendously over the past 10 years, more and more individuals have entered the online marketplace trying to sell their hand-crafted items, thinking it’s the perfect way to make some extra money doing what they love.  And it can be, but it’s often not as easy or simple…

Glass Arts 101

Have you heard the terms “stained glass”, “fused glass”, “blown glass”, and “lamp working”, but aren’t sure what the differences are between them all?  I thought I’d outline the basics to give a better understanding of each one.

First let’s talk about the glass itself.  Stained glass is colored and clear glass that is manufactured and sold in sheets, rods, chips, and frit (crushed glass).  It comes in many different textures as well as colors.  There are about…

People often ask me how long it takes to make a stained glass piece, and what goes into it.

The process is virtually the same whether I’m making a small suncatcher or a 3 foot window panel, but the time / labor it takes can vary greatly.  The simplest 5-piece suncatcher will take about 1 – 1 ½ hours from start to finish, while a complex design of several hundred pieces can take weeks.  Here is why--

The 10 steps required:

1. Design a viable pattern…

Have you ever walked into a church and been mesmerized by the colorful light pouring in through the beautiful stained glass windows and thought, "Wow! I'd love something like that in my house!"  If only you had gigantic church windows in your house to put it!  Of course looking for something on a smaller scale is more practical, and since every house is different I thought I'd discuss some of the basics for determining which type of piece might work best in your home.

Stained glass…

If you have been searching unsuccessfully for the perfect size, color, and design of a ready-made stained glass panel for your home, or are looking for a truly meaningful anniversary or birthday present for that special someone in your life, then having a custom stained glass piece created to your unique specifications could be just what you need!

But where to start?  Going through the following steps will help guide you through the process.

1.  Find a stained glass…

There are two basic types of construction of stained glass pieces:  The copper foil method (also known as the “Tiffany” method), and the lead channel came method.

The traditional method of surrounding glass pieces with lead channel came and soldering the joints together was first written about in the late 11^th century.  It was the method used for constructing large church windows and is still in use today.  It is best suited for designs with larger and simpler shapes.  The…