Put a chimney on it

I can't believe I've not even got Xmas over with, and I am already planning next year!

Ducting (centre) and one of the pair of Oxycons I use behind (right). Top left is one of the kilns I use.

The last few weeks have been quite busy, and I've still hardly managed to get my Etsy shop up and running again, but, fingers crossed, I hope to start working on that again in the dark days of winter. I am not sure if I will take a few weekends off in January yet, even if I do there won't be any let up as I've signed up for another big sci-fi festival in March!

I am getting used to the bench looking this untidy!

 This time it's Birmingham NEC on 16 &17th March for the joint MCM Expo & Memorabilia festival. If that goes well I'll hope to book for the one later in the year as well, not to forget the two London MCM shows as well! I'm already confirmed for the 24-26th May. Plus of course most weekends at Greenwich, which as you may/maynot have heard is now NOT being redeveloped, instead they are going to repair the roof and fix some of the cobbles to make them a little bit easier to walk and stand on - especially good for those who get to stand there for 9 hours or so!

Amongst all this I also need to do some work on the workshop space. Yesterday I took delivery of a new oxycon (for those who don't know what that is, it's an ex-medical oxygen concentrator that takes oxygen out of the air to help boost the flame I use.) After a few initial problems once I got it up and running I realised just how wheezy the oldest one I use had become, I use two paired together, already I am noticing how much hotter the flame is.

 The other job is also to upgrade the extractor fan as I've never been very happy with how well it works. I already have one part of the new chimney, a 200mm diameter steel pipe and connectors, and  I am just waiting for the fan and final parts. At the same time as installing that I'll take the opportunity to have a bit of a spring clean, put up a few shelves for jars of powered and crushed glass, and maybe even organise some better racking for glass rods.

Somewhere amongst all this I'll be trying to get plenty of new pendants and marbles made for the Expos, Etsy shop and Greenwich stall, plus I have a few sculpture projects I've been wanting to find time to have a go at. They say there is no rest for the wicked, but I certainly don't remember ever being so wicked to have earnt so much to do!

Upcoming Fairs

I am out and about, and at large again soon! First of all I will be at West Bergholt, which is just outside Colchester on Saturday 20th. It runs from 10am till 4pm, and there is more info here; http://creationsfayre.blogspot.com/2010/08/meet-stallholders.html

Also on Thursday 9th December I will be in London, at The Museum of London's Docklands venue for their Christmas fair. This is an evening event, and runs from 6pm till 9pm, I understand there will be about 50 stalls, mince pies, mulled wine, and even carol singers (although I can't vouch for them all being called carol!) More info; http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/EventsExhibitions/events/eventDetails.htm?eventID=2733

Excuse the lack of blog and Twitter postings of late, I've been frantically making for both of these fairs, plus items for a shop in Cirencester called M.A.D.E at 9 Silver Street. They don't have as large a selection of my work as The York Gift Gallery, but they do now have a selection of my Steampunk Whistles and Marble Bottle Stoppers! Please do check it out if you are in the area and let me know what you think!

The York Gift Gallery (19 The Shambles, York) I am pleased to hear from owner Kate that it is going from strength to strength. They managed to raise £100 last week towards Breast Cancer, and I was more than pleased to help it along with a pink pendant from me. You may have noticed a lack of 'pinkness' in my shops, it's one of the colours I find hardest to work with, so it's quite a rare pendant!

You may also have noticed a lack of new 'stuff' in my Etsy and Folksy shop of late, making the recent batch of razors has taken up a lot more time than I realized, plus I am making lots of new stuff for both the upcoming fairs and the York Shop, but I will try and get some new bits listed soon! It's great to be so busy, I even had to order a 'little' bit of glass - 32kg of clear rods!!!! That should keep me going for a few months! I have lots of ideas of new things to try, including a still half finished glass Steampunk sculpture, but I guess I might not get the chance to do them until the xmas holidays!

Thank You!

Firstly before everyone goes away and settles down for the Xmas holidays, a bit thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past year. It’s not been an easy year, but it’s been lovely to have ‘met’ (albeit virtually) so many great people in the glass and crafting worlds. Thank you to all who’ve taken trouble to comment on my blog, given inspiration and advice, and of course special thanks to all of you who have been kind enough to buy some of my glass creations! It is very appreciated, not just because it means I can buy more glass, but it means I must be doing something right for you to want my glassy bits!

It’s not going to be all rest for me over the next few weeks, I want to get into the workshop and try out some new ideas and continue to strive to improve some techniques over the coming year. If the snow thaws I might even battle into the shed and try and make some things I’ve promised for myself (I still have a half finished walking stick in there somewhere!)

Thank you, and have a merry Xmas, and a great New Year!

Glenn :-)