Kokomo Sale Square Sample Again

An Actual Unedited Email Received By FIG Looking For A Job

English. Rush fan.24 years stained glass experience seeks work.

(person not quite as pictured, but maybe...)

Star Lamp Pattern

We have had a lot of requests recently for the pattern for a three dimensional lamp in a star shape. It was a pattern that we had gotten in awhile ago. One that sat lonely and unwanted, wallowing in self pity, distraught and dejected. One that sold so slowly that we had initially decided to let it die a quiet and dignified death. But now, today, it is rejuvenated and alive and it seems that everyone wants it again. While it took uncanny skill and devotion on Mikey's part, we now have the pattern back in stock- at only $13.99!

New Spectrum Glass

Use it for stained glass, or use it for fusing or don't use it for anything.

If you use it for fusing, here's a cool little project here.

Jen's Jewelry or Mike's Feeble Attempt at Alliteration

It's always so rewarding when we see one of our students strike out and become successful. And then there's Jen...

Check out her work at www.urbanfusions.ca

More Kokomo Sale Squares

Kokomo Glass

Kokomo Opalescent Glass Works. What can we say about this great American glass manufacturer? Located in Kokomo, Indiana, it is the oldest manufacturer of hand cast, rolled cathedral and opalescent glass in America, and the oldest manufacturer of opalescent glass in the world. Hey, they even provided good old Louis Tiffany with artglass back in the 1880’s. And we were the first source for this glass in Canada, going back to the early 1980’s. They make everything from single colour cathedrals to 5 colour opal mixes, streakies, ripples and catspaw opals.

Kokomo is incredibly easy to cut and has a colour quality unmatched by its competitors.

And you know what?

We can actually get it, unlike some other manufacturers such as Spectrum which is becoming increasingly scarce over the past couple of years.

We now have secured a steady supply of this great glass in 12” Sale Squares, and have priced them way too cheaply. Included are opals, cathedrals, ripples and streakies, and of course, their great 5 colour mixes. And as usual, the buy 5, get 1 free, etc sale bonus also applies.

Scrap Dichroic Paks

It appears that the staff have been drinking again (the LCBO strike was averted guys...Mikey) because we seem to once again have too much broken CBS dichroic fusible glass. Mikey in his genius (letters to Ed at fig@fantasyinglass.com) has packaged it all up into nice little clear boxes weighing six ounces. This scrap is all clean and unscratched as FIG policy demands we treat all our dichroic as if angels had delivered it on extended wings from fluffy clouds in the sky. Six ounces is the equivalent of seven 2" x 4" pieces (with a retail of $105.00 and up), but as it is scrap (albeit top quality scrap- the angel thingie remember?), it's yours for only $39.99 (very limited supply).

New Glass Crusher and Sorter

Frustrated and stressed over Mikey's incessant jabs at Gary Brown?

Feel a need to a more hands-on involvement with this craft of glass fusing?

Then try this:

crush Gary''s head, oops, did I say that out loud? I meant to say, crush your own glass and make your own frit and powders for fusing. Unleash all that pent-up frustration and get something worthwhile for your effort.

Also, it seems the one problem when making your own frits and powers is how to sort it into different particle sizes. Not anymore. We've got Aanraku Sifters- four containers that nest inside each other and will sift and sort your crushed glass according to particle size.

Table Top Foiler

Mikey fields his 300th call from customers enquiring about the latest and hopefully greatest new foiling machine- The Table Foiler (FIG retail- $99.99). Now remember- don't shoot the messenger- IT'S STILL NOT AS GOOD AS DOING IT BY HAND! (send letters to Mikey, c/o FIG Inc, 703 The Queenswasy, Toronto, M8Y 1L2) Don't worry, if a really good foiling machine ever comes out Mikey will strip down naked and run through the streets of Toronto proclaiming its virtues to all who care to listen. Still determined to spend your hard earned dollars on tools, then maybe consider Glastar's handfoilers- if you ever saw Mikey's dad, Joe using one, you'd buy stock in the company, he got it working so well! Wanna see proof? Check out Mikey's office (commonly referred to by the staff as The Ivory Tower) and see the results on an Odyssey Water Lilly lamp he made.

Bullseye Thin Fire Paper

Bullseye says, save time and avoid brush stroke marks. With that attitude where the heck would Jackson Pollock be today? We like brush marks and texture. But it can be unseemly at times. That's when you'll want to use thin shelf paper instead of kiln wash for an ultra smooth finish on the back of your fused piece. Bullseye's ThinFire Shelf Paper doesn't shrink (oh yeah? Give it to my wife- she shrinks everything...Mikey) or curl up in the kiln and features a printed pattern of the Bullseye logo on the bottom side, as shown above. That way the kids won't use it for crafts. The logo pattern does not affect glass or kiln shelves but sure looks mighty cool.

Why the logo? Well, for one, it helps strengthen Bullseye's branding and image. Some of our Bullseye loyalists take perverse pleasure in placing Spectrum glass on top of the Bullseye logo encrusted paper to remind people that there is another choice for fusing glass (although not with paper as Bulleye's is the only one) and two, Thinshelf paper really does have a smoother side. Just remember, logo side down against the shelf; plain side up, against the glass to create the smoothest, cleanest-possible finish for your work.

One time use. Measures 20-1/2" x 20-1/2". Or cut from a roll at 41" wide.

Cool Jewelry Findings Not Found Elsewhere

How about an 18" silver plated neck wire that actually sits nicely on the neck (like you see here with Figimodo looking so stylish)?

In packs of five. Under 20 bucks.

Gary Brown

Like Lex Luthor to Superman, I too have a nemesis. And his name is Gary Brown.
I have pictures.
He apprehensively awaits their exposure to the great unwashed public.
I, in turn, wait patiently to decide when to inflict them upon my followers.
I had a great post written and queued up to accompany the exposure of Mr. Brown (It was about a twitter exchange between Jim Matthews from Spectrum and Lani McGregor from Bullseye agreeing to a Sys93 compromise).
It was good, not great.
I couldn't exceed my (or your) expectations, so I posted nothing.
Except his picture...

Just the Facts...

Most Canadian retail stores must buy from our One and Only Canadian Stained Glass Supplier, where they have added a U.S. Dollar Surcharge to all their prices.

We refrain from making any editorial comment and will just let the figures speak for themselves.

Surcharges are as follows:

Oct. 15, 2008- (dollar at .845 cents)- surcharge is 7.9%

May 29, 2009- (dollar at .916 cents)- surcharge is 16.0%

Monthly Sale for June Now Up

Another unflattering picture of Zenia signals the arrival of another monthly sale at Fantasy In Glass. Check it out here...

And just another reminder. We are currently closed on Mondays...

Al's Window

Every once in awhile we come across a great piece of work. This window's the culmination of Theresa (one of our teachers) who did the original artwork and Al (he's the piece of work).

Aanraku Bails

Sometimes maybe they're just too small...

and sometimes perhaps they're just too big...

But now they should be just right as Aanraku's incredibly popular jewelry bails now come in a medium size.

And they are on sale this month too!

Glass Fusing with 90 Continues to Get Bigger

Uroboros is an equal opportunity manufacturer- they make 90 coe glass that 'fits' with Bullseye and System 96 glass that 'fits' with Spectrum. They've just announced the addition of another fifteen 2- colour streaky colours, but issued the picture above that shows just ten (?). I guess the others might be clears? (lame joke- sorry...Mikey).

They've also just announced the existence of this glass as a 90 although we've had it for awhile as a 96 glass.

Wine Bottle Stopper

Makes a nice personalized gift- just add your own glass work in the 1" circular recess.

But as Mikey has discovered, while it will work on a twist top bottle, it 'ain't worth a damn on a Box of Wine'(his fav' no doubt)...

New Store Hours

Well, not quite that bad, but we will be closed on Mondays for the summer starting Monday May 18th...

Just the Facts- No Editorializing

Our One and Only Canadian Stained Glass Supplier instituted a U.S. Dollar surcharge way back in November, 2008 when the Canadian Dollar made a dramatic drop.

Here's just the facts:

Nov. 21, 2008-

CDN Dollar is at 77 cents... surcharge is 19.5%

May 8, 2009-

CDN Dollar is at 86 cents (up 10%)... surcharge is 18.8%

(down less than 1%).

Just the facts...

The 'Why Can't We all Get Along' Rack- Bullseye, Spectrum, Uroboros and Wasser, but all very clearly labelled...

Spectrum fusible cathedrals...

Fusible Spectrum (96) opals, Mists and Opalarts with some fill-ins from Uroboros (for the colours Spectrum doesn't make like reds) ...

The Boneyard (remnants of Bullseye mottles, Chicago Art Glass and even Uroboros...

Bullseye fusible opal sale rack...

Bullseye fusible cathedral sale squares with some furious stuff at the top...

Another new rack...

A new front rack...