Proof We Coddle Our Staff

Another day, another FIG staff member taking a much needed break, wrapped carefully and lovingly by Mikey in bubble wrap to assure she awakens fresh, unsullied and unbruised.

Found Item

Running out of places and ideas for your stained glass. Try this- stained glass PC cases

And Yet Another Customer Work

Another Customer Work

Another Customer Work

The Thing About Writing a Blog...

Is that it becomes way too easy to drop a note, or give advice, and makes it therefore seem so much more ponder-some to update the website.

Why are we saying this?

Well, our customers, friends and even some of our sly competitors send us pictures proudly of their work and it sometimes takes months to post them to our website, so we thought it best to make use of this blog to allow you to show off your work.

Here's some:

Closing August 18, Reopening September 1

Tomorrow is the start of a two week sabbatical for Ed the Editor, the wit and wisdom provider of this ongoing blog (since 2001 in one form or another- not counting the shreds of soggy cocktail napkins occasionally slipped under the door to the Ivory Tower (Mikey's office).
He might wax poetic while sipping a Weissbier from high atop the Alps surrounded by Bavarian beauties with lily white skin, or then again he might just scratch his armpit, while drinking a Bud, wearing his favourite Nascar t-shirt and pondering the length of his mullet down at the local legion. With Ed you never quite know what to expect. So maybe, possibly he might drop a pearl of wisdom here over the next two weeks, but then he may not. Depends on those beauties or how cold the beer is.

See you in two weeks!

Talk to the Hand Because the Glass Don't...

Just on our way out the door, for a short vacation, and Zenia thought we should show off the Spectrum Sys96 Opal, Crystal and Wispy Opal, OpalArt and Spirits Sale Square Rack she spent 3 weeks organizing (I know- but what can we do- she's family).

We point out that this is just sale glass and just Spectrum.

Coming up, our greatly expanded Sys 96 racks which will include all the Uroboros 96 glass we can get our hands on.

Always Pay Attention

This is what happens when you don't ask or don't read the labels.

It can end up being an expensive mistake as evident by by the picture above.

Sort of like not reading a fusible label...

The 100 grams of Pata Negra Prosciutto worked out to $9.00/slice...

The Second Nicest Person in this Industry

... don't make me say it out loud who the nicest is...

Tosca, the owner/operator of Nanopod a hands-on studio and teaching facility for metal and glass, is holding a Glass Fusing Workshop coming up on August 29 from 11am-2pm-

"This workshop is a great way to enter the world of art glass. The techniques of fusing and slumping offer almost limitless possibilities for creating with color and form. You’ll learn how to cut glass, emboss-it, embed things in it, paint on it and fuse-it. Pendants, cuff links, brooches, ring tops, magnets, and other jewelry accessories can be created. Techniques learned may be transfered to larger work. All materials included, no experience required."

Call her at 647-219-0585.

Bill Dick

Many of you wouldn't recognize this name. It's a shame. Because you see it's because of Bill Dick that many of you are reading this today. It's because of Bill Dick that stained glass became an industry and a popular vocation for some, a hobby for others.

It's because of Bill Dick that Mikey started Fantasy In Glass.

Bill Dick passed away the other day.

For many of us, our first exposure to him was through the stained glass store he opened known as Renaissance Glass back in the 1970's. Later it was through his opening of a stained glass wholesaler, which carries on today under a different owner.

Bill Dick really was a giant in our industry. He was respected. He understood his customers and cared about them. He helped make many of us a success in his time.

To Terry, Suzanne, Dominique and the rest of his family, we are very sorry for your loss.

Visitation will be Tuesday evening August the 11^th from 7:00pm until 9:00pm at The Turner and Porter Funeral Home 4933 Dundas St. W ( just west of Islington) 416-231-2283.

The funeral service will be held on Wednesday August 12^th at 11:00am at St. Georges on the Hill 4600 Dundas St. W, 416-239-2341.

Coming Next Week

8"- 10"- 12"- 14" black metal stands in both round and square formats, to display finished stained glass, mosaic or fused artwork. All stands have a height from the base to the display channel of 3” with a channel measuring 7/16".

And too cheap!

Some New Spectrum Glass

The Spectrum Wispy family has long been popular in the stained glass market, so I guess it makes sense they'd start formulating some new fusible Wispies. These four new System 96 Wispies feature opalescent color stirred into a clear base. Pretty cool, and something that gives them a wider style line. Because of the high level of clear glass used in these mixes, you . can also create different effects by stacking wispy-over-wispy, or wispy over solid opalescent or transparent colors. Available in Cobalt, Amazon Green, Black, and White.

And remember, just 'cuzz it's fusible, that doesn't mean you can't use it for your stained glass projects. Cobalt Blue/Clear -- #403-96SF, White/Clear -- #409SF, Black/Clear -- #4000-9SF, Amazon Green/Clear -- #402-94S

Mikey's Economic Lesson of the Day

Most Canadian retail stores must buy from our One and Only Canadian Stained Glass Supplier, where there is a US Dollar Surcharge added.

Surcharges are as follows:

Oct. 15, 2008- (dollar at .845 cents)- surcharge is 7.9%
July 28, 2009- (dollar at .925 cents)- surcharge is 13.8%

Make sense? Justified?
It’s a strange and trying time to be a Canadian stained glass retailer.
Anybody out there care to comment- you can easily do it anonymously...