Our Tool Wall

Apparently one tool was not put away...

Holiday Weekend

Yup, we're open- Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm (closed Sunday and Monday). 

Going fast too is our Spectrum Baroques Sale Squares- on sale until the end of the month at $3.77 each!

Antique Store Fixtures Sale

Mikey’s collection of antiques (used as actual store fixtures)  has grown virtually unabated for over 25 years. It was tolerated when we had the space, but as our inventory grew, we gradually had to move them, piece by piece, upstairs to our second floor (originally the FIG Cafe). We now find that space demands for that area means we have to actually consider selling off some of these fixtures.
Our loss your gain?
Check them out here...

Tina's Latest Work

Just out the door, to the D.R. Residence...

Stained Glass News- Always Free!

Just in, the latest issue of SGN 
In #95, you'll find:
 • new items, including: Diamond Core Drills, a new book, new frit colors, new fusible glass colors, a new cutter oiling station, and a new fuser's glass cutting station.
• reader hints, a reader's workshop and more on "The Readers' Page"
• Randy's Help Desk Randy Wardell—Randy offers tips and hints on how to assemble a stained glass box. There will also be a five page naked photo spread of Randy complete with foldout with him holding strategically placed copies of his latest book.
• Let The Glass Do The Talking Judy Coleman—Judy reaches into her bag of tricks and shows us a variety of projects that break the stained glass rules. What fun!
• Health & Safety Fleming Fallon, MD—Fleming continues his series on aging and your glass hobby—changes you may consider that will allow you to continue with your glass hobby as you age.
• SGN Talks To… Mosaic Artist Charlotte House—In this new column, SGN talks to readers who's projects have been featured in our Reader's Gallery. Perhaps you should send in some of your students work!
• this issue's Free Pattern: Cygnus, compliments of Kimberlee Lynch. This fun project uses cut bevels, so you may want to make sure that your staff can help your customers with this technique.
• a page of photos from readers in The Readers' Gallery
• and more…

What's Better Than Getting Hit in the Face with a Kiln Glove?

Taking the very course that uses that glove!
Still some room in next Saturday's Introduction to Fusing Seminar (Sat. May 14, from 10 am to 4 pm).

Call 416-252-6868/ 1-800-841-5758 to register.

It Pays To Read Mikey's Little Blog

The Diary of a Demented Store Owner is a blog that tries to share the insights of a lowly shopkeeper. That means that every so often Mikey will rant about suppliers. Sometimes he'll try to educate. On the rare occasion he might even make an attempt at humour. Today, he offers an exclusive sale item for fusers. Look upon it as a reward for reading this...
From Sat. May 7 to Fri. May 13 (or while supplies last)-

First grade Sys96 Clear Fusible Sale Squares.... on sale at $5.88/each! (cash/debit)

(Oh yeah, that rat on the front is our artwork and adorns every single case of 12" glass from Spectrum. The rat on top is Fantasy In Glass' Official Sales Mascot)

Monthly Sale

As usual, we announce our new monthly sale by way of an unflattering picture of Zenia.

You be the judge.

Sale can be found here...
Don't see it? Hit your refresh button...

Gerald 'Gerry" Ernest Tooke, RCA

As we all get older, it's inevitable that we lose people that had some effect on us. Someone who might have changed your life, if not significantly, at least subtly. While logically it shouldn't be surprising when it happens, I still catch my breath when it does. Especially when it's someone like Gerry Tooke, who passed away on April 29 at a very young 80 years of age.
I had heard of Gerry many years before I actually met him. He was a figure than loomed large in our industry. And when I did meet him, about 25 years ago, it made for an interesting story. One that's best recounted by its similarity to the plot of an old Sean Connery movie- The Anderson Tapes, where a crew of current day tradesmen reassemble after many years to pick up their original vocation (in this case stained glass, not larceny) and complete another commission. Go see the movie. Gerry Tooke's part was played by Sean Connery. Gerry is better looking though.

Gerald Tooke was born in England, studied at Canterbury Cathedral and served as an RAF officer. He came to Toronto in 1954 and by 1960 won his first significant commission. His work can be found right across Canada and even includes windows in the MacDonald Block at Queen's Park. He was one of the youngest people to be elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, eventually serving as their National Director.
He lived a full and interesting life.
We're all richer for his life, and saddened by his passing.

Anthropology of Stained Glass

Given the appalling lack of humour on these pages lately (Mikey seems too pre-occupied with actually running a business) we repeat a favourite post from a couple of years ago until he gets his funny bone back.

Enjoy this absolutely true story...

The most significant discovery in Mikey's long and illustrious stained glass career was entirely serendipitous. Last April, the renown stained glass store owner was hiking in Germany's Neander Valley when he tripped over something on a trail. Some quick digging exposed the obstacle as what seemed to be the tip of a mastodon tusk. It wasn't until a few weeks later when the entire tusk was unearthed and dated that Mikey had realized the magnitude of his find. You see, the tusk he believes, is actually a Neanderthal glass cutter. Using traditional anthropological naming vernacular, Mikey gives it the name "toyofigus" in honour of his glass emporium- Fantasy In Glass (FIG).

What makes this find so significant and explosive is that like the grozing pliers discovered in Slovenia last year, the 50,000-year-old toyofigus predates the presence of glass making! 
Examining the ToyoFigus glass cutter closely we see the existence of a carefully aligned hole that starts at the top of the cutter and runs down through its entire length. 
"I think a Neanderthal master craftsman must have used a stone awl to hollow out this the  toyofigus glass cutter." says Mikey. "Therefore, without a doubt" he says, "this proves that, while primitive man made and used tools, more importantly it suggests that Neanderthals used a cutter lubricant proving they were concerned with cutter wheel longevity".

Furthermore, while digging out the tool, Mikey also had uncovered the entrance to a cave and another major find: the first example of Neanderthal cave stained glass cutlines. Fittingly, the cutlines show lamp and suncatcher designs alongside proposed formulas for actually manufacturing glass once fire is discovered. "Maybe what we have here is the birth of a new hobby and artform."

Mikey theorizes that the Neanderthals' fondness for stained glass may explain why they vanished some 30,000 years ago. "Maybe their frustration at not actually having any glass to cut scared away all the game. They would have produced an awful racket all over the place complaining and arguing over whether Kokomo artglass would continue to be as popular as it is yet to be."

A Boring But Necessary Post (We can't always Be Peace and Love)

I awoke this morning only to find myself all awash with warm and fuzzy feelings for America.
This is a country awash in the spirit of free enterprise. A country willing and longing to do business. A country that will treat you with respect and a sense of fair play.
Something woefully lacking in recent years here in Canada. At least in our tiny little industry of stained (and fused) glass.
After waking up this fine morning, changing out of my jammies (May 1st means I get to wear the ones with the pink bunnies on them), I check the value of the Canadian dollar and see it sitting at a lofty $1.0545, where it's sat for several months now.
If one of our One and Only Canadian Stained Glass Suppliers (OOCSGS) had any sense of fair play they'd be properly accommodating this strong Canadian dollar with a 5% or greater rebate.
Not happening.
After all when our dollar was below par, we were hit with a surcharge that varied from 2.9% to upwards of 20%.
So, what to do? My family demands wieners in their mac'n'cheese.
So coming this week, we have another truckload from the U.S. A place where our $1.05 is actually worth $1.05.

CBS Dichroic Glass

As you've probably heard way too many times by now, Fantasy In Glass is the only full CBS dichroic glass distributor in Canada.
And proud of it.
And the most frequent questions we get from stained glass as well as fusing customers is 'how do they make this stuff?', and 'why are the sheets in such a weird shape?'.
Here's your answers...

The 21st Century Collides with a 1200 Year Old Artform

If you think that an IP address is a map of places listing bathrooms then just skip this blog entry.

If you have a smartphone then you might be interested in our latest innovation- the application of QR Codes.

QR codes (quick response codes) are square shaped bar codes that are easily decoded using your phone. 

That's right folks. No longer will we be using our phones for such menial tasks as actually talking to our loved ones. Now we will be surfing the Net while shopping at Fantasy In Glass, and learning more about the products available here.

Starting today, as you wander around our store, you will find QR codes adjacent to product that you can then scan and within 30 seconds, find out more information on that product. 

If you need QR reading software, there are numerous readers easily available through the various smartphone App stores (Mikey's favourite for his iPhone is Scanlife).

Test it out here-

Just a Reminder

It's funny how many calls we've been getting lately asking if we carry fusible supplies.
We actually started fusing thirty years ago, and were a full-line Bullseye factory certified dealer for over a decade, and still to this day are the only Canadian CBS dichroic glass distributor. When we started, you couldn't even buy fusible glass, so we tested our own.
Heck, Mikey even hangs a fused piece in the store, made from GNA strips in 1983!
So, when it comes to fusing, I think we can brag about being the biggest and best supplier and source of fusing knowledge and assistance.
I'm guessing because there are a lot of people who have never actually been into our store, here's a video tour of our Glass fusing Section of Fantasy In Glass, as hosted by Zenia...

Sadly, Another One Bites the Dust

We've been around now almost thirty years and have seen many new competitors come and and even more, go.

Changes in the market in the last few years, coupled with an abysmal supply situation here in Canada has made it even harder for some to continue.

No longer able to offer the same product range at reasonable prices, many have just decided enough is enough, and have quit the business.

This week, we find another one has closed. 

Glowing Panes has been around almost as long as us. A long time, and a great competitor. 

The Queen rides off into the sunset. She will be missed.

We wish her well...

The Equity(?) of Doing Business in Canada

Top news story recently in all the papers-

"Canadians are paying 20% more on average than Americans for identical products even though the loonie has soared above the U.S. greenback."
Wonder why?
Here's maybe a clue;
A few months ago one of our OOCSG suppliers was adding a surcharge of almost 3% when our dollar sat at  $.98 U.S. (only fair I guess)
Yesterday our dollar sat at $1.05.
Still waiting for a rebate (fair?)...

Tying Up Some Loose Ends

Getting everything ready for this month's massive sale square sale (over 8,000 pcs all at 3.98/ ea!) this blog writing thingy occasionally falls behind. So today is a staccato attack to get caught up. 

Here we go:

1) Another great mixed technique piece from Mike H- if you dig back in the blog a bit you'll see his stunning John Lennon portrait.

2) a lightbox foiled piece from our friendly chef, Frankie:

3) and how about this large transom from Sylvia:

5) or a clean and simple traditional window by Mary, and done in lead too which it seems many people are doing so infrequently these days- nice to see!

4) Saturday April 23 is an added date for flameworking (lampworking, torchworking- too many alternate names, let's just call it Danger Play with a Torch) and while it's now almost full. we can squeeze in two more people.

5) Our great, but tough to pin people down Fuser's Club starts up again Thursday April 7 (7-10 p.m.) and runs for five consecutive weeks (ending May 5). Topics include many advanced fusing techniques such as pattern bars, frit casting, working deep and how to make lavage bread at 1600 degrees in a top-firing kiln.

6) and in closing, lastly (not intentional Freud, honest... Mikey) Happy Birthday to Tania, one of our first under-aged employees (thanks for not reporting us to Worker's Comp, or the Child Labour Board). And to think there was a time when she couldn't do this-

Incredible!

In a massive display of fair play and concern for the stained glass industry, one of Canada's one and only suppliers has decided to finally offer a rebate to it's customers. 

Acknowledging that when the dollar was down to 98.5 cents that a 4.5% surcharge was fair and just, the reverse should also apply, all glass hobbyists and professionals can expect a reduction in the area of over 10% given our dollar now stands at 1.03! 

Remember...

Contrary to public perception, March actually comes in like a lamb, and out like a goat...

Monthly Sale for April Now Up

An unflattering picture of Zenia is the traditional way we announce that the next Fantasy In Glass Monthly Sale has been posted. Normally it's not really that difficult to get such a picture of Zenia, given Mikey's cunning and stealth (never mind the odd bribe), but she apparently has become wiser in her progressing years and has been relatively successful in thwarting Mikey's latest attempts. 
We must point out the substandardness of this month's unflattering picture does not meet our usual high standard of unflatteringness and for that we apologize. 
Regardless, we must brag about this month's sale which is probably the greatest we've ever had. As a teaser, we've put every single cathedral sale square (over 8000 pcs) on sale at...

The World's Best Glass Cutter Returns!

For well over thirty years we’ve always acknowledged that the best glass cutter ever made was the Toyo Supercutter. And they make their cutter in several handle styles. All you have to do is go into any professional studio, just about anywhere in the world and you will see the Toyo brass bodied Supercutter everywhere. It is the cutter I’ve used for three decades, every day, to build everything from lamps to church windows, to teaching, to demonstrating, to cutting up inventory and servicing customers.

Until now.
About nine months ago I was given an oil-fed cutter that was new to me- the Mitsuboshi Acrylic bodied Supercutter. Just another pretender to the throne I thought. We’ve seen so many cutters come and go over the years all of them having never succeeded in beating the Toyo.
Until now.
This is the best cutter that I have ever come across!
Oh I know, people will laugh. Some will even shame and ridicule me. “How can Mikey claim that?’ they will say. “Blasphemy! Heretic! Preacher of falseness!’
But I speak the truth!
Regularly....... $49.99
Until now.
On Sale throughout the month of April for only $33.33! 

A Very Nice Window Found On-Line

Mikey's Shabby Attempt to Educate His Clientele

It's been way too long since I last spoke about the music we play in the store, aside from the Tom Waits weekend we had a few weeks ago.

Fantasy In Glass is not just a store. It is our home for eight hours a day. And we like to play music. 

Just not bad music.

We're aware that there is way too much interesting and simulating music out there today, yet the delivery system to get that to many of our customers is lacking. Terrestrial radio is no longer effective. Satellite radio has limited reach. We're all too old for college radio or to understand Bit Torrent or iTunes. So what's left?

Mikey.

Our last great discovery was Little Axe (they just put out a new album too- Bought for a Dollar, Sold for a Dime- a tremendous album, only not highlighted here because we need to expose someone else).

Today we bring you Tony Joe White.

Yes, that Tony Joe White. Of Polk Salad Annie fame.

When he was learning the guitar as a teenager, Tony Joe White would sit on the back porch of his cotton-farming parents'  Louisiana shotgun shack, playing Lightning Hopkins. It's this simplicity that TJW has tried to stick to through a lengthy stop and start career and one that shines through brightly in this, one of his best ever- The Shine.

No polished, over-produced product here- this one brings him back to the swamp.

And that voice...

Fremont Glass Company

Fremont Glass is the only full-antique sheet glass manufacturer in North America (sorry Blenko). While they're a small outfit, with a tiny production, their glass is perhaps the most spectacular being produced today. So much so that sometimes you can wait years for some of their colours. 
Mikey has a few sheets for you to check out the next time you're in.
Here's a good video on how their glass is made (just pick it up at the 40 second mark as I don't know what the heck the beginning is about)-

CBS Dichroic Glass

Regular readers of this blog are more than aware (apparently ad nauseum) that Fantasy In Glass is the only CBS Dichroic Glass distributor in Canada, and also the largest source of dichroic glass and embellishments in both 90 and 96 coe. We neglected to tell you that Howard and the kind staff at CBS also sent us gratis some fantastic colour bars which are tremendously helpful as a reference to help identify this glass cold, when fired, capped and when crinklized.

One of Our Student's Recent Work

Got nothing else to say as I'm speechless...

Oh, The Humanity

Funny how great it is with the Canadian dollar going up so much in such a short time, eh? 

That's got to mean prices for American sourced goods are now going to be  lower, right?

And now, for sure, we have to be entitled to getting rebates from our OOCSGS because when the dollar was around .98 U.S., they felt it only fair to charge almost 5% more. That means today with our dollar worth $1.0314, we should be getting a rebate around 7-8%, right? 

Keep holding your breath. 

Instead of waiting for some sense of fairness from our suppliers here, we've decided to once again ramp up our buying from the U.S. A truckload with three skids of supplies is due next week, and we've already factored in a reduction of prices on like items of about 11%! 

We've even decided to bring in sixty of the best glass cutters you've ever experienced- yes, even better than the venerable Toyo!  And at a regular price of only $38.99, or more than ten bucks less than the Toyo!

Let's face it, while we're entitled to make a reasonable profit to exist (Mikey needs to be able to afford his weiners for his Kraft Dinner), if our costs are lowered due to a stronger dollar, then the savings should be passed through to you the customer who we love and cherish.

That is all...

Another Torch Class Success

While we are a stained glass supplier, we also consider ourselves the leaders in fusing- supplies and instruction, and have been for over twenty years. A recent addition (in the past five years) is our lampworking studio, which along with the teaching and selling of supplies is becoming increasingly popular. Here's a shot of a class just held this past weekend in our dedicated torch studio.

Cleaning Up Some Loose Ends

There are times where Mikey is simply dumbstruck by the enthusiasm and passion exhibited by some of the people that pass through Fantasy In Glass.
Here are a few that had that effect-

Even Mikey's At A Loss For Words

You would be forgiven if you mistook this as a painting.
It is not.
It is a stained glass window.
Somewhere in Italy.
We know not where as the photo was taken by Zenia, a student whose educational training is in the careful documenting of osteological data.
Go figure...