Fusible 96 Glass

It looks like the battle for supremacy in fusing is being won by the System 96'ers. Not only are both Spectrum and Uroboros constantly adding new and exciting colours (see our comments elsewhere about Spectrum's exciting Fusers Reserves, Aventurines and OpalArts as well as the newly received Gold-Pink from Uroboros) but now The Paul Wissmach Company has added to the fusers palette with 19 colours including a Reactive Blue.
The best part?
Pricing makes it the most economical fusing glass yet!
And as always, for all those stained glass craftspeople out there, this glass of course is suitable for your windows and lamps as well.
Due in next week.

Wow! More Pictures!

Mikey came across a bunch of pictures from his travels that had been intended to be posted online but were misplaced.
Until now.
This is a collection of some of the most stunning windows) and mosaics) by Louis Tiffany, John Lafarge (the two giants of our craft) and Frank Lloyd Wright that we've ever seen. 
They can be seen here if you are on Facebook. And if you haven't creeped our page give it a look- our picture count there is over 1400  pics!
Once we clear up some website issues we will also post them on our site for those three people that have yet to join FB.

Sometimes This Craft is Too Much Fun

Sitting around the studio the Other Day, with the spoils of Mikey's loins (The Flowering Lotus Blossom, better known as Zenia to the mailman), looking for something interesting to do, these two people came up with this project.

Starting with a SP209 Ghost White blank stacked on top of the same size Clear (to aid with volume control) Zenia drew this simple design-

we then chose three colours that we thought 

worked well together-

 

We then took the cutoffs of each colour, crushed them up and sorted them through a set of screens-

then sprinkled the frit in the white open areas-

and after fusing and slumping we ended up with this-

Help Needed

Mikey's favourite (and now former?) whipping boy, Grasshopper Gary Beige was unable to assist us in some minor website stuff, so we throw caution to the wind, fling open our doors to the great unwashed out there and ask...
if anyone out there with website coding experience is willing to give Mikey a call and see about assisting in this matter? 
Drop us a note at fig@fantasyinglass.com.
Thanks!

Massive Bullseye Sale

While we are dedicated supporters of Sys96 glass especially from those wonderful people at Uroboros (and Kat in particular) and no longer carry Bullseye glass, we do still get many requests about where to buy it. That coupled with the failure of Canada's only national glass distributor means that there is no full line distributor gf Bullseye Glass. Hence this free plug. 
Looking for some amazing deals on Bullseye products, then you might consider shipping it or picking it up from Bullseye's newest retail store in New York state-

Where else can you get such deep discounts as up to 50% off!

True Testimonial

IMPORTANT! RECALL NOTICE!

Due to a technical error by our staff, (honest, we thought he was taking his medication) we regret to announce a recall of all Swiss Cheesed GlassWerks amber cathedral colours. Colour #'s 1656, 1658, and 1659 are affected. All other 927 colours are not. 

It seems that the size of the holes and their spacing is not to spec, and will have to be remanufactured. If you have used any of this glass in any projects, either remove the faulty glass as soon as possible, or contact us for a free retrofit kit. This kit, comprised of silica, soda and ash along with zircon encrusted tweezers is available free of charge with any proof of purchase.

Swiss Cheesed Glass Werks apologizes for any inconvenience this might have caused and assures the public that it will take whatever measures it deems necessary to get to the hole truth on this matter.

Theresa

Theresa M is one of our instructors. 

Has been for close to a decade.
And she really can do it all- from stained glass, to glass fusing, to oils and watercolours and even clay and pottery.
A real inspirational instructor that runs our Friday Intermediate Class.

Need technical help- she can offer it.

Need artistic input by way of design and glass selection. There's no one better.

Check out some of her work here...

Recall Notice

Due to a technical error by our staff, (honest, we thought he was taking his medication) we regret to announce a recall of all Swiss Cheesed GlassWerks amber cathedral colors. Color #'s 1656, 1658, and 1659 are affected. All other 327 colors are unaffected. It seems that the size of the holes and their spacing is not to spec, and will have to be remanufactured. If you have used any of this glass in any projects, either remove the faulty glass as soon as possible, or contact us for a free retrofit kit. This kit, comprised of silica, soda and ash along with a zircon encrusted applicator is available free of charge with any proof of purchase. Swiss Cheesed Glass Werks apologizes for any inconvenience this might have caused and assures the public that it will take whatever measures it deems necessary to get to the hole truth on this matter.

... and Just In Case

... to add, Spectrum's Score magazine, while perhaps a bit self-serving, ocassionally does try to broaden the knowledge base of this craft of ours. Whether you are a stained glass craftsperson or a fuser, this is a worthwhile source to check out. You can find the latest issue here- The Score.

New Stuff

We just confirmed and locked up a shipment containing some pretty exciting new glass which while fusible, is just as great and useable for your stained glass projects. 

Due in about 10 days...

Above are swatches of five new Limited Production Spectrum Spirit Glasses, with two Aventurine based!

Quantities ordered are substantial but nevertheless, these are limited production and most likely to not last long.

This is Spectrum's Peacock Green Opal- a deep blue/green filling a necessary void.

On another note, we are still hopeful to get the Uroboros Gold-Pink also on this shipment.

Selfish Self Promotion

The Fantasy In Glass website is a virtual change purse of stuff that might amuse, inspire and maybe even offend you. At least it is hopefully provocative, from the woefully pathetic catalog (currently being revised totally) to the technical articles written by Mikey, to the info pages on courses and seminars to the numerous Picture pages. Maybe even to the occasionally feeble attempts at humour.  

Segue alert!

One of Mikey's favourite artists has always been Salvatore Dali, and tripping across one of his works last month in Montreal reminded us of the 'Inspiration' Pictures page on the FIG website... 

So have a look, and poke around in some of the dusty cornered. You'll never know what you'll find.

We are also on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter!

Brain Injury Association

Patty and the staff at the Brain Injury Association run a fantastic studio for glass fusing. This studio is for therapeutic rehabilitation for those unfortunate enough to have experienced some sort of brain trauma, either by physical accident or stroke, etc. They also run a production studio along with a loyal group of volunteers and make hundreds of items per year to raise additional funds to help sustain their good work.

If you are looking for a worthwhile cause to become involved in or to make a donation, this could be it.

Want to see their setup, check here-

Contact Info:
Patty Lehman, Executive Director
Brain Injury Association
871 Victoria Street North, Unit 1
Kitchener, N2B 3S4
Tel # 519-579-5300

www.biaww.com

Upcoming Incredibly Amazing and Stupendous Seminar

Looks like Mikey has been buying some adjectives again. It's just him bragging about the popular Glass Cutting Seminar he holds a few times throughout the year. So, on Saturday April 26 (thanks Mike W!), for a lousy $19...   

So you think you know everything about cutting glass? This seminar is for novice and expert alike. Can't cut a perfect circle? Can't manage tight inside curves? Can't cut two hundred pieces all exactly the same? Don't know the hexadecimal value of the number 32? Mikey might. and he'll tell you when you take this course. As well as proper cutting techniques, he'll cover the use of strip/circle cutters, pattern making, etc. That’s the glass cutting part. Below is the Jig part-
     When you work in a studio setting there are all sorts of tricks you develop so the boss doesn't know you've been goofing off. These tricks allow for more accurate and faster production as well as the undying gratitude of the bourgeois capitalist who owns the business. While the average craftsperson may not care much about speed, being able to cut the same shape repeatedly with perfect accuracy might be kind of cool and useful. This show will delve into the use of strip/circle cutters, the use of sliders and how to build and use a jig board- a tool shrouded in mystery and fear by those who fail to learn and understand it.
Call 416-252-6868 to register...

The Big Blue Broken Meanie!

Today Mikey wants to talk a bit about something almost every fuser has encountered and even occasionally wonders about- the dreaded !@#$% cracked piece. 
Now, cracked kiln fired pieces are often the result of heating too quickly, cooling too quickly and/or a problematic uneven heating kiln (remember to close up those peepholes when above 500F). 
If you think it through logically, it's easy to determine when the glass broke. A smooth edge means it did so on the way up in temperature so therefore that edge got fire polished. Should the break be sharp, it has happened on the way down. 
One of the most fun and dramatic fused pieces we've done was The Blue Meanie from The Beatles Yellow Submarine (actually one of several characters from that animated classic that we've tackled). This one unfortunately cracked right in two on a third firing. 
Sitting on it for a few months, all forlorn and forgotten in the deep bowels of The Ivory Tower (Mikey's office), Mikey yanked it out the other day, laid it out on top of a yellow sheet and thought to re-fuse it back into one. 
Now, the problem with this piece in particular is that fire polished edge. This means that we are unable to fit the crack tight together and the gap will fill and fuse together but the 'memory' of that crack will always remain (see here for more).
So, to conclude, yes we can fuse broken pieces back together again so long as we place them on a base glass. Will the crack still be visible?
What do you think?...

Free (and possibly worthy) Plug

(April 12-13 at the Waterside Inn in Port Credit

www.artsonthecredit.ca)

Slumpy Order Pending

Anyone interested in special ordering any molds from Slumpy drop us a note before April 25 and we'll make sure to add it on, and at a 25% discount too!
Below, some samples-

Check Your Glass For Holes!

If you're looking for great cutting glass, we suggest you look on the back side of your glass. 

For holes the size of a dime. 
Or a 15mm jewel. 
Lots of them. 
Because glass that has these holes is a full three decibels louder when being cut. 
Which may not sound like much. 
But an increase of three decibels will double the cutability of your glass cutter at its tuning frequency (30 hertz). And reduce what's known as 'cutter wheel excursion'. With this added tractibility your glass cutter requires less pressure to generate force to the glass. 
Of course, with this remarkable glass, there's one thing you'll miss- frustration. Simply, Swiss Cheesed GlassWerks' cathedral glass is unmatched in ease of cutability when compared to glass without holes. It cuts with less pressure and therefore poses less stress on your cutter wheel and therefore your hand. 
Now remember, this is a science, so there's more here than just drilling holes. Swiss Cheesed GlassWerks' engineers fine tune each sheet of glass for optimum performance and efficient cutability. All of which means that if your glass doesn't have holes you might want to talk to a Swiss Cheesed GlassWerks dealer. 
And get the hole truth!
Available exclusively at Fantasy In Glass Glassworks, Canada's first and still only officially sanctioned stained glass emporium!

(SwissCheesed GlassWerks is the official defacto holder of the naming rights to the Fantasy In Glass building)

Remember...

While March may come in like a lamb...

It goes out like a goat.

April Sale Now Posted

As is usually the case, we introduce the Monthly Sale with an unflattering and embarrassing picture of Zenia. In a unusual moment of weakness, we decided that this month's picture while embarrassing and unflattering was one taken so long ago that who would care?

Sale here...

Intermediate Courses

Our Intermediate courses are for those who want more than the basics, but yet don't want to tackle something as complex as perhaps a lamp or compound fractions. Consider the Intermediate course as a good way to get out  and enjoy this craft stress free with many new friends and away from annoying family members. Instruction in advanced techniques such as the use of cutting jigs, acid etching and mosaics will be taught. If you have a particular project in mind but don't have the confidence to start it alone, then this course is for you. Taught on Wednesday nights by our long suffering Louie (30+ years)- Six nights (18 hours) for $89.00 or on Fridaysduring the day by Theresa (mid-level suffering at less than a decade) six days (24 hours) for $95.00 (other lengths prorated).

A new addition to these courses is our offer of free glass fusing firings in our large kilns!
Go here for dates... 

And look below at the recent work of one of our Friday students-

This Saturday- Puddles and Plates Seminar

Got nothing to do for a couple of hours this Saturday, then consider dropping in and taking this popular seminar. Puddles and Plates is innovative, highly addictive, very productive and oh, so easy.       

This seminar is spread out over two days. The first day ( at 2 hours) is devoted to learning the process and doing the initial setup of your Puddle blank. In Week Two (3 hours) you will make your puddles and prep a plate for slumping. Cost includes your choice of several molds, handouts and three firings. This class will give you a very high number of usable finished jewelry pieces as well as what Mikey affectionately calls a 'Crumb Plate'! 

Cost............................... $99.00

Week 1 -Sat. March 22, 2014 ........ 10:30 am to 12:30 pm

Week 2 - Sat. March 29, 201............ 10:30 am to 1:30 pm

Yippee!

Still no real distributor for supplies means we continue to source out supplies and accessories from all over the continent. It also means that we can bring in the latest items before anyone else.

Coming in this friday-

1) over 600 sq ft of fusible glass including the new Uroboros Sys96 Transparent Gold-Pink UR60-105-

and their UR60-103 Deep Gold-Pink Striker-

This is a colour that has been sadly lacking and in high demand since the Sys96 line came about. We cannot express enough how much we love this manufacturer! 

Now remember, just because it says it's fusible, it is still glass and therefore more than appropriate for your stained glass needs as well!

2) over 1600 sale squares from Spectrum, Kokomo, Youghiogheny and Wissmach.

3) all tools and accessories that we might have been low or out of stock on.

4) all special orders from customers- we'll be calling you with the good news hopefully beginning next week.

5) maybe a few other surprises...

Anthropology of Stained Glass Reredux

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."