Monthly Sale Tradition Continues

... as does the tradition of  posting another embarrassing picture of Zenia. 
Go here to see what's on sale for this month.

Aww, Come On!

It's got to be today!  We really are due for a rebate.
Canadian Dollar sits above the American at $1.027 U.S.
Why a rebate?
Well, when we were just 1% below the American dollar, our OOCSGS was adding a 2.9% surcharge.
Fair is fair...
Comments invited and encouraged (you can even do so confidentially).

I Can Feel It. Today's the Day!

It's got to happen today!

Our OOCSGS charged us when the dollar was just a penny under the U.S. dollar, for sure we can expect a rebate now that the dollar is $1.0192, right?! 
Using their previous conversion factor, we should be getting a rebate worth over 5%!

Sometimes Things Happen To Reaffirm Your Faith In The Goodness of Humanity

Urban Fusions Dot Ca

Just got an update from Jen, one of our old (but she's young) fusing customers, who's run away.

Apparently living in the centre of the universe wasn't good enough for her, so she up and left us all for British Columbia.
Aside from letting others whoo her here that she's doing well, I thought it proper to give her a plug for her website and her work- below is a screen grab from her site urbanfusions.ca.

Hamburger and Steak Sale Update

Just added a bunch of 100 watt soldering irons that had been lurking in a back corner for many years.
We also have an old style used Glastar Allstar grinder, with eyeshield for only $80.00!

And two used Gryphon C40 bandsaws- perfect working condition with brand new blades! Only $250.00 complete (or about $90.00 for the saw alone- model could be included).

in-store shopping only please as they can't be shipped.

That is all...

German Hardened Extra Sharp Glazing Nails

Just need to mention this fantastic thing is back at Fantasy In Glass.

Oh yeah, so is Brittany...

We Need Balance

Elaine just walked in the front door this a.m. and wanted to show us what she made with the new Crinklized  dichroic glass we got in a couple of months ago.

You tell me this stuff isn't cool! 

It's Gotta Be Today

Dollar at $1.013.
I'm sure that rebates gonna happen today...

Dollar at $1.0156

Can't wait!
Rebate from OOCSGS should be coming any minute...

Just Wondering...

Been reading a lot of stories in the papers lately. Oh, you know, the ones where we keep hearing how our loonie may be at par, but our prices aren't. 
Well, it's true. 
All you have to do is call/email any of our American competitors to see. Stuff like the Taurus 3 bandsaw I can actually buy at retail in Buffalo cheaper than I can buy it wholesale from our One and Only Canadian Stained Glass Supplier just down the street. 
As a matter of fact, rather than see prices drop to accomodate the increased value in the Canadian Dollar, we just got a whole new set of pricesheets, with price increases of almost every item we sell averaging greater than 6%. 
Another very exciting note tho'-
a couple of months ago, our OOCSGS was adding a 2.9% surcharge on all goods sold to us to cover the lower Canadian Dollar which was then at 99.5 cents. 
That means that with our dollar now at $1.015, we should expect a rebate of 4%.
Yippee!

Why We Shouldn't Always Want To Be Just Like New York

We just raised our course tuitions by a few dollars after leaving them unchanged for years. 

While we haven't heard any complaints, I thought we'd post this comparative for fun...

Kelly Glass Studio and Gallery
Patti Kelly imparts her glass knowledge—amassed over 30 years—to cozy group over eight weeks: “The studio is open to four students at a time; this makes it possible to give the necessary amount of one-on-one attention,” she says. This is where to go if your birdhouse requires its own rose window; Kelly teaches lead techniques used on long-lasting outdoor projects. 368 E 8th St between Aves C and D (212-677-9480,kellyglassstudio.net). Thu 6–9pm, classes begin Jan 13; $535. 

Manhattan Stained Glass
Over the course of eight weeks, wannabe artisans will learn the ins and outs of cutting glass, tool maintenance and framing while using the copper-foil technique to work on a 75-piece window. “This is a challenging course. I like to teach my students as if I’m preparing them to work for me in the studio,” says owner and instructor Tommy Giambusso. Each student’s project is the same, but they’ll be able to select their own colors.79 Leonard St between Broadway and Church St (646-613-1420, manhattanstainedglass.com, 646-613-1420). 2011 schedule released in Jan; $1,000.

Urban Glass
It’s up to you to design a glass pane or get ambitious with a larger project in this nine-person copper-foil class; instructor Joseph Cavalieri focuses on creativity in between glass cutting and discussions on light and color. Past students have made lamp shades and ornaments during the eight-week course. 647 Fulton St between Ashland and Rockwell Pls, Fort Greene, Brooklyn (718-625-3685, urbanglass.org). Sat noon–3pm, classes begin Jan 15; $495.

See a list of our courses here...

and seminars here...

Tidying Up Some Loose Ends

1) This month's Introduction to Fusing (includes several hours of hands-on and access to our large kiln) still has a couple of spaces if you're free- Sat. Feb, 19 from 10am to 4pm. Call the store for more details.

2) We like to show off some of our success stories here so, take  look at a few students and their finished work:

Magda

Mike

 3) Fresh off Tina's table:

4) and for putting up with this painfully lame blog entry, check out this video on how opal(escent) glass is made;

A Good Excuse To Show off an Amazing Tiffany Window

A Tiffany Studios stained-glass window created around the turn of the 20th century for a church in Duluth, Minnesota is up for auction. The window is the top lot among a variety of stained glass windows, Tiffany lamps and other pieces being sold at Morphy Auctions' sale of fine and decorative art.

The Cedar Tree window measures 72 inches by 43 inches. The garden scene includes several other trees, as well as ivy, vines and red roses in full bloom around the base and up the sides of two massive columns. A stone path meanders toward an urn-topped wall. The overall effect is painterly, a tranquil scene rendered in delicately colored glass rather than oil paints.

"This window has been in the consignor's private collection for more than 40 years, so it's fresh to the market and will surprise many of today's collectors of Tiffany art glass," said MorphyAuctions' CEO, Dan Morphy. The window is unsigned but in the 1980s, Dr. Egon Neustadt, an expert on Tiffany, confirmed its authenticity. The late Dr. Neustadt's letter of authenticity accompanies the window, which is estimated to sell for $150,000-$250,000.

Ring Mottles as Somewhat Stolen From Uroboros

Ring Mottle Opalescent Sheet Glass- a unique art glass style of glass slowly dying off  in popularity... shamefully

Originally discovered by the Tiffany Studios in the early 20th century, Ring Mottles are a special effect of localized, heat-treated opacification and crystal-growth dynamics. Louis Comfort Tiffany was searching for glass containing realistic natural effects to express his representational imagery with minimal use of painting. He couldn't have been happier than when he saw the first accidentally formed Ring Mottles, and he found myriad uses for them!

After the closure of the Tiffany Furnaces in Corona, New York in 1931, Ring Mottles were thought to be lost to the stained glass industry. In the mid '70s, Uroboros' founder Eric Lovell successfully reproduced them and brought them back into the stained glass marketplace. Since then, like in Tiffany's day, Ring Mottles have been used for realistic-looking shadows, sunspots on leaves or ground, or to create small background repeats of larger foreground pieces. Cut lines that follow individual rings can produce the best shadowed effect.  An example is the use of green mottled areas in the background areas behind individually cut green leaves.
Another is the use of flower-colored mottles in the background of larger flower pieces. In large pieces, mottles may be used in groups or cut in half to break up the circular images and achieve a single band through each piece.
Ring Mottles are also used in contemporary works when nonlinear or abstract color patterns are desired. Typical locations might be in border row pieces, background areas around a beveled interior, or in flat panels in lamps.
Bullseye stopped producing mottles several years ago, pretty well leaving Uroboros to carry the torch alone.
And carry it they seem to do with great effect. We carry as much of their mottles as possible, as well as the rest of their line, and are glad to show it off when you come in. We also have several reference books such as Alastair Duncan's Lamps of Tiffany that can show you to great effect why you might want to consider ring mottles in a project.

Hamburger and Steak Sale Update

This funnily, is one of the most successful sales we've ever had. It's on for the entire month of February. Our Hamburger Is Your Steak Sale is where the staff dig into all the deep storage rooms at FIG and pull out any old, slow moving, over-abundant or even damaged packaged stock and put it on sale at a fraction of the regular price. Heck, Mikey even went into his own toolbox, and put out slightly used tools from the days when we had staff that just opened up a new tool because they couldn't find their old one!
We've got German and Japanese groziers (up to $50/each new) virtually new for $9.00!
Fan Out Pattern shears- reg- $39.99, clear-out price of $10.00!
3/4" grinding heads at $16! Copper foil at $1.50!
Strip and circle cutters at $29! And just strip cutters at $20.
Replacement kiln coils. Bandsaw blades. Glass cutters!
And there will be lots more, and there'll be and sorts of different stuff showing up throughout the month so keep coming back.
Mikey's putting out gallons and quarts of chemicals such as Hydrocal and patinas and fluxes on Tuesday, and some big surprises further on in the month (rumour has it, there's some bandsaws, grinders and even ringsaws).
All sales available only for in-store shopping... 

New CBS Dichroic Glass Patterns

... are now in the building (actually, they've been hear for awhile).
Not available anywhere else as these are exclusive to distributors (yup, we're one)

February Month Long Sale Now Posted

A gruesome, sepulchral and unflattering picture of Zenia is our way of announcing that the new Monthly Sale is now up.
I'll let the picture do its magic.
The February 2010 Sale can be found here.
Of note is our Hamburger and Steak Sale which may or may not have details of additions throughout the month highlighted here.

They Say It's Your Birthday!

Just before the craziness of Christmas, we had another, very significant event to celebrate.

Florian R. was a student of Mikey's even before the existence of Fantasy In Glass, which means she has been under the steady gaze of him for well on thirty years.

Early December we helped Florian bring in her 90th Year!

Congratulations!

Stained Glass Store Employee Caught Texting while Cutting Glass

Fantasy In Glass employee Zenia C. was texting on her iPhone while cutting a sheet of Uroboros 60-25 (Crimson Red, Grenadine Red and Pumpkin with Wispy White) when customer Gary Brown took a picture of her Thursday morning.
The shot, taken at Canada's Greatest Stained Glass Emporium located at 703 The Queensway, in Toronto's west end, was full of customers at the time and clearly shows the slight of stature employee focused on her smartphone rather than the glass. 

"The FIG staff member's attention was clearly and alarmingly divided between typing and cutting that gorgeous sheet of Uroboros art glass. This is incredibly serious", said Gary Brown. "It would appear that she had little regard for the skill and craftsmanship that the employees of Uroboros put into their glass, and has treated said glass with wanton disregard".

When contacted by the press, President and Founder Mikey Figgy said that disciplinary actions are being considered, and that there will be no wieners in said employee's Mac'n'Cheese dinner tonight.

New Classes Start

As is usual, every new Beginner Class start is inaugurated with a photo. This is done for our staff's protection as this is the best way to assure ourselves that there are no witness-protection types, and therefore, unsavoury characters taking our class. It is our duty to keep the hobby of stained glass free and unsullied of such people.
After all, it was because of someone's lapse that allowed Gary Brown in...

Stained Glass News #93 Is In

Actually, it has been in, and for awhile.
In SGN #93, you'll find:
• new items, including: two new books, a new mini kit, some new adhesive, a new bottle cutter, new texturizing tiles.
• reader hints, a reader's workshop and more on "The Readers' Page"
• Kiln Crafting Gil Reynolds—Gil talks about relief casting, or back textures when fusing.
• Let the Glass Do the Talking Judy Coleman—Judy addresses the difference between density and texture, and how they affect your stained glass projects.
• Health and Safety Dr. Fleming Fallon—The first of a multi-part article on the aging proces, and how we can continue to enjoy our craft.
• Stained Glass Techniques Denny Berkery—Denny talks about how your customers can broaden their technique repertoire with a lead project.
• The Beadmakers' Corner Andi Kosak—Step-by-Step: The Sculptured Flower Bead
• this issue's Free Pattern: It's 5:00 Somewhere
• a page of photos from readers in The Readers' Gallery
• and cheesily, more…

Spectrum Glass Company

Without a doubt, this company's glass is the most popular sold in the stained glass and fusing markets. So much so that we stock well over 12,000 one foot sale squares from them at all times.
That is, when we can get it given the problems we have with Spectrum's Canadian distributor actually having inventory. But that's for a blog entry for another day. We want to stay happy today.
And as with any successful manufacturer, Spectrum provides good support and marketing on their products. Their Score Magazine has been a staple for years (they even did a cover article on us many years ago!) and while it's been shortened a bit, it is now easily obtained on-line here.
They also have launched a 'big pattern' series that you can download here.
And here's a link to a page where you can grab a bunch of back issues along with some free patterns. The current issue has a cute cupcake pattern that you can pick up in the store.

As to other news about Spectrum Glass-
They've discontinued two expensive, yet very popular colours- their Cotton Candy Pink and Grape- both Erbium based and now impossible to produce economically given the price increase for Erbium, a chemical element used for its pink coloured Er 3 ions. We don't have much left so keep that in mind if you have a need for it yet.
We close with a link to a page on Spectrum's site that allows you to download a whole bunch of literature- find int here.
http://www.spectrumglass.com/stained%2Dglass/literature/

Where Are They Now

Many, many years ago, as Mikey sat in his humble little stained glass emporium, pondering the next 'Big Thing' in glass, a man short of stature, but long of hair, stumbled in off the street. Not a word was said on that visit except for the offer of an ashtray as those were the days when almost everyone smoked, almost everywhere. 
The man, short of stature, long of hair left, only to come back. Again. And again. 
We learnt his name was Kevin. 
His proficiency in stained glass came from learning in a surrounding of such dubiousness that we not need repeat it here.
We slowly became friends as he wormed his way into our hearts. Yes he looked gruff, even tried to appear tough, but even Mikey's kids saw right through him and called him Cupcake just to let him know. 
They even took him to school for show-and-tell. 
Kevin ended up becoming a big part of the Fantasy In Glass family- teaching, building church windows, renovating and opening the Fantasy In Glass Barrie store. 
We taught him how to light a cigarette off a Weller 100 soldering iron. He showed us how to make a tattoo gun out of a Sony Walkman and a Bic pen. That's right- we all came from the same school of higher learning.
He affected us both professionally and personally. He became a close friend.
Funny things happen in life. It ebbs and flows. We lose touch for no good reason, not knowing why. Life just gets in the way.
Kevin sort of drifted off, and we did too. We were still friends, but just forgot to work at it.
We came back in contact with Cupcake a little over a year ago.
It felt so good to see him.
From a past muddied by uncertainty and obstacles, Kevin had succeeded and owns a thriving business- Bongo Wireless. 
Tell him we sent you.

Something New and Something Old

Yes, the rumours are true. The availability of Clarity (Kempro) has become suspect, so we've secured a good stockpile that should last us for awhile.

To replace this tremendous product, used to put a shine to stained glass and solder lines, we've brought in Liva Stained Glass Polish. We've played with it a bit, but still feel that Kempro is still a better product.
Coincidentally, the size and price is the same.
On another note, one of the best basic stained glass books on the market just so happens to be called Stained Glass Basics. It's clear, concise, accurate and generous with patterns. 

And unlike those products we've been getting from our OOCSGS, this one's actually cheaper than last year ($19.50 CDN)

The Circle of Life

Allow this author a quiet moment to reminisce and share something with you.

This is a picture of a moment frozen in time. Decades ago. A time where you left your front door unlocked. When you let your dog, Spot (for real) out the front door to roam the whole day free without fear and retribution. Where liquor was bought by nervously sliding a paper tag to a judgemental store clerk. 

In other words, it was a time when Mikey was born. 

Now I just know that this picture will surely bring a tear to the eye of some of you. 

And for that I apologize. But it was necessary.  For a couple of reasons.

Firstly, you might have noticed there is not a single picture of our extremely handsome and benevolent leader on this website. 

Until now.

Yes, folks, that is Mikey being lovingly swaddled in the arms of his mother Mary, as his father, Josef gazes lovingly into his eyes. Just as you all now can do also. 

Secondly, we get to share with you something seldom seen today. You get an opportunity to see the stylish features found in a late 1950's home, unsullied by third world  manufacturers and Ikea. Take special note of the cabinet to the left of Mikey's dad for that is the first new thing that they ever bought. 

And fifty five years later it proudly resides in the home of Joe and Mary's granddaughter.

With  a stained glass window made by her... 

Boxing Sales

Others might do a Boxing Day Sale.
Some others might even do a Boxing Week Sale.
Fantasy In Glass does a Boxing Month Sale!
Go here for our Boxing Month Sales, good until January 31, 2011, or while supplies last!

Happy Christmas To All

From all the staff at Fantasy In Glass we wish you all a safe and joyous Christmas and Happy New Year.
Aww shucks...

Davide Salvadore At Uroboros

Here's a pretty cool video we tripped across from Uroboros.
Italian glass master Davide Salvadore creates a series of murrini to use in his blown glass creations during a residency at the highly renowned Portland Oregon facility. Salvadore lives and works on the island of Murano near Venice, where his family has been in the glass making business since 1650. His sons, Mattia and Marco accompany him on his American tour.

Uroboros Glass video

 The whole process of making sheet glass for stained glass (or fusing) is a mysterious one as there really isn't that much information out there.
Until now.
Do yourself a favour- even if you have a short attention span, just take in the first 10 seconds of this video and tell me you aren't amazed!