Dolly goblets

Quite difficult getting back into the swing after 3 weeks away. I'd decided to make some miniatures to use as board pieces for my Game of Glass -- the way I have chosen to present my next assignment. But I got carried away and made some doll's sized goblets. I think I'll carry on with this next week. I still have 2 weeks of playtime left before the 3rd semester begins and I have to start getting serious.

Paris

A selection of glass seen in Paris these last few days. Lots of inspiration in fact. From the top: glass cow seen in famous cheese shop; portrait of self and daughter in the mirror; 1580 scratched graffiti in a stained glass window; very exciting discovery in shop at Musee des Arts Decoratifs -- that my parents' glass in their trousseau was Lobmeyer (I still have some of the set); and finally seen through a glass shop front, big shoe and little shoe (snapped for my Why is a Glass not a Shoe project).

Sweatmeat glasses

To rather a dull Glass Circle lecture on 18th century glasses for jellies, possets, blancmanges, syllabubs et al. From which I learn that 'desert' comes from the French 'deservir' or clear away and apparently the wealthy had their pyramids of concoctions transported elsewhere. Like having coffee and petits fours outside the main dining room?

Furnace pot

What does this look like to you? An expensive art pot, I am sure. Well, it's not. It's a discarded glass furnace pot, naturally glazed from probably two years worth of melting glass. This is what you gather from inside the furnace. I got it for a song from MRJ Furnaces yesterday and am completely thrilled with it. Massively heavy. Three chaps just about got it out of the car. We think it'll be a garden pool.

Glassblowing with Martin

Had a lesson on solo blowing with Martin. Here he is showing me how to put on a bit for the foot -- the blowing iron is clamped to the chair. Can't do this without a simple clamp -- how to persuade Farnham to rig something up? Nice to be back to my old haunts and see old friends. I went to the Red Cone and Broadfield house as well. Good exhibition there on enamelled cocktail glasses - could be useful research.