Happy New Year

Erm ... I'm sure glass must be used in some manufacturing process involved here - but, hey, if not life isn't all about glass. This is my New Year's Card, wishing everything good to anyone who reads this.

66 plus 39

That's the number of glasses we used on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day (our two family events) - that's 4 to 5 glasses per person table setting for each of two feasts; including my 18th century twists, Victorian coloured beakers and of course a different Janey-made goblet for every person at the table including young persons. I know: I washed them all up. The ghost bowl platters came into their own, growning with a cornucopia of fruit (pictured). Also pictured are the four I gave to son-in-unlaw no. 1.

Savoy Sale

We went to the viewing of the Savoy auction - such fun. Lots of glass chandeliers, mirrors and lights. Sparkling glass in the bathrooms. Must have viewed several 100 suites. Fabulous views of the Thames. But I've been monitoring the lot numbers we were interested in and they are all fetching much higher prices than the catalogue estimates. The white piano that Frank Sinatra played on went for £9,500 (est betw £2-3000).

Simon Bruntnell's calendar has arrived and here's the front with the month of December next to it with my BoneScape piece. How thrilling is that! My tutor says I must be well-connected. No, it's being at the right place at the right time and then seizing on opportunities. It also shows the importance of investing in professional photography because I was in his studio at the time he was thinking about his calendar. Very nice, though, that he chose my piece as one of his months.

A bowl of earrings

These are my 'port and starboard' earrings (well they would be if they were all red and green) - non-matching pairs. Didn't sell any of these at my open house (because I'd only just made them and this Saturday was very quiet), but 22 marbles went and 18 'bin ends' of very (very) seconds, and lots of pate de verre tree decorations. All in all a very satisfactory financial result, which will help me make this MA self-funding (since my fees are sponsored).

Open House

A somewhat depleted table of wares on Day 2 of my Open House Christmas sale. I forgot to take a picture of the complete display, but about 8 items are missing from this table, including a large ghost bowl. Quite a few marbles have gone and even one or two from my 'lucky dip bargain box' of £3 items. I'm doing quite well, and it all helps to pay for the next lot of materials and something towards my fares to Farnham. The aim is that my MA should be self-funding. But it's also been pleasingly social, with people dropping in for a glass of wine and a slice of apple tart, and a chat. Not a bad way of spending a weekend.