Happy New Year everyone. 

Been an interesting year for sure.  We added another grand daughter to our family.  I rejoined the Mary Kay family of Mary Kay independent beauty consultants.  We watched while the country elected a 2nd term president.  We held on while the congress let us fall off a cliff.  I have my first stained glass student, who will be starting her 1st class this month.

I will started a new glass project for my own home.  I am converting my china cabinet into a stained glass doored cabinet.  I have down graded my collections to a point that I will no longer need the cabinet for display purposes.  I will be using my oval Iris panel in the middle door.  The panel can be back lit, so I will be able to enjoy it.  I will also be making the second front door panel for my daughters duplex this year. 

Finally started my daughter's house warming panel

I am sooo pleased to finally be able to get working on glass again.  I had designed this panel last September and hadn't been well enough to get it started.  The grid design made cutting so much easier because of using my "Beetle Bits" cutting system,  Glasser will recognize the product name, but for my non glasser followers, the "Beetle Bits" is a tool that allows you to set up a series of stops for cutting repetitive same size strips or angled shapes of glass with complete accuracy, and increased speed.  The white colored areas are stock bevels, the center square gray areas is a textured glass called "Chinchilla". The small gray colored areas in the border are a glass called "Glue Chip", and the blue areas is "English Muffle", which is a textured glass also.  All the textured glasses defuse light and prying eyes, the bevels are clear and will reflect the light and the blue glass.

The panel is designed to be able to be removable, (attached to the window, by using a mirror type clips) rather than a permanent installation, allowing for changing decor easily. 

©Stained Glass Designs by JFA September 22, 2011

  



2011 Holiday goodies

This is one of several table top angels that will be included in the 2011 Holiday goodies. I found that many times people are looking for the table top items verses the sun catchers. Each of this years group will be holding either a musical instruments or some other little adornment

Still have to make a rope of twisted wire to make the halo.

Panel for my daughter's home

Just designed this piece to affix to the inside of the front doors of my daughters 100 year old victorian duplex.

The doors are of the same period and still have the original hardware and the beveled edge sheet glass.


The blue I will be using will be more of a colonial blue.


Will have to hunt through my inventory when the time comes. I do like the texture of the english muffle, but couldn't find the shade I want.

©Stained Glass Designs by JFA 9/22/2011

Getting ready for the holiday season

Been working on a few new items to add to the inventory for the holiday show season.

Here is this years version of my pocket mirror. This one is done with textured glass that I hand painted. I supply a small pouch to house the mirror.

I also make them in different colored glass and attach a cute dimensional item, like a kitten, or bow or such. They make cute little stocking stuffers.

I have also been making several different sized 3-d beveled stars. This one is about 7 1/2" long. I make them in varying sizes from 3 1/2" to 13 1/2"and several different colors.

They sparkle in the sun, and fill the room with a prism of colors.

Hard to believe that I have to start thinking about the holidays when I had to run the a/c today. But that will change by the weekend, supposed to be down in the 40's over night for several days.

"Irene" you bad, bad girl

WOW, what a weekend and early week too. "Irene" was not a fun ride for sure.
Hope all my blog spot Friends are all safe. We are all safe here and my extended family in Vermont and New Hampshire are all safe and sound too. Vermont really got slammed though.

Hugs and prayers to all still dealing with the after math.

We have a young woman coming over tomorrow to help us clean up the broken limbs, leaves and other stuff that was deposited in our yard.

We got our power back earlier today, thank God. What a challenge living without electric. Lost everything in the fridge and a good amount in the freezer too, but when I think of what could have happened, that isn't so bad.

I'm back

Been way to long since I have been able to update my blog. Life with MS has given me a roller coaster ride. I am feeling a whole lot better now that my meds have leveled out, and with summer humidity soon to be a memory I am preparing my studio for glass production once again.

My part time job ends at the end of this month, so the energy that I was using to do the job will now be redirected into working on my glass projects one again.

Summer is but a memory now

Haven't been here for a bit.

Summer really had me down for the count with the MS, but now that the cooler weather is here I am surely hoping that I will again be back to scoring lots of my beautiful glass.

Here is a picture of the early fall colors viewed from across one of the many lovely spots I enjoy visiting.

Have been invited to display in a holiday show in December. With a lot of Grace from God and a little help from friends I am setting my sites on this show.

Time will tell.

I have had a sail boat panel on my work table for months now. Will post the end result soon.

Thanks for visiting my site, hope you will return soon and I really hope that I have some new eye candy waiting for your return visit. Joan

Spring Anew

Can't believe it is already May. Time is flying. Life got in the way of many things that I have been wanting to tend to, but I did get to do this panel and start a commissioned piece too, since last it blogged.

I designed this panel to enter a contest, where we were challenged to add elements to our work that we had not made a practice of doing till now.

Plating, wire work and stones as a none glass element are choices I made to include. I also used the harness style hanging armature which was way out of the norm for me.

This panel did try my patience at times, as the stone work delayed the speed in which I could have normally soldered anything. The stones retain heat far longer than glass/foil does. I had collected several bags of river rocks from different craft stores with the intention of using them for flower arrangements, but thought they would work well in this panel. Here in NE stone walls are pretty common in area that there were farms in days gone by. So I wanted to give it a try in this panel. Over all I am very pleased with the out come of this effort.
Here is a close up the bird and her nest of eggs, which also shows one of the walls in the back ground.

Hope you enjoy





©Stained Glass Creations from Designs by JFA

Merry Christmas week and Happy New Year

2010 will soon be here. Isn't it amazing just how fast 2009 went by.

Several new projects are on the drawing board for 2010, and a few to clear from 2009.

We are awaiting the arrival of our newest grand daughter as I type. I have designed this mirror for her room.

I have decided that all the grand children will receive a stained glass or mosaic piece that I have designed for them. This way they will have something that will out last any of the store bought toys that they always seem to be looking for. I will attempt to design something that will bridge any age and or color scheme that they may change their rooms to, as they go through all the stages of their life.

Here are two other mirrors that I have been working on. The patterns came from "The Ultimate Pattern Book" volume 3, by Marianne Crivellaro. While I usually design most of my own panels and mosaic pieces, I was intrigued by these "Femmes Fatales". When I saw these patterns, mirror is what came to mind. With all the young ladies on my gift list, I decided to do a series of them as gifts for next year.

Please excuse the reflections of the drawing tools which are actually hanging above the mirror on my work table.

I find this series of pattern to be fun. And what little girl wouldn't love having a fantasy mirror to glaze into.

End of Summer

All you glass crafters, from the east coast, who follow my blog must do yourself a favor and make plans to get to Wessmach and Youghiogeny Glass, and Warner Stainedglass. They are all very worth the trip. Wonderful people to deal with and a wealth of information can be garnered, during your visit.

I had the opportunity to travel there with another glassing friend. We had a wonderful trip. While in the area we made several side trips along the way. We stopped at the sight where flight 93 went down. While a somber place, the brave actions of the group of people can be felt too. We also went to Falling Waters, one of the many homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. And we were also able to get the the Church Brew House, in Pittsburgh, an old church that was converted into a restaurant, that makes their very own brews. Each of these stops helped add to making our trip even more memorable. We met simply wonderful people each step of the way, from a gentlemen in a toll both, who actually took the time to get us directions to the restaurant we were going to, and even said if we took him alone he would pay (he was kidding of course, as he was working), to a couple in yet another meal stop who chatted with us about the states we were both from, and then there were the college kids in New Scranton who got us back on to the highway, when we made a wrong turn. When you go, be sure to get off the highway and travel some of the other roads, it was such a treat skirting back and forth from the West Virginia and Ohio sides of the mighty Ohio river, something that you wouldn't have done from the main highway.

If you plan to visit Youghiogeheny glass factory, you must give them 48 hours notice to book your tour, other wise you will only be able to purchase glass at the station location.

Unfortunately, my bubble burst because upon returning home, I came down with the flu and have not really gotten my strength back even as I type this.

Summer has come and gone and winter is approaching fast. The Christmas Fairs have begun.

I have a full plate of things coming up, 2 holiday shows and a nice commission piece for a gentlemen who loves to sail.

Above are a few of many new items that have been added for this years Christmas fairs.

"The Champ"

Had to take a break from all the sun catchers I have been doing for the fall and holiday shows, so I pulled out this pattern that I designed last year.

My grand daughter is now in her second year of swim and is pretty good at it too. I modified my original design as I didn't like the hand detail.

The panel measures 15"L x 9and 3/4" H

©Stained Glass Creations from

Designs by JFA

"The Champ" revised 7/17/2009

Beveled Panel completed

At long last, she is done.
Just love this panel. It measures 26 x 26 not including the zinc. Photo does not show the true color. The red glass is water glass, the clear border is English muffle. Plan on making her twin this winter when I get all the holiday shows behind me.








©Stained Glass Creations from
Designs by JFA

Fall and Winter Show Planning time is here

Although summer just began yesterday, planning for the fall and Holiday shows has already begun.

Here are only 2 items that I will be adding to this years show items.

The sweet orange dish

only measures 3" square at the base and is 6 1/4" at the top. It can be used as a candle dish, or to hold you're sea shell collection or pot pour ri.

The fun little kite sun catcher is 6"L x 3 3/4"W. Each of these items can be made in any host of colors to suit your interior.

Here is an update on the bevel panel that was started in March.

Well at long last I have been able to get back to doing glass. I soooo missed working on it. The darned MS was teaching me to adjust my plans again.

The inner panels are now all complete. Will be completing the assembly of them and the re-strip today, so that I can move onto the border pieces.

A word to glassers following this panel. I learned the hard way that bevels within the same box, or from box to box are not all the same size. This panel has 64 bevels. The frames were cut with the strip cutter using stops, had I not done it that way, I would have been blaming my cutting, (which really I thought was the problem, until I grabbed a few different bevels, only to find out that they fit right)

The plan is, is complete the panel by this evening. Fingers crossed.

©Stained Glass Creations from Designs by JFA

The next project is shown above. It measures 28 x28. I think this one is going to be mine and hung in my studio. Well mine unless someone comes along and would like to add it to their home. LOL

Cutting the pieces was made soooo easy, using the stops from my Morton glass shop. Love having the tools to make life easier.

Progress on my saddle and barn sign project

Here is an up date on the recent project that will be being placed in a local grain supply store. The owner's have offered me the opportunity to place items relevant to their business in their store. These two pieces will be among several animal panels that I have on the drawing board including the panel of Creo. I will also be putting hummingbird feeders in the shop too. The work on these two pieces has been slow, as I am also putting together my class plans for up coming stained glass classes with will start soon. The plan is to finish these this week and start the Creo panel. Will post up dates on that panel .

The next step

Well, I am taking my glass advneture to the next level. I am going to start teaching classes.

This step is very exciting to me.

I will be offering biginner classes in stained glass, Mosaic work and glass engraving. I will also teach design concepts if any students are interested in creating their very own patterns.

The classes will be limited to 4 students a night, so the students will get a lot attention. Fire side will add to the relaxed experience.

I will have a full inventory available of supplies, hand tools and such, a decent supply of glass.

After teaching ceramic for 7 years, I really miss the glow that students get when they complete a piece.

Nana brags again

Just have to share that my grandson has wrestled his way to the top again. He is #1 in junior varisty wrestling, this year. He was team captian for his team too. Two years ago he was New England Champ for Wrestling USA.

Good Job Ryan.

Western Designs

Here are two patterns I just designed for a local grain store. Time will tell if the accept them.

©Stained Glass Creations from Designs by JFA 1/17/2009