(New Drug Rep offer at bottom of page) - The Making of a Body Wraped Platter

Here are some pictures that my wife Linda took while Micah and I made a body wrapped platter with a lip wrap. Some of the pictures were only so-so because it was at night and the lighting was bad and the camera didn't want to focus because there wasn't enough light. In spite of that Linda did a great job and some of the pictures were really good anyway.

The first photo is the finished product.


I tried to upload some pictures of the most fantastic pizzas in the world for Gnat but for some reason they wouldn't upload. I think they might be too big. I will try to get some sometime for you or maybe I might email you some.


Gather number 1.

I just blew the starter bubble and am letting it cool a little bit after I blocked it.



























Gather number 2.

Blocking the glass to a good shape after gather #2.



Gather number 3.



Micah has just picked up a color bit out of the annealer and is preparing to heat and marver it to the size and shape we need for the "body wrap".

You can see I have the blowpipe with the piece on the "threader wheel" and Micah eases the bit up to and touches the piece. He then expertly pulls back until the thread is the proper thickness and I start turning the piece. The thread of glass then encircles the piece round and round and round… all the way to the end.







We finish the threading process and cut off the thread. Micah will take what's left of the thread on the punty and reheat and reshape and keep in the warmer for another piece while I stay busy doing what comes next.

I am now getting a really good heat in the piece so I can get a really deep optic mold imprint.





Into the optic mold and blow!






Reheat! You can see the deep optic molded ridges in the piece!

I am marving the piece and getting ready to cut the jack line in the piece with the jacks.

As you can tell I have blown out the piece some and getting ready to "drop a foot". (I don't have a picture of us dong the foot.)

We have just attached the punty to foot on the piece and are starting the transfer process.

I am now "chilling" the "jack line" with a few drops of water from the file and geting ready to break the glass at the jack line and complete the transfer from the blowpipe to the punty.

I'm keeping the piece hot while Micah is heating up the chunk of color (the bit) that we are going to apply for the lip wrap.

I'm trimming the lip of the piece, getting it nice and smooth and even for the lip wrap.

Micah has heated up the "bit" of color and has presented it to me with the correct shape and heat for me to apply as the "lip wrap" which I am doing now.

I am using the "puffer" to round out the mouth end of the piece before I open it up all the way. Here I am using the parchoffi sticks to open the mouth.

I now have the mouth opened up as far as I want to before I spin it out and this is the final reheat before I spin out the platter

Here I am "spinning out" the platter and then on the "knock-off" table and getting ready to put in the annealler.

Thirty-six minutes from start to finish. Bam!

It took me longer to upload the pictures and write out the steps than it did to make the piece. I'm tired now.

It was good to talk to Andy today in Columbus Ohio. Wish you and Brent the best while you guys are there! Look forward to buying you lunch or dinner when you get back.

Are any pharmaceutical reps reading this? If so, the first one to call me on my cell and mention this, I will blow you a bud vase. Hurry, offer applies to the first one only! tick, tick, tick, tick, tick…

Answer to Gnat

Sorry it took me so long to follow up on Scott's question. We (my family) own and operate Italian JIm's Pizzeria. We just had our 10 year anniversary on March 6th, 2006. Our pizza is great. I will hopefully be posting some photos - before & after - of our new space. Maybe just the "after" photos.

I hope to post some new photos of what we did last night before the weekend is over.

CM

Bowl with copper in the glass

Here is a really neat bowl/platter. It is a piece that I blew for a lady named Britton. She wanted a light blue with a "curry" lip wrap and copper foil up around the edge of the bowl. I was pleased with this one on a couple of different levels. I love the blue and shape and size of the bowl was what I wanted to make. The lip wrap came off well. Micah did a great job with the color bit! We took about 8 sheets of copper foil and folded them and folded them and folded them until they were only about 1/2" wide and put them in a line about 2 lengths long. We then rolled them onto the piece from the marver and heated it in via the glory hole, then we gathered a thin gather over the top to seal it. The copper on the inside of the bowl stayed "copper" colored but the copper that was exposed to the glory hole turned red! If you look close at the pictures you can even see how thick the copper was in spots. I have some pictures posted so you can see. Britton really liked it and we did too.
It was nice to meet Era the other day and look forward to working with her as well.

We are still really busy with the Italian Jim's Pizzeria remodel. We are on pace to break record sales 3 months in a row by a substantial amount each month! We haven't had time to blow much glass or post to the web site, but when things get caught up…

I may take Gnat's que and start making my artifacts other worldly.

See ya,
CM

Artifacts Photos

Picture #1 is the Opal Nile Green on the inside and G-50 Black on the outside with #3 Opal Nile Green Frit sprinkled on the outside also. The tallest one is about 8" and the shortest one is about 5 inches.

Picture #2 is the same series with the funky flower/leaf thing that coordinates with it.

Picture # 3 is 2 vases with the G-50 Black base and R-120 Curry body and lip wrap. I love the curry/black combination. I call it part of the "Tiger Stripe" Series. They are both about 12-13 inches tall. The bigger one is about 5 inches wide at the mouth.

Picture #4 is another artifacts series with G-103 Latte on the inside with G-50 Black on the outside with specks of #3 Frit sprinkled on. ( I may retake some of these pictures. After looking at them, I don't like the angle I shot them from. I think it would show them better from an angle not so high up.)

I want to do some more different things of the same color combos to add to each series.

Artifacts Again!

The last 2 nights, Linda, Micah, and I had some success with the artifact series again. When tonight's' work comes out of the annealer tomorrow @ about 3:30 - 4:00 pm I am hoping to see 2 sets of the "Artifacts Series". On one set I blew a Opal Nile Green on the inside and G-50 black solid with #3 Opal Nile Green Frit applied sparingly on the outside. The other set is "Latte" on the inside and Gaffer G-50 Black with #3 spots on the outside to coordinate with the Latte on the inside. If you can't picture it yet I will hopefully post pictures in a day or two or three or four.

The Gaffer G-50 Black vase with the "Diablo Red" body wrap and lip wrap that I posted recently was really liked by a few people. I have already sold it to someone and could have sold it about 4 more times. So tonight I made a G-50 Black vase with a "Curry" lip and body wrap. Did some more platters for the fancy wall at the restaurant. Blew my wife a pen holder for her desk. I can't wait to see them tomorrow. I can't wait to take their pictures and post them. Very Cool!

See ya,
CM

Some New Work

Picture #1
Here's a vase with different colors on outside and inside.


Picture #2
Here's a vase with a new technique Micah and I have learned. It's called "Threading".


Picture #3
Here's a red platter.

I'm getting ready to revive "The Artifacts" Series. Coming soon. Not much for words today. Really busy!
Thanks for reading.
CM

Bruce Ferguson!

I'm just now getting around to posting this, but about 3 weeks ago, Micah and I were honored to have Bruce Ferguson down from Virginia to our humble studio and show us some new techniques. Bruce is an accomplised glass blower and teacher. He assists Bill Gudenrath on occassion @ the Corning School of Glass.

Here are some pictures.

Update On What's Happening

Micah and I went over to Andy Boatman's Studio, "Blue Sage Studios" last week and saw his new furnace. A very fine piece of equipment! It was really good to be over a Blue Sage once again. That is the nicest studio! We got to meet Bruce Ferguson, an accomplished glassblower and glassblowing teacher from Virginia. Bruce works at the FAA and is in OKC for a week or two doing whatever it is the FAA people do to stay current. Bruce showed us some new techniques, some of which we have tried with a small measure of success already! Bruce is supposed to come over to Bella Forte Glass Studio and check out our place and do a little bit of glass blowing over here. We can't wait!

I have been so busy at the restaurant. I've been putting in about 85 - 90 hours each week. My workout time has gone to a big fat ZERO for the last 4 weeks. Looking forward to getting back in the gym and getting lean again! (Sometime soon I hope) March 6th was our 10 year anniversary! We just finished March and it was our biggest month in our 10 year history! A NEW RECORD! Who-aaah! As I have mentioned earlier, we have doubled the square footage of our restaurant and are in the process of doing the remodel. Micah and I have done all of the remodel ourselves with the exception of the electrical and some floor work. Most all of the kitchen part is complete and we have been working on the dining room area.

I am going to have a new retail area for Bella Forte Glass Studios in the restaurant. It is going to be really nice and attractive. We are going to do some innovative things to display the glass. I have taken a few "before" and "during" pictures so far and will take some "after" pictures when it's done and post them. But you really need to come see the progress when it gets done. Last night Micah and I did more drywall and we started painting. That new airless paint sprayer is worth the money!

I blew some commissioned light fixtures for some very nice folks in the "Rivendale" addition in Moore. I've sold some more things in the restaurant. Micah and I have been blowing glass to decorate the new retail space at Italian Jim's Pizzeria in between commission pieces. I just got some new dichroic glass in yesterday and will be doing some commission pieces with it. Can't hardly wait.

If you get a chance stop Italian Jim's at 342 S. Mustang Road @ Reno and Mustang Road in the Yukon area, have a look at the glass and eat a pizza or a sub or a pasta or a dessert or a etc…

See ya later.
CM

More Pictures! - Upload fixed

Hello,

Here's some of our newest work.

I told you that I was commissioned to blow some wall art for the new Bank 2 location in Yukon. Some of these platters are the ones that have made the cut. Some still made the cut but are going in our restaurant - Italian Jim's Pizzeria @ 342 S. Mustang Rd. in Yukon Ok.


This Cerulean Blue piece is about 19 inches x 17 inches and has a Diablo Red lip wrap and is optic molded with a twist in the optic mold pattern.


This piece is about 24 inches x 22 inches and is Cherry Red with a few chunks of yellow and a bright yellow lip wrap. It is one of my favorite.


This piece is about 17 inches x 18 inches with Brilliant Yellow, optic molded with a twist, and a Diablo Red lip wrap- Also a favorite.


Micah got me a kilo of Cerulean Blue for Christmas. This is the first piece we did with it. We love this color - we added a few chunks of #3 frit Canary Yellow to this. It's about 16 inches x 15 inches.


This is Opal White iwth #2 Frit of Cherry Red, #3 Frit of Canary Yellow, and maybe some #2 Frit of Lapis Blue. It's 24 inches x 17 inches.


This one is Adventurine Green in the center, with Bristol Green on the outside edges surrounded with a Diablo Red lip wrap. I wanted to do the whole thing heavy in Adventurine Green and tried to do so, but it was so stiff I had trouble working it. It's about 17 inches x 17 inches. The picture doesn't do the Adv. Green justtice. You ought to see it in the sunlight.


This Bowl is Cerulean Blue with an Adventurine swirl in it. It is about 14 inches across. That Cerulean Blue is very pretty.


This vase is Cerulean Blue with a Cherry Red lip wrap and a dropped foot. It stands about 14 inches tall.


This vase is what I blew for my wife, Linda for Valentines Day. It is about 15 inches tall and is cream with a garnet body wrap.


If you click on this picture and look close, you will see a very fine "thread" of light biege "threaded" around this piece. It is Gaffer 50 - Black in powder form with the biege thread and lip warp. You ought to see the "threading" process. It's awesome to watch. Micah and I made it look easy,.


This piece is part of the "Tiger Stripe" series. It is black with a Curry body wrap and a Curry lip wrap. The threads on this piece are a little thicker and you can easily feel the texture of the thread around the vase. It's about 12 inches tall.


These are our flowers, "one or two steps removed from nature." Have stems about 13' long on them. We think they are pretty cool. We are gonna practice doing these until we make some really, really, really good-looking ones. (DZ)


This little piece is kind've cute. It's Lapis Blue with a cream thread "noodled" on, spun out and swung to get that fluted look. It's about 10 inches tall.

Heap big thanks to wife, Linda and boy, Micah for being great helpers. Bye for now - keeping the furnace hot!
CM