The Delphi Blog

Deck the halls with boughs of holly is really more than just lyrics from a popular holiday song. Each year my family and I always try to do something new and creative that will make memories for years to come. When I started my search internationally on whats new for Christmas 2010, I noticed a very obvious trend appearing all over. The round shape of the traditional ornament is very much in vogue. The real difference however is creating unique, one of a kind glass orbs to be enjoyed and admired. This year for Christmas 2010, we have a very special project that your entire family can assist in making. These beautiful GLASKOLBENS will be cherished and admired by friends and family alike. Ideas and suggestions for displaying your Glaskolbens 1. Arrange a variety of colors in your favorite bowl and instantly it becomes a show stopping centerpiece. 2. Nestle clusters of orbs in fresh greens and place in a horizontal line . (Your fireplace mantle is a perfect spot or a wide window sill.) 3. A small tabletop Christmas tree adorned with Glaskolbens and faceted crystals or jewels is a wonderful focal point in your foyer or buffet table. 4. Consider using gift tags

By now, you're probably aware of Delphi's partnership with the Beads of Courage program. For those of you who aren't, here's a quick overview. Beads of Courage brings handmade beads to children receiving treatment for life-threatening illnesses. A bead is awarded by the child's healthcare provider for treatment milestones like blood transfusions, chemotherapy treatments and surgeries to document the child's treatment journey. The success of Beads of Courage is completely reliant on artists and volunteers. Since 2004, more than 500,000 beads have been donated by lampworkers, clay workers, woodworkers and other bead artists, and we want YOU to get in on the action! We're so passionate about this cause, we've pledged to donate 100,000 beads to Beads of Courage, and we need your help. We're asking you to make a few extra glass beads the next time you're in your studio. Send them to Delphi and in return, we'll give you $5 off your next order of $40 or more*. One-hundred percent of the beads donated will be given to Beads of Courage. If you have friends that are bead artists, tell them about our cause and plan a bead making party! Make beads of every color to represent diff

When cutting out a pattern, where do you cut? With the proper scissors, is it on the line or left or right of the line? If, by proper scissors, you mean the three-bladed pattern shears, you want to cut by placing the center blade of the shears right on pattern line. The two outside blades will then cut the pattern on either side of the center blade. This removes a small strip of paper between each of the pattern pieces. You need to make sure youre using the right shears for the method of construction youve decided to use. Foil shears allow for two thicknesses of copper foil. Lead shears have a thicker center blade which allows for the heart of lead came. If you are using regular scissors (that dont have the extra blade) you will need to cut twice, once on each side of the line, for your pattern to be accurate. Reprinted with permission from Stained Glass News. All rights reserved.

Dimensional or 3-D relief in glass art is making a very strong comeback for Fall 2010, and we predict it to be even stronger in 2011. Adding cast pieces will bring excitement and a novelty look to your work. The process is easy. When planning your project, consider elements of the design that could be made with glass castings. Once fired and cleaned, castings can be foiled and soldered into panels, lamps and lanterns, added to mosaics, or fired into fused art. Your finished project will have a sculptural look and will showcase your glass art abilities. The deer trophy stained glass panel by artist Teresa Batten is a wonderful example of 3-D castings. Each pinecone has a rich textured surface and adds realistic interpretation to the finished panel. The unique design not only captures the spirit of the piece but also invites the viewer to examine the work from different angles. 3-D reliefs can be used in contemporary or traditional designs. The stunning lamp by artist Julie Haan combines several different surfaces, which adds beauty and wonder to the piece. The near-real butterflies add interest and cast glowing shadows that ebb and flow throughout the day and evening hours

Jane Nichols of Munfordville completed a 40 hour stained glass Flying Butterfly Mobile workshop and created a colorful, large stained glass flying butterfly mobile to hang in her home. Jane completed this project in less than 40 hours and she says, This was the most gratifying and fun thing I have done in a long time and Carl Correll is an excellent instructor. Though Jane had never cut a piece of glass before and had never been in any stained glass course she chose an Intermediate project and came through with flying colors. Speaking of colors, Jane says, Choosing the colors was the hardest thing I had to do! Avalon Stained Glass School Creativity Center says, Well done, Jane, and we are choosing you to be our Student of the month for October.

At the height of an undefeated season for MSU (and a big win over University of Michigan) Delphi’s new Licensed Pre-cut Glass Emblems  couldn’t come at a better time.  For the past 38 years, the Lansing-based company has supplied glass artists with high quality art glass supplies and education. But they haven’t been able to offer pre-cut glass mascots and logos until now. These exclusive pre-cuts are designed to make it easy for people, even those with no previous art glass experience, to create MSU-themed projects like garden stepping stones, serving platters, wall art and fashion accessories. Delphi currently carries two designs, the MSU Spartan “S” logo and Spartan Helmet mascot emblem. Sizes range from 1/2 inch to 6 inches. Pre-cuts are available in either aventurine green, a dark green with metallic sparkle, or solid white. Both colors are lead-free and food safe. All glass is tested 96 COE compatible for fusing. Pre-cuts are made using a high-powered water saw allowing for precision detail, including interior cuts that would be impossible to do by hand. “We are very excited about our new line of licensed collegiate p

This is the perfect time of year to spend some time outside . If you enjoy your garden and outdoor spaces, try making some fun wind chimes with your old wine bottles. Wine bottles are very sturdy, they will last a long time in the elements. The echo of sunlight through the glass is beautiful. You can use a single color of wine bottle in your chimes or mix it up with blue, clear or green. Add beads and some wire or colorful string to dress them up a bit. Try your hand at creating your own garden art and enjoy the music. This video tutorial explains how to make these beautiful wind chimes. Post and video courtesy of Cindy Shepard and Design Originals. For more great bottle art ideas, check out the Bottle Art book.

Heres how to safely connect your torch to the work table. 1. Collect the hardware. Youll need an L-bracket, one or two large adjustable hose clamps (big enough to fit around the Map gas tank) and a C-clamp (if you dont want to screw into your work surface). 2. Attach the L bracket . Screw the bracket directly into the table on the surface. If you prefer not to screw directly into the table, you can use a C-clamp to secure the bracket. Make sure it is tight enough to keep the bracket from slipping. 3. Secure the tank with hose clamps. Place both large adjustable hose clamps behind the vertical leg of the L-bracket before screwing the L-bracket to the table front. Place the MAPP gas into the hose clamps and turn the screws until the clamps are snug around the MAPP gas cylinder. Using two clamps will prevent the MAPP gas tank from tipping. Reprinted with permission from Stained Glass News. All Rights Reserved.

When I found Cindy Jenkins book Making Glass Beads back in 1998, I was immediately hooked on the idea of making glass beads. Id never seen handmade glass beads nor had I ever seen anyone make one. I was absolutely fascinated and I still am! Back then, the information was tough to find, but its much more popular now. I hope the following information will ease you into the fun world of making your own glass beads. Glass beadmaking is probably one of the easiest mediums to get started in when it comes to the tools and equipment you will need. Lets start by looking at the basic equipment: Torch A good beginning torch is the Hot Head Torch which was made specifically for beadmaking. It burns hot and clean and runs off of a small MAPP gas tank (see description below). Work Surface Find an old table or desk. Youll want to cover the work area with a nonflammable surface. You can use a cookie sheet, a sheet of stainless steel, or a ceramic or marble tile to top your work area. Connector for Torch To connect the torch to the work surface, you will need an L bracket and two large adjustable hose clamps (to fit the diameter of the Mapp gas tank and connect the tank to

Twelve years ago Arlene saw an ad for a two-week workshop on stained glass. Arlene Wright-Correll and her husband Carl Correll had just retired from 43 successful years in business, the last 7 spent building and then running their own B&B and campgrounds on the Appalachian Trail. When Arlene approached her husband about taking the class together, Carl thought she was crazy -- he couldn't even cut glass. But being the good husband he was, he went along with her idea and became what Arlene affectionately calls, the "Stained Glass Frankenstein Monster". For 12 years now, Carl has created and taught the art of stained glass. The couple began Avalon Stained Glass School & Creativity Center in December 1998. Between the two of them (currently ages 75 and 77), Arlene and Carl teach approximately 22 workshops in stained glass, leaded glass, etched glass, fused glass and all kinds of art classes. In addition, they teach "Budding Young Artists" workshops for kids 6 to 12 years old. They also do free demonstrations on stained glass, water color painting and scratch art at various festivals throughout the year. Besides running the store and teaching, the couple also

One of my favorite memories growing up in Northern Wisconsin was our annual family Thanksgiving Day dinner. With lingering aromas from the kitchen, waiting to see cousins that I hadnt seen for several months, and the anticipation of who breaks the wishbone, the day seemed magical. Each year it seemed we created new family traditions, and our Delphi Family would like to suggest some traditions your family can start: 1. For a fun accent piece for the holiday table, try slumping brown or green bottles as a side dish. The size is perfect to serve Aunt Mildreds sweet potato hash or your family favorite. The color will add punch to the table as well. 2. Make it easy to identify whos drink is whos . We like the idea of creating glass beads strung with silver wire and attached to the goblet stem to claim your stake. As a take away gift, these are wonderful and can be used over and over. 3. Surprise your family and relatives by creating your own unique tableware. Using various size plates or serving pieces, solids and patterns will mix and match for a perfect harmonized and stylish look. Let your imagination go wild! 4. Small decorative weights (pumpkins are this season