The Delphi Blog

Summer is officially here and with the longest day of the year already in the books, now we can look forward to celebrating America’s birthday on July 4th. No doubt you’ve got big plans to have everyone over to celebrate with a big backyard barbecue or pool party.   As you’re busily buying up hotdogs, buns, condiments, chips, burgers and other tasty July 4th food staples, don’t forget about using your creativity to make some spectacular star-spangled 4th of July glass art to show off to family and friends when they come over.   Delphi Glass has 2 fantastic free guides to help you bring out the freedom in your creativity for 4th of July. One of them is the Free Eagle Stepping Stone Project Guide . Ideal for those with intermediate stained glass skills, the hexagonal shape of the stone will be a welcome addition to any backyard, or can even serve duty in the front of your home leading up to your front door. Make one for a simple accent, or make a bunch of them to let your love for America truly shine.   The other free project guide Delphi Glass has for you is the Stars and Stripes Wind Chime Guide . Designed by V

Mosaics are one of the most beautiful ways to add a unique touch to your garden or home. They can be crafted to form stunning pictures or patterns. You can also use mosaics to take something ordinary and make it into an extraordinary one-of-a-kind item for your home.   Candle holders, bordered mirrors, vases, coasters, and wall hangings are just some of the things you can create with mosaics to make the décor in your home really stand out. You’re really only limited by your imagination as to what you can create when you make mosaic art.   Mosaics can be done in a variety of ways, incorporating different materials to create your own distinctive pieces. From tiles and glass which are by far easier to cut and shape to making use of broken bits from bottles or other recyclable materials, mosaics take small pieces and incorporate them together to result in the creation of a stunning masterpiece.   A quick look through the Delphi Glass artist gallery is sure to take your breath away while giving you inspiration for your own mosaic art creations. You’ll see beautiful mosaic pendants, abstracts, stained glass mosaics, and m

Tiffany lamps are a beautiful way to bring a classic touch to any room. They not only light up a room but they also serve as a work of art that can change any space from ordinary to extraordinary. Reflecting more than light, they shine with the expert craftsmanship from the artists who painstakingly hand make each one.   In the 1890s, the first Tiffany lamp was created. It was named as such because it was supposed that Louis Comfort Tiffany had been the first designer of this lamp, but it would later be revealed that Clara Driscoll was the original creator of this gorgeous style of lighting. The Tiffany lamp grew in popularity in 1893 thanks to the Worlds Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Tiffany had displayed his lamps there and it became one of the most sought-after items of that time period.    The inspiration of course came from the invention of the light bulb by Thomas Edison in 1879. Tiffany wanted to make glass lampshades utilizing his experiences with stained glass to create spectacular floral designs. Using the same methods he employed for making glass windows, he made paper patterns of the designs and then used the patterns to cut his gl

Mother’s Day is quickly approaching. But don’t panic if you don’t have anything for her just yet. Delphi Glass has some great ideas for what to get Mom this year. If you’re looking to do something different than flowers and chocolates, here are some fantastic last-minute ideas that are sure to make Mom feel special.   1. Cook and clean for her Mom works so hard all the time caring for everyone else. Show her how much you appreciate everything she does by making her favorite meal. Don’t forget to clean up afterward! You can also opt to take her out to eat, but make sure you make reservations or else you might be waiting a long time to get seated.   2. Make her a photo frame Nothing is more unique than creating a beautiful frame with a photo of you with Mom. This free photo frame project guide will help you make a one-of-a-kind frame that she’ll love.   3. Give her a good book Reading enriches the soul. Let Mom relax with a good book. Delphi Glass has many books on how to be creative with mosaics, stained glass, patterns and guides, lamp books, and much more. There’s somet

Delphi Glass offers supplies and instruction for a myriad of art glass and other crafts, from the very simplest for the beginner hobbyist all the way to the most complex for the experienced artist, including glass fusing, wire wrapping, metal embossing, etching, carving, jewelry making, copper foil, sandblasting, glass sculpture, glass casting, copper enameling, beading, glass blowing, mosaics, ceramics, and others—a seemingly endless list of creative opportunities. In our Lansing, Michigan facility, Delphi offers a full schedule of classes and events. Utilizing four on-site, fully-equipped classrooms, more than 100 different courses are offered for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. Some classes last just a few hours while others may meet for several days. Classes are taught by popular guest artists or in-house experts. We believe in helping people be creative and making the glass arts enjoyable and rewarding. Delphi Glass fulfills its commitment to the arts by assisting creative projects of individuals, and supporting the development of educational programs in communities. Throughout its history, Delphi Glass has worked towards these goals of fosterin

It’s time for America’s largest glass and bead expo once again! The 2017 Glass Craft & Bead Expo will be held at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. You can join in on classes there from Wednesday, March 29th through Sunday, April 2nd. Exhibits are available for viewing from Friday, March 31st through Sunday, April 2nd.   Delphi Glass is excited to be an exhibitor at this incredible event. It’s a great opportunity for all glass artists to explore the latest innovations in products and services for glass art from kilns to tools to glass types and colors. People travel from all over the world to attend this famous expo where they can view the exhibits and take exciting classes that include things like painting with frit, frit slurry flowers, advanced fused bowls & techniques, and many more. In total, there are over 250 classes you can take at the Glass Craft & Bead Expo. Additionally, there is a “Bead Bazaar” which showcases a stunning array of handmade beads, gorgeous jewelry, and unique specialty creations designed by the most prestigious artists in America.   This is the eleventh year the

For many beginners, getting into glass fusing can be a little intimidating, especially if you’re completely new to any kind of glass art. But fusing glass as a way to express your creativity is a fantastic outlet. It’s one you’ll really enjoy and really surprise yourself with once you give it a try.   Here are some simple tips for glass fusing for the first time.   1. Just go with it So you’ve never fired glass before. No big deal. There are lots of firsts in our lives. Don’t expect the first thing you create to be the world’s next greatest masterpiece. Just let it happen and you’ll get a feel for the craft.   2. Start simple This is not the time to pick some ornate design to create. Stick with a simple and small-sized piece. Once you get the hang of glass fusing, you can make anything you dream up into a glass art reality.   3. Prepare your kiln Glass fusing requires a kiln, and Delphi has a great selection of kilns . Before you begin, you’ve got to get your kiln and shelves ready with kiln wash. You need to run the kiln empty once to burn off any resi

No matter what you’re into – mosaics, stained glass, glass fusing, or glass jewelry – Delphi always has the tools you need to be creative. Without your tools, it would be impossible to bring to life all the incredible ideas that you dream up. As our 26th Annual Art Glass Festival quickly approaches, we know our glass artists are busy fusing, firing, and cutting to create their best pieces ever by using their favorite tools.   So what are your favorite tools? Let’s explore some of our most popular tools.   Toyo Dry Wheel Supercutter Everyone loves this oil-free cutter because it’s easy to use and makes great cuts without all the clean-up. Plus, it’s very durable and the cutter head is replaceable, making this tool a prime choice for glass artists.   Creators Premium Bottle Cutter Glass artists that love to upcycle love this tool that makes cutting bottles a cinch. The rings isolate your score to make it easier to separate bottles. It even works on those thick champagne bottles. Some amazing bottle art has been created using this fantastic tool.   Frit Sifter On

While it’s true that the groundhog predicted 6 more weeks of winter and most of the country is blanketed in snow, you can cheer up knowing that spring is right around the corner. When you find yourself trapped indoors due to the freezing temperatures and piles of snow, you can warm up with toasty thoughts of the upcoming spring season.   Let those spring thoughts fuel your creativity and passion for art glass. There’s no limit to what you can create with fused glass, stained glass, mosaics, and glass jewelry. Let the world of spring be your inspiration.   Spring is when the land wakes up again, with blooming flowers and trees that grow back their leaves and show their first signs of fruit. Spring is when animals come out from the hollows and explore the world anew. It’s a tremendous time of rebirth from the ground up.   Don’t just sit and stare out the windows into the snow wishing for spring to come. While you wait, keep busy by honing in on your craft. Snowed in? Hunker down in your studio to create your best pieces yet. From birds to butterflies, embrace the essence of spring and capture it in your work.

Behind the innovative molds we’ve all come to love from Creative Paradise is an intensely creative artist, Stephanie O’Toole. She recently sat down for a fascinating interview with Delphi.   Creative Paradise – where creativity takes shape – is the kind of place that doesn’t sound like work. Stephanie let us in on her creative process regarding how she came to design molds to make complex artwork more accessible for everyone to enjoy.   She draws her inspiration from all over. Whether it’s from surfing around the internet or while out shopping at stores, Stephanie looks for interesting shapes and ways to constantly change things up. Some of the amazing creations from Creative Paradise include drop and drape molds that allow for more elevation in fusing. Stand-up molds were another idea that Stephanie pioneered, making it easy to achieve vertical heights with fused glass. Her ideas also come from talking with friends, family, and even the customers she chats with when they visit Creative Paradise.   Stephanie believes creativity should be a vital part of everyone’s life. “It’s good th

Now that we’re into the New Year, perhaps you’ve made a few resolutions regarding your glass art. Maybe you’ve vowed to learn a new technique or delve deeper into the glass art of your choice. Whatever the case may be, Delphi has many classes scheduled for this year and you can be a part of them!   Not sure how to sign up for a class at Delphi? Just click here to get right to our classes home page . Once there, you can browse classes by craft. There are classes for stained glass , mosaics , fusing , jewelry and flameworking . In this section, you can also look up special store events to see what’s happening at Delphi or you can choose to search by guest instructor if there’s an artist you’d most like to have the chance to learn from.   One of the best tools is the class calendar . It gives you an overview of what classes are coming up soon. You can also use the calendar on the left side of the page to select a month and date. Once you find a class you want to join, simply click on it. It will give you all the information you need for taking the class including the dates and times, the cost, and what mate