The Kaleidoscope Book

.

I bought this book yesterday at my local stained glass supply shop. They actually have a zillion little ‘gifts’ and decorations, but that’s not what interests me. My money usually goes for the colored glass. Yesterday, I bought a book, The Kaleidoscope Book.

.

I’d like to try out a few of the ideas in the book. I love wood, too, so I’d especially like to make a kaleidoscope with a wooden exterior. And, there’s a neat one for kids that’s on a platform (it’s BIG!). You make the mirror-tube out of PVC pipe (and, decorate it, of course). The turning objects are on a lazy-Susan (the type you’d use for spices or other small items in a kitchen cabinet). And, there’s a scope of stained glass that’s on legs and points straight down (you just turn a ball of blown glass at the end of it).

.

One safety issue they mention at the end of the book is very important! This author says you absolutely MUST use plexiglass for the clear cover on the end where you put your eyes. I knew you had to cover it, in order to keep it dust-free inside and to avoid eye injury. But, he says you must use plastic for the clear piece where the eyes are, because sometimes people drop scopes and don’t tell anyone. That could result in a devastating eye injury if the next person holds it up to his or her eye and small fragments of glass fall out and onto the surface of the eye. Point taken!!! I will soon be looking for a source for plexiglass and a safe and effective method for cutting it. (I’m glad I’m still at the beginning of my kaleidoscope-making and have not let the ones with glass eye-covers out of my sight. At least, I know who to call to recall the one I gave as a gift, so I can change it to the safer design.)

.

Candle Vases

Here are the candle vases I’ve made during this recent flurry of glass work. They’re all made with bevels, copper foil and solder.

.

There are two small vases and one large vase. The large one is not yet finished. It needs a base in it. In the photo, you’ll see the candle in a plastic lid, but I wanted to show the play of the light on the wooden table. So, I’m including the photo now.

.

You Want the Scoop? Here are the details. All of these designs are ones I created this week.

In the last post, you saw photos of groups of stained glass items I made this week. All of these designs are ones I created this week. (All except the blue star. The star is not my design. All the rest are my designs.)

.

Here are some photos of individual pieces. I photographed most of them with the sky behind and a flash of light hitting them from the front. The flash showed the silver color of the solder, but it also made some of the glass look like it has white flecks on it. I’m posting these anyway, because overall, I’m pleased with how they look.

.

Ten Original Rainbow Suncatchers

Three Angels

There are more angels in waiting, but these are the only ones I’ve finished so far.

Five More Glass and Mirror Suncatchers

Seven Fun-Filled Days At Mom and Pop’s Stained Glass Camp

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have a lot of time on my hands. This week, without the usual responsibilities, I had the opportunity to spend a week at Mom and Pop’s Stained Glass Camp.

.

There really is no such place, not that I know of, but it seems a fun way to describe a week visiting family. I really had almost nothing to do other than eat, sleep, visit and work on stained glass pieces.

.

It was fun! Here’s what I did:

.

…. more photos to come soon!

Travel Back In Time With Me, If You Will, To Three Weeks Ago

You’ve already seen the suncatchers I made in the week prior to June 1, 2008. The week before that, the one we’re visiting now, was the week of the return to glass (for the 1st time since last summer).

.

In that week, I made five stars of gluechip glass. I made two beveled candleholders (for tiny candles). And, I made four suncatchers of mirrored pieces. These are the glass items in the photos below.

.

.

Suncatchers Completed June 1, 2008

I wanted to complete a blue water glass (stained glass) star. I had all the points prepared and ready to put together, but today just was not the day. Sometimes, it goes smoothly. Other times, it seems best to just let it be and move on (like some things in life).

.

So, I did what I knew I could do successfully today. I completed these sun catchers. I wanted to finish the star, too, but I am happy with these pieces.

Red Star and Suncatchers … recent glass work

[UPDATE: Click any of these photos to see a larger image.]

.

After not working with glass since last summer, I’m attempting to redeem the time by working diligently to create as much as possible over a period of a few weeks. I’ve spent hours and hours sitting at a table outside my house soldering pieces of glass together. Here are a few photos I took today (yesterday, Saturday May 31, 2008).

.

I’ll post the rest of the photos in separate posts. So far, in the past few weeks, I have made small candle holders, stars and sun catchers.

.

Red Star and Sun Catchers Under the Umbrella

.

Red Star and Sun Catchers on the Line

Red Star in the Sun

Suncatchers I Made Today

Other Suncatchers I Made This Week

Cross-posted at Deb’s House Concerts

Rainbows, Sunlight and Blue Water

I took this picture 10 days ago by a friend’s pool. I am still marveling at the beauty of colored glass between sunlight and water.

(Click the photo to see a larger, prettier view. I’m glad my teacher pushed me into making this piece. I never tire of looking at it and looking for new ways to view it.)

http://dhconcerts.wordpress.com/2007/09/30/rainbows-sunlight-and-blue-water/

http://dhconcerts.wordpress.com/2007/05/16/my-2nd-stained-glass-piece/

Deb’s House Concerts

“I think you’ve got the function …

Now, you just need to work on the form if you expect to sell these to anyone.”

Those were the words of one of my siblings referring to my kaleidoscope prototypes. They are NOT attractive, but they work. The evidence is below.

Kaleidoscope #1

Kaleidoscope # 1 is as basic as possible. It has mirrors wrapped in paper and cardboard. It has no beads or color wheels. It is open, and the world around is what you see. I photographed a few things I viewed through #1 (more photos to come later).

Kaleidoscope #2

Kaleidoscope #2 is housed in a paper towel tube and wrapped in black cloth tape. It looks like a flashlight. It has red hearts, blue marbles and white flat stones under glass.

The view on the inside is worlds better than the view of the outside. Because of the glass behind the colored pieces, it is possible to see objects outside of the scope while viewing the changing colors and shapes in the scope.

Kaleidoscope #3

Kaleidoscope #3 lives in an empty Pringles can. Yes, I made the sacrifice and consumed the contents in order to try out this method of kaleidoscope-making. It turned out very well.

I used white tissue paper on the end under the plastic lid to allow light to backlight the colors (same objects as in K#2) without showing images of objects outside of the scope.

The viewing end is the metal base of the can (where I made a hole in the metal). The colors are under the plastic lid at the top of the can. You turn the entire can to change the color and shape combinations.

http://dhconcerts.wordpress.com/2007/07/20/%e2%80%9ci-think-you%e2%80%99ve-got-the-function-%e2%80%a6/

Deb’s House Concerts

Blue Star * Clear Star

12-point stars made with 12 diamond-shaped pieces of glass, copper foil method, clear star is glue chip glass, blue star is water glass

http://dhconcerts.wordpress.com/2007/06/14/my-first-two-glass-stars/

Deb’s House Concerts