5 Quick Holiday Favorites to Brighten Your Home

At this over scheduled time of year, we’re all longing for the peace and tranquility we associate with more studio time. Well here’s your excuse to log in more hours with your glass cutter and kiln. Don’t let these charming projects fool you; these flashy little beauties are fun, fast and easy to make. Plus, they make great gifts for any unexpected visitors that might drop in.  

These darling plates are great for table decorations or for serving sweet treats. The dishes photographed here measure 10-inch by 10-inch. But these smart designs also look terrific in 12-inch or 8-inch sizes. Feel free to adjust the size to fit any slumping mold you may have. 

To make these seasonal plates, cut a 10-inch by 10-inch piece of clear fusible glass for the base layer. Select your design and glass colors. Cut the design layer using the specific pattern you selected as a guide. Glue the design layer on top of the base layer with a small amount of fusers glue, or another appropriate adhesive. Set the project aside to let the glue dry. (I like to use a tiny amount of white Elmer’s school glue and apply it with a tooth pick. This glue dries fast and when used in tiny amounts burns off without a trace.) Using the pattern as a guide, cut the accent pieces that make up the design you selected. Grind the cut accent pieces for a nice, clean fit. Clean the glass with water and then dry it with a towel. (I prefer to use water over detergents or other solvents that could leave reside that might burn onto the glass surface during fusing.) Tack the accent pieces to the design layer with fusers glue. Let the glue dry before moving to the next step. 

For Cookies for Santa, Star of David and You’re a Mean One, select the appropriate power frit colors. Wearing a dust mask, sift your chosen powder evenly over the glass. Using a small dry paint brush or the tip of a pencil draw your message in the frit like you would draw in the sand. Remove any frit that might have fallen on the surrounding glass pieces with the dry paint brush. 

Full fuse and slump per the guides below. 

Serve. Celebrate!

Cheers!

Lisa

www.LisaVogt.net

Lisa@LisaVogt.net

For FREE tips and tricks subscribe here

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKLC1hPWbP6Vzgx2Te9tg-g

Like Me on Facebook www.Facebook.com/LisaJVogt

4-Day Glass Fusing Workshop 

Are you ready to take your glass skills and talent to the next level and make exhibition quality artwork?  

Join me for four exhilarating, fun-filled days of fusing. You’ll advance your own personal design style, make multiple exceptional large scale pieces of art and gain the confidence and know-how to take control of your artistic future.

Florida in February!

Advanced Glass Fusing with Lisa Vogt

February 21-24, 2017

Personalized Instruction, 4-Day, Hands-on Workshop

Lisa’s Private Studio, Wesley Chapel, FL

Register here. Seats are limited. 

http://www.lisavogt.ner/products.aspx?id=478

http://www.lisavogt.net/products.aspx?id=478

LIVE Webinars: I come to you! Meet me. Ask questions. Get answers to all your questions! Learn new ways to advance your art. Meet other fusers from all over the world. It doesn’t get any better. Register today. Seats are limited.

Upscale Fusing, January 5, 2017

https://www.glasspatterns.com/glass-patterns-quarterly-store/product/1084-upscale-fusing-with-lisa-vogt-january-5-2017.html

Fusing with Frit, January 24, 2017

https://www.glasspatterns.com/glass-patterns-quarterly-store/product/1079-fusing-with-frit-with-lisa-vogt-january-24-2017.html

Fusing Guide

Segment 1: Ramp 300 F/hr to 1300 and hold 30 min.

Segment 2: Ramp 500F/hr to 1465 and hold 10 min.

Segment 3: Ramp 9999(AFAP*) to 960 and hold 40 min.

Segment 4: Cool to room temperature.

*As fast as possible

Slumping Guide

Segment 1: Ramp 300 F/hr to 1265 and hold 10 min.

Segment 2: Ramp 9999(AFAP*) to 960 and hold 40 min.

Segment 3: Cool to room temperature.

*As fast as possible

NOTE: Kilns fire diffidently. Test fire these guides in your kiln and then adjust as needed.

5 Things That Make Artists Awesome!

Give an artist an apple.

Give an artist an apple and you give them far more than a sweet fruit. You give them artistic inspiration. Artists see beyond the obvious gift; food. They see round form, rich color and potential for new design ideas, while everyone else just sees a juicy snack. 

Everyone else.

I’ve been married to an engineer for over 30 years. To this day, the way he thinks amazes me. He thinks linearly, like a super highway. He decides on a destination, and then plans the most direct and efficient way to get there. His decision making is simple. For him, it’s black or white, yes or no, mayo or mustard. Done. 

While my way of thinking is like the flight path of a free-floating butterfly bouncing around a garden on a blustery day. I’m happy lingering in the pink zone. I’m excited by the possibilities of maybe and am eager to try a mayo, mustard and ketchup mix.  

Not to say engineers are not creative and broad minded thinkers, they are. But they trust logic, experience and good old common sense. While artists are driven by emotion, instinct and naturally rebellious attitudes. 

What makes artists awesome? 

Perpetual Optimism.

In my experience, artists are positive upbeat folks. They search for the positive aspects in everything. They understand that creating is as much about the journey as the destination. When an artist is immersed in the creative zone, time stands still. Distracting influences and stress disappear. The artist is one with their inner muse. It’s a wonderful, magical place to be. Just knowing that such a comforting place exists, and that I have a free pass to go there anytime I want, makes me perpetually optimistic.    

Tenacity.

Artists are a special breed motivated by an internal desire, an actual need, to be creative. This driving force is fueled by an endless power supply. It’s this well of strength and courage that keep the artist in constant forward motion. They’re Always striving to grow, to do more, to do better, to improve.  

Aversion to, “NO.”

Artists are immune to the word, no. To us, no means, try harder. We don’t let other people dictate what we’ll make. Their expectations or opinions won’t discourage or hider our dedication to our creative purpose. It’s our calling to come up with crazy, weird, never been done before, ideas and then make them work. It may mean building a project in a different way or suffering some setbacks, but that only strengthens our belief in the importance of finishing the project.

Fearless.

We’re fearless because we must constantly qualify and justify our way of life to the linear thinkers of the world. People who simply cannot imagine that we can support ourselves by being creative. And the most difficult nuggets for them to grasp are that it is a real job and we LOVE our job. But being the generous soles we are, we suffer the deer in the headlight look while gently explaining what it is we do all day.  

Generosity.

Artists are the most sensitive, caring and giving people I know. We get real pleasure from sharing our art with others. We find it personally rewarding to know that our creations bring joy and that they’re treasured by friends and family. But artist don’t stop there. We build strong communities and through those groups we support and nurture each other with guidance, compassion and friendship.    

It’s true, artists do have their own unique perspective of the world around them. We view things differently and then interpret our extraordinary discoveries through our art. Such skills and talent should be celebrated. 

At this busy time of year, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the holiday obligations. Know that as an artist, you are special. Your unique flair and artistic spirit brings light and happiness to those around you. And that’s the best gift of all. 

Cheers!
Lisa

www.LisaVogt.net

Lisa@LisaVogt.net

For FREE tips and tricks subscribe here

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKLC1hPWbP6Vzgx2Te9tg-g

Like Me on Facebook www.Facebook.com/LisaJVogt

 

Now Registering! 

Advanced Glass Fusing with Lisa Vogt

February 21-24, 2017

Personalized Instruction, 4-Day, Hands-on Workshop

Lisa’s Private Studio, Wesley Chapel, FL

Register here. Don’t wait seats are going fast!

http://www.lisavogt.net/products.aspx?id=478

5 Reasons Why You’ll Love this Class

You’ll unlock your own design style with expert guidance.

You’ll dive right in and complete unique advanced techniques on the first day.

You’ll work at your own pace making projects of your choosing.

You’ll design and build large multi-step projects. 

You’ll love the small class size and one-on-one, personalized instruction.

Here’s what students are saying about the class.

We got right to work within the first 10 minutes. It was 4 very intense days of working on advanced techniques and fusing. The best part was we chose what we wanted to learn and Lisa taught us how to make it. -Beth

In the recent 4-day workshop Lisa shared her space, methods, approaches to work, advanced tools in such a welcoming way along with the limit of 3-4 students. This gives you so much one-on-one time with an expert of glass fusion which makes it easy to absorb info, ask questions and work to have successful projects that you love. -Regina                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Having a small number of students in the class allowed us to each pursue different projects and therefore, see a variety of processes rather than if we all had to make the same pieces. As Lisa, would talk with a classmate we would continue to work on our pieces but at the same time, listen, take notes or watch what she was showing someone else.  The ease of learning in this fashion was remarkable. -Ginger

Check out my Advanced Class video!

https://youtu.be/PVc6EfUkuws

Upcoming Webinars

Upscale Fusing, January 5, 2017

https://www.glasspatterns.com/glass-patterns-quarterly-store/product/1084-upscale-fusing-with-lisa-vogt-january-5-2017.html

Fusing with Frit, January 24, 2017

https://www.glasspatterns.com/glass-patterns-quarterly-store/product/1079-fusing-with-frit-with-lisa-vogt-january-24-2017.html