2012 Xmas Suncatcher

[Don Burt]

Smaller this year. Fewer little santa hats. I like it, it looks pretty in the sunlight. But I can't find a clean window without a screen in the sun.

[Studiodunn]

Beautiful!

[Bert Weiss]

Thanks for the look Don, a yearly treat. Best of the season to you and all!

[Joyce Walters]

Thank you for sharing these each year!
They give much pleasure to see and I'm sure even more to receive.
Happy Christmas.
Joyce

[Buttercup]

Beautiful, Don. Which clear glass are you using here? I like the slight texture. All the best to you and yours for the silly season.Jen

[Don Burt]

Thanks all.
Hi Jen, It's Blenko. A blown glass. Most of the texture is picked up from the kiln shelf on the first firing. I fire them high to round the edges.

[Valerie Adams]

Splendid, as always!
Happy holidays!

[Buttercup]

Thanks Don. Can't get Blenko here. Boohoo. Jen

[Havi]

Really really beautiful



Havi

[M.L.]

Right before you had posted the picture, I had realized you had not, and was awaiting it, as you never disappoint with your Christmas suncatchers. Really do enjoy them.

Thanks
Mike

[S.TImmerman]

Very nice, where can one purchase blenko in the US?
Thanks

[Don Burt]

Blenko has always sold their glass wholesale and retail from the factory in Milton WV. In the 1960's and 70's they used to make a good bit of glass, and would have a couple dozen colors on hand. But the company has been in decline, and recently near collapse. I'm sure you could call them and learn what they have to say. They were worse at communication than anything, though. They were always friendly folks, to be sure, their 'Antique' staff were well known by all major stained glass studio principals in the East and Midwest. But that staff is gone now, and I don't know what their situation in Milton is. And that's honestly not much different than it ever was. No company ever tried as hard not to sell their product, as Blenko.

[Bert Weiss]

Blenko has always sold their glass wholesale and retail from the factory in Milton WV. In the 1960's and 70's they used to make a good bit of glass, and would have a couple dozen colors on hand. But the company has been in decline, and recently near collapse. I'm sure you could call them and learn what they have to say. They were worse at communication than anything, though. They were always friendly folks, to be sure, their 'Antique' staff were well known by all major stained glass studio principals in the East and Midwest. But that staff is gone now, and I don't know what their situation in Milton is. And that's honestly not much different than it ever was. No company ever tried as hard not to sell their product, as Blenko.

Blenko reorganized and came back from bankruptcy, just recently. I have no idea what their new business plan is. They used to have 3 lines of business, blown glass chachkies, dalles de verre, and blown sheet glass. The blown glass objects are likely the profit center, so we'll see what happens. Their dalles were an inexpensive source of single color casting glass. Many colors did not work, and there was no compatibility, but the colors that did work were a bargain, relative to other sources.

Don, I am surprised that you would fire handblown glass that hot. By the time you fire hot enough to round the edges, you have transformed the glass to a point that, I would think, makes it look just like Spectrum. Am I wrong here?

[Don Burt]

Am I wrong here?

No. You're right. My Bullseye tekta and the Blenko are the only colorless glass I have on hand. And the blenko has ultimately the smoothest texture. I have on wish list to procure some colorless float. If I really got my act together (and a few bucks) I'd have a couple hundred 3" circles with hangy holes drilled, made out of 6mm colorless float by a waterjet company. I get no big kick out of cutting circles and trying to make them look good on the edges. Then I could paint suncatchers until my kids put me in the home for good.