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2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 1:35 pm
by 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.
Image

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 4:11 pm
by Studiodunn
Beautiful! =D>

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:42 pm
by Bert Weiss
Thanks for the look Don, a yearly treat. Best of the season to you and all!

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Sun Dec 23, 2012 8:34 pm
by 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

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 2:52 am
by 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

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 11:49 am
by 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.

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 12:48 pm
by Valerie Adams
Splendid, as always!
Happy holidays!

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 6:28 pm
by Buttercup
Thanks Don. Can't get Blenko here. Boohoo. Jen

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 3:53 am
by Havi
Really really beautiful



Havi

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 12:08 am
by 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

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 8:33 am
by S.TImmerman
Very nice, where can one purchase blenko in the US?
Thanks

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 10:18 am
by 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.

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 12:05 pm
by Bert Weiss
Don Burt wrote: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?

Re: 2012 Xmas Suncatcher

Posted: Fri Jan 04, 2013 3:04 pm
by Don Burt
Bert Weiss wrote:
Don Burt wrote: 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.